Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Post Combine/Free Agency Mock Draft

1) Tennessee Titans

DR: Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss - Mariota showed a ton of promise as a rookie, but he was sacked over 50 times which will hamper his growth. Drafting the best tackle prospect since Joe Thomas would give the Titans a great tandem that can keep Mariota upright.

JR: Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss – Best player in the draft brought in to protect Marcus Mariota’s blindside for the next ten years.  The easy and smart pick to make unless a trade blows them away.

2) Cleveland Browns

DR: Myles Jack, OLB, UCLA - Everyone is saying quarterback here, but I wouldn't feel confident taking any of the project passers this early. Jack is a quick twitch athlete who would be a major piece to a defense that needs an overhaul.

JR: Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State- I believe the Wentz and Goff debate is pretty set in stone with Wentz just edging out Goff.  He has taken snaps under center and has played in more of a pro style offense than Goff.

3) San Diego Chargers

DR: Jalen Ramsey, S, Florida State - There's talk that Ramsey is currently in play for the first overall pick which tells you about his athleticism and potential. He can play cornerback in a pinch, but his true potential is playing as a centerfielder who is allowed to go out and just make plays.

JR: Jalen Ramsey, FS, Florida State – Replacing Eric Weddle would have been extremely difficult, except if you are in a position to draft Ramsey.  The versatile safety can play anywhere in the secondary but will be a special player at free safety.

4) Dallas Cowboys

DR: Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State - Randy Gregory can't stop smoking weed and Greg Hardy is on his way out. Bosa is a player who can consistently get a team 10 sacks a year and is an absolute force in the run game.

JR: Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State – Much is made out of Bosa being an 8 to 10 sack a year guy.  I would take a solid ten sacks with the tackles for a loss that he accumulates on ball carriers any day.

5) Jacksonville Jaguars

DR: Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame - Jacksonville either needs to move on from the failed Luke Joeckel experiment or move him to a new position. Blake Bortles is one of the up and coming passers, but he needs to have some better protection if he is truly going to thrive.

JR: Myles Jack, LB, UCLA – A freak athlete that can play all three linebacker spots and has with the ability to rush the passer and drop into coverage.  As long as he can stay healthy, he will be a star for Jacksonville.

6) Baltimore Ravens

DR: Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida - His showing at the combine wasn't as great as you'd expect, but Hargreaves has all the potential of a shut down corner. Baltimore has suffered a lot of attrition on defense and should start by taking the best defensive prospect available.

JR: Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame – Everybody is prone to injury and the Ravens found that out with Joe Flacco tearing his ACL this past season.  You need to protect the Super Bowl winning quarterback.

7) San Francisco 49ers

DR: Jared Goff, QB, Cal - The Niners cannot go into next season with a quarterback competition of Kapernick and Blaine Gabbert. Goff is not a finished product, but his quick strike ability would be a perfect fit for Chip Kelly's offense.

JR: Jared Goff, QB, Cal – Nobody wants to play for Chip Kelly, unless he somehow grabs a franchise quarterback that can lead his team to the playoffs.  Then maybe players will want to go to San Fran.

8) Philadelphia Eagles

DR: Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota - Sam Bradford gets injured sneezing and Chase Daniel has proven nothing this far in his career. I have my reservations about Wentz and his ability to transition from a lower division to the pros, but his track record and showing at the Senior Bowl is reason for optimism.

JR: Ezekiel Elliot, RB, Ohio State – This offense has some good talent but with a franchise caliber running back leading the way, a lot of pressure will be taken off whoever the quarterback is.

9) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

DR: Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State - Tampa has problems all over on defense, but corner has been a particularly glaring weakness. The  NFC South has a great array of quarterbacks and wide receivers, so having someone who can help shut them down is an absolute must.

JR: Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida – A cornerback is needed on this defense.  Hargreaves is the top corner in the draft so seems like a match made in heaven.

10) New York Giants

DR: Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson - It is no secret that the Giants lack of a pass rush was a huge reason why this team failed to make the playoffs. Despite gaining Olivier Vernon and retaining JPP in free agency, the Giants could still use an explosive playmaker coming off the edge.

JR: Darron Lee, OLB, Ohio State – Although he played less than half of his snaps outside of the tackle box, his athleticism will make up for his lack of linebacker instincts.  These instincts will develop with more practice.

11) Chicago Bears

DR: Leonard Floyd, OLB, Georgia - Pass rushing is the most important key to success right now for the Bears. Gaining an edge rusher like Floyd would go a long way towards evening the playing field with Green Bay.

