Post Wave 1 of Free Agency: Mock Draft 3.0
Free Agency Wave 1 is done and while there are a few big-name
guys still left, a lot of team needs have been filled. This will be my last
non-trading mock until the last one I release a few days before the draft. I might
get a friend to do one with me in between now and then as well. 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 (previous: Burrow)
If the Bengals trade out, they are dumb. If the Dolphins trade up to
1, they are dumb. Let’s all just stand pat yea?
2.
Washington
Redskins – EDGE Chase Young, Ohio St Team Needs: WR, CB, OT, TE, CB (previous:
Young)
Kyle Allen was just acquired today as a
backup to Haskins. Meaning Haskins is the starter. Let’s take away that
smokescreen now. The pick is Young.
3.
Detroit Lions
– CB Jeffrey Okudah, Ohio St Team Needs: OG, CB, EDGE, DT (previous: Okudah)
They signed Trufant to make Slay available
for trade. Philly picked him up, paid him, and now the need for corner is there
again. Slam dunk, book it.
4.
New York
Giants – OT Mekhi Becton, Louisville Team Needs: LB, OT, EDGE (previous: Becton)
It depends what you think Gettleman wants.
Does he want the mountain man? The athlete? The technician? Or Mr. Dependable? Or
does he throw everyone off and keep addressing LB and take Simmons? I have a
feeling it will leak at who he prefers and I think it’s the mountain man.
5.
Miami
Dolphins – QB Tua Tagovaiola, Alabama Team Needs: QB, RB, OT, iOL, DT, EDGE, S (previous:
Tua)
The word on the street is Miami tried to
fly Tua in at the last minute before facilities were shut down and prospects
were no longer allowed to visit. They got Dobbins (wink) and Jordan Love in,
instead. The Dolphins have been in love with this kid for too long to pass on
him now.
6.
Los Angeles
Chargers – QB Justin Herbert, Oregon Team Needs: QB, OT, RB (previous: Herbert)
Brady is in Tampa. They aren’t trading or signing
a free agent QB. Welcome the new face of the franchise. He doesn’t have to move
too, too far.
7.
Carolina
Panthers – LB Isaiah Simmons, Clemson Team Needs: DT, CB, LB, iOL (previous: Brown)
First switched pick from 2.0 to 3.0. The reason for the switch isn’t because
of Brown or Simmons. I think the Panthers philosophy is different than I expected.
They go out and sign Teddy for 3 years to be their QB instead of obviously
tanking. They want to compete and not be an embarrassment. A DT is going to get
lost in the mud. Simmons will fly around everywhere and replace the former face
of the franchise, Luke Kuechly.
8.
Arizona
Cardinals – OT Tristan Wirfs, Iowa Team Needs: DT, EDGE, LB, OT (previous: Wirfs)
With Derrick Brown on the board, they may
think long and hard about that. But they will defer to coach, who is offensively
minded, in securing a much-needed stop gap at right tackle.
9.
Jacksonville
Jaguars – DT Derrick Brown, Auburn Team Needs: DT, LB, CB, WR, OT (previous: Henderson)
Now this is what a good tank looks like. Normally
you fire your GM and coach when you’re about to do this because you know they
won’t last through to see the end of this. Bold strategy, Cotton. Goodbye
over-priced Foles. Hello #TankForTrevor. BPA pick here.
10.
Cleveland
Browns – OT Jedrick Wills, Alabama Team Needs: OT, S, LB (previous: Wills)
Browns made a bunch of moves in early free
agency. Signing Hooper at TE but more importantly Jack Conklin for their RT
spot. Their new coach comes from Minnesota where they… like to run the ball and
keep their QB upright. The last hole? Left tackle. Becton or Wills here. Book
it.
11.
New York Jets
– OT Andrew Thomas, Georgia Team Needs: OT, WR, iOL, EDGE (previous Thomas)
LOL did the Jets know they can sign crappy players for less than $10M
a year? New York “reset” their bad OL with a below average bunch of signings to
address it. If they feel they did sufficient work, this could be WR1. But they did
not do sufficient work so this should still be a tackle. Last good one goes to
Gang Green.
12.
Las Vegas Raiders – WR Jerry Jeudy,
Alabama Team Needs: WR, CB, DT (previous: Simmons)
The Raiders had a very quiet free-agency
period. Not quiet as in didn’t sign people. Quiet as in, they signed a lot of
mid-tier guys that aren’t overpaid and should be immediate help. The one
position they didn’t really address? You guessed it. I have Lamb>Jeudy now,
but I think Jeudy will be more highly coveted by the guys who love winners.
