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BTC's 2018 NFL Mock Draft


BleedTheClock

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Using my player ratings and projected records:

#1--New York Jets--Sam Darnold/QB/USC

"The Jets get the top QB and top player in the draft. Their QB situation is the messiest part of a supremely messy team. Obvious selection here IMO. Darnold has every tool to be a franchise QB and is one of the rare QB prospects without considerable flaws coming out of college."

 

#2--San Francisco 49ers--Saquon Barkley/RB/Penn State

"Barkley is the best RB prospect since Adrian Peterson. Power, speed, agility, vision, pass catching ability, and the insane trait to hurdle defenders make Barkley a slam-dunk pick for a team in need of a superstar on offense. Hyde is nice, but Barkley is on another level."

 

#3--Chicago Bears--Derwin James/SS/Florida State

"Chicago needs a safety pretty badly. The rumors all off-season were that Chicago was going to take Jamal Adams. They went with Trubisky (I like Mitch a lot) and neglected to address their safety woes. Derwin James is a Sean Taylor-like prospect. Size, speed, murking ability, and a surprisingly good nose in coverage. Could play either S spot."

 

#4--Jacksonville Jaguars--Josh Allen/QB/Wyoming

"Jacksonville is loaded other than at QB, where it seems like Bortles is holding them back. If they are selecting this high again, it's safe to say Blake Bortles is out as the guy. Josh Allen has a lot of similar traits to Blake, but Allen is slightly better in all categories and is able to read through progressions better, which is Blake's issue."

 

#5--Buffalo Bills--Josh Rosen/QB/UCLA

"The Bills have been somewhat plagued by mediocrity recently and needed a down year to get an elite talent. This QB class has 3-4 legitimate quarterbacks in it and Rosen is one of them. Smart, big, strong armed kid that seems like at least a serviceable starter. May have flaws as a leader (allegedly), but the talent is there."

 

#6--Miami Dolphins--Arden Key/DE/LSU

"Miami's roster is actually pretty good and filled with solid young players. Miami has always had a few stud DE's and the combination of Charles Harris and Arden Key long-term has to sound good. Key has unreal explosion off the edge. Thought about giving them a CB, but Key was much better than the top CB."

 

#7--Indianapolis Colts--Derrius Guice/RB/LSU

"Indianapolis has a terrible roster outside of like 2-3 guys. If they did not have Luck, they would be as bad as the Jets IMO. They need to be able to take the pressure off Luck and finally get a stud runner. Guice can do everything and can finally give the Colts a stud back. Their defense is putrid, but no defensive players had pick #7 value."

 

#8--Cleveland Browns--Calvin Ridley/WR/Alabama

"Not a surprise here. Cleveland needs a #1 receiver and Ridley has every quality you need to be that guy. He's older at 24 years old, but he has the hands, size, speed, short area quickness, and route running to be a dominant player. He and Coleman will provide plenty of big plays down the field for the hopefully competent Deshone Kizer."

 

#9--Cincinnati Bengals--Connor Williams/OT/Texas

"The Bengals may be the most OT-needy team in the NFL. This match was made in heaven. Williams has excellent footwork and movement ability and has stonewalled pass rushers of all shapes and sizes. Good run blocker as well, which will only improve with age and strength training."

 

#10--Philadelphia Eagles--Tarvarus McFadden/CB/Florida State

"The best cornerback in the draft goes to Philly. Even with their acquisition of Ronald Darby, they still need another CB opposite him. McFadden is a height/weight/speed freak and will excel playing outside against bigger #1's. Darby can cover the shiftier #2's and work in the slot. He reminds me of Antonio Cromartie if he weren't sawft."

 

#11--Los Angeles Rams--Orlando Brown/OT/Oklahoma

"Looking to move people in the run game? Orlando Brown is your kind of player. A monster of a man that can actually pass block. Todd Gurley is a very good NFL RB. The Rams OL is pathetic and adding Brown makes all the sense in the world. Connor Williams edged him out slightly due to his better feet, but Brown is a stud as well."

 

#12--New Orleans Saints--Da'Shawn Hand/DL/Alabama

"The Saints defense is a joke. There is nothing funny about Da'Shawn Hand. The dude has the perfect body for a penetrating 5-Tech and has more than enough power to move inside to the 3-Tech. I love Hand and think he's the best interior DL in the class. Pairing him with Rankins and Cam Jordan gives the Saints a studly front."

