1st. OT Ole Miss Laremy Tunsil - I couldn't think of a reason to justify passing up on a top LT talent that we probably won't have a shot at again for a long time. Tunsil's suspension could be considered a red flag and he needs some technique development but overall he has impressive athleticism, great power in the run game, and has easily handled some top rushers in college football to this point. This pick does beg the question, what happens to Monroe? *Who knows how the top of the WR draft class will shake out so I took a shot in the dark here, probably a bit hopeful but oh well.* 2nd. WR Pitt Tyler Boyd - Boyd has a serious red flag for his DUI so maybe he falls here as Josh Doctson rises. Boyd is one of the most polished receivers in terms of route running and creating separation. He is silky smooth in his movements. His hands and body control are phenomenal, if you watch him play at Pitt he makes you say "wow how did he come up with that?" on a regular basis. He's not the fastest or strongest but he is definitely above average athletically which to go along with his polish makes him a great compliment for Perriman. 3rd. CB Ohio State Eli Apple - We need a solid corner opposite Jimmy Smith (Also Jimmy needs to get it together) but Apple should fill that role nicely at about 6'1" he is a bit of a larger corner in terms of height. This should allow him to contend better with taller receivers. He is great in man coverage and sticks right in his man's pocket. He is decent in press coverage but has the size and strength to improve. He has very good ball skills. He needs to improve his tackling. It seems like he as a tendency to get a bit complacent if whoever he is covering isn't targeted for a while. Admittedly, I did not see much of him in zone but between the solid instincts and plus athleticism I would assume he is at least passable in that department. 4th. DT/DE Mississippi State Chris Jones - Jones should help bolster our pass rush a bit if he falls to us here. He is a big man that eats up a lot of blocks. He has some decent pass rushing skills thanks to his power but he is usually double teamed. On a line with Brandon Williams and Jernigan he should be able to put up about a handful of sacks a year. He is phenomenal as a run stopper as well. He's also been known to bat down the occasional pass. 4th. RB Pitt James Conner - At 6'3 250 (and he is every bit of that) Conner is a powerful runner. He breaks tackle after tackle after tackle. The most surprising part of his game is that he actual has enough speed for the occasional home run. One of his most impressive games last year came against Duke who were one of the best tackling teams in the country and the best in the ACC and he made their tackle attempts look feeble. He runs too high, he needs to lower his pad level but that is fairly correctable. He has a bit more wiggle than people give him credit for but he is definitely not as quick and agile as Derrick Henry although I do think he is a more powerful runner. He has one of the best stiff arms I've ever seen. He is a very good pass protector thanks in part to his size. His ability in the passing game is a big unknown as he was only targeted about 10 times or so. 5th. We ain't got one. 6th. OLB Tennessee Curt Maggitt - Solid size for the position. Good athlete, not great. He is a very good pass rusher and general playmaker. He has a sizable red flag due to his injury history but in the 6th you look past that for a good pass rusher. He is a bit weak in the run game and needs to work on setting the edge. He is capable dropping into coverage against your average college TE or occasional RB. 7th. We don't have one. Notes: I would love it if we traded a pick or two from future years and snagged FS Karl Joseph in the 3rd - 5th. Let me know what you think!
