NFL Mock Draft, Husker Picks, and Husker Free Agents

Back again, another 1st round NFL mock draft.  I do this for fun, but I also do it because I have opinions like most do, about who should be drafting and who should be drafted.  I do it as if I was the GM of a team, based on the teams needs and who I think fits best. It certainly isn’t based on who the actual team is going to take.  I probably average 3-4 correct picks, but guessing who someone else will pick isn’t the enjoyable thing to do.

This season is kind of a different cat when it comes to where I think people should go.  Quarterbacks are everywhere, but which one is the surest bet? I know my thought process is different than most and we’ll get to that soon.  My biggest issue is that after about 14-16 kids, the rest of the players don’t separate much from those that will be picked in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.  It made this year’s mock draft more difficult, but here we go…

1. Cleveland Browns – Josh Rosen QB – The Browns have been bad since they reentered the NFL and it doesn’t look like they are getting better soon.  They have spent money on free agents this offseason trying to push their offense into at least respectable mode. They also acquired Tyrod Taylor from the Bills.  If you look at this realistically, they should probably take Saquon Barkley, then take whatever QB falls to them at 4. Most people have Rosen rated below Sam Darnold and Josh Allen, but for a lot of reasons that perplex me.  Rosen is bored with the game? Really? He is more accurate than either of Allen and Darnold. He also played on a UCLA team that has a lot of underachievers on it, and had a middling coach and yet Rosen still scared the bejesus out of you when you were playing him because he always seems in control.  I’ll probably eat my words, but to me, his pedigree and accuracy remind me more of Aaron Rodgers coming into the league. I will take the accurate QB over the big horse any day of the week. The Browns should too.
2. New York Giants – Saquon Barkley RB – If I’m the Giants, I take Barkley or move out.  I don’t know if they have the stomach to take Darnold, even though the offense should be pretty solid for the Giants next year, if you feel like Darnold is the guy, then you have to take him.  Another thing about Barkley, there are a lot of good running backs in this draft that may be a step below him but still be good in the NFL. Why not take a stud defensive end like Bradley Chubb?  In the end, Barkley is probably the best overall player in the draft. I’m hesitant on this pick, but I think I’d take him.
3. New York Jets – Sam Darnold QB – Josh Allen fans aren’t going to like this, but I have Darnold as my second QB in this draft.  The Jets need a QB and in my opinion Darnold can handle New York. He is big and strong and has shown that he can be a leader at USC.  The Jets need a quarterback that can be the alpha in that locker room. I know that Mark Sanchez was that guy just a few seasons ago, but I have Darnold ranked much higher in ability than Sanchez, and Darnold didn’t play with as much talent as Sanchez did in college.  I think this is the perfect pick at the perfect spot.
4. Cleveland Browns – Bradley Chubb DE – The quarterback already on board, now comes the best part, you can also pick a top player at a position that helps you immediately if you are the Browns.  Yes, it would be great to get Barkley and hope that you get the QB you want, but why not wait to take a running back at the top of the second round and help Myles Garrett give you bookend pass rushers that make you a huge problem for quarterbacks in your division?  Go get Nick Chubb or Royce Freeman in the second round and have the best of all worlds. My other option if Minkah Fitzpatrick, as I have him as a sure-fire starter from day one, but I take Chubb in this spot.
5. Denver Broncos –– Minkah Fitzpatrick CB – I trade this pick if I’m the Broncos.  They have a lot of areas that they need to fill, and someone will be dumb enough to trade up for a quarterback here and probably give you a lot to do it to gamble on Josh Allen or Baker Mayfield.  Too me, if the Broncos stay here, you take the best fit for your team at this spot. Trade back into the lower first round and take Allen if he falls that far (he won’t, but I wouldn’t take him at least until then, more on that later) or Lamar Jackson if he falls.  If for some dumb reason Josh Rosen makes it this far down, I’d take him. To me, Allen and Mayfield are too much of a wild card and you still have Paxton Lynch on your roster. If you don’t think he can figure it out, then you are probably in trouble anyway. The other option other than QB is Quenton Nelson at guard, but they need a tackle and there isn’t one worth taking at this spot.  Again, trade down!
