A lot of picks were made over seven rounds, 256 to be exact, but there are still some really good rookies on the market looking for a team. Who were the best players that weren’t drafted?
Trenton Thompson, DT, Georgia
Thompson left Georgia early and went undrafted. He had a lot of experience playing for the Bulldogs but didn’t produce a lot for them. He was an important cog on a really good defense that carried the team to a CFP Championship Game Appearance.
Any team looking for interior line depth should give Thompson a camp invite. He is athletic and disruptive and could make a team if given the opportunity to do so.
Skai Moore, LB, South Carolina
There are some concerns about Moore’s durability, but he was a great college player at South Carolina. Teams may not have wanted to use a pick on someone with injury issues, but may rather invite him to camp and see what he can do and if he can stay healthy there.
Moore is especially good in coverage, intercepting a lot of passes over his years as a Gamecock. He also has great awareness and instincts, which is a great quality to have in a player who will likely be a backup.
Akrum Wadley, RB, Iowa
Akrum Wadley (Photo by youtube.com)
Wadley isn’t an every-down back but definitely can fill a role for an NFL team. He is undersized, which may have given teams a reason to pause and think about if they want to invest in him. His top end speed also came into question with his 4.54 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine.
His greatest asset is his ability to catch passes out of the backfield. If he can learn to block, he can become a good third down back for an NFL team. He has good moves to make defenders miss and good quickness. He will likely get scooped up early in the undrafted free agent market.
Jeff Holland, DE/OLB, Auburn
Holland was another player who left school early for his shot in the pros. The decision may be something that he wants back now, but he could garner some interest in the UFA market. He lacks elite athleticism at the position, which likely scared teams away.
His motor and tough play style are the biggest things he has going for him. He had a lot of pressures last year and can get off the snap quickly. He shouldn’t be sitting on his couch for long.
Josh Adams, RB, Notre Dame
Josh Adams (Photo by onefootdown.com)
Adams left school early as well, but the decision is a little bit different for running backs who have a short shelf life. He runs to high and is an easy target to find for defenders because he is so tall. Most of his production is attributed to having two first-round linemen, Quenton Nelson and Mike McGlinchey, blocking ahead of him.
He is fast, big and can catch out of the backfield, but his acceleration, agility and power aren’t great. There will be a spot for him in a camp, but he needs to show that his production had a lot to do with him and not just the blockers in front of him.
Other notable undrafted players: Tegray Scales LB Indiana, Kevin Toliver CB LSU, Holton Hill CB Texas, Quenton Meeks CB Stanford, Tony Brown CB Alabama, Sean Welsh OG/C Iowa, Kurt Benkert QB Virginia, Tarvarus McFadden CB Florida State, Quinton Flowers QB USF
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Florida State produces a lot of NFL prospects and will match up with the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles. The top prospect for the Seminoles, Derwin James, has elected to sit out this bowl game in order to prepare for the NFL Draft. Southern Mississippi has produced Brett Favre, but isn’t a regular NFL talent producer. Here are the NFL Draft prospects in the 2017 Walk-On’s Independence Bowl:
Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles
Allenzae Staggers, WR
Allenzae Staggers (Photo by hattiesburgamerican.com)
Staggers has played for Southern Mississippi for two years now. This season was a down year for him in terms of production. He has 469 receiving yards and five touchdowns. His junior season he had 1,165 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He will have a chance to prove what he can do against some elite competition in this bowl game.
He has good size at 6’1″ and 190 pounds. Adding to his frame will be necessary to endure the bump and run coverage in the NFL. The lack of production will cause some concerns, but he still has a chance to get drafted.
Smith ranks 68th all time in rushing yards with 4,444 in his career. He is the model of productivity and durability for a college running back. This season he has 1,321 yards and 13 touchdowns. Smith has also shown a knack for catching the football out of the backfield with 1,420 receiving yards and seven touchdown receptions in his career.
Although he is a bit undersized at 5’9″ and 195 pounds, there is a place for him in the NFL. He can catch passes and be a threat with the ball in his hands, so if a team takes a chance on him, he could be a good third down running back.
McFadden is a shut-down corner who has started for two seasons in the Florida State secondary. He has 50 total tackles, eight interceptions and eight passes defended in his career. Last season he had all eight of his interceptions. This season, quarterbacks have thrown away from McFadden.
He has great size for a corner at 6’2″ and 198 pounds, which will help him match up with big receivers on the outside. McFadden will need to prove he can tackle well and keep up with faster receivers, but he has a solid case to be an early draft pick. He is just a junior and may elect to go back to school.
Projected draft range: 2nd round-4th round
Derrick Nnadi, DT
Derrick Nnadi (Photo courtesy draftblasters.com)
Nnadi is a senior who has really produced in the last two seasons for the Seminoles. In his career he has 23.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. This season he has nine tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He has shown the ability to get after the passer from the defensive tackle position, which should help his value.
At 6’1″ and 312 pounds, Nnadi has decent size for an NFL defensive tackle. He is likely only going to fit into a 4-3 defense in the NFL because of his size. Nnadi is a prime candidate to be selected on day two of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Projected draft range: 2nd round-4th round
Josh Sweat, DE
He was a highly touted recruit, but Sweat hasn’t totally lived up to the hype yet. In his three years at Florida State, Sweat has 29 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks. His best season was last year when he had 11.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks. He still has a lot of potential and should not be overlooked.
Sweat has good size for the NFL, standing 6’5″ and 285 pounds. There are some concerns about his durability and his production not meeting his talent level.
Projected draft range: 3rd round-5th round
Trey Marshall, S
Marshall is a two year starter for Florida State. He has 135 total tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack, six passes defended and no interceptions. This season he has 44 total tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in nine games played. He isn’t the most polished Florida State player coming out of their secondary, but he is a solid prospect.
He is 6’0″and 210 pounds which is good enough for the NFL. One of the biggest issues that will come up with Marshall is the fact that he hasn’t forced a turnover in his Florida State career. If he doesn’t have good ball skills at the college level, it won’t translate well to the NFL.
Projected draft range: 5th round-7th round
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The 2017 Walk-On’s Independence Bowl is the only game that involves a team that was reportedly bowl ineligible. Florida State was thought to be ineligible due to an obscure rule that states that beating an FCS team only counts towards bowl eligibility if that team is using a certain amount of scholarships. Either way, the Seminoles will be playing the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles in this game. Here is the 2017 Walk-On’s Independence Bowl preview:
Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (8-4)
Ito Smith (Photo by zimbio.com)
Southern Miss beat three bowl eligible teams and finished with eight total wins. Their big wins were over UTSA, Louisiana Tech and Marshall. They have been a solid program in the C-USA for a while now and have made their third straight bowl game.
Their offense scores 30.5 points per game, which ranks 49th nationally. They have a really good running game that averages 189 yards per game. Ito Smith is a star who has produced for years as a Golden Eagle. Smith has 1,321 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns this season. With his output, Smith ranks 64th for career rushing yards with 4,444.
Kwadra Griggs and Keon Howard have both had time at quarterback for the Golden Eagles. Griggs is the more experienced player and will start in the bowl game. His greatest asset is that he takes care of the football. This season Griggs has 1,793 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and two interceptions. Korey Robertson and Allenzae Staggers are two of the teams talented receivers. Robertson is the better of the two this season with 72 catches, 1,070 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns.
The scoring defense is solid, allowing 23 points per game. Southern Miss ranks 28th against the run and 25th versus the pass. Senior defensive back Tarvarius Moore has been all over the field with 73 total tackles, three interceptions and nine passes defended.
Florida State Seminoles (6-6)
Cam Akers (Photo by tallahassee.com)
Florida State will be missing a lot in this bowl game. Jimbo Fisher is gone, Derwin James decided to sit the bowl game out for the NFL Draft and Deondre Francois has been out all season. The Seminoles were still able to scrap and claw to six wins. Their two wins over bowl teams came at the expense of Wake Forest and Duke.
The offense has struggled without Francois at the helm with 26.2 points per game. Jacques Patrick and freshman Cam Akers lead the sub-par rushing attack for the Seminoles. Akers leads the team with 930 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, while Patrick has chipped in 687 yards and six touchdowns.
James Blackmon has had a tough first season as a starting quarterback for Florida State. He has 1,557 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Nyqwan Murray has been the number one target for Blackmon and has 604 yards receiving and four touchdowns. When he needs a touchdown, Blackmon looks for Auden Tate, who leads the team with seven receiving touchdowns.
The defense has had to deal with the lack of offense, but still allows just 21.9 points per game. Florida State ranks 34th against the run and 36th against the pass. With Derwin James out the rest of the secondary will need to step up. Tarvarus McFadden is a shut down corner and opposing quarterbacks don’t like throwing it his way. He doesn’t have an interception, but he does have eight passes defended.
Prediction
Florida State may be missing a lot, but they still have more NFL-level talent than Southern Miss. The Seminoles will feed Cam Akers and it will be too much for the Golden Eagles. Florida State’s athleticism on defense will shine.
Florida State Seminoles 36 Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles 23
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The NFL regular season is getting nearer to its end as contenders and pretenders are weeding each other out. With that, the 2018 NFL Draft is getting closer. Check out who the teams will be taking in this 2018 NFL mock draft:
1. Cleveland Browns- Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
All of the good quarterbacks that were thought to come out of this draft class have struggled. Rosen has probably been the best overall and has some good arm talent. He does, however, have some flaws to overcome. Rosen needs to make better decisions and show he can lead a franchise. One thing he has proven is that his shoulder injury from last season won’t be a major factor going forward.
