Happy New Year! As a reward for making it through 2017, and it wasn’t always easy, here’s your first Get More Sports Mock Draft to prepare you for the off-season.
Like every single mock draft you read before the actual NFL Draft takes place on April 26-28 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, this one will be completely and utterly wrong. I might hit one pick this time. In my final mock, I might hit four, which is a lot.
The reason is, of course, trades, reaches, fallers and flat out stupidity. Sometimes, as has been the case with the Cleveland Browns for the last two drafts, it’s a combination of all four. Still, hope breeds eternal.
Considering I’m putting this together on New Year’s Eve while the late games or still happening, some of the positions may change. I’m sticking with my picks, regardless.
Here’s my first mock draft.
1. Cleveland Browns – Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
2017: 6-4, 218 pounds, 62.5 completion percentage, 3,717 yards, 26 touchdowns, 10 interceptions
My own personal positional ratings are coming, so this is based solely on how I see the whole scout and pundit-sphere trending. What do I think of Rosen? He reminds me of Jared Goff. That’s good and bad, considering as of this writing the Browns are reportedly bringing back Hue Jackson as head coach. If Jeff Fisher was still with the Rams, not only would they not be in the playoffs, Goff would be a certified bust now. None of it would have been his fault.
2. New York Giants – Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
2017: 5-11, 230 pounds, 199 carries, 1,134 yards, 5.7 yards per carry, 16 touchdowns, 47 catches, 594 receiving yards, three touchdowns
New general manager Dave Gettleman has made every indication he’ll be sticking with Eli Manning and he absolutely should. The Giants have been desperate for a running back and here, picking second, they get the best guy in this draft by a pretty wide margin and the next Todd Gurley/Le’Veon Bell. Pull the trigger and grab a QB later. Hell, Davis Webb may still be the quarterback of the future, so don’t even feel like you have to reach and do that.
3. Indianapolis Colts – Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State
2017: 6-4, 275 pounds, 72 tackles, 23 for a loss, 10 sacks, two passes defended, one forced fumble
The Colts should have a new head coach, but he needs to continue building up his young defense. Chubb should be an immediate impact player opposite Margus Hunt in the trenches.
4. Cleveland Browns – (from Texans) Derrius Guice, RB, LSU
2017: 5-11, 218 pounds, 216 carries, 1,153 yards, 11 touchdowns, 15 catches, 100 yards
The best thing the Browns can do to help a young, rookie quarterback is bring along a running game. Guice fixes that problem and is an immediate upgrade over Isaiah Crowell. With Josh Gordon, who has tore it up since his return from suspension, an exclusive rights free agent next season, Cleveland can focus on the backfield here and try to get more pass-catching help later in the draft.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Arden Key, DE, LSU
2017: 6-6, 265 pounds, 33 tackles, 5.5 for a loss, four sacks
Key missed some games this season, but will light up the combine with his measurables. The Buccaneers are set at the interior line, but need some help outside in their 4-3. Key fills that hole and then some.
6. Denver Broncos – Sam Darnold, QB, USC
2017: 6-4, 220 pounds, 63.1 completion percentage, 4,143 yards, 26 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 78 rushes, 72 yards, five rushing touchdowns
Do I think Darnold is the second best QB in this draft? Spoiler alert; no. Does everybody else? Hell, there’s a real thought out there that he’s the No. 1 QB prospect. The Broncos have to take a QB because that’s been their excuse all season and it looks like Paxton Lynch, a QB they took in the first round two seasons ago, isn’t their guy. I don’t think Elway brings back Trevor Siemian or Brock Osweiler, so Denver will be very active in the free agent market as well. Could this be where Kirk Cousins ends up? If so, this pick changes. If it’s Sam Bradford, Case Keenum or somebody like that? They still need to take a QB.
7. New York Jets – Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State
2017: 6-5, 230, 65.0 completion percentage, 4,904 yards, 37 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 38 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns
Again, these aren’t my quarterback ratings. I’m going with the perception so far. The Jets can’t afford to screw around anymore at the quarterback position. They’ve got a decent stop-gap with Josh McCown if they choose to keep him, but it’s time to bring in the QB of the future. Whether it’s Rudolph or somebody else, make the pick and move on.
8. Chicago Bears – Courtland Sutton, WR, Southern Methodist
2017: 6-4, 215 pounds, 68 catches, 1,085 yards, 12 touchdowns, one rushing touchdown
The Bears drafted their quarterback in the previous draft. They can’t let him go to battle with the Subway sandwich artists and Fudruckers Grillmasters they lined up at wideout this season. They have the running back they need in Jordan Howard. They have a good tight end. Build the rest of the offense.
9. San Francisco 49ers – James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State
2017: 6-0, 205 pounds, 74 catches, 1,549 yards, 13 touchdowns, one rushing touchdown
Who do you like better, Sutton or Washington? Hell, by the time my wide receiver rankings role around I might not like either one of them. As of now, they seem to be the top two guys. One is a big play, big body guy. The other is a route runner. Pick your poison. Either way, the 49ers need to add another young wide receiver and start replacing all these band-aids they signed last off-season.
10. Cincinnati Bengals – Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma
2017: 6-8, 360 pounds
Cincinnati lost its two best offensive linemen in free agency last off-season. They need to work on replacing them, regardless of who the new head coach is.
11. Oakland Raiders – Roquan Smith, ILB, Georgia
2017: 6-1, 225 pounds, 113 tackles, 10.5 for a loss, 5.5 sacks
Is Jack Del Rio coming back? Is it Jon Gruden? It doesn’t matter. If Smith is on the board here, the Raiders need to run up the steps with that card as quickly as their little tootsies will take them. Smith can play all three linebacker positions and will give the new head coach and defensive coordinator plenty of options in a 4-3 or 3-4.
To be continued…
To make a wager on any sport, go to the world famous Diamond Sportsbook by clicking here.
