"The Stack" 4-27-17
The Stack is back on this Thursday and the 2017 NFL Draft is only hours away. No NBA or NHL Playoff talk today. It’s time for a round one mock draft you hopefully demand. I must admit that I don’t feel good about this mock draft at all. I am really reaching on a few picks, but that is because this draft feels the most wide open out of any year that I can remember. The mock draft that I did with my good friend Travis Kriens in “The Sports Block” podcast (now on iTunes) may be better. That podcast will be up here soon. As always, this mock draft will not include any trades though I will mention where I think trades could happen. Let’s get right to it though and make some picks in “the stack” for today, Thursday, April 27th:
NFL Mock Draft (Round 1)
1. Cleveland Browns – Myles Garrett (DE – Texas A&M)
Reason: They take the best player in the draft and Garrett is the best defensive end we’ve seen in a few years. He’ll make an immediate impact.
2. San Francisco 49ers – Jamal Adams (S – LSU)
Reason: This is a bit of a stretch, but the 49ers need help everywhere and since they’ve address the defensive line in previous drafts early, they’ll go with the best secondary guy in the draft. However, Leonard Fournette may be the pick here since Kyle Shanahan is the head coach now and is an offensive genius.
3. Chicago Bears – Jonathan Allen (DT – Alabama)
Reason: The Bears love the safeties so if Adams is here they will take him. They may even take Hooker, but Allen is such a beast that he would be a great addition to the Bears defense. If the Bears don’t take him, the Jaguars or Bengals will.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars – Leonard Fournette (RB – LSU)
Reason: I don’t necessarily think that the Fournette is the best pick here for the Jaguars or the best fit for the team, but the Jaguars need to take the pressure off of Blake Bortles and help spark the Jaguars offense. This could be a spot where we see a quarterback go.
5. Tennessee Titans – Mike Williams (WR - Clemson)
Reason: This is the first spot where I think a trade is likely if the Browns get scared that the New York Jets may take their quarterback. The Titans need secondary help as well as wide receiver help so Malik Hooker could be in play here, but I’ll give them what I deem is the best wide receiver in the draft in Williams and it gives Marcus Mariota another weapon.
6. New York Jets – Malik Hooker (S – Ohio State)
Reason: I think it would be somewhat surprising if Hooker is here, but the Jets defense could use some work and secondary is certainly one area and Hooker will be a great addition.
7. Los Angeles Chargers – Solomon Thomas (DE – Stanford)
Reason: This could be a surprising place where a quarterback is picked, but I deem that unlikely. Tight end O.J. Howard makes some sense here, but pairing Thomas with Bosa will give the Chargers a great pass rush.
8. Carolina Panthers – Christian McCaffrey (RB – Stanford)
Reason: Cam Newton will love to get another weapon to take the pressure off of him. McCaffrey will work in the running game and catching passes out of the backfield. He is a weapon they cannot pass up.
9. Cincinnati Bengals – Derek Barnett (DE – Tennessee)
Reason: The Bengals would love Allen to fall to them after losing Domata Peko to the Denver Broncos in free agency. Allen will fall no further than here. The Bengals will take the best defensive lineman available here. They could also go linebacker here as well.
10. Buffalo Bills – Marshon Lattimore (CB – Ohio State)
Reason: Another spot where a team could surprise and take a quarterback, but I think the Bills go after a cornerback here to help make up for losing Stephon Gillmore to the New England Patriots. Don’t be surprised if they take Howard from Alabama or a wide receiver here either.
11. New Orleans Saints – Kevin King (CB – Washington)
Reason: Difficult to peg what the Saints are going to do here. They could go after a linebacker or a defensive lineman, but I think they go after the best cornerback available and with Gareon Conley having some legal issues right now, King stands to gain.
12. Cleveland Browns – Trubisky (QB – North Carolina)
Reason: I’m not going to call him what he wants to be called. The Browns may not draft him here (I’m not doing trades remember), but they will draft Trubisky, the Ohio native and hope that he is the answer to their quarterback woes (I doubt it).
