First Mock No Trades

[Fort4242]

Thought I would try my hand at my first mock of the off-season.  I tried to give an explanation for each pick outlining my thinking behind each one.  If there are any prospects you think I am missing please let me know.  I went off a few rankings websites and a lot of them are very different so I tried to use guys who were consistently being ranked high.  

Let me know what you like and what you hate!

1. Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Burrow, QB, LSU – No brainer.  Kid just completed the greatest college season ever, in the country’s toughest conference.  Bengals are starving for a new face of the franchise and this pick will put fans back in the seats.

2. Washington Redskins – Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State – Offensive Line is the Redskins’ biggest weakness and if they want to give Haskins a chance, they need to invest heavily on the line this off-season losing Trent Williams and looking like Scherff will hit FA.  However, you can’t pass up a talent like Chase Young.  Young and Sweat will make a great pass rushing duo for several years and the Redskins front 7 is starting to look good with Young, Sweat, Allen and Payne.

3. Detroit Lions – Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson – Most mocks have Okudah going here, but I’m going to change it up.  I think after the combine, Simmons will continue to rise on draft boards further than he already has.  He’s a versatile player who can be lined up at Mike, Sam, SS and play coverage LB in nickel sets.  Simmons can help Detroit all over the place on defense. 

4. New York Giants – Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State – EDGE is the Giant’s biggest need, but I don’t think there’s one worth the spot here.  Giants were hopeful Simmons made it to them, but Detroit snags him one pick ahead.  Okudah is a top-notch prospect who can help the Giant’s pass defense.  Even after taking Baker last year, Okudah is too good a prospect to pass up for them here and makes a nice tandem with Baker for the next several years. 

5. Miami Dolphins – Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama – After a run on defenders, the second QB comes off the board to Miami at 5.  This is a perfect landing spot for Tua – it seems like Miami is bringing back Fitzpatrick, and Tua can sit behind him for the time being and get healthy and acclimated.  Miami gets their QBOTF. 

6. Los Angeles Chargers – Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama – A lot of mocks have Herbert going here, but I think Wills is the better prospect.  Rolling with Tyrod Taylor for a year wouldn’t be the worst thing ever.  Wills can come in and play the RT spot with Okung holding down LT until he moves on.  Immediately improves their Oline which I think is the weakest unit on the team. 

7. Carolina Panthers – Derrick Brown, DL, Auburn – QB will be the biggest questions mark for this team this off-season, but Brown is too good to pass up here.  Butler and McCoy are set to be free agents this off-season, and current defensive lineman Kawann Short and Dontari Poe are 30 and 29 respectively.  Plus, this pick seems to fit what Rhule wants to do regarding establishing the run and playing defense.  Carolina was 29^th against the run this past season. 

8. Arizona Cardinals – Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia – Now that they got the franchise QB, they need to protect him.  Cardinals’ line was a sieve last season, surrendering 3.1 sacks per game, tied for 27^th in the NFL.  This pick helps give Murray protection up front and helps whoever is at RB in the run game. 

9. Jacksonville Jaguars – Tristian Wirfs, OL, Iowa – Jags need help all over the place, but I think they need help on the OL the most.  Not sure if Wirfs projects as a T or G in the NFL, but the Jaguars could use help at either.  Cam Robinson, AJ Cann and Will Richardson all had very low PFF grades this season (not sure if anyone cares about those, but it’s one of few metrics I have to judge OL).  With the money invested in Foles and the flashes Minshew showed this year, give them some beef up front and another year to see if either one can be the answer. 

10. Cleveland Browns – Grant Delpit, S, LSU – The Browns need offensive line help BAD but Wills, Thomas and Wirfs all go off the board beforehand.  Ideally, they trade down here.  Delpit can help their secondary that is very weak at the safety position.  Demarious Randall is set to be a free agent.  Might be a bit of a reach here but I don’t think they spend a high pick on WR (Jeudy or Lamb) and the defensive line is already stout (Epenesa or Kinlaw).  Kristian Fulton was the other consideration here, but I think they’re fine with Ward and Greedy for now.    

