First mock draft of the year. Doing one pre-combine from
what I have heard and learned from many outlets like the Draft Network,
Bleacher Report, ESPN, NFL.com, and independent twitter scouts and their clips,
as well as my own dumb intuition. I have not watched my own film, so I have no
idea about any of this. Just doing it for fun. No trades in the first couple of
these. I will be watching the combine and paying attention to certain drills/measurables/etc.
and will have a mock coming out the week following it.
1.
Cincinnati
Bengals – QB Joe Burrow, LSU
Let’s not overthink this. I doubt this changes from now until Vegas.
2.
Washington
Redskins – EDGE Chase Young, Ohio St
Same with the above. If Washington trades
out of this, they will need a Wentz-like haul.
3.
Detroit Lions
– CB Jeffrey Okudah, Ohio St
Once we get trades involved the Miami
Dolphins will be selecting here. Am I biased? A little yes but it also makes
too much sense. Lions don’t want to move too far and miss Young/Okudah. The QB talk
is a smokescreen because Coach and GM will be fired if they don’t make the
playoffs and Stafford is untradeable.
4.
New York
Giants – OT Jedrick Wills, Alabama
Blocked Tua’s blindside (right side) but
will be drafted to be the blindside (left) for Daniel Jones. Giants don’t trade
in the 1st and they get their choice of all the hog mollies. An upset
pick I could see being here would be Derrick Brown.
5.
Miami Dolphins
– QB Tua Tagovaiola, Alabama
Last don’t overthink this. This is
happening. It has been happening since Gase was fired and Ownership said, “we
are ok with only winning 3 games”. It was for this man. If the Lions select a
player at 3, their will be a shirtless man in Vegas during the draft named
Kyle.
6.
Los Angeles
Chargers – QB Justin Herbert, Oregon
This pick… is interesting. Could see the
Chargers going after Cam and Brady. But if they don’t get a QB I think the guy
they will want is Herbert anyway (instead of Tua) because of the big arm (not
that Tua doesn’t have that). This is written in light pencil until after free
agency.
7.
Carolina
Panthers – DL Derrick Brown, Auburn
This may end up being the best pick of the draft that no one talks
about. Listen to this though. Carolina fires their coach and hires a first-time
head coach to “rebuild” the team. Carolina distances themselves from their
best/foundational/franchise players to create cap and flexibility. Carolina has
a probable need at QB post-Cam. Carolina begins tanking. Carolina takes a DT in
the first round of this draft in prep for tanking for Trevor. (Miami selected DT
Christian Wilkins last year in the 1st round) Sound familiar?
8.
Arizona
Cardinals – DL Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina
I know CeeDee and Jeudy are both there and
CeeDee played with Murray and they have a “need” at WR… I just don’t feel good
about it. Derrick Brown I think is their guy, but they would be happy with
Kinlaw as well. I don’t think they trade back but it would make a lot of sense
for someone if they wanted Simmons (possibly Raiders). Kinlaw is a wrecking
machine but if he falls to the teens because of injury scares don’t be surprised.
9.
Jacksonville
Jaguars – LB/S/Playmaker Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
Jacksonville’s 2017 team is long gone. Way
to get back to it? Address the defense (losing a lot of players this offseason like
Campbell, Yannick, Bouye, Ramsey last year) and hope one of your QB raises
their play. Simmons is probably the best defensive player this year but because
he is so versatile teams need to have a plan of what they want to do with him. Learning
from Myles Jack and being able to roam will be perfect for him.
10.
Cleveland
Browns – OT Mekhi Becton, Louisville
I don’t know much about Andrew Berry the
new GM. But if the Browns are drafting… generally I don’t trust them. Becton is
simply huge. 6’7 300 thousand LBs and moves like a feather in the wind. He has
shot up boards because of his ability to move and when he gets his hands on you…
so long. But he doesn’t do that very often. To be honest, I think the Browns
ruin this kid. I hope not.
11.