13.
San Francisco
49ers (from Indianapolis Colts) – WR CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma Team Needs: CB, WR,
iOL, DT
TRADE! This happened on the 1st
day of free agency when Deforest Buckener (the guy who I think didn’t get
enough credit) was traded to the Colts straight up for pick 13. Great trade for
both sides. San Fran is likely to trade back either here or at 31 to get more
picks but the value of a #1 WR here is too good to pass up.
14.
Tampa Bay
Buccaneers – DT Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina Team Needs: DT, OT, RB (previous: Kinlaw)
TB in TB. Really, really weird but its
official. And now that it is official, all the chips are in the center. 2-year
Super Bowl window and you got to attack it. I think the Bucs move up to get Wills
or Wirfs personally (maybe to JAX at 9) because they have to make sure Brady is
protected. But if they stay pat… Barrett is back, secondary looked better at
the end of last year (still want to add there later), but Suh is gone. Get Kinlaw
there to go alongside the nose tackle of Vita Vea.
15.
Denver
Broncos – WR Henry Ruggs III, Alabama Team Needs: WR, OT (previous: Ruggs)
These WRs could go in any order, if there
is one here, I think it should be Ruggs and I think Denver would love that. They
will worry about Philly/Minny jumping them for him but this is a perfect spot
for the speedster.
16.
Atlanta
Falcons – CB CJ Henderson, Florida Team Needs: EDGE, CB, DT, RB (previous: Chaisson)
I’m still of the belief that this could be Chaisson… but they added
Fowler in FA and let Trufant go. Corner seems the bigger issue and with Brady
and Brees in the division… might want to fix that.
17.
Dallas
Cowboys – EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU Team Needs: CB, S, EDGE (previous:
McKinney)
Seems like this is the last spot where you
feel like you got a home run pick. Chaisson is a great outside bend rusher.
Robert Quinn benefited last year from having a running mate in Lawrence on the
other side. Chaisson will be in a perfect spot for him to succeed with Quinn in
Chicago now.
18.
Miami
Dolphins (from Pittsburgh Steelers) – OT Austin Jackson, USC Team Needs: RB,
OT, iOL, DT, EDGE, S (previous: Delpit)
It’s a reach. But some “sources” have said
he won’t make it out of the top 15. Relatively unknown because he had a quiet
year after having a bone marrow transplant for his sister in the last
offseason. Flores likes high character guys. He eats characters (and nails) for
breakfast. He is naturally a left tackle and I worry that Josh Jones hasn’t gotten
significantly better throughout his time in college.
19.
Las Vegas Raiders (from Chicago Bears) – CB
Kristian Fulton, LSU Team Needs: DT, CB (previous: Queen)
I’m going to keep harping on winners in
Oakland. They want winners. Luckily for them LSU, Alabama and Clemson have
quite a few good players in this draft. Corner isn’t a dire need but it could
be upgraded after they had some struggles from 2nd round pick Mullen
out of Clemson last year.
20.
Jacksonville
Jaguars (from Los Angeles Rams) – S Xavier McKinney, Alabama Team Needs: DT,
CB, WR, OT (previous: Murray)
I have no idea what this pick will bring. There
are so many needs on this team after letting go of Ramsey, Campbell, Bouye,
Ngakoue (likely to be traded because he has said he isn’t playing), and Smith
retiring all within the span of a year. There are still some decent pieces
here, but the core that was in the AFC Champ game is gone. BPA here and hope
for the best.
21.
Philadelphia
Eagles – WR Justin Jefferson, LSU Team Needs: WR, CB, S, LB, EDGE (previous: Jeudy)
Malcolm Jenkins is gone which leaves a
nice safety sized hole in the swiss-cheese secondary that is the city of
brotherly love. Corner, safety and wide receiver are all so deep this year that
it makes sense for Philly to make a huge splash up or move back and collect
some more picks. But if they stay, the best WR on the board has less question
marks than the best CB and safety.
22.
Minnesota
Vikings (from Buffalo Bills) – CB Jeff Gladney, TCU Team Needs: CB, WR, DT, iOL,
EDGE
TRADE! Diggs is now in Buffalo for a monster
deal including their first-round pick but solves Buffalo’s biggest issue of
getting a target for Allen. (PS that’s why you hire a GM, Houston.) The Vikings
are in a similar boat to Philly. Needs at corner and WR. I think they would’ve taken
Jefferson here, but they like Gladney a lot to rebuild the now-empty cornerbacks’
room.
23.
