2017 FullerMetrics NFL Mock Draft 2.0
This is the mock draft on the eve of the NFL combine. Many of theses picks, if not nearly all, will change after the prospects show their stuff in Indianapolis. One key spot would be the Cornerback position, as there are over a half dozen players at about the same standing before the combine. Not TOO much will likely change from Mock Draft 1.0, but there's only one way to find out...
1. Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, DE/OLB, Texas A&M
No change in pick here. The newest news is that New England QB Jimmy G is unlikely to move, which might have some people immediately flipping the switch and having Mitch Trubisky go #1. Not a chance. It's going to be the 2014 NFL Draft all over again where the #1 pick-bearing Houston Texans needed a QB, but they went with Jadeveon Clowney, the undisputed best all-around player. Colin Kaepernick just opted out of his contract and Tyrod Taylor is set to be a free agent, so Cleveland might just land another scrambler this offseason.
2. San Francisco 49ers: Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
This pick could go one of three ways. My previous pick was fellow QB Deshaun Watson, but Trubisky's stock is higher right now going into the combine. Rumor has it San Fran is going to a 4-3, so Jonathan Allen, arguable the second-best overall player in this draft, would make a ton of sense here too. Colin Kaepernick just opted out of his contract, and the Redskins are looking for a megadeal for Kirk Cousins, so the Bay Area could save face by going with Trubisky here.
3. Chicago Bears: Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama
No change here either. Trubisky is gone, Deshaun Watson wouldn't make sense, and Jonathan Allen is the best player on the board. Breaking up is hard to do, and the Bears might not be ready to do so with Jay Cutler this offseason. Good news for the Packers secondary!
4. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jamal Adams, S, LSU
Since 1.0, the Jags traded TE Julius Thomas to Miami for LT Brandon Albert, so that solves that issue. Current Safety Johnathan Cyprien is no closer to a deal, and Ohio State S Malik Hooker's absence from the combine due to injury isn't increasing his stock. Adams is still the man here.
5. Tennessee Titans: Reuben Foster, ILB, Alabama
Nothing has changed since 1.0 for this pick to change as well. Neither top receiver Corey Davis nor Mike Williams is good enough for #5 at this point. TE O.J. Howard is definitely not a Top 10 pick either, let alone Top 5. CB Marshon Lattimore could easily go here, and he's likely the next guy instead of Foster here, but no one else has really positioned themselves to be Top Five yet.
6. New York Jets: Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
Gosh, this is pretty much a 50/50 pick between Lattimore and RB Leonard Fournette. Veteran corner Darrelle Revis was cut for *insert whatever excuse you want here* and top CB Trumaine Johnson was franchise-tagged by the Rams, so the need for corner is more dire over a freak talent at Running Back.
7. San Diego Chargers: Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
Once again, Buckeyes go back-to-back in Mock Draft 2.0. OLB Melvin Ingram got the franchise tag, meaning S Jahleel Addae is less likely to find the money he wants with the Bolts. Hooker is the only undisputed Top-15 pick at Safety, with Jabrill Peppers a later First Round player and Budda Baker a bubble first rounder. The new team in L.A. will look past the injury bug to take Hooker here.
8. Carolina Panthers: Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
Since the Jets balked on Fournette, there's no way Carolina would pass him up. Simply enough, if he's still on the board, he's not getting past Carolina. Plus, no OT is good enough here.
9. Cincinnati Bengals: Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford
Reuben Foster is already gone, and this would be a humongous stretch for the best G/C in Forrest Lamp. Thomas is outstandingly the best pass rusher on the board, and that's Cincinnati's biggest need. Still a no-brainer pick here.
10. Buffalo Bills: Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
The decision on whether or not to cut Tyrod Taylor will most likely come down to the wire, but as of now, he is still under contract in upstate New York. That leaves receiver as the likely pick here, and with 1.0, Corey Davis was the top option, but as of today, Mike Williams is the hotter pick. Plus, Buffalo has gone the Clemson receiver route before and reaped the benefits.
11. New Orleans Saints: Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
The Saints cut S Jairus Byrd, so the need at secondary is more dire than the previous top issue, edge rushing. With a top safety gone, they could use a cover corner instead of a speed guy, and at 6'1" and over 210 pounds, Florida's Quincy Wilson is literally the best fit for the job. I could still see a Teez Tabor, Tre'Davious White, or a Sidney Jones go here, as well as a potential pass rusher (Derek Barnett, Taco Charlton, Takkarist McKinley, etc.), but for the pre-combine guess, Quincy Wilson is the corner to go with - for now.