2. San Francisco 49ers- Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
After the trade for Jimmy Garoppolo, it is unlikely the 49ers will take a quarterback in this draft. They will take the best player in the class in Barkley. He is a do-it-all running back who will immediately improve the quality of the running game for San Francisco. Barkley is a premier talent who runs with great moves that are reminiscent of Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith. This isn’t an area of need for the 49ers, but they can’t pass up the best player.
3. New York Giants- Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
The Giants could go for a replacement for Eli Manning, but the quarterback position won’t get any better with their bad offensive line. McGlinchey has had an up and down season and most recently didn’t play well against Miami. He has the ability to play either tackle position and can start from day one.
4. Indianapolis Colts- Arden Key, DE/OLB, LSU
Arden Key (Photo by tigerdroppings.com)
Key is a very good edge rusher that uses his speed as his main way of getting to the quarterback. He had a better season in 2016 than this season, but still shows he can pressure the quarterback. The Colts need to get after the quarterback more as they only have 19 sacks on the season.
5. Chicago Bears- Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
Chicago has decided to make Mitch Trubisky the starting quarterback and he has played decently well. They have to get him some weapons in the passing game other than Tarik Cohen and Dontrelle Inman. Ridley is a dynamic playmaker that can make people miss once he gets the ball in his hands. He may be better as a pro than as a college player, as Jalen Hurts isn’t the greatest throwing quarterback.
6. Denver Broncos- Sam Darnold, QB, USC
He hasn’t played well enough to deserve being a number one pick, but the Broncos would love to have Darnold. Darnold is a California kid who has good size, arm strength and athletic ability, while turning the ball over too much in college. Sounds familiar right? John Elway is looking into a mirror. Brock Osweiler and Trevor Siemian aren’t getting the job done and Paxton Lynch has yet to take it away from them, so a quarterback would be a nice option.
Cleveland needs to improve its secondary. They just drafted Jabril Peppers and like Peppers, Fitzpatrick can play multiple positions in the secondary. He will most likely fit in at safety, but should be able to cover batter than most safeties. With two top five picks, the Browns have a chance to vastly improve their roster.
8. Arizona Cardinals- Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
Carson Palmer is likely not going to ever be a decent quarterback ever again with his aging and injuries. Allen has NFL size, arm strength and great athletic ability. His problem is that he can’t perform against top competition in college, which will likely make him a project in the NFL. Bruce Arians would be a coach that could take that challenge on, as he likes big, strong armed quarterbacks.
9. New York Jets- Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
Josh McCown has played well for the Jets, but he isn’t the future. Lamar Jackson would be an exciting player to see in New York. He can make plays and has improved as a thrower this season. His accuracy needs to continue to improve, but with his athletic ability and speed, he will remind people of Michael Vick.
10. Miami Dolphins- Connor Williams, OT, Texas
The Dolphins offensive line hasn’t been good this year and will need to protect Ryan Tannehill when he returns. Williams isn’t the biggest guy, so he may need to add some weight, but he is very athletic. He is currently injured with damaged ligaments in his knee and will have to prove he is healthy to be selected highly.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State
Bradley Chubb (Photo by fanragsports.com)
N.C. State has had a great season, in large part due to Chubb’s play. He has gotten better every year in Raleigh and has had at least ten sacks this season and last. Not only can he rush the passer, but he is also good at stopping the run. The Buccaneers need to re-haul their defense and they can start by getting after the quarterback more consistently.
It is not often that a guard is talked about as a top 15 pick, but Nelson is one of the best prospects at the position in years. He is very mobile, can pick up blitzers and has a high football IQ. The Bengals have a terrible offensive line and need to upgrade almost every position.
13. Los Angeles Chargers- Derwin James, S, Florida State
Florida State hasn’t played well this season, but James is one of the best safety prospects in the class. He can do almost anything on a football field and can start for 10 years in the back end of a defense. The Chargers can make a young promising defense even better with this pick.
14. Washington Redskins- Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M
Kirk gets separation and has big play ability. With better quarterback play, he’d likely be the first receiver taken off the board. Terrelle Pryor was a bad signing and is a free agent after the year. Drafting a receiver to go with Josh Doctson and Jamison Crowder could be the move this offseason.
15. Oakland Raiders- Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
Smith has done a little bit of everything for Georgia and has displayed his athletic ability in the process. He can stop the run, cover and blitz well. The Raiders need a quality linebacker on their roster if they want to take the team to the next level.
16. Green Bay Packers- Ken Webster, CB, Ole Miss
Webster is a lengthy corner that has really come on this season. The Packers’ secondary is awful and needs to be upgraded immediately. Aaron Rodgers will come back either this season or next and cover up a lot of the team’s flaws, but they need an improved defense to help him out.
17. Buffalo Bills- Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas
Jefferson is a talented linebacker, who is starting to live up to his potential. He was all over the field against Oklahoma State. The great recuruit coming out of high school is a better pass rusher than he gets credit for and can also stop the run well. Buffalo is another team that just needs to get one talented linebacker on their team.
18. Baltimore Ravens- Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU
The Ravens need to get some playmakers at wide reciever to help out Joe Flacco. Flacco hasn’t played well in years, but they won’y move on, so they need to help him out. Sutton has been able to produce at SMU for years and would have been drafted in the first or second round in last year’s draft.
19. Dallas Cowboys- Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State
Martinas Ranking (Photo by twitter.com)
Rankins has been great as a pass blocker this season and has helped lead Mississippi State to a solid season thus far. Dak Prescott got killed in the game against the Falcons, so picking Rankin to protect him is the right call. Rankin can play right tackle and Chaz Green can stay on the bench.
20. Tennessee Titans- Da’Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
Payne makes freakish plays for a defensive tackle. He hasn’t done much in the stats department this season, but takes on multiple blocks at a time. The Titans could improve their defensive line play to take their team to the next level.
21. Detroit Lions- Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
Wilkins is a good prospect who can stop the run and get after the quarterback from the interior. He should be able to fit in next to A’Shawn Robinson and make a young Lions’ defensive line even better.
22. Seattle Seahawks- Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma
If the Seahawks don’t start protecting Russell Wilson, he will get killed. They traded for Duane Brown, but the line is still bad. Seattle always does a good job of coaching bad offensive lineman to excel at the middle and end of the season. Brown has good size and with good coaching can be molded into a solid lineman.
23. Atlanta Falcons- Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State
Ohio State’s secondary didn’t start the season off well, but Ward has been a nice find. He is a shut down corner that is capable of shutting down the nation’s top receivers. Desmond Trufant is a good corner, but the Falcons need more at the position.
Davis is a lengthy corner who will likely move up draft boards when the draft comes closer. The Bills picked Tre’Davious White last year in the first round, but still need more help at the corner position.
25. Carolina Panthers- Iman Marshall, CB, USC
The corners for the Panthers have been awful and need to be replaced if the Panthers want to be contenders again. Marshall is a good cover corner, who has stepped up after replacing Adoree’ Jackson as the top guy for USC.
26. Los Angeles Rams-Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State
The Rams don’t have too many needs, but could use some help at corner. McFadden can shut down his man and isn’t afraid to be physical. Los Angeles has a lot of nice young pieces and a good young corner would vastly improve the team’s future contending hopes.
27. Jacksonville Jaguars- Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State
Blake Bortles still isn’t playing good football and isn’t signed for next season. They will likely sign him, but getting a quarterback as a backup plan isn’t a bad idea. Rudolph has a great long ball and good accuracy. He plays in a system that will raise some questions, but he has good talent.
28. New Orleans Saints- Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson
The Saints’ defense is better, but they can still improve to make the team better all around. They are above average at getting after the quarterback, but have shown they don’t necessarily draft for need. Although he is just a redshirt sophomore, Ferrell is producing at a big time level. In his very young career, he already has tallied 13.5 sacks.
Ben Roethlisberger has mentioned retirement too many times for it not to be taken seriously. Mayfield has always been seen as a guy who plays in too much of a college system and a quarterback that was too undersized for the NFL. He has had a fantastic season and has protected the football while putting up huge numbers. Mayfield can battle it out for the starting job if Big Ben does leave football.
30. Minnesota Vikings- Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa
Joshua Jackson (Photo by hawkcentral.com)
Jackson got more name recognition after getting two pick sixes against Wisconsin, but he has been playing well for a while now. The Vikings need to start thinking about some new corners to go opposite of Xavier Rhodes. Trae Waynes looks like a bust and Terrance Newman is ancient, so a corner could be the pick.
31. New England Patriots- Austin Bryant, DE, Clemson
Does Clemson have something in the water that makes defensive linemen great? Bryant is a good prospect, but is inconsistent at getting sacks. Some games he will dominate, while some he won’t come near the quarterback. The Patriots will be able to work with him.
32. Philadelphia Eagles- Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama
The Eagles don’t have too many areas to improve, but could do so at safety. Harrison has the chance to be a good safety in the NFL with his great size. He is 6’3″, 214 pounds and impacts games in a variety of ways.
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With the NFL season being well past the halfway point, more is clear about what teams will need and where they will be drafting. Here is the latest 2018 NFL mock draft.
1. Cleveland Browns- Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
All of the good quarterbacks that were thought to come out of this draft class have struggled. Rosen has probably been the best overall and has some good arm talent. He does, however, have some flaws to overcome. Rosen needs to make better decisions and show he can lead a franchise. One thing he has proven is that his shoulder injury from last season won’t be a major factor going forward.
2. San Francisco 49ers- Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
After the trade for Jimmy Garoppolo, it is unlikely the 49ers will take a quarterback in this draft. They will take the best player in the class in Barkley. He is a do-it-all running back who will immediately improve the quality of the running game for San Francisco. Barkley is a premier talent who runs with great moves that are reminiscent of Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith. This isn’t an area of need for the 49ers, but they can’t pass up the best player.
