Read American Football NFL Mock Draft- Pre Week 17
1. Cleveland Browns (1-14)- Jonathan Allen (DL, Alabama)- Many like the Trubisky-Cleveland matchup because Hue Jackson likes a QB with a quick release, but passing up on a generational talent like Jonathan Allen would be silly. Cleveland’s biggest issue is their impotent three or four man rush, and Allen can fix this from day one. When you lack talent on the defensive side of the ball, you have to preach versatility and unpredictability, and Jonathan Allen can give them this as he can play in both a 3-4 and a 4-3, and he can rush from the interior or from the edge. Him and Jamie Collins could be a scary pairing.
2. San Francisco 49ers (2-13)- DeShone Kiser (QB, Notre Dame)- Chip Kelly has worked wonders with Colin Kaepernick this year, but it is likely that Kaep’s time is up in Santa Clara. Kiser is raw, but Chip Kelly is perhaps better equipped to help him with a transition to the NFL than any other Head Coach. He is an athletic QB, which means Kelly can open up his playbook and try to implement his philosophy on the 9ers roster.
3. Chicago Bears (3-12)- Myles Garrett (DE, Texas A&M)- As long as John Fox is the Head Coach of the Bears, they will prioritise the defensive side of the ball. Matt Barkley has shown a small amount of promise, and Chicago probably won’t be afraid to give him one more year under center to prove himself. Garrett is a deadly pass rusher who could give them something up front, which will free up Leonard Floyd and Pernell McPhee to devastate offensive tackles.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12)- Leonard Fournette (RB, LSU)- The Jaguars defence hasn’t been that bad in 2016, but their offence has been chronic to say the least. I find it fair to draw parallels between the 2016 Jaguars and the 2015 Titans, both have decent defences that are being overshadowed by dysfunctional offences. Tennessee fixed this by signing two running backs, and Jacksonville will draw inspiration and do the same by drafting Fournette, who is a special talent.
5. Tennessee Titans (8-7 via LA Rams)- Mike Williams (WR, Clemson)- Tennessee have a lot of receivers who are good in the open field, but they still lack that WR1 who can be a deadly redzone target. Mike Williams has good size, and he would give Marcus Mariota a truly useful weapon to go alongside Rishard Matthews and Delanie Walker.
6. New York Jets (4-11)- Quincy Wilson (CB, Florida)- The Jets problems this year have all originated from the fact they have a Swiss Cheese secondary. Todd Bowles runs a blitz happy defence, but it is tough to do this when you have an aging, and poor secondary. Wilson is an extremely talented player who has the speed and athleticism required for Todd Bowles’ system. The Jets aren’t in any hurry to win, so they need project players.
7. San Diego Chargers (5-10)- Jamal Adams (S, LSU)- This is a matchup I have loved for a long time, because Adams is the player who could turn the Chargers defence into a top five defence. The Chargers have pass rush, but they still don’t have a safety with a lot of range in the backfield. Adams is a hard hitter, and San Diego need this as they have a reputation of being a soft team.
8. Cincinnati Bengals (5-9-1)- Tim Williams (DE/OLB, Alabama)- The Bengals pass rush has been poor this year as Domata Peko and Michael Johnson have offered absolutely nothing. This has meant that Geno Atkins has struggled for form, and the Bengals could do with helping him out. Williams is a player with a quick first step who has the potential to terrorise offensive tackles.
9. Carolina Panthers (6-9)- Dalvin Cook (RB, FSU)- The Panthers need help in other areas, but Dalvin Cook is a player who has the potential to drastically improve their offence. He is a dual threat back who would provide Cam Newton with an extra weapon, and he could take over from Jonathan Stewart who is about to hit the wrong side of 30. Cook seems a natural fit in Mike Shula’s vertical offence.
10. Cleveland Browns (1-14 via Philadelphia Eagles)- Mitch Trubisky (QB, North Carolina)- Cleveland get their man, as Trubisky slides down the board due to the availability of franchise defending defensive players. Trubisky is a good fit in a Hue Jackson offence as he prefers a QB with a quick release, and Cleveland could potentially start winning games quickly as they would have a competent player under center. He is a project, but Cleveland aren’t in a hurry to win games.
