Most mock drafts are made to predict which team will select which player at which pick. For this mock, I put my GM cap on and selected the player that I think each team SHOULD have selected, in my opinion. I completed this on draft day. Looking back I was definitely a little low on some guys like Baker Mayfield and Mike McGlinchey, but I think my selections and explanations make a lot of sense looking back a little over half way through the season, and I nailed a few sleepers such as Courtland Sutton and Sony Michel.
- CLE Josh Allen QB Wyoming
- I’d love to have Barkley, and I doubt he’ll fall to four, but the Browns HAVE to get THEIR QB at one. Whoever that may be. I like Allen. Then you can hope that Barkley falls to four, but if he doesn’t the worst case is you get the best edge rusher for the second draft in a row.
- NYG Saquon Barkley RB Penn State
- The Giants benched Eli last season, but have now brought in a new regime that seems to believe in Manning, at least enough to stick with him for the next couple years. The highest QB on their board is still available in Darnold, but the Giants are still trying to win right now. If they receive some trade offer that they simply cannot refuse, they could trade down and grab multiple high level pieces, but I think they stay put and select the best player in the draft. They signed Stewart, but that won’t affect them with the Barkley decision. Chubb could be in play after the departure of JPP, but their running game has been abysmal since the Earth, Wind, and Fire days, so they grab their feature back and future hall of famer.
- NYJ Sam Darnold QB USC
- The Jets are flying sky high if this scenario plays out. They traded up to three in search of their franchise QB, and their number one QB prospect is there for them at 3. Darnold can learn and develop behind McCown and Bridgewater and will be the face of the Big Apple in a year or two. If Darnold goes one to the Browns, it will be very interesting to see which QB they have ranked second.
- CLE Bradley Chubb DE NC State
- You got your QB, and Barkley is gone. If Saquon was still available he would be the pick, but now it is an easy choice. The best pass rusher in the draft to pair with the best pass rusher from last season’s draft. Quarterback and rusher of the quarterback.
- DEN Quenton Nelson G Notre Dame
- The Broncos could be open for business for a QB needy team, or could select one for themselves. I think Elway might’ve pulled the trigger on big-armed Allen if he was there, but I think they go best available here. Fellow Cal-native QB Rosen could be intriguing for Elway, but they spent a lot of money at QB in free agency, so I think they go with someone who can protect Keenum and single-handedly power their running game. Ward is an option with the departure of Talib, but defense is not the problem for DEN. Nelson is the best lineman prospect most scouts have ever seen.
- BUF (from IND) Josh Rosen QB UCLA
- This is where I see a team jump up for a quarterback. The Colts have SO many needs, that they need all the quality picks they can get. With their likely top prospects (Barkley, Chubb, and Nelson) off the board, they trade back once again to the Bills. Buffalo gives up picks 12, 22, 65 and a second rounder next year to move up to 6 for their QB. I think, again, Allen would be a better fit here, but they take the best QB available, and arguably the best thrower currently, as a team that may need their rookie to play the soonest if McCarron doesn’t pan out.
- TB Minkah Fitzpatrick S Alabama
- The Bucs need help across their secondary. That’s where I feel they go, and it’s a matter of preference between the three prospects sitting there. Ward is a lockdown corner, and James is a true safety, but Fitzpatrick is so versatile that they will use him at multiple different spots in multiple different schemes, and that gives him the edge to be selected first.
- CHI Denzel Ward CB Ohio State
- After trading up for their QB of the future last year, the Bears address their defense early this draft after passing on a chance to draft Jamal Adams a season ago. If Nelson was still on the board, I think they go with him to protect Trubisky and open holes for Howard and Cohen, but they go with a need at corner. I’m not as high on Ward as others, but he can do the job against the receivers in that division and will help the rest of the defense get the job done against the great quarterbacks that they will face.
- SF Roquan Smith LB Georgia
- The streaking 9ers go best available in this scenario. A couple of prospects that they could have been eyeing are gone (Nelson to protect Jimmy G and Ward to play across from Sherman) so they take the best football player still on the board, at a position that could become a need depending on what happens with last year’s first round LB Reuben Foster and his domestic violence case.
- OAK Tremaine Edmonds LB Virginia Tech
- Ward gone, Smith gone, Gruden and the Raiders take a young, talented, versatile prospect that they can mold for years to come. At 19, Edmonds is regarded by some as the top LB prospect of the class, his motor will fit in well with the Raiders, and his youth is a bright spot for the new coaching regime.