3. New York Giants- Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
The Giants could go for a replacement for Eli Manning, but the quarterback position won’t get any better with their bad offensive line. McGlinchey has had an up and down season and most recently didn’t play well against Miami. He has the ability to play either tackle position and can start from day one.
4. Indianapolis Colts- Arden Key, DE/OLB, LSU
Arden Key (Photo by gridironnow.com)
Key is a very good edge rusher that uses his speed as his main way of getting to the quarterback. He had a better season in 2016 than this season, but still shows he can pressure the quarterback. The Colts need to get after the quarterback more as they only have 19 sacks on the season.
Cleveland needs to improve its secondary. They just drafted Jabril Peppers and like Peppers, Fitzpatrick can play multiple positions in the secondary. He will most likely fit in at safety, but should be able to cover batter than most safeties. With two top five picks, the Browns have a chance to vastly improve their roster.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State
N.C. State has had a great season, in large part due to Chubb’s play. He has gotten better every year in Raleigh and has had at least ten sacks this season and last. Not only can he rush the passer, but he is also good at stopping the run. The Buccaneers need to re-haul their defense and they can start by getting after the quarterback more consistently.
7. Cincinnati Bengals- Connor Williams, OT, Texas
The Bengals have a terrible offensive line and need to upgrade almost every position. They can start by taking a cornerstone at tackle. Williams isn’t the biggest guy, so he may need to add some weight, but he is very athletic. He is currently injured with damaged ligaments in his knee and will have to prove he is healthy to be selected highly.
8. Chicago Bears- Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
Chicago has decided to make Mitch Trubisky the starting quarterback and he has played decently well. They have to get him some weapons in the passing game other than Tarik Cohen. Ridley is a dynamic playmaker that can make people miss once he gets the ball in his hands. He may be better as a pro than as a college player, as Jalen Hurts isn’t the greatest throwing quarterback.
9. Denver Broncos- Sam Darnold, QB, USC
Darnold raised some eyebrows when reports came out that he may skip out on the 2018 draft if it looks like the Browns will select him. He hasn’t even played well enough to deserve being a number one pick, but the Broncos would love to have him. With good arm strength and stature, Darnold will entice some teams, but he needs to stop turning the ball over. Brock Osweiler and Trevor Siemian aren’t getting the job done and Paxton Lynch has yet to take it away from them, so a quarterback would be a nice option.
10. Los Angeles Chargers- Derwin James, S, Florida State
Florida State hasn’t played well this season, but James is one of the best safety prospects in the class. He can do almost anything on a football field and can start for 10 years in the back end of a defense. The Chargers can make a young promising defense even better with this pick.
11. New York Jets- Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
Josh McCown has played well for the Jets, but he isn’t the future. Lamar Jackson would be an exciting player to see in New York. He can make plays and has improved as a thrower this season. His accuracy needs to continue to improve, but with his athletic ability and speed, he will remind people of Michael Vick.
12. Arizona Cardinals- Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
Carson Palmer is likely not going to ever be a decent quarterback ever again with his aging and injuries. Allen has NFL size, arm strength and great athletic ability. His problem is that he can’t perform against top competition in college, which will likely make him a project in the NFL. Bruce Arians would be a coach that could take that challenge on, as he likes big, strong armed quarterbacks.
It is not often that a guard is talked about as a top 15 pick, but Nelson is one of the best prospects at the position in years. He is very mobile, can pick up blitzers and has a high football IQ. The Dolphins offensive line hasn’t been good this year and will need to protect Ryan Tannehill when he returns.
14. Baltimore Ravens- Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M
The Ravens need to get some playmakers at wide reciever to help out Joe Flacco. Flacco hasn’t played well in years, but they won’y move on, so they need to help him out. Kirk gets separation and has big play ability. With better quarterback play, he’d likely be the first receiver taken off the board.
15. Washington Redskins- Ken Webster, CB, Ole Miss
Webster is a lengthy corner that has really come on this season. The question is: Can he fit into Washington’s scheme? They run the cover 2 and with Josh Norman shutting down one side of the field, he will have to shut down the other.
16. Oakland Raiders- Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
Smith has done a little bit of everything for Georgia and has displayed his athletic ability in the process. He can stop the run, cover and blitz well. The Raiders need a quality linebacker on their roster if they want to take the team to the next level.
17. Green Bay Packers- Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State
Ohio State’s secondary didn’t start the season off well, but Ward has been a nice find. He is a shut down corner that is capable of shutting down the nation’s top receivers. The Packers’ secondary is awful and needs to be upgraded immediately.
18. Buffalo Bills- Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas
Jefferson is a talented linebacker, who is starting to live up to his potential. He was all over the field against Oklahoma State. The great recuruit coming out of high school is a better pass rusher than he gets credit for and can also stop the run well. Buffalo is another team that just needs to get one talented linebacker on their team.
19. Detroit Lions- Da’Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
Payne makes freakish plays for a defensive tackle. He hasn’t done much in the stats department this season, but takes on multiple blocks at a time. The Lions need to improve the interior of the defensive line and Payne can fit in with his old teammate at Alabama, A’Shawn Robinson.
20. Dallas Cowboys- Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State
Ranking has been great as a pass blocker this season and has helped lead Mississippi State to a solid season thus far. Dak Prescott got killed in the game against the Falcons, so picking Rankin to protect him is the right call. Rankin can play right tackle and Chaz Green can stay on the bench.
21. Atlanta Falcons- Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn
Carlton Davis (Photo by al.com)
Davis is a lengthy corner who will likely move up draft boards when the draft comes closer. Desmond Trufant is a good corner, but the Falcons need more at the position.
22. Tennessee Titans- Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama
Harrison has the chance to be a good safety in the NFL with his great size. He is 6’3″, 214 pounds and impacts games in a variety of ways. Johnathan Cyprien is having a rough season and needs to be replaced.
23. Seattle Seahawks- Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma
If the Seahawks don’t start protecting Russell Wilson, he will get killed. They traded for Duane Brown, but the line is still bad. Seattle always does a good job of coaching bad offensive lineman to excel at the middle and end of the season. Brown has good size and with good coaching can be molded into a solid lineman.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars- Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State
Blake Bortles still isn’t playing good football and isn’t signed for next season. They will likely sign him, but getting a quarterback as a backup plan isn’t a bad idea. Rudolph has a great long ball and good accuracy. He plays in a system that will raise some questions, but he has good talent.
25. Buffalo Bills (via KC)- Iman Marshall, CB, USC
The Bills picked Tre’Davious White last year in the first round, but still need more help at the corner position. Marshall is a good cover corner, who has stepped up after replacing Adoree’ Jackson as the top guy for USC.
26. Carolina Panthers- Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU
Carolina traded away Kelvin Benjamin and now needs to get Cam Newton some weapons on the outside. Sutton has been able to produce at SMU for years and would have been drafted in the first or second round in last year’s draft.
27. New Orleans Saints- Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
Wilkins is a good prospect who can stop the run and get after the quarterback from the interior. The Saints’ defense is getting better, but they can still improve. Wilkins can slide right in next to Sheldon Rankins to create a pretty good defensive line overall.
28. Los Angeles Rams- Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State
The Rams don’t have too many needs, but could use some help at corner. McFadden can shut down his man and isn’t afraid to be physical. Los Angeles has a lot of nice young pieces and a good young corner would vastly improve the team’s future contending hopes.
Ben Roethlisberger has mentioned retirement too many times for it not to be taken seriously. Mayfield has always been seen as a guy who plays in too much of a college system and a quarterback that was too undersized for the NFL. He has had a fantastic season and has protected the football while putting up huge numbers. Mayfield can battle it out for the starting job if Big Ben does leave football.
30. Minnesota Vikings- Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa
Jackson got more name recognition after getting two pick sixes against Wisconsin, but he has been playing well for a while now. The Vikings need to start thinking about some new corners to go opposite of Xavier Rhodes. Trae Waynes looks like a bust and Terrance Newman is ancient, so a corner could be the pick.
31. New England Patriots- Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson
Although he is just a redshirt sophomore, Ferrell is producing at a big time level. In his very young career, he already has tallied 13.5 sacks. The Patriots need to get some pressure on the quarterback if they want to be as dominant as they used to be.
32. Philadelphia Eagles- Justin Reid, S, Stanford
The Eagles don’t have too many areas to improve, but could do so at safety. Reid can do a little bit of everything at safety, but doesn’t have any elite traits.
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The NFL season is almost halfway through, so it is getting easier to see where teams will be drafting in the 2018 NFL Draft. Here is a first round NFL mock draft.
1. Cleveland Browns- Sam Darnold, QB, USC
The Browns look like the worst team in football right now. DeShone Kizer has been pulled in favor of Kevin Hogan and Cody Kessler, which means they may be in the market for a quarterback if Kizer doesn’t figure things out. Darnold has the stature of an NFL quarterback, but turns the ball over way too much and has to make better decisions if he wants to be the number one pick.
2. San Francisco 49ers- Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
Rosen is among the FBS leaders in passing yards and has had a good junior season thus far. He too has to work on decision making, but most importantly has shown that he doesn’t have any arm problems after incurring nerve damage in his throwing arm last season. The 49ers may get Kirk Cousins, but if they can’t, they need a quarterback.
Connor Williams (Photo by: hookem.com)
3. New York Giants- Connor Williams, OT, Texas
Orleans Darkwa had a tougher game against the Seahawks, but the Giants should still address the tackle position. Because their tackles are so bad, the Giants will likely draft a tackle. Williams isn’t the biggest guy, so he may need to add some weight, but he is very athletic. He is currently injured with damaged ligaments in his knee and will have to prove he is healthy to be selected highly.
