On Monday night, the 49ers stole Jimmy Garappolo from the New England Patriots. The Patriots received a second round pick from San Francisco, but most believed Garappolo was worth a first. A second round pick for a possible franchise quarterback is an absolute steal. By the way, to put this pick into perspective, three recent second round quarterbacks have been Geno Smith, Christian Hackenberg and DeShone Kizer.
What this means for the 49ers
At 0-8, it appeared the 49ers would wait this season out and go for Kirk Cousins, or draft a young quarterback. San Francisco had no idea what the Redskins were going to do with Cousins, and going into the season, the 49ers were one of the 10 youngest teams in the league. With the average age of a 49er being around 25 years old, it makes complete sense to go after a 26-year-old.
While only starting two games, Jimmy G looked like the real deal (SBNation)
Additionally, coach Kyle Shanahan really likes Garappolo. Prior to the 2014 NFL Draft, Shanahan ranked Derek Carr and Garappolo as the best quarterbacks in the draft. However, don’t expect him to play right away. San Francisco is without both of their tackles on the offensive line, and it is going to take time to learn the playbook. Realistically, Garappolo could play following their bye, which would give him three weeks to prepare.
In 17 career games, and two starts, Garappolo has been essentially flawless. He has thrown five touchdowns, zero interceptions, completing passes at 67 percent and a passer rating of 106.2.
Last season, Garappolo’s yards per attempt was 8.0, which would be good for fifth in the league in 2017. His 113.3 passer rating would be second behind Alex Smith. Obviously, it is an incredibly small sample size, but 49ers fan should feel ecstatic.
Future of San Francisco
As far as the future of this team, don’t let their winless record fool you. The 49ers are a young defense who can turn out to be very special. Solomon Thomas, who is battling an MCL sprain, has looked like the real deal in his rookie season. DeForest Buckner is arguably the 49ers best defensive player, and he is just 23 years of age. Former first round pick Arik Armstead had 16 tackles and 1.5 sacks before injuring his hand against the Washington Redskins. Don’t forget about Reuben Foster, who has also been battling injuries all year.
The offense has enough weapons for Garappolo to find early success. Carlos Hyde has been extremely effective as both a runner and pass catcher in the offense, while Pierre Garcon is up to 500 yards receiving through their first eight games. Speedster Marquise Goodwin is a perfect deep ball threat for Garappolo.
In his press conference, Garappolo exclaimed how he is “thrilled to be here” and “eager to get out there and show what I can do on a Sunday.” Garappolo also touched on how he could not be happier to be a member of this team.
As far as future schedule looks, it won’t get any easier next season for San Francisco. They will be facing, on the road, Green Bay, Kansas City, Seattle, Minnesota and the LA Rams. While it may take some time, Jimmy G and the 49ers could be a perfect fit. The best part is that San Francisco will still have a top five pick in this year’s draft, and might have found their quarterback for the next ten years.
What this means for New England
To be honest, this move is quite the head scratcher. It would be one thing if the Patriots did not like Garappolo and thought he wouldn’t pan out, but that is just not the case. The Patriots loved this kid, and viewed him as the Aaron Rodgers to Brett Favre. If Brady goes down, their season is over.
An important message to note is that Bill Belichick would have absolutely considered trading Tom Brady after this season. However, Brady and owner Bob Kraft are extremely close, and Albert Breer, reporter for the MMQB.com, claims that Belichick “probably knew the Kraft family was not going to allow him to trade Tom Brady.”
Were Kraft and Belichick on the same page for this move? (Boston Herald)
Whatever the case may be, Tom Brady is 40 years old. Although he looks good, it just doesn’t make sense to trade the future away, especially when the franchise believed he has serious potential. Joe Montana, Peyton Manning and Brett Favre, one way or another, were all forced to cut ties with their original teams and play somewhere else.
New England is usually ahead of the curve when it comes to trading players away at the right time, but I guess when you are dealing with the GOAT, things get complicated. Something tells me Kraft’s relationship with Brady got in the way of how Belichick wanted to do business.
Boston sports fans are extremely blessed, but also might not be ready for life after Brady. Keep in mind that from 1989-1993, the Patriots never won more than six games in a season. The Celtics did something similar to New England, when they held onto Bird, Parish and McHale too long. After their success, the players aged, and Boston went 22 years without winning a title. They were unable to reach the playoffs from 1995-2001. Letting past success get in the way of the future leads to situations like the Celtics.
To remind Patriots fans, and NFL fans, how hard it is to find a franchise quarterback, I have constructed a list of all the quarterbacks who have won at least nine games in three different seasons. All of course, part of the same franchise. As you’ll see, it could take years before New England gets back on track once Brady is gone.
Players with at least three 9-Win Seasons with Franchise (# of seasons)
Arizona/St Louis Cardinals
Jim Hart 1974-76 (3)
Atlanta Falcons
Matt Ryan 2008- (6)
Baltimore Ravens
Joe Flacco 2008- (6)
Buffalo Bills
Jack Kemp 1964-1966 (3)
Joe Ferguson 1973-1981 (4)
Jim Kelly 1988-1995 (6)
Carolina Panthers
Jake Delhomme 2003-2008 (3)
Chicago Bears
NONE
Cincinnati Bengals
Ken Anderson 1973-1981 (4)
Boomer Esiason 1986-1990 (3)
Andy Dalton 2011-2015 (5)
Cleveland Browns
Otto Graham 1950-1955 (5)
Frank Ryan 1963-1967 (5)
Bill Nelsen 1968-1971 (3)
Dallas Cowboys
Roger Staubach 1971-1979 (7)
Danny White 1980-1985 (4)
Troy Aikman 1992-1996 (5)
Tony Romo 2007-2014 (3)
Denver Broncos
John Elway 1984-1998 (9)
Jake Plummer 2003-2005 (3)
Peyton Manning 2012-2014 (3)
Detroit Lions
Bobby Layne 1952-1956 (3)
Matthew Stafford 2011- (3)
Green Bay Packers
Bart Starr 1961-1966 (4)
Brett Favre 1993-2007 (12)
Aaron Rodgers 2009- (7)
Houston Texans
NONE
Indianapolis Colts
Johnny Unitas 1959-1970 (5)
Bert Jones 1975-1977 (3)
Peyton Manning (11)
Andrew Luck 2012- (3)
Jacksonville Jaguars
Mark Brunell 1996-1999 (4)
Kansas City Chiefs
Len Dawson 1962-1971 (5)
Alex Smith 2013- (3)
LA/San Diego Chargers
Dan Fouts 1978-1981 (4)
Stan Humphires 1992-1995 (3)
Philip Rivers 2006- (6)
LA/STL Rams
Roman Gabriel 1967-1970 (4)
Kurt Warner 1999-2001* (2 (Went 8-3 in 2000) )
Miami Dolphins
Bob Griese 1970-1977 (5)
Dan Marino 1984-1998 (8)
Minnesota Vikings
Fran Tarkenton 1973-1976 (4)
New England Patriots
Steve Grogan 1976-1979 (4)
Drew Bledsoe 1994-1997 (3)
Tom Brady 2001- (15)
New Orleans Saints
Bobby Herbert 1987-1992 (3)
Drew Brees 2006- (5)
New York Giants
Phil Simms 1984-1993 (7)
Eli Manning 2005- (7)
New York Jets
Joe Namath 1967-1969* (2 (Three winning seasons when regular season=14 games) )
Vinny Testaverde 1998
Oakland/LA Raiders
Daryle Lamonica 1967-1972 (4)
Ken Stabler 1974-1979 (6)
Rich Gannon 2000-2002 (3)
Philadelphia Eagles
Ron Jaworski 1978-1981 (4)
Randall Cunningham 1988-1992 (4)
Donovan McNabb 2000-2009 (6)
Pittsburgh Steelers
Terry Bradshaw 1972-1980 (6)
Neil O’Donnell 1992-1995 (4)
Ben Roethlisberger 2004- (9)
San Francisco 49ers
Joe Montana 1981-1990 (7)
Steve Young 1992-1998 (6)
Seattle Seahawks
Dave Krieg 1984-1990 (3)
Matt Hasselbeck 2003-2007 (3)
Russell Wilson 2012- (5)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NONE
Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers
Dan Pastorini 1975-1979 (3)
Warren Moon 1989-1993 (3)
Steve McNair 1999-2003 (4)
Washington Redskins
Joe Theismann 1979-1984 (3)
Mark Rypien 1989-1992 (3)
Featured image by Boston Herald
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After last week’s Hall of Fame Game, between the Arizona Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys, the NFL is officially back. Get hype!
What a time to be alive. This week, HBO’s Hard Knocks returns. Jay Cutler finessed his way out of the first two weeks of training camp, and agreed to a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins. The New York Giants put out another electric dance video.
With all that said, it is time for my 2017-18 NFL awards predictions.
AP MOST VALUABLE PLAYER+ AP OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Derek Carr, qb (oakland raiders)
I absolutely love this kid. His 81 passing TD’s in his first three seasons are good for 4th most in NFL history. Last year, Carr led the Raiders to a 12-3 record before breaking his fibula in week 16. He threw for 3,937 yards with 28 touchdowns and only six interceptions.
The guy doesn’t even curse. He has a mamba mentality and is the hardest worker on the field. He ranked 7th in completion percentage for quarterbacks who threw at least 560 passes. That number will only go up, with the addition of Jared Cook and Cordarrelle Patterson. Adding Marshawn Lynch to the backfield will keep this offense clicking.
Oakland is also up against a plethora of teams who do not defend the pass well. Nine of their matchups will be against teams who, last year, ranked in the bottom half for passing defense. The NFL’s highest paid player is about to have a monster year.
AP COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR: ROB GRONKOWSKI, TE (NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS)
While only starting six games last year, Gronk still finished 4th in 20+ yard receptions among all TE’s. After getting his third surgery to repair a herniated disc, Gronkowski looks to be 100 percent, and quite possibly in the best shape of his life. He is now working with Alex Guerrero, the man in charge of Tom Brady’s TB12 Sports Therapy Center.
Healthy Gronk= Nightmare for all defenses (si.com)
Just how dedicated is Gronk to staying healthy? For every alcoholic beverage he consumes, Gronk has to drink three glasses of water.
The addition of Brandin Cooks makes Gronkowski even harder to defend. Cooks’s speed makes him a legit threat over the top, which defenders will have to monitor. This will lead to less double teams for Gronk, which means even more Gronk spikes. The 4x Pro Bowl TE could possibly have his best year.
AP DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: JADEVEON CLOWNEY, DE (HOUSTON TEXANS)
Ever since that epic hit during the 2013 Outback Bowl, Clowney has been a force, when healthy. Coming off a breakout year in which he collected six sacks and 40 tackles, Clowney was selected to his first Pro Bowl. In just 14 games, Clowney earned 2nd team AP All Pro honors.
With JJ Watt healthy, the Texans defense will be up there with the best. Their early preseason depth chart has Clowney listed as an outside linebacker. A freak athlete who cannot be blocked, Clowney’s versatility will be key in order for Houston to make a deep run.
AP OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: LEONARD FOURNETTE, rb (jacksonville jaguars)
The Jaguars have been in need of a good running back since Maurice Jones-Drew. I know it sounds crazy to give an award to a Jaguars player. Not only a Jags player, but a running back who will have to go up against the Titans and Texans, both division rivals, who defend the run extremely well. But let’s be real, this kid is special.
To be honest, I’m usually not even a fan of LSU running backs in the NFL. They give us too many Joseph Addai’s and Jeremy Hill’s, but Fournette is a different breed. He is an absolute house, with great speed. Former Jaguar Fred Taylor called him, “an absolute beast” and “a man amongst boys.” Taylor knows a thing or two about running the ball so I’ll take his word for it.
The Jaguars will be relying heavily on Fournette (Saturday Down South)
Fournette will be the focal point of Jacksonville’s offense. Last year, the Jags ranked 24th in rushing attempts, 22nd in rushing yards, and 29th in rushing touchdowns. With Fournette, they will be able to rush the ball 30 times a game. More rushing attempts means less of a chance for a Bortles’ interception. Look for Fournette to be used like Ezekiel Elliot in Dallas.
AP DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: SOLOMON THOMAS, DE (SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS)
After recently signing a four-year deal worth up to $28 million, the defensive linemen from Stanford is already standing out at Niners camp, due to his size and speed. Elvis Dumervil told reporters that Thomas “will be a dominant player in this league.”
Thomas will be joining the worst defense in the NFL. Last year, the 49ers ranked dead last in rushing yards allowed, rushing touchdowns, and rushing attempts. Teams could run with ease all over them. Thomas will be an immediate factor, as someone who can attack the QB and get in the backfield. During his last year at Stanford, Thomas recorded 8.5 sacks. Over his last two years, he had 24.5 tackles for loss.