6. Indianapolis Colts – Quenton Nelson G – As a Bears fan, this one kills me, because I want them to get Nelson so bad I can taste, it but he is too talented to fall that far.  The Colts need a lot of things, and Roquan Smith would be a great pick here, but I think you can fill the middle linebacker spot later in the draft and have someone serviceable.  I think Nelson will be a guard that will be an All Pro and play 10 years. Hard to overlook that value, although most teams generally do. I’m sold on Nelson, and with Chubb gone, the Colts should take him.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Denzel Ward CB – Now we are getting to the spot that top level players are drying up and you must pick someone that maybe you don’t want as much at your spot, or you think you can get something comparable later.  No question the Buccs need a running back, but Derrius Guice is too risky for my blood at this point. I’m not sold on Josh Jackson or Denzel Ward at this point either, but they have a need at corner, so I’m going with the higher ceiling player at this pick.  The Buccs should trade down with the Cardinals or another team that is looking for a quarterback at this spot and see if they can increase assets if they can at this point.
8. Chicago Bears – Roquan Smith LB – I hope that Quenton Nelson falls to the Bears with all that is holy, but I have a feeling the Bears are going to have to take the best available player at this point, even if he may not quite fit the normal 3-4 mold that d-coordinator Vic Fangio runs.  Smith is a great linebacker though and the Bears need better players on defense. Let’s face it, the Bears need a lot and their current GM is known for taking a lot of risks in the draft, and hardly any have been what I call huge hits. Might as well get Smith and roll with it.
9. San Francisco 49ers – Marcus Davenport DE – Another team that should trade down.  In fact, I think that they will if Mayfield or Allen or Rosen fall this far.  They need an edge rusher though, and while I think that I would probably take Josh Jackson at this spot in most cases based on value, I am giving them the only edge rusher left that I feel like would be worth a top 10 pick if they stay here.  They need to get to the quarterback and Davenport is a big athlete that should be able to provide pass rush.
10. Oakland Raiders – Tremaine Edmunds ILB – I was all over the place on this pick. I like Josh Jackson at CB or maybe Mike McGlinchey, Connor Williams or Orlando Brown to play tackle as well at this spot, depending on who you like better.  In fairness to Jon Gruden, he probably would like a player on offense, but Edmunds give the Raiders a ton of versatility and should pair up great with Khalil Mack. You must take him at this spot, freak athlete.
11. Miami Dolphins – Vita Vea DT – I know this pick is pretty much a lock on most mock draft boards, but you can see why when you look at the Dolphins needs.  After losing Ndamukong Suh, the Fish have a large whole at the line of scrimmage. You can say that the Dolphins could go quarterback here, but really isn’t Ryan Tannehill the same version of Josh Allen that we already know about?  Fill the spot that you need the most and take Vea and drive on.
12. Buffalo Bills – Lamar Jackson QB – You want to shake things up?  Take Lamar Jackson. I get it, everyone says he isn’t a skilled enough passer to play in the NFL, but this isn’t your father’s NFL.  Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers have shown that getting away from the rush holds great value in the NFL. I think if Jackson is in the right situation he will thrive.  I get that you have AJ McCarron now and you just shipped off Tryod Taylor, but Jackson is no Taylor. He also played at Louisville and that makes me wary of taking him, as Bobby Petrino hasn’t exactly lit up the NFL with his quarterbacks, but I think Jackson could be special.  Sure, take an OL here if you want, but if you want to fire up a fan base, Jackson will do it. His stats aren’t that different than Wilson’s at North Carolina State. And his completion percentage is the same or better than Josh Allen.
13. Washington Redskins – Josh Jackson CB – Washington took a large step back from their playoff spot the season before and the reality is, they are probably closer to missing the playoffs again than they are making a run.  They need help at guard and they also could use help in the secondary. They traded Kendall Fuller to the Chiefs for Alex Smith, so Jackson would be a great replacement at this spot. They also could take a flier on their next quarterback at this spot, but I think I’d hold off on that in this round, take the value and drive on.
14. Green Bay Packers – Jaire Alexander CB – I dislike the Packers a lot, but they always end up getting players of great value later in the draft and Alexander would fit that description.  A speed demon at corner would pair well with the previous year’s draft pick Kevin King. They really need a wide receiver but there isn’t enough value here to justify one of the top receivers in this draft over a corner and I’m not sold that an offensive tackle justifies a selection at this spot either with the Packers other needs.