4. Indianapolis Colts- Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
Barkley is a premier talent who runs with great moves that are reminiscent of Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith. Frank Gore may look like he can play forever, but he is nearing the end of his career. Getting a dynamic playmaker like Barkley would balance the offense and take some pressure off of Andrew Luck when he comes back.
5. Cincinnati Bengals- Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
Cincinnati has one of the worst offensive lines in football and need to address it badly. McGlinchey would have been selected pretty highly had he come out last season, but elected to go back to school. The Notre Dame running game has become dominant in the last few weeks. He has shown better athletic ability this season, which should help his value.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Derwin James, S, Florida State
Tampa Bay has a terrible secondary and needs to get better, especially when considering what division they play in. James is one of the best players in this class and looks like he is capable of doing anything on a football field. If he doesn’t get selected early, it is due to concerns about his injuries. He missed most of the 2016 season with a shoulder injury.
7. Chicago Bears- Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
Chicago has decided to make Mitch Trubisky the starting quarterback. They have to get him some weapons in the passing game other than Tarik Cohen. Ridley is a dynamic playmaker that can make people miss once he gets the ball in his hands. He may be better as a pro than as a college player, as Jalen Hurts isn’t the greatest throwing quarterback.
8. New York Jets- Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
Allen has struggled this season, but what most hurts his cause is how often he struggles against good competition. He is very raw as a prospect and needs a year to sit and learn, as well as work on his craft. The Jets have somehow managed to get to three wins and can have Allen sit behind Josh McCown.
Carson Palmer is injured again and it highlights the Cardinals’ need for a quarterback. If Palmer can return, Jackson can sit and learn behind him. If Palmer is done Jackson can make some plays as a starter, but won’t be developed. Jackson still has issues throwing the ball, but is a dynamic runner. He has improved his efficiency this year, which has helped his draft stock.
10. Baltimore Ravens- Arden Key, DE/OLB, LSU
Key is starting to create havoc and get into a groove for the Tigers. He is a great speed rusher that would benefit from adding some more pass rushing moves to his arsenal. Baltimore does have a decent number of sacks on the season, but Terrell Suggs will need to be replaced soon. If Key falls, the Ravens need to scoop him up.
11. Los Angeles Chargers- Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB/S, Alabama
Fitzpatrick has played both safety and corner in his time at Alabama. He has all the physical tools to be successful, but needs to work on his technique and positioning. The Chargers could try to improve the offensive line, but they used two selections on that last year in Forrest Lamp, Dan Feeney and Sam Tevi.
12. Oakland Raiders- Austin Bryant, DE, Clemson
Oakland only has 12 sacks on the year and could use an elite pass rusher to go with Khalil Mack. Bryant has 5.5 sacks on the season, but could be more consistent. Four of his sacks came against Auburn. He will need to prove himself in the back half of the college season.
Christian Kirk (Photo by: cbssports.com)
13. Cleveland Browns (via Hou)- Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M
Cleveland doesn’t have too much at receiver. Kenny Britt isn’t a number one and Corey Coleman can’t stay healthy. In order to help their young quarterbacks they need to get a good receiver. Kirk has some big play ability and demonstrated that against Arkansas with 110 receiving yards and 136 kick off return yards. He will be tested in the coming weeks against good secondaries in the SEC.
14. Washington Redskins- Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas
Jefferson is a talented linebacker, who is starting to live up to his potential. He was all over the field against Oklahoma State. Jefferson is a better pass rusher than he gets credit for and can also stop the run well. Mason Foster is old and hasn’t played particularly well this year, so Jefferson could play next to Zach Brown.
15. Detroit Lions- Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State
Martinas Rankin is a very efficient pass blocker and can be a great left tackle in the NFL. The Lions have a terrible left side of the offensive line and need to upgrade it. The Lions like to pass a lot so they will likely love the pass blocking of Rankin. They need to keep Stafford upright since he is so highly paid now.
16. Dallas Cowboys- Da’Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
Payne makes freakish plays for a defensive tackle. He hasn’t done much in the stats department this season, but takes on multiple blocks at a time. Starting defensive tackle Stephen Paea decided to retire, leaving the Cowboys even thinner on the interior of the defensive line. Payne will help them stop the run better.
17. Denver Broncos- Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State
One thing is for sure: The Broncos can’t win it all with Trevor Siemian at quarterback. They drafted Paxton Lynch two years ago, but he hasn’t been able to beat out the sub par Siemian yet. Rudolph isn’t getting a lot of love right now, but when people watch his tape they will like his deep ball. He has had a lot of production in college and can be a successful NFL quarterback.
Iman Marshall (Photo by: zimbio.com)
18. Atlanta Falcons- Iman Marshall, CB, USC
Marshall would immediately help out the secondary. He was overshadowed by Adoree Jackson last year, but is now shining. He is a shutdown corner that has started since his freshman season as a Trojan. Teams are actively looking to not throw his way when they play USC. Desmond Trufant is a good corner, but the Falcons need more if they are going to stop some of the best offenses in the NFC.
19. Tennessee Titans- Harold Landry, DE/OLB, Boston College
The Titans have just 11 sacks on the season. If they want to start winning more, Marcus Mariota will need to stay healthy and they need to have a better pass rush. Landry led the FBS in sacks last year and decided to go back to school for his final season. He only has five sacks this season, so he needs to pick up the pace.
20. Green Bay Packers- Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State
McFadden is a shut down corner who isn’t afraid to get physical. The Packers need to get some better players in the secondary if they want to help Aaron Rodgers out with a defense.
While Cam Newton is playing better, the offensive line still needs to be improved upon. They need to get the ground game going to set up Cam Newton in the passing game. Brown has NFL bloodlines and a big body. He needs to prove that he has the athleticism and speed to deal with the fast pass rushers in the NFL.
Hyatt looks like a player who could be versatile at the NFL level and could play multiple positions on the offensive line. This would be beneficial to the Jaguars as they need help in multiple places on the line.
23. Miami Dolphins- Kevin Toliver, CB, LSU
The Dolphins don’t have a good secondary and it was evident when they let the Jets throw for 249 yards on 18 of 23 passing. Toliver hasn’t done much, but he will face stiffer competition as the season goes on. The potential is there, but he still needs to prove it on the field.
24. New Orleans Saints- Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
Smith has done a little bit of everything for Georgia this season with 53 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack and two passes defended. New Orleans needs better linebackers, as none have played particularly well this season.
25. Buffalo Bills- James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State
Tyrod Taylor needs a better option as his top receiver and St. Brown can be that guy. Washington makes big plays and fights for the football on deep throws. Pairing him with Zay Jones for the future would be a good idea.
Nelson provides good value and would’ve been a first round pick had he come out in last year’s draft class. He is very quick and athletic, making him the best guard prospect in a while. The Seahawks have to start protecting Russell Wilson better or he won’t last much longer. They also haven’t been able to run the football at all.
Carlton Davis (Photo by: auburntigers.com)
27. Los Angeles Rams- Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn
The Rams need to upgrade their corners, as they haven’t been able to adequately do so since Janoris Jenkins left. Davis is a lengthy corner who will likely move up draft boards when the draft comes closer.
28. Minnesota Vikings- Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
Wilkins is a part of the very productive and talented defensive line at Clemson. He has 3.5 sacks and four tackles for loss on the season and does a good job at both defending the run and rushing the passer from the interior. The Vikings can’t rely on Shariff Floyd to stay healthy and need to get a replacement.
29. Pittsburgh Steelers- Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama
Pittsburgh doesn’t have a good safety on their roster. Mike Mitchell specifically needs to be replaced as soon as possible. Harrison has the chance to be a good strong safety in the NFL with his great size. He is 6’3″, 214 pounds and impacts games in a variety of ways.
30. New England Patriots- Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State
Chubb has been a catalyst in N.C. State’s wins over Louisville and Florida State. He has already accrued 13 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. The Patriots need help all over on defense, but have lost some of their best pass rushers in recent years and need to replace them.
31. Buffalo Bills (via KC)- Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State
Hubbard was expected to have a good season, but has amassed just two sacks. He does get pressure on the quarterback more often than that and helps stop the run. The Bills need to get better at rushing the passer.
32. Philadelphia Eagles- Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame
The Eagles have Alshon Jeffrey on a one year deal and Torrey Smith isn’t doing much. Carson Wentz needs some more weapons as he continues to develop. St. Brown has had a hard time getting involved in the Notre Dame offense early, but that is only partially on him. He is a big athletic receiver that looks like he could be more productive in the NFL than he has been in college.
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With over a third of the NFL season in the books, it is getting easier to see where teams will be drafting in the 2018 NFL Draft. Here is a first round NFL mock draft.
1. Cleveland Browns- Sam Darnold, QB, USC
The Browns look like the worst team in football right now. DeShone Kizer has been pulled in favor of Kevin Hogan, which means they may be in the market for a quarterback, if Kizer doesn’t figure things out. Darnold has the stature of an NFL quarterback, but has nine interceptions on the season already and has to make better decisions if he wants to be the number one pick.
2. San Francisco 49ers- Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
Rosen is among the FBS leaders in passing yards and has had a good junior season thus far. He too has to work on decision making, but most importantly has shown that he doesn’t have any arm problems after incurring nerve damage in his throwing arm last season. The 49ers may get Kirk Cousins, but if they can’t, they need a quarterback.
