With the 2018 NFL Draft now less than a week away, let's take a look at my final mock draft. Note: This mock draft does not include pick trading.
1. Cleveland Browns - Sam Darnold, QB, USC
The Browns have had a nice offseason in terms of acquiring talent, but Tyrod Taylor is not the long term answer under center. Sam Darnold has some turnover concerns, but his trunky frame and high upside as a passer makes him a great fit for Cleveland. After passing on Deshaun Watson and Carson Wentz, the Browns can’t afford to be trigger-shy at this stage in their team-building process.
2. New York Giants - Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
There is a case to be made for the Giants to draft Eli Manning’s successor here, but I believe that with a good offensive mind in Pat Shurmur, Eli can have somewhat of a resurgence and provide two to three more years of quality play. In the meantime, drafting Saquon Barkley would give the Giants a trio of young, dynamic skill players in Beckham Jr., Engram, and Barkley.
3. New York Jets - Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
The Jets gave up a sizeable cache of picks to move up to this draft slot, and they did so with the full intention of drafting a QB. Rosen is the cleanest thrower in the draft, and his big-time Los Angeles background makes him a good fit for the high-pressure environment of New York. Rosen is also ready to play day one.
4. Cleveland Browns - Bradley Chubb, EDGE, NC State
With their QB of the future in the fold, the Browns take a dynamic pass rush threat that they can pair with promising sophomore Myles Garrett in the hopes of building a fearsome duo that will terrorize offenses for years to come.
5. Denver Broncos - Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
Paxton Lynch has proven not to be the long term answer at the QB position, and Case Keenum is little more than a veteran stopgap. Josh Allen is a raw prospect with less technical proficiency than someone like Baker Mayfield, but Elway will be willing to sit Allen for a year or two while he learns the game. The physical talents are undeniable, and the Broncos go all-in on Allen with the hope that he can develop into a franchise QB down the line.
6. Indianapolis Colts - Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State
The Colts have a bad roster in need of a major talent infusion, so I could very well see them trading down again with a team eyeing Baker Mayfield to acquire even more picks. Should the Colts stay at this spot, they would be well served to add a player like Ward. With Deshaun Watson on the rise in the AFC South, the Colts will need an upgrade in the secondary, and Ward can pair with Malik Hooker to give the Colts the dynamic secondary that they’ve been lacking for years.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame
The Bucs need help all over the place, but their holes along the offensive line are especially glaring. Nelson is one of the safest players in the draft, and he will have a large impact in both the running and passing games as Tampa Bay works towards NFC relevancy.
8. Chicago Bears - Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
Ridley is a silky smooth route-runner, and the Bears have one of the worst wide receiving corps in the league. This is an easy pick for Chicago, as they will look to give Trubisky one of the weapons he needs to compete in the daunting NFC.
9. Oakland Raiders - Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech
The Raiders also have many holes on their roster, but the front seven--save for Khalil Mack--is particularly thin. Edmunds has the impressive physical tools necessary to excel as an elite player in the NFL, and Jon Gruden will use him in a variety of ways.
10. San Francisco 49ers - Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama
The 49ers are ecstatic that a player with the talent of Fitzpatrick has fallen this far, and they will be quick to scoop him up. Given the rise of Jared Goff and the Rams’ offense, the 49ers need a core of young secondary talent to keep up. Richard Sherman is a nice veteran addition, but with his versatility and talent, Fitzpatrick will be San Francisco's cornerstone.
11. Miami Dolphins - Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
Adam Gase has reiterated that Ryan Tannehill is his guy, but through several seasons of injuries and so-so play, the Dolphins won’t think twice about drafting a player with the talent and competitive fire of Mayfield. The warm climate suits Mayfield’s short frame, and Gase will let him rip it like he did at OU.
12. Buffalo Bills - Derwin James, S, Florida State
As long as Tom Brady plays for the Patriots, the Bills need to keep adding secondary talent if they should hope to compete in the AFC East. James would pair nicely with Tre’Davious White in establishing a talented young secondary for the Bills.
13. Washington Redskins - Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
Smith was a dominant linebacker at Georgia and should fit in nicely with the Washington Redskins, who will have to compete with NFC running backs like Ezekiel Elliot, Alvin Kamara, Dalvin Cook, and Saquon Barkley for the next five to six years. (Saquon is of course in the NFC in my mock).