15. Arizona Cardinals – Baker Mayfield QB – How a team got to 8-8 last year with so many holes on their team just goes to show you what type of coach Bruce Arians was.  Now they have Sam Bradford, but he is just a misstep away from being out for the season. I think I’d take a chance on Mayfield to back him up. Mayfield is a lot like Bradford, he came from the same school and a similar system in college, but Mayfield is a better athlete and in my opinion a better leader.  I like him better than Josh Allen and I think this could be a great fit for both parties. If they don’t get a quarterback at this spot, they are likely taking an offensive tackle, which could be any number of players.
16. Baltimore Ravens – Courtland Sutton WR – This is one of the first spots that I’m not sure who I like better, Sutton, Calvin Ridley or even DJ Moore who I really like. In this offense though, you have to think Flacco could use a bigger receiver to throw to.  My only concern with Sutton is his ability to get separation (a lot of WRs in this class have that problem this year) and the first round bust of receivers taken the last half dozen years. Never the less, they need this weapon and I like him slightly over Ridley or the hometown Moore.  
17. Los Angeles Chargers – Connor Williams OT – I like Williams the best on the OT board, mostly because I know if he doesn’t work out at tackle, he is my most ready to move inside and help from day one type of player.  I’m not sure that Mike McGlinchey or Kolton Miller are those type of players, but I think Williams is. I think he is nasty and he competes. There are some red flags with Williams, but I also think he is special.  The Chargers will be hard pressed to not take a player like Derwin James at this point, but they need a tackle and I think that Williams is the best.
18. Seattle Seahawks – Derwin James S – I can’t tell you how bad I wanted to go with a guard here, but James is probably way to talented to pass at this point.  I would have possibly selected Isaiah Wynn or Connor Williams if he had fallen one more spot, but if James comes back healthy, he is a great replacement in the defensive back field and losing Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman, they need in influx of talent.
19. Dallas Cowboys – Calvin Ridley WR – When the Cowboys let Dez Bryant walk, it really wasn’t a great surprise, in fact I don’t blame them based on injuries and overall lack of playmaking the last couple of seasons.  The fact is, they need playmakers on the outside to help Dak Prescott out. Outside of Sutton, Ridley and D.J. Moore, I don’t see any other first round grades on WRs that I would take, and I think they can address the guard position and the defensive tackle position later in the draft.
20. Detroit Lions – Da’ron Payne DT – The Lions need tight end something fierce, but I can’t see taking Dallas Goedert or Hayden Hurst this high.  They need defensive tackles as well and Payne should be a good one. You can get a running back later too, although I hate passing on Derrius Guice again, as I think he could be good playing with Mathew Stafford, but Payne is the better value.
21. Cincinnati Bengals – Mike McGlinchey OT –  You could easily take James Daniels or Will Hernandez to play the interior, but the Bengals need a tackle and McGlinchey should be a good one.  He may have to play the right side in the NFL, but he might also play left, and at this point in the draft that gives you a ton of versatility. The Bengals need a lot of help on the O-Line and should get in the first two rounds.
22. Buffalo Bills – Isaiah Wynn G – After getting Lamar Jackson with their first pick, the Bills need to address offensive line concerns.  Wynn is a bull up front and played against great competition and held his own at tackle. I think he will get better in the pros than he was in college, because he should move to guard.  They could also take a shot at an offensive tackle, especially if they like Kolton Miller, or they could take James Daniels who provides flexibility of playing guard or center.
23. New England Patriots – Leighton Vander Esch LB – This kid is the ultimate Bill Belichick type player, he is long, strong and versatile.  He should be able to play in the 3-4 and would add some youth infusion to a team that needs it on defense. The Pats need an offensive tackle, but I’m not sold on the remaining tackles so much that they shouldn’t take one of the best athletes on the board.
24. Carolina Panthers – Kolton Miller OT – The Panthers need offensive line help, and Miller will help right away.  They could opt for an inside player left like James Daniels or could take a chance on the more athletic Orlando Brown.  I also like D.J. Moore at wide receiver for a team that needs help in that area. The Panthers are one of those teams that could fill all sorts of areas with potential day one starters, that is a good problem to have for a team vying for a Super Bowl.
