The great debate about what quarterback will have the distinct pleasure of having their career ruined... I mean get drafted by the Cleveland Browns has raged on for months. Will long-projected 1st overall pick Sam Darnold fulfill his destiny or can big-hand behemoth Josh Allen build on months of "HE HAS ALL THE TOOLS" buzz in scouting circles to steal his thunder? While it's certainly conceivable that Browns brass are considering taking either of these guys (or perhaps Baker Mayfield if you believe Adam Schefter's report from Tuesday morning), I'm inclined to think this "no one knows who they're going to chose" narrative is a classic misdirection tactic. GM John Dorsey is the type of guy that swoons over tall, unpolished quarterbacks who can sling the ball downfield (evidenced by his decision to trade up to select Patrick Mahomes last season when he was with the Chiefs) and Allen fits that mold better than just about any other prospect in the past decade.
2.New York Giants: Saquon Barkley, running back (Penn State)
You always have to account for the wild card factor with a front office that's headed by Dave Gettleman, but Barkley just makes the most sense for this team right now. Barkley is a potentially elite 3-down back that could help make the back 9 of Eli Manning's career a lot more pleasant by giving this offense a much-needed versatile playmaker out of the backfield.
3.New York Jets: Sam Darnold, quarterback (USC)
The Jets quarterback room, which currently consists of Josh McCown, Bryce Petty, Christian Hackenburg and free agent pickup Teddy Bridgewater, is about to get even more crowded. Multiple reports have stated that the powers that be in East Rutherford love Baker Mayfield, but I'd be pretty surprised if they passed up an opportunity to take Darnold-who possesses similar upside without Mayfield's potential personality baggage.
4.Cleveland Browns: Denzel Ward, cornerback (Ohio State)
Having a pair of top 5 selections in a draft where QB's are a hot commodity is quite the luxury for the Browns. This team still needs to improve at pretty much every position and barring some truly wild shit unfolding in the 2 picks prior to this one, they'll have a deep pool of potential blue chip players to pick from. Myles Garrett's strong rookie season makes it unlikely that Bradley Chubb will be in the mix here, so I'm going to commit a blind dart throw and say that Ward will be on his way to the Dawg Pound. Ward is a fearless, physical corner with tremendous ball skills that reminds me a lot of his former college teammate Marshon Lattimore and could really help this suspect secondary that has gotten consistently destroyed by Antonio Brown and A.J. Green over the years improve right away.
5.Denver Broncos: Baker Mayfield, quarterback (Oklahoma)
Just because the Broncos signed Case Keenum to a multi-year contract in free agency doesn't mean that they aren't still in the market for a quarterback. There's no chance in hell John Elway has an issue with Mayfield's unapologetic arrogance plus the reigning Heisman winner's accuracy, decisionmaking and pocket awareness will undoubtedly intrigue him after watching sloppy QB play derail his otherwise pretty talented team over the past 2 seasons.
6.Indianapolis Colts: Bradley Chubb, edge rusher (NC State)
Even with the additional picks they picked when they swamped places with the Jets, it remains a strong possibility that the Colts will trade down once again to acquire even more picks to help jumpstart their rebuilding process. If Chris Ballard decides to stay put at #6, Chubb seems like the obvious choice. With his well-rounded game and exceptional athleticism, Chubb could give the Colts the disruptive front 7 presence they desperately need to compete in the suddenly loaded AFC South.
7.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Minkah Fitzpatrick, safety/cornerback (Alabama)
The Bucs surrendered the most passing yards in the league last season, but luckily for them, they've got a host of decorated defensive backs they can chose from at #7. While Derwin James, Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson have arguably generated buzz during the latter stages of the predraft process, the consistency, range and football IQ Fitzpatrick flashed during his time at Alabama makes him the favorite to land in Tampa.
