After all, it's only one more sleep til DRAFT DAY! Yes my friends, it is the most wonderful weekend of the year. The NFL Draft begins Thursday night, live, from scenic Cleveland, Ohio! Hopefully it won't be a super-spreader event, and instead will just be a super good time. Here are my projections for Round 1. As per usual, I do not project trades. I seem to be one of the last people to do this, cause even the glorious Mel Kiper Jr is projecting trades now. It just complicates everything, so I will stick to teams drafting where they are currently slotted. Here we go. The Jacksonville Jaguars are now on the clock!
1) Jacksonville Jaguars- Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
Well, this one is a no-brainer, huh? He has been the top QB prospect for over 2 years, so there is a reason why he will go #1. Urban Meyer will be pleased.
2) New York Jets- Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
Oh Jets fans. I hope this pick works for you. Wilson was really good last year at BYU. Some say he has Mahomes-eqsue upside. Not sure many Jets fans will be there in Cleveland to boo the pick, so it might be the warmest welcome a Jets draft pick has had in a while.
3) San Francisco 49ers- Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
Yeah, the 49ers traded up to take someone that may have actually been there at #12. But, I think Kyle Shanahan knows who he wants, and didn't want to take the chance of missing out. Mac Jones ran Bama's offense perfectly. He won't have the same weapons that he did with the Tide, but he is a safe bet to at least be a solid QB.
4) Atlanta Falcons- Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
Here is where the draft really starts, assuming everyone is correct about Jones going #3. Yes, the Falcons could take Sewell, Chase, or Pitts here. But QBs like Justin Fields don't come along every day. Matt Ryan turns 36 in a few weeks. Maybe it is time to take the next franchise QB, especially since next year's class doesn't look as good as this one.
5) Cincinnati Bengals- Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
Yes, the Bengals added some OL in free agency. No, that should not stop them from taking the top tackle in the draft. They need to protect Joe Burrow, and Sewell is a no-doubt anchor on the left side of the line for years to come.
6) Miami Dolphins- Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
Speaking of helping young QBs, I am sure Tua will be lobbying for one of his old Alabama teammates with this pick. Instead, the Dolphins will take Chase, who ranks just slightly higher than Smith and Waddle.
7) Detroit Lions- DeVonte Smith, WR, Alabama
Mr. Heisman goes to Motown, who need to replace Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay. This may be a rebuilding year for the Lions, so adding in a consistent and technically sound WR is a great building block.
8) Carolina Panthers- Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
The Panthers got their QB in their trade for Sam Darnold. So, they get him a weapon in the form of the (apparent) can't miss superstar TE. Kyle Pitts can slot in as a Day 1 starter, creates nightmare matchups for smaller corners and slower linebackers, and should provide Darnold a consistent weapon he never really had in NY.
9) Denver Broncos- Micha Parsons, ILB, Penn State
There is a QB on the board... but I think the Broncos will pass. Trey Lance needs to sit a season, and the Broncos don't really want to wait on a QB. If it was Fields or Jones, I think they jump. Instead, they fill a need and take the best defensive player available.
10) Dallas Cowboys- Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
Rumor has it Jerry Jones is obsessed with Kyle Pitts, but he isn't available. So, the Cowboys try to fix that perennially leaky secondary with the son of an all-pro. While Horn and Farley may have more potential, Surtain is the safer pick, and can team with his old Bama buddy Trevon Diggs.
11) New York Giants- Gregory Rousseau, DE, Miami
While another weapon for Daniel Jones might be nice, the Giants need a pass rusher. Rousseau grades a little lower than Kwity Paye, but he is huge, super athletic, and reminds me of a young JPP. The G-Men won't pass on that kind of potential.
12) Philadelphia Eagles- Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
One of these Eagles WR choices will have to pan out eventually, right? They need weapons, and Waddle is the best on the board.
13) Los Angeles Chargers- Rashawn Slater, OT/G, Northwestern
The Chargers found their franchise QB in Justin Herbert. Now they just need to make sure they can protect him. Slater can play either tackle or guard spot, but I see him starting at LT to protect Herbert's blind side.
14) Minnesota Vikings- Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG, USC
Another versatile lineman. Vera-Tucker is the top rated guard on the board, but can also play left tackle as he did all last season. The Vikings' biggest need is on the OL, so this is a no-brainer pick.
15) New England Patriots- Trey Lance, QB, ND State
There it is! The Patriots finally choose their next great QB, they hope. Lance can come in, sit behind Cam Newton for a year, and learn the Patriot Way. Is there a chance he is gone before 15? Of course. But I don't project trades.
16) Arizona Cardinals- Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
These next two picks could be a coin toss. While there is some concern over Farley's recover from COVID and an offseason surgery, he has been given the green light, and looks all good. His tape shows he is a 1st round pick, and the Cardinals need to replace Patrick Peterson.