 

#13--Washington Redskins--Malik Jefferson/MLB/Texas

"Malik Jefferson is a prototype LB that can play all over your front 7. He has the size of a MLB and the movement skills of an OLB. He is tenacious and flies around making splash plays. His technique is very much a work in progress, but I love this fit for a Washington defense that seems to love fly-around guys."

 

#14--Minnesota Vikings--Quenton Nelson/OG/Notre Dame

"Nelson is a top 5 player not factoring in positional importance. He dominates in the run blocking department and has a violent punch to keep pass rushers at bay. He's exactly the kind of player Minnesota needs to get back to smashing folks in the run game. Nelson is the best player on a loaded Notre Dame OL."

 

#15--Cleveland Browns (HOU)--Deon Cain/WR/Clemson

"Doubling down on WR's? Absolutely. This move allows Cain and Ridley to play outside and puts Corey Coleman in the slot, where he probably belongs. Cain is another big, fast, physical pass catcher that I think should go in the top 10. Needs to improve route running, but he's a monster on posts and fades. Like a shorter Josh Gordon."

 

#16--Buffalo Bills (KC)--Minkah Fitzpatrick/CB/Alabama

"Fitzpatrick can play any DB spot on the field. I think McDermott will love him at CB, as his scheme employs a lot of zone coverage where physicality is crucial. Fitzpatrick is extremely physical and will immediately start for Buffalo. He has top notch instincts and is as rocked up as they come. Lacks crazy quicks and speed, but is not a liability."

 

#17--Los Angeles Chargers--Ronnie Harrison/SS/Alabama

"Back to back Alabama DB's come off the board. LA has been rumored to Jalen Ramsey and Hooker/Adams in recent years but elected to go elsewhere. They grab a true SS prospect that absolutely whacks people. He is pretty much a box safety, but he is as good of a box safety as you can find. Nasty run defender."

 

#18--Baltimore Ravens--Mike McGlinchey/OT/Notre Dame

"Baltimore doubles up on Notre Dame OT's. McGlinchey is rock solid, but I don't think he does anything at an elite level. Good run and pass blocker that will play on the right side of the Ravens line. The Ravens are starting a dude named James Hurst at RT, which can't be good. This pick makes a buttload of sense."

 

#19--Detroit Lions--Dorance Armstrong/DE/Kansas

"Dorance Armstrong is a very good player that could easily go in the top 10. While Detroit has Ansah and Hyder on their roster, Armstrong has physical tools that Hyder simply can't match. Armstrong has a slender build, but does not play small. He can bull rush and edge bend, but needs to be more disciplined against the run."

 

#20--Denver Broncos--Jerome Baker/MLB/Ohio State

"Denver has a great defense, but they have very little at off-ball LBer outside of Brandon Marshall. Jerome Baker is a freak and can run down anybody. He has sideline-sideline speed and is unbelievable in pass coverage. He can play WILB in their scheme and make a ton of plays. Baker is supremely underrated."

 

#21--Tampa Bay Buccaneers--Clellin Ferrell/DE/Clemson

"Ferrell is a jack of all trades DL that plays with unbelievable technique and effort. He can play the run as a base LDE but can also get after the quarterback without having elite edge bending speed. Excellent hand usage. Tampa Bay has Noah Spence and William Gholston, but Ferrell is a big upgrade over Gholston."

 

#22--Arizona Cardinals--Lamar Jackson/QB/Louisville

"Arizona needs the QB of the future. That man is not currently on their roster. This may be Palmer's last season and Drew Stanton is not a long-term solution. Jackson has unreal physical traits, but plays in a quirky scheme and struggles to make tight window throws. He needs a lot of work, but his upside is that of a top 5 QB in the NFL."

 

#23--Carolina Panthers--Mitch Hyatt/OT/Clemson

"Hyatt is another Clemson player that does not have elite physical tools, but does everything well. He does not have great size or athletic traits, but he's unreal as a pass blocker. He has great footwork and a solid punch, but may struggle to deal with elite NFL athletes. Regardless, he should be a starting LT that can keep Cam Newton safe."

 

#24--Tennessee Titans--Da'Ron Payne/DT/Alabama

"Payne is a prototypical NT. He does what he's supposed to do every play--command double teams. He was in a rotation at Alabama, but should be the man in the middle this year. Tennessee needs an upgrade at NT and Payne can come in and start immediately. A little boring as a player, but gets the job done."

 

#25--Dallas Cowboys--Mark Andrews/TE/Oklahoma

"Andrews is a stud TE. He is a great pass catcher that can work in the middle of the field and has a great frame to play in-line. He should be a much better blocker than he is, but the tools are there. Andrews would be a perfect replacement to Jason Witten as he phases out in Dallas."