3. New York Giants- Connor Williams, OT, Texas
The Giants got their first win of the season and they got the running game going against a tough Broncos team. Orleans Darkwa looks like he is better than any running back they have had for years. Because the running back situation is a little bit better, the Giants will likely draft a tackle. Williams isn’t the biggest guy, so he may need to add some weight, but he is very athletic. He is currently injured with damaged ligaments in his knee and will have to prove he is healthy to be selected highly.
4. Chicago Bears- Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
Calvin Ridley (Photo by saturdaydownsouth.com)
Chicago has decided to make Mitch Trubisky the starting quarterback. They have to get him some weapons in the passing game other than Tarik Cohen. Ridley is a dynamic playmaker that can make people miss once he gets the ball in his hands. He may be better as a pro than as a college player, as Jalen Hurts isn’t the greatest throwing quarterback.
5. Los Angeles Chargers- Derwin James, S, Florida State
The Chargers now have two wins on the season and are playing better football. They have a lot of solid players, but could upgrade their safety position. James is one of the best players in this class and looks like he is capable of doing anything on a football field. If he doesn’t get selected early, it is due to concerns about his injuries. He missed most of the 2016 season with a shoulder injury.
6. Oakland Raiders- Arden Key, DE/OLB, LSU
Oakland only has 11 sacks on the year and could use an elite pass rushed to go with Khalil Mack. Key is starting to create havoc and get into a groove for the Tigers. He is a great speed rusher that would benefit from adding some more pass rushing moves to his arsenal.
7. Indianapolis Colts- Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
Barkley is a premier talent who runs with great moves that are reminiscent of Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith. Frank Gore may look like he can play forever, but he is nearing the end of his career. Getting a dynamic playmaker like Barkley would balance the offense and take some pressure off of Andrew Luck when he comes back.
8. Cincinnati Bengals- Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
Cincinnati has one of the worst offensive lines in football and need to address it badly. McGlinchey would have been selected pretty highly had he come out last season, but elected to go back to school. He has struggled so far this season, but the Notre Dame running game has started to get going. He has shown better athletic ability this season, which should help his value.
9. Tampa Bay Bucs- Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB/S, Alabama
Fitzpatrick has played both safety and corner in his time at Alabama. He has all the physical tools to be successful, but needs to work on his technique and positioning. Tampa Bay just got torched by Carson Palmer and needs to get some more athletes in the secondary.
10. Tennessee Titans- Austin Bryant, DE, Clemson
The Titans have just eight sacks on the season. If they want to start winning more, Marcus Mariota will need to stay healthy and they need to have a better pass rush. Bryant has 5.5 sacks on the season, but could be more consistent. Four of his sacks came against Auburn. He will need to prove himself in the back half of the college season.
11. Dallas Cowboys- Da’Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
Payne makes freakish plays for a defensive tackle. He hasn’t done much in the stats department this season, but takes on multiple blocks at a time. Starting defensive tackle Stephen Paea decided to retire, leaving the Cowboys even thinner on the interior of the defensive line. Payne will help them stop the run better.
12. New York Jets- Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
Allen has struggled this season, but what most hurts his cause is how often he struggles against good competition. He is very raw as a prospect and needs a year to sit and learn, as well as work on his craft. The Jets have somehow managed to get to .500 and can have Allen sit behind Josh McCown.
Carson Palmer looks better, but the Cardinals still need to think about the future. If Palmer continues to play well, Jackson can sit and learn behind him. Jackson still has issues throwing the ball, but is a dynamic runner. He has improved his efficiency this year, which has helped his draft stock.
14. Cleveland Browns (via Hou)- Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M
Cleveland doesn’t have too much at receiver. Kenny Britt isn’t a number one and Corey Coleman can’t stay healthy. In order to help their young quarterbacks they need to get a good receiver. Kirk has some big play ability and demonstrated that against Arkansas with 110 receiving yards and 136 kick off return yards. He will be tested in the coming weeks against good secondaries in the SEC.
15. Baltimore Ravens- James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State
Joe Flacco needs someone legitimate to throw to on a consistent basis. Washington has been making big plays for years at Oklahoma State and couldn’t hurt Flacco’s production. As with a lot of quarterbacks, there will be a question about what system he plays in, but Washington produces and makes big plays, which will appeal to NFL scouts.
16. Detroit Lions- Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State
Martinas Rankin is a very efficient pass blocker and can be a great left tackle in the NFL. The Lions have a terrible left side of the offensive line and need to upgrade it. The Lions like to pass a lot so they will likely love the pass blocking of Rankin. They need to keep Stafford upright since he is so highly paid now.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars- Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State
The Jaguars can either draft to improve the offensive line or they can take one of the many talented quarterbacks in this class. Rudolph isn’t getting a lot of love right now, but when people watch his tape they will like his deep ball. He has had a lot of production in college and can be a successful NFL quarterback.
18. Miami Dolphins- Iman Marshall, CB, USC
The Dolphins don’t have a good secondary and it was evident when they let the Jets throw for 249 yards on 18 of 23 passing. Marshall would be an immediate upgrade at corner. He was overshadowed by Adoree Jackson last year, but is now shining. He is a shutdown corner that has started since his freshman season as a Trojan. Teams are actively looking to not throw his way when they play USC.
19. New Orleans Saints- Harold Landry, DE/LB, Boston College
Landry led the FBS in sacks last year and decided to go back to school for his final season. He has started to heat up this season with five sacks in seven games, but has played some stiff competition. New Orleans has been doing well at rushing the passer, but that likely won’t keep up, so they need to address the issue.
20. Buffalo Bills- Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame
St. Brown has had a hard time getting involved in the Notre Dame offense early, but that is only partially on him. He is a big athletic receiver that looks like he could be more productive in the NFL than he has been in college. Tyrod Taylor needs a better option as his top receiver and St. Brown can be that guy.
21. Washington Redskins- Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas
Malik Jefferson (Photo by hornfm.com)
Jefferson is a talented linebacker, who hasn’t totally lived up to his potential, but is starting to show flashes that he can. Mason Foster is old and hasn’t played particularly well this year, so Jefferson could play next to Zach Brown.
22. Seattle Seahawks- Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma
Brown has NFL bloodlines and a big body. He needs to prove that he has the athleticism and speed to deal with the fast pass rushers in the NFL. If he can do that, he can see himself move up draft boards. The Seahawks have to start protecting Russell Wilson better or he won’t last much longer. They also haven’t been able to run the football at all.
23. Atlanta Falcons- Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State
Desmond Trufant is a good corner, but the Falcons need more if they are going to stop some of the best offenses in the NFC. McFadden provides good value here and has been a shut down corner this season.
The Broncos are another team that don’t have too many needs. Nelson provides good value and would’ve been a first round pick had he come out in last year’s draft class. Ronald Leary can kick out to right tackle so Nelson can play right guard, or he can play left guard for Denver.
25. Los Angeles Rams- Kevin Toliver, CB, LSU
The Rams allowed Brian Hoyer to throw for 332 yards on them a few weeks ago, so they really need to improve their secondary. In four games so far this season, Toliver hasn’t done much, but he will face stiffer competition as the season goes on. The potential is there, but he still needs to prove it on the field.
26. Carolina Panthers- Mitch Hyatt, OT, Clemson
While Cam Newton is playing better, the offensive line still needs to be improved upon. They need to get the ground game going to set up Cam Newton in the passing game. Hyatt looks like a player who could be versatile at the NFL level and could play multiple positions on the offensive line.
27. Green Bay Packers- Jordan Thomas, CB, Oklahoma
Jordan Thomas (Photo by youtube.com)
The Packers need to get some better players in the secondary. Thomas has a lot of experience at Oklahoma and would address a big need. With a good rest of this season, he could compete for a starting spot in the NFL.
28. Minnesota Vikings- Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
Wilkins is a part of the very productive and talented defensive line at Clemson. He already has 3.5 sacks and four tackles for loss on the season and does a good job at both defending the run and rushing the passer from the interior. The Vikings can’t rely on Shariff Floyd to stay healthy and need to get a replacement.
29. Pittsburgh Steelers- Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama
Pittsburgh doesn’t have a good safety on their roster. Mike Mitchell specifically needs to be replaced as soon as possible. Harrison has the chance to be a good strong safety in the NFL with his great size. He is 6’3″, 214 pounds and impacts games in a variety of ways.
30. New England Patriots- Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State
Chubb has been a catalyst in N.C. State’s wins over Louisville and Florida State. He has already accrued 13 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. The Patriots need help all over on defense, but have lost some of their best pass rushers in recent years and need to replace them.
31. Philadelphia Eagles- Simmie Cobbs Jr., Indiana
The Eagles have Alshon Jeffrey on a one year deal and Torrey Smith isn’t doing much. Carson Wentz needs some more weapons as he continues to develop. Cobbs has produced a lot at Indiana and is a big receiver who can create matchup problems in the NFL.
Smith has done a little bit of everything for Georgia this season with 53 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack and two passes defended. Buffalo’s linebackers have not performed this year and getting better there would pay dividends.
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This NFL mock draft is ordered using current NFL records with estimated finishes.
1. Cleveland Browns- Sam Darnold, QB, USC
The Browns look like the worst team in football right now. They had to pull DeShone Kizer from the game and put in Kevin Hogan, which means they may be in the market for a quarterback, if Kizer doesn’t figure things out. Darnold has the stature of an NFL quarterback, but has nine interceptions on the season already and has to make better decisions if he wants to be the number one pick.
2. San Francisco 49ers- Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
Rosen currently leads the FBS in passing yards and has had a good junior season thus far. He too has to work on decision making, but most importantly has shown that he doesn’t have any arm problems after incurring nerve damage in his throwing arm last season. The 49ers may get Kirk Cousins, but if they can’t, they need a quarterback.