8.Chicago Bears: Quenton Nelson, guard (Notre Dame)
Every move Ryan Pace has made since the start of the free agency has been designed to aid the development of 2nd-year quarterback Mitch Trubisky and I don't expect that to change on draft night. The Bears are currently in the market for a new starting left guard after severing ties with 32-year old Pro Bowler Josh Sitton and if he's available when they're on the clock, I expect Quenton Nelson will be the guy to step into that role. Nelson is quite possibly the most touted interior line prospect of this decade so far and the presence of his college offensive line coach Harry Halstead on the Bears staff should increase his odds of living up to his off-the-charts potential.
9.San Francisco 49ers: Derwin James, safety (Florida State)
After being gift-wrapped Jimmy Garoppolo at the trade deadline last October, the 49ers can now turn their attention to adding complementary pieces in the draft. The back end of their defense has been a fatal flaw since Jim Harbaugh left town and with their decision to not retain longtime starter Eric Reid, their safety situation is particularly dire. Boasting strong zone coverage skills, sure tackling and a willingness to handle any assignment you throw at him, James is a jack knife that could bring a much-needed playmaking presence to their woeful secondary.
10.Oakland Raiders: Tremaine Edmunds, inside linebacker (Virginia Tech)
I'd be stunned if the inaugural selection of Jon Gruden's comeback tour wasn't salacious. This guy didn't return to the sidelines after a decade-long hiatus with the intent of making sensible decisions that are met with universal kudos from the NFL community. While I'm not ruling out whatever the 2018 equivalent of Al Davis picking Darrius Heyward-Bey with the 7th overall pick would be, Edmunds seems like the perfect, headline-grabbing "I'M BACK GUYS" move for the godfather of Spider Y-2 Banana. Taking a freakishly athletic yet completely unrefined inside linebacker who doesn't turn 20 until next month with a top 10 pick is a ballsy move that will either make you look like a genius or a total jabroni in 3-4 years time.
11.Miami Dolphins: Vita Vea, defensive tackle (Washington)
Considering all of the house cleaning they've done since the start of the new league year, you have to believe that the Dolphins will consider taking a quarterback to succeed Ryan Tannehill with this pick. Ultimately, I think they'll give the injury-prone Tannehill another crack at being the uncontested starter and try to fill some of the other holes they created with their flurry of personnel moves last month by bringing in a potential defensive force like Vea. While stepping into a role that was previously held by a hard-nosed wrecking ball in Ndmuakong Suh is incredibly intimidating, Vea has the strength and short-area quickness to blossom into a successful interior defensive lineman in the NFL.
12.Buffalo Bills: Josh Rosen, quarterback (UCLA)
In a not-so-shocking development considering the fickle nature of many NFL owners, Rosen's outspoken criticism on numerous taboo subjects such as the NCAA's treatment of its athletes, the current President of the United States and losing culture that surrounds the Cleveland Browns has caused him to slip down draft boards. This puzzling tumble could end up being the blessing that the Bills, who have been aggressively trying to trade into the top 5 to select a possible franchise QB since they acquired the #12 pick from the Bengals last month, never expected to happen. Rosen's intelligence, quick release and track record of exceling without top-tier talent around him give him a legitimate chance to have the best pro career of any quarterback in this lauded draft class.
13.Washington Redskins: Jaire Alexander, cornerback (Louisville)
Alexander has been flying up the draft boards in recent weeks and if you put on his tape, it's easy to see why. His footwork, quickness and ability to track and make plays on the ball might be better than anyone else in this deep corner class. That skill set make him a very appealing option for a Redskins squad that currently has a staggering lack of depth behind top dog Josh Norman and just dealt promising young gun Kendall Fuller to the Chiefs in the Alex Smith trade.
14.Green Bay Packers: Marcus Davenport, edge rusher (Texas San-Antonio)
The Packers pass-rush has been a problem for years and now that Dom Capers and Ted Thompson are out of the equation, it seems like they might actually use high-level assets to address it. Davenport's technique needs some work and his lack of experience against top-tier Division 1 competition in college is a bit concerning, but his high motor and excellent Senior Bowl performance suggests that he could turn into a force at the next level.