12. Cleveland Browns: Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
The Browns already took a pass rusher, so Derek Barnett & Co. won't go here. They don't NEED a corner, but could get one here given the plethora of options. TE O.J. Howard could be a target for whoever throws the ball in the Cleve next year. Right now, that could be anyone. Honestly, Cleveland could trade this pick, but for now, they still need a quarterback and could get a potential starter right here. Look for this pick to change in some way, shape or form.
13. Arizona Cardinals: Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
Basically, Mike Williams and Corey Davis just flip-flopped. In some eyes, Arizona just got the better option with Davis here. Sure, they could add a 'backer or a corner here, but with Davis on the board, I highly doubt they'd pass him up.
14/15. Philadelphia Eagles: Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
Both of the top receiving options are gone here, and they cut CB Leodis McKelvin, so corner is the way to go here. Right now, it looks like Washington's Sidney Jones edges out Teez Tabor and Tre'Davious White here for best corner on the board. The combine will certainly help to distinguish the corners in this class.
14/15. Indianapolis Colts: Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Once again, no O-Lineman is good enough to take this high (unless they want to gamble on another Alabama lineman in Cam Robinson). Frank Gore is 34 and no longer explosive, and Dalvin Cook is an excellent value for the middle of the first round. If Cook IS gone in some scenario, I could see OT Cam Robinson or one of the edge rushers.
16. Baltimore Ravens: Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
This is the biggest question mark in the draft so far. They could add an edge rusher here, with Derek Barnett being a bit better than Taco Charlton and Takkarist McKinley at this point. They need help at safety, and Jabrill Peppers and Budda Baker are both stretchable at #16. ILB Zach Orr was forced to retire at 24, so adding Zach Cunningham or Jarrad Davis is possible here too. Baltimore didn't franchise tag DT Brandon Williams, so he's likely to walk, making DT's Malik McDowell and Caleb Brantley possible here. Hell, with Steve Smith retiring, they could stretch for a receiver in John Ross or Zay Jones here too. Right now, Derek Barnett just seems like the best available on the board out of those options.
17. Washington Redskins: Zach Cunningham, ILB, Vanderbilt
Welcome to another toss-up. They need Inside Linebacker and Safety help. Enter Zach Cunningham and Jabrill Peppers. Both players are about even in my eyes, but most people would put Peppers a bit higher. They have speed in the return game, and that's one of the big selling points for Peppers, and I believe they value size and experience in the draft. Cunningham wins this coin toss.
18. Tennessee Titans: O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
They already covered Inside Linebacker, which leaves corner or a receiving option. At corner, Teez Tabor is probably the best left, followed by Tre'Davious White, Marlon Humphrey and Adoree Jackson. They need to add more weapons for Marcus Mariota, and both John Ross and Zay Jones are stretches for a top-20 pick. This leaves us with TE O.J. Howard. Many people would argue this is a steal at #18 for such an athletic talent, and with the aging Delanie Walker hitting the decline soon, this could very well be the boost the pass game needs in Nashville.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan
The Bucs could go a few different routes here. They need defensive line help, and Taco Charlton, Charles Harris, Malik McDowell and Caleb Brantley are all available here. They could bolster their safety talent, and Jabrill Peppers and Budda Baker both remain untaken. They could add another weapon in John Ross, Zay Jones or even David Njoku here as well. Running back aid is needed, and Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey are both in stretch-worthy range. For now, I'm going with the best player on the board and taking Michigan DE Taco Charlton.
20. Denver Broncos: Garrett Bolles, OT, Utah
Just like Mock 1.0, the Broncos are going to need OT help, especially since they declined Russell Okung's option. Wisconsin's Ryan Ramczyk was the guy previously, but as of right now, Utah's Garrett Bolles is the hotter choice. Between those two and Alabama's Cam Robinson, it will be interesting to see how the weak OT class will play out.
21. Detroit Lions: Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
Detroit is on the brinks of being a team good enough for a playoff run. They could use some improvement at every level of defense, with the most alarming being a 4-3 Edge rusher. Derek Barnett and Taco Charlton are both gone, so Charles Harris and Takkarist McKinley are the two next best options. Still, I don't think either of those players would be a great fit. DT Malik McDowell, DT Caleb Brantley, CB Teez Tabor, CB Tre'Davious White, and CB Marlon Humphrey are amongst the best defenders left that could fit better. However, G Geoff Schwartz just retired, and this line could get an extra boost to protect Matt Stafford. Ryan Ramczyk and Cam Robinson are both still on the board, and out of those two, Ryan Ramczyk is the better pick as of now.
22. Miami Dolphins: Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida
Miami no longer needs help at Tight End, but they could use improvements on the Defensive Line after cutting DT Earl Mitchell and DE Mario Williams. Both DT Malik McDowell and DT Caleb Brantley would make total sense here. For some reason, I'm not quite feeling either though. They need help at linebacker, and Florida's Jarrad Davis would be a killer fit in this Miami defense. This pick could very well change, as it already has, but for now, it's Davis.
