MY 2018 NFL MOCK DRAFT

 VERY IMPORTANT :

   Remember any player selected in the first round. The teams get a 5th year option for that specific player. This is very big to the NFL General Manager when they weigh their decisions.

Teams that want to move up Ari, Mia and Buffalo

Teams that may want to trade down. The Giants, Denver, Chicago, and Indy

2018 NFL Draft from Dallas, Texas

1. Browns                   QB   Josh Allen Wyoming

Allen is in a way exactly what the 2018 NFL Draft is all about. Some think he is the next John Elway. No really, a credible national draft geek referred to him as that. Others think he is the next Blake Bortles. There is a variety of opinions with all of these QB's in the 2018 Draft. Hell, even the teams have admitted their scouts can't agree on a breakdown of strength and weaknesses especially with Josh Allen. The Browns see something most observers don't see. The GM Dorsey likes him. It's between Sam Darnold and Josh Allen for the 1st pick of the draft. Who do they trust? That will decide their pick. It may not even be made up in Dorsey mind until the morning of the draft April 26th. 

2. Giants                      QB Sam Darnold USC 

   It has already been reported the Dolphins and Giants have the blueprint in place for a trade. Darnold is the only pick that can make the Giants back out of that deal. This is the only QB the Giants are interested in picking. The Browns at #1 will decide what the Giants do at #2. Their suitors for a trade are Miami, Buffalo and Arizona. Buffalo is a mess with their offensive line. I don't think Arizona has the means to go from 15 to 2. If Darnold is there  at pick 2 then they'll take him. If not, they'll trade down for a player later in the draft. They do like DE Brandon Chubb and LB Roquan Smith among others. The highest bidder in the auction for the 2nd pick off the draft only wins if Darnold off the board

3. Jets                           QB Baker Mayfield Oklahoma

It has been have been reported that the Jets traded up from the 6th pick to 3rd just to select QB from Oklahoma Baker Mayfield. If Miami can not pull off the trade with the Giants to swap picks then Darnold goes to the Giants and QB UCLA Josh Rosen gets selected with the 3rd pick to the Jets.
 If the trade does happened as it seems it will. The most likely pick at pick #2 will be the Dolphins trading up for Baker Mayfield. But the draft always has a few shocking surprises a few times every year. A team will draft a player that no one saw coming sending the draft into chaos. Last year it was Chicago trading up for Trubisky. Could this be another shocker or will the Jets get robbed by their divisional rival Miami? This rivalry is about to heat up in the AFC East. Fuck You Greg!

To make it clear. Miami trades up they get Mayfield at 2 and Jets get Rosen. If there is no trade the Giants will select Darnold making the Jets go with Mayfield with their 3rd pick,

4. Browns                     RB Saquon Barkley Penn State 

The Browns got their QB at #1. Now they get him some help on offense. The best prospect in the entire draft in RB Saquon Barkley. It will be hard to pass up teaming up Myles Garrett last year #1 with Brandon Chubb here at pick #4. The Browns learned the past two years that if you can't win if you don't score. Barkley will help the Browns offense and a much improved Browns team in 2018.

5. Broncos                     G Quenton Nelson    Notre Dame

If Denver doesn't trade out of pick 5 I'm very confident that Nelson is their pick. The pick for Denver is between Chubb and Nelson. Elway needs a offensive line to help out newly signed QB Case Keenum. They invested a lot of money for Case Keenum. Now they'll invest it helping with him be successful. At 6'5 and 329 pounds this prospect could play the next 10 years for the Denver Broncos. That is a deal to good to pass up.

6. Colts                            DE Bradley Chubb North Carolina State

A few things have to workout here for Chubb to fall to the 6th spot. If it does the Colts get the best pass rusher in the draft. The Colts will feel like  the won the lottery with their 6th pick. The Colts reportedly do love LB Roquan Smith and could trade down to select him. I got them staying here and Chubb is the pick for the Colts at 6.

7. Bucs                              S Derwin James Florida St 

To be a fly on the wall in Tampa Bay war room. So many choices to decide on the spot. They could trade down for extra picks or go with Minkah Fitzpatrick. Derwin James, McGlinchey and Ward are on the board. I'm giving them the hometown boy from Florida Derwin James. You know why? Because it's my mock and I can. Everyone in college football knows the name Derwin James. They will in the NFL soon as well.

8. Bears                             CB Denzel Ward Ohio St

The Bears are a team could trade down but if they don't this is defense. With Ward, Josh Johnson and Fitzpatrick on the board this could be a difficult decision. They go with Ward with the 8th selection.Ward broke up 15 passes in 2017 for the Buckeyes.