15.Arizona Cardinals: Mike McGlinchey, tackle (Notre Dame)
Thanks to the retirement of Carson Palmer and surprising release of safety Tyrann Mathieu this offseason, the gaping holes across the Cardinals offensive line have gone relatively unnoticed. With their commitment to start Sam Bradford in 2018, they're going to need to try and stop him from spontaneously combusting on the field by addressing their o-line in the draft and McGlinchey, who is the cleanest prospect available at this juncture, provides them with the best chance of preventing (or more likely, delaying) that on-field fatality from happening. McGlinchey's consistently strong run-blocking, solid pass-protection and experience lining up at both tackle spots would make him an ideal option for a group that appears primed to be erratic as hell for the foreseeable future.
16.Baltimore Ravens: Roquan Smith, inside linebacker (Georgia)
Just about every draft has a highly-regarded player with no off-the-field issues that slides down the board for some inexplicable reason. Based on nothing besides my gut feeling, Roquan Smith strikes me as that guy this year. Inside linebacker is nowhere near the top of the Ravens list of needs, but I just can't see a well-coached, defensive-minded team passing on an opportunity to land a player that has as much as star potential as Smith does.
17.Los Angeles Chargers: Taven Bryan, defensive tackle (Florida)
The Chargers painfully inept rushing defense (142 rushing yards per game, 31st in the league) played a pivotal role in the death of their playoff hopes during the 2017 season. Plugging a quick, hard-nosed mauler like Taven Bryan into their interior defensive line rotation would be a welcome first step towards building a front that might be able to slow down an opponent's rushing attack from time to time.
18.Seattle Seahawks: Josh Jackson, cornerback (Iowa)
Following the departures of Jeremy Lane, DeShawn Shead and Richard Sherman this offseason, the Seahawks corner group is going to be full of new faces the next time they hit the field. Long, aggressive ballhawk Josh Jackson is a perfect scheme fit that could help this retooled secondary hit the ground running in 2018.
19.Dallas Cowboys: Calvin Ridley, wide receiver (Alabama)
Jerry Jones' decision to move on from Dez Bryant earlier this month makes wide receiver even more of priority for a team that was already lacking weapons for Dak Prescott to throw to. While I wouldn't be surprised if speedster D.J. Moore or jump-ball specialist Cortland Sutton ended up with a star on their helmet, Calvin Ridley's SEC pedigree and noted route-running prowess gives him the slight edge over the rest of the top WR's in this polarizing class.
20.Detroit Lions: Harold Landry, edge rusher (Boston College)
With top sack artist Ziggy Ansah only under contract for 1 more season, the Lions long-term defensive end/outside linebacker situation is pretty murky. Adding Harold Landry, who has the most pure pass-rushing potential in this year's draft, to their front 7 should steadily improve their edge defense this season while also giving them a capable successor to Ansah if he fails to sign a long-term deal with the team.
21.Cincinnati Bengals: James Daniels, center (Iowa)
All indications out of Cincinnati seem to point to the Bengals zeroing in on an offensive lineman in the 1st round, which make sense considering how much they struggled upfront in 2017. While Arkansas product Frank Ragnow has a better college track record and is currently climbing up draft boards, I believe that Daniels' superior athleticism will make him a more appealing option for the Bengals.
22.Buffalo Bills: Isaiah Wynn, guard (Georgia)
The brutal comedown from the surreal high that the Bills experienced after clinching their 1st playoff berth since the Clinton administration has been expedited this offseason in large part due to the departures of 3 of their starting offensive lineman (left tackle Cordy Glenn, left guard Richie Incognito, center Eric Wood) from last year's team. This mass exodus has created a really shitty situation for the Bills offense and could ultimately force them to table their desire to trade up and select their quarterback of the future. If the Bills don't end up giving away this pick in a trade, Wynn has the polish and versatility to potentially soften the devastating blows this o-line has suffered over the past few months.
