1. Cleveland Browns - Myles Garrett, edge, TA&M
2. SF 49ers - Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU - really hard projection here, my gut tells me Jamal Adams goes here as he is probably the BPA, but the reports of the new regime wanting to move on from Hyde and being interested in fournette make it difficult to go a different route.
3. Chicago Bears - Jamal Adams, S, LSU - another tough one to call, i hear they like hooker, but i also hear they like adams. in this case, im gonna go stick to the board and give the bears the BPA who fills a need and brings a face of the franchise type of player
4. Jax Jaguars - Solomon Thomas, DL, Stanford - Jonathan Allen strikes me as a Tom Coughlin guy, but Im buying the hype around his shoulder arthritis, this early in the draft it is just too much risk. i think Thomas is overdrafted here, but Coughlin is no stranger to working with raw guys with superb athleticism, like Jason Pierre-Paul for example, Coughlin is also a very well known front seven addict. hopefully this pick doesnt sound too cliche
5. Tennessee Titans - OJ Howard, TE, Bama - too great a fit. this team has nothing as far as receiving threats, with a franchise QB who extends plays well and can get it deep on broken plays, so a 6'5" behemoth athlete like Howard will be able to get down the field and bail out Mariota often on play action passes. speaking of play action, theyre a power running offense, emphasis on power, OJ Howard is the best blocking tight end i may have ever seen, he never leaves the field for this power run team, is always a threat, this is just a match made in heaven.
6. NY Jets - Marshon Lattimore, CB, OSU - every source in the world seems to report either this, or a trade back with cleveland. either makes sense, i cant realistically think of any other options here. hooker is my BPA at this point, but i feel the jets are going to prioritize CB
7. LA Chargers - Malik Hooker, FS, OSU - if either safety is on the board here, they will be the pick. replacing weddle at all costs is almost certainly their plan
8. Carolina Panthers - Jonathan Allen, DL, Bama - and the tumble stops here. Carolina is a BPA team through and through, which is why i dont buy the mcaffrey rumors at all. they feel they have a championship roster, and they do, which is why they can afford to take Allen here, if his shoulder injury puts him out of the league by year 5, then they could have still won a championship with him as a major contributor.
9. Cincinnati Bengals - Derek Barnett, edge, Tennessee - sad face
10. Buffalo Bills - Mike Williams, QB, Clemson
11. NO Saints - Taco Charlton, edge, Michigan - saints are gonna address either secondary or edge rush here, im thinking the latter. i dont like taco much at all, but i can understand why teams see potential, he probably has the best blend of size and athleticism and really does have a high ceiling, i just dont like his floor.
12. Cleveland Browns - Mitch Trubisky, QB, UNC
13. Arizona Cardinals - Marlon Humphrey, CB, Bama
14. Philadelphia Eagles - Christian Mcaffrey, RB, Stanford - totally buying the rumors that a team in the top half has guaranteed him a drafting, why else would he have turned down all private workouts? he has nothing to prove, thats why. philly makes more sense than any other team, give the young franchise qb an easy outlet
15. Indy Colts - Forrest Lamp, G, WKU - theyve drafted a lot of linemen and they all seem to be failures, maybe because they have only drafted one high and have tried to get by with a bunch of flyers in mid rounds, they right that ship here and finally get luck a solid blocker
16. Baltimore Ravens
Corey Davis, WR, WMU - is this finally the year? do we finally find the #1 WR? a guy who can get quick separation and make himself available? a guy who can turn 2 yard catches into first downs? decosta has been in full smoke screen mode, he spoke of all 3 first round receivers, and sounded indifferent about davis, very nonchalant, and with the rumors linking the ravens to john ross, it seems like classic decosta smokescreens. im calling his bluff and predicting that corey davis is high on our boards, and that we pull the trigger here. now i dont think corey davis is some sure fire savior to our offense, he isnt the concrete lock to perform well on day one, he has shown excellent and technical routes, but due to the amount of cushion he has faced he has never had to show creativity and savviness in his game, and when he has faced tight coverage he has struggled. now he has absurdly quick feet and is a big strong guy and plays very physical, so i dont doubt he can learn this part of the game. i just dont think hes as refined as some say, but he will continue to develop those finer parts and become a very good receiver for us.
