It still seems like a fair bet that the still winless Dolphins will end up with the No.1 pick. In the Dolphins tanking they have a fair amount of draft capitol but they need to hit the restart on their rebuild and Josh Rosen will again be a casualty in the selection of a No.1 QB. While many will be hyping the tank for Tua train I am firmly with the Suck for the Duck crowd. Herbert to me is the QB.1 of this class. His size and mobility is impressive in itself but his ability to throw on the run is what has me salivating. He reminds me of a slightly worse armed Carson Wentz or a better armed Jared Goff. I don’t think the Dolphins could go wrong here but they do need to move on from Josh Rosen and get a fresh start on a new team.
2. Washington Redskins- Chase Young EDGE, OSU
By virtue of drafting their QB last year that the Redskins are able to take the no.1 player in the whole draft off the board at no.2. Chase Young is special, he is perhaps the best prospect to play the EDGE position since Myles Garrett. Some will compare him to Joey Bosa and say he is a speed rusher. To me that isn’t so. I see him as a fast Justin Houston. He has elite jump and acceleration off the snap and with his size mixed with that speed makes it near impossible for B1G Tackles. The man in a mammoth out there and has been the best player on OSU for what feels like 2-3 years now. He is even more elite than his OSU counterpart last year (Nick Bosa). At this point the new look Redskins need to bet on taking the elite talent where they can find it.
3. Cincinnatti Bengals- Tua Tagoviloa QB, Alabama
On most draft boards Tua is the clear No.1 QB in this class so to most experts the Bengals will be getting a steal at No.3. And indeed they will, Tua is every bit as good a prospect as I see Herbert. At this point, I’d have just a slightly lower grade on him but his dual threat ability makes a compelling argument for him being No.1. The 6’1” lefty has great arm strength and spectacular touch. With all the players who experts compare to Russell Wilson in the past 5 years this guy is legit the one who I’d give that label to. The Bengals need to get the Zac Taylor era its full due and Andy Dalton is keeping them in the past. They need to move forward with a new young nucleus on offense and Tua seems to me like the perfect guy to lead this new era.
4. NY Jets- Tristan Warfs OT, Iowa
The NY Jets need to get Sam Darnold upright (when he isn’t home sick). This offensive line is one of the worst in football. Tristan Warfs is one of those intimidators that put the fear of God into opposing lines, he’s just that huge. A mauler, like most Iowa men, Tristan Warfs allows for a solid building block on a terrible O Line. Sam DArnold needs every chance to succeed.
5. Miami Dolphins (via Steelers)- AJ Epenesa EDGE, Iowa
The Dolphins are back on the board in the top 5 and they should make a no brainer pick in AJ Epenesa. This is another ELITE pass rusher in this class. Epesea is too a massive man who specializes in bull rushing and making opposing Tackles regret their decisions in life. His ability to get leverage at his size is what really impresses me and for the Dolphins who have whiffed on this position before, they need to take a sure thing here. Leaving the draft with your 2 most important positions in football set for the future isn’t so bad.
6. Atlanta Falcons- Jeffery Okudah CB, OSU
The Falcons insist that they are still contending and that is fine. But with the expectation that Dan Quinn will be gone at the end of the year as well as Desmond Trufant, the Falcons could be in the market for an elite Corner who is good at man-man coverage. Jeffery Okudah is the first CB that seems to universally be regarded as an island type Corner (I’d have argued Greedy last year but whatever). His speed and instincts with his size make him elite as a prospect in the way his OSU counterparts of old (Ward/Lattimore).
7. Denver Broncos- Jerry Jeudy WR, Alabama
The Broncos are going to have to strip it down and commit to rebuild at one point. Drew Lock, hopefully will be the answer at QB they have been looking for, but whoever the QB is they will have the best WR prospect since Julio. Jeudy is special. Is speed is simply great (not elite but great) but his route running is more advanced than some elite WRs in the NFL today. His YAC ability is incredible as well. He is my No.2 overall player in this class and getting him at 2 is simply a steal. To me he is nut-case-less AB mixed with some Jarvis Landry in there. He is simply spectacular.
8. Arizona Cardinals- Andrew Thomas OT, Georgia
Anyone who has watched 1 Cardinals game has noticed that their 5’9” Franchise QB is getting eaten alive by one of the worst O Lines in the history of the league. They need a building block and fortunately they have a guy in Thomas who can help. A great athlete with good mauling ability Thomas is a possible anchor and building block for a terrible line in Arizona
9. Jacksonville Jaguars- CJ Henderson CB, Florida
Jacksonville is about to lose their elite CB from a Florida school and replace it with another. CJ Henderson is a rare specimen for the position. Not as lighting fast as Okudah but still a blazer in his own right. If we could get a better gage of his ball skills he’d be every bit as good as Okudah, but teams need to throw his way first. Sacksonville’s window is beginning to close and assuming that Minshew/Foles are good enough to be serviceable they can still make a run.
