a lot of mocks have been posted recently so i guess ill throw in a pre-combine mock as well. im gonna do my best to be realistic based on what the ravens would do and try to keep personal bias out.
1. Cleveland - Myles Garrett, EDGE, TAM - BPA, rare talent, high value position, no brainer.
2. SF - Jonathan Allen, DL, Bama - with the news of kirk cousins likely being traded for their 34th overall pick and carlos hyde, they may go ahead and take the BPA and turn their line into something absolutely ridiculous. if arik armstead can make himself a decent NT and at least eat space then there will be no stopping their front 3. with their solid secondary their defense will lead the charge back into relevance.
3. Chicago - Mitch trubisky, QB, NC - chicago cant continue without a qb, they are getting dangerously close to browns/niners territory. they need a ton of help all across the roster, really they should go BPA here and take jamal adams since they need a lot of secondary help anyway and be patient, but i think cutler has left such a sour taste in their mouths that they will try to find their qb ASAP. not sold on trubisky, but far from being down on him.
4. Jax - Jamal Adams, S, LSU - far and away the BPA here(for most people, i like hooker slightly more but only due to my bias for center fielder type safeties) and with ramsey playing corner they need a safety. the new face of the franchise.
5. Tenn - Malik Hooker, FS, OSU - great player, can be argued that he is the BPA, and if the titans continue being smart they are going to be perennial juggernauts, by being smart i mean landing home runs with all of their early picks, this is a home run in so many ways, the titans currently have a horrible safety tandem and secondary in general, hookers presence alone basically eliminates vertical threats and turns the rare vertical attempt into an interception often. no safety has played the single high ballhawk role as well as hooker since ed reed.
6. NYJ - Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU - i dont wanna make this pick because it feels like such a gimme, considering everyone is mocking him here, but it makes sense, and im trying to be realistic. the jets have a solid roster, they could take a cb but as good as this class is i dont think anyone is 6th overall worthy, other than that they dont have many tangible weaknesses outside of qb and rb, and they seem to be set on being patient with hackenberg. so heres a qb's best friend, a workhorse back.
7. Chargers - Mike Williams, WR, Clemson - travis benjamin is meh, keenan allen is great but one of the most injured players in the league, and phillip rivers at this point of his career deserves to be spoiled, hes been beaten and battered so badly due to an inept FO that refuses to make good signings and draft picks along the OL, and there are no options there at this point, so the next best thing is not just an insurance policy for his injured top target, but a definite upgrade over any receiving options on the team.
8. Carolina - Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford - how is it possible that a team who has invested so many high picks on the DL falling short? charles johnson and kawann short are FAs, kony ealy? vernon butler? they could be excellent there, but nobody knows yet, and that still leaves a no-name on the strong-side DE, thomas puts an elite talent at whatever the hell position they need him at, and is most likely the BPA which is what carolina loves to do.
9. Cinci - Reuben Foster, LB, Bama - the newest thorn in the ravens side. if this dude went 2nd overall i wouldnt bat an eye, thats how good he is, positional "value" has him slide here and cinci wins out on a generational talent and the ultimate losers here? every other team in the AFCNorth.
10. Buf - Corey Davis, WR, WMU - the biggest weakness on this team is WR, after qb of course, but this weak qb class turns them away. sammy watkins is an injury waiting to happen, and with robert woods leaving they have literally nothing you can even mistake for a NFL WR corps if watkins is hurt. whoever ends up at qb for buffalo will be a happy man, having the elite route running of corey davis and watkins, the big bodied strong handed charles clay, and shady mac in the backfield.
11. NO - Derek Barnett, EDGE, Tenn - they would be fools to take anyone else here. barnett is the most complete edge defener after myles garrett, with an elite bend and array of pass rush moves, great IQ, and good run defense and even zone drop ability, he fills the biggest need as the flat out BPA. a guy like this helps keep pace with atlanta and carolina who you can compete against with a good and well-rounded front.
12. Cleveland - Marshon Lattimore, CB, OSU - the most talented CB since Pat Pete falls due to injuries. if lattimore had stayed healthy he is a #1 overall type of corner. cleveland takes a shot here at a player who can legitimately be the best corner in the league, which also fills a need. they stay patient for a qb, one of kizer or watson will be there at 33 most likely.
13. AZ - OJ Howard, TE, Bama - gresham out howard in, they have no-names at TE and with michael floyd being gone and fitz getting up there, they need receiving options, Howard is an enormous potential type of guy who could rise even higher than this after the combine, hes also proven to be clutch, i guess... i mean blown coverages and play design have gotten him open for huge plays in championship games, but why the hell doesnt every OC do that? so im sure howard wasnt just gifted big plays in big games.