Because of Stanford’s spring schedule, Thomas was unable to participate in team activities, but this did not stop him from getting better. During this time, he worked out with Warren Sapp, Demarcus Ware and Von Miller.
Yes, the Niners suck, but that actually helps Thomas, who will for sure slide right in as a starter. He will have more chances than anyone to be successful, as teams will most likely continue to run heavily against San Francisco.
AP COACH OF THE YEAR: BILL BELICHICK, HC, (NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS)
The GOAT. Not much has to be said in this section. His team is favored in every game. Coming off last year’s Super Bowl, they only got better on offense with the additions of Dwayne Allen, Brandin Cooks and Mike Gillelsie. The number one defense last year, the Patriots also beefed up that side of the ball by adding Stephon Gilmore, Kony Ealy and David Harris.
Will the Patriots repeat? (ESPN.com)
With a healthy and not suspended Tom Brady, who went 11-1 during last year’s regular season, don’t sleep on 19-0.
Featured image by The Fresno Bee
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The first round of the 2017 NFL Draft is in the books and it is now time to see how the teams fared.
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills: B
They traded down with the Chiefs and acquired future picks, while still getting a great cover corner in Tre’Davious White out of LSU. This will help them cope with the loss of Stephon Gilmore.
Miami Dolphins: B
The Dolphins needed to get a younger edge rusher and luckily pass rushers fell in this draft class. Charles Harris is a good pass rusher that needs to develop into a good run stopper.
New England Patriots: A
Brandin Cooks was acquired in a deal that sent pick number 32 to the Saints. Cooks will make the Patriot’s offense more dynamic. New England also got very good value in the trade.
New York Jets: A+
Jamal Adams (Photo courtesy: nj.com)
The Jets loved the safeties in this class and they got Jamal Adams. Adams is a safer pick and should have a great and long NFL career. Safety wasn’t the biggest need, but they got great value in Adams.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens: C
Baltimore got decent value in Marlon Humphrey, but could have addressed different needs. All three tackles with first round grades were still available. Humphrey can improve and will have to to cover Antonio Brown and A.J. Green in the division.
Cincinnati Bengals: F
John Ross is the fastest player in the class, but the Bengals reached on him. Cincinnati could have gotten him later in the round if they had traded down. They also had other needs that could have been addressed at nine. Ross can develop into a good NFL player, but also has injury issues to deal with.
Cleveland Browns: A-
The Browns did not screw this up and in fact had a good draft. They took Myles Garrett with the first overall pick, who should be a good pass rusher for years to come. Cleveland traded the number 12 pick to the Texans and acquired more Picks. With the pick they got from Houston, they selected safety Jabrill Peppers, which fills a huge need. After this, they traded into the first round and took tight end David Njoku, who should be a great receiving threat next season.
Pittsburgh Steelers: B
Pittsburgh needed to get pass rushing help, as James Harrison led the team in sacks last year and is aging. Watt was taken a little bit high for his value, but can develop into a good player with time.
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans: D
The Texans traded all the way up to 12 to get Deshaun Watson. Had they stayed at their pick and gotten him, it would have been a great pick, as it fills a great need. Watson has accuracy and arm strength issues, but does have good intangibles. He will need the offense to help out a lot around him.
Indianapolis Colts: A+
Malik Hooker somehow fell all the way to number 14. The Colts needed to improve the defense, even though this didn’t fill a huge need. Hooker has some concerns with injuries, but is a great middle of the field safety.
Jacksonville Jaguars: A
Leonard Fournette (Photo courtesy: nola.com)
The Jaguars don’t have a great running back on the roster and now has a once in a lifetime running back. Leonard Fournette will give the Jaguars a good running game and allow them to evaluate Blake Bortles after the season. With the defense addressed in free agency, Jacksonville should be able to compete for the division.
Tennessee Titans: B-
Tennessee got good players, but they reached on both picks in the first round of draft. Corey Davis and Adoree’ Jackson will both be players capable of starting for the Titans for years, but they could have gotten them later. They both however fill big needs at wide receiver and corner.
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos: B
Denver filled their biggest need by selecting tackle Garett Bolles. With the top three tackles on the board, the Broncos elected to go with the most athletic of the three in Bolles. He will be a good pass blocker form day one.
Kansas City Chiefs: C-
It was a very risky move to trade up in the draft and get quarterback Pat Mahommes at pick 10. He has great arm strength and good accuracy, but is a gunslinger who throws a lot of interceptions. The transition from Alex Smith to Mahommes should be a fun one to watch.
Los Angeles Chargers: B
Wide receiver was a need and Mike Williams is a stud. He will provide great value if Keenan Allen gets injured again, or playing along side him. Williams is a great red zone target who will be productive in his first year. Phillip Rivers did a great job with little talent at receiver last year and should be overjoyed heading into next season.
Oakland Raiders: C-
Gareon Conley is a great corner who had value being taken at number 24 overall. The problem is that he was accused of rape on April 9. If he comes back clean this is a steal of a pick, but if it doesn’t he could be suspended or worse.
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys: B
Taco Charlton wasn’t supposed to fall to the Cowboys, but he now gets to play for Dallas. They needed more edge rushers and Charlton has the size that can be molded into a dominant force.
New York Giants: C
Tight End was a need, but they should have addressed the tackle position with so many on the board. Engram is a fast tight end, who is more of a glorified wide receiver. He will be a good weapon for the Giants, but only if Manning has the time to deliver the ball to him.
Philadelphia Eagles: B-
Derek Barnett presented good value, but they don’t have many good corners. The Eagles will give up a lot of yards through the air if the pass rush doesn’t get to the quarterback in time. Running back was also a good option with Dalvin Cook on the board.
Washington Redskins: A+
Jonathan Allen (Photo courtesy: washingtonpost.com)
Washington had Jonathan Allen fall all the way to pick number 17 and rushed to the podium to get him. Allen is a top five player in the class, who will have an immediate impact.
NFC North
Chicago Bears: F
The Bears traded up one pick, to get a quarterback that they likely could’ve gotten at their original pick, number 3. Mitch Trubisky is the best quarterback in this class, but none of them warranted a pick at number two overall. This grade also takes into account the big deal that the Bears gave Mike Glennon.
Detroit Lions: B-
Jarrad Davis was selected and he is a good linebacker and should’ve been drafted in that range. The problem is that the best linebacker in the class, Reuben Foster was still on the board.
Green Bay Packers: A
The Packers traded out of the first round with the Browns to get the first selection in the second round. None of the players the Packers were likely targeting were selected in the picks after the trade.
Minnesota Vikings: C-
Sam Bradford was acquired with the Vikings first round selection in this draft class. Bradford did set a record for completion percentage in a season, but overall Minnesota’s offense sputtered.
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons: B
Atlanta traded up to get Takkarist McKinley. He has the best motor of anybody in the entire class, although he is a bit undersized. He will be a good speed rusher across from Vic Beasley.
Carolina Panthers: A
Christian McCaffrey is a very versatile player that will get touches as a running back, wide receiver and return man. Drafting McCaffrey will allow Cam Newton to take less hits and create an interesting dynamic with Jonathan Stewart still in the backfield.
New Orleans Saints: C+
The Saints had a good pick at number 11 in the first round when they selected Marshon Lattimore. They likely didn’t think he would fall to them, but got great value. Lattimore fits what New Orleans needs, which is a lot of defensive help. After this they went on to select Ryan Ramczyk with the last pick in the first round. He does provide value, but the Saints already have too many tackles on their roster.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A-
Tampa Bay didn’t absolutely need a tight end, but O.J. Howard was a great value pick at number 19. He is going to make their offense fun to watch and should help the development of Jameis Winston.
NFC WEST
Arizona Cardinals: C-
The Cardinals reached for Haason Reddick. He is a converted edge rusher now trying to play linebacker in the pros. At the very least he is a guy they will need to develop. Reddick could have been selected a little later in the round.
Los Angeles Rams: D+
Jared Goff was acquired as part of a deal that sent the Rams’ first round pick this year. While Goff hasn’t played the greatest yet, he still has potential and a new coaching staff can get some good things out of him.
San Francisco 49ers: A+
Solomon Thomas (Photo courtesy: oregonlive.com)
San Francisco started off the draft by trading the number two pick to the Bears and likely got the player they wanted all along in Solomon Thomas. Thomas should be able to help immediately. They then traded back up into the first round and selected Reubuen Foster, who is the best linebacker in the class.
Seattle Seahawks: ??
The Seahawks traded out of the first round with the 49ers. They only moved down a few spots and can likely still get the offense line help they need. More will be learned about their grade once they actually make their selections.
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The NFL Draft is hours away and more information is coming out about these prospects. This NFL Mock Draft will have no trades.
ROUND ONE
1. Cleveland Browns- Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
The Browns need to take the best player available, instead of reaching for a quarterback. Garrett is the premier pass-rushing prospect. He has a solid jump off of the ball and then uses his athleticism and speed to get to the quarterback. Garrett is great at containing opposing quarterbacks in the pocket. He is good against the run and even makes teams run to the other side of the field like Alabama did against him. His good gap integrity on running plays will help him transition to playing against NFL offenses. He had a good NFL Combine, so the Browns should feel very comfortable picking Garrett.
2. San Francisco 49ers- Solomon Thomas, DE/DT, Stanford
There is a new regime in San Francisco, but all visible signs show them not taking a quarterback with the number two pick. That may change, or maybe they are protecting their real thoughts. Jonathan Allen is a premier talent, but may not be the greatest fit as they have drafted two different five-technique defensive linemen the last two years. Whether John Lynch wants to keep these guys or draft his own people remains up in the air. As the team currently sits Solomon Thomas is the best fit. They need pass rushing help and Thomas is a well rounded defensive end, who is as good at stopping the run as he is rushing the passer. He’s very quick at the snap of the ball. His best quality is his versatility. He can play almost any position on the defensive line and be successful.
3. Chicago Bears- Jonathan Allen, DE/DT, Alabama
If Allen falls to three and the Bears aren’t worried about his shoulder injuries, they will run to the podium to pick Allen. He is a good fit in their 3-4 defense and can start from day one. Allen could not be blocked with one blocker consistently and continuously disrupted plays. He doesn’t always have the best gap integrity, but does have great play recognition skills.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars- Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
Fournette can do everything required as a running back and can handle a heavy dose of carries. He played this last season with a lingering ankle injury and still averaged 6.5 yards per carry. His combination of speed, size and vision makes him an elite running back prospect. The Jaguars have other needs, but Fournette is too good to pass up. Jacksonville will likely give Blake Bortles one more season to figure things out, and a good running game will help his chances. The Jaguars flirted with signing free agent running backs, but elected not to, which may show where they are leaning with this pick.
5. Tennessee Titans- Marson Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
The Titans cut Jason McCourty, which may signal where they are going with this pick. Lattimore is a shut-down corner, who has good ball skills. Even though Ohio State got blown out by Clemson, he only gave up one catch and it was to Mike Williams on a screen pass. Lattimore is decent in run support too.
6. New York Jets- Mitchell Trubisky, QB, UNC
The Jets don’t have a quarterback worthy of starting for the long haul currently on their roster. Josh McCown is capable of bridging the gap between now and a franchise quarterback being ready. Trubisky only has one year of starting experience, which is concerning, but he is very accurate. He also rarely makes bad decisions, which is a rarity for quarterbacks in this draft class. On top of all that, Trubisky is an athlete that has above average speed and can throw well while on the move.
7. Los Angeles Chargers- Jamal Adams, SS, LSU
The Chargers needs secondary help and luckily, this class is loaded with it. Adams is a hard-hitter, who helps in run support. He has shown the capability to guard elite college level tight ends like Evan Engram, which will help him a lot at the NFL level.
8. Carolina Panthers- Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
Ron Rivera has commented on taking a running back early and McCaffrey is rising up draft boards. McCaffrey is a big play guy who can run in between the tackles. He is also good at receiving out of the backfield, which should help Cam Newton.
9. Cincinnati Bengals- Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
Cincinnati takes the best player available and that could be Mike Williams. He can be a great number two receiver to A.J. Green and the Bengals can keep Tyler Boyd in the slot. In the National Championship Game, Mike Williams was the difference maker for Clemson. Williams is the best red zone threat in college football from the wide receiver position. He is tall and lanky, but athletic enough to make great catches.
10. Buffalo Bills- Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
The Bills desperately need safety help and would be overjoyed if Hooker fell to them. He would be an immediate upgrade for their lackluster secondary. Hooker has the best range of any safety in the class. He is a ball-hawk, who isn’t afraid to come up and help in the run.