13. Arizona Cardinals – Deshaun Watson (QB – Clemson)
Reason: Let’s see, what did Watson do in two national championship games? One of those games came in the desert so the Cardinals hopefully remember that if they were watching. Pat Mahomes is also in play here. Either way, the Cardinals need to get someone to back up Carson Palmer. Why not get a national champion?
14. Philadelphia Eagles – O.J. Howard (TE – Alabama)
Reason: The Eagles are another difficult team to peg as I can see them trying to boost their secondary, but they helped Carson Wentz in the offseason with Alshon Jeffrey and Torrey Smith. They’ll add the best tight end in the draft to help bolster the offense.
15. Indianapolis Colts – Haason Reddick (LB – Temple)
Reason: Now the real crapshoot begins. There are going to be a lot of defensive ends/linebackers going off the board at this point and the Colts could use some defensive help. Reddick, Charles Harris, T.J. Watt. Anyone can help them here. Reddick ‘s stock has been rising and he’ll be the pick.
16. Baltimore Ravens – Cam Robinson (OT – Alabama)
Reason: Joe Flacco has been taking a beating and while the Ravens know they must address some issues on the defensive side, keeping Flacco upright and healthy is important too. Wide receiver Corey Davis could be in play here, but they’ll go with the best offensive tackle in the draft.
17. Washington – Charles Harris (DE/OLB – Missouri)
Reason: Again, I don’t know where these pass rushers and linebackers are going to fall, but with Ryan Kerrigan suspended the first four games Washington could use some help and Harris is a guy who will make an impact for them.
18. Tennessee Titans – Chibode Awuzie (CB – Colorado)
Reason: The Titans need secondary help and will take the best cornerback off the board at this point and that is Awuzie just over Marlon Humphrey from Alabama.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Dalvin Cook (RB – Florida State)
Reason: Cook has definitely taken a hit to his stock and while some of it may be injury concern a lot of seems to be off field related. I could definitely see the Eagles taking him at #14, but if he’s available here, the Bucs will piar him up with Jameis Winston.
20. Denver Broncos – Ryan Ramczyk (OT – Wisconsin)
Reason: The Broncos offensive line has been a work in progress here over the last couple of years. Ramczyk can be a pillar on the line for years to come.
21. Detroit Lions – T.J. Watt (DE/OLB – Wisconsin)
Reason: With DeAndre Levy no longer with the team, the Lions could use some help on defense and help bolster their defensive line. Watt is very versatile and his stock has been rising. Plus he’s J.J.’s brother and we know how good he is. No pressure kid.
22. Miami Dolphins – Obi Melifonwu (CB/S – UConn)
Reason: Don’t really have a good feeling as to where the Dolphins are going here, but I think they would welcome the secondary help and Melifonwu is extremely versatile and athletic. They could go offensive line or maybe a linebacker here like Jarrad Davis from Florida, but I’ll put Melifonwu here.
23. New York Giants – Garrett Bolles (OT – Utah)
Reason: The Giants could always use some offensive line help and if they don’t go offensive lineman, look for them to take tight end David Njoku to give Eli Manning yet another weapon. The wild card pick here would be a quarterback to learn and grow behind Manning for when he retires here in the next few years.
24. Oakland Raiders – Jarrad Davis (LB – Florida)
Reason: If Davis does somehow fall to the Raiders here they will immediately take him. They have Khalil Mack. They have Bruce Irvin. Add another dynamic linebacker to the mix and make that defense even better.
25. Houston Texans – Pat Mahomes (QB – Texas Tech)
Reason: There are two teams that are absolute locks to draft quarterbacks in the first round and that is Cleveland and Houston. The Cardinals could take Mahomes instead of Watson so the pick here then would be Watson. Either way the Texans can’t complain as they would be getting their quarterback of the future.
26. Seattle Seahawks – Forrest Lamp (G/C – Western Kentucky)
Reason: If Corey Davis is still here I could see the Seahawks being tempted to take him, but with Lamp, here’s a guy who can play multiple positions on the offensive line and the Seahawks offensive line was dreadful last year. Have to protect Russell Wilson more.