 

#26--Pittsburgh Steelers--Mike Geiseki/TE/Penn State

"The Steelers need an in-line TE a little more than a pass catcher, but Geiseki is too good to pass up here. He can work in the seam and get open consistently against linebackers. He can also split out and play WR in the red zone. He needs to get better as a blocker if he wants to be considered an elite NFL TE."

 

#27--New York Giants--Harold Landry/DE/Boston College

"Landry has tremendous speed off the edge and can blow past some awesome offensive lineman with ease. He must get stronger, as I've seen him thrashed in the run game. With JPP getting older and the Giants obsession with having 100 good pass rushers, this pick makes a lot of sense."

 

#28--Atlanta Falcons--Quin Blanding/FS/Virginia

"Blanding is a do-it-all safety that can play both FS and SS. Keanu Neal is a great fit at SS, which will allow Blanding to take the other safety spot held by Ricardo Allen. Blanding has great size and speed. He looks like a box safety, but he's actually better playing 12-20 yards off the ball. Will be a great ball-hawk in Atlanta."

 

#29--Oakland Raiders--Christian Kirk/WR/Texas A&M

"I don't like Kirk as much as others do. He strikes me as a pure slot receiver and an elite kick returner. He would fit in perfectly in Oakland sandwiched between Crabtree and Cooper. He could also provide a spark on jet runs and bubble screens. Oakland needs defense, but they also need explosive playmakers outside of Cooper."

 

#30--Green Bay Packers--Marquis Haynes/OLB/Ole Miss

"Haynes is a pretty damn good player. He's undersized to be a full-time 34 OLB, but I have no doubt he could bump inside ala Hasson Reddick from last year's draft. Green Bay needs both an edge rusher and an ILB, so this pick works on multiple levels. Haynes will be a surprise 1st round selection IMO."

 

#31--Seattle Seahawks--Trey Adams/OT/Washington

"Seattle has a terrible OL. I don't understand how it hasn't killed them more in terms of wins and losses, but if they want Russell Wilson to survive, they should upgrade LT. Trey Adams is supremely talented and athletic. He fits in well with the WCO that Seattle employs. A little raw, but his upside is top notch."

 

#32--New England Patriots--Christian Wilkins/DT/Clemson

"Wilkins is another solid all-around player that aces his assignments week in and week out. Very fundamentally sound and has excellent hand usage. He is not hulking in terms of size, but he can play UT or NT in a 4-3. He will pair with Malcom Brown to form a very good DT group in New England."

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#28--Atlanta Falcons--Quin Blanding/FS/Virginia

"Blanding is a do-it-all safety that can play both FS and SS. Keanu Neal is a great fit at SS, which will allow Blanding to take the other safety spot held by Ricardo Allen. Blanding has great size and speed. He looks like a box safety, but he's actually better playing 12-20 yards off the ball. Will be a great ball-hawk in Atlanta."

I can work with this. Nice pick.

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12 hours ago, BleedTheClock said:

 

#3--Chicago Bears--Derwin James/SS/Florida State

"Chicago needs a safety pretty badly. The rumors all off-season were that Chicago was going to take Jamal Adams. They went with Trubisky (I like Mitch a lot) and neglected to address their safety woes. Derwin James is a Sean Taylor-like prospect. Size, speed, murking ability, and a surprisingly good nose in coverage. Could play either S spot."

Well, they signed Quintin Demps and drafted Eddie Jackson.  So I wouldn't say they neglected to address their safety woes.   You could argue they didn't do enough, but they certainly did something. 

 

13 hours ago, BleedTheClock said:

 

#7--Indianapolis Colts--Derrius Guice/RB/LSU

"Indianapolis has a terrible roster outside of like 2-3 guys. If they did not have Luck, they would be as bad as the Jets IMO. They need to be able to take the pressure off Luck and finally get a stud runner. Guice can do everything and can finally give the Colts a stud back. Their defense is putrid, but no defensive players had pick #7 value."

 

*Emphasis Mine*

Is it?  I mean I don't expect them to light the league on fire by any stretch, but it's entirely possible they will have an entirely new starting linebacker corps, two new starting DB's and Johnathan Hankins as their nose tackle.  I expect them to be quite a bit better this year.

 

13 hours ago, BleedTheClock said:

 

#15--Cleveland Browns (HOU)--Deon Cain/WR/Clemson

"Doubling down on WR's? Absolutely. This move allows Cain and Ridley to play outside and puts Corey Coleman in the slot, where he probably belongs. Cain is another big, fast, physical pass catcher that I think should go in the top 10. Needs to improve route running, but he's a monster on posts and fades. Like a shorter Josh Gordon."