11. New Orleans Saints- Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
New Orleans needs defensive help badly. They can start by getting a pass rusher across from Cameron Jordan. Barnett is one of the best pass rushers in the class, but does not do much against the run. He uses his speed to get around the tackle blocking him, but rarely uses pass rushing moves to get to the quarterback.
12. Cleveland Browns- Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
The Browns are likely going to take a signal caller with this pick if they don’t take one with the first pick overall. Watson doesn’t have great accuracy and consistently relied on receivers to make plays for him. The most alarming thing about Watson is his decision making, as he makes throws that have no chance of being completed. His arm strength has also been called into question by only throwing 49 mph at the combine. The accepted low for an NFL quarterback is 55 mph. (Dak Prescott threw 54 mph last combine, but had a hurt shoulder) Watson has shown flashes of greatness, particularly against Alabama, but needs to be more consistent. One thing is for sure, Watson steps up in the clutch.
13. Arizona Cardinals- Pat Mahommes, QB, Texas Tech
Mahommes has the chance to prove that system quarterbacks can make it in the NFL if they have talent. His arm strength is second to none in this class. He is a gunslinger that loves extending plays and showing off his arm. The Cardinals will likely want to get a future quarterback behind Carson Palmer and with a year or two to learn, Mahommes can develop in to a great quarterback.
14. Philadelphia Eagles- Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
The Eagles need corner help badly. They will likely have to take Humphrey even though he was most likely behind Sidey Jones (achilles) and Gareon Conley (rape accusations) on their board. Humphrey guarded Mike Williams well in the National Championship game, but Williams made some crazy catches through the good coverage. Humphrey is a good man to man corner, who can get confused while playing zone.
15. Indianapolis Colts- Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
Foster was the best player for Alabama in the National Championship Game. He was all over the field and showed great closing speed on ball carriers. In addition to that, he was a very effective when blitzing, knocking down Deshaun Watson plenty of times. He is also good in coverage, which doesn’t leave many holes in his game. The Colts have a lot of defensive holes to plug and Foster is the best defensive player available. He has some character issues, but is a top ten talent in this class.
16. Baltimore Ravens- Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
The Ravens need to protect Joe Flacco and can take tackles in two consecutive years. Many scouts question whether Robinson can be a left tackle in the NFL and if he can’t he can play right tackle or guard for the Ravens. Robinson did a solid job pass blocking Myles Garrett in their match-up.
17. Washington Redskins- Adoree’ Jackson, CB, USC
Washington has had multiple visits with Jackson and they could use a corner to go alongside Josh Norman. Jackson has all of the capabilities necessary to be a lock-down corner for many years in the NFL. He can play both sides of the ball and also help in the return game. His ability to play both ways and to bait quarterbacks into throwing passes, just so he can intercept them, shows his likeness to Deion Sanders.
18. Tennessee Titans- Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
Marcus Mariota needs a number one target to throw to. Davis is a premier talent at wide receiver. He is big, at 6 feet 3 inches, but his skills match that of a smaller receiver, making him a unique prospect. Davis knows where to go on broken plays and fights for the football with resiliency.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
A lot of people think that Tampa Bay will go running back here, but if Howard were to fall, he would be the selection. Howard is a great receiving tight end, who didn’t get the chance to produce much at Alabama due to play-calling and quarterback issues. He can be another good target to help Jameis Winston.
20. Denver Broncos- Garett Bolles, OT, Utah
Before the Broncos give up on Trevor Siemian they need to protect him to give him a fair shot. Bolles uses his mobility to his advantage by stopping speed rushers who try to pass him by. He may need to add some strength to be successful in the NFL.
21. Detroit Lions- Taco Charlton, DE/DT, Michigan
Someone other than Ziggy Ansah has to be able to rush the passer. Charlton has great size at 6’6″ tall and can get to the quarterback with 10 sacks last season.
22. Miami Dolphins- Forrest Lamp, OT/G, Western Kentucky
Lamp played tackle in college, but will likely be kicked inside in the NFL. He is currently considered by most the best interior line prospect in the class. Miami is moving Laremy Tunsil out to left tackle after trading Brandon Albert to the Jaguars and will need some help on the interior.
23. New York Giants- David Njoku, TE, Miami
Njoku is a fast tight end who should be a good receiving threat in the NFL. He may be able to develop into a good blocker as well. The Giants have solidified their offense by signing Brandon Marshall, but could use a decent tight end threat over the middle.
24. Oakland Raiders- Haason Reddick, LB, Temple
The Raiders need help at inside linebacker and Reddick is changing positions to become one. He was an edge rusher in college, but has looked good in the events leading up to the draft at inside linebacker. Oakland will need to work with Reddick, but if they see his potential, they may elect to try and develop him into a good pro.
25. Houston Texans- DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
Tom Savage will get his shot to start, but the Texans need a long term answer at quarterback. Because they are picking so late in the round, they may have to trade up to get one. Kizer has moved up and down draft boards constantly, which makes him a wild card. Kizer has the size and arm strength to be a franchise quarterback. He has some issues with being consistent with the accuracy of his passes, but for the most part is decent. If he wants to be successful he should work on putting passes in areas for wide receivers to run after the catch. His mobility is good enough to get him out of jams.
26. Seattle Seahawks- Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
Seattle’s offensive line problems have been well documented. Any lineman prospect near this range should be considered. Ramczyk is a solid left tackle, who is a good run and pass blocker. He did a pretty good job blocking Taco Charlton when the Badgers played the Wolverines. He doesn’t have good mobility and athleticism and can be beat by fast rushers and blitzers.
27. Kansas City Chiefs- John Ross, WR, Washington
Kansas City doesn’t have too many needs, but could be better with another offensive weapon. They do have Jeremy Maclin and Tyreek Hill, but could become more explosive with another guy who can burn a defense. A lot of people are overvaluing Ross because of his 40 time at the NFL Combine. The hope for him is that NFL teams also overvalue him. His speed is apparent and helps him be productive in the return game.
The Cowboys lost Barry Church to the Jaguars in free agency. They will need a safety to go alongside Byron Jones. Peppers can be successful at any position in the back seven of the defense, but will be the safety that Dallas needs. Peppers’ downside his his ball skills. He has all the fundamentals down, but had only one career interception in college. He does have a diluted sample on his drug test at the combine, but the Cowboys usually aren’t worried about those things.
29. Green Bay Packers- Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Mike McCarthy likes Ty Montgomery at running back, but Cook might present too much value to pass up. Cook is an elusive, speed back who is hard to catch. He is a weapon as a receiver out of the backfield. There are some concerns with the amount of injuries he has had and off the field issues, but when healthy Cook is an elite running back prospect.
The Steelers need to draft more secondary help and Melifonwu has been rising up draft boards with his outstanding combine. Melifonwu played safety, but could also play some corner in the NFL. At 6’4″ with a 4.4 40 yard dash time, the Steelers can get a star at the end of the first round.
31. Atlanta Falcons- Charles Harris, DE/OLB, Missouri
Harris is a good pass rusher, who is also solid against the run. He doesn’t have great length for a edge rusher, but does have good strength. The Falcons had Vic Beasley last season, but need to get more pass rushers around him to have a better defense.
32. New Orleans Saints- Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU
New Orleans needs to improve every level of their defense. White is a good team leader, who is very athletic. He doesn’t have the best size for a corner, but can cover with the best of them. His added value comes in the return game, where he did a solid job for LSU. The bottom line is that White can cover.
Cunningham is tall and lanky, but makes plays. He is a tackle machine that can vastly improve the Cleveland run defense. The outside linebackers for the Browns are solid, but Demario Davis isn’t.
34. San Francisco 49ers- Kevin King, CB, Washington
The 49ers don’t have a good corner on their roster. King has elite height at 6’3″ for the position and ran a blazing 4.43 40 yard dash at the combine. He will need to add some muscle to his frame to be able to jam receivers and shed blocks.
McKinley has one of the best motors in the class for a pass rusher. The Jags need to get another defensive end in case Fowler and Ngakoue don’t improve his season.
36. Chicago Bears- Zay Jones, WR, ECU
The Bears lost Alshon Jeffrey to free agency and now have to get someone for Mike Glennon to throw the ball too. Zay Jones may be overlooked because of the wide receiver prospects ahead of him, but he is a talented receiver himself, who set the FBS career record for receptions.
37. Los Angeles Rams- Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss
If the Rams want Jared Goff to continue to develop, they have to get him some weapons. Engram is one of the best receiving tight ends in this draft class, but needs to block better.
38. Los Angeles Chargers- Dan Feeney, G, Indiana
Protecting Phillip Rivers has to be a top priority. Feeney could have gone higher in this year’s draft, but dealt with injury issues last year.
39. New York Jets- Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
The Jets already addressed the quarterback position in round one and now can try to improve the secondary. Wilson is a tall corner, who has good speed. He is a good man to man cover corner, but is susceptible to pass interference calls. He doesn’t offer much in terms of run support and sometimes looks as if he doesn’t want to tackle anybody. The Jets can use another corner or two, as Morris Claiborne will likely get injured at some point this season.
40. Carolina Panthers- Demarcus Walker, DE, Florida State
Walker is good at rushing the passer and disrupts passes by sticking his hands up into the passing lane. Carolina needs to get a young pass rusher.
41. Cincinnati Bengals- Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova
When Cincinnati was at their best, they rushed the passer well. Kpassagnon fits the mold of a big defensive end that they like and could be a player to develop for the future.
42. New Orleans- JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
Smith-Schuster is creating a lot of buzz lately and has moved up into the second round. The Saints can add a receiver with one of their many early picks and try to replace Brandin Cooks.
43. Philadelphia Eagles- Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee
With taking a CB in the first round, the Eagles can now get a dynamic offensive weapon. Darren Sproles is getting older and Ryan Matthews is often hurt. Kamara will be a great target for Carson Wentz out of the backfield.
44. Buffalo Bills- Bucky Hodges, TE, Virginia Tech
Hodges has a great combination of size and speed, but doesn’t run great routes or block well. He can be a valuable target for Tyrod Taylor and can even split out wide for the Bills.
45. Arizona Cardinals- Malik McDowell, DE/DT, Michigan State
McDowell has a lot of talent, but doesn’t have a great motor and gets discouraged when his team is losing. The Cardinals will hope they can get him to play hard every down. Arizona needs to get better defensive ends for their 3-4 scheme.
46. Indianapolis Colts- Chris Wormley, DE/DT, Michigan
Foster is a good add for the first round, but the Colts need to upgrade a lot of positions in this draft. Wormley can play defensive end and help with the pass rush.
47. Baltimore Ravens- T.J. Watt, DE/OLB, Wisconsin
Baltimore only had 31 sacks as a team last season. Watt may not be as good as his brother, but makes plays and can help rush the passer.
48. Minnesota Vikings- Dion Dawkins, OT, Temple
The Vikings have addressed some of their line problems via free agency, but they still need some upgrades there. Dawkins can play tackle in the NFL, but some believe he would be better off as a guard.
49. Washington Redskins- Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn
Lawson would have been in the talks for a first round pick, but he was often injured at Auburn. Washington has to get a few more solid players on their defensive line.
50. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- D’onta Foreman, RB, Texas
With Doug Martin’s injury and substance abuse issues the Bucs need to take a running back in this loaded class. Foreman is big, but ran a good 40 yard dash and should be selected on day two.
51. Denver Broncos- Montravious Adams, DT, Auburn
Adams is a great interior pass rusher and played well at the Senior Bowl. Denver needs to get some better players on the interior of the defensive line.
52. Cleveland Browns- Budda Baker, S, Washington
Cleveland needs secondary help badly. Baker makes plays in the passing game, but isn’t afraid to come up and help in the run either. He isn’t the biggest safety, but is productive. His ball skills aren’t great, but should be worth the pick.
53. Detroit Lions- Curtis Samuel, WR/RB, Ohio State
Samuel is going to be a good slot receiver and can also play running back. Detroit can move Golden Tate back out wide or use Samuel and Tate on the inside of four receiver sets.
54. Miami Dolphins- Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado
The Dolphins need to get some help at corner to slow down the pass. Awuzie is a physical corner who is good at jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage.
55. New York Giants- Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida
Davis will likely go higher, but is a perfect fit for the Giants. They rarely take linebackers early in the draft, but this value is hard to pass up.
56. Oakland Raiders- Carlos Watkins, DT, Clemson
The Raiders need to improve their defensive line. Watkins is a good defensive tackle who rushes the passer well.
57. Houston Texans- Taylor Moton, OT, Western Michigan
Moton had a great career at Western Michigan, but may get moved inside. The Texans need offensive line help and can’t afford to ruin quarterbacks like they did David Carr.