11. Arizona Cardinals (6-8-1)- Marshon Lattimore (CB, Ohio State)- Arizona’s defence has been pretty good on the whole in 2016, but they need a long-term solution across from Patrick Peterson. Offensive line is probably the Cardinals biggest need, but this is a poor offensive line class and to reach for a mediocre prospect would be silly for a team in win-now mode. Palmer will be back in 2017, and he hasn’t actually been that bad this year.
12. Buffalo Bills (7-8)- Cam Robinson (OT, Alabama)- The Bills may be tempted to address the secondary, but their offensive line is their biggest black hole at this point in time. Buffalo have allowed more pressures than any other team in 2016, and Cam Robinson is a player who could fix this. He looks more like a right tackle, which suits Buffalo as they have Cordy Glenn on the left side. Tennessee showed that investing in the offensive line is wise, and Buffalo should follow suit.
13. Indianapolis Colts (7-8)- Malik McDowell (D-Line, Michigan State)- The Colts defence is the second worst unit in the NFL behind the Rams offence, and it is about time they addressed it. McDowell is a versatile player who draws comparisons to Browns’ stud Danny Shelton, and he would help this pathetic unit improve a lot.
14. Philadelphia Eagles (6-9 via Minnesota Vikings)- Corey Davis (WR, Western Michigan)- The Eagles wide receiver corps is one of the worst groups in the NFL, and they need to address it in this draft. Davis is my favourite prospect as he is a very smooth route runner who can open up a playbook. Carson Wentz needs a top receiver, and Davis offers him this.
15. New Orleans Saints (7-8) – Rueben Foster (LB, Alabama)- The Saints defence has improved this year, but they still need help at the linebacker position. Foster seems a natural fit as the inside linebacker in Dennis Allen’s 4-3 system as he is a hard hitter who is great against the run. He reminds me of Seahawks star Bobby Wagner, and this wouldn’t be a bad player for Sean Payton to add to his defensive ranks.
16. Tennessee Titans (8-7)- Sidney Jones (CB, Washington)- The Titans need help in their secondary, as they are very prone to deep plays. Jones is a guy who will shoot up boards this summer in a similar fashion to William Jackson, and he seems a good fit in Dick LeBeau’s complicated scheme.
17. Baltimore Ravens (8-7)- Carl Lawson (DE/OLB, Auburn)- The Ravens defence was really good in 2016, but they could still do with another versatile playmaker. Lawson is a good fit in their hybrid defence and he could potentially be a long-term replacement for Terrell Suggs, who will surely call it a day in the near future. Lawson is a productive player who gives Dean Pees an extra weapon for blitzes.
18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7)- Marlon Humphrey (CB, Alabama)- Brent Grimes has had a great year for Tampa, but he is 34 this summer and it is unlikely he ever produces a season this good again. Tampa need to get bigger in the secondary, and Humphrey gives them a player who can matchup with bigger receivers. He seems a good fit in Mike Smith’s defence.
19. Denver Broncos (8-7)- Takkarist McKinley (DE/OLB, UCLA)- The Broncos are a defence first team, and it wouldn’t make any sense to pass on McKinley at this point in the draft. DeMarcus Ware is getting old, and they ideally need to find his long-term replacement. McKinley is a versatile player who has the potential to feast on offensive tackles and he is also effective against the run.
20. Washington Redskins (8-6-1)- Jabrill Peppers (S/LB, Michigan)- The Skins need help anywhere up the middle as they are poor against the run and poor against quick pass offences. Peppers is a guy who according to Walter football, teams aren’t as high on as casual fans, but he is too good to pass up at this point in the draft. The Skins need playmakers, and Peppers could be the hard-hitting and rangey presence they need in the middle of the field.
21. Detroit Lions (9-6) Derek Barnett (DE, Tennessee)- Detroit’s defence has been poor on the whole in 2016, and they need someone who can be a long-term presence alongside Kerry Hyder and Zeke Ansah. Barnett is a speedy rusher who looks a perfect fit in Teryl Austin’s defence. Detroit’s secondary is weak too, but a good pass rush can mask a poor secondary, just ask the 2012 New York Giants.
