Sam´s pre-FA mock draft

[Italian Raven]

We all know things will be a lot different in one month from now. 
Thus no need (yet) for a long, articulated introduction. It´s just a mix between our team needs and personal preferences.


1 CLE
Myles Garrett
Well. I hope for the fans that the FO just just takes the beast and sit around until their second first rounder, hoping another top talent falls right into their arms. 

2 SF
Jonathan Allen
They have a ton of glaring needs, similarly to Chicago. The main difference is that (for what it´s worth) Keapernick is still on the roster. Sure, not a franchise QB but it gives you an opportunity to work on those other important areas, first. Allen is an amazing 4-3 DE. Put him next to the two former Duck players and you have a very good front 4 to start with.  

3 CHI
Mitch Trubisky
Team lacks starting WRs, TEs, Olinemen and a brand new secondary. But is any CB worth to be picked this high? They have tons of cap space and even more once they´ll manage McPhee and other players´ contracts, so I guess they can try to address a tiny bit of those needs through FA. This is the toughest team to mock this far, imo.

4 JAC
Jamal Adams
Right guy at the right time for a young, underrated defense on the rise. 

5 TEN
Mike Williams
BPA. I don´t understand why the team got rid of Green-Bekham when they needed a big bodied guy to help Mariota; especially because they got basically nothing in return. Now the Titans have a more than solid Oline and they can only get better with the addition of player like Williams. Looking forward to see the Titans becoming relevant in a very near future.

6 NYJ
Marshon Lattimore
Passing defense was a disaster last season. They lack quality LBs and DBs who can help Davis and push Skrine back in the slot. #6 looks like a better spot than 2 or 3, for any CB. [we don´t know how long the former will be suspended but even with a FA addition the Jets will need help in the secondary. I´ll say it´s between Lattimore and Hooker]

7 SD
Malik Hooker
Now that they start to get something going up front they definitely have to contain big plays.

8 CAR
Charles Harris
Did anybody expect Floyd to get picked in the top 10, last year? He was a very fast pass-rusher and likely misused by Georgia (on too many run plays he was playing MLB). His lack of strenght was a concern for most but afterall it takes just one team to make it happen. Here´s the case for Harris. Too talented for a front 7 looking for outside speed.

9 CIN
Reuben Foster
Burfict is perennially injured/suspended. Maualuga ain´t in his prime. Even if they activate Paul Dawson (who I loved) from the practice squad they will need a sure thing there in the middle. Foster is there, it coulnd´t be any better than this. 
 
10 BUF
Deshaun Watson
I think it makes sense to try to trade Taylor or even cut him for Buffalo. With those money you can guarantee enough space to retain Gillmore and eventually gain an additional pick. Watson would compete with Cardale Jones for the starting spot.

11 NO
Derek Barnett
Need of pass-rushers? Check. Solid prospect with solid entangibles? Check. As simple as that.

12 CLE
Leonard Fournette
Browns have an insane amount of money to spend and could get another 1-2 year rental in Fitzpatrick or a Garoppolo/Cutler/Taylor in a not-too-expensive-deal. I don´t think they´d be worth a top 15. I don´t recall the last time a team could get in exchange for their player a better pick than the one they actually spent to draft him (after barely played him at all). Anyway, Fournett and Myles in round one seem more then legit. 

13 ARI
OJ Howard
Palmer is aging and you could get yourself a Kizer. However, with an aging Fitzgerald and just a group of short speedy guys I think picking the best TE in the last couple of years is not a bad choice. Howard can do it all, helping as an efficient blocker as well. Ebron was selected with the same pick and was not quite as ´finished´ as the Bama product.

14 IND 
Solomon Thomas
The Colts need to upgrade the trenches. Both the sides. I´m not as high on Thomas as many others are but his versatility is a key factor there. 

15 PHI
Quincy Wilson
In another class Wilson would be a lock in the top 10. No prospect can be called ´a sure thing´ but of the two former gators he looks to be the more versatile and the least risky pick, The Eagles have no starting CB with McKelvin being a FA and having traded Rowe during the past season. I don´t see how the team can possibly look in any other direction with a few potential #1 corners on the clock. 

16 BAL
Carl Lawson
We have players who can get to the QB, but with inconsistency. I would cut Doom and behind an injury-pleagued Sizzle we have no certainty (even with Kaufusi finally healthy he´s all but a fast, edgy kind of pass-rusher). Manies won´t like the pick but think about this: how is Lattimore considered a top 5 overall despite his 2014 and 2015 big injuries while Lawson doesn´t even make DJ top 50 or is considered a mere borderline 1st rounder? He was a top 10 talent prior the injuries. Now there´s no reason to look away. He bull-rushes, swims and is natural like no other in the class.