27. Kansas City Chiefs – Corey Davis (WR – Western Michigan)
Reason: If the Seahawks don’t take Davis, the Chiefs will. Pair him up with Jeremy Maclin and Tyreek Hill. That suspect Chiefs offense will be instantly better and Alex Smith may throw more than two touchdowns or whatever he threw to wide receivers last year.
28. Dallas Cowboys – Adoree’ Jackson (CB – USC)
Reason: The Cowboys are void of defensive talent. They could go linebacker here and that would be a good pick as well, but their secondary could use a boost and Jackson is the kind of flashy guy that owner Jerry Jones will fall in love with. Plus he can return kicks and punts.
29. Green Bay Packers – Takkarist McKinley (DE/OLB – UCLA)
Reason: I don’t know if McKinley will go earlier than this as I’ve seen anywhere from pick number 11 to somewhere in the second round, but the Packers need pass rush help as well as some help in the secondary. McKinley could be just what they are looking for.
30. Pittsburgh Steelers – Marlon Humphrey (CB – Alabama)
Reason: Another guy I don’t know if he’ll be around by this pick, but the Steelers can help bolster their defense and secondary with this pick. Humphrey is one of the better cornerbacks in this draft that could be slipping because of his comparisons to Dee Milner or so I’ve read.
31. Atlanta Falcons – Jordan Willis (DE/OLB – Kansas State)
Reason: The Falcons need a pass rusher. They will take the best defensive lineman or outside linebacker here so we could see Reuben Foster be taken here. Foster is a guy that I don’t know what will happen. He could go early in the first round to late in the first round or be a day two guy because of shoulder concerns and the diluted sample he gave to the league. Willis is a much safer and ultimately could be the better pick here.
32. New Orleans Saints – QB Davis Webb (QB – California)
Reason: A lot of people have defense here, but if you’re the Saints, why wouldn’t you get a guy who can learn behind Drew Brees and who you can pick up a fifth year option on, because Brees probably isn’t going to be around then.. I had DeShone Kizer here previously, but I’ve been reading that teams really like Webb so if it’s not the Saints it will be another team trading up to take a quarterback.
A couple things about the draft. One, as I mentioned I feel less sure about this mock draft than I have the last few years I’ve done a mock. There are so many different places these teams can go and there are a lot of red flags. My bold prediction and I don’t even think it’s that bold is that four quarterbacks will be taken in the first round. That fifth-year option is very enticing and there are a number of teams in a situation where they may need a starter now or in a few years like the Chargers, Giants and Steelers. Last year I said Ezekiel Elliott would be drafted by the Cowboys and he was. This year I’ll go with four quarterbacks taken. If I get four picks right this year I’ll be happy. The safeties is where I really don’t know what will happen. Conventional wisdom says that the 49ers will go with someone other than Adams and then the Bears will gleefully submit their card and make Adams the pick making the rest of my top ten pretty worthless, but be a little bold right? It’s going to be a fascinating night as the NFL Draft gets underway from the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia. Enjoy the first round everyone.
A couple things about the draft. One, as I mentioned I feel less sure about this mock draft than I have the last few years I’ve done a mock. There are so many different places these teams can go and there are a lot of red flags. My bold prediction and I don’t even think it’s that bold is that four quarterbacks will be taken in the first round. That fifth-year option is very enticing and there are a number of teams in a situation where they may need a starter now or in a few years like the Chargers, Giants and Steelers. Last year I said Ezekiel Elliott would be drafted by the Cowboys and he was. This year I’ll go with four quarterbacks taken. If I get four picks right this year I’ll be happy. The safeties is where I really don’t know what will happen. Conventional wisdom says that the 49ers will go with someone other than Adams and then the Bears will gleefully submit their card and make Adams the pick making the rest of my top ten pretty worthless, but be a little bold right? It’s going to be a fascinating night as the NFL Draft gets underway from the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia. Enjoy the first round everyone.
Listen to this week's "The Sports Block" podcast here as we do our own mock draft. Jeff Lloyd II from turnonthejets.com breaks down his first round mock draft with me.
***Note: The first part of the podcast with the mock draft was recorded before news of Gareon Conley broke regarding the rape allegations that is being alleged against him.***
Coming up Friday: NFL Draft round 1 reaction plus NBA & NHL Playoff talk and more.