17) Las Vegas Raiders- Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
The Raiders also need help on the outside, and Horn is the last of the top 3 CBs on the board. He may be more fluid than Surtain, has excellent size, and has excelled for 3 season at South Carolina. We can only hope he can celebrate an interception as well as his father, former WR Joe Horn, celebrated a touchdown.
18) Miami Dolphins- Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, OLB, Notre Dame
Tua already has some offensive help, so the Dolphins go defense with JOK. He is a rangy, playmaking LB who can assist in coverage or the pass rush. A truly versatile defensive force. I could also see the Dolphins going OL here with Darrisaw, in which case JOK would likely find his way to DC.
19) Washington Football Team- Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
Trent Williams is gone and is never coming back. While Geron Christian and Cornelius Lucas have been fine, Darrisaw would be an upgrade, especially for the run game. WFT needs help at LB and S as well, so they could look there. Also, if a top QB somehow falls to a spot where they could trade up ahead of the Patriots, that could be an option as well. If they draft a WR, I will flip out.
20) Chicago Bears- Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State
Boy, did the Bears want a QB to fall here. But, sadly, no one did, so the Bears will bring in Jenkins, who can anchor their OL for whoever the next QB after Andy Dalton is.
21) Indianapolis Colts- Kwity Paye, DE, Michigan
Remember when the Colts had Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis? Two of the best DEs in the league? Well, their pass rush hasn't been the same since those two potential Hall of Famers retired. Enter Paye, who may be the best in the draft, and the Colts can start to dream again.
22) Tennessee Titans- Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida
The Titans lost Corey Davis, who finally decided to have a good year in his walk year. Interesting. Anyway, they can pair the explosive and elusive Toney with AJ Brown's strength for one of the better young receiving tandems in the league.
23) New York Jets- Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
The Jets didn't get the Clemson QB, but they can take his running back! Etienne is a playmaker, who would be an upgrade over (looks at Jets roster) Tevin Coleman? Really? Yeah, draft Etienne now and never look back. A young QB's best friend is a solid running game.
24) Pittsburgh Steelers- Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
An old QBs best friend is a solid running game as well! The Steelers are in need of a replacement for James Connor, and Harris is the best of the bunch. A powerful running back, he just makes so much sense at this pick. Almost too much sense...
25) Jacksonville Jaguars- Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU
The Jags have a lot of picks in this draft. They will fill a lot of needs. Help in the secondary is one of those needs, and Moehrig is the top safety available. The Thorpe Award winner will bring much-needed ability to the league's 2nd worst defense.
26) Cleveland Browns- Jaelan Phillips, DE, Miami
Yes, the Browns just signed Jadeveon Clowney, but they could use more pass rushing depth. Phillips was a monster at Miami, and assuming his medicals check out, could learn from two of the best and then take over in a season or two.
27) Baltimore Ravens- Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU
The Ravens were so desperate for wideouts last year that they signed Dez Bryant. They spend one of their two first round picks on Marshall, who has the size (6'2.5) to compliment Hollywood Brown's speed in the passing game.
28) New Orleans Saints- Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern
Sean Payton said today that CB is a position that the Saints need to address, so why not take the best one available? Newsome is a smart player, has great size, and the NFL.com comp is Darius Slay. Yeah, that will do.
29) Green Bay Packers- Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama
Now, if it was me, I might consider a WR here to keep future Jeopardy host Aaron Rodgers happy. But, the Packers don't do that. So, I turn to one of their biggest needs, the defensive line. While they are bringing back their starters from last year, Barmore would be an upgrade. Just ask Notre Dame and Ohio State how good Barmore can be.
30) Buffalo Bills- Zaven Collins, OLB, Tulsa
The Bills seem to just be a piece or two away from dominance. Could that piece come in the form of a pass rusher? Collins is a beast, and could help immediately. If the Bills find themselves in the AFC title game vs the Chiefs again, they will probably want more than 1 sack for 0 years, right?
31) Baltimore Ravens- Azeez Ojulari, OLB, Georgia
The Ravens got this pick for Orlando Brown, but will use it to help their pass rush. Their starting OLBs only had 4 total sacks last year. Ojulari is a protype 3-4 OLB, and will create havoc for opposing QBs.
32) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Levi Onwuzurike, DL, Washington
The Champs are bringing back all 22 starters from their Super Bowl-winning team. That is unheard of. So, really, this is a depth pick. Three of their D-linemen ar eon one year contracts, including Ndamukong Suh. Onwuzurike provides depth for the future, and he is also damn good.
So there is Round 1! The rest will be posted later today, and will be modified up til the Draft in case there are any changes. Thank you so much for reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment