Post Free Agency Mock Draft with Trades
I’m going to do this mock draft a little bit different than what most people do. I’m going to go through this after thorough grading of the top 50 players and do what I would do if I were in this position for these teams. Not what I think will happen, but what I’d do. Please go through and disagree with me if you want or leave a comment. I’ll give my reasons as well.
- Cleveland Browns - QB Sam Darnold, USC
Lots of ways this pick could go but I’m going with the kid that simply gets the job done. He’s won a bunch of games, put up a ton of yards, but mostly the kid has the “it” factor that I’d need out of someone who can go first overall. A year with Tyrod in front of him to help him learn will bridge the gap for him considering one more year could really do him good. Darnold is athletic, tough, and a freaking gamer.
2. New York Giants - QB Josh Rosen, UCLA
Barkley as the best player available has to be on the board here but frankly Eli has been bad two years in a row and it’s time for this team to draft his successor. Rosen is totally NFL ready and is the best pure pocket thrower of the football in any of the past two drafts. His grade merits the selection and with a full season to sit behind Eli and an improved offensive line with Nate Solder on the blindside and Flowers at his natural RT position, this makes the most sense. Plus what are the odds New York is up this high again… not good.
3. New York Jets - QB Josh Allen, Wyoming
Allen has the highest upside of any quarterback I’ve scouted with the exception of Andrew Luck. Allen’s arm strength, mobility, and size are rare in the game and he’s not just a guy with a fastball he also can show great touch, just watch some tape of his and his senior bowl second half. There is a LOT of growing up to do here but letting him sit for a full season behind Mccown and Bridgewater would help him tremendously. If he can sit a full year and get his mechanics underneath him, watch out. If he has to play right away it could be a trainwreck.
4. Cleveland Browns - RB Saquon Barkley, Penn State
I would try tremendously hard to trade out of this pick if I were Cleveland to either Buffalo or Arizona, which is what I think will actually happen on draft day. One of those two teams, likely Buffalo will give up both firsts this year and their first next year to move into the top 4 to draft one of those guys. That being said I wouldn’t do that from their perspective because both Mayfield and Jackson shouldn’t cost 3 firsts so I’ll stand pat here. It’s really hard because you just paid a good amount for Hyde and Johnson is a really good 3rd down back but Barkley is the best player I’ve ever scouted so I’m just going to take him here and let him be my beast. Johnson can play the slot this season and Hyde can give Barkley breaks. Barkley will also return kicks for me as a rookie so Hyde can carry a little bigger load. I just take the best player here.
5. Denver Broncos - OG Quentin Nelson, Notre Dame
I hate taking a guard this early but he’s the best lineman in the draft, you paid Case Keenum like a true two year starter and I don’t know if Mayfield is that much better than Keenum anyway, their comp is similar. So to me instead go out and get a great player who can help you right away in a wide open AFC West. Nelson is an almost can’t miss prospect on a line that has serious needs and he’ll help you right away.
6. Indianapolis Colts - DE Bradley Chubb, North Carolina State
A tremendous player with a good motor who can also play the run, Chubb might become Indy’s best defender the second he walks in the door. While getting some help for Andrew Luck would be nice, there are a lot of ways to help your quarterback and not being forced to throw 40 times a game because your defense sucks is one of them. Plus this team lacks any true scary people on defense and Chubb will command double teams and focus from the moment he steps foot int he building.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DB Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama
The team struggled to generate pass rush last season with any consistency at all but adding JPP and Vinny Curry should certainly help remedy that. The team also was porous on the back end so I’m going to grab a player who can play corner, safety, or slot and adds that versatility you’re looking for in todays NFL. While I think Minkah projects as a really good player I don’t know if he’ll be great, but I do know that being able to be above average to good at 3 spots in a secondary is a huge plus. Tampa might be much improved defensively in 2018.
8. Chicago Bears - LB Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech
Tough spot here but after a really good offseason of adding offensive talent the team goes with the number two ranked player on my board at a position of need. While some guys think the Bears linebackers are okay I simply disagree and even if they were pretty good none of those guys are Edmunds, whose combination of size and speed with 100 tackle seasons is too damn enticing. He upgrades that defense immediately. With a good year of adding weapons, a jump forward from Trubisky, and a really good addition in Edmunds, maybe the Bears become a sneaky team in 2018.
9. San Francisco 49ers - CB Denzel Ward, Ohio State
Even the addition of Richard Sherman doesn’t change the fact that the 49ers are weak at cornerback and adding a really good kid who can start in the slot and then kick outside makes a ton of sense. Ward doesn’t have ideal size but his speed and quickness are really impressive and the 9ers have a serious need here. It’s not too much of a reach as Ward is ranked and rated in a spot where this is reasonable. It makes sense, Ridley was an option here too but too rich for my blood.
