The SeedSing 2017 Mock NFL Draft
/Tomorrow night is the first round of the 2017 NFL draft. Today, for the first time, I will do my own version of a "mock" draft. This mock will look different from other mocks that are out there. I will predict what I think will happen, not what should happen, including trades and all. I am only going to do the first round as well. I love college football, I think everyone knows this by now, but a 7 round mock is way too much. I'll give one or two sentences as to why I see the particular team drafting or trading their player or pick. I'm very excited about writing this, so let's get to it.
1. Cleveland Browns- Mitch Trubisky. Once again, the Browns will find a way to screw this up because that is what they do. This will be no fault of Hue Jackson's, but I guarantee that the Browns front office want a "sexy" pick, and not the sure thing. Trubisky is going to be a bust on the level of Ryan Leaf, so why wouldn't it be the Browns that make this horrific selection.
2. San Francisco 49ers- Myles Garrett. Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch will be the big winners from the Browns blunder. Garrett is the safest bet in this entire draft. He is also the best player too. Shanahan has time to build, and he will get his QB eventually and install his offense, but the chance to take Garrett will be too enticing, and the correct choice, and he will be a corner stone for this new era of 49ers defense. Absolute homerun pick for the 49ers.
3. Chicago Bears- Jamal Adams. Adams is the best secondary player in the draft, and while the Bears need help everywhere on the field, Adams can come in immediately and solidify the defensive backfield. He may be a bit raw in coverage, but he is a hard hitter, he's coachable, and he is a workaholic. Adams will be a very good player for a long time in the NFL, and the Bears will be lucky to have him.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars- Leonard Fournette. I was going to go defense here, but the Jaguars actually have a decent defense. Fournette is the best running back in the draft, and while Blake Bortles is atrocious, Fournette can immediately take the pressure off him. I love Fournette and think he can be a better Adrian Peterson. He is big, fast and will run over dudes left and right. Fournette is going to be great.
5. Tennessee Titans- Solomon Thomas. The titans are a team on the rise. They have a QB, a running back, a decent O line and some good defensive players. They do need receivers, but no one on this draft warrants this high a pick at receiver. Solomon Thomas is a great defensive tackle, and he will help the Titans pass rush and in run support right away. Thomas played in a pro style defense at Stanford, so he is ready for the NFL. He will be a very good defensive lineman for awhile, and this will only make the Titans better.
6. New York Jets- Malik Hooker. The Jets need help everywhere, and I should expect them to take a QB or receiver this high because they have made some terrible picks as of late, but they will look to shore up their secondary right away. Hooker is a good defensive back from the University of Ohio State, but he does have hamstring issues. This could hurt him in the long run, but he is a ball hawking safety that the Jets could build their secondary around over the next few years. Time will tell with him, but he can help as a rookie.
7. Los Angeles Chargers- Marshon Lattimore. Two University of Ohio State players in the a row, and cornerbacks for that matter. The Chargers do need a QB to replace Phil Rivers soon and they need receivers, but they will look at defense this high in the draft. Lattimore is a fine corner and should start right away. I do not know how good he will be, is he more Stephon Gilmore, or any number of corners that can't translate college success to the NFL? We will have to see, but the Chargers will take a chance.
8. Carolina Panthers- Johnathan Allen. The Panthers do need offensive help for Cam Newton, but with Allen being the best D lineman in the draft, that will be too enticing to pass up. He can plug up the holes in their rush defense, and I think he will be a great pro. He will solidify that line which will open things up for the linebackers and secondary in Carolina. The Panthers will be very happy with Allen "falling" to them in this draft.
9. Cincinnati Bengals- Hassan Reddick. I see some saying that Rueben Foster, the linebacker from Alabama going here, but after his incident at the combine, and the fact that Reddick is better, I think this is a perfect spot for Reddick to go. He can start from day one, and will shore up the linebacking unit. He is a good tackler, can get better in coverage, but will work on his game and fit in very well in the NFL. I love Reddick and he is going to be a good foundation for the Bengals defense.