9. 49ERS                         LB Tremaine Edmunds VT

After winning the coin toss with Oakland a few weeks ago. The 49ers get a great group of prospects that can help them in out 2018. Nelson and Chubb are off the board and it is to early to select Marcus Davenport and Roquan Smith. The 49ers will select LBTremaine Edmunds. Rueben Foster possible 6 game suspension makes this decision for SF a lot easier. He brings 2017 213 tackles and 10 sacks to the 49ers defense.

10. Raiders                    LB Roquan Smith Georgia

 Gruden has changed the roster in Oakland since being hired. Even with all the moving parts Oakland has improved their football team in the process. The AFC West could come down to the Raiders and the Chargers. The Raiders will pick up LB Roquan Smith to bring the pain to offenses out in the black hole. There are some concerns being raised about his shoulder but Gruden doesn't care about that. He wants to develop this prospect into the next Ray Lewis.

11. Dolphins                 QB Josh Rosen UCLA

Rosen wants someone's ass for the recent chatter about concerns teams should have about him. He will cause him to slide down to pick #11. There is a chance the Jets select him at 3 but it seems everyone is pretty confident Mayfield goes to Miami at 2. Noted however that  the Miami Herald reported they believe the Dolphins might stay at pick 11. Here the trade doesn't happen so Rosen goes to Miami and Mayfield to the Jets. That means they will be battling it out in the AFC East for years to come. Now the Dolphins can wait until the 2nd round to select their RB after getting the QB here.

12. Bills                       G Isaiah Wynn Georgia

Could this be the spot for Lamar Jackson? The Bills signed QB AJ McCarron this offseason. But now their sitting here in April with 3 men gone from their offensive line. Ritchie Incognito got upset this week and packed his toys up and went home. The Bills traded Cordy Glenn to the Bengals and then their center Eric Wood retired. They could go with Lamar Jackson here and they could try and trade up. But picks are golden to a team that sitting in ua unexpected mess with their line on offense. Gotta think Buffalo cools their Jets on trading up (ya see what I did there) and stay at pick 12 to help rebuild a their offensive line. They may eye QB Mason Rudolph on Day 2 of the Draft.

13. Redskins                DT Vita Vea Washington 

The home of the hogs get one for the other side of the ball. A big body presence on the interior defensive line that was sorely missing in Washington last year. Vita Vea will join the Redskins at pick 13.

14. Packers                    CB Minkah Fitzpatrick Alabama

Aaron Rodgers is unhappy about Jordy Nelson departure in GB. Well, this pick might make him feel better. The Packers help the defense by picking up Minkah Fitzpatrick. He is one of the best players in the entire draft. It is only because of an early run on QB's that he is still available. His 60 tackles and 9 career INT led Alabama to the National Championship last year.

15. Cardinals               QB Lamar Jackson

 Until just now I was setting this draft up for the Chargers to take QB Lamar Jackson with the 17th pick. The Cardinals already have 2 QB on their roster in Glennon and Bradford. Jackson has been getting a bum rap on his accuracy. 9% of those incompletions were dropped passes by his WR's.

16. Ravens                  DT Daron Payne Alabama

The Ravens are thinking that this is to good to be true. The NT who is simply one of the most dynamic prospects in the draft flops into the Ravens lap with pick #16. If you line Payne up into the B gap as the Ravens will. He will cause chaos on offenses. He can play in a 3-4 defense or a 4-3 scheme. Either way Payne knows how to rush the passer. 

17. Chargers              LB Leighton Vander Esch Boise State

 If Lamar Jackson is at #17 I believe the Chargers will pick him. There is to many quality DT and safeties in this years middle rounds to reach for one here. If they can not get the next Michael Vick in Jackson they will go with Leighton Vander Esch to help out a depleted roster of LB. In the next 2 days the Chargers will have to fill holes at DT, S, RT and WR ( Travis Benjamin could be released for cap space and Tyrell Williams is tendered.)

 Jonathan Hankins the DT from the Colts is still a free agent and is awaiting the results of the draft to unfold before signing with a team. He should be plan B if the Chargers don;t get a DT somewhere in the draft. The Chargers spent time at their Pro Day today talking to LB Uchenna Nwosu of USC. They need to decide if their going to go  LB again in Rd 2 as they are here. Someone like S Ronnie Harrison and S Jessie Bates could be available in Rd 2 at safety. It's either Esch or Lamar Jackson on Day 1. Although DT Maurice Hurst, DT Tavon Bryan and LB Rashaad Evans are other possibilities along with RT Connor Williams at tackle. 

18. Seahawks              DE Marcus Davenport UTSA

The missing piece in Seattle has been their pass rush. The Seahawks had 39 sacks in 2017 and produced pressure on just 27.9% of the time when the QB dropped back to pass.  Sheldon Richardson and Michael Bennett are gone now. Davenport will be asked to replace their missing production. The coaches in Seattle are a good fit for Davenport in his development to the NFL. He'll have to get by the Giants who like him and pick early than Seattle. For now though Seattle gets the services of Marcus Davenport.