11. New York Jets – AJ Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa – Like the Browns, the Jets need offensive line help in the worst way.  However, the Big 3 OL are off the board, and instead of reach they add help to another position of need.  You could make the argument for Lamb or Jeudy here, but Joe Douglas has been known to favor positions that impact the LOS. 

12. Las Vegas Raiders – Ceedee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma – LV gets a big splashy pick for their new location and they help fill a need on the offense.  Williams is a solid deep threat, but the Raiders offense needs more help.  Lamb gives them a dynamic playmaker and with Lamb, Williams, Waller and Jacobs the Raiders offense looks like it could do some damage. 

13. Indianapolis Colts – Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon – After the unexpected retirement of Andrew Luck last season, the Colts did what they could with what they had.  Brissett filled in as one would expect a back up on short notice to perform.  Great guy to have as a backup, but not the future of the franchise at the position.  Herbert can come in and be Reich’s new franchise QB to build around.  Already have solid pieces on the offensive line.  Now might just need to add some help at WR. 

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU – That Bucs run defense was no joke last year shutting down some of the best in the game.  However, the pass defense needs some work, given the Bucs ranked 30^th in pass yards allowed last season.  Great press man corner who can start right away. 

15. Denver Broncos – Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama – Not sure Jeudy falls this far, but the WR class is deep this year, and I don’t see any team outside of maybe Jacksonville or the Jets that would take a WR.  If Denver is going all in on Lock as the future, they need to get him some weapons and combining Jeudy with an already budding Courtland Sutton makes a great duo for any young QB. 

16. Atlanta Falcons – K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU – Adrian Clayborn and Vic Beasley both set to hit FA this off-season and even if both come back, Atlanta still could use help getting after the QB, tied for 31^st in sacks this year.  Maybe consider Kinlaw here, but with Jarrett already in the middle, I think they need more help on the EDGE right now. 

17. Dallas Cowboys – Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama – Could go WR here with Ruggs still on the board, but since the class is so deep, I think Dallas elects to upgrade the defense.  Several secondary members are slated to hit FA this year or next, including Byron Jones and Jeff Heath.  Even If Jones comes back, they need an upgrade over Heath.

18. Miami Dolphins (From Pit) – Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama – After grabbing their franchise QB, the Dolphins still have holes everywhere.  I like the tandem of Parker and Williams, so they skip over Ruggs and get some help at a premier position. 

19. Las Vegas Raiders (From Chi) – C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida – Raiders desperately need help on defense, so they grab the highest remaining player at a premier position.  Could go Kinlaw here, but I think the Raiders need more help at CB.  Can’t go wrong either way, since Oakland was 25^th in the league against both the pass and the run. 

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (From LAR) – Javon Kinlaw, DL, South Carolina – After upgrading the trenches on one side earlier, the Jags add a piece to the other side.  Jacksonville couldn’t stop the run at all last year, giving up over 200 yards multiple times.  Marcell Darius is set to become a FA, and recent pick Taven Bryan has been underwhelming.  Debate about grabbing Ruggs here, but Chark and Westbrook is a solid duo, and this WR class is deep enough to wait.

21. Philadelphia Eagles – Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama – Philly needs help at CB, but since the pool has dried up a bit, they decide to take the falling WR who could step in right away.  Alshon is on his last legs, Agholor will be a FA, Whiteside showed virtually nothing and while Ward was serviceable, the Eagles give Wentz a playmaker to help the offense. 

22. Buffalo Bills – Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado – Other choice here was YGM to add some EDGE help, but with Buffalo’s defense already being stout, they decide to get a big body WR for their erratic QB.  Big, strong and physical the ball doesn’t have to be perfectly placed for him to grab it.  John Brown going deep and Beasley working the middle, Shenault seems like a perfect compliment to their WR corps and to Josh Allen.   