10. Buffalo Bills- Trade. The Bills have a QB, a good running back, a decent receiver, a good line and a decent defense. I think they can trade this pick for some later picks and maybe even a veteran. They don't need much in a draft, and I think they will trade this pick away. They need to replace Stephon Gilmore, so maybe they trade the pick for a vet cornerback and some later picks.
11. New Orleans Saints- Do whatever you can to trade for Malcom Butler. The Saints need help on defense, and Butler immediately does that. He is a very good corner and will instantly make one side of the field unplayable. He will shut down big time receivers, and make this team instantly better. They need Butler, and I think it will take the 11th pick to get him.
12. Cleveland Browns- John Ross. With their blunder at number one, the Browns will panic and take the fastest guy in the draft because they will assume that they need to pair Trubisky with a receiver. This will be brutal for both guys. Ross will not get a chance to use his gifts because the Browns are so bad, and Trubisky is not going to be good. The Browns 2017 draft will just continue to get worse and worse. They are going to blow this draft.
13. Arizona Cardinals- Deshaun Watson. The Cardinals need a QB to replace Carson Palmer, who maybe only has one or 2 more years, and Watson is the best QB in the entire draft. I think Bruce Arians realizes this, and he will pounce on Watson. I love Deshaun Watson, and I feel like this will be a perfect situation for him. He can sit back for one or 2 seasons. learn the NFL speed and game, and come in and be a very good starter after backing up a decent veteran QB. This is a perfect fit in this draft.
14. Philadelphia Eagles- Takkarist McKinley. The Eagles do not need any offensive players, but they do need defense, and McKinley would be a good fit for them at outside linebacker. He is a good pass rusher and would fit in perfectly. Honestly they could take any defensive player available, but I like McKinley best of the remaining defensive players.
15. Indianapolis Colts- Cam Robinson. The Colts need something everywhere, except QB, but they need to protect that QB first and foremost. Robinson is the best O lineman in the draft. I hate his love for guns, but the NFL and the Colts will overlook that because they need protection for Andrew Luck. Robinson can do that, and the Colts will take him as fast as they can.
16. Baltimore Ravens- OJ Howard. The Ravens need some kind of help offensively, and OJ Howard is the best tight end in the draft. He is big, strong, fast and can catch the ball. He will help out Flacco, who I think is awful, but he will make Flacco look as good as he can. This will be a very good pick for the Ravens and John Harbaugh. He could help put them back in the playoffs very quickly.
17. The Washington Football Team- Derek Barnett. Washington needs help everywhere on defense, and while I think Barnett will be just average, he will help out on the line. He is an okay pass rusher, and I think plugging him in on the D line will work for a bit. Barnett needs to care a little more about getting better, but he is very talented, and Washington won't let him go past the 17th pick.
18. Tennessee Titans- Mike Williams. Tennessee inexplicably has 2 first round picks, and 18 is where they will get some help on the outside. Williams is a big, strong receiver, that runs nice routes and can catch the ball He will become one of Mariota's primary guys right away. Williams proved how good he was in last year's title game, and theTitans will get a very good value pick here.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Christian McCaffery. McCaffery is a very versatile running back that will also be able to play the slot. He is exactly what Winston and the rest of that offense will need to push them back to a possible playoff berth. Tampa has good players everywhere on offense, except running back, and McCaffery will help make the running game a threat.
20. Denver Broncos- Trade for a QB. Somehow, some way, the Broncos need to offload this pick to get a QB. They have pretty much everything else, including a great, great defense. But, they need someone to com in and be a competent QB. I feel like making a draft pick now would be a waste. They should go out and try to get someone like Jimmy Garropolo or AJ McCarron, or someone else's backup to come in and game manage. That is what Denver needs.
21. Detroit Lions- Charles Harris. Harris is a great edge rusher that played on a bad Missouri football team. He was the lone standout, and that will pay off by him being a first round pick. He will pair great with Ezekial Ansah and they will form a very good pass rush duo. Detroit should need very little time to make this pick.