With the Richard Sherman trade talks and a need at corner anyways, Witherspoon would be a good pick. He is slight and doesn’t provide much run support, but is talented in coverage.
59. Kansas City Chiefs- Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson
The Chiefs need to get some depth behind Marcus Peters and Terrance Mitchell. Tankersley is good in a lot of coverages, but needs to work on his technique.
60. Dallas Cowboys- Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
Dallas has a knack for taking risks on players in the second round and Jones is a player that would’ve gone in the first, but tore his Achilles. The Cowboys can reap the reward of taking a guy who may not be ready for week one, but could have a successful career.
61. Green Bay Packers- Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA
Moreau raised his draft stock by doing well in the workouts leading up to the draft. Green Bay desperately needs corner help and will be enticed by his testing results.
62. Pittsburgh Steelers- Tim Williams, DE/OLB, Alabama
Williams has off the field issues, but could be a steal for Pittsburgh if they get him here and he can stay out of trouble. He would be a great edge rusher that can take over for James Harrison at some point.
63. Atlanta Falcons- Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State
McMillan needs to work on pass coverage, but can help stop the run. Atlanta doesn’t have many good linebackers outside of Deon Jones.
64. Carolina Panthers- David Sharpe, OT, Florida
The Panthers seem to always need offensive line help and need to take one here to protect Cam and help out a potential new running back.
The NFL Draft is under a week away and more information is coming out about these prospects. This NFL Mock Draft will have no trades.
Round One
1. Cleveland Browns- Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
The Browns need to take the best player available, instead of reaching for a quarterback. Garrett is the premier pass-rushing prospect. He has a solid jump off of the ball and then uses his athleticism and speed to get to the quarterback. Garrett is great at containing opposing quarterbacks in the pocket. He is good against the run and even makes teams run to the other side of the field like Alabama did against him. His good gap integrity on running plays will help him transition to playing against NFL offenses. He had a good NFL Combine, so the Browns should feel very comfortable picking Garrett.
2. San Francisco 49ers- Solomon Thomas, DE/DT, Stanford
There is a new regime in San Francisco, but all visible signs show them not taking a quarterback with the number two pick. That may change, or maybe they are protecting their real thoughts. Jonathan Allen is a premier talent, but may not be the greatest fit as they have drafted two different five-technique defensive linemen the last two years. Whether John Lynch wants to keep these guys or draft his own people remains up in the air. As the team currently sits Solomon Thomas is the best fit. They need pass rushing help and Thomas is a well rounded defensive end, who is as good at stopping the run as he is rushing the passer. He’s very quick at the snap of the ball. His best quality is his versatility. He can play almost any position on the defensive line and be successful.
3. Chicago Bears- Jonathan Allen, DE/DT, Alabama
If Allen falls to three and the Bears aren’t worried about his shoulder injuries, they will run to the podium to pick Allen. He is a good fit in their 3-4 defense and can start from day one. Allen could not be blocked with one blocker consistently and continuously disrupted plays. He doesn’t always have the best gap integrity, but does have great play recognition skills.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars- Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
Fournette can do everything required as a running back and can handle a heavy dose of carries. He played this last season with a lingering ankle injury and still averaged 6.5 yards per carry. His combination of speed, size and vision makes him an elite running back prospect. The Jaguars have other needs, but Fournette is too good to pass up. Jacksonville will likely give Blake Bortles one more season to figure things out, and a good running game will help his chances. The Jaguars flirted with signing free agent running backs, but elected not to, which may show where they are leaning with this pick.
5. Tennessee Titans- Marson Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
The Titans cut Jason McCourty, which may signal where they are going with this pick. Lattimore is a shut-down corner, who has good ball skills. Even though Ohio State got blown out by Clemson, he only gave up one catch and it was to Mike Williams on a screen pass. Lattimore is decent in run support too.
6. New York Jets- Mitchell Trubisky, QB, UNC
The Jets don’t have a quarterback worthy of starting for the long haul currently on their roster. Josh McCown is capable of bridging the gap between now and a franchise quarterback being ready. Trubisky only has one year of starting experience, which is concerning, but he is very accurate. He also rarely makes bad decisions, which is a rarity for quarterbacks in this draft class. On top of all that, Trubisky is an athlete that has above average speed and can throw well while on the move.
7. Los Angeles Chargers- Jamal Adams, SS, LSU
The Chargers needs secondary help and luckily, this class is loaded with it. Adams is a hard-hitter, who helps in run support. He has shown the capability to guard elite college level tight ends like Evan Engram, which will help him a lot at the NFL level.
8. Carolina Panthers- Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
Ron Rivera has commented on taking a running back early and McCaffrey is rising up draft boards. McCaffrey is a big play guy who can run in between the tackles. He is also good at receiving out of the backfield, which should help Cam Newton.
9. Cincinnati Bengals- Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
Cincinnati takes the best player available and that could be Mike Williams. He can be a great number two receiver to A.J. Green and the Bengals can move Tyler Boyd to the slot. In the National Championship Game, Mike Williams was the difference maker for Clemson. Williams is the best red zone threat in college football from the wide receiver position. He is tall and lanky, but athletic enough to make great catches.
10. Buffalo Bills- Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
The Bills desperately need safety help and would be overjoyed if Hooker fell to them. He would be an immediate upgrade for their lackluster secondary. Hooker has the best range of any safety in the class. He is a ball-hawk, who isn’t afraid to come up and help in the run.
11. New Orleans Saints- Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
New Orleans needs defensive help badly. They can start by getting a pass rusher across from Cameron Jordan. Barnett is one of the best pass rushers in the class, but does not do much against the run. He uses his speed to get around the tackle blocking him, but rarely uses pass rushing moves to get to the quarterback.
Kizer has moved up and down draft boards constantly, which makes him a wild card. The Browns already have Myles Garrett on board and now can get their quarterback of the future. Kizer has the size and arm strength to be a franchise quarterback. He has some issues with being consistent with the accuracy of his passes, but for the most part is decent. If he wants to be successful he should work on putting passes in areas for wide receivers to run after the catch. His mobility is good enough to get him out of jams.
Arizona could go for a quarterback to be a long term solution or defensive help here. Humphrey guarded Mike Williams well in the National Championship game, but Williams made some crazy catches through the good coverage. Humphrey is a good man to man corner, who can get confused while playing zone.
14. Philadelphia Eagles- Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State
The Eagles’ biggest need is corner. Conley is rising up draft boards because of his great workouts and the attrition at the cornerback position. He has good play recognition skills and arm length that he uses to his advantage.
15. Indianapolis Colts- Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
Foster was the best player for Alabama in the National Championship Game. He was all over the field and showed great closing speed on ball carriers. In addition to that, he was a very effective when blitzing, knocking down Deshaun Watson plenty of times. He is also good in coverage, which doesn’t leave many holes in his game. The Colts have a lot of defensive holes to plug and Foster is the best defensive player available.
16. Baltimore Ravens- Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
The Ravens need to protect Joe Flacco and can take tackles in two consecutive years. Many scouts question whether Robinson can be a left tackle in the NFL and if he can’t he can play right tackle or guard for the Ravens. Robinson did a solid job pass blocking Myles Garrett in their match-up.
17. Washington Redskins- Adoree’ Jackson, CB, USC
Washington has had multiple visits with Jackson and they could use a corner to go alongside Josh Norman. Jackson has all of the capabilities necessary to be a lock-down corner for many years in the NFL. He can play both sides of the ball and also help in the return game. His ability to play both ways and to bait quarterbacks into throwing passes, just so he can intercept them, shows his likeness to Deion Sanders.
18. Tennessee Titans- Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
Marcus Mariota needs a number one target to throw to. Davis is a premier talent at wide receiver. He is big, at 6 feet 3 inches, but his skills match that of a smaller receiver, making him a unique prospect. Davis knows where to go on broken plays and fights for the football with resiliency.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
A lot of people think that Tampa Bay will go running back here, but if Howard were to fall, he would be the selection. Howard is a great receiving tight end, who didn’t get the chance to produce much at Alabama due to play-calling and quarterback issues. He can be another good target to help Jameis Winston.
20. Denver Broncos- Garett Bolles, OT, Utah
Before the Broncos give up on Trevor Siemian they need to protect him to give him a fair shot. Bolles uses his mobility to his advantage by stopping speed rushers who try to pass him by. He may need to add some strength to be successful in the NFL.
21. Detroit Lions- Taco Charlton, DE/DT, Michigan
Someone other than Ziggy Ansah has to be able to rush the passer. Charlton has great size at 6’6″ tall and can get to the quarterback with 10 sacks last season.
22. Miami Dolphins- Forrest Lamp, OT/G, Western Kentucky
Lamp played tackle in college, but will likely be kicked inside in the NFL. He is currently considered by most the best interior line prospect in the class. Miami is moving Laremy Tunsil out to left tackle after trading Brandon Albert to the Jaguars and will need some help on the interior.
23. New York Giants- David Njoku, TE, Miami
Njoku is a fast tight end who should be a good receiving threat in the NFL. He may be able to develop into a good blocker as well. The Giants have solidified their offense by signing Brandon Marshall, but could use a decent tight end threat over the middle.
24. Oakland Raiders- Haason Reddick, LB, Temple
The Raiders need help at inside linebacker and Reddick is changing positions to become one. He was an edge rusher in college, but has looked good in the events leading up to the draft at inside linebacker. Oakland will need to work with Reddick, but if they see his potential, they may elect to try and develop him into a good pro.
25. Houston Texans- Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
If the Texans miss out on the Tony Romo sweepstakes and don’t get a free agent signal caller, they will be forced to pick a quarterback in the draft. Watson doesn’t have great accuracy and consistently relied on receivers to make plays for him. The most alarming thing about Watson is his decision making, as he makes throws that have no chance of being completed. His arm strength has also been called into question by only throwing 49 mph at the combine. The accepted low for an NFL quarterback is 55 mph. (Dak Prescott threw 54 mph last combine, but had a hurt shoulder) Watson has shown flashes of greatness, particularly against Alabama, but needs to be more consistent. One thing is for sure, Watson steps up in the clutch.
26. Seattle Seahawks- Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
Seattle’s offensive line problems have been well documented. Any lineman prospect near this range should be considered. Ramczyk is a solid left tackle, who is a good run and pass blocker. He did a pretty good job blocking Taco Charlton when the Badgers played the Wolverines. He doesn’t have good mobility and athleticism and can be beat by fast rushers and blitzers.
27. Kansas City Chiefs- John Ross, WR, Washington
Kansas City doesn’t have too many needs, but could be better with another offensive weapon. They do have Jeremy Maclin and Tyreek Hill, but could become more explosive with another guy who can burn a defense. A lot of people are overvaluing Ross because of his 40 time at the NFL Combine. The hope for him is that NFL teams also overvalue him. His speed is apparent and helps him be productive in the return game.
The Cowboys lost Barry Church to the Jaguars in free agency. They will need a safety to go alongside Byron Jones. Peppers can be successful at any position in the back seven of the defense, but will be the safety that Dallas needs. Peppers’ downside his his ball skills. He has all the fundamentals down, but had only one career interception in college.
29. Green Bay Packers- Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Mike McCarthy likes Ty Montgomery at running back, but Cook might present too much value to pass up. Cook is an elusive, speed back who is hard to catch. He is a weapon as a receiver out of the backfield. There are some concerns with the amount of injuries he has had and off the field issues, but when healthy Cook is an elite running back prospect.
The Steelers need to draft more secondary help and Melifonwu has been rising up draft boards with his outstanding combine. Melifonwu played safety, but could also play some corner in the NFL. At 6’4″ with a 4.4 40 yard dash time, the Steelers can get a star at the end of the first round.
31. Atlanta Falcons- Charles Harris, DE/OLB, Missouri
Harris is a good pass rusher, who is also solid against the run. He doesn’t have great length for a edge rusher, but does have good strength. The Falcons had Vic Beasley last season, but need to get more pass rushers around him to have a better defense.
32. New Orleans Saints- Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU
New Orleans needs to improve every level of their defense. White is a good team leader, who is very athletic. He doesn’t have the best size for a corner, but can cover with the best of them. His added value comes in the return game, where he did a solid job for LSU.
Cunningham is tall and lanky, but makes plays. He is a tackle machine that can vastly improve the Cleveland run defense. The outside linebackers for the Browns are solid, but Demario Davis isn’t.
34. San Francisco 49ers- Pat Mahommes, QB, Texas Tech
Mahommes has the chance to prove that system quarterbacks can make it in the NFL if they have talent. His arm strength is second to none in this class. He will have the chance to learn from Brian Hoyer and could be the future quarterback of the 49ers.
McKinley has one of the best motors in the class for a pass rusher. The Jags need to get another defensive end in case Fowler and Ngakoue don’t improve his season.