Saquon Barkley (Photo by pennlive.com)
3. New York Giants- Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
The Giants are still win-less this season and now have had injuries to their three best receivers. The Giants have terrible tackles and may elect to go that route, but they also have no running game because their running backs aren’t good. Barkley is a premier talent who runs with great moves that are reminiscent of Barry Sanders and Emmitt Smith.
4. Chicago Bears- Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
Chicago has decided to make Mitch Trubisky the starting quarterback. They have to get him some weapons in the passing game other than Tarik Cohen. Ridley is a dynamic playmaker that can make people miss once he gets the ball in his hands. He may be better as a pro than as a college player, as Jalen Hurts isn’t the greatest throwing quarterback.
5. Los Angeles Chargers- Derwin James, S, Florida State
The Chargers finally got a win, albeit over the Giants. They have a lot of solid players, but could upgrade their safety position. James is one of the best players in this class and looks like he is capable of doing anything on a football field. If he doesn’t get selected early, it is due to concerns about his injuries. He missed most of the 2016 season with a shoulder injury.
6. Indianapolis Colts- Arden Key, DE/OLB, LSU
Indianapolis has to get some more quality players on their roster, because they look lost without Andrew Luck. In their first three games they only have six sacks, so getting a pass rusher early makes sense. Key has only played in three games so far due to suspension, with only a half sack.
7. Arizona Cardinals- Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
Allen has struggled this season, but what most hurts his cause is how often he struggles against good competition. He is very raw as a prospect and needs a year to sit and learn, as well as work on his craft. The Cardinals can afford to sit him behind Carson Palmer next season (assuming Palmer comes back for another year) and let him learn. Arizona has shown that they like tall, strong armed and athletic quarterbacks as they tried to work with Logan Thomas, who fit that mold.
8. Cincinnati Bengals- Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
Cincinnati has one of the worst offensive lines in football and need to address it badly. McGlinchey would have been selected pretty highly had he come out last season, but elected to go back to school. He has struggled so far this season, but the Notre Dame running game has started to get going. He has shown better athletic ability this season, which should help his value.
With running back already addressed, the Browns can start to improve their defense. They signed Jason McCourty, who is in his ninth NFL season, to play corner, but they don’t have much else at the position. Fitzpatrick has played both safety and corner in his time at Alabama. He has all the physical tools to be successful, but needs to work on his technique and positioning.
10. Tennessee Titans- Austin Bryant, DE, Clemson
The Titans have just seven sacks on the season. If they want to start winning more, Marcus Mariota will need to stay healthy and they need to have a better pass rush. Bryant has five sacks on the season, but could be more consistent. Four of his sacks came against Auburn. He will need to prove himself in the back half of the college season.
Connor Williams (Photo by youtube.com)
11. Dallas Cowboys- Connor Williams, OT, Texas
While the three best players on Dallas’ offensive line have played well, they do have week spots at right tackle and left guard. If Jonathan Cooper, La’el Collins and/or Chaz Green don’t step up they may elect to take a tackle in a heavy tackle class. Williams isn’t the biggest guy, so he may need to add some weight, but he is very athletic. He is currently injured with damaged ligaments in his knee and will have to prove he is healthy to be selected highly.
12. Oakland Raiders- Harold Landry, DE/OLB, Boston College
Landry led the FBS in sacks last year and decided to go back to school for his final season. He has gotten off to a slow start with only two sacks in five games, but has played some stiff competition. He is likely going to start turning it on now. Oakland needs to find a pass rushing partner for Khalil Mack.
13. Miami Dolphins- Iman Marshall, CB, USC
The Dolphins don’t have a good secondary and it was evident when they let the Jets throw for 249 yards on 18 of 23 passing. Marshall would be an immediate upgrade at corner. He was overshadowed by Adoree Jackson last year, but is now shining. He is a shutdown corner that has started since his freshman season as a Trojan. Teams are actively looking to not throw his way when they play USC.
14. New Orleans Saints- Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State
Yes there are a lot of quarterbacks in this mock, but it is a loaded class (as of now). The Saints might be looking towards the future with Drew Brees aging and becoming a free agent. Rudolph can put up numbers like Brees, at least in college, and isn’t dependent on arm strength, much like Brees too. He has been very good at protecting the football as well, with only four interceptions thrown and 67.6% completion.
15. Washington Redskins- Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M
This is all assuming that Kirk Cousins is back again to quarterback the Washington Redskins. They don’t have a lot of weak areas on their team, but could use a wide receiver if Terelle Pryor leaves in free agency. Kirk has some big play ability and demonstrated that against Arkansas with 110 receiving yards and 136 kick off return yards. He will be tested in the coming weeks against good secondaries in the SEC.
16. Tampa Bay Buccanneers- Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State
Donovan Smith has been given a long time to play tackle better and has yet to do so. The Bucs need to keep their franchise quarterback upright. They also need to help get the running game going to take some pressure off of Jameis Winston. Martinas Rankin is a very efficient pass blocker and can be a great left tackle in the NFL.
17. Minnesota Vikings- Da’Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
The Vikings can’t rely on Shariff Floyd to stay healthy and need to get a replacement. Minnesota can have an even scarier defensive line with this pick. Payne will likely go earlier than this once the quarterbacks separate themselves more, because he makes freakish plays for a defensive tackle.
Lamar Jackson (Photo by courier-journal.com)
18. New York Jets- Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
With all of the talk of the Jets being pleased with Chritian Hackenberg, he hasn’t been good enough to work himself onto the field consistently. In what looks to be a good quarterback class, they need to take one with their pick. Jackson still has issues throwing the ball, but is a dynamic runner. He has improved his efficiency this year, which has helped his draft stock.
19. Baltimore Ravens- James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State
Joe Flacco needs someone legitimate to throw to on a consistent basis. Washington has been making big plays for years at Oklahoma State and couldn’t hurt Flacco’s production. As with a lot of quarterbacks, there will be a question about what system he plays in, but Washington produces and makes big plays, which will appeal to NFL scouts.
20. Jacksonville Jaguars- Trey Adams, OT, Washington
Jacksonville hasn’t had the greatest offensive line play yet. They could elect to take Adams and move Cam Robinson inside or reconfigure the line in another way. With Blake Bortles playing better fixing the offensive line seems like the best option for now.
21. Los Angeles Rams- Kevin Toliver, CB, LSU
The Rams allowed Brian Hoyer to throw for 332 yards on them a few weeks ago, so they really need to improve their secondary. In four games so far this season, Toliver hasn’t done much, but he will face stiffer competition as the season goes on. The potential is there, but he still needs to prove it on the field.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers- Luke Falk, QB, Washington State
Ben Roethlisberger has lost something and doesn’t look himself. Pair that with the fact that he has contemplated retirement recently and the Steelers may be scrambling for a quarterback. Josh Dobbs or Landry Jones are likely not the answer so Pittsburgh may elect to draft a quarterback. Falk is an efficient quarterback, but will need to prove to teams he isn’t a “system quarterback”.
23. Detroit Lions- Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
The interior of the Lions’ defensive line is atrocious. They need to address it in the draft. Wilkins is a part of the very productive and talented defensive line at Clemson. He already has 3.0 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss on the season and does a good job at both defending the run and rushing the passer from the interior.
24. Buffalo Bills- Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame
St. Brown has had a hard time getting involved in the Notre Dame offense early, but that is only partially on him. He is a big athletic receiver that looks like he could be more productive in the NFL than he has been in college. Tyrod Taylor needs a better option as his top receiver and St. Brown can be that guy.
Orlando Brown (Photo by tulsaworld.com)
25. Seattle Seahawks- Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma
Brown has NFL bloodlines and a big body. He needs to prove that he has the athleticism and speed to deal with the fast pass rushers in the NFL. If he can do that, he can see himself move up draft boards. The Seahawks have to start protecting Russell Wilson better or he won’t last much longer. They also haven’t been able to run the football at all.
26. New England Patriots- Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State
Chubb has been a catalyst in N.C. State’s upsets of Louisville and Florida State. He has already accrued 13 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. The Patriots need help all over on defense, but have lost some of their best pass rushers in recent years and need to replace them.
27. Atlanta Falcons- Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State
Desmond Trufant is a good corner, but the Falcons need more if they are going to stop some of the best offenses in the NFC. McFadden provides good value here and has been a shut down corner this season.
28. Denver Broncos- Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame
The Broncos are another team that don’t have too many needs. Nelson provides good value and would’ve been a first round pick had he come out in last year’s draft class. Ronald Leary can kick out to right tackle so Nelson can play right guard, or he can play left guard for Denver.
29. Philadelphia Eagles- Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama
Philadelphia doesn’t have too many needs, but could upgrade at safety. Harrison has the chance to be a good strong safety in the NFL with his great size. He is 6’3″, 214 pounds and impacts games in a variety of ways.
30. Carolina Panthers- Mitch Hyatt, OT, Clemson
While Cam Newton is playing better, the offensive line still needs to be improved upon. They need to get the ground game going to set up Cam Newton in the passing game. Hyatt looks like a player who could be versatile at the NFL level and could play multiple positions on the offensive line.
31. Green Bay Packers- Jordan Thomas, CB, Oklahoma
The Packers need to get some better players in the secondary. Thomas has a lot of experience at Oklahoma and would address a big need. With a good rest of this season, he could compete for a starting spot in the NFL.
32. Buffalo Bills (via KC)- Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas
Jefferson is a talented linebacker, who hasn’t totally lived up to his potential. Buffalo can improve a lot of areas on their roster with their two first round picks and getting a good linebacker that presents good value could be the option here.