17. Washington Redskins - Reuben Foster, LB, Bama - the skins have always been known to have a few knuckleheads on the roster, i dont think theyll mind the risk involved with foster when considering the gigantic upgrade he brings to their struggling defense who is in desperate need of an identity and a man in the middle.
18. Tennesse Titans - Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado - buying the hype
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Dalvin Cook, RB, FSU
20. Denver Broncos - Cam Robinson, G/RT, Bama - they need a lineman anywhere and this is a BPA to fill a need scenario. he isnt the BPA but he is far and away the best current lineman
21. Detroit Lions - Haason Reddick, OLB, Temple - the lions need some impact on defense, the best way to do that is to add some pass rush across from ziggy and the general motor and speed of reddick will be a huge boost in the pass happy NFC north.
22. Miami Dolphins - Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt - they have a need at LB, hes a reasonable value here, hes a rangy guy and a tackling machine, nothing too flashy but damn sound and gets around the field effectively and makes stops short of the sticks, should do well behind an excellent front, potential to stifle the patriots smallball game.
23. NY Giants - David Njoku, TE, Miami
24. Vegas Raiders - Gareon Conley, CB, OSU - the guy who was rumored to fly up boards goes on a tumble but it ends here. if the rumors of awuzie to tennessee werent swirling id slate him there, but thats the selection that hurts him here. im not his biggest fan, hes alright imo, but teams seem to like him, i could see him going to detroit, indy, cleveland, or arizona as well.
25. Houston Texans - QB, QB, Some School - dont know which one, but i think they take one. brain says Mahomes, gut says Watson.
26. Seattle Seahawks - Obi Melifonwu, S, UConn - very cliche pick, i know, but BamBam could be gone next year, and they dont want to lose that large enforcer who can play deep or up close. peppers is another possible candidate here but i think seattle places a lot of emphasis on size in the seconday, so the lengthy Obi gets the nod.
27. KC Chiefs - TJ Watt, edge, Wisconsin - tamba hali isnt some ageless wonder, hes falling off a cliff and justin houston has missed his fair share of time. they get a future all around edge defender who should be solid in year one, but while houston and hali are still around he can develop for a year, grow into an nfl body, and break out in year 2
28. Dallas Cowboys - John Ross, WR, Washington - i actually doubt he falls this far, tbh the guy slipped my mind a bit, he could go to just about any team, but addressing needs of teams had me take other guys over ross. consider this a slip up in my mock where i just forgot about a guy for a bit. but IF ross falls this far, its bad news for the league, this would just make dallas' offense a perfect storm, i dont know how youd stop it.
29. Green Bay Packers - Jabrill Peppers, SS, Michigan - they need help in a lot of places on defense, and peppers brings the kind of skillset that can really help change the complexity of a struggling defense. if you need a safety, LB, edge rusher, and cb, and just need to make your entire defense in general better, a great way to do that is to add an explosive, aggressive player with good instincts and textbook form tackling. peppers usage in college isnt indicative of his skillset, he was used as a blitzer almost exclusively, but he shows instincts and the athleticism to suggest hes got good range, plus the aggressive mentality, making him a great fit as an x factor strong safety
30. Pittsburgh Steelers - Malik McDowell, DT/DE, Mich. St. - this spells trouble for the ravens. if a reportedly unmotivated player needs to get motivated, put him in the steelers ravens rivalry, smh to us. this spot might not be a dire need but mcdowell is enough of a mover to say damn the need, he brings impact from all over the front. a legitimate top 3 talent with legitimate character concerns.
31. Atlanta Falcons - Charles Harris, edge, Mizzou - not this guys biggest fan but they need a pass rusher opposite beasley. they could also go with jordan willis here simply because he has an outstanding combine and the falcons have been very well known to take combine performers, which makes this pick kinda contrarian, but im gonna go ahead and think the falcons take the better player now, rather than the project, them holding a private workout for both he and willis says a lot, im thinking they like harris better on tape but wanted to see if he just had a rough day at the combine. secondary is also on the list here, possibly adoree jackson, a well know athletic freak.