JR: DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon – Buckner falls a little bit in this mock and the Bears are licking their paws when he does.

12) New Orleans Saints

DR: A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama - The Saints have fielded one of the worst defenses in history over the past couple of years. Pass rushers would be preferable, but Robinson is a massive force in the middle that could drastically help against the run and collapse the pocket from the middle.

JR: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss – The Saints saw what happens when you don’t have a top flight pass catcher so something must be done about it.  Treadwell might be a bit of a reach here but he can still become a special player.

13) Miami Dolphins

DR: DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon - Like most teams drafting above the Dolphins, Miami has holes all over the defense that need to be addressed. Corner is another option, but Buckner is a prototypical 3-4 defensive end who has top five potential.

JR: A’Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama – A versatile defensive lineman would make too much sense here with too many egos (Mario Williams, Cameron Wake, Ndamukong Suh) leading the way in that locker room. 

14) Oakland Raiders

DR: Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State - Oakland is one of the fastest improving teams, but some help along the offensive line is still needed to keep Derek Carr upright. With Donald Penn holding down the blindside, Decker could provide great protection from the right before making the switch a couple years down.

JR: Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson – The Raiders have needs at multiple secondary spots so they take the top available defensive back. 

15) L.A. Rams

DR: Josh Doctson, WR, TCU - The Rams are an abomination at quarterback right now, but they won't solve anything by reaching at this juncture. Taking a receiver of Doctson's caliber would be a nice start to overhauling a lackluster offense that only has Gurley at the moment.

JR: Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis – Jeff Fisher knows he needs a quarterback if he wants to win in the NFC West.  Lynch can sit behind Foles for a year and let him take the beating as he gets acclimated to the NFL.

16) Detroit Lions

DR: Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor - The Lions have not properly replenished their defensive tackle spot since the loss of Suh and Fairley. Billings has the ability be molded into a solid pass rusher, but at the very least you are getting a guy who is dominant versus the run.

JR: Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor – The big Baylor defensive tackle standing next to Haloti Ngata and Ziggy Ansah would create a nice formidable front.

17) Atlanta Falcons

DR: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss - It was a bitter sight to see, but the Falcons had to let the declining Roddy White go. Julio Jones is a tremendous receiver, but he is going to need some sort of help across form him order for this offense to achieve its potential.

JR: Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson – Pass rushers are a premium for any team, especially one that had 19 sacks last year.  Lawson and Vic Beasley could create a nice tandem off the edge.

18) Indianapolis Colts

DR: Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State - Ryan Grigson must have some truly incriminating evidence of Jim Irsay to still have his job. If he actually doesn't and wants to make sure he has a job next year, he'll get Andrew Luck the protection that he needs.

JR: Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State – The thought of Andrew Luck getting hurt again has to make General Manager Ryan Grigson cringe, doesn’t it?  I honestly don’t think so because he is by far the worst GM in the league.  Maybe he will actually take an offensive lineman this year.

19) Buffalo Bills

DR: Robert Nkemdiche, DE, Ole Miss - The most physically talented defensive line prospect in the draft falls all the way to 19 due to off the field issues and questions about his drive. It is almost too perfect that the Bills would take him to replenish the spot vacated by the perennial headache Mario Williams.

JR: Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Ole Miss – The extremely talented defensive tackle finds his way to Buffalo to replace another headache in Mario Williams.  I think Nkemdiche would respect Rex enough to develop into a consummate professional or at least not a shithead.

20) New York Jets

DR: Darron Lee, OLB, Ohio State - The Jets have holes at both the inside linebacker and outside linebacker position. Lee has the versatility to play both positions and has All Pro potential. Only thing he is missing is experience.

JR: Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oregon State – Another pass rusher for Todd Bowles can cover some of the holes in the secondary.  Darrelle Revis can only cover so much of one side of the field.

21) Washington Redskins

DR: Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson - The Redskins had one of the worst secondaries in the league and didn't do much to address it thus far in the offseason. Alexander doesn't make plays on the ball like other corners in this draft, but he can smother a receiver and lock them down for a game.

JR: Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State – Looking at Captain Kirk’s offensive weapons is a sad sight.  Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson are not the types of receivers that Kirk can depend on.  He needs a true number one receiver and Michael Thomas can develop into that guy.

22) Houston Texans

DR: Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State - Like the Falcons, the Texans have a tremendous receiver in Nuke Hopkins but have little on the other side. Thomas is a receiver who is more of the reliable possession receiver who can help a young quarterback grow into their role.