17 WAS
Corey Davis
Even with Doctson turning into the promising player everybody hoped, the ´skins will need another starting WR. Doctson, Davis and Crowder would possibly make one of the youngest and most talented corps in the league.   

18 TEN
Sidney Jones
After landing the best offensive playmaker in the class the Titans would be thrilled to address such a position of need with a top 3 corner, assuming that both the best safeties are already off the board. 

19 TB
Malik McDowell
One of the riskiest picks in the draft. McDowell has an impressive burst off the LOS and penetrates the gaps with fair ease to make splash plays in the backfield. Although he might be quite a reach due to the fact he´s not the best run stuffing DT, to say the least. Gerald McCoy needs a partner in the trenches and the Bucs might be just fine with him. Afterall a certain Grady Jarrett (who slided to the 4th because of similar issues) seems to be doing pretty well in Atlanta.   

20 DEN
Forrest Lamp
The Broncos need better protection for their struggling QB(s). Okung is unlikely to see his option picked and Simbrailo would be the starting LT opposed to Schofield on the right side. Lamp can play both guard and tackle. He´d eventually start outside while providing great insurance for Turner and Garcia.

21 DET
Teez Tabor
Lions only good starting CB behind the injured star Slay is Diggs. Tabor might bite a little too much into some reads but has the talent to possiblty become a #1 corner in the league.
 
22 MIA
Zach Cunningham
Miami LBs have been some of the worst in the league. Cunningham would address their biggest need and the price might be fair enough at this point.

23 NYG
Dalvin Cook
You definitely want to help the young receiving corp with a good ground game. With no valuable ILB on the board (imo) the Giants might steal the McCoy 2.0. 

24 OAK
Cam Robinson
Donald Penn is aging and Howard can´t stay healthy. The Bama product will immediately take the ground game to another level while playing alongside Osemele.
Next round the team could easily look at the RB position and finally get something going there. 

25 HOU
Ethan Pocic
A great guard/center who will help protecting the underachiever Osweiler and boost the run game. Like for the few previous teams, they´re on the market for a ILB but it might still be a tad early for Jarrad Davis. 

26 SEA
Garrett Bolles
The Hawks are another team desperately looking for linemen. Luckily for them, the class is pretty deep in the first couple of rounds and they might eventually double dip. Bolles is the last borderline first round OT. If any Johnson, Moton, Dawkins are still there in the 2nd I expect one of them to be the pick there.

27 KC
Jarrad Davis
KC is starving for an inside presence. Derrick Johnson is at the end of his career and there´s absolutely no depth there. Davis can´t be ignored no more.

28 DAL
Taco Charlton
Dallas badly needs some pass-rushers. They´ve had one great season but people underestimate how lucky they were with injuries. The team has absolutely no depth on the defensive side of the ball whatsoever. Charlton can play hands in the dirt or stand up, helping against pass as well as run situations.

29 GB
Marlon Humphrey
The team has a solid Oline and a good array of weapons for Rodgers. Defense will most likely be addressed early. Now that they cut the injury prone Shields thy might want an upgrade over Gunter as #2 CB opposed to Rollins or they´re simply going to move the latter inside. Either way Humphrey would be a great fit.  

30 PIT
Takkarist mkKinley
Harrison is still a monster but no ageless God. Jarvis Jenkins has been quite a disappointment and the only true pass-rusher is Dupree. MkKinley looks perfectly the part of a Steeler player. Good pass-rusher who is a beastly athlet and run stuffer.  

  31 ATL
Jourdan Lewis
Like our Ravens after the SB run injuries to the best corners have derailed the team plans. I expect them to take either a corner to solidify the Collins-Trufant duo (and lewis would play well inside, too when the couple is healthy) or to replace Chester with this pick.

32 NE
Christian McCaffrey
The quintessence of gadget player will find his best fit at #32. It´s one of those popular prediction that I´ve always agreed with.  

 

Ravens´RD2
 Rasul Douglas, CB

Duglas is a big bodied corner who will relegated to outside duties. He´d push Young inside and finally provide some talent to our CB corp.

RD3
Ryan Switzer, WR

My favourite day 2 WR. Super flashy with great route running and after the catch abilities. He´ll perfectly replace Smith Sr as a starting slot receiver and take over the returning duties (he has better awarness and lateral agility than Moore). 