New York Jets
– OT Andrew Thomas, Georgia
Copy paste the last 2 sentences but replaces Browns with Jets. I think
the Jets will want a true tackle in Thomas rather than Wirfs because some
people see him as a guard. He was a top 5 pick pre-2019 season but fell this
year due to some inconsistencies on his tape. Some games he shows that top-5
player and others he just is kind of there. If Lamb is taken at #8 to Arizona… I
would want to change this pick to Jeudy. It really depends on how much voice
Gase has in the room on draft day.
12.
Las Vegas Raiders – WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Best player available falls right to them.
Jordan Love may get some excitement out of Gruden but Jeudy is a stud and fills
a huge need for this team who will be losing Tyrell Williams.
13.
Indianapolis
Colts – WR CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
No one knows what the Colts are going to
do. If Costanzo retires (or signs elsewhere), this could easily be Wirfs or any
available OT. This is also a trade up spot for Jordan Love for another team to
get ahead of Tampa. Colts could also take Love. But I feel they roll with
Brissett. They have a ton of cap room and I expect them to sign a good bit of
players, but the WR FA’s aren’t too great. Not as good as the possibility of Jeudy
or Lamb for sure.
14.
Tampa Bay
Buccaneers – EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU
I believe Bruce Arians when he says his
primary focus is on the defensive side this offseason. But I don’t believe that
Shaq Barrett is going to be in their price range even though he says he would
take a hometown discount. If Shaq is back, I think this is Kinlaw’s floor, but
he isn’t available and Chaisson is BPA. Bucs aren’t too far away if they can
figure out their QB room.
15.
Denver
Broncos – WR Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
Courtland Sutton is a WR1. Lock is a lock
to be their 2020 starter at QB. They have a couple good RBs and a shiny TE. Defense
is 100% in play at this pick. Specifically, at corner or safety is Simmons
leaves in FA. However, Lock’s ceiling is the floor if they can’t stretch the
field.
16.
Atlanta
Falcons – CB Kristian Fulton, LSU
Fulton has already played quite a few games in this shiny new stadium.
Chaisson is the pick if he is here, but I think they stay away from Epenesa
because he isn’t the bendy type of player Atlanta covets since they have been
burned at EDGE in the draft in the past.
17.
Dallas
Cowboys – DB Xavier McKinney, Alabama
Offseason Dallas Priorities: Sign Dak long
term, sign/tag Amari, let Byron Jones walk because he will be a $14M+ a year
player on the open market. Dallas has been looking for a safety for some time
now and they get their pick between all of them. Delpit is also very much in
this conversation.
18.
Miami Dolphins
(from Pittsburgh Steelers) – OT Tristan Wirfs, Iowa
Yea… this probably doesn’t happen. This is
his floor though. However, his ceiling is probably 8 to Arizona. Dolphins
obviously need to address the OL, so this isn’t a surprise. We may be looking
at 4 new OL starters in 2020.
19.
Las Vegas Raiders (from Chicago Bears) – LB
Patrick Queen, LSU
It seems like this pick is already in
sharpie to most people. However, if Simmons falls to them at 12 the whole draft
may already be on its head and there could be a really good player available
here like Ruggs. Queen is a sideline to sideline LB who has a couple of nice
pass rush moves as well.
20.
Jacksonville
Jaguars (from Los Angeles Rams) – CB CJ Henderson, Florida
As I noted before, they lost Ramsey and
may be moving on from Bouye as well. Time to get another press man corner. Henderson’s
big knock is he doesn’t want to tackle and when he does, he isn’t good at it. But
he was a top corner in press man this year, per PFF.
21.
Philadelphia
Eagles – WR Laviska Shenault, Colorado
Corner or Wide Receiver. Whichever has the
best player available, but these positions literally have crushed the
possibility of another Super Bowl for the Eagles the last few years. Shenault
is a Darren Sproles at WR. Guess who just retired from the Eagles? Yep…
22.
Buffalo Bills
– WR Tee Higgins, Clemson
This one makes too much sense to me.
