1. Cleveland Browns: Baker Mayfield – Oklahoma QB: I was in total shock when this draft pick was announced. Obviously, Mayfield can play, but he doesn’t fit into the NFL Prototypes size wise. Mayfield’s story is well known, the former walk-on at Texas Tech and then at Oklahoma. His teams won state in high school and he led his Oklahoma team to the college football playoffs. Mayfield
2. New York Giants: Saquon Barkley – Penn State RB: In my opinion, easily the best player in the draft. Running backs with Barkley’s physical abilities don’t come around all that often and the experts are saying not since Adrian Peterson have we seen such a specimen. Barkley is almost a freak of nature with a 4.33 40 time to his credit at 5-11, 230. He is strong, fast and elusive.
3. New York Jets: Sam Darnold – USC QB: All season long, Darnold was expected to be the top quarterback selected in the draft. He had a great redshirt freshman season, but struggled with turnovers as a sophomore. Darnold is big at 6-4, 225 and he’s got the arm, plus a really cool head
under pressure. He’s mobile and seems to have everything required to make a top quarterback. The question might be is if he will continue to turn the ball over in the NFL, or live up to the hype.
4. Cleveland Browns: Denzel Ward – Ohio State CB: The Browns pulled off another early surprise and it’s not that Ward is not worthy of the pick. The Browns needed help at cornerback and the Ohio State’s Ward was probably the top guy out there and his stock rose after he ran a 4.32 40 for the NFL. Buckeye defensive backs have been all the rage in recent drafts and Ward has a chance to be the best of all of them. Ward is about 5-11, 185 which doesn’t fit the latest rage of tall corners, but then he’s not short, either. He is pretty explosive as demonstrated by his 39 inch vertical. This is a good choice by a team that has needs, but it was also a surprising choice for some.
5. Denver Broncos: Bradley Chubb – North Carolina State DE: No surprise here as Chubb was expected to go in the top 4 or 5. Chubb plays the run and the pass almost equally and along with Barkley, he was one of the very top guys available in this draft. Broncos made a really good decision taking Chubb here instead of reaching for a skill position guy that doesn’t fit. Chubb is a beast at 6-4, 270 and at the combine he turned in a 4.65 with a 36 inch vertical. Last season for the Wolfpack, Chubb lived in the opponents backfields and had 25 tackles for loss and 10 quarterback sacks. At a defensive end position with the other team running away from him, he still was third on the team in tackles. Broncos got a deal here.
6. Indianapolis Colts: Quenton Nelson – Notre Dame OG: Nelson has a chance to be one of the better offensive guards in the history of the game. The proof is his pick at number 6 of the first round. Usually a really good guard will not go before the 2nd round. Nelson is an impressive 6-5, 325 with seemingly very little fat. Nelson did not run at the combine, but it’s obvious he can move and he did 35 reps on the 225 bench and he did 26.5 on the vertical which means he can dunk a basketball. I expected Nelson to go in the top 15, but not at number 6. This is not a reach at all, but NFL teams usually do not draft an offensive guard quite so early. Nelson will bring instant help and stability to an ailing front line.
7. Buffalo Bills: Josh Allen – Wyoming QB: I think the Bills might have gotten a steal here at number 7 with Allen falling. Allen sent out some disturbing tweets when he was basically a little boy. So what? Allen is probably not going to be Carson Wentz and come in and become an instant difference maker, but he does have some talent and a lot of it. Allen was more well thought of in 2016 when he had really good receivers. But, he struggled this past season and the experts began calling him erratic with his passing. Allen has more than a strong enough arm and he is mobile much more like a Wentz. He ran a 4.75 40 at the combine and vertical jumped 33.5 which isn’t too bad for a quarterback that’s 6-5, 237. Although, I don’t know of many circumstances where a quarterback will be required to jump 33.5 inches, it’s still and indicator of great athletic ability. He will need some time to develop, but the potential is definitely there.
8. Chicago Bears: Roquan Smith – Georgia LB: Considered by most as the best linebacker available, Smith is a good pick up for the Bears. Smith is pretty physical and stands 6-1, 236. The only test he took at the combine was the 40 and he ran that in a blistering 4.51. Dick Butkus, anyone? Nah, this kid can really run for an inside linebacker and he brings IT when he arrives. He doesn’t bring IT Butkus style, but he does bring IT. Smith led the Bulldogs in tackles the past two seasons, but this past year he really dominated
9. San Francisco 49ers: Mike McGlinchey – Notre Dame OT: Some say McGlinchey is overrated and he can’t play left tackle in the NFL. He had his up and down moments for the Irish and he did
look really bad against a quick defensive end at Miami. He may have to play right tackle and if so, was he really worth the 9th pick in the draft? At the combine, McGlinchey measured in at 6-8, 309, but he didn’t run the 40. He did get up to 28.5 on his vertical and did 24 reps on the bench, but 6’8″ guys aren’t meant to be super bench pressers. Their arms are too long. I don’t believe McGlinchey is overrated at all, but time will tell. He will get better when working with NFL guys surrounding him.