- MIA Baker Mayfield QB Oklahoma
- This pick scares me, but I think they have to do it. Miami is clearly not the best town for someone with Baker’s off-the-field history. And taking a QB as a team with SO many needs after a very strange offseason is very risky. But Baker’s film jumps off the screen to me. I think he has gotten it together and will be a great leader and talent in the NFL. Tannehill is not the future for Miami, and Mayfield is too good to pass on here. There aren’t many true top prospects remaining on the board, so Mayfield to the Phins here despite his height and character concerns.
- IND (from BUF) Derwin James S Florida State
- Best available player, and maybe even who they would have taken at 6. James is an outstanding talent. The best true safety prospect in years, but coming out in year where safety may not be a priority for top teams, causing him to fall below where I think he should be selected. He absolutely could go to TB at 7 instead of Minkah, or to a different top 10 team who decides to go best available rather than addressing a top need.
- Redskins Vita Vea DT Washington
- The Redskins defensive line and pass rush really need addressed. Vea is the best player available here, and can provide that rush, as well as run stuffing ability, from the middle.
- GB Josh Jackson CB Iowa
- Here’s where this “What I Would Do” mock, strays a bit from most predictive mocks. I love Josh Jackson. He’s long, athletic, and has incredible ball skills and hands. I have Ward and Jackson very close, with Ward’s quickness, footwork, and speed to stay attached to receivers giving him the slight edge. If Jackson works on his footwork and can move a little more fluidly, he can easily become a top-tier, Richard Sherman type corner.
- AZ Calvin Ridley WR Alabama
- Arizona would love to grab a top-tier quarterback this year with injury-prone Sam Bradford being their big FA signing. Once again, I think Allen would be their guy, but with him gone they can’t compete with Buffalo for a trade for a very high pick to grab a top guy. They could move ahead of Miami if they like Mayfield with maybe pick 15, two thirds this year, and their first rounder next year, but I’m not sure teams in that range want to pass on the guys they’re eyeing. So the Cardinals get a weapon for whoever in under center. Ridley is the most polished WR in the draft, and can be supplemental to Fitzgerald in his final seasons, and could possibly be a number one for them going forward.
- BAL Rashaan Evans LB Alabama
- Does this really surprise anyone? Ozzie snags another Alabama guy on his way out for the Ravens to pair with C.J. Mosley. This is higher than a lot of people have Evans, but he does so much on defense. He can tackle, cover, and is an outstanding blitzer as an inside linebacker. Baltimore could go with a bigger defensive lineman or yet another receiver, but this makes too much sense for the Ravens.
- LAC Daron Payne DT Alabama
- Continue the run of Tide guys. The Chargers defense was very good last season, so they could go with an offensive lineman or possibly even a quarterback to succeed Philip Rivers. But Payne is right there at the top of the defensive line prospects, and you put him with Ingram, Bosa, and Liuget, and that front will absolutely wreak havoc on opponent offenses.
- SEA Mike Hughes CB UCF
- Seattle needs to address the secondary if they want to try to hold on to a form of their Legion of Boom. With the departure of Richard Sherman, Seattle grabs another UCF corner to pair with Shaquill Griffin. Hughes has great ball skills, and is extremely quick and agile. Yet another top corner from this draft that will help the Seahawks try to maintain their dominance on D.
- DAL Courtland Sutton WR SMU
- Dez is gone. Sutton is my favorite receiver of this relatively thin class this year. Big bodied receiver with good hands and a knack for scoring touchdowns, particularly in the red zone. You’d like a little more speed, and he needs to develop as a route runner, but for a team that clearly needs a future number one receiver, this is their best option.
- DET Marcus Davenport DE UTSA
- The Lions need another edge rusher to pair with Ziggy Ansah. There is a huge drop off after Chubb in terms of DEs and edge rushers, but Davenport has the potential to be solid in the NFL. With teams having to shift their protection to Ansah’s side, Davenport should likely see a lot of one-on-ones and could record a high sack total in year one. He is also a three down end with great run defense.