14. Indy - Dalvin Cook, RB, FSU - gore is on his last legs, frankly its a miracle hes in the NFL at this point. they need a ton of help on defense, and i dont think the colts are afraid of character concerns since the irsays arent exactly shining stars. they could go a ton of different ways here, but the team is built around andrew luck and an incredible talent at RB takes precedence over any help on defense.
15. Philly - Taco Charlton, DE, Mich - with connor barwin likely on his way out, the eagles get an excellent 43DE here. taco looks like one of more NFL ready guys with all the measurables, ridiculous burst and closing speed for a guy his size, plays like a NFL edge defender being well rounded. hes a day one starter and hes gonna wreak havoc in the NFC east, a division with a lot of good tackles. philly is upset about missing out on so many great offensive prospect for wentz to grow with, but they end up happy once taco dominates.
16. Ravens
- Marlon Humphrey, CB, Bama - i wont be happy here. but this is me trying to be realistic. i think humphrey is gonna crush the combine and be a top 3 athlete at cb, and I actually believe that the ozzie-bama connection IS a real thing(i dont think ozzie just prefers alabama prospects, but i think there is a comfort level with him having connections there), but im just not a big fan, im not big on corners who struggle to turn their head and play the ball. what im hoping is that he is put in a position to succeed, let him play a lot of zone, keep the plays in front of him, dont put him in man coverage, dont let him get exposed by jumpball receivers, and worst case scenario this kid could be an excellent safety. this is just a pick i could imagine happening.
17. Washington - Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova - the combine should have this beast flying up the boards. he is just a monster of a man, 6'7" 290+ but he bursts off the ball and bends the edge like hes 4 inches shorter and 30 lbs lighter, hes crazy to watch on tape. he bullrushes multiple blockers successfully on a consistent basis, he finishes plays, he plays incredibly violent, hes just a superhero on film, small school status and limited film has him in the teens but a jaw dropping set of measurables has him rise from the second. plus, the skins need a 5T and a big time player in their front seven.
18. Tenn - Sidney Jones, CB, WU - tennessee makes a statement that they are ready to take over the south when everything just falls their way in multiple drafts. sidney jones could fall, he has possibly the worst top end speed of the first round corners and his tackling can turn some teams off, the combine could hurt him, but hes still imo an elite prospect and the most scheme diverse corner in the draft. tennessees secondary does a complete 180 due to their trade back in which they land elite prospects with every pick.
19. TB - Budda Baker, S, WU - tampa literally doesnt have a starting safety under contract for 2017, and to say they had one in 2016 is questionable at best. baker should crush the combine, it is reported he runs in the 4.3 range and his tape would have him going in the top half of most draft classes, but the top 2 safeties in this class are out of this world which changes things, but teams open their eyes when they see his combine which should be stellar.
20. Denver - Cam Robinson, OL, Bama - the only reason he is going here over many other OL prospects, is that denver doesnt know which position they need the most, and robinson projects as basically anything but a LT or C, and worst case he is a dominant run blocker who struggles to pass protect at either RG or RT, but either way theyre getting a big upgrade at what they like to do the most, run the ball.
21. Detroit - Charles Harris, EDGE, Mizzou - an upgrade across from ziggy is a more dire need than their secondary, nevin lawson played solid as a #2 last year and darius slay is one of the better corners in the league, their need there is a bit overblown, what they have across from ziggy though is pitiful.
22. Miami - Tim Williams, DE, Bama - would be better off as a 34OLB, but should do fine if given a role as a primary rusher. miami is another team that needs dire help across from their only real edge rusher, williams' combine should make teams overlook the stupidity a little bit.
23. NYG - Garrett Bolles - OT, Utah - the giants need a tackle, flowers has been bad, they have nothing across from him. if bolles even turns out mediocre its an upgrade. but he shouldnt be mediocre, he should be quite decent.
24. Oakland - Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida - not sure why I think he will fall, but i think he will. he plays heavy footed, can be overly aggressive, and i hate the way he press covers, planting your feet and giving one hard shove generating power from your hips is as reckless as it gets and he wont get away with it in the nfl, which is why he falls. however there is a lot to like. no need to go into it, just need to explain why he falls.
25. Houston - DeShone Kizer, QB, ND - self explanitory. theyll be kicking themselves for years over the osweiler contract, but they cant waste the talent they currently have and need a qb in a hurry, regardless of current cap figures.
26. Seattle - Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida - in conversation for the BPA and while they need OL help, they just dont see a value at 26th(though id call dan feeney a hell of a value).
27. KC - Dan Feeney, G, Indiana - best linemen in the draft for the head coach who loves first round OL more than any coach in the league. "andy reid loves O-linemen in the first round" is one of those draft stories that is 100% true.