RD3 (comp)
Adam Bisnowaty, OT/G

 
 Didn´t watch tapes of the guy but I rely on different reports saying he´d struggle against fast pass-rushers  in the pros and that he´ll be better suited to play inside, where his punch can make damages. Either way, he should be a versatile player and the coaches have shown the ability to make the best out of day 2-3 Olinemen.

RD4
Tenzel Smart, DT
We have a history with small school kids. Smart is this year´s Hargrave. Not a huge presence but has natural leverage and a great first step. He could even be picked earlier due to the depth at his position.
  
RD5
Trey Hendrickson, DE
I would like to see Hendrickson play for the Ravens. Great use of the hands and ability to close the angles as a pass-rusher. He keeps the blocker away with the long arms and has a non stop motor. I guess the depth at the position might push him as far as the 5th, although I wouldn´t be surprised one bit if he went 1-2 rounds earlier. He and Smart are pretty interchangable in my eyes. Other options I would consider here is a double dip on CB or Kareem Hunt (if available of course).   

RD6
Jonathan Ford, FS
At a certain point we´ll likely pick a Safety. I guess we´ll cut Webb (his salary figure is way too high) and let the best young player fill the spot. I liked Ford anticipation and tackling on tape.

RD7
Ben Gedeon, ILB
 I guess it´s time for Correa to show up. He might not have the toughest competition one could imagine but I wouldn´t be shocked if we started a late rounder or undrafted kid.

Edited February 20 by Italian Raven

[Ravenskid52752]

Carl Lawson is too injury prone to take with Corey Davis and Sidney Jones on the  broad! 

[Italian Raven]

11 minutes ago, Ravenskid52752 said:

Carl Lawson is too injury prone to take with Corey Davis and Sidney Jones on the  broad! 

Ok it could be.

How high do you have Lattimore on your board, tho? Just curious.

I do like Davis but I don't see WR as hard to address as edge defender. The only one I would consider taking over a pass rusher and CB is Williams, but even then it depends on who's left on board.

[ravensnation5220]

First off. Kaufusi is not a speedy edge guy. He's a big 6-7 280lb 5-tech so he won't play much on the edge lol

I like lawsons talent, however I don't like his injury history same with lattimore. 

Douglas I'm not too high on. He kinda reminds me of William Jackson yet I don't see either succeeding at the next level. I'd much rather Fabian Moreau hes a great press corner with good feet and hips.I don't mind taking a chance on a talented player with major injury problems in the second round. Just not in the first like you have lawson  

 

[Italian Raven]

32 minutes ago, ravensnation5220 said:

First off. Kaufusi is not a speedy edge guy. He's a big 6-7 280lb 5-tech so he won't play much on the edge lol

I like lawsons talent, however I don't like his injury history same with lattimore. 

Douglas I'm not too high on. He kinda reminds me of William Jackson yet I don't see either succeeding at the next level. I'd much rather Fabian Moreau hes a great press corner with good feet and hips.I don't mind taking a chance on a talented player with major injury problems in the second round. Just not in the first like you have lawson  

 

I wrote that BK is all BUT a fast and edgy guy.. Now I don't know if it's just me misunderstanding the connector 'but' when used in such a case but I thought it meant 'except for'. If it's so then we're saying the same thing

I was also considering Moreau but in the MkKinley tapes I have watched I think he jumped off the screen on zone coverages.. I might be wrong of course.

And as I wrote, everybody's mock is reflecting a mix of realistic picks as due to team needs with personal likings. Laws is my 2017 favourite prospect. It takes something bigger than 2 years old injuries to change mind. Especially since another prospects bearing the exact same issues (ACL) is mocked in the top 5.

[ravensnation5220]

2 hours ago, Italian Raven said:

I wrote that BK is all BUT a fast and edgy guy.. Now I don't know if it's just me misunderstanding the connector 'but' when used in such a case but I thought it meant 'except for'. If it's so then we're saying the same thing

I was also considering Moreau but in the MkKinley tapes I have watched I think he jumped off the screen on zone coverages.. I might be wrong of course.

And as I wrote, everybody's mock is reflecting a mix of realistic picks as due to team needs with personal likings. Laws is my 2017 favourite prospect. It takes something bigger than 2 years old injuries to change mind. Especially since another prospects bearing the exact same issues (ACL) is mocked in the top 5.

Lattimore never had ACL injury. He's had hamstring issues since highschool

[JoeyFlex5]

This seems like supreme reaches for needs. I dont see Lawson as talented enough to ignore the injuries at 16, just way too high(he's not in the same stratosphere as lattimore so I don't consider that a valid argument) 

i have never seen Douglas mocked as high as 48, and I like Douglas. I like a lot of guys over Switzer in the third but I don't dislike him, I LOVE the bisnotawy pick there, realistic and would be a great addition and adds to our tradition of quality swing guys. After that im only familiar with Hendrickson who I think is a solid late pick, idk about the 4th though. 