14. Green Bay Packers - Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa
Green Bay’s secondary is similar to a heap of garbage. They need talent in any capacity, and they would be ecstatic to see any one of Ward, Fitzpatrick, or James fall to them at #14. While one of these certainly could fall, the Packers will simply take the best corner available here in Josh Jackson
15. Arizona Cardinals - Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
The Cardinals have Sam Bradford signed to a one-year deal, and that’s about it. Arizona would love to see Mayfield fall this far, but they’ll be happy to pick Jackson, a dynamic athlete with the potential to blossom into a Deshaun Watson-type QB in the NFL after sitting for a year behind Bradford.
16. Baltimore Ravens - Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA
The Ravens’ defensive line is full of aging veterans, and in today’s NFL you can never have enough pass rushers. Davenport has immense talent, and the Ravens will be happy to take him here.
17. Los Angeles Chargers - Vita Vea, DT, Washington
Vea would give the Chargers one of the most ferocious defensive lines in the league. Coupling the pass-rush acumen of Bosa and Ingram with the run-stuffing abilities of Vea could be game-breaking for a team looking to capitalize on a relatively weak AFC West.
18. Seattle Seahawks - Mike McGlinchey, T, Notre Dame
The Seahawks are in desperate need of offensive line help, and McGlinchey is a day-one starter and upgrade. This is an easy pick for a team that needs to protect Russell Wilson as it undergoes a minor rebuild.
19. Dallas Cowboys - Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M
Following the departure of Dez Bryant, Dallas needs to give Dak Prescott another weapon. Kirk fills in as a talented receiver with a good chance of contributing immediately as the Cowboys seek to build a new-age “big three” with Elliot, Prescott, and Kirk.
20. Detroit Lions - Harold Landry, EDGE, Boston College
With Zeke Ansah playing under the franchise tag, Matt Patricia needs a young defensive lineman of his own to get after the likes of Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins. Just as Patricia transitions from New England to Detroit, so to will Landry.
21. Cincinnati Bengals - Mike Hughes, CB, UCF
The Bengals have a variety of holes in their roster, but the secondary is extremely important in today’s NFL, so the Bengals will take the best secondary talent available in Mike Hughes. Versatile secondary defenders with upside are hard to come by and in great demand, so Hughes slots in as a nice addition for a team that needs to find its identity
22. Buffalo Bills - Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State
AJ McCarron is not the long term answer in Buffalo, and Rudolph has the size and arm strength necessary to play in Buffalo’s climate. Rudolph is a rich man’s Nathan Peterman, and he can sit for a year and develop.
23. New England Patriots - Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama
The Patriots are in desperate need of front-seven help, and Evans fits the bill perfectly. He’s the dynamic and versatile defender that Belichick covets, and he can serve as a defensive cornerstone as the Patriots look to simultaneously win now and build for the future.
24. Carolina Panthers - Isaiah Wynn, G, Georgia
After the departure of Andrew Norwell, the Panthers have a need at the guard position, and Wynn will fit in nicely as a day-one starter who can protect Cam Newton and open up running lanes for Christian McCaffrey.
25. Tennessee Titans - Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State
The Titans could use front-seven talent, and Vander Esch fits right in as a hard-nosed linebacker ready to do battle with the likes of AFC South foe Leonard Fournette in the trenches.
26. Atlanta Falcons - Da’Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
The Falcons have to compete with the Saints’ RB duo and the Panthers’ combination of Newton and Run CMC, so Payne will be a welcomed addition on the defensive line.
27. New Orleans Saints - Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina
New Orleans continues to pile on the offensive talent as Drew Brees enters the twilight of his career. Adding Hurst would give the Saints premier players at every offensive position, making them a force to be reckoned with in a competitive NFC.
28. Pittsburgh Steelers - Justin Reid, S, Stanford
The Steelers needs help in the secondary, and Justin Reid is a smart and versatile player who can serve as a day-one upgrade. Gone are the days of getting carved up by Blake Bortles.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars - D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland
The Jags have built an impressive roster with talent all over the field, but they are lacking in perimeter weapons on the offensive side of the ball. Moore’s stock has been on the rise, and he could fit in nicely as a threat outside the hashes for the Jaguars.
30. Minnesota Vikings - Will Hernandez, G, UTEP
Kirk Cousins will need better protection than what the Vikings line provided Case Keenum last year (See the NFC Championship Game). Hernandez plays with a mean streak and will be an immediate upgrade for the Vikings’ offense.
31. New England Patriots - Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA
After addressing their immediate need in the front seven with their first pick, the Patriots will look to fill their other immediate need at left tackle created by the departure of Nate Solder.
32. Philadelphia Eagles - Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado
The Eagles could use help at the cornerback position, and Oliver has a nice combination of size and speed that will allow him to play on the perimeter.
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