36. Chicago Bears- Zay Jones, WR, ECU
The Bears lost Alshon Jeffrey to free agency and now have to get someone for Mike Glennon to throw the ball too. Zay Jones may be overlooked because of the wide receiver prospects ahead of him, but he is a talented receiver himself.
37. Los Angeles Rams- Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss
If the Rams want Jared Goff to continue to develop, they have to get him some weapons. Engram is one of the best receiving tight ends in this draft class, but needs to block better.
38. Los Angeles Chargers- Dan Feeney, G, Indiana
Protecting Phillip Rivers has to be a top priority. Feeney could have gone higher in this year’s draft, but dealt with injury issues last year.
39. New York Jets- Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
The Jets already addressed the quarterback position in round one and now can try to improve the secondary. Wilson is a tall corner, who has good speed. He is a good man to man cover corner, but is susceptible to pass interference calls. He doesn’t offer much in terms of run support and sometimes looks as if he doesn’t want to tackle anybody. The Jets can use another corner or two, as Morris Claiborne will likely get injured at some point this season.
40. Carolina Panthers- Demarcus Walker, DE, Florida State
Walker is good at rushing the passer and disrupts passes by sticking his hands up into the passing lane. Carolina needs to get a young pass rusher.
41. Cincinnati Bengals- Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova
When Cincinnati was at their best, they rushed the passer well. Kpassagnon fits the mold of a big defensive end that they like and could be a player to develop for the future.
42. New Orleans- Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee
New Orleans needs more offensive weapons, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be a wide receiver. Kamara can be a nice change of pace back, who can thrive with Drew Brees throwing him the ball out of the backfield.
43. Philadelphia Eagles- Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma
Mixon has a lot of off the field issues, but would be a first rounder without them. Some teams won’t have him on their board. The Eagles need a running back and may elect to take one in the second round if they don’t get one in the first.
44. Buffalo Bills- Kevin King, CB, Washington
The Bills have to replace Stephon Gilmore. King is a big, physical corner that can matchup with some of the bigger receivers in the NFL.
45. Arizona Cardinals- Malik McDowell, DE/DT, Michigan State
McDowell has a lot of talent, but doesn’t have a great motor and gets discouraged when his team is losing. The Cardinals will hope they can get him to play hard every down. Arizona needs to get better defensive ends for their 3-4 scheme.
46. Indianapolis Colts- Chris Wormley, DE/DT, Michigan
Foster is a good add for the first round, but the Colts need to upgrade a lot of positions in this draft. Wormley can play defensive end and help with the pass rush.
47. Baltimore Ravens- T.J. Watt, DE/OLB, Wisconsin
Baltimore only had 31 sacks as a team last season. Watt may not be as good as his brother, but makes plays and can help rush the passer.
48. Minnesota Vikings- Dion Dawkins, OT, Temple
The Vikings have addressed some of their line problems via free agency, but they still need some upgrades there. Dawkins can play tackle in the NFL, but some believe he would be better off as a guard.
49. Washington Redskins- Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn
Lawson would have been in the talks for a first round pick, but he was often injured at Auburn. Washington has to get a few more solid players on their defensive line.
50. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- D’onta Foreman, RB, Texas
With Doug Martin’s injury and substance abuse issues the Bucs need to take a running back in this loaded class. Foreman is big, but ran a good 40 yard dash and should be selected on day two.
51. Denver Broncos- JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
Smith-Schuster is creating a lot of buzz lately and has moved up into the second round. The Broncos can get a third option for their young quarterbacks.
52. Cleveland Browns- Budda Baker, S, Washington
Cleveland needs secondary help badly. Baker makes plays in the passing game, but isn’t afraid to come up and help in the run either. He isn’t the biggest safety, but is productive. His ball skills aren’t great, but should be worth the pick.
53. Detroit Lions- Curtis Samuel, WR/RB, Ohio State
Samuel is going to be a good slot receiver and can also play running back. Detroit can move Golden Tate back out wide or use Samuel and Tate on the inside of four receiver sets.
54. Miami Dolphins- Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA
The Dolphins need to get some help at corner to slow down the pass. Moreau is a physical corner that is good at man to man, but needs to learn zone coverage more.
55. New York Giants- Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida
Davis will likely go higher, but is a perfect fit for the Giants. They rarely take linebackers early in the draft, but this value is hard to pass up.
Oakland needs to improve the interior of the defensive line and Adams is a player that provides a big body in the middle.
57. Houston Texans- Taylor Moton, OT, Western Michigan
Moton had a great career at Western Michigan, but may get moved inside. The Texans need offensive line help and can’t afford to ruin quarterbacks like they did David Carr.
With the Richard Sherman trade talks and a need at corner anyways, Witherspoon would be a good pick. He is slight and doesn’t provide much run support, but is talented in coverage.
59. Kansas City Chiefs- Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson
The Chiefs need to get some depth behind Marcus Peters and Terrance Mitchell. Tankersley is good in a lot of coverages, but needs to work on his technique.
60. Dallas Cowboys- Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
Dallas has a knack for taking risks on players in the second round and Jones is a player that would’ve gone in the first, but tore his Achilles. The Cowboys can reap the reward of taking a guy who may not be ready for week one, but could have a successful career.
61. Green Bay Packers- Teez Tabor, CB, Florida
Tabor has great tape, but ran a very slow 40 yard dash at the combine and his pro day. Green Bay can take a chance on him because they desperately need corner help.
62. Pittsburgh Steelers- Tim Williams, DE/OLB, Alabama
Williams has off the field issues, but could be a steal for Pittsburgh if they get him here and he can stay out of trouble. He would be a great edge rusher that can take over for James Harrison at some point.
63. Atlanta Falcons- Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State
McMillan needs to work on pass coverage, but can help stop the run. Atlanta doesn’t have many good linebackers outside of Deon Jones.
64. Carolina Panthers- David Sharpe, OT, Florida
The Panthers seem to always need offensive line help and need to take one here to protect Cam and help out a potential new running back.
The 2017 NFL Draft is just under a month away, so it is time to get ready for one of the biggest events of the football season.
Round 1
1. Cleveland Browns- Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
The Browns need to take the best player available, instead of reaching for a quarterback. Garrett is the premier pass-rushing prospect. He has a solid jump off of the ball and then uses his athleticism and speed to get to the quarterback. Garrett is great at containing opposing quarterbacks in the pocket. He is good against the run and even makes teams run to the other side of the field like Alabama did against him. His good gap integrity on running plays will help him transition to playing against NFL offenses. He had a good NFL Combine, so the Browns should feel very comfortable picking Garrett.
2. San Francisco 49ers- Solomon Thomas, DE/DT, Stanford
There is a new regime in San Francisco, but all visible signs show them not taking a quarterback with the number two pick. That may change, or maybe they are protecting their real thoughts. Jonathan Allen is a premier talent, but may not be the greatest fit as they have drafted two different five-technique defensive linemen the last two years. Whether John Lynch wants to keep these guys or draft his own people remains up in the air. As the team currently sits Solomon Thomas is the best fit. They need pass rushing help and Thomas is a well rounded defensive end, who is as good at stopping the run as he is rushing the passer. He’s very quick at the snap of the ball. His best quality is his versatility. He can play almost any position on the defensive line and be successful.
3. Chicago Bears- Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
If Allen falls to three and the Bears aren’t worried about his shoulder injuries, they will run to the podium to pick Allen. He is a good fit in their 3-4 defense and can start from day one. Allen could not be blocked with one blocker consistently and continuously disrupted plays. He doesn’t always have the best gap integrity, but does have great play recognition skills.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars- Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
Leonard Fournette
Fournette can do everything required as a running back and can handle a heavy dose of carries. He played this last season with a lingering ankle injury and still averaged 6.5 yards per carry. His combination of speed, size and vision makes him an elite running back prospect. The Jaguars have other needs, but Fournette is too good to pass up. Jacksonville will likely give Blake Bortles one more season to figure things out, and a good running game will help his chances. The Jaguars flirted with signing free agent running backs, but elected not to, which may show where they are leaning with this pick.
5. Tennessee Titans- Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
In the National Championship Game, Mike Williams was the difference maker for Clemson. Williams is the best red zone threat in college football from the wide receiver position. He is tall and lanky, but athletic enough to make great catches. Mariota needs a go to receiver to throw to and the Titans may have to take one earlier than expected.
6. New York Jets- Mitchell Trubisky, QB, UNC
The Jets don’t have a quarterback worthy of starting for the long haul currently on their roster. Josh McCown is capable of bridging the gap between now and a franchise quarterback being ready. Trubisky only has one year of starting experience, which is concerning, but he is very accurate. He also rarely makes bad decisions, which is a rarity for quarterbacks in this draft class. On top of all that, Trubisky is an athlete that has above average speed and can throw well while on the move.
7. Los Angeles Chargers- Jamal Adams, S, LSU
The Chargers needs secondary help and luckily, this class is loaded with it. Adams is a hard-hitter, who helps in run support. He has shown the capability to guard elite college level tight ends like Evan Engram, which will help him a lot at the NFL level.
8. Carolina Panthers- Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
Lattimore is a shut-down corner, who has good ball skills. Even though Ohio State got blown out by Clemson, he only gave up one catch and it was to Mike Williams on a screen pass. Lattimore is decent in run support too. Carolina didn’t fully recover from losing Josh Norman last season and will need to get a corner to compensate.
9. Cincinnati Bengals- Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
When Cincinnati was at their best, they rushed the passer well. Barnett is one of the best pass rushers in the class, but does not do much against the run. He uses his speed to get around the tackle blocking him, but rarely uses pass rushing moves to get to the quarterback.
10. Buffalo Bills- Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
The Bills desperately need safety help and would be overjoyed if Hooker fell to them. He would be an immediate upgrade for their lackluster secondary. Hooker has the best range of any safety in the class. He is a ball-hawk, who isn’t afraid to come up and help in the run.
11. New Orleans Saints- Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan
New Orleans needs defensive help badly. They can start by getting a pass rusher across from Cameron Jordan. Charlton has great size at 6’6″ tall and can get to the quarterback with 10 sacks last season. The Saints have started to put together a defensive line with Jordan, Nick Fairly and Sheldon Rankins from last year’s draft.
The Browns already have Myles Garrett on board and now can get their quarterback of the future. Kizer has the size and arm strength to be a franchise quarterback. He has some issues with being consistent with the accuracy of his passes, but for the most part is decent. If he wants to be successful he should work on putting passes in areas for wide receivers to run after the catch. His mobility is good enough to get him out of jams.
Arizona could go for a quarterback to be a long term solution or defensive help here. Humphrey guarded Mike Williams well in the National Championship game, but Williams made some crazy catches through the good coverage. Humphrey is a good man to man corner, who can get confused while playing zone.
14. Philadelphia Eagles- Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Cook is an elusive, speed back who is hard to catch. He is a weapon as a receiver out of the backfield. There are some concerns with the amount of injuries he has had, but when healthy Cook is an elite running back prospect. Philadelphia addressed their wide receiver needs via free agency and can now help out Carson Wentz by providing him with a good running back and receiver out of the backfield.
15. Indianapolis Colts- Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
Foster was the best player for Alabama in the National Championship Game. He was all over the field and showed great closing speed on ball carriers. In addition to that, he was a very effective when blitzing, knocking down Deshaun Watson plenty of times. He is also good in coverage, which doesn’t leave many holes in his game. The Colts have a lot of defensive holes to plug and Foster is the best defensive player available.
16. Baltimore Ravens- Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
Baltimore needs to get some offensive weapons, as Joe Flacco doesn’t have many good players to throw to. Davis is a premier talent at wide receiver. He is big, at 6 feet 3 inches, but his skills match that of a smaller receiver, making him a unique prospect. Davis knows where to go on broken plays and fights for the football with resiliency.
17. Washington Redskins- Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt
Cunningham is tall and lanky, but makes plays. He is a tackle machine that can vastly improve the run defense. The Redskins have a lot of needs on the defensive side of the ball they could go after, but Cunningham can have an impact immediately.
18. Tennessee Titans- Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU
Tre’Davious White
The Titans will take a wide receiver here if they don’t get one with their first pick. If not they will try to improve their defense. White is a good team leader, who is very athletic. He doesn’t have the best size for a corner, but can cover with the best of them. His added value comes in the return game, where he did a solid job for LSU.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
Tampa Bay signed Desean Jackson so they likely won’t draft a wide receiver. Howard is a great receiving tight end, who didn’t get the chance to produce much at Alabama due to play-calling and quarterback issues. He can be another good target to help Jameis Winston.
20. Denver Broncos- Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
Robinson can slide right in and start on a team that doesn’t have good tackles. He did a solid job pass blocking Myles Garrett in their match-up. Before the Broncos give up on Trevor Siemian they need to protect him to give him a fair shot.