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There are three weeks finished in the NFL season and we are starting to see which teams will contend and which teams will be looking forward to the NFL Draft. This mock draft will use current standings to determine draft order and will not include trades.
1. San Francisco 49ers- Sam Darnold, QB, USC
Sam Darnold (Photoy by sportingnews.com)
The Jets picked up a win over the Dolphins in week three, moving the 49ers up to the number one pick. Many think they will avoid taking a quarterback in order to try and sign Kirk Cousins. If they are able to sign Kirk Cousins, they will likely trade down. If they are not they will take a quarterback.
Sam Darnold is a good prospect, but has had his fair share of issues to start the season. In four games this season he has thrown seven interceptions. He has great arm talent, but will start moving down draft boards if he doesn’t start making better decisions.
2. Cleveland Browns- Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
While most people don’t think running backs shouldn’t go early in the NFL Draft, the ones that have recently been selected have panned out. Leonard Fournette, Ezekiel Elliot and Todd Gurley are all playing well at the moment. Barkley still has a little to prove until he can be considered as good as those guys, but is a great running back in his own right. He has great moves and can catch the ball out of the backfield. The Browns could use a good young running back to go with their other young offensive weapons.
3. Cincinnati Bengals- Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
Cincinnati has one of the worst offensive lines in football and need to address it badly. McGlinchey would have been selected pretty highly had he come out last season, but elected to go back to school. He has struggled so far this season, but the Notre Dame running game has started to get going. He may be a player who is best at right tackle due to not being the most athletic player, but can play both tackle spots.
4. Los Angeles Chargers- Derwin James, S, Florida State
The Chargers are pretty unlucky to find themselves at 0-3. They have a lot of solid players, but could upgrade their safety position. James is one of the best players in this class and looks like he is capable of doing anything on a football field. If he doesn’t get selected early, it is due to concerns about his injuries. He missed most of the 2016 season with a shoulder injury.
5. New York Giants- Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State
The Giants are literal proof that you can’t ignore the offensive line and just focus on skill position players to win football games. Their tackles are awful and still aren’t figuring it out. Rankin is a good tackle, who is great at pass blocking. He may not be getting love from other mock drafts, but will if he continues his good play.
6. New York Jets- Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
With all of the talk of the Jets being pleased with Chritian Hackenberg, he hasn’t been good enough to work himself onto the field consistently. In what looks to be a good quarterback class, they need to take one with their pick. Rosen was injured for most of the 2016 season and had some nerve damage in his throwing arm. He looks good so far this season with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions thrown, but did have a bad performance against Memphis.
7. Indianapolis Colts- Arden Key, DE/OLB, LSU
Indianapolis has to get some more quality players on their roster, because they look lost without Andrew Luck. In their first three games they only have six sacks, so getting a pass rusher early makes sense. Key has only played in one game so far due to suspension, but does have half of a sack.
8. Chicago Bears- Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
Calvin Ridley (Photo by freep.com)
Alshon Jeffrey is gone and Kevin White keeps getting hurt. The Bears need a good wide receiver to help Mitch Trubisky as he develops. Ridley is producing well enough so far this season with 262 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Without the greatest quarterback play, he is still playing well and making a case to be the first wide receiver off of the board.
9. Arizona Cardinals- Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
Allen has struggled this season, but what most hurts his cause is how often he struggles against good competition. He is very raw as a prospect and needs a year to sit and learn, as well as work on his craft. The Cardinals can afford to sit him behind Carson Palmer next season (assuming Palmer comes back for another year) and let him learn. Arizona has shown that they like tall, strong armed and athletic quarterbacks as they tried to work with Logan Thomas, who fit that mold.
10. New Orleans Saints- Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State
Yes there are a lot of quarterbacks in this mock, but it is a loaded class (as of now). The Saints might be looking towards the future with Drew Brees aging and becoming a free agent. Rudolph can put up numbers like Brees, at least in college, and isn’t dependent on arm strength, much like Brees too. He has been very good at protecting the football as well, with only three interceptions thrown and 66% completion.
With running back already addressed, the Browns can start to improve their defense. They signed Jason McCourty, who is in his ninth NFL season, to play corner, but they don’t have much else at the position. Fitzpatrick has played both safety and corner in his time at Alabama. He has all the physical tools to be successful, but needs to work on his technique and positioning.
12. Seattle Seahawks- Trey Adams, OT, Washington
Adams has started to move up draft boards and no one will know more about him than the team from the same city. The Seahawks are likely to do better and get a pick later in the round, but if they keep stumbling they could get him. He has been noted for his athleticism and should be able to start at left tackle for Seattle. The Seahawks have to start protecting Russell Wilson better or he won’t last much longer.
13. Miami Dolphins- Iman Marshall, CB, USC
The Dolphins don’t have a good secondary and it was evident when they let the Jets throw for 249 yards on 18 of 23 passing. Marshall would be an immediate upgrade at corner. He was overshadowed by Adoree Jackson last year, but is now shining. He is a shutdown corner that has started since his freshman season as a Trojan. Teams are actively looking to not throw his way when they play USC.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Connor Williams, OT, Texas
Donovan Smith has been given a long time to play tackle better and has yet to do so. The Bucs need to keep their franchise quarterback upright. So far they have only given up four sacks in two games, but that will get much worse. They also need to help get the running game going to take some pressure off of Jameis Winston. Williams is injured now, which may hurt his draft stock, but if he clears out health-wise, he is one of the best tackles in the class.
15. Los Angeles Rams- Kevin Toliver, CB, LSU
Kevin Toliver (Photo by tigerdroppings.com)
The Rams just allowed Brian Hoyer to throw for 332 yards on them, so they really need to improve their secondary. In two games so far this season, Toliver hasn’t done much, but he will face stiffer competition as the season goes on. The potential is there, but he still needs to prove it on the field.
Jacksonville is going to need a new quarterback next year. They have done well to get two wins already with Blake Bortles starting. Jackson still has issues throwing the ball, but is a dynamic runner. The Jaguars can have a great ground attack with him and Leonard Fournette leading the way. The key will be keeping defenses honest by completing just enough passes.
17. Baltimore Ravens- Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M
Joe Flacco needs someone legitimate to throw to on a consistent basis. Kirk has some big play ability and demonstrated that against Arkansas with 110 receiving yards and 136 kick off return yards. He will be tested in the coming weeks against good secondaries in the SEC.
18. Buffalo Bills- Da’Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
The Bills could use some help on the interior of the defensive line. Sean McDermott has criticized Marcel Dareus and Kyle Williams is aging. Payne will likely go earlier than this once the quarterbacks separate themselves more, because he makes freakish plays for a defensive tackle.
19. Washington Redskins- James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State
This is all assuming that Kirk Cousins is back again to quarterback the Washington Redskins. They don’t have a lot of weak areas on their team, but could use a wide receiver if Terelle Pryor leaves in free agency. Washington has been making big plays for years at Oklahoma State and could compliment Josh Doctson and Jamison Crowder well.
Carolina needs to improve the left tackle position because Matt Kalil isn’t getting the job done. Brown has NFL bloodlines and a big body. He needs to prove that he has the athleticism and speed to deal with the fast pass rushers in the NFL. If he can do that, he can see himself move up draft boards.
21. Detroit Lions- Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
The interior of the Lions’ defensive line is atrocious. They need to address it in the draft. Wilkins is a part of the very productive and talented defensive line at Clemson. He already has 3.0 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss on the young season and does a good job at both defending the run and rushing the passer from the interior.
22. Philadelphia Eagles- Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame
St. Brown has had a hard time getting involved in the Notre Dame offense early, but that is only partially on him. He is a big athletic receiver that looks like he could be more productive in the NFL than he has been in college. Nelso Agholor and Alshon Jeffrey have played well, but Jeffrey is a free agent and Agholor needs to prove he can produce consistently.
23. Tennessee Titans- Harold Landry, DE, Boston College
Harold Landry (Photo by bostonglobe.com)
Landry led the FBS in sacks last year and decided to go back to school for his final season. He has gotten off to a slow start with only one sack in four games, but has played some stiff competition. He is likely going to start turning it on now. The Titans need to get after the quarterback more, as they only have five sacks on the season.
The Vikings can’t rely on Shariff Floyd to stay healthy and need to get a replacement. Thompson was productive last year and has three tackles for loss this season. If he can hold up against some good SEC offensive lines he will deserve this spot in mock drafts.
25. Dallas Cowboys- Dremont Jones, DT, Ohio State
Dallas seems to have a good pass rush with Demarcus Lawrence stepping up. They need to improve the interior of the defensive line though. Jones offers an athletic defensive tackle prospect that has room to grow.
26. Denver Broncos- Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame
The Broncos are another team that don’t have too many needs. Nelson provides good value and would’ve been a first round pick had he come out in last year’s draft class. Ronald Leary can kick out to right tackle so Nelson can play right guard, or he can play left guard for Denver.
27. Pittsburgh Steelers- Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State
After dumping Ross Cockrell and trading for Joe Haden, the Steelers showed they are willing to shake it up in the secondary. Haden hasn’t played particularly well so far and is aging so a replacement is needed. McFadden provides good value here, but he has to step up with only one pass defended in two games played.
28. Oakland Raiders- Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas
Jefferson is a talented inside linebacker and would be an immediate upgrade for the Raiders. He has 17 tackles already on the season and will rack up a lot more in Big 12 play.
29. Green Bay Packers- Jordan Thomas, CB, Oklahoma
The Packers need to get some better players in the secondary. Thomas has a lot of experience at Oklahoma and would address a big need. With a good rest of this season, he could compete for a starting spot in the NFL.