23.New England Patriots: Connor Williams, tackle/guard (Texas)
Nate Solder's not-so-surprising departure in free agency has left the increasingly important role of protecting Tom Brady's blind side vacant. As stubborn as Bill Belichick is, I don't see him entrusting LaAdrian Waddle or 2nd year-guy Antonio Garcia, who spent his entire rookie season on IR, with that job on a full-basis going into the 2018 season. Despite the injuries and bouts of inconsistent play that somewhat derailed his final year at Texas, Williams has enough intriguing physical tools (quick feet, good hand use, serious mean streak) that could be parlayed into something special by their masterful o-line coach Dante Scarnecchia to be viewed as a long-term option at a position that is incredibly hard to find quality talent at.
24.Carolina Panthers: D.J. Moore, wide receiver (Maryland)
The shocking mid-season trade of Kelvin Benjamin left a massive hole in the Panthers aerial attack that the likes of Curtis Samuel, Russell Shepard and Kaelin Clay just couldn't fill in the latter stages of last season. D.J. Moore could put an end to this pressing receiver problem that has plagued the offensively-challenged Panthers since their Super Bowl loss in 2015. Moore's speed and post-catch ability would make him an ideal complement to their tall, physical top receiver Devin Funchess.
25.Tennessee Titans: Sam Hubbard, edge rusher (Ohio State)
With Chubb, Davenport and Landry all likely to be off the board by the time they choose, the edge rush-needy Titans are going to be forced to put their gambling hats on earlier than they expected. In a sea of raw prospects, Hubbard's exceptional size (6"5, 270 lbs), strength and proficiency against the run make him a particularly intriguing dice roll.
26.Atlanta Falcons: Maurice Hurst, defensive tackle (Michigan)
While there's no denying their notable improvement over the past 2 seasons, the Falcons still have some glaring they need to address before they can be considered a great defense. Even with the medical red flags that prevented him from participating in drills at the Scouting Combine, Hurst's devastating first-step and knack for causing problems at the line of scrimmage makes him a worthwhile risk for a Falcons team whose defensive interior has gotten manhandled by the strong offensive lines and rushing attacks of their rivals in the NFC South.
27.New Orleans Saints: Hayden Hurst, tight end (South Carolina)
Drew Brees presumably signed the final contract of his career in March and I can't think of a better way to celebrate the start of his closing act as Saints QB than selecting another vertical threat to put next to rising star wideout Michael Thomas. Hurst is a Jimmy Graham-esque slot receiver in a tight end's body that could turn into a god damn force of nature in this diverse uptempo offense.
28.Pittsburgh Steelers: Leighton Vander Esch, inside linebacker (Boise State)
The absence of inside linebacker Ryan Shazier following a spinal cord injury that almost left him paralyzed last December opened up a massive void in the middle of the Steelers defense that caused them to flat-out implode down the stretch. With Shazier's career possibly in jeopardy, bringing in Vander Esch would make a lot of sense. Vander Esch's ability to fly around the field and change direction on a whim make him an ideal candidate to make up for the loss of Shazier's valuable sideline-to-sideline playmaking ability in Keith Butler's zone-heavy scheme.
29.Jacksonville Jaguars: Dallas Goedert, tight end (South Dakota State)
A lack of reliable options in the passing game was a huge detriment to the Jaguars Cinderella playoff run last season. While Tom Coughlin has brought in a couple of serviceable veterans (Donte Moncrief, Austin Seferian-Jenkins) this offseason that should help them combat the problem, Goedert has the potential to turn into the physical, acrobatic catch-making matchup nightmare the Jags need to diversify their offense. The South Dakota State product has the size and body control to make contested redzone catches and also has some showed some real promise as a blocker, which would be great for a team with a young bellcow back that had some issues with consistently open rushing lanes in 2017.
