2018 Pigskin Report Mock Draft
April 26, 2018
Every year, the NFL Draft is crazy, hectic and unexpected. This year is different: it will be crazier, more hectic and way more unexpected than any other draft in recent years. The 2018 NFL draft will definitely not disappoint and will be something exciting to watch for every football fan.
- 1) Cleveland Browns – Baker Mayfield/QB/Oklahoma: According to multiple reports, the Browns were trying to decide between either Baker Mayfield or Josh Allen. Originally, it was believed that Allen would be their guy. However, due to some old tweets from Allen that included the usage of racial slurs that resurfaced just hours before this year’s draft, Mayfield is now seen as the most probable pick for the Browns at number one.
- 2) New York Giants – Saquon Barkley/RB/Penn State: The Giants are reportedly not looking to take a quarterback with their first round pick because they have faith in Eli Manning and their backups Geno Smith and Davis Webb. Barkley would add a whole different aspect to the Giants’ offense and will definitely make an instant impact, so why not take the best running back in the draft?
- 3) New York Jets – Josh Rosen/QB/UCLA: The Jets were hoping that Mayfield would drop to them, but since that’s not the case, they’ll settle for the next, and arguably the most polished, pro-ready quarterback on their board.
- 4) Cleveland Browns – Quenton Nelson/OL/Notre Dame: While the Browns could go multiple directions with this pick, one of the smarter options would be to take the most sure-fire prospect in this draft – offensive lineman Quenton Nelson. With the loss of their Pro-Bowl offensive lineman Joe Thomas, they desperately need someone to fill that hole especially if they expect to give their new franchise quarterback hopeful a chance against opposing defenses.
- 5) Denver Broncos – Sam Darnold/QB/USC: While the Broncos were most likely interested in all four guys that were drafted before this pick, they have to choose the next best player available that will fill their needs That is the perfect description of Sam Darnold.
- 6) Indianapolis Colts – Bradley Chubb/DL/N.C. State: The Colts love this guy, and he’s one of the best defensive lineman to come out of the draft in a while, so Indy would love if Chubb fell to them at pick 6.
- 7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Minkah Fitzpatrick/DB/Alabama: The Buccaneers want to upgrade their secondary, and the best way of doing that is to pick the best defensive back from the best defensive football program in college football.
- 8) Chicago Bears – Derwin James/DB/Florida St.: James is one of the best players left on the board, and he fills the Bears’ need to improve their secondary. This pick makes sense.
- 9) San Francisco 49ers – Denzel Ward/DB/Ohio St.: The 49ers need help with their secondary as well, and Denzel Ward is arguably the second best cornerback and was a part of the same defensive back group as this year’s NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Marshon Lattimore of the New Orleans Saints.
- 10) Oakland Raiders – Roquan Smith/LB/Georgia: The Raiders don’t have many gaping holes in their team except for the linebacker position. Smith is the best linebacker in this draft. Do I need to say anything else?
- 11) Miami Dolphins – Tremaine Edmunds/LB/ Virginia Tech.: The Dolphins would have loved to get Smith, but since they couldn’t, they will choose the next best linebacker in this draft.
- 12) Buffalo Bills – Josh Allen/QB/Wyoming: Josh Allen, until just hours ago, was almost seen as a lock for the first pick of this year’s draft. However, as I previously stated, his draft stock has dropped due to his derogatory tweets from a few years ago that have recently resurfaced. Allen has a cannon of an arm but has issues with his mechanics and accuracy. He’s a risky pick for any team that needs a quarterback, but he has a lot of potential.
- 13) Washington Redskins – Vita Vea/DL/Washington: Vita Vea is a huge interior defensive lineman that can absolutely dominate. The Redskins need some additional help on their defensive line, so this pick would be ideal for Washington.
- 14) Green Bay Packers – Calvin Ridley/WR/Alabama: While the Packers have really been eying Denzel Ward, they won’t get the opportunity to get him thanks to San Francisco. However, they will get a chance to get the best receiver in this draft and give Aaron Rodgers yet another weapon to utilize on that Green Bay offense.
