Mock Draft 7.0: Funky

Mock Draft 7.0: Funk-it-up

We are almost there guys. 3 more sleeps. I tried to get a little funkier with this mock than some of the others but a lot of the picks I slotted do have something to stand on. My final mock will be released in 2 days which I will use as my “gradable” mock. As always, I have done a lot of research and have solidified some of my own opinions from sources like Draft Network, Bleacher Report, ESPN, NFL.com, and independent twitter scouts and their clips. I have not watched my own film, so take this with a grain of salt. Just doing it for fun.

   1.      Cincinnati Bengals – QB Joe Burrow, LSU Team Needs: QB, EDGE, iOL, LB

I can get funky, but I won’t get stupid.

   2.      Washington Redskins – EDGE Chase Young, Ohio St Team Needs: WR, CB, OT, TE, CB, iOL

Again, there is no point in any other pick. I actually feel bad for Redskins fans because they don’t have the excitement of another pick until the 3^rd round and this pick has been decided for so long.

   3.      Detroit Lions – CB Jeffrey Okudah, Ohio St Team Needs: QB, OT, RB

Chalk again you may think, but the important thing is no one is trading up for a QB.

   4.      New York Giants – LB Isaiah Simmons, Clemson Team Needs: LB, OT, EDGE

Simmons makes no sense in my head. I understand he is a top 5 player, but you have to use him in many ways. I feel the Giants would pigeonhole him into a safety role. Regardless, they need a tackle and now will be looking at the 7^th or 8^th best instead of THE best.

   5.      Miami Dolphins – QB Justin Herbert, Oregon Team Needs: QB, RB, OT, iOL, DT, EDGE, S

Here is where the funk begins. May not be very funky, but if you think about it not one single person would tell you that Justin is better than Tua. But with the injury concerns now there has to be a discussion.

   6.      Los Angeles Chargers – OT Andrew Thomas, Georgia Team Needs: QB, OT, RB

WOAH CRAZY CRAZY! Not only is LA passing on Tua (which I think they actually have a decent shot at doing because they do like Tyrod and seems like Herbert would be better for their system), but they are going for Thomas who has consistently been the lowest rated of the top 4 OTs. Thomas has the ability to come right in and start with no issues, but his ceiling is probably more limited than that of the other tackles.

   7.      Carolina Panthers – CB CJ Henderson, Florida Team Needs: DT, CB, LB, iOL

Word is that we have some teams that prefer Henderson to Okudah. I don’t see it from the overall body of work; however, Henderson is a better coverage player which is 80% of the position. Carolina needs a corner in some kind of way after losing Bradberry. Atlanta made a call, but Carolina wasn’t letting their division foe get their guy.

   8.      Arizona Cardinals – DT Derrick Brown, Auburn Team Needs: DT, EDGE, LB, OT

Last year’s draft there was a major shift in offensive talent for the Cards. They still need to address the OL, but the defense needs an influx of young talent. Enter Brown who has been comp’d to Suh and other game wreckers.   

   9.      TRADE! Denver Broncos (from Jacksonville Jaguars) – WR Henry Ruggs III, Alabama Team Needs: WR, OT, CB

TRADE DETAILS: BRONCOS GET PICK 9, JAGUARS GET PICKS 15, 77, AND 95

Denver has pushed for a trade up in consecutive drafts. This year there are enough teams that will want to move back that they can get something done. Ruggs is WR1 for some teams, Jeudy and Lamb are in others. Broncos are missing that speed element, but Jeudy would also make a lot of sense here.

   10.  TRADE! Atlanta Falcons – DT Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina Team Needs: CB, DT, RB

TRADE DETAILS: FALCONS GET PICK 10, BROWNS GET PICKS 16, 78, and 2021 3RD

Top 10 type of talent. His athletic profile reminds me of Clowney. Falcons want to walk out of this draft with an upgraded defense for Dan Quinn. In Seattle, they had an outstanding secondary. Quinn is rebuilding the DL first.

   11.  New York Jets – WR CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma Team Needs: OT, WR, iOL, EDGE

Everyone in NY is screaming for a WR because it’s a flash pan city. Alright here you go New York. In all reality, if we see someone jump them for a WR, I could see the Jets getting antsy and forgetting their tackle need and go for CeeDee. If CeeDee is gone, back to tackle.

   12.  Las Vegas Raiders – WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama Team Needs: WR, CB, DT, S

Most mocks have the Raiders starting the run on WRs. They might miss out entirely. I think they would lean Ruggs and Lamb before Jeudy but c’mon Jeudy will be able to run every route in the Gruden offensive system from the jump. While it seems unlikely, if Henderson is here, I think the Raiders will wait till 19 or move back from there to get a WR.