 

1. Why does Corey Coleman belong in the slot?

2. If you have the Brown doubling down on wide receivers, I'm guessing you don't think Kenny Britt will play particularly well?

 

13 hours ago, BleedTheClock said:

#17--Los Angeles Chargers--Ronnie Harrison/SS/Alabama

"Back to back Alabama DB's come off the board. LA has been rumored to Jalen Ramsey and Hooker/Adams in recent years but elected to go elsewhere. They grab a true SS prospect that absolutely whacks people. He is pretty much a box safety, but he is as good of a box safety as you can find. Nasty run defender."

It's not so much that they were rumored, but people thought those players fit the Chargers well.  But they didn't draft them.  Why would a team that has repeatedly passed on elite defensive back prospects choose to draft one now?  Especially having just given their current starting strong safety a contract extension?

 

13 hours ago, BleedTheClock said:

 

#23--Carolina Panthers--Mitch Hyatt/OT/Clemson

"Hyatt is another Clemson player that does not have elite physical tools, but does everything well. He does not have great size or athletic traits, but he's unreal as a pass blocker. He has great footwork and a solid punch, but may struggle to deal with elite NFL athletes. Regardless, he should be a starting LT that can keep Cam Newton safe."

The Panthers just gave Matt Kalil a five year 55 million dollar contract.  Now, it's entirely possible Kalil may not be the solution the Panthers are looking for, but I don't think they would choose to replace him with someone that you describe as "may struggle to deal with elite NFL athletes" at left tackle.  On the flip side, the Panthers' left guard is slated to hit free agency, so it's not outside the realm of possibility.

 

6 hours ago, Fureys49ers said:

As much as I love Barkleys skill set for the Niners and Shannys offense I feel like QB, OT, OG, Pass rusher, CB are bigger needs. 

Keep in mind, the 49ers are going to have somewhere in the range of 90 million in cap room next year.  

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33 minutes ago, Crickett said:

Keep in mind, the 49ers are going to have somewhere in the range of 90 million in cap room next year.  

Oh I'm aware, and while I'd love to see some of that money thrown at a top CB or WR, pass rusher, QB for sure and maybe some OL help the likelihood of us addressing every position of need, and getting a young, quality option for years to come, just isn't very likely. All of those positions I'd still rank higher in priority than a RB at this point for the Niners.

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Tennessee has had numerous chances to upgrade at NT. They signed an undersized bum in Sylvester Williams and he's getting challenged by undrafted FA from last year in Antwaun Woods. Coaches really like Woods and I don't expect them to spend to spend a premium pick on a position that plays very minimum snaps. The DL is actually a strong unit with good starters and depth. DaQuan Jones is a FA but if he's not resigned, last years 2nd round pick Austin Johnson will take over. I think the top need is OLB considering Orakpo and Morgan are getting up there in age, Dodd has yet to produce so getting a pass-rusher would be nice. The other top need is OG. Both OGs are FAs after this year. I expect the LG Quinton Spain to be resigned but I expect they try to upgrade from RG Josh Kline.

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On 8/18/2017 at 8:29 AM, BleedTheClock said:

#3--Chicago Bears--Derwin James/SS/Florida State

"Chicago needs a safety pretty badly. The rumors all off-season were that Chicago was going to take Jamal Adams. They went with Trubisky (I like Mitch a lot) and neglected to address their safety woes. Derwin James is a Sean Taylor-like prospect. Size, speed, murking ability, and a surprisingly good nose in coverage. Could play either S spot.

Love James as a prospect and wouldn't be unhappy with him...but we have to build around Trubisky and James doesn't either keep him upright or catch a pass from him...that has to be our #1 priority next offseason...best OT on the board with no stand out elite WR prospects makes the most sense.

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I really don't like the double wide receiver selection of the Browns. I can understand your thought process, given the lack of production to date. However, I think the class of 2016 will begin to show itself tonight - and people will realize it is less of a need than previously thought.

In their places I would select Tavarus McFadden - who you have being selected by the Eagles two picks later, and at 15 - I would go with any of the following 3 - Minkah Fitzpatrick,  Mike McGlinchey, or Jerome Baker.

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Great pick for the Vikings, but bad draft position.  The Vikings will be a top 10 team this year.

The Vikings will likely have to replace 3 starters on the OL after this year.  Alex Boone, Joe Berger, and Mike Remmers could all likely be gone or at very least need to be upgraded from.  OL is by far our biggest need and we should probably take at least two in the first three rounds.

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