10. Oakland Raiders - LB Roquon Smith, Georgia
I think Oakland had a really bad free agency period and I’m not really sure if they have any idea what their identity will be in 2018. No matter what they choose to do this should be a slam dunk pick if this is how the board falls on draft night. Smith is a tremendous cover linebacker who can run sideline to sideline and make plays. He was the best player on the field in the Georgia Alabama game and he can bring that to an NFL team.
11. Miami Dolphins - OT Connor Williams, Texas
The Dolphins are another team that completely blew this offseason. They didn’t improve anything and gave up arguably their three best players in Ajayi (trade during the season, Suh, and Landry. They are going to be much worse. Their line wasn’t great so I take the best tackle I can in Williams and we may have the shuffle the deck again. Just poor management by this team every single year.
12. Buffalo Bills - QB Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
While I don’t think he’s worth a selection this high the Bills are in a horrendous spot with their quarterback sitaution right now and while I think McCarron is a decent player, you have to have some upside in the building. Mayfield is extremely accurate, has moxy, and wins games at a high level. He’s also small, has off the field issues, and really doesn’t move as well as people think. That being said accuracy plays in the NFL and the Bills have a serious need. If they didn’t have a second first round pick maybe I don’t make this choice but as of now, it’s worth a gamble.
13. Washington Redskins - S Derwin James, Florida State
A really good value pick here for guy who reminds you of Sean Taylor. The Redskins are managed like crap but here they get a guy who can do everything for you on the back end and at times at linebacker. He may have been the best defensive player in the country as a freshmen so the upside is there for him to be a dominant player once again. With Sua Cravens future in doubt with the team, adding a better version of him is a big boon for Washington.
14. Green Bay Packers - OLB Harold Landry, Boston College
I really want to go cornerback here because the Packers brass again didn’t address the position but there isn’t one anywhere worth the price here. Instead I picked a pass rusher to help the secondary more. You have to rely on Kevin King to take a jump forward in year two so I go with someone who can get after the quarterback to help those backend guys out. In round two and three I might go corner - corner to try to get a hit.
15. Arizona Cardinals - QB Lamar Jackson, Louisville
Sam Bradford is what he is, a talented guy who can’t ever stay healthy. Here I go out and get someone who is the most explosive runner at the position since Michael Vick and someone who can sling it with the best of them. While Jackson has some issues he’s also underrated as a passer, particularly his arm strength and ability to make huge throws. He’s a 2nd round quarterback if you took his legs out of it, with it. I’d take him here.
16. Baltimore Ravens - WR Calvin Ridley, Alabama
The Ravens have to get more weapons for Joe Flacco and while they did it some in free agency, they make a full commitment here to the best receiver in this class. Ridley isn’t a top tier number one guy but he has the makings of someone who would flourish in a throw it deep system as that’s his strength. At worse he’s a really good number two and that’s better than almost anything else Joe has at this point.
17. Los Angeles Chargers - DT Vita Vea, Washington
A really solid and underrated athlete at DT is Vea from Washington. The Chargers have arguably the best pass rush duo in the NFL and getting push up the middle from a 345 pounder will do nothing but help those two get after the qb. People don’t realize how complete this roster is when healthy, and adding a really good player at a position of need might be what it takes to push LA into the playoffs this coming season.
18. Seattle Seahawks - CB Josh Jackson, Iowa
Jackson had a really bad showing at the combine and I get that but as far as his tape went he was the best corner in college football in 2017. Jackson led the nation in picks and is an absolute perfect fit in the Seahawks cover 3 scheme. He looks like a Richard Sherman clone on tape and pairing him with solid 2017 draft pick Shaq Griffin could help Seattle start to rebuild the legion of boom.
19. Dallas Cowboys - DT Daron Payne, Alabama
Payne is a quick defensive tackle who can pressure the quarterback and make plays in the backfield. Dallas got a ton out of the edges last season but adding someone who can push up front is going to be critical. The Boys need another weapon for Dak, but no one is worth the pick at 19 so they go another direction adding a really good player here for a defense that might be underrated heading into the season.
20. Detroit Lions - RB Derrius Guice, LSU
In a deep running back draft you could see the Lions waiting until round two to address this. I thought about that actually for a while before I made this call. I still decided Guice because the guy is a true freaking bell cow. I think he has 1000 yard potential as a rookie and will give Matt Stafford his first legitimate running back he’s ever had. Detroit is sneaky close to being great, and taking some pressure off Stafford and the defense by getting a guy who will churn out first downs makes too much sense. Guard (Wynn, Hernandez) and Edge (Davenport) were in consideration but you can’t go forever without getting Stafford some help back there.
21. Cincinnati Bengals - OL Isaiah Wynn, Georgia
The move to get Cordy Glenn was a big one for the Bengals but their offensive line whoa’s don’t stop there. So they add a player who can play any of the three interior line positions and also was a really good left tackle in college. Wynn I think could end up being a terrific center but might be a great left guard. He immediately helps with the addition of Glenn to make a bad line into a solid one in one offseason.