   13.  TRADE! Miami Dolphins (from 49ers vis Colts) – OT Mekhi Becton, Louisville Team Needs: QB, RB, OT, iOL, DT, EDGE, S

TRADE DETAILS: DOLPHINS GET PICK 13 AND 2021 4TH, 49ERS GET PICKS 18 AND 56

Somehow only 1 tackle is off the board. Told you it’d be funky. I’d have to think they will value Wills above these guys if they select Tua because of the familiarity in a reduced offseason. But Herbert makes this pick Becton who reinforces the fact that we are going away from zone blocking and to a punch you in the mouth type of approach.

   14.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers – OT Tristan Wirfs, Iowa Team Needs: OT, RB

Bucs never imagined they’d have a choice between the consensus top 2 tackles. Wirfs is the selection just because he is able to be moved around to guard or either tackle spot. Protect Brady at all costs. With this move I could see them going out and signing Jason Peters to make sure they are ready for week 1 at LT.

   15.  Jacksonville Jaguars (from Denver Broncos) – EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU Team Needs: EDGE, DT, LB, CB, WR, OT, S

Jacksonville was really hoping that they’d have Simmons, Okudah, Brown or Henderson available at 9. Then they were really hoping they’d have Kinlaw available here. They take the best available defensive player with their 1^st pick since they have needs all over the board on that side. Ngakoue will be traded at some point during this draft so the need for Chaisson will pop up.

   16.  TRADE! Philadelphia Eagles (from Browns via Falcons) – WR Justin Jefferson, LSU Team Needs: WR, CB, S, LB, EDGE

TRADE DETAILS: EAGLES GET PICKS 16 AND 97, BROWNS GET PICKS 21 AND 53

Eagles have been saying they feel good about the WR room, but they need to help Wentz any way they can, and I know they had injuries but that doesn’t mean you pass up on Jefferson. Trading up for Jefferson is an aggressive move that I’ve come to expect from Roseman. They aren’t jumping a WR needy team, they are making sure no one jumps them. If they stay put, I think safety is a sneaky pick to keep in mind.

   17.  Dallas Cowboys – LB Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma Team Needs: CB, S, EDGE, iOL

Why would they do this you ask? They have LVE and Jaylon Smith. They are one of the best young duos. Well, I’m not 100% sure either. I do know they wish the board fell differently. I also know they need depth at this spot and they also are concerned with LVE’s injuries last year enough to make Murray the pick.

   18.  San Francisco 49ers (from Dolphins via Steelers) – CB Trevon Diggs, Alabama Team Needs: CB, WR, iOL, DT

They miss out on the top 4 WRs but were in desperate need of additional picks. They drop back only to 18 and are able to select their corner of choice. Diggs has WR hands with the length that SF looks for at the position.

   19.  Las Vegas Raiders (from Chicago Bears) – CB AJ Terrell, Clemson Team Needs: WR, CB, DT, S

The Raiders have no 2^nd rounders and desperately should want to trade back but can’t find a partner to match the compensation. Someone wanting Queen makes sense to me. The Raiders will attack the corner position regardless. Mayock values toughness and pedigree. Toughness is following around the #1 WR against some of the best teams in the nation like Jamarr Chase from LSU. He had one so-so showing in the Natty and people are down on him. He is my CB3.

   20.  Jacksonville Jaguars (from Los Angeles Rams) – OT Josh Jones, Houston Team Needs: EDGE, DT, CB, WR, OT, S

Left tackle needs to be addressed, but so does every position. Defense needs the most help, so going left tackle is a little against the grain. Josh Jones is the lone left tackle of the bunch that is good enough to step in on day 1. He won’t succeed right away but he will be able to make the adjustment faster than Jackson, Cleveland, Wilson, etc.

   21.  Cleveland Browns (from Philadelphia Eagles) – OT Ezra Cleveland, Boise St Team Needs: OT, S, LB

Maybe Cleveland shocks the world and actually selects at pick 10. If they do, I expect Wirfs if he is available. But the word I am hearing is they really like Ezra and they value stockpiling picks like they did in the Sashi Brown days. Ezra has the athleticism you want, but I don’t know if he is ready for the jump right into a starting job. The weight room will do him some good.

   22.  Minnesota Vikings (from Buffalo Bills) – CB Jeff Gladney, TCU Team Needs: CB, WR, DT, iOL, EDGE

4 corners, 6 OTs, 4 WRs all gone in front of Minny. Heartbreak for the Vikings as these are all positions they need to be addressing. There are still corners like Johnson out of Utah and Gladney that should be of interest though. Gladney isn’t as tall as their typical prototype but has the grit to play the annoying corner that was made famous from Rhodes.