Buffalo has a bunch of smaller guys. Higgins is a huge, outjump anyone type of
guy on the boundary. He isn’t a route technician. But he will do a good job
with big arm Allen throwing him deep.
23.
New England Patriots
– DL AJ Epenesa, Iowa
I hate this. He is such a perfect fit for
this system. Detroit, Miami would both love him, and he is in play at 18/26 or
if Detroit takes one of these picks from Miami. Big edge player that also
scooch inside for these multiple defenses that these teams like to play. A great
run defender and a technician with his hands that still gets pressure on the
QB.
24.
New Orleans
Saints – iOL Lloyd Cushenberry, LSU
This team is so ready for a Super Bowl.
Brees is back. The offense is intact. Teddy is gone. Taysom is not a franchise
QB. But do the waste 1-2 years left of Brees to take Jordan Love for the
future? Or do they go all-in to win the big game? I truly do not know. But I go
with Lloyd here because this Saints team is very familiar with this LSU product
and it fills a need. If Laviska is available, they are 99.9% taking him.
25.
Minnesota
Vikings – CB Jeff Gladney, TCU
Not enough people know about this kid. Really
good press man corner in a TCU defense that was often underrated. Vikings are
likely losing Trae Waynes and Xavier Rhodes was in the toaster for too long
this year. Time to replace them.
26.
Miami Dolphins
(from Houston Texans) – RB De’Andre Swift, Georgia
Let me just say that I hate this pick. Happy
with Gross-Matos or Diggs or Baun or Delpit or taking another tackle because I hate
this so much. But the dolphins have “serious interest” in Swift. It is a huge
need for sure, but not a big enough one that we can’t take Dobbins or Akers in
round 2.
27.
Seattle Seahawks
– EDGE Terrell Lewis, Alabama
Let’s just start this with, Seattle is
trading back. However, this pick makes a lot of sense for wherever they trade back
to. Terrell has first round talent, but major injury concerns as well. This could
also address the interior OL as more of a safe pick but again you can get that
type of player in a trade back.
28.
Baltimore
Ravens – LB Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma
Ravens reload their defensive weapons every single year without a drop
off. They cut Jefferson in the secondary. They may lose Judon at edge. However,
the LBing core wasn’t reloaded as normal once CJ Mosley singed in NY.
29.
Tennessee
Titans – OT Josh Jones, Houston
The Titans have major free agency issues
this year. They are going to have to sign or tag both Derrick Henry and
Tannehill. They have Conklin at RT who is the top tackle on the market and will
get paid somewhere. I doubt Tennessee matches. Plus, they may lose Logan Ryan
at slot corner. I believe they try to get their offensive weapons back and
draft the best available tackle on the board. Jones falling to them won’t
happen on draft day, but it happens here.
30.
Green Bay
Packers – WR Justin Jefferson, LSU
Rodgers has WR weapons and this offense will
hum again. Jefferson has strong hands at the catch point and isn’t afraid to
run across the middle (Cobb role). Something that Rodgers was missing a lot
this year.
31.
San Francisco
49ers – DB Grant Delpit, LSU
7 picks from LSU. Impressive. Delpit was a
top 5 pick before this year. He won the Jim Thorpe Award this year based on
name value though. He had a very down year and in the 2 Playoff games. For example,
he was taking poor routes to get to open field rushers. Everyone saw Derwin
James. San Fran could get the steal of the draft if he is 100% healthy
(something that many people believe he was not this past year). However, the most
likely scenario is a trade back. They have almost zero picks in this draft and
not a ton of cap space to improve the team this offseason.
32.
Kansas City
Chiefs – DL Marlon Davidson, Auburn
I don’t believe that the Chiefs will be able to afford
keeping Chris Jones who was really the difference in the Super Bowl. If that is
the case, iDL becomes the biggest need. Marlon Davidson isn’t your nose tackle.
But he can line up everywhere on the line and put pressure on the QB which is
what Chris Jones did best.