23. New York Giants: Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee
The Giants had LB Haason Reddick here before, but with Re-signing Jason Pierre-Paul, that makes a little less sense. QB is still a need, but I don't see them addressing it Round 1 (Sorry Pat Mahomes and DeShone Kizer). SOMEONE has to be the Running Back, and Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey are both on the board. They could improve internally on defense with DT Malik McDowell or DT Caleb Brantley. Right now, and this is very likely to change, I think Alvin Kamara makes the most sense.
24. Oakland Raiders: Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU
Not much has changes for them since Mock 1.0, but the more I thought about it, the worse fit DT Malik McDowell would be in the Oakland defense. Most likely, their biggest need is corner, and Teez Tabor, Tre'Davious White, Marlon Humphrey and Adoree Jackson are all still on the board. Out of those players, White would be the best fit for Oakland - as of right now.
25. Houston Texans: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech
Garrett Bolles is taken, so we can't have a repeat. Head Coach Bill O'Brien won't put up with OT Cam Robinson, and the other guy I put as the second-most-likely, LB Jarrad Davis, is gone too. That leaves QB Pat Mahomes and S Jabrill Peppers. The most realistic scenario has Mahomes going here, but the combine could change this pick instantly.
26. Seattle Seahawks: Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
As far as the scenario for Seattle, not much has changed. Sure, they could go with a versatile D-Lineman in DT Malik McDowell or a physical corner in Teez Tabor, but their original guy and original need are both still there. Having McDowell still on the board could make that a very viable option in this scenario, but this worked for them before and certainly works for them now. Plus, they have no problem dealing with characters on Pete Carroll's squad.
27. Kansas City Chiefs: Haason Reddick, LB, Temple
Their man Jarrad Davis from 1.0 is gone, so they'll have to find a different prospect. Safety isn't a need, as Eric Berry is now the highest paid safety in the league. They cut Jamaal Charles but signed C.J. Spiller, and they gave G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif a hefty extension. On the board, they have OLB Tim Williams, LB Haason Reddick, CB Teez Tabor, CB Marlon Humphrey, WR John Ross and WR Zay Jones that would makes sense here. They certainly have some flexibility, but their could potentially choose to knock out one bird or another with a single stone in versatile LB Haason Reddick.
28. Dallas Cowboys: Takkarist McKinley, DE/OLB, UCLA
For Dallas, their guy is still there, and he's a better fit than OLB Tim Williams and a bit higher touted than DE/OLB Charles Harris right now. Like pretty much every pick, this is very malleable via the combine.
29. Green Bay Packers: Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
Okay, I went on my full-blown analysis on my 1.0 and I'll do so on my whatever-is-the-last-one.0 too, but for now, you know the concerns. The previous pick, OLB T.J. Watt, is still on the board, but the more I think about it, the more taking Christian McCaffrey would make sense. Micah Hyde was our best returner, and he's liekly to walk, so that gives McCaffrey potential there. He could be a Danny Woodhead-like back in a nearly spread offense which is what worked for Rodgers & Co. the second half of last season. With TE David Njoku still on the board and Jared Cook still not re-signed, that could easily be the pick here too.
30. Pittsburgh Steelers: David Njoku, TE, Miami (FL)
James Harrison got a new two-year deal, and while his best days are clearly behind him, the need is indeed less. Plus, with David Njoku still on the board, they could add another viable weapon to this already-dangerous offense.
31. Atlanta Falcons: Adoree Jackson, CB, USC
This Falcons team was a couple quarters short of being deemed the best team in the NFL. All they could really use is young, promising depth on defense. They could go the cornerback route with Teez Tabor, Marlon Humphrey or Adoree Jackson here. They could also add depth with DT Malik McDowell and DT Caleb Brantley. For me, they like fast, playmaking defenders, and the best one of those on the board is USC corner Adoree Jackson.
32. New England Patriots: Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan
When I was making this, I was really expecting Jabrill Peppers to go earlier and have this pick be a different prospect. Alas, he's still here at #32. Maybe I'm too hard on the guy, but he lost a couple 50/50 split decisions to end up as the Mr. Irrelevant of the first round.
NEXT BEST AVAILABLE:
1. Charles Harris, DE/OLB, Missouri
2. Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
3. Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida
4. Tim Williams, OLB, Alabama
5. Teez Tabor, CB, Florida
6. Budda Baker, S, Washington
7. Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
8. DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
9. John Ross, WR, Washington
10. Forrest Lamp, G/C, Western Kentucky
Questions? Comments? Concerns? Think that this is irrelevant before the combine? Please let me know!
Thank You and God Bless,
Samuel R. Fuller