23. New England Patriots – Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville – I’ve seen his name a lot lately so perhaps he rises higher in the draft, but for now this is where I see him ranked.  A massive man with smooth feet can plug in and help New England’s offensive line problems.  Raegor would be my next choice, but another year in the system for Harry and Edelman coming back should be enough for New England to wait until the later rounds to add a WR.   

24. New Orleans Saints – Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma – The Saints need some youth added into their LB corp.  Klein, Martin, Teo and Anthony are all slated to be FAs this off-season.  Kiko Alonso is 29 and a FA next year, and while Demario Davis has been playing at an extremely high level, he is 31 and a FA next year.  Murray gives the Saints a rangy, athletic LB who can get sideline to sideline and cover the high-profile passing attacks they face in the NFC South. 

25. Minnesota Vikings – Neville Gallimore, DL, Oklahoma – This was honestly the toughest pick of the draft.  CB I believe is the #1 hole they have, but none worth taking here.  The offensive lineman came off the board, and the next highest rated players I have are either EDGE, or RB.  I don’t think they take another RB here, and they have Hunter and Griffen under contract for several more years.  According to PFF, Linval Joseph had his lowest graded season in a while and the interior had the fewest number of pressures in the NFL. 

26. Miami Dolphins (From Hou) – Deandre Swift, RB, Georgia – After upgrading 2 premier positions, they take the best playmaker left on the board.  Swift is a stud at RB and can help take some pressure off of Tua whenever he becomes starter. 

27. Seattle Seahawks – Yetur Gross-Matos, EDGE, Penn State – Outside of Clowney, the Seahawks haven’t been getting much pressure on the QB – combined 27 pressures as a team outside of Clowney.  Set to be a FA this year, who knows if Clowney is even coming back.  Could certainly go OL here, but they take the higher rated player. 

28. Baltimore Ravens – Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU – Continuing to build around Jackson will be paramount, and al though they are a run-first offense, Willie Snead and Seth Roberts clearly weren’t getting it done this year when relied upon in the playoffs.  Chris Moore and Seth Roberts are both FAs this year, and even Snead is only here for one more year.  I debated Jonathan Taylor here to give them another horse in the stable but decided to give Lamar another pass catching option opposite Hollywood.   

29. Tennessee Titans -Terrell Lewis, EDGE, Alabama – Correa set to be a FA and they could add some help opposite Landry.  Again, I don’t value any of the remaining OL this high, so Titans help bolster their defense. 

30. Green Bay Packers – Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson – It’s been said for a while now, but the Packers need to get someone across from Davante Adams.  The running game is great, and Adams is a superstar.  Adding another piece like Higgins can help the Packers offense a tremendous deal.  Big body with a great catch radius and very willing blocker. 

31. San Francisco 49ers – Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU – I don’t see the 49ers taking an RB since it seems anyone can work in the Shanahan system.  With all the resources spent on EDGE and Dline in recent years, they go with some youth on the back end.  While the defense has been tremendous this year, they have some concerns at CB given it is an older group and most of them will be free agents this year or next. 

32. Kansas City Chiefs -Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin – Williams played well when healthy this year, but the Chiefs keep going all in on this offense with Mahomes under his rookie deal.  Get a gamebreaker like Taylor into this offense and it will take it to the next level. 

Edited January 23, 2020 by Fort4242

[Kyu]

33 minutes ago, Fort4242 said:

11. New York Jets – AJ Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa – Like the Browns, the Jets need offensive line help in the worst way.  However, the Big 3 OL are off the board, and instead of reach they add help to another position of need.  You could make the argument for Lamb or Jeudy here, but Joe Douglas has been known to favor positions that impact the LOS.

Please trade down in this scenario, IE with PHI so they can grab a WR.

No trades though, so...

I don't see Epenesa as a fit for what we need.  He's more of a big than a rusher, imo.

I'd prefer a better pass rusher or CB in this situation.