21. Detroit Lions- Haason Reddick, OLB, Temple
Detroit needs linebackers badly and Reddick is changing positions to become one. He was an edge rusher in college, but has looked good in the events leading up to the draft. The Lions will need to work with Reddick, but if they see his potential, they may elect to try and develop him into a good pro.
22. Miami Dolphins- Adoree’ Jackson, CB, USC
Jackson has all of the capabilities necessary to be a lock-down corner for many years in the NFL. He can play both sides of the ball and also help in the return game. His ability to play both ways and to bait quarterbacks into throwing passes, just so he can intercept them, shows his likeness to Deion Sanders. The Dolphins have Byron Maxwell at corner, but don’t have much else.
23. New York Giants- David Njoku, TE, Miami
Njoku is a fast tight end who should be a good receiving threat in the NFL. He may be able to develop into a good blocker as well. The Giants have solidified their offense by signing Brandon Marshall, but could use a decent tight end threat over the middle.
24. Oakland Raiders- Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
Christian McCaffrey
The Raiders lost Latavius Murray in free agency and have not signed Adrian Peterson or brought Marshawn Lynch out of retirement. Their offense is predicated on big plays and McCaffrey can provide that in a variety of ways. His impressive showing at the combine solidified his first round status. Behind Oakland’s offensive line and with Derek Carr at quarterback, McCaffrey could have a season of greater than 2,000 all purpose yards.
25. Houston Texans- Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
If the Texans miss out on the Tony Romo sweepstakes and don’t get a free agent signal caller, they will be forced to pick a quarterback in the draft. Watson doesn’t have great accuracy and consistently relied on receivers to make plays for him. The most alarming thing about Watson is his decision making, as he makes throws that have no chance of being completed. His arm strength has also been called into question by only throwing 49 mph at the combine. The accepted low for an NFL quarterback is 55 mph. (Dak Prescott threw 54 mph last combine, but had a hurt shoulder) Watson has shown flashes of greatness, particularly against Alabama, but needs to be more consistent. One thing is for sure, Watson steps up in the clutch.
26. Seattle Seahawks- Garrett Bolles, OT, Utah
Seattle’s offensive line problems have been well documented. Any lineman prospect near this range should be considered. Bolles is an athletic tackle prospect, who uses his mobility to his advantage. He may need to add some strength to be successful in the NFL.
27. Kansas City Chiefs- John Ross, WR, Washington
Kansas City doesn’t have too many needs, but could be better with another offensive weapon. They do have Jeremy Maclin and Tyreek Hill, but could become more explosive with another guy who can burn a defense. A lot of people are overvaluing Ross because of his 40 time at the NFL Combine. The hope for him is that NFL teams also overvalue him. His speed is apparent and helps him be productive in the return game.
The Cowboys lost Barry Church to the Jaguars in free agency. They will need a safety to go alongside Byron Jones. Peppers can be successful at any position in the back seven of the defense, but will be the safety that Dallas needs. Peppers’ downside his his ball skills. He has all the fundamentals down, but had only one career interception in college.
29. Green Bay Packers- Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State
Conley has risen up draft boards, partially because of injuries and bad 40 times by other corners. He does have good play recognition skills that he uses to his advantage.The Packers had terrible corner play last season and need to take one early in this loaded draft class.
The Steelers need to draft more secondary help and Melifonwu has been rising up draft boards with his outstanding combine. Melifonwu played safety, but could also play some corner in the NFL. At 6’4″ with a 4.4 40 yard dash time, the Steelers can get a star at the end of the first round.
31. Atlanta Falcons- Charles Harris, DE/OLB, Missouri
Harris is a good pass rusher, who is also solid against the run. He doesn’t have great length for a edge rusher, but does have good strength. The Falcons had Vic Beasley last season, but need to get more pass rushers around him to have a better defense.
32. New Orleans Saints- Kevin King, CB, Washington
The Saints have already addressed their pass rushing need and can now focus on coverage. King is a big corner who can cover big receivers, but also possesses speed to keep up with the faster ones.
Round 2
33. Cleveland Browns- Budda Baker, S, Washington
Cleveland needs secondary help badly. Baker makes plays in the passing game, but isn’t afraid to come up and help in the run either. He isn’t the biggest safety, but is productive.
34. San Francisco 49ers- Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
John Lynch is going to want to sure up the offensive line and can get Ramczyk with good value here. Ramczyk is a solid left tackle, who is a good run and pass blocker. He did a pretty good job blocking Taco Charlton when the Badgers played the Wolverines. He doesn’t have good mobility and athleticism and can be beat by fast rushers and blitzers.
35. Jacksonville Jaguars- Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss
Engram is a good receiving tight end that will help the Jaguars because they traded Julius Thomas to the Dolphins. If this truly is the last year for Blake Bortles to prove himself, Jacksonville will give him plenty of weapons to use to be sure.
36. Chicago Bears- Zay Jones, WR, ECU
Zay Jones
The Bears lost Alshon Jeffrey to free agency and now have to get someone for Mike Glennon to throw the ball too. Zay Jones may be overlooked because of the wide receiver prospects ahead of him, but he is a talented receiver himself.
37. Los Angeles Rams- Forrest Lamp, OG/C, Western Kentucky
Lamp played tackle in college, but will likely be kicked inside in the NFL. The Rams do need other positions, but in order for this team to be successful, they need to open up some holes for Todd Gurley.
38. Los Angeles Chargers- Dan Feeney, G, Indiana
With the Chargers already getting Jamal Adams, they can work on protecting Phillip Rivers for a few more years. Feeney would be a great value to them at this point.
39. New York Jets- Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
Wilson is a tall corner, who has good speed. He is a good man to man cover corner, but is susceptible to pass interference calls. He doesn’t offer much in terms of run support and sometimes looks as if he doesn’t want to tackle anybody. The Jets can use another corner or two, as Morris Claiborne will likely get injured at some point this season.
Brantley only had 2.5 sacks on the season, but did a great job of getting pressure on quarterbacks and disrupting the pocket. He is very good at run-stopping and is quick at the snap of the ball. The Panthers need to get some more interior linemen.
41. Cincinnati Bengals- Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida
The Bengals signed Kevin Minter to a one year deal, but could still use linebacker help. Davis is a strong linebacker who is decent in coverage. His willingness to make plays in the running game can really help the Bengals defense.
42. New Orleans Saints- Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee
New Orleans needs more offensive weapons, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be a wide receiver. Kamara can be a nice change of pace back, who can thrive with Drew Brees throwing him the ball out of the backfield.
43. Philadelphia Eagles- Ahkello Witherspoon, CB, Colorado
The Eagles need to focus on improving their secondary and can get quality players after the first round in this draft. Witherspoon has speed, but needs to add strength for the NFL.
44. Buffalo Bills- Juju Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
Smith-Schuster was once thought of as one of the premier wide receivers in this draft class, but he lacks the speed necessary to go round one. The Bills need to get a receiver across the field from Sammy Watkins.
45. Arizona Cardinals- Pat Mahommes, QB, Texas Tech
Patrick Mahommes
Bruce Arians loves big, strong-armed quarterbacks and can get one for the future in round two. Mahommes has the chance to prove that system quarterbacks can make it in the NFL if they have talent.
46. Minnesota Vikings- Taylor Moton, OT, Western Michigan
The Vikings have addressed some of their line problems via free agency, but they still need some upgrades there. Moton at the very least can provide depth, which is not something Minnesota had last year.
47. Baltimore Ravens- T.J. Watt, DE/OLB, Wisconsin
Baltimore only had 31 sacks as a team last season. Watt may not be as good as his brother, but makes plays and can help rush the passer.
48. Indianapolis Colts- Chris Wormley, DE/DT, Michigan
Foster is a good add for the first round, but the Colts need to upgrade a lot of positions in this draft. Wormley can play defensive end and help with the pass rush.
49. Washington Redskins- Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
Washington has other needs, but McDowell could really bolster their defensive line and be a great value pick. McDowell can rush the passer, but his main impact will be helping out a bad Washington run defense.
50. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Curtis Samuel, RB/WR, Ohio State
Samuel had a good combine and can help a team as a slot receiver or running back. Jameis Winston will love all these new weapons.
51. Denver Broncos- Montravious Adams, DL, Auburn
Jared Crick should not be starting for Denver. Adams may not be the best fit in this defense, but Denver will make the most of him.
52. Cleveland Browns- Cooper Kupp, WR, EWU
Cleveland can now get another target for whoever their quarterback might be. Kupp did not run well in his 40 yard dash, but is a solid receiver and the stats don’t lie.
53. Detroit Lions- Teez Tabor, CB, Florida
Jalen Tabor has shown that he doesn’t have great speed, but he is physical and has a high football IQ. The Lions still need to upgrade their secondary.
54. Miami Dolphins- Tim Williams, DE/OLB, Alabama
Cameron Wake is still a very good player, but the Dolphins need more pass rushers. Williams is very good and has a quick first step, but some have brought up character concerns with him.
55. New York Giants- Dion Dawkins, OT, Temple
The Giants got their tight end in the first round and can now get some offensive line help. Dawkins wouldn’t regularly go this high in the draft, but the lack of good offensive linemen will work out for him.
56. Oakland Raiders- Carlos Watkins, DT, Clemson
The Raiders have some pass rushers, but need interior defensive lineman. Watkins is a good pass rusher for a defensive tackle and finished with 10.5 sacks last season.
57. Houston Texans- Ethan Pocic, G/C, LSU
Pocic has a lot of experience and is a solid interior offensive linemen. The Texans have a terrible offensive line and need to protect whoever ends up being their starting quarterback.
58. Seattle Seahawks- Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
Jones tore his Achilles at his pro day, but is optimistic about his return to football. The Seahawks can bring him on slow and reap the rewards for years.
59. Kansas City Chiefs- Desmond King, CB/S, Iowa
The Chiefs could use a guy like King who can play multiple positions in the secondary. His best position will likely be safety, due to his good run support and lack of speed.
60. Dallas Cowboys- Takkarist McKinley, DE, UCLA
McKinley has fallen down in mocks because of his shoulder injury, but he is a good pass rusher. He should be ready for training camp. The Cowboys have a desperate need for pass rushers and will love McKinley’s value.
61. Green Bay Packers- Marcus Williams, S, Utah
Green Bay doesn’t have much of a secondary. Williams can play beside Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. He is a safety with range, but isn’t the greatest tackler.
62. Pittsburgh Steelers- Demarcus Walker, DE, Florida State
Demarcus Walker
Pittsburgh needs to get to the quarterback more often. James Harrison led the team in sacks last season and he is aging. Walker is good at rushing the passer and disrupts passes by sticking his hands up into the passing lane.
63. Atlanta Falcons- Pat Elflein, OG/C, Ohio State
The interior of the offensive line could use some upgrades for the Falcons. Elflein is versatile enough to fill in at multiple positions.
64. Carolina Panthers- Malachi Dupre, WR, LSU
Dupre didn’t have great quarterback play, but was productive at LSU. The Panthers need some wide receivers to step up for Cam Newton.
It is day two of TGH Draftmas, and today we will be looking at the San Francisco 49ers!
Summary
The 49ers have been in a free fall the past few seasons. They fired Chip Kelly, had the Colin Kaepernick situation and do not seem to have a real direction.
Then they hired Kyle Shanahan. He is a great young mind in coaching and helped orchestrate one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL in Atlanta. Kelly always seemed like a reach to me. I think they have found their guy with Shanahan to help them rebuild what has become a pretty bad situation in Santa Clara.
They brought in Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley to presumably battle it out in training camp. Neither of them are going to be long-term solutions (most likely in Barkley’s case), but they should provide some sort of bridge to whoever is next.
Free agency has been helpful in filling spots, but nothing has been very eye catching. Pierre Garcon will be a small upgrade over Torrey Smith. Kyle Juszczyk is a nice piece, but he plays a position that has little value in the league. They also signed Marquise Goodwin, but they likely overpaid him.
John Lynch is also their new general manager, and I still do not know how to feel about that.
The 49ers have a long road of rebuilding ahead of them. Lets get into their picks.
Picks and Needs
The 49ers have a solid 10 picks in this draft, but most of them are in later rounds.
First round: (1) No. 2
Second round: (1) No. 34
Third round: (1) No. 66
Fourth round: (2) No. 109, No. 143
Fifth round: (2) No. 146, No. 161
Sixth round: (2) No. 186, No. 202
Seventh round: (1) No. 219
Many of the 49ers’ picks will be based on getting the best value they can in the later rounds. Finding diamonds in the rough are not uncommon, but rarely do you get more than one per draft.