30. New England Patriots- Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State
Sam Hubbard (Photo by landof10.com)
New England only has six sacks on the season and that has to improve. The retirement of Rob Ninkovich came at a bad time and now they need to replace him. Hubbard was a safety in high school and has the necessary athleticism to be a good speed rusher in the NFL.
31. Atlanta Falcons- Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn
Desmond Trufant is a good corner, but the Falcons need more if they are going to stop some of the best offenses in the NFC. Davis will have a chance to go against Ridley at the end of the season, which is a must-watch matchup.
The Bills right side of the offensive line is bad. Really, the only good lineman they have right now is Richie Incognito, so that needs to be fixed. Hyatt will be able to compete for a starting job early on in his career and already has a National Championship under his belt.
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The college football season is about a week away and even the things that most fans take for granted can’t come soon enough. Good guard play, a gunslinger quarterback, hook and ladders and craziness are all things that need to happen sooner rather than later. The rest of the rankings are out and we are down to the top five teams, who will all be trying to make the college football playoff.
For the last installment of the rankings: click here.
5. Penn State Nittany Lions
Saquon Barkley (Photo by youtube.com)
Penn State surprised everyone by going 11-3 and making the Rose Bowl in James Franklin’s third season as the head coach. The good news for the Nittany lions is that they return 16 starters from that team and should be a force in the Big Ten again this season.
Saquon Barkley is one of the best players in college football and returns at running back. He totaled 1,496 rushing yards last year and will produce again this season. Four of his offensive linemen return to help pave the way for him. With that, Barkley should be in the thick of the Heisman race if he can have some big games against good competition.
The quarterback position is filled by Trace McSorley, who was a catalyst to taking their team to the Rose Bowl last season. He threw for 3,614 yards, 29 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2016, but will need to improve his efficiency. He also provides an extra running threat for Penn State. He has plenty of good targets returning in DaeSean Hamilton, Saeed Blacknall and Mike Gesicki. Gesicki is one of the best tight ends in the country.
On defense, Penn State returns seven starters and brings a little experience back at every level of the defense. Two new starters will be needed at defensive end, but Parker Cothren and Curtis Cothran return at defensive tackle. They will be tasked with stopping the run, which they did at an average rate last season.
Jason Cabinda thought about leaving for the NFL draft, but elected to return for his senior season. He is a great linebacker, who will lead the defense this season. Marcus Allen, a safety, also considered leaving early for the NFL, but came back and is the leading returning tackler. With Grant Haley and John Reid returning at the corners, Penn State’s defense should improve this season.
Penn State plays in one of the toughest divisions in all of college football, the Big Ten East, which results in a tough schedule. In all, their tough games will be against Pittsburgh, Iowa, Northwestern, Michigan, Ohio State and Nebraska. While the schedule does have some tough opponents on it, the Nittany Lions should be able to get through the regular season with only a loss or two and put themselves in the conversation for the College Football Playoff.
4. Washington Huskies
Jake Browning (photo by si.com)
The third year at a school must provide some magic, because Chris Petersen took Washington to the College Football Playoff in just his third season as the head coach. Although they lost to Alabama, they have a lot of talent returning this season, which could result in them getting back to the College Football Playoff this season.
Jake Browning is back at quarterback and should have gotten more consideration for the Heisman last season. He threw for 3,430 yards and 43 touchdowns. While John Ross is on to the NFL, Dante Pettis is a good receiver in his own right and will step up. The speedster Chico MClatcher also returns to provide a unique weapon for Browning.
Three offensive line starters return from last year’s team and should be a good unit. Behind them, Myles Gaskin was able to rush for 1,373 yards and 10 touchdowns. He will produce again this season, making Washington’s offense multi-faceted and dynamic.
Only five starters return on defense, but a lot of these players have experience. Greg Gaines returns on the defensive front, while Vita Vea has the potential to be a star at nose tackle and had five sacks last season. Azeem Victor and Keishawn Bierria are both talented linebackers who are returning.
The “Death Row” secondary needs to be revamped with the departures of Sidney Jones, Kevin King and Budda Baker. JoJo McIntosh and Taylor Rapp both have experience at safety, while Byron Murphy and Jordan Miller will need to play well at corner. Murphy was redshirted last season after being a solid recruit and should have the tools to be a lock-down corner.
Washington plays no one outside of the Pac-12 that is worth noting, but do play Stanford, Oregon, UCLA, Colorado and Washington State in conference. All in all that is a pretty lousy schedule, which will allow the Huskies to escape with only a loss or two before likely heading to the Pac-12 Championship Game.
3. Ohio State Buckeyes
J.T. Barrett (Photo by sportingnews.com)
The Buckeyes were good enough to get to the College Football Playoff last season, but got blown out by Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl. Urban Meyer continually loses talent to the NFL, but has 15 returning starters this season. The goal for Ohio State every season should be to get to the College Football Playoff.
J.T. Barrett is back for what seems like his tenth season at Ohio State. He’s a senior now and has completed 63% of his passes over his career for 6,381 passing yards. The problem is that the people he is throwing to don’t have too much experience. Parris Campbell and Marcus Baugh return, but need to step up their production, while others will need to succeed early in their careers.
Four of five offensive linemen return and are a great unit. Billy Price is a good lineman could have gone pro, but decided to stay on for his senior season. Mike Weber will be a sophomore at running back and had a solid freshman season. He finished 2016 with 1,096 yards and nine touchdowns and will build on that this season.
The front four starters all return and features a lot of talent. Sam Hubbard, Tyquan Lewis and Nick Bosa are all very good players and are fighting for playing time at the defensive end positions. Lewis led them in sacks with eight. Dre’Mont Jones and Michael Hill return at the tackle position.
Jerome Baker and Chris Worley both are back at linebacker. Baker had 83 tackles last season. The only returning starter in the secondary is Damon Webb at safety. The defense was the third best scoring defense in the country last season and will be great again this season.
Oklahoma, Nebraska, Penn State, Iowa and Michigan are all going to be tough games for the Buckeyes. With Urban Meyer as head coach and a talented roster returning, Ohio State should be able to get out of the regular season with at most two losses, but could go undefeated if they reach their potential.
2. Florida State Seminoles
Derwin James (Photo by zimbio.com)
Florida State finished last season at 10-3 and won a thrilling Orange Bowl against Michigan. Jimbo Fisher has a lot of returning talent including some of the best players in all of college football. They have a tough schedule, but should still be able to make the College Football Playoff.
Deondre Francois had a good freshman season, despite bad offensive line play in front of him. He threw for 3,350 yards and 20 touchdowns. Ryan Izzo returns as a starter at tight end, but no starters are back at wide receiver. Nyquan Murray did have 441 receiving yards and five touchdowns last year and will be the go-to-guy this season.
The offensive line only returns two starters, but that may not be such a bad thing given how poorly they played last season. The hope is that Fisher’s recruiting will pay off. Jacques Patrick and Cam Akers will split time in the backfield for the Seminoles. Patrick is a junior and Akers is one of the best freshman in the country.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Seminoles have a lot of key players that should help them improve immensely. Josh Sweat, Derrick Nnadi and Demarcus Christmas all return on the defensive line, but Brian Burns, who didn’t start last year, comes back with 9.5 sacks. Their front four will make plays all year. The linebackers aren’t as talented as in year’s past, but they do have experience with three starters back from last year’s team.
The secondary always produces NFL-level talent. Derwin James sat out most of last season with an injury, but is back this season. He not only is a great NFL Draft Prospect, but if healthy, could be the best defensive player in college football this season. Tarvarus McFadden returns at corner and will be a high draft pick himself.
Florida State should be a team that has the offense and defense take a small step forward from last season. Their schedule is brutal and will give them challenges. They have games against Alabama, Miami, Louisville, Clemson and Florida. The Seminoles should be able to get out of the regular season with only a loss or two, which should put them in the ACC Championship Game, if things fall their way.
1. Alabama Crimson Tide
Minkah Fitzpatrick (Photo by draftblaster.com)
Losing in the National Championship Game has left a sour taste in Alabama’s mouth. Nick Saban is ready to lead his team back to prominence again this season and they will have another great season.
Jalen Hurts led the team to the title game last season and will be attempting to throw the ball better this season. Saban has admitted that he should’ve let Hurts throw more last season and it may have cost them. He did manage to throw for 2,780 yards and 23 touchdowns. O.J. Howard and ArDarius Stewart are gone, but Calvin Ridley returns. Other playmakers on the outside need to live up to their recruiting ranking this season.
The offensive line has three starters coming back and will be solid again with all the good recruiting Saban does. Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough return at running back to provide an elite one-two punch. Harris is shiftier, while Scarbrough runs with power. They create a great dynamic.
The defense has five starters that are returning for this season, but Alabama always has talented replacements waiting. Da’Ron Payne returns on the defensive line and will be flanked by Da’Shawn Hand and Josh Frazier. All of which will stop the run well. Shaun Dion Hamilton is back in the middle of the defense to patrol things as the next man in line to be Alabama’s top inside linebacker. Rashaan Evans had four sacks last season from his outside linebacker position.
Minkah Fitzpatrick can do anything in the secondary, but will line up safety this year. Ronnie Harrison will be at the other safety and is the leading returning tackler with 86. Anthony Averett and Trevon Diggs will be the corners and will need to prove to Saban, a former defensive backs coach, that they are up to par with previous Alabama secondary players.
Alabama too has a very tough schedule. Their tough games are against Florida State, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Tennessee, LSU and Auburn. While predicting anyone to go undefeated in today’s college football is tough, Alabama should be able to get out of the season with a maximum of two losses and a minimum of none. Either way they will be in the SEC Championship Game and will be in contention for the College Football Playoff.
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