Ok before you see the short list.......don't shoot me with my #1 pick.....I will explain. Also this is not a mock....Just MY of what looks good to me in this early. Please tell mewhat you think or give me your ideas. Here we go.
ROUND 1- David Njoku TE rSo 6-4 240 Miami
I know some of you will be like What the heck? is wrong with this guy....a TE with the first pick. Let me explain my thought process before you dont look any further down the list. I personally think this is a weak class for CB's and DE/OLB's with the best Day 1 options gone by probably the 15th pick. I also think this is a weak OLINE class as well with 1 tackle and maybe 1 guard worth a top 20 pick ( We are #17 at the moment). So I honestly went with BPA that can help this team Day 1. Enter David Njoku....he is a beast. He is big, strong, EXTREMELY athletic with good hands. He honestly reminds me alot of Antonio Gates and is only a rSo. So lets get REAL...I explainded why we dont go D with this pick ( Maybe, I will list other options) with the blue chippers gone. There is no monster Olineman worth this pick and there are ZERO WR's at this pick (Those are our most stiking needs DE, CB,Oline and WR). So lets find another area of need and since we have a checkdown QB who loves his TE's let give him IMO the best in this draft. Currently we have Pitta who stayed heathy but forgot how to catch and is still an injury concern, Williams cant stay heathy, Gilmore is hit or miss and Boyle....well....plus Watson shouldnt be in this conversation due to age and coming off major injury. So to me......a gamebreaking TE is a NEED. Plus Ozzie like BPA guys......unless Howard from Bama is there. We know how he is with Bama boys.
Another possible option that should be available is: Jabrill Peppers S/LB again a need but where does he play. Again this is why I believe Njoku is a safe bet.
The UNMOCK list. For rounds 2 and 3 I have listed 4 players......all need but since the combine hasnt happened yet Ive seen these guys listed between the 1st and 4th rounds....so who knows how high or low they go. In a perfect world.......
Pat Elflein C Sr 6-2 300 Ohio State falls to us in the 2nd where I have seen him mocked around our pick to going in the 1st round....again perfect world
I believe Center is a huge need. Zuttah is not horrible but is not good either. I wouldnt mind keeping him as either a guard or backup guard/center. I think Elfein can step in year 1 and be our anchor for a long time. Remember the beatiful days of Matt Burk and having a Center that actually blocked.....well. Elfein gives us agood run and pass blocker and 2 young long term interior lineman (Stanley being the other) that we dont need to replace yearly....or weekly and obviously Yanda until he calls it quits. Not bad having to find 2 more starters going into next season with 5 on the roster to choose from. This should make Joe happy too.
Now the following names can be plug in:
-Tyler Orlosky C Sr 6-3 295 WVU
Another good Center should be there in the 3rd if Elfein is gone.
-Tre'Davious White CB Sr 5-11 192 LSU
Will be the in the 2nd and fills a need. A great tackler and plays the ball and not the player.
-Cordrea Tankersley CB Sr 6-00 200 Clemson
Will there in the 2nd and possibly 3rd. Long, athletic and can be great in man coverage when he stays calm. Has the size and tools to be good at the next level.
I know there are no DE/OLB on the list and can see us going that route too. However with IMO Suggs and DOOM both coming back and a couple young guys on the roster. I just think we could go this route. Give me your thoughts or better ideas for players.