Sorry 49ers fans, just about every position on this team could be upgraded in the draft. So I will be focusing on getting the best value in this draft profile.
Overall though, I will say these are their biggest needs in no particular order for Offense:
Quarterback
Wide Receiver
Guard
For Defense:
Pass rushing OLB
Cornerback
Targets and Thoughts
I will pick who I think is best for the team just as I did in my other draft profile. There will be no trades and I will be looking at just the first three rounds.
First Round:
Courtesy of: TexasHSFootball.com
Pick #2: Solomon Thomas DE, Stanford
I think that if Myles Garrett is not picked by the Browns (or whoever they may trade with), that the 49ers will take him. Solomon Thomas is the next best pick in my opinion.
I know many people have also predicted this, but how can you not? He is a strong kid that knows how to get to the quarterback and be disruptive in the backfield. He is basically what every team wants.
Second Round:
Pick #34: Curtis Samuel RB/WR, Ohio State
Many 49ers fans may not like this pick, but I think Kyle Shanahan is going to love it. Samuel is a versatile back that will add explosiveness to any offense. Shanahan is an offensive guy and he will want the best offensive playmaker left on the board at pick 34.
Third Round:
Pick #66: Taylor Moton OT, Western Michigan
Moton may not be the sexiest pick, but if he is still available, I think the 49ers take him. Successful rebuilds require a solid offensive line. Moton could very well be a nice piece for Shanahan to rebuild his line around. He is strong and can even move to guard if they think he works better there.
Conclusion
The 49ers lack many early picks to try and get this rebuild started quickly. I think they will draft the best player available on their board more so than look for any position in particular. This team has a long road ahead of it, but I believe that with a smart draft and a couple lucky picks in late rounds, this draft could be a good start.
Thank you for joining us on our second day of TGH Draftmas! Check back tomorrow where we will be bringing you the Draft Profile of the Chicago Bears!
You can read all of the previous days of Draftmas below!
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The Browns need to take the best player available, instead of reaching for a quarterback. Garrett is the premier pass-rushing prospect. He has a solid jump off of the ball and then uses his athleticism and speed to get to the quarterback. Garrett is great at containing opposing quarterbacks in the pocket. He is good against the run and even makes teams run to the other side of the field like Alabama did against him. His good gap integrity on running plays will help him transition to playing against NFL offenses.
2. San Francisco 49ers- Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
There is a new regime in San Francisco, but all visible signs show them not taking a quarterback with the number two pick. That may change, or maybe they are protecting their real thoughts. For now, Jonathan Allen would be a great pick. He can play any position on the defensive line and succeed. Allen could not be blocked with one blocker consistently and continuously disrupted plays. He doesn’t always have the best gap integrity, but does have great play recognition skills.
3. Chicago Bears- DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
Kizer has the size and arm strength to be a franchise quarterback. He has some issues with being consistent with the accuracy of his passes, but for the most part is decent. If he wants to be successful he should work on putting passes in areas for wide receivers to run after the catch. His mobility is good enough to get him out of jams. The Bears will love his big hands because he will have to play late season games in the cold weather at home and at Green Bay.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars- Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
Fournette can do everything required as a running back and can handle a heavy dose of carries. He played this last season with a lingering ankle injury and still averaged 6.5 yards per carry. His combination of speed, size and vision makes him an elite running back prospect. The Jaguars have other needs, but Fournette is too good to pass up. Jacksonville will likely give Blake Bortles one more season to figure things out, and a good running game will help his chances.
5. Tennessee Titans- Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
In the National Championship Game, Mike Williams was the difference maker for Clemson. Williams is the best red zone threat in college football from the wide receiver position. He is tall and lanky, but athletic enough to make great catches. Mariota needs a go to receiver to throw to and the Titans may have to take one earlier than expected.
6. New York Jets- Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
Lattimore is a shut-down corner, who has good ball skills. Even though Ohio State got blown out by Clemson, he only gave up one catch and it was to Mike Williams on a screen pass. Lattimore is decent in run support too. The Jets need secondary help and will likely cut Darrelle Revis due to his his huge cap number. Lattimore could slide right in and start for the Jets.
7. Los Angeles Chargers- Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
Phillip Rivers deserves the most credit in the league for keeping his team competitive with all of his skill position players hurt and a bad offensive line. Robinson can slide right in and start protecting the aging Rivers and give him more time to make plays. There aren’t many great tackle prospects in this class, so the Chargers may elect to snag one early, regardless of value. Robinson did a solid job pass blocking Myles Garrett in their match-up.
The Panthers may not have had the season they wanted, but they don’t have too many needs to fill. One position they do need to upgrade is corner after not fairing so well without Josh Norman. Humphrey guarded Mike Williams well in the National Championship game, but Williams made some crazy catches through the good coverage. Humphrey is a good man to man corner, who can get confused while playing zone.
When Cincinnati was at their best, they rushed the passer well. Michael Johnson no longer does that well, so he needs to be upgraded. Thomas is a well rounded defensive end, who is as good at stopping the run as he is rushing the passer. He’s very quick at the snap of the ball. His best quality is his versatility. He can play almost any position on the defensive line and be successful.
10. Buffalo Bills- Mitch Trubisky, QB, UNC
I haven’t mocked a quarterback to Buffalo, but it is looking more like they are going to need one with the Tyrod Taylor situation not being resolved. Trubisky only has one year of starting experience, which is concerning, but he is very accurate. He also rarely makes bad decisions, which is a rarity for quarterbacks in this draft class. On top of all that, Trubisky is an athlete that has above average speed and can throw well while on the move.
11. New Orleans Saints- Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
The Saints need defensive help wherever they can get it. Improving the pass rush will be an easy decision if they see Derek Barnett on the board. Barnett is one of the best pass rushers in the class, but does not do much against the run. He uses his speed to get around the tackle blocking him, but rarely uses pass rushing moves to get to the quarterback.
12. Cleveland Browns- Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
Hue Jackson believes in Cody Kessler, so he may not elect to take a quarterback in the first round. They will have a really good draft if they get both Garrett and Foster. Foster was the best player for Alabama in the National Championship Game. He was all over the field and showed great closing speed on ball carriers. In addition to that, he was a very effective when blitzing, knocking down Deshaun Watson plenty of times. He is also good in coverage, which doesn’t leave many holes in his game.
13. Arizona Cardinals- Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
Wilson is a tall corner, who has good speed. He is a good man to man cover corner, but is susceptible to pass interference calls. He doesn’t offer much in terms of run support and sometimes looks as if he doesn’t want to tackle anybody. The Cardinals need to get another corner across from Patrick Peterson and beside Tyrann Mathieu in order to have a great defense.
14. Indianapolis Colts- Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
Indianapolis needs defensive help all over. Stopping the pass could be a place to start, as they already have decent players at safety. Jones is the best corner in this class in zone coverage. He needs to work on his man to man coverage, but in the right scheme, should fit in well. Jones does not have great size, but makes up for it with his great coverage.
15. Philadelphia Eagles- Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
Davis is a premier talent at wide receiver. He is big, at 6 feet 3 inches, but his skills match that of a smaller receiver, making him a unique prospect. Davis knows where to go on broken plays and fights for the football with resiliency. The Eagles need to get a wide receiver for Carson Wentz as a lot of their young receivers have been disappointments.
16. Baltimore Ravens- Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
The Ravens need a rushing attack if they want to get back to being a premier team. Cook is an elusive, speed back who is hard to catch. He is a weapon as a receiver out of the backfield. There are some concerns with the amount of injuries he has had, but when healthy Cook is an elite running back prospect.
17. Washington Redskins- Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
Washington has other needs, but McDowell could really bolster their defensive line and be a great value pick. McDowell can rush the passer, but his main impact will be helping out a bad Washington run defense.
18. Tennessee Titans- Jamal Adams, S, LSU
Adams will likely not fall this far, but if he does the Titans will pick him within minutes. Tennessee needs secondary help and luckily, this class is loaded with it. Adams is a hard-hitter, who helps in run support. He has shown the capability to guard elite college level tight ends like Evan Engram, which will help him a lot at the NFL level.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
Hooker is another safety that will not likely make it this far in the round, but the Bucs would love to get him. He would be an immediate upgrade for their lackluster secondary. Hooker has the best range of any safety in the class. He is a ball-hawk, who isn’t afraid to come up and help in the run.
20. Denver Broncos- Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
The Broncos desperately need tackle help for the upcoming season. They might be able to address the issue in free agency, but in case they can’t, it would be prudent to take one here. Ramczyk is a solid left tackle, who is a good run and pass blocker, who did a pretty good job blocking Taco Charlton when the Badgers played the Wolverines. He doesn’t have good mobility and athleticism and can be beat by fast rushers and blitzers.
21. Detroit Lions- Chris Wormley, DT, Michigan
Detroit defied the odds to make the playoffs, but their defense needs a lot of work. Interior defensive line play was bad. Wormley can play defensive tackle in their scheme and be an absolute force in the middle of the defensive line.
22. Miami Dolphins- Charles Harris, DE/OLB, Missouri
Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh hold down half of the Dolphins’ defensive line, but the other half leaves a lot to be desired. Harris is a good pass rusher, who is also solid against the run. He doesn’t have great length for a edge rusher, but does have good strength.
23. New York Giants- Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt
Cunningham is tall and lanky, but makes plays. He is a tackle machine that can vastly improve the run defense. The Giants never seem to have good linebackers. They filled a lot of their needs last season through free agency, so now they can get a linebacker to anchor their defense.
The Raiders’ defense wasn’t good last season. They have to get better to help Derek Carr and the high-powered offense win games. Peppers can be successful at any position in the back seven of the defense and will give the Raiders a lot of flexibility and a good player behind Khalil Mack. He will likely play safety/nickel corner back when he settles in, but he can also help the Raiders at linebacker.
25. Houston Texans- Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
If the Texans miss out on the Tony Romo sweepstakes and don’t get a free agent signal caller, they will be forced to pick a quarterback in the draft. Watson doesn’t have great accuracy and consistently relied on receivers to make plays for him. The most alarming thing about Watson is his decision making, as he makes throws that have no chance of being completed. Watson has shown flashes of greatness, particularly against Alabama, but needs to be more consistent. One thing is for sure, Watson steps up in the clutch.
26. Seattle Seahawks- Garrett Bolles, OT, Utah
Seattle’s offensive line problems have been well documented. Any lineman prospect near this range should be considered. Bolles is an athletic tackle prospect, who uses his mobility to his advantage. He may need to add some strength to be successful in the NFL.
27. Kansas City Chiefs- John Ross, WR, Washington
Tyreke Hill jump started the Chiefs offense this season, so they may try to open up the offense even more. Ross is a play-maker like Hill, but is more polished as a receiver. He is very speedy and even expects to run in the 4.3 range at the combine.
28. Dallas Cowboys- Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida
Brantley only had 2.5 sacks on the season, but did a great job of getting pressure on quarterbacks and disrupting the pocket. He is very good at run-stopping and is quick at the snap of the ball. The Cowboys need to get better defensively and Brantley’s ability to push back into the pocket would help a lot.
29. Green Bay Packers- Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU
Aaron Rodgers has the offense rolling, so the defense has to get better in order to win the Super Bowl. White is a good team leader, who is very athletic. He doesn’t have the best size for a corner, but can cover with the best of them. His added value comes in the return game, where he did a solid job for LSU.
The Steelers’ linebackers played terribly this season and they need to select another one in the first round this year. Davis is a strong linebacker who is decent in coverage. His willingness to make plays in the running game is something that wasn’t seen too often last season by Steeler linebackers.
31. Atlanta Falcons- Takkarist McKinnley, DE/OLB, UCLA
Atlanta’s offense is amazing, so they can try to improve their defense with this pick. McKinnley is a good edge rusher who had 10 sacks for the Bruins in his senior year. He doesn’t have prototypical size for an edge rusher, but makes up for that with his strength.
32. New England Patriots- O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
Martellus Bennett is set to hit free agency. Rob Gronkowski is often injured and the Patriots like having multiple tight ends anyways. Bill Bellichick loves Alabama players, so this pick will make sense if Howard falls to the Patriots. Howard is a great receiving tight end, who didn’t get the chance to produce much at Alabama due to play-calling and quarterback issues.
The Browns reportedly have a very high grade on Garrett and are not targeting a quarterback with their first pick. Garrett is the premier pass rusher in college football, but has also proven to be a good run defender as well. Cleveland has to acquire talent all over their roster, so they need to take the best player available, who is Garrett.
2. San Francisco 49ers- DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
San Francisco has a lot of needs, including a new coach. Kizer has the size and arm strength to be a franchise quarterback. He has some issues with being consistent with the accuracy of his passes, but for the most part is decent. If he wants to be successful he should work on putting passes in areas for wide receivers to run after the catch.