28. Dallas - Jabrill Peppers, SS/OLB, Michigan - sacrilege to suggest an upgrade over barry church on these boards. but the cowboys need help in coverage regardless, they have the pieces in place, like scandrick and byron jones, but they could use a guy like peppers to inject some life into the defense. he offers an upgrade as a Strongside OLB in their 43, or as a full time SS, and he definitely adds another dimension as a blitzer and just an uber athletic and instinctive swiss army knife.
29. GB - Ethan Pocic, C/G/RT, LSU - if JC Tretter goes theyll need a center, if TJ Lang goes theyll need a guard, pocic does both and is one of the highest IQ and technically sound offensive linemen in this class. the only issue is his height which makes him struggle to get low and generate push from time to time, but a hell of a player who seems like he fits right in at GB.
30. Pitt - Takk McKinley, EDGE, UCLA - i think theyre definitely going with an edge defender here, regardless of who it is.
31. Atlanta - Jalen Tabor, CB, Florida - the falcons whole identity on defense is based around pass rushing and forcing turnovers. i dont like tabor at all, i think hes a holding machine and incredibly undisciplined, and my thinking is that if you jump every stutter step a WR makes then youre gonna guess right often, which is basically what tabor has done, but hey maybe they like his abilitty to generate turnovers.
32. NE - Christian Mcaffrey, RB/WR/KR/PR, Stanford - cliche as hell but hes mocked here often for a reason.
ROUND 2:
Haason Reddick, OLB, Temple.
I dont wanna hear that hes too small. hes 6'1" 230, and can probably start the season at 240, the lack of height only helps him considering his arms are extremely long, with big strong hands, he can generate great leverage with that combination, reddick already displays a great bend, and being 6'1" he is near impossible to get hands on when he gets the slightest advantage on the edge, the long arms and great balance and low center of gravity help him to dip extremely low when turning the corner. he plays like an absolute lightning bolt in space, his pursuit is stellar, he is refined and has the full arsenal of hand and foot moves, highly instinctive, very passionate and motivated, natural leader, and just looks like an alpha on the field. this isnt a kamalei correa situation, reddick is a natural edge rusher with nfl ready ability, KC was an extremely raw project who was also somewhat undersized. Reddick is gonna be a major steal, his day 2 measurables will outweigh his first round tape and 47 teams will be kicking themselves for not taking him.
ROUND 3
Nazair Jones, DT, NC.
another DL to add to the long history of mid round DLs drafted by ozzie which leaves fans saying "why did we take him when X was on the board to fill a need" and we end up eating our words. jernigan can leave when his contract is up because this guy will be a machine of a hybrid 3 and 5 tech, just like jernigan. we also dont have to worry about carl davis anymore who i think is circling the drain, and it gives us a hell of a DT while we wait on willie henry to develop(if he ever does). just a really ravens like pick.
COMP
Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA.
good athlete, hes got the loose hips, hes fluid, hes got ball skills, and really he stick to his man pretty well and plays shifty and fast, also plays with a swagger and confidence. he seems to just kinda lose track of his man at times, peeking back at the qb and not sticking to his man, he had a solid senior bowl with such a strong cb class he probably shouldnt be going higher than late 3rd, unless he crushes the combine.
ROUND 4
Taylor Moton, G/OT, WMU.
had a good senior bowl, but still could see himself go early on day 3, smaller school o-linemen dont typically generate a ton of buzz late in the draft process, especially if they arent athletic freaks. Moton is a point-of-attack type of guy, monster of a mauler, shouldnt show very much at the combine that will push his stock upwards. if the ravens wanna get bigger and stronger up front, this guy is a start, now when one of our guys inevitably go down and we need to slide a starting guard out to tackle like we seem to do every season, we have a guard who can bring an enormous push on the inside, with enough coaching he can be a starting guard, and he will be a huge boost to the run game if that happens.
ROUND 5
Darreus Rogers, WR, USC.
best hands in the nation. I have never(iirc) compared a college prospect to boldin, because i dont think "contested catches" is the only criteria there and there are tons of receivers who do that, however, darreus rogers really does look like boldin on tape. it isnt just the contested catches, but the way he plays in general. he doesnt get wide open really ever, but he gets his own type of separation, which is really more body positioning than anything, he plants and cuts with authority and shields off the defender and faces the qb, and attacks the ball with ferocity, with vice grip hands that no college db has been able to break up. the USC offense wasnt very kind to him as juju got a ton of looks but i truly believe rogers is the better receiver, his hands are ridiculous and he has NFL level ball tracking and body control. with his style of play, speed, burst, quickness, agility, it just wont matter, if he can beat college dbs as badly as he does on tightly contested catches, then all hes gotta do to make the leap is bulk up a bit and keep on outmanning dbs with those hands.
thats as deep as im gonna go.
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