Pre Combine NFL Mock Draft 2.0 – Max Meyerson
The NFL Draft Combine is among the giant hurdles that the draftees must go through and perhaps, it is the biggest. Players will be poked and prodded, judged and evaluated to an extent they have never endured. We could learn a lot about this class or very little. Either way, it is going to be interesting to see how much the draft combine shakes up this very mock draft.
1. Cleveland Browns – Sam Darnold QB, USC
2. New York Giants – Josh Rosen QB, UCLA
3. Indianapolis Colts – Bradley Chubb DE, NC State
4. Cleveland Browns – Saquon Barkley RB, Penn State
5. Denver Broncos – Quinten Nelson OL, Notre Dame
6. New York Jets – Baker Mayfield QB, Oklahoma
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Minkah Fitzpatrick DB, Alabama
8. Chicago Bears – Connor Williams OL, Texas
9. San Francisco 49ers – Derwin James DB, FSU
10. Oakland Raiders – Denzel Ward CB, Ohio State
11. Miami Dolphins – Roquan Smith LB, Georgia
12. Cincinnati Bengals – Josh Allen QB, Wyoming
13. Washington Redskins – Josh Jackson CB, Iowa
14. Green Bay Packers – Harold Landry EDGE, Boston College
15. Arizona Cardinals – Billy Price C, Ohio State
16. Baltimore Raven s- James Washington WR, Oklahoma State
17. Los Angeles Chargers – Orlando Brown OT, Oklahoma
18. Seattle Seahawks – Isaiah Oliver CB, Colorado
19. Dallas Cowboys – Maurice Hurst DT, Michigan
20. Detroit Lions – Rashaan Evans LB, Alabama
21. Buffalo Bills – Jerome Baker LB, Ohio State
22. Buffalo Bills – Lamar Jackson QB, Louisville
23. Los Angeles Rams – Arden Key LB, LSU
24. Carolina Panthers – Will Hernandez OG, UTEP
25. Tennessee Titans – Calvin Ridley WR, Alabama
26. Atlanta Falcons – Da’Ron Payne DT, Alabama
27. New Orleans Saints – Malik Jefferson LB, Texas
28. Pittsburgh Steelers – Marcus Allen S, Penn State
29. Jacksonville Jaguars – Courtland Sutton WR, SMU
30. Minnesota Vikings – Darious William CB, UAB
31. New England Patriots – Sam Hubbard DE, Ohio State
32. Philadelphia Eagles – Kolton Miller OT, UCLA
SIGNIFICANT PICKS
1. Cleveland Browns- Sam Darnold
If the Browns miss out on the Kirk Cousins sweepstakes, they are inclined to take a QB #1 overall. With three or four possible QBs going in this slot, I have the Browns taking their best fit at QB. Josh Rosen clearly would like to stay away from the Browns and we don’t want an Eli Manning situation and we have seen the big-armed QB with great tangibles fail (Deshone Kizer), so we don’t need to go that route with Josh Allen. And lord knows that we have seen the undersized Heisman winner in a spread offense (Johnny Manziel). so I’d suggest staying away from Baker Mayfield, at least with the #1 pick It has just been announced that Darnold will not throw at this year’s combine, electing instead to throw at his pro day in Southern California. Darnold will compete in the athletic drills. however, so it is still important to keep a close eye on him.
4. Cleveland Browns – Saquon Barkley
When the Browns select Sam Darnold #1, their main priority for the next three years should be to build as much talent around him as possible. With Saquon Barkley, not only are the Browns getting the most talented player in the draft, they are directly cutting from the mold that helped turn around the Cowboys and the Jaguars. Drafting Ezekiel Elliott and Leonard Fournette at pick number four helped take the pressure off Blake Bortles and Dak Prescott’s shoulders and gave both teams a more dynamic offense. Expect Barkley to have an incredible combine performance cementing his place among the top-5 players in this draft.
10. Oakland Raiders – Denzel Ward
With Denzel Ward, the Raiders bolster their weak secondary with a legitimate shutdown corner candidate. Oakland struggled to defend the pass last season and new head coach Jon Gruden will address that weakness with their first pick.
28. Pittsburgh Steelers – Marcus Allen
The Steelers do not have a lot of weaknesses on their star-studded team, but secondary help, especially at safety, is much-needed if they are going to win their seventh Super Bowl. If giving up 45 points, to Blake Bortles in a shocking divisional round upset, wasn’t enough evidence, the Steelers need a safety. Enter Marcus Allen. The in-state product was one of the leaders of the Nittany Lion’s defense and will fit perfectly alongside the likes of Artie Burns, Joe Haden, and Sean Davis.