3. Chicago Bears- Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
Matt Barkley has played better than expected, but the Bears will still need a new quarterback. Trubisky has protected the football very well, with the exception of a couple of games. Issues that scouts will find with him are that he has only started one season of college football and a lot of his stats come from screen passes where receivers run after the catch.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars- Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
Allen is the best prospect available and fills a need. Malik Jackson was the only defensive lineman who played well for the Jaguars. At six feet three inches tall and 291 pounds, Allen can play any position on the defensive line and can fit into any system.
5. Tennessee Titans- Jamal Adams, S, LSU
Adams is the most complete safety in the class. He stops the run, covers well and even hits hard. Against Ole Miss he showed he can cover good tight ends when he was matched up against Evan Engram. The Titans need to improve the pass defense if they want to make the playoffs next season, making Adams the pick.
6. New York Jets- Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
It is obvious that Matt Forte isn’t the same player that he once was. The Jets need to get a play-maker and although running back isn’t their biggest need, shouldn’t pass on Fournette. Fournette can do everything required as a running back. Their offense can be dynamic with the combination of him and Forte.
7. Los Angeles Chargers- Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
Phillip Rivers deserves the most credit in the league for keeping his team competitive with all of his skill position players hurt and a bad offensive line. Robinson can slide right in and start protecting the aging Rivers and give him more time to make plays.
8. Carolina Panthers- Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
The Panthers may not have had the season they wanted, but they don’t have too many needs to fill. One position they do need to upgrade is corner after not fairing so well without Josh Norman. Lattimore is a shut-down corner, who has good ball skills.
When Cincinnati was at their best, they rushed the passer well. Michael Johnson no longer does that well, so he needs to be upgraded. Thomas is a well rounded defensive end, who is as good at stopping the run as he is rushing the passer.
10. Buffalo Bills- Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
Malik Hooker
The Bills have a lot of uncertainty at safety with Aaron Williams, but Adams could be the pick anyways. Hooker is a ball-hawk who has great coverage skills, but needs to provide more run support.
11. New Orleans Saints- Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
The Saints need defensive help wherever they can get it. Improving the pass rush will be an easy decision if they see Derek Barnett on the board. Barnett is one of the best pass rushers in the class and can also help stop the run at an average level.
12. Cleveland Browns- Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
Foster was the best player for Alabama in the National Championship Game. He was all over the field and showed great closing speed on ball carriers. In addition to that, he was a very effective when blitzing, knocking down Deshaun Watson plenty of times. He is also good in coverage, which doesn’t leave many holes in his game.
This is a great value pick for the Cardinals, as Humphrey is a top ten talent. The pick also fills a need with Arizona’s secondary not playing as well as in previous seasons.
14. Indianapolis Colts- Adoree Jackson, CB, USC
Indianapolis needs to start playing better defense to give Andrew Luck a chance to win games. Jackson is one of the fastest players in the entire class and almost qualified for the track and field team in the Olympics this summer. He is a shut down corner, who plays like Deion Sanders. The most impressive thing he does is slow down to bait the quarterback into throwing a pass and then speed up to intercept it.
15. Philadelphia Eagles- Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Cook and Fournette are really close in terms of who is the better running back. Cook is elusive and quick. He provides a real weapon out of the backfield as a receiver. The Eagles need a running back, and help elsewhere, in order to enhance Carson Wentz’s development.
16. Baltimore Ravens- Quincy Wilson, CB Florida
Quincy Wilson
The Ravens have a lot of options with this pick, but taking a corner will help shut down receivers in the AFC North like A.J. Green and Antonio Brown. Wilson is a tall corner, who has good speed. He isn’t the best in run support and is suseptible to pass interference calls.
17. Washington Redskins- Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
Washington has other needs, but McDowell could really bolster their defensive line and be a great value pick. McDowell can rush the passer, but his main impact will be helping out a bad Washington run defense.
18. Tennessee Titans- Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
In the National Championship Game, Mike Williams was the difference maker for Clemson. Williams is the best red zone threat in college football from the wide receiver position. He is tall and lanky, but athletic enough to make great catches. Mariota needs a go to receiver to throw to and the Titans ma have to take one earlier than expected.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Jalen Tabor, CB, Florida
Secondary play is where the Bucs fall short. Fortunately for them this class has a lot of good secondary players. Tabor has fallen down draft boards, which may have come at the expense of teammate Quincy Wilson’s improved stock. Lock down coverage is Tabor’s best asset, but he also has good ball skills once passes come his way.
20. Denver Broncos- Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
John Elway has to find a new right tackle as Donald Stephenson isn’t the answer. McGlinchey played left tackle this season, but was more successful as a right tackle during his college career.
21. Detroit Lions- Chris Wormley, DE/DT, Michigan
Chris Wormley
Detroit defied the odds to make the playoffs, but their defense needs a lot of work. Interior defensive line play was bad. Wormley can play defensive tackle in their scheme and be an absolute force in the middle of the defensive line.
22. Miami Dolphins- Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
The Dolphins need to spend some picks on their secondary and their defensive line this year and Jones can compete for a starting job. He is a great cover corner, who grew a lot his last year in college and has the potential to grow even more at the next level
23. New York Giants- Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt
It seems like every year the Giants need linebackers, but they hardly address those issues. Cunningham is tall and lanky, but makes plays. He is a tackle machine that can vastly improve the run defense.
The Raiders’ defense wasn’t good this season. They have to get better to help Derek Carr and the high-powered offense win games. Peppers can be successful at any position in the back seven of the defense and will give the Raiders a lot of flexibility and a good player behind Khalil Mack.
25. Houston Texans- Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
Quarterback play has been an issue, so they may go for one here, but the offensive line hasn’t performed either. If they want to build a good offense, it starts in the trenches. Ramczyk is a good run blocker, but needs to improve his pass blocking. He can fit in at right tackle for the Texans.
It is the same story, but a different day for Seattle. Their offensive line is atrocious. Quenton Nelson is a solid prospect who can help out on the interior of the offensive line. He will be the selection if there aren’t any tackles good enough to get drafted in this range.
27. Kansas City Chiefs- Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
Davis is a premier talent at wide receiver. He is big, at 6 feet 3 inches, but his skills match that of a smaller receiver, making him a unique prospect. The Chiefs can draft the receivers, but ultimately Alex Smith has to throw it to them to make this pick worthwhile.
28. Dallas Cowboys- John Ross, WR, Washington
John Ross
The Cowboys’ defense needs to be addressed, but they could also find a good target to go on the opposite side of the field of Dez Bryant. Terrance Williams could be upgraded and has yet to sign a deal for next season. Ross is really fast and can stretch the field for the offense.
29. Green Bay Packers- Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State
Aaron Rodgers will always have the offense rolling, so the defense needs to start getting more stops. The secondary was awful. Conley is one of many talented corners in this class that can have an immediate impact.
30. Pittsburgh Steelers- Charles Harris, DE/OLB, Missouri
The Steeler pass rush hasn’t been the same recently. Jarvis Jones is a bust and James Harrison can’t play forever. Harris is a good edge rusher that can, at the very least, push the veterans with some competition and provide depth.
31. Atlanta Falcons- O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
Jacob Tamme is a decent tight end, but he isn’t great. Levine Toilolo hasn’t proven that he can be the starter. Matt Ryan would love the addition of Howard, who would just add to the number of targets he has. The Falcons could, and probably should go defense here, but Howard may be too good to pass up.
32. New England Patriots- Caleb Brantley, DE, Florida
New England’s front seven has been depleted the past couple of seasons. They will need to make up for players traded and ones that are still on the team, but aging. Brantley can help provide depth on the interior of the defensive line.
For almost half the teams in the NFL, they are approaching 2017 with one question: do we have a championship caliber quarterback? Thankfully, the New Orleans Saints don’t have to answer that question. But how does a team with Drew Brees and Sean Payton go three years without making the playoffs?
As both are nearing the end of their tenure in New Orleans, what needs to happen in 2017 to have Saints fans celebrating next February?
2016 Evaluation – Offense
There’s not much to say. When Sean Payton calls the plays and Drew Brees is the field general, this offense will always be prolific. This offense finished second in points and first in yards in 2016. Brees and company finished first in passing yards and second in passing attempts. This team also took an important step for its rushing attack this season.
Drew Brees and Sean Payton are a historically great duo, but will it translate into a playoff birth in 2017? (Courtesy of: Sporting News)
Since 2013, the Saints have made a concerted effort to run the ball on first down. Since 2013, while they only attempted 87 rushes on first down, they have run the ball on first down at least 98 times. Sean Payton is trying to put this offense in the best position possible and is not falling in love with throwing the football.
The Saints routinely finish as one of the most efficient third down offenses and have gotten better when they run the ball more on first down. Since 2013, the Saints third down conversion rate is above 48 percent.
What the Saints are doing is incredibly effective and should be continued, especially as Drew Brees continues to age. However, this unit is not without flaws.
You’ll find play makers all over this offense except at one position: tight end. No matter who was playing, the production was still poor. Using Pro Football Focus player ratings, every Saints tight end was more effective as a pass blocker than they were a receiver.
While these ratings don’t tell the whole truth, it’s clear that Coby Fleener struggled this season. To be fair, it was his first season in Payton’s offense. This position could absolutely use in upgrade via the 2017 NFL Draft if Fleener continues to be incompetent.
2016 Evaluation – Defense
You could answer my initial question with one word, defense. Perennially weak defense is why this team continues to miss the playoffs and 2016 was no different.
Delvin Breaux will look to bounce back in 2017 after missing 8 games this year. (Courtesy of: Alchetron)
The Saints defense finished 31st in points and 27th in yards. Specifically, this unit was horrible against the pass. What’s really troubling was the fact that this defense gave up the most passing yards on the 19th most attempts. This means that offenses, even if they were marginal, were incredibly efficient against this defense through the air.
What makes a team operate more efficiently? In the passing game, it happens when quarterbacks have more time than usual to make decisions and throw. The Saints lacked a consistent pass rush all season as they finished 27th in the NFL with 30 sacks. Cameron Jordan is a great player, but he alone is not enough.
They could also look to upgrade the linebacker position given how much they blitz. However, if you’re blitzing more than 40 percent of the time and still can’t apply pressure, a scheme change may be necessary. While either option could be effective, the best decision is likely a combination of the two.
Of course, there is also the option to upgrade players in the secondary. I don’t think this is as pressing as establishing a pass rush. Delvin Breaux, apart from having a great last name, is a talented player who struggled. He missed half the season, so it’s reasonable to think missing that many snaps would impact his performance. Breaux, along with Sterling Moore and potentially a talented free agent or rookie, could take this defense out of incompetency.
Divisional Analysis
I still maintain that this is the best division in football in terms of quarterback play. To combat these great quarterbacks, you have to keep them off the field and apply pressure. Offensively, the Saints are phenomenal. Aside from adding depth at a few positions and upgrading others, they don’t have pressing needs.
On defense, the Saints will have plenty of opportunities to accumulate talent. Secondary players like Marshon Lattimore, Adoree Jackson and Malik Hooker could absolutely improve this pass defense. There are also great free agents like A.J. Bouye and Trumaine Johnson available at the corner position that the Saints could target.
On the other hand, they could go a different route and address their weak pass rush. Derek Barnett seems like the right decision at the number eleven slot if he’s available. There are other defensive options like Reuben Foster, Solomon Thomas and Taco Charlton, but they may not be right in their scheme or warrant selection at the Saints position.
I know I claimed the offense doesn’t need to be a focus of the offseason, but, there’s always the idea of finding an eventual successor to Brees. I’m not saying spend a first-round pick on Deshaun Watson or Mitch Trubisky, if they are even available. I am saying that the sooner the Saints plan for the future, the smoother the transition will be.
Postseason Prospects
While there are seemingly endless amounts of stats to comb through, some are more important than others. Here is where the Saints stack up in the following offensive and defensive categories.
As we’ve outlined, the Saints offense is incredibly productive. It’s almost unprecedented to have an offense finish in the top six in every category and not make the playoffs. If the defense is able to improve in 2017, it is likely that their yards per attempt will decrease because they won’t be playing in as many shootouts.
Conversely, the Saints defense needs to improve in every category. Thankfully, they don’t need to be top five or even top ten in every category to make the postseason. They just have to stop being totally inept. If the Saints are able to apply more pressure to opposing quarterbacks in 2017, look for improvements in sacks, third down percentage and turnovers.
2017 Prediction
While they have major defensive flaws, the Saints are prime to break their playoff drought. In 2016, the Saints lost four games by three points or less and another game by five points. If they won two of those five games against the right teams, they could have made the playoffs. I believe the Saints will find a way to win those close games in 2017 and make the playoffs as a Wild Card team at 10-6.
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