If every player except for bisnotawy was picked a round later(which is actually more realistic than this, aside from switzer, no offense lol) then this would be great

[Italian Raven]

30 minutes ago, ravensnation5220 said:

Lattimore never had ACL injury. He's had hamstring issues since highschool

Oh my bad.. You're right.. I dont know why I had acl in my mind. I reminded it was something serious because both the legs had him missing an extended amount of time during 2014 and 15.

[RavensDieHard21]

7 hours ago, Italian Raven said:

Ok it could be.

How high do you have Lattimore on your board, tho? Just curious.

I do like Davis but I don't see WR as hard to address as edge defender. The only one I would consider taking over a pass rusher and CB is Williams, but even then it depends on who's left on board.

I have Sidney Jonea ahead of Lattimore basically because of Lattimore's chronic injury history while Jones has been a model of consistency. He is Mayock's top CB and we would be foolish to pass on him.

Lawson is good, but his injuries combined with his slender lower body and questionable effectiveness of his bull rush at the next level, I just could not justify taking a fringe 1st round player at 16. 

[Jacquouille]

I love it. I'd argue that it doesn't provide us with a dominant presence inside for the OL, and it might seem like reaches, but those are picks that will provide instant impact. No reason to complain.

Edited February 21 by Jacquouille

[rossihunter2]

i really like lawson but not in the 1st and maybe not in the 2nd (although i wouldn't hate him there)

[hn68wb4]

Seems like everyone else is taking you to task with this one...but I'm going to be a bit more generous.

I have to agree with others on Lawson at #16. He's way too injury prone and there are just better options at that spot. Maybe after a trade back he'd be in play but at #16 I don't see it.

I don't think Douglas would be a big reach in the 2nd as others have indicated. First of all I think he will test well at the Combine, people don't talk about his athletic ability but from what I've seen I think he's a better athlete than many give him credit for. I'm not saying he's going to be the guy that tears it up, but he'll put out solid numbers and take away any doubts about his athletic ability. Combine that with I think there will be a run on CBs to start the second and I think Douglas could be a fine pick for us there.

I really like Switzer as most do, but I think mid 3rd is somewhat of a reach, the comp would be more realistic. But I think he'll be a fantastic slot receiver in the NFL and he's easily one of the best punt returners in the draft.

I'll withhold judgement on Bisnowaty, I watched him months ago and can't really remember what I thought of him.

I'm not really a fan of Smart, he performed admirably at the Senior Bowl and his tape is ok. It'd obviously depend on who's available, but I don't think I'd take him in the 4th even though he's rising a little bit.

I like Henrickson, he's an interesting EDGE prospect and did very well at the East/West Shrine game - though, to be fair, literally all of the OTs from that game performed terribly. I'm still feeling out where he should go, but I think the 5th could be appropriate at the moment.

Not a fan of Ford, if I'm remembering the right player then I have to say I came away from his tape with a different impression than you. Didn't like his tackling or the angles that he took.

[Italian Raven]

@hn68wb4 yeah I didn't expect it to be a likes drawing mock and I totally understand for most Lawson is a reach there. I'd just like to make the same case for Lattimore who has only one season as a starter and injuries story might as well push him to us. I watched almost every Auburn game the kid has played in and I'd just love our team to take a big tome chance on him.

At the same time I'm aware that mocking him at #47 is a wishful thinking.

I'd also prefere White and Sutton over Douglas but I guess the former Tiger will be picked between the late 1st to early 2nd while the Vol kid has an injury story too and wouldn't like our team to take a further risks (even tho, as we saw, any healthy prospect can easily injure himself or retire for whatever reason within 2-3 years, see Perriman for the first case and Borland/Orr as the latter example).

With Switzer I consider the receiving depth way too shallow to have him falling one more round. I tend to be as realistic as possible with my mocks (almost pessimistic), there explained why I'd rather "reach" 15-20 picks for a guy whose talent is miles ahead of the next one playing the same role.

Smart and Hendrickson are some interesting wild cards to me. On one hand because we tend to go with players who have participated in the senior bowl and then because of the small school kids thing. My favourite DT in the class is M.Adams but I don't see him being there at our 3rd rounder and with our uncertainty at 4-3 DTs I think we should take the gamble. 

Let's see what's my take after FA. Maybe I'll have a good amount of free time by then, I will find some unwatched tapes and won't fell the need to mock Lawson at us anymore