   23.  TRADE! Green Bay Packers (from New England Patriots) – LB Patrick Queen, LSU Team Needs: WR, TE, LB

TRADE DETAILS: PACKERS GET PICK 23, PATRIOTS GET PICKS 30, 94, AND 175

The Packers have moved up and down the board in recent years and this year they realize they may need to make a significant jump to address their LB room. As we get closer to the draft, it seems like more and more teams have interest in Queen and Murray for good reason. Queen can fill part of the void left behind by Martinez and Fackrell.

   24.  New Orleans Saints – CB Kristian Fulton, LSU Team Needs: OG, CB, LB

New Orleans is in more of a “patch up holes to make another run with Drew” mode than anything else in my opinion. LB is the pick if one is available, but other teams like the Packers know that. Fulton can take over that 2^nd corner spot next to Lattimore.

   25.  TRADE! Los Angeles Chargers (from Minnesota Vikings) – QB Jordan Love, Utah St Team Needs: QB, OT, RB

TRADE DETAILS: CHARGERS GET PICK 25, VIKINGS GET PICKS 37, 71, AND 2021 3RD

HERE IT IS! I know you guys were expecting this to be Tua, but the injury concerns are for real. Can he play in 2030? No one knows. If Love gets past the gauntlet of New England and New Orleans, the Chargers can feel great about trading up and beating Indy who has considerably more resources than they. Love can sit for a year behind an underrated Tyrod as this team learns to gel and hopefully can stay healthy for once.

   26.  Miami Dolphins (from Houston Texans) – S Xavier McKinney, Alabama Team Needs: QB, RB, OT, iOL, DT, EDGE, S

I am lower on the safety class than most, but Miami was able to get their QB and their OT of the future and only had to give up their late 2^nd this year. Time to get Flores a piece on the backend to replace Minkah. Don’t rule out double dipping at tackle or offensive line here.

   27.  Seattle Seahawks – EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn St Team Needs: WR, EDGE, DT, CB, S, OT, iOL

The ultimate funky pick, Seattle actually using their natural 1^st rounder. Gross-Matos fits exactly what they want to do on the DL. Doesn’t have the bend of a guy like Chaisson but has some decent pass rush moves and is best on stunts.

   28.  Baltimore Ravens – iOL Cesar Ruiz, Michigan Team Needs: LB, iOL

The teams that are constructed the best, always give themselves the option of BPA in round 1. Ruiz is comfortably that distinction and also gives them some improvement over undrafted and injured center Matt Skura.

   29.  Tennessee Titans – EDGE AJ Epenesa, Iowa Team Needs: OT, CB, EDGE, DT

Titans are in a great spot. I don’t think Epenesa will be here on draft day and even if he was, I could see Tennessee passing for a tackle or corner. Epenesa won’t fit every teams defense and because of that will fall from former top 15 pick to potential 2^nd rounder.

   30.  New England Patriots (from Green Bay Packers) – LB Zack Baun, Wisconsin Team Needs: QB, WR, EDGE, TE, LB

Every pick for New England is funky because no one knows what the hell they are doing. Baun has the ability to play off ball and on, rush and drop into coverage. That is the type of versatility you won’t often find. Baun is a player that could drop into the 2^nd or go as high as the early 20s. With the trade back, they have the capital to trade back into the 2^nd if they wish.

   31.  TRADE! New York Giants (from San Francisco 49ers) – OT Isaiah Wilson, Georgia Team Needs: LB, OT, EDGE

TRADE DETAILS: GIANTS GET PICK 31, 49ERS GET PICKS 36 AND 110

Gettleman doesn’t trade down in the 1^st, but he sure does trade back into the 1^st. This is a great scenario for Daniel Jones and especially Saquon. Wilson isn’t very technically refined as a redshirt sophomore but is a road grader in the run game. 49ers went from 2 1sts and not another pick till the 5^th round to 1 1^st, 2 2nds, and a 4^th. 

   32.  Kansas City Chiefs – LB Willie Gay Jr., Miss St Team Needs: CB, LB, iOL, RB

Can’t end a funky draft on a non-WOW pick. Willie was originally thought to be a mid-rounder because of the questions due to his off-field issues. However, he flies around on defense. Most of the success KC has had on defense is because of guys like Mathieu and Sorenson who can run sideline to sideline and tackle. Willie will do fine here.

You may have forgot, but I do not have anyone taking Tua. That is the biggest funky moment of this draft. I don’t know what team has the confidence to take a QB that has obvious injury concerns but hasn’t been able to truly check him out. He will go in the 2^nd round in this scenario, and no I do not believe he will fall out of round 1. But this is a scenario we need to be ready for.