10. Arizona Cardinals: Josh Rosen – UCLA QB: Never before has there been a draft with 4 quarterbacks taken in the top 10 picks and that’s amazing. I’ve seen that Rosen wasn’t happy that he was the last of the 4, but he was still the 10th pick in the draft. In the beginning, I was more impressed with Rosen than any of them. In his first ever college game, he dropped back and hit a wide open wide receiver 50 yards downfield and right in the hands. The receiver dropped the pass, but Rosen has some accuracy with his throws. My issue with Rosen, currently, is he’s already experienced concussions and that will only get worse. He’s 6-4, 225 but it’s the thinnest 225 I have seen and can he take a beating that he will surely receive dropping back to throw in the NFL? I hope he can and I am pulling for him.
11. Miami Dolphins: Minkah Fitzpatrick – Alabama DB: Fitzpatrick started as a true freshman at Alabama at cornerback, but eventually moved to safety. Anybody that can start at a powerhouse like Alabama as a true freshman is no slouch. Fitzpatrick is 6-0, 205 but seems much bigger. He ran a 4.47 in the 40 and he skied 33 inches in the vertical. What was surprising about Fitzpatrick was he only lifted the 225 bench press 14 times. He’s very aggressive and will make a receiver pay for going across the middle. The debate has been whether Fitzpatrick, or Derwin James would go first and Fitzpatrick won.
12: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Vita Via – Washington DT: Really nice pick up for the Buccaneers. Via is a really tough defensive tackle, nose guard that can plug the middle and he’s got the athleticism to rush the passer as well. Other than maybe Da’Ron Payne, Vita Via is the top interior defensive lineman and a possible star in the NFL. I love this pick.
13. Washington Redskins: Da’Ron Payne – Alabama DL: The Redskins solidified their defensive line interior with Payne. This guy is brutally strong and will be able to clog up the middle. He’s also quick enough and super aggressive. At 6-3, 310 Payne was able to run a 4.95 40 and leap 29.5 in the vertical jump at the NFL combine. Payne was a great pick for the Redskins.
14. New Orleans Saints: Marcus Davenport – UTSA DT: This blog had Davenport on the list for most intriguing players going into the 2016 season. He’s improved a lot since then. He was supposed to be 6’7″, but he measured at something like 6’5″3/4 at the combine, imagine that. But, he’s more than tall enough and uses excellent quickness to be a force off the edge. I think he’s still a little bit raw, but the potential is more than there to be a top player down the road.
15. Oakland Raiders: Kolton Miller – UCLA OT: Miller was the tallest player in the first round, by far, at about 6’9″. He still has his struggles with faster defensive ends, but don’t they all. If people think that McGlinchey is overrated, then I wonder what they think of Kolton Miller? Nah, not really, the people that say those things basically know little and never watch these guys. Miller, with his long and lean frame has the opportunity to develop into an All Pro player.
16. Buffalo Bills: Tremaine Edmunds -Virginia Tech LB: Now, this was a great pick. Edmunds is about 6-5, 250 and runs in the 4.5 range. Destined to be an outside linebacker in the NFL, Edmunds has everything you want in a defensive player. He’s got the instincts, the size, speed and basic overall talent to be a major force in the NFL. Tremaine Edmunds led the Hokies in tackles last season. Yes, I do love this pick.
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season probably cost his being picked in the top 10 in this draft. The first time I really laid eyes on James as a college player was in the Florida State spring game when he was an early enrollee and on his first play he picked off the quarterback and ran it back for a touchdown. James is a star and the Chargers should be very thankful for Jimbo Fisher being a good recruiter and a lousy coach.
18. Green Bay Packers: Jaire Alexander – Louisville CB: The Packers went for a cornerback, but also a great return man with great speed. I’m still getting over them letting Jordy Nelson go and I thought they would go for a wide receiver early. At first glance, taking Alexander is not an amazing choice because he is of average length and build. But, his speed makes up for any other possible short comings.
19. Dallas Cowboys: Leighton Vander Esch – Boise State LB: This is a linebacker with good size and speed and also possessing good instincts. The only drawback, probably, is his lack of experience since he only played on the college level for a short time. Personally, the few times that I saw him play I was very impressed with Vander Esch. For the NFL scouts, he ran a 4.65 40 yard dash and he jumped 39.5 inches.
20. Detroit Lions: Frank Ragnow – Arkansas C: This was a surprising pick since most had Ragnow at least second in the center rankings. But, for the Lions, Ragnow rose to the top of the standings. Ragnow does deserve credit for going up against guys like Da’Ron Payne on the college level and for being mostly pretty consistent.
21. Cincinnati Bengals: Billy Price – Ohio State C: About everyone had Price rated as the top center prospect in college football. Price did play guard for 3 seasons before moving to center for his senior season which was a good one for him. Long regarded as the strongest player on the Buckeye team, Price did not compete at the combine in the bench press because of a pec injury. Good pickup for the Bengals with a local guy.