22. Buffalo Bills - TE Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State
While some people might not quite understand this move, the team was pretty damn good on defense last year but when you’re developing a young quarterback getting them easy throws is huge. Goedert is the best all around tight end in this draft and will help both McCarron and Mayfield develop. He’s a good pass catcher and a good blocker already and his ability along with Benjamin and McCoy make this offense interesting moving forward.
23. Los Angeles Rams.- DE Marcus Davenport, UTSA
The Rams are now my favorite to win the Super Bowl after a crazy offseason that saw them get the best pair of corners in the NFL to pair with the best two defensive tackles on the same team. Suh/Donald and Peters/Talib is the nastiest combination of shit I’ve ever heard of. You throw in someone with immense talent who is always going to be single teamed now with the addition of Davenport and you really have something special brewing on defense. I’d put my money on the Rams to win the 2019 super bowl if I had to bet today.
24. Carolina Panthers - G Will Hernandez, UTEP
A powerful ridiculous run blocker who is better in pass pro than people give him credit for. The team lost a great one in Andrew Norwell but pick up a really good piece here in Hernandez. He’ll really be a nice transition from an All-Pro so you don’t have that huge drop off.
25. Tennessee Titans - LB Leighton VanderEsch, Boise State
New coach Mike Vrable will know exactly how to get the most out of the ultra talented LVE (as I alone have dubbed him). VanderEsch is a good mover with above average coverage ability good size and length. He was crazy productive in his one season as a starter and while raw and not a super natural guy in terms of feel for the game he has great upside. As the team’s GM it’d be easy to get behind trying to get the new coach a toy for his perfect scheme.
26. Atlanta Falcons - G/C Billy Price, Ohio State
The Falcons are a team without a ton of needs but interior offensive line help could be one of them. I thought about Mo Hurst to give them a nasty front four on pass rushing downs but the heart condition thing scares me off of him. The Falcons were looking to trade down here but Price is a good player who can help immediately at guard and kick to center once Alex Mack’s play starts to decline. They are better as a run first time and Price could get them back to that.
27. New Orleans Saints - S Justin Reid, Stanford
The team is getting so much better every single year defensively and after maybe the best draft from a single team since I’ve started doing scouting the team tries to add another good defensive piece. Reid pairing up with Marcus Williams would be scary as hell. The nice thing about Reid is that he can do so many things that pigeon holing him as simply a safety probably doesn’t make a ton of sense. His ability to do a ton in the back end and help immediately on a Saints team who is ready to win now could be the missing ingredient off a really good team with a tremendous young secondary.
28. Pittsburgh Steelers - LB Rashaan Evans, Alabama
We just simply don’t know if Ryan Shazier will ever play again. We all pray he does, and he was an outstanding linebacker but if he doesn’t the team needs to move on. If they do Evans makes some sense as a sideline to sideline linebacker in the same mold of Shazier. The team is getting older and needs to make some strides to get better for Big Ben sooner rather than later as well. They could be a team that is sneaky on the move in this draft
29. Jacksonville Jaguars - TE Mike Gesiki, Penn State
This is a really weak wide receiver draft but that doesn’t mean it’s devoid of weapons. Gesiki is a premier pass catching tight end with ridiculous athletics and size. While he’s not much of a blocker yet he’s a scary as hell redzone weapon and can give the team someone who can help them score 6 instead of 3. Bortles played better than most people give him credit for but they still need to help him as much as possible. Andrew Norwell and then Gesiki is a tremendous offseason for Blake.
30. (TRADE) Indianapolis Colts (from Minnesota) - OT Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame
The Colts snagged 3 second round picks and gave one of them and their 3rd in 2019 to move up to get a solid tackle from Notre Dame. The team still needs help at that spot and McGlinchey isn’t a superstar but he’s a nice player. They have to protect Luck and this was a good player left on the board who can come in and help now. Plus they wanted to jump up in front of the Pats who are desperate for tackle help.
31. New England Patriots - OT Orlando Brown, Oklahoma
While Brown’s combine scared the hell out of some people, what do you expect he’s 350 pounds and 6’8. A behemoth of a man Brown makes people go the long way to the quarterback. While he’s definitely better suited for the right side the Patriots are so desperate for help at those spots that they take Brown and will likely have to play him immediately.
32. (TRADE) Green Bay Packers - CB Mike Hughes, Central Florida
While I don’t think Hughes is as good as everyone else the kid is a good player and the Packers are desperate so they give up their second this year and 3rd next year to a Philly team without a ton of needs. Hughes might be their second best corner immediately and he gives the Packers a draft they can feel good about for their first year GM. While also filling two of the 3 biggest holes they have and still keeping their 3rd round pick to look for a running back in a deep draft.
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