New England
Patriots – EDGE Zack Baun, Wisconsin Team Needs: QB, WR, EDGE, TE (previous: Baun)
HOT DIGGITY!!! REJOICE AFC EAST FANS!!! WE
DON’T HAVE TO DEAL WITH HIM ANYMORE! Yes, we still have to deal with Bill but
Stidham or Hoyer>Tommy all day long. It sounds like they are going forward
with that being the QB competition, but it wouldn’t shock me if this pick is
Jordan Love. Untapped potential at QB for him. For now? I’m thinking this is a
trade-back or BPA. Suddenly all of those band-aids are going to be ripped off
without Tom at the helm. They lost Van Noy to Miami. The reason Miami probably
won’t take Baun? He is a slightly smaller, bendier Van Noy.
24.
New Orleans
Saints – LB Patrick Queen, LSU Team Needs: OG, CB, LB (previous: Shenault)
Signing Sanders in free agency was a
genius move. Such a good deal and fills a massive hole as someone else to catch
passes in this offense. They don’t have a 2nd round pick but can
probably address interior offensive line later. So, the team goes BPA (in this
case position available) and gets their hometown player, while also filling a
need.
25.
Minnesota
Vikings – WR Denzel Mims, Baylor Team Needs: CB, WR, DT, iOL, EDGE (previous: Fulton)
With the 22nd pick, the Vikings
can try for BPA at their first pick or to make sure they get their guy in front
of NE and NO. They could go edge here for someone like Gross-Matos or Epenesa,
but Mims will fill in perfectly for Diggs as a great pass catcher, but also a
blocker and humble player. Something that Diggs didn’t provide.
26.
Miami
Dolphins (from Houston Texans) – S Grant Delpit, LSU Team Needs: RB, OT, iOL,
DT, EDGE, CB, S (previous: Swift)
If they like 2 or 3 of these RBs (I think
they prefer Dobbins), they can wait until the 2nd round to take one
at a value and pick up a player with more positional value. Enter a “sure-fire”
top 10 pick prior to September. This season, something was just off. Questions surrounding
injury, poor vision to attack the ball-carrier surround him. But this player is
a true-deep safety and when he is healthy was one of the best players in the
country. Move McCain back to his better position of slot and this secondary is
a no-fly zone.
27.
Seattle
Seahawks – EDGE Yetur-Gross Matos, Penn St Team Needs: WR, EDGE, DT, CB, S, OT,
iOL (previous: Davidson)
No word from Clowney is probably good news
for Seattle who couldn’t compete for his services if the bidding got out of
control. If they can resign him, they still may address the thin line but there
are a lot of needs for a team that is consistently a contender. A trade-back is
likely.
28.
Baltimore
Ravens – LB Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma Team Needs: LB, iOL (previous: Gross-Matos)
Has anyone had a better offseason? They tagged Judon, traded for
Campbell, got a 2nd round pick for their 3rd TE, and didn’t
lose anyone in free agency that was critical. However, they could look to fix a
hole that was there from the 2019 offseason. They have some good pieces here
but the rich get richer with my top non-unicorn LB.
29.
Tennessee
Titans – OT Lucas Niang, TCU Team Needs: OT, CB, EDGE, OG (previous: Taylor)
They will likely address RB in this draft so
they don’t pay Henry next year. But Niang is your plug-and-play right tackle
replacement for Conklin, assuming he is healthy. He was a bully in 2018 for the
Horned Frogs but suffered some setbacks in 2019 that caused his play to taper
off.
30.
Green Bay
Packers – WR Laviska Shenault, Colorado Team Needs: WR, TE, LB (previous: Jackson)
A lot of people having him falling out of
round 1 because of his combine where he hurt himself and didn’t look right. However,
the tape screams offensive weapon. Kamara as a wide receiver is his potential. Would
love to see him hook up with ARod and of this teams’ obvious needs, he is the best
player.
31.
San Francisco
49ers – CB Trevon Diggs, Alabama Team Needs: CB, WR, DT, iOL (previous: Diggs)
They will likely draft a CB at some point
whether here, or via trade down. I still love this player-team fit because of
the sure hands of Diggs. He didn’t seem to be up to par with playing Press at
Bama so a zone team who can keep his eyes in the backfield may be better suited
for his talents.
32.
Kansas City Chiefs
– CB AJ Terrell, Clemson Team Needs: CB, LB, iOL (previous: Gladney)
Getting this pick right is a shot in the dark. But corner
is their biggest need. Value on the big board would say the interior offensive
lineman are available and while the corner position is deep, people seem to be
picking them left and right. Let’s make sure the Chiefs don’t miss one.