22. Tennessee Titans: Rashaan Evans – Alabama LB: Outside of Roquan Smith at Georgia, most people had Rashaan Evans rated as the second best inside linebacker available in the draft, so the Titans should consider themselves blessed to pick him up at 22. He’s a tough hombre, but I hope he’s got more character than Reuben Foster.
23. New England Patriots: Isaiah Wynn – Georgia OL: This was a surprise pick, to me. Wynn was a long time starter at Georgia, but moved to offensive tackle and started at left tackle this past season. He did well, but I see him as an inside player in the NFL. I could be way off base and Wynn could turn out to be the best offensive lineman in the draft and while I think I might have great scouting skills, who am I to question Bill Belichick.
24. Carolina Panthers: DJ Moore – Maryland WR: The Panthers needed receivers in the worst way and Moore was one of the most highly rated coming out this year. At the combine, Moore measured at about 6-0, 210 and he ran a 4.42 which helped the hype grow somewhat. DJ Moore may have fallen through the cracks without a good combine because Maryland hasn’t had a solid quarterback
25. Baltimore Ravens: Hayden Hurst – South Carolina TE: Hurst played minor league baseball
before he went back to college and became a solid tight end. I loved Mike Gesicki for his pass receiving skills, but for all around tight end, Hurst is the top guy in the draft. Hurst is 6-5, 250 and ran a 4.67 40 at the combine. While those numbers aren’t super impressive, he’s also a really solid blocker and a little older than the average draft picks.
26. Atlanta Falcons: Calvin Ridley – Alabama WR: Ridley led Alabama in receiving for 3 seasons in a row. His numbers were down in 2017 which fans and media place firmly in the lap of their quarterback Jalen Hurts. That was really all on Nick Saban and his new offensive coordinator, but they still won a national championship. Ridley ran a 4.43 40 yard dash at the combine, but his other results were fairly average. Ridley is still a top receiver, with good hands and good speed. He will team well with former Alabama receiver Julio Jones at Atlanta.
27. Seattle Seahawks: Rashaad Penny – San Diego State RB: The Seahawks really haven’t been the same since they lost the Beast Mode Marshawn Lynch. Maybe they are thinking that Penny can be a top NFL running back since he had so much success on the college level. Penny ran for over 2,200 yards as a senior after sharing a backfield with 2,000 yard rusher Donnel Pumphrey as a junior and Penny still ran for 1,000 yards. Penny looks something like a beast in his own right with a 5-11, 220 imposing body and a 4.46 40 to his credit. Still, most experts considered him a reach at this point. Personally, I do like his size and speed ratio and his production.
28. Pittsburgh Steelers: Terrell Edmunds – Virginia Tech DB: Terrell is the older and smaller brother of Tremaine Edmunds who was taken with the 16th pick by Buffalo. The smaller Edmunds is a tremendous safety prospect. He’s 6-1, 220 and ran a 4.47 40. As if that’s not enough, he also vertical leaped over 41 inches which is great for a defensive back, or just about anyone else.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars: Taven Bryan – Florida DT: Bryan was hyped up quite a bit, but after checking in at 6-5, 291 Bryan ran a sub 5 flat 40 and benched 225 30 times and had a 35 inch vertical jump. Bryan did have a pretty solid junior season at Florida and was one of the team’s top tacklers and came up with 4 quarterback sacks. The NFL seems to love Florida Gator defensive linemen based on potential and they often work out.
30. Minnesota Vikings: Mike Hughes – UCF CB: Sometimes when a guy puts on football pads, he just gets a lot faster and more explosive. Hughes is of average size at 5-10, 189. He also ran a 4.53 40 at the combine. That’s not a bad time, but it does little to suggest elite talent. With the unbeaten 13-0 Knights, Hughes returned 1 punt for a touchdown while also scoring on 2 kickoffs. As a cornerback, Hughes returned 1 interception for a touchdown. He doesn’t test off the charts, but he plays like a mad man. I think he’s a good pick up for the Vikings.
31. New England Patriots: Sony Michel – Georgia RB: Coming out of high school, some had Michel as the top running back in the country. Others had Michel in their top 5, but when he got to Georgia he was out played by Nick Chubb. Even after Chubb went down with an injury, he was still considered the man. However, after both returned for their senior seasons, Sony Michel finally came on and played so well in the playoffs last season. Chubb had more yards rushing, but Michel had the most explosive plays and he averaged nearly 8 yards per carry over the season which is incredible since he played in the SEC which is supposed to have great defenses.
32. Baltimore Ravens: Lamar Jackson – Louisville QB: The last player chosen in the first round was the most explosive player of all. Jackson has a howitzer connected to his shoulder and he’s got the feet of a running back. There’s rarely been a quarterback that can throw and run like Jackson outside of a Michael Vick kind of a guy. Some teams wanted Jackson to switch positions and I think they are nuts, he just needs great coaching. Jackson could be an incredible hit, or if his head isn’t screwed on right, he could be a major bust.