JR: Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame – Pairing a true burner like Fuller with a number one receiver like DeAndre Hopkins and Jalen Strong would make a disgusting three-header monster that makes Brock Osweiler’s transition to Houston one of pure bliss and ease.

23) Minnesota Vikings

DR: Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor - The Vikings hit gold with Stef Diggs, but more weapons are needed to help Teddy Bridgewater's development. Coleman is still raw and hasn't ran a full route tree, but his explosiveness is undeniable and will help this team make up quickly for losing Mike Wallace.

JR: Josh Doctson, WR, TCU – Teddy Bridgewater needs a receiver.  Stefon Diggs and Jairus Wright are nice but adding a threat like Doctson would do wonders for the Vikings.

24) Cincinnati Bengals

DR: Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State - One of the most, if not the most, talented rosters in the NFL has a rather dire need at the pass rushers. Ogbah lands all over people's big boards, but he has the athleticism that would make him a major steal at this point in the draft.

JR: Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville – Adding an interior pass rusher of Rankins’ capability would be a steal for the Bengals.

25) Pittsburgh Steelers

DR: William Jackson, CB, Houston - It seems like cornerback is been a position of need for the Steelers for a decade at this point. Jackson has been on everyone's radar after a very good season and an eye popping Combine performance.

JR: Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State – None of Pittsburgh’s cornerbacks are good so adding one in the first is a must, as well as adding another later in the draft.

26) Seattle Seahawks

DR: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State - As a Buckeye fan, it is crazy for me to think that Zeke could fall this far, but it is certainly possible with the recent trends of the NFL. However, there is little doubt in anyone's mind that he is the most well rounded back in this draft and would be a fantastic successor to Beast Mode.

JR: Jonathan Bullard, DE, Florida – Seattle always finds a way to draft versatile pass rushers and I’m sure they would love to add a guy who is being compared to their current star Michael Bennett.  Bullard can play all over that line.

27) Green Bay Packers

DR: Reggie Ragland, ILB, Alabama - Clay Matthews has been forced to play inside in the 3-4 the past couple of years due to attrition. Drafting Ragland would allow the pass rush to return to form while providing an enforcer in the middle of the defense.

JR: Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson – The Packers saw that having a fantastic pass rush can do wonders for a team on the cusp of a Super Bowl.  So adding more pass rushers to get to the NFC quarterbacks is a need.

28) Kansas City Chiefs

DR: Jason Spriggs, OT, Indiana - A bit of a reach at this point, but the Chiefs need it after first overall pick Eric Fisher has proven to be god awful. Spriggs could be a great piece on either side of the line that would help protect Smith and blast open holes for the Chiefs' trio of backs.

JR: Tyler Boyd, WR, Pitt – A smooth route running receiver that finds ways to get open is a perfect match for Alex Smith who can’t throw further than 20 yards down the field.

29) Arizona Cardinals

DR: Vonn Bell, S, Ohio State - Outside of the Honey Badger, the Cardinals don't have a whole lot going on at the safety position. Bell has admitted he got lazy against the run, but he made some clutch picks for Ohio State after breaking into the lineup as a freshman.


JR: Noah Spence, DE, Eastern Kentucky – Taking a page from the Broncos and adding more pass rushers is the key to winning.  Carson Palmer’s timeframe to win is dwindling so the time is now for Arizona.

30) Carolina Panthers

DR: Kendall Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech - It was awful to watch Fuller go down so early in the season with so much potential and a high draft pick on the line. At this juncture, it would be well worth the risk for the Panthers to get a second shut down corner opposite Josh Norman.

JR: Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor – The Panthers went to the championship game with only a tight end as a true pass catching threat.  Kelvin Benjamin will be back next year and adding Coleman would turn an area of weakness to an area of strength.

31) Denver Broncos

DR: Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama - I can't see the Broncos reaching for one of the second tier quarterback prospects here, so they should add someone who can still help the offense. There is a lot of speculation about how Henry can perform in this league, but there is no doubt that he can be trusted to carry the ball 20-30 times a game, which may be exactly what the Broncos need.

JR: Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State – Such turnover for the Broncos but they could be right back in the thick of things if they can find a somewhat competent quarterback.  Mark Sanchez can take the beating for the first ten games and then Cook can come in and show the Broncos that they have a competent starting quarterback.  If Denver doesn’t go quarterback here, watch for Dak Prescott in the third round.

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