22. Miami Dolphins (10-5)- Jake Butt (TE, Michigan)- The Dolphins are crying out for a tight end, as Jordan Cameron simply isn’t the man to help them out. Butt is well-rounded and he could provide them with a reliable run blocker, as well as a vertical threat. Adam Gase is an offensive coach, and he will want to add more offensive playmakers.
23. New York Giants (10-5)- John Ross (WR, Washington)- If Ross slips this far, then Ben McAdoo will be a very happy man. The Giants offence has been poor for the majority of 2016, and Ross is a guy who could be the outside threat that they are crying out for. Sterling Shepard has offered a nice dimension for their passing game, but he isn’t enough to turn them into a top-level offence.
24. Houston Texans (9-6)- DeShaun Watson (QB, Clemson)- Houston f****d up last summer, and the sooner they recognise this, the better. Watson has his flaws, but he is easily better than Brock Osweiler or Tom Savage. He is also a leader, which is something that the Texans offence could use as it has been a truly pathetic unit this year. Houston have a great defence, and pairing it with a good young quarterback could be a very promising and important move to ensure they don’t waste JJ Watt’s prime years.
25. Kansas City Chiefs (11-4)- Zach Cunningham (ILB, Vanderbilt)- Derrick Johnson is 34 this summer, and Andy Reid needs to find his long-term replacement. Cunningham is an athletic player who has the quickness that could add a very dangerous dimension to an already excellent Kansas City Chiefs defence. He is great against the run, and he can also rush the passer from the interior which is something that could be important for Kansas City in the future.
26. Green Bay Packers (9-6)- Jalen Tabor (CB, Florida)- Sam Shields might never play another down in the NFL, so Green Bay need to address their secondary. Their secondary isn’t as bad as everyone thinks, most teams would struggle if they lost four starters, but the majority of the guys in the secondary aren’t anything special. Tabor is a very talented player who could become a lockdown corner in Dom Capers’ system.
27. Seattle Seahawks (9-5-1)- DeMarcus Walker (DT, FSU)- Seattle have struggled all year with pressuring teams up the middle, and things got so bad that Pete Carroll had to turn to John Jenkins to provide an answer. Jenkins hasn’t provided anything, and Seattle need to stop delaying the inevitable and they need to replace Brandon Mebane. Walker is a versatile player who fits well on the hybrid front, and he can also stop the run which is a requirement for any Seattle defensive lineman.
28. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)- Jarrad Davis (ILB, Florida)- Pittsburgh could do with a long-term option at the inside linebacker position, as Lawrence Timmons is getting old, and their depth there isn’t anything to write home about. Davis is a player who plays well in all three phases, and he is also versatile, which is a necessity in the Steelers defence.
29. Atlanta Falcons (10-5)- Taco Charlton (DE, Michigan)- Despite winning 10 games, Atlanta’s defence still hasn’t been good enough for this year, and it could be their Achilles heel in the playoffs. Taco Charlton is a player who has rocketed up draft boards in recent weeks, and he could be the guy that is needed across from Vic Beasley, who has 14.5 sacks in 2016. He reminds me of Michael Bennett, and the Falcons defence is missing the ‘Michael Bennett’ type player to go across from the ‘Cliff Avril’ like Vic Beasley.
30. Oakland Raiders (12-3)- Caleb Brantley (DT, Florida)- Despite having a lot of talent, the Raiders haven’t been good enough on the defensive end in 2016. One of the major reasons for this is they are allowing 4.6 yards per carry against the run, which is the second worst of any team that is going to be in the playoffs. Brantley is a good run stuffer who can also be a ‘one gap’ penetrator, this will help Ken Norton’s defence be a bit more effective.
31. New England Patriots (13-2)- Chris Wormley (DE/DT, Michigan)- New England’s defence is pretty good on the whole, but they still don’t trouble the quarterback enough. They need someone who can rush from multiple areas, and Wormley would provide this. Matt Patricia’s hands are currently tied because of the lack of a pass rush, and they need to untie his hands by making a sensible pick like this.
32. Dallas Cowboys (13-2) (Raekwon McMillan (ILB, Ohio State)- The Cowboys are in an amazing position at the moment, but they still need a bit of help on the defensive end. McMillan is a versatile player who would add some talent to a front seven that only really has Sean Lee. He hasn’t declared for the draft as of yet, but if he does, he should be on Dallas’ radar.