32. NO Saints - Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU - its a rumor im buying, because it makes sense. bold prediction here, if lattimores injuries are a problem in the NFL then white will be the best corner of this class
Ravens round 2(47th)
Tim Williams, edge, Bama - i would tear my house down in celebration here. tim williams is an absolute menace. second best jump off the line after garrett in the whole class, and he plays with authority and violence. he punches, he presses, he rips and spins, he exploits the tackles movements, works one shoulder at a time to take on half a blocker and not allowing the OT to square up and latch on. he plays with intense passion on the field and brings the energy and motor you want, just absolutely relentless, but off the field in interviews he has been very calm and humble, and quite honestly seems mature and contrary to the reports. team first guy, through and through, he doesnt care about the personal accolades, he'll attribute his success to his team in a heartbeat while shouldering any blame, but dont mistake that for a lack of confidence. he is a relatively refined edge rusher, probably top 3 in this class in terms of hand fighting, decision making, and a general arsenal of pass rush moves. he bulked up before his final season, reportedly around 20 lbs, and most of that appears to be in his upper body, which i think could explain his slipping and falling in the championship game, top heavy guys struggle to stay balanced in the bend, but he doesnt lack the flexibility. he has room to add another 10 lbs in his lower body putting him at ideal OLB size. and honestly seems realistic, he is as low as 3rd round in a lot of mocks, but i dont think ozzie allows that. Carl Lawson is another consideration.
side note, his run defense is really picked apart by people, it is better than hes given credit for, bama just has so much depth that they had no interest in NOT keeping his legs fresh. when he has had to defend the run, he shows a conceptual grasp of it, staying home on the edge, pinching the edge, gap integrity, backside pursuit, hes done it all well. one problem he has though is he gets trigger happy when a run comes his way and he'll run himself out of the play trying to make the TFL.
Round 3(74th)
Pat Elflein, C, OSU - a high IQ mauling center with a championship pedigree. i dont know how this guy isnt considered a second round pick, but it seems to be the general consensus that hes a mid to late 3rd. hes right at home here with the ravens, day one starter and pro bowl potential.
78th
Desmond King, DB, Iowa
another guy who is inexplicably regarded as a mid to late third rounder. typical though as the raw athletic dbs always tend to shoot up boards late in the process. but desmond king is a viable #2 cb, slot cb, and should do well at either safety spot. he plays much bigger than his size, plays with authority more than most corners in the class, this guy believes the man across from him is inferior, and he plays like its true. average athleticism and size has never been a factor as this guy plays big and physical, arguably the best ball skills in the class among dbs as well. ravens love versatility and this guy will step in any time there is an injury on the field, and do well. if weddle hangs it up in the near future, heres his replacement, same with carr. he just screams ravens and has since last year. Witherspoon is also a strong option but im not sure where his stock lies, mocks show him going in the third but i think he ends up mid second.
Round 4(122nd)
Adam Bisnowaty, OT, Pitt
we address RT with a steal. this guys a late second early third in my eyes, but everything i see indicates him as a 5th rounder. hes a stud in the run game, needs work in pass pro, but the RT is the one spot you can afford to sacrifice pass pro, being the easiest part of the defense to avoid and manipulate. He fits the bill of bigger and stronger on the OL, he is a nasty brawler up front, gets the initial punch and drops the hips and drives upwards to put defenders on skates right off the bat, he doesnt lose the handfights because he extends quick and powerful and gets up in the chest early, and even when the defender staggers his engagement he is able to recover. he drops well in pass pro but gets stiff in the knees and ankles and may struggle to mirror guys who utilize inside lanes well. but as far as building a power run game goes, this guy is gonna make a quality RT
Round 5(159th)
Tarik Cohen, RB, NC A&T
the ravens are usually always good for a small school guy each year, and they usually seem to turn out pretty well, heres that guy. 5'6" and 175 but holy hell what a spark plug, danny woodhead is a stopgap obviously, but we need a dump option for joe at all times. this guy leaves defenders eating grass and hugging ghosts, his cuts are absolutely electric. if he can pack on a little bit of weight and get up to like 185, he should be stocky enough to hold up consistently as a receiving threat out of the backfield.
Round 6
Brian Allen, CB, Utah
the ravens take another raw and lengthy project corner, 3 years in a row. 6'3" with good top speed and very sound in bump and run coverage, needs to turn his head and locate the ball better, needs to diagnose the deep ball better and flip his hips to get downfield. but definitely an intriguing project. he and maurice canady give us an interesting duo of long tall project corners. if just one of them pan out then we are sitting pretty in the secondary
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