30.Minnesota Vikings: Will Hernandez, guard (UTEP)
The retirement of longtime center/guard Joe Berger is a significant loss for an offensive line that was quietly one of the sharpest in the league in 2017. While Hernandez likely won't be able to fill Berger's leadership role right away, he's a tough player with a sky-high celling that should keep $84 million man Kirk Cousins from getting killed up the middle during his inaugural year as the Vikings starting quarterback while also opening up some nice holes for his running backs.
31.New England Patriots: Mason Rudolph, quarterback (Oklahoma State)
Bill Belichick didn't go out and secure a 2nd 1st-round pick with the intention of bolstering his defense or offensive line. The man is livid about how the situation with Jimmy Garoppolo went down and it would be a staggering upset if he didn't use one of these picks (or package them to trade up) to select a quarterback. The leak about Lamar Jackson's secret pre-draft visit this past weekend has created quite the sir among the media, but unless future head coach Josh McDaniels is smitten with the 2016 Heisman Winner out of Louisville, I just don't see him ending up in a Patriots uniform. Rudolph fits the tall, accurate pocket passer prototype Belichick has favored during his entire tenure in New England and while I'm not going to pretend he has the same upside as Garoppolo, he could turn into a damn fine successor to Tom Brady if he continues to fine-tune his game.
32.Philadelphia Eagles: Donte Jackson, cornerback (LSU)
I initially had Mike Hughes slotted here, but I'd be surprised if Howie Roseman was willing to use a high pick on a guy with legal red flags while the bizarre Daryl Worley incident is still fresh in his mind. Jackson's top-end speed, strong coverage skills and fearless playing style would make him a welcome addition to a defensive back group that just lost its excellent slot corner Patrick Robinson in free agency.
Second Round:
33.Cleveland Browns: Kolton Miller, tackle (UCLA)
34.New York Giants: Frank Ragnow, center (Arkansas)
35.Cleveland Browns: Da'Ron Payne, defensive tackle (Alabama)
36.Indianapolis Colts: Mike Hughes, cornerback (UCF)
37.Indianapolis Colts: Rashaad Penny, running back (San Diego State)
38.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Sony Michel, running back (Georgia)
39.Chicago Bears: Cortland Sutton, wide receiver (SMU)
40.Denver Broncos: Derrius Guice, running back (LSU)
41.Oakland Raiders: Harrison Phillips, defensive tackle (Stanford)
42.Miami Dolphins: Lamar Jackson, quarterback (Louisville)
43.New England Patriots: Rashaan Evans, inside linebacker (Alabama)
44.Washington Redskins: Lorenzo Carter, edge rusher (Georgia)
45.Green Bay Packers: Isaiah Oliver, cornerback (Colorado)
46.Cincinnati Bengals: Ronnie Harrison, safety (Alabama)
47.Arizona Cardinals: Christian Kirk, wide receiver (Texas A&M)
48.Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Reid, safety (Stanford)
49.Indianapolis Colts: Tyrell Crosby, tackle (Oregon)
50.Dallas Cowboys: Josey Jewell, inside linebacker (Iowa)
51.Detroit Lions: Mike Gesicki, tight end (Penn State)
52.Baltimore Ravens: Kyle Lauletta, quarterback (Richmond)
53.Buffalo Bills: Brian O'Neill, tackle (Pittsburgh)
54.Kansas City Chiefs: Arden Key, edge rusher (LSU)
55.Carolina Panthers: Billy Price, center/guard (Ohio State)
56.Buffalo Bills: Anthony Miller, wide receiver (Memphis)
57.Tennessee Titans: Ronald Jones, running back (USC)
58.Atlanta Falcons: D.J. Chark, wide receiver (LSU)
59.San Francisco 49ers: Orlando Brown, tackle (Oklahoma)
60.Pittsburgh Steelers: Nick Chubb, running back (Georgia)
61.Jacksonville Jaguars: Malik Jefferson, inside linebacker (Texas)
62.Minnesota Vikings: Carlton Davis, cornerback (Auburn)
63.New England Patriots: Duke Ejiofor, edge rusher (Wake Forest)
64.Cleveland Browns: James Washington, wide receiver (Oklahoma State)
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