19. Cowboys                WR Calvin Ridley Alabama

Jerry Jones will meet with Dez Bryant tomorrow (Friday). Either Dez Bryant takes a pay cut from his salary in 2018 $16.5 million dollar deal. His production is just not what it was when he signed that deal. If he refuses he will be released. If that happens the Cowboys move on with the #1 receiver in the draft.   Even if Bryant stays Ridley gives them a true #2 receiver they have been lacking in Dallas.

20 Bills                          WR DJ Moore WR Maryland

The Bills got Wynn at #12 now they get a player to help the receivers in Buffalo. DJ Moore if used as a slot receiver will produce numbers big numbers in Buffalo. He has been compared to Randall Cobb if he gets in the right system with the correct coaches. 

21. Lions                       DE Harold Landry Boston College

The Lions got Matt Patricia and now they get their first pick of the draft and it is on the defensive side of the ball. Landry can play in both a  4-3 and 3-4 scheme. He can benefit from a 4-3 defense as a OLB or a team can move him inside with a 3-4 defense. He's very athletic and a has a high football IQ. He will develop quickly under Patricia in Detroit.

22. Bengals                      T Connor Williams Texas

Connor can play both guard and tackle positions for the Bengals. They already traded for C Eric Wood from Buffalo.  Connor plays nasty and he doesn't give up on plays. His nastiness coupled with his unrelenting motor will make him popular with the Bengal fans. He did have a poor combine or he probably would not have fallen to pick #22.

23. Patriots                        CB Josh Jackson Iowa

The Patriots who are quietly rebuilding their roster again with a bunch of young talent. Here they get a gem in Josh Jackson. He has the speed  and with his big build could quickly develop him into a shut down corner in the NFL. He has great hands and the small amount of flaws he does have can be fixed quickly with some good NFL coaching. The Patriots are such a team.

24. Panthers                         TE Hayden Hurst South Carolina

The Panthers have looked at Hurst for awhile and the scouting reports say to take him with the 24th pick. He is much more developed than the other TE in this draft. He can run block and receive well beyond where you usually find among the rookie talents entering the NFL. The prospect from South Carolina moves up one state to play in Charlotte, NC.

25. Titans                               DT Maurice Hurst Michigan

 The Titans feel comfortable with Hurst 2 failed EKG tests. Without those, Hurst might have been the first DT to come off the board, He has a chance to be the best of the group and the Titans feel good at getting him at 25. Hurst had 30 tackles and 13.5 of those were for a loss last year. He simply produces every time he on the field.

26. Falcons                           DT Tavon Bryan Florida

 Making a run on DT here going back to back with Hurst and now Tavon Bryan. I can't stand when someone refers to a rookie as a beast. Especially since the said player hadn't even played a down yet in the NFL which is becoming totally a different game than the College game. Well, Bryan is a beast. He is mean. He knocks the offensive lineman off right at the snap. I'm hoping the Chargers get him at 17 but Telesco doesn't value DT. The Falcons do have that value and Falcons fans will love watching Bryan play in Atlanta for the dirty birds.

27. Saints                                  WR Courtland Sutton Maryland

Sutton is a  6'4 receiver that will not be easy to cover among the shorter corners in the NFL. He caught 1,000 yds in each of his last 2 seasons at Maryland. Now Courtland Sutton gets  Drew Brees as his QB in New Orleans.

28. Steelers                                LB Rashaan Evans Alabama

 The biggest obstacle facing the Steelers is slowing down the Patriots in the playoffs. The Steelers went 13-3 in 2017 and show no signs of relinquishing their hold on the AFC North. They again are adding to their defense with LB Rashaan Evans. The Steelers are one of the top teams in the NFL when it comes to drafting and developing their young talent. Evans is a perfection fit for Pittsburgh as they move on from Ryan Shazier.

29. Jaguars                            DE Sam Hubbard Ohio State 

Derrick Morgan and Brian Orakpo will become free agents in 2019 For insurance the Jaguars add Sam Hubbard to their pass rush specialists. Hubbard can get to the QB amongst the better in college football. He will learning from his new Jaguar teammates as well.

30 Vikings                              G Will Hernandez UTEP

 At 6'2 320 pounds this is the highest graded guard in the draft behind Quenton Nelson on some boards. He is strong and that makes up for his size. He will develop in Minnesota next to a talented offense. 

31. Patriots                                T Kolton Miller UCLA 

He's no Nate Soldier but at 6'9 this is a big man the Patriots hope to develop into their next great blind side blocker. Miller was projected to go in the 2nd round but the Patriots get their blocker and now a 5th year option. 

32. Eagles                                     RB Derrius Guice LS

The Eagles select Derrius Guice for 1 reason and 1 reason only. I'M TIRED AND I NEED A BEER. I'M DONE, GOOD NIGHT!!