- 15) Arizona Cardinals – Lamar Jackson/QB/Louisville: Jackson is loved by some and hated by others. Many scouts love him, while some scouts doubt his ability to be a successful quarterback in the NFL. This pick is also a risk-reward pick that could either be really awful or really genius.
- 16) Baltimore Ravens – Rashaan Evans/LB/Alabama: The Ravens need a linebacker, and what better way to fill that need than to pick than a linebacker from Alabama (something the Ravens are known to do)?
- 17) Los Angeles Chargers – Mike McGlinchey/OL/Notre Dame: McGlinchey is Quenton Nelson’s counterpart at Notre Dame, so he should also be a safe and solid pick.
- 18) Seattle Seahawks – Marcus Davenport/DL/UTSA: If Seattle wants to continue to have a dominate defense, this pick is a good step in that direction.
- 19) Dallas Cowboys – D.J. Moore/WR/Maryland: The Cowboys will almost certainly pick a receiver with their first pick, and while Courtland Sutton is a valid option at this point, the Cowboys probably feel that D.J. Moore best fits their new and improved “Dak-friendly” system.
- 20) Detroit Lions – Derrius Guice/RB/LSU: The Lions need a running back. Derrius Guice needs a new home and a multimillion dollar pay raise. It’s a match made in heaven.
- 21) Cincinnati Bengals – Da’Ron Payne/DL/Alabama: Yet another team that needs help with their defense, and yet another player from Alabama who is called upon to fill that need. What else is there to say?
- 22) Buffalo Bills – Courtland Sutton/WR/SMU: Buffalo drafts a quarterback first and then goes to find their newly acquired passer a weapon to throw to. With a strong-armed quarterback in Josh Allen, what receiver would be better than this vertical threat named Courtland Sutton?
- 23) New England Patriots – Josh Jackson/DB/Iowa: The Patriots also need help with their defensive backs, so they’ll gun for the next best defensive back available in Josh Jackson.
- 24) Carolina Panthers – Harold Landry/DL/Boston College: Carolina would like to get a receiver here, but there is not a receiver that they deem worthy of the 24th overall pick of the draft, so they will address their defensive need and go get Harold Landry.
- 25) Tennessee Titans – Leighton Vander Esch/LB/Boise St.: Need a linebacker? Here’s Vander Esch.
- 26) Atlanta Falcons – Taven Bryan/DL/Florida: Atlanta wants to continue to be a successful team, so in order to do so, they’ll need to address their defensive line and get a guy they’ve been looking at for a while named Taven Bryan.
- 27) New Orleans Saints – Mason Rudolph/QB/Oklahoma St.: The Saints would love to get Rudolph and let him sit behind future Hall of Famer Drew Brees for his final couple of seasons. This would allow the Saints a much smoother transition once Brees retires.
- 28) Pittsburgh Steelers – Ronnie Harrison/DB/Alabama: The Steelers really miss Troy Polamalu, so they’ll try to find another high caliber safety in a guy named Ronnie Harrison. Where from, you ask? You guessed it; Alabama!
- 29) Jacksonville Jaguars – Dallas Goedert/TE/South Dakota St.: When choosing a tight end in this draft, it’s all about which one each team prefers. The top choices are between Mike Gesicki, Hayden Hurst and Dallas Goedert. Really any one of these guys could go in the first round, but for now we’ll just say the Jaguars will take Goedert.
- 30) Minnesota Vikings – Isaiah Wynn/OL/Georgia: After the Vikings signed Kirk Cousins, one of their main goals is to protect him as much as possible, and drafting an offensive lineman from one of the top offensive programs in college football last year is a good way of going about reaching that goal.
- 31) New England Patriots – Ronald Jones II/RB/USC: The Patriots need help with their run game especially with the loss of Dion Lewis. Ronald Jones II would be a perfect fit with the offensive scheme they run in New England.
- 32) Philadelphia Eagles – Kolton Miller/OL/UCLA: The Eagles are going to need some assistance on their offensive line very soon. While All-Pro offensive lineman Jason Peters may have a little while longer in the league, the Eagles will definitely need to address that situation as soon as possible if they look to make another run for the Super Bowl.