After reading plenty of mock drafts, my best guesses here as to how tomorrow night's first round unfolds.
1.
Cleveland Browns: Myles
Garrett – DE, Texas A&M: Don’t Browns this, Browns. He’s the best player in
the draft.
2.
San Francisco 49ers:
Solomon Thomas – DL, Stanford: The 49ers have selected defensive linemen in the
first round of the previous two drafts, but are in full rebuild mode and
certainly won’t draft for need here.
3.
Chicago Bears: Jamal Adams –
S, LSU: Adams flew up boards after the combine and his pro day. He’s the best
player available here and fills a big hole for the Bears.
4.
Jacksonville Jaguars: O.J.
Howard– TE, Alabama: Hard to think of the last tight end prospect was hyped up
as much as Howard has been this year. But, most of it’s justified. Jacksonville
spent money on defense in free agency and now will add a weapon down the middle
of the field on offense.
5.
Tennessee Titans (via LA
Rams): Marshon Lattimore – CB, Ohio State: In what’s considered a very deep
corner draft, the Titans grab the best one here. This is an interesting spot
for a trade though as multiple reports are have circulated that the Titans are
looking to trade out.
6.
New York Jets: Leonard
Fournette – RB, LSU: If Lattimore’s still on the board, it’s hard to think the
Jets would pass. But Fournette is a good best player available option for a
team with tons of holes.
7.
Los Angeles Chargers: Malik
Hooker – S, Ohio State: Admittedly, I typed San Diego first before remembering
they’re in LA now. GM Tom Telesco swoops in for a centerfielder for new
defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.
8.
Carolina Panthers: Christian
McCaffrey – RB, Stanford: There’s been a ton of buzz about McCaffrey recently
and Carolina is in dire need of a playmaker out of the backfield.
9.
Cincinnati Bengals: Jonathan
Allen – DL, Alabama: Cincinnati beefs up its defensive line here with a
prospect that many experts pegged as a top five pick not too long ago.
10. Buffalo Bills: Mike Williams – WR, Clemson: Sean McDermott, Doug
Whaley and the rest of Buffalo’s brain trust got Tyrod Taylor to restructure
his contract back in March. Now it’s time to get Taylor some more weapons other
than oft-injured wide receiver Sammy Watkins.
Hard to think of a better option than another Clemson Tiger.
11. New Orleans Saints: Derek Barnett – DE, Tennessee: The Saints
need all sorts of help on defense and adding the best pass rusher in the draft
not named Myles Garrett is a good place to start.
12. Cleveland Browns (via Philadelphia Eagles): Mitchell Trubisky –
QB, North Carolina: Perhaps the worst-kept secret is Cleveland’s desire to move
up from this spot for Trubisky. In this situation they don’t have to but either
way it’s expected Cleveland will do everything it can to leave the first round
with Garrett and Trubisky.
13. Arizona Cardinals: Reuben Foster – ILB, Alabama: There’s some
off-the-field baggage here, but not enough for a team that could use an upgrade
to its linebackers to pass on Foster. Quarterback may be tempting, but in this
scenario the Cardinals take the best player available
14. Philadelphia Eagles (via Minnesota Vikings): Charles Harris –
DE, Missouri: Many mock drafts had Gareon Conley going to the Eagles here
before the sexual assault allegation came out against the Ohio State
cornerback. Howie Roseman and Joe Douglas both acknowledged lots of depth in
this draft at running back and cornerback. Mock drafts are a guessing game and
that could mean the Eagles wait on a back and a corner and go for the pass
rusher from Missouri.
15. Indianapolis Colts: Haason Reddick – LB, Temple: Much like New
Orleans, Indianapolis needs loads of help on defense. Reddick’s speed and versatility
to play inside or outside linebacker should be appealing to a team like
Indianapolis with lots of holes on the defensive side of the ball.
16. Baltimore Ravens: Corey Davis – WR, Western Michigan: Baltimore
must get some more playmakers on offense. Deciding between Mike Williams and Corey
Davis is tough, but a decision the Ravens won’t have to make here with Williams
already off the board.
17. Washington Redskins: Dalvin Cook – RB, Florida State: Washington
is certainly in the market for a linebacker and Reddick would make a lot of
sense here if he is available. However, a three-down back like Cook would add
another dimension to an offense that still has lots of weapons in the passing
game despite losing Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson in free agency.
18. Tennessee Titans: John Ross – WR, Washington: Adding a burner
like Ross will aid young quarterback Marcus Mariota in a big way. Given how
successful Tennessee was running the football last season, a vertical threat
like Ross would take the its offense to the next level.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tre’Davious White – CB, LSU: Cook seems
like an easy pick for Tampa Bay if he slides past Washington. But if not, the
Buccaneers could use some more help in the secondary and find it here in White.
20. Denver Broncos: Cam Robinson – OT, Alabama: It’s not the best
offensive line class, but considering Denver could very well have its choice of
any offensive lineman in the draft, it will likely take one and Robinson would
be my best guess.
21. Detroit Lions: Jarrad Davis – ILB, Florida : Lions’ GM Bob
Quinn gets a plug and play instinctual linebacker with their first round pick.
22. Miami Dolphins : David Njoku – TE, Miami : Davis and
Reddick would both fit well for the Dolphins, but with both gone, Njoku gets to
stay in Miami and join the Dolphins.
23. New York Giants: Ryan Ramczyk – OT, Wisconsin: There are a
couple of ways the Giants could go at 23. Any of the tight ends in what’s
considered a good tight end class could be in play, as well as a linebacker.
But there’s no doubt the Giants’ offensive line struggled last year and Ramczyk
comes in to bolster things.
24. Oakland Raiders: Zach Cunningham – ILB, Vanderbilt: Earlier
today the Raiders filled their biggest hole on offense bringing Marshawn Lynch
out of retirement. In the first round they address their biggest hole on
defense by selecting Cunningham.
25. Houston Texans: Patrick Mahomes – QB, Texas Tech: General
Manager Rick Smith has made it clear he feels no pressure to take a quarterback
early in the draft, but with Mahomes sitting here after Arizona passes, the
Texans bite on the Texas Tech signal caller.
26. Seattle Seahawks: Kevin King – CB, Washington: King stays in the
state of Washington and should step in and play early opposite Richard Sherman
for the Seahawks.
27. Kansas City Chiefs: DeShaun Watson – QB, Clemson: I’m not sure
there’s a better spot for Watson to land. All he did was win in college and
Andy Reid has won a ton of games in the NFL and won a lot with mobile quarterbacks
in Philadelphia with Donovan McNabb early in his career and Michael Vick in
2010.
28. Dallas Cowboys: Gareon Conley – CB, Ohio State: Edge rushers
like Takkarist McKinley, Jordan Willis and Taco Charlton would certainly be in
play here for Dallas, but the Cowboys don’t have many players they can rely on
in the secondary. Jerry Jones has not backed away from players with
off-the-field concerns before and won’t do so here either. It’s almost
impossible to peg Conley anywhere right now, but if he is going to go in the
first round, the Cowboys are the most likely landing spot.
29. Green Bay Packers: Takkarist McKinley – OLB, UCLA: The Packers
don’t often draft bad football players and this ends up being a steal as
McKinley falls into Ted Thompson’s lap at 29.
30. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jordan Willis – OLB, Kansas State: The
Steelers need to improve their pass rush and their secondary. It’s a coin flip
here between Willis and Marlon Humphrey, but I’ll go with the pass rusher.
31. Atlanta Falcons: Malik McDowell – DT, Michigan State: The
interior of the defensive line was a weak spot for the NFC champions last year and
after signing Dontari Poe, they solidify the trenches on the defensive side of
the ball with McDowell.
32. New Orleans Saints (via New England Patriots): Marlon Humphrey –
CB, Alabama: The Saints select their second defensive player in the first round
with the pick they acquired from the Patriots in the Brandin Cooks trade.
For weeks the Saints had been rumored to be looking into a trade for Malcolm
Butler, but they find a corner with the last pick of the first round instead.