10. NY Giants- Tee Higgins WR, Clemson
The Giants have found their QB, but it is now time to get him a game changers at receiver. Tee Higgins is a massive 6’4” speedster with great jump ball skills. The Giants have missed a “Go-To” receiver since a certain receiver left last season. The Giants need to get a dynamic team moving forward with Danny Dimes and Saquads.
11. LA Chargers- Joe Burrow QB, LSU
The Chargers have to face a difficult reality: They have failed Phillip Rivers and he will have to retire without a Super Bowl ring. It makes me sad but if the Chargers couldn’t do it with last years team, they will not be able to do it within River’s window. But they can move on and try to move forward with the nucleus they were able to accumulate. The Chargers as constructed with Rivers will not be picking high enough with THIS much QB depth again so they need to take a guy who can be the successor. Joe Burrow is a great athlete and thrower of the football. His touch and ability to throw on the run is spectacular and is largely responsible for LSU’s title contention. He would make a fine successor to a new era of Charger football.
12.Tennessee Titans- Jacob Eason QB, Washington
From one era ending to another. The Mariota rein was interesting and even yielded a playoff win but it is time to move on. Clearly he isn’t the guy who is able to take this team any farther than 8-8. The Titans need to get another franchise QB who can develop into a game changer. With Eason you get a guy who could be the top QB prospect in most drafts and the guy with easily the strongest arm. There hasn’t been much tape of eason yet but of what I can see he has special abilities rare to most QBs.
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Grant Delpit S, LSU
One of the Bucs most famous blunders in recent draft memory was passing on in state Derwin James for Vita Vea. They can now even out that blunder by adding the one guy who may be an even better prospect that what Derwin was. Grant Delpitt can play all over the field and is possibly the best safety I have ever scouted. His speed and instincts are second to none in CFB. The fact that the Bucs would get him at 13 tells you something about how special this draft class is.
14. Cleveland Browns- Alex Weatherwood OT, Alabama
The Browns are losing games for one reason: THEIR TACKLES ARE TERRIBLE. Any team with any rusher is able to get into the backfield almost immediately. Weatherwood is a fringe 1st rounder but the Brows are likely picking lower in the draft so they should still be able to draft a Tackle of the future regardless.
15. Indianapolis Colts- Isiah Simmons LB, Clemson
This late, famously brilliant GM Chris Ballard will be looking to take the best player available. Isiah Simmons who is essentially a Clemson clone of his fellow Tiger Darious Leonard, would immediately form one of the scariest linebacking duo on a roster not starved for talent.
16. Dallas Cowboys- K’Lavon Chaisson EDGE, LSU
The Cowboys are rich enough in talent to warrant them knowing that the depth in this class lies at WR so they can save that for later rounds. Their window is closing and assuming they sign Dak to an extension, they need to get another EDGE rusher to compliment Demarcus Lawerence on the other side. K’Lavon is a speed rusher who can be an interesting complement for the cowboys meatheads up front. At least, better than Taco was able to.
17. Carolina Panthers- Laviska Shenault WR, Colorado
The Panthers are ok at a lot of positions but they need another game changer outside McCaffery on the field. Shenault is a game changing YAC receiver who has good size compared to DJ Moore. Whichever way the Panthers decide to go, they will have a much more dynamic offense drafting Shenault
18. LA Rams- Tyler Biadsz OC, Wisconsin
The Rams have a lot of expiring contract but there is no better way to offset many glaring needs than by making your offensive line a strength. The Rams are in flux and may have to reinvent themselves if they are to still be in contention. My suggestion is to pick the biggest, baddest mauler in the class and move on.
19. Minnesota Vikings Jordan Love QB, Utah State
They have one more year of Kirk Cousins, but many more years of many players under long and expensive contracts. To support this they need to get ready to find a cheaper option than Cousins. Investing in this QB class is probably the smartest thing they could do. In Jordan, you have a guy with unbelievable arm talent with great mobility accompanied by great touch especially off balance. Sitting behind Kirk Cousins while the offensive line gets better may be the best decision for Love and especially the Vikings.
20. Oakland Raiders (via Bears)- Paulson Adebo CB, Stanford
The Raiders have many holes on their roster but have been playing stellar football as of late. Their secondary is a problem on the outside and they don’t have to look far (at least scouting wise this year) to find their new CB. Paulson has been proving himself recently by stopping other top QBs from being able to do anything in his area. Gruden likes CBs with good size and press skills which is exactly what you find in Adebo.