- CIN Will Hernandez G UTEP
- The interior offensive line for the Bengals is downright awful. Dalton will get destroyed and young running back Joe Mixon will struggle to develop as a runner if they do not improve. The tackles are decent, and center probably is their number one concern. But Hernandez is the second best lineman prospect if you ask me. He’s being largely overshadowed by Nelson, but Hernandez can also dominate a football game as a guard.
- IND (from BUF) Sony Michel RB Georgia
- I LOVE SONY MICHEL. After the season is over, depending on the scenario he’s put into, I expect experts to put Michel much much higher in redrafts than they did in mocks. He really reminds me of LeSean McCoy. Could he be the new Marshall Faulk for the Colts who finally parted ways with Frank Gore? They would have missed out on Barkley anyway in this scenario, so they get a TON of potential starters with high draft picks, and still get a running back who i think is alone in the next tier below Barkley.
- NE Lamar Jackson QB Louisville
- Jackson is such a polarizing prospect. He has immense talent and potential, but his passing accuracy and slight frame make him a very risky pick. What better landing spot for him than NE? The team that has drafted, developed, and up-sold two quarterbacks behind that number 12 guy. A guy who has expressed his support for this choice. Jackson’s talent puts him in a position to be drafted much higher than this, but the Patriots are the team that I can see taking the chance on Jackson.
- CAR Jaire Alexander CB Louisville
- The final elite corner prospect in my mind comes off the board here. I really like Nick Chubb to the Panthers, and may have them make a move to make that happen, but that secondary needs a lot of help. Alexander is a fluid, fast, and agile corner that can glue himself to receivers.
- TEN Leighton Vander Esch LB Boise State
- With the departure of Avery Williamson, the Titans grab Vander Esch to learn from Wesley Woodward and to be the center of their defense for the future. As long as he is healthy, he can be a Luke Kuechly type of player. I’m not sure he’ll get quite to that level, but he can fly all over the field and can be the quarterback of a defense that is already very good.
- ATL Taven Bryan DT Florida
- Bryan is a big athlete that Dan Quinn would love to play with on his defensive line. The Falcons have good speed rushers, but Bryan could lessen the blow of the departure of Adrian Clayborn and provide solid play at defensive tackle. The one spot that the great ATL defense has a bit of a hole. Bryan may need to bulk up a little to be a three down run stopper, but Quinn loves his defensive lineman and will utilize him optimally.
- NO Hayden Hurst TE South Carolina
- The Saints are a great TE away from being far and away the most dangerous offense in the league. I’m not too high on any of these tight ends this year, but Hurst is widely regarded as the number one TE of the class, and will help put the Saints over the top. I like Gesicki as a receiving end, but Hurst can help block for that two-headed monster at RB giving him a slight edge.
- PIT Harold Landry EDGE Boston College
- The Steelers roster is very solid all around, with very few weaknesses. With Shazier out, I would say that inside linebacker is the biggest need, but the top tier guys at that position are gone, so they look outside. After drafting T.J. Watt last year, I think the Steelers could once again go with a linebacker, looking to add some pass rush.
- MIN Isaiah Wynn OL Georgia
- The Eagles exposed the offensive line of the Vikings in the NFC Championship Game. Although it has improved since its absolutely atrocious year the season prior, the Vikings O-line still needs some attention to protect newly acquired Kirk Cousins. Wynn is extremely versatile, and will immediately make that line more stout.
- JAC D.J. Moore WR Maryland
- The Jags lost two of their top receivers this offseason. Marqise Lee and Donte Moncrief currently headline the receiving corps for them, and I think they need to address the position to provide more weapons for Blake Bortles. Moore has the most hype surrounding him coming into the draft of all the receivers, and would be a good fit in Jacksonville.
- NE Isaiah Oliver CB Colorado
- The Eagles torched the Patriots secondary in the Super Bowl. Butler didn’t play, but Butler is in TEN now anyway. They brought in the other McCourty and still have Gilmore, but they need secondary help. Oliver has the ability to lock his man down, and has good speed and decent length and size.
- PHI Mike McGlinchey OT Notre Dame
- I don’t anticipate him falling nearly this far in the Draft. But in this scenario, the Eagles get a steal in a future left tackle as an heir apparent to Jason Peters. I don’t think Hal Vaitai is that guy, and might be able to be moved guard if one their current guys eventually leaves.The Eagles rely on their Super Bowl roster to grab a guy that may not make an impact right away.
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