22. Miami Dolphins- Zach Cunningham. The Dolphins are set on offense, but they could use some defensive help. Cunningham reminds me a lot of Harris from Missouri, except he is a linebacker that played on a mediocre Vanderbilt team. But, he was awesome and I think the Dolphins would love to have him come in and play for them. He is a very good linebacker that can cover guys out of the backfield a little bit. This pick will really help the Dolphins.
23. New York Giants- Ryan Ramcyzk. The Giants need help on the O line, and Ramcyzk will do his best to help them. He is the second best offensive lineman in this draft, behind Cam Robinson, but this is a weak O line class. That being said, that is what the Giants need, and they will snatch up Ramcyzk late in the first round.
24. Oakland- Just take the best player available. The Raiders are pretty much set everywhere right now. They have a franchise QB, they are getting Marshawn Lynch, they have Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, a great O line and a passable defense. If they do need anything, I'd say take David Njoku, the tight end from Miami. He would be a good fit and I think Carr would throw to him a lot. He's not a great blocker, but he is a very good pas catcher.
25. Houston- Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes is the second best QB in the draft, and the Texans will snatch a QB if Mahomes or Watson is available. He might have to play right away which could be a hindrance, but he could sit behind Tom Savage for a half a season, or even a whole one, then take over. He looks like he could be a good QB, and I think the Texans would be very pleased if he was still available at 25.
26. Seattle- Forrest Lamp. Seattle needs offensive line help, and while some think Lamp is the best lineman available, I do not, he will help on the O line right away. This team cannot protect Russell Wilson, but Lamp can help with that. Seattle has other needs, i.e., running back, receiver and in the secondary, but O line is their most glaring weakness.
27. Kansas City- Dalvin Cook. The Chiefs need a QB. Alex Smith just cannot get it done, but they can go out and sign a veteran, or wait until later rounds to draft one. That leaves them with a need at running back. Jamaal Charles cannot stay healthy, and I think Cook would be a good fit in KC. He is very fast and waits for holes to open up before he explodes through them. Cook would be a big step up at the running back position for the Chiefs.
28. Dallas- Jabrill Peppers. As much as this pains me, I love Peppers, but I loathe the Cowboys, he fits what they need. Peppers is a versatile defender that the Cowboys can plug into a lot of spots in their secondary. He can also help in their return game. The Cowboys are set on offense, but they need a lot of help on defense, especially in the secondary, and they will go out and get Peppers, "diluted sample" be damned.
29. Green Bay- Get a legit running back. I want them to trade for someone that is already a pro. As much as I like Ty Montgomery and Christine Michael, they are not starting running backs. They are backups at best, and Montgomery is a receiver anyway. Do whatever you have to do and go out and get a legit running back. That is the one position that could put the Packers over the top.
30. Pittsburgh- TJ Watt. The Steelers have a great offense and a bad defense. While he is not his brother, I watched a lot of TJ Watt this year, and he is a good pass rusher, a great tackler and has a "high motor". He seems like a Steeler already, and I feel like this is a match made in heaven for both the team and player.
31. Atlanta- Taco Charlton. The Falcons need some more pass rushers, and Charlton is a very good one. I watched him get better for four straight years at Michigan, and I think he would be a perfect fir for the Falcons. Let us not forget that they had a 25 point lead in the Super Bowl, and I feel like some more edge rushers would be great for them and would have helped them keep their lead. Charlton got better for four years, and I do not even think he is at his best yet. He will only get better.
32. New Orleans- Just like with the 11th pick, do whatever they can to get Malcom Butler. Trade both these picks if they have to. They need veteran help on defense and no one is better, and possibly available, than Butler. Do anything and everything possible to get Butler New Orleans. That is what you need.
There you have it, my first ever mock draft. I hope everyone has some thoughts and feelings about my choices, and if you do, please let me know in the comment section. Tomorrow starts the ten thousand year long coverage of the 2017 draft on ESPN, so tune in to that to see if I'm right about the Browns making horrible choices, or if they do the right thing and take Garrett first overall. This was fun.
Ty
Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. His mock draft submission was held until we could get a less diluted urine sample to test.
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