21. Baltimore Ravens- Derrick Brown DL, Auburn
The Ravens have always been a team that will take the best player available. If Derrick Brown here at this point the Ravens will pounce. Brown seems like the perfect space eating monster that the Ravens gush over. I think that the Ravens will like a clone of Brandon Williams with a bunch of pass rush ability.
22. Oakland Raiders- Ceedee Lamb WR, Oklahoma
The Raiders are still looking for a playmaker since the whole AB debacle transpired. They have their run game figured out but they really could use a gamechanger at WR. Tyrell Williams is a good piece but they could use a guy like Lamb who can take underneath routes to the house as well as take the top off the defense.
23. Philadelphia Eagles- Kristian Fulton CB, LSU
The Eagles have a pretty well locked up and well rounded football team everywhere except CB. They could use an athlete at the position that can handle what Jim Schwartz sends their way. Fulton is the definition of an athlete at the position. Allegedly faster than Greedy last year, he has the speed to keep up with any receiver. His man instincts could use some more illuminating, but I believe in the potential at this point in the season.
24. Detroit Lions- Tommy Kramer OG, Notre Dame
FULL SEND. The Lions have a good O Line right now. MAKE IT ELITE!!!!!!! The Lions at this point are drafting too late for a pass rusher and the CBs are ok but deep in this class. They need to go where the talent is thin in the draft and make an interior of Glasgow, Ragnow, and Kramer; one of the best in football. MORE MAULERS IN THE MIDWEST!
25. Miami Dolphins (via Texans)- Jonathan Taylor RB, Wisconsin
The Dolphins in this class need to find building blocks and with Taylor they find an elite back who is special at breaking tackles yet quick enough to make people miss in space. Imagine an exact clone of Zeke but a tad slower and that’s what you get with Taylor an elite RB for the rebuilding Dolphins
26. Buffalo Bills- Henry Ruggs III WR, Alabama
At this point the Bills are taking the best WR available PERIOD. However due to this class they can get a potential top 15 player this late in the draft . Ruggs who has been the speedster of the Alabama offense has shown special ability to make plays in space and matched with Josh Allen, could be special in the NFL
27. Seattle Seahawks- Dylan Moses LB, Alabama
The Seahawks weaknesses have been taken off the board too early and for a team as well rounded as they are there is no need to really reach for a need this early. They may as well take the guy who woulda been a top 5 player in this class if not for injury. Moses is a special athlete at the position with unrivaled athletics i'm in coverage and incredible burst to tackle. The Hawks may as well take the risk while they can.
28. New Orleans Saints- Trevon Diggs CB, Alabama
For a team that really has no real glaring weakness, they could use a slight upgrade at CB opposite Lattimore. For all the man coverage they play, finding a guy like Diggs in the draft should make the team even more well rounded and weakness-less than they already are.
29. Kansas City Chiefs- Travis Etienne RB, Clemson
This season has proved that the Chiefs really miss Kareem Hunt. They are still great courtesy of Patrick Mahomes, but opposing defenses have called the Chiefs bluff and decided not to even acknowledge the run. Travis Etiene who is my RB. 1 in this class, will be the answer. His ability to shed tackles and bounce off defenders is amazing and his blazing speed is what really catches my eye. For what the Chiefs are trying to do, Etiene is the perfect back for them.
30. Green Bay Packers- Shane Lemeuix OG, Oregon
The Packers only glaring weakness on their team is: LB, IOL, and WR. They can get their receiver later, and their LB are all gone at this point so they will go full send just like the Lions and beef up the O Line to make life easier on Aaron Rodgers. Lemiuex is a mauler and an amazing run blocker with pretty good pass blocking instincts.
31. San Francisco 49ers- Xavier Mckinney S, Alabama
The 49ers have a solid roster but could use another playmaker on offense or in the backend of the defense. With McKinney they get to have their center fielder and can find other needs later.
32. New England Patriots- Jake Fromm QB, Georgia
It has to happen at some point. Brady has not looked his usual brilliance this year and it is time to find his successor and commit. At least with Fromm, he goes to a team filled with his best friends at Georgia running an actual Pro Style offense. However with Fromm there are questions: does he have the arm? This is a question and not a concern, Georgia refuses to throw the ball and let Fromm air it out and I don’t blame Fromm for that. The throws I have seen down the field are promising yet limited in sample size. His motion is flawless and he could move higher up on my board (if he even comes out this year).