25. Tennessee Titans – Harold Landry DE – I can imagine the Titans sitting there on draft day hoping that the raw pass rusher Landry lands in their lap.  It’s hard to say if that will happen, but the way things worked, out Landry is still here for the taking. It’s doubtful the Titans would take a wideout at this point, with Landry on the board.  This just isn’t the year for that. A linebacker like Rashaan Evans would be intriguing, but no use overthinking this pick.
26. Atlanta Falcons – Taven Bryan DT – Really the first “reach” in the draft, although many pundits think this will be the pick.  Bryan is originally from Casper, Wyoming which is frustrating to think about because a player that close to Nebraska going to Florida for college just eats at me.  Talented kid, the Falcons need defensive tackles bad. Bryan should help.
27. New Orleans Saints – Will Hernandez G – The Saints have a number of ways to go, but they need a guard and Hernandez is a really good one.  They could also be looking at James Daniels or even Orlando Brown here, but Hernandez is a good fit. One thing that I could see the doing though is taking a quarterback if the right one settles here.  I know that Josh Allen is still available. I will talk about him more later on, but I don’t have a first-round grade on him.
28. Pittsburgh Steelers – Rashaan Evans ILB – This speed demon would help the Steelers out a lot. This isn’t a great draft spot for the Steelers because they need a safety, which has been exhausted of great players at this point in the draft and they could use an interior lineman or possible another wide receiver, but they REALLY need help on defense and Evans would probably play right away.  Good fit for both sides again.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars – Orlando Brown OT – It could be said that this is way too high for Brown as he has had trouble getting into shape. Normally playing in Oklahoma’s offense makes you ready for the NFL, but Brown plays really high and that can be an issue.  After all of that, he is high value at this point. They could certainly use a D.J. Moore at WR, but the line is more pressing. They could obviously take Josh Allen as well, but they already have a quarterback that isn’t accurate, why add another?
30. Minnesota Vikings – James Daniels G/C – A guy that conveniently slipped in this draft, Daniels fills and instant need for the Vikings.  They could use some help at cornerback as well and player like Mike Hughes would be a good fit, but they need the help on the line.  Signing Kirk Cousins allows for them to help build him a wall to keep him upright. Braden Smith is another possibility at this spot.
31. New England Patriots – Chukwuma Okorafor OT – The Patriots could go in any number of directions at this point, they could take a corner like Mike Hughes or they could take a needed receiver like D.J. Moore or James Washington.  I like the Okorafor pick because they need to replace Nate Solder and you need to keep Brady upright for what I really feel will be his final season. The replacement quarterback just isn’t Josh Allen in my opinion.  I think you will find a reasonable quarterback next season, and not reach for one this year. I could also see the Pats taking a tight end because Gronk is probably one and done as well. This next season will be the last ride, it will be interesting to see how the Patriots attack it.
32. Philadelphia Eagles – Hayden Hurst TE – In one of the more surprising Super Bowl champions of the decade so far, the Eagles surpassed all expectations, but still have a lot of holes to fill.  Hurst is a play right away TE, and when you are defending a title, you want a player that can play right away. They could use an offensive tackle and/or some inside o-line depth too.  The two players that are intriguing and I had a hard time not putting in this spot is Derrius Guice at running back and D.J. Moore at wide receiver. Both would be tremendous help for an offense that is cranking on all cylinders.  Call it an ideal of excess, but I’m going with the tight end here.

So, you probably stopped reading this when I didn’t have Josh Allen in the first ten picks and I’m sure you probably went off the rails if you made it all the way through and didn’t see him at all in the first round.  I know that most everyone has him as a top 3 talent, either at quarterback or overall. I just don’t see it. Many compare him to Carson Wentz, but Allen wasn’t near as accurate in college as Wentz was. Others think he has great athleticism, but he didn’t dominate in a league that a top overall quarterback should dominate in.  Finally, the draft has a history of quarterback’s failures who didn’t throw with great accuracy in college, but were drafted on potential. More often than not, those quarterbacks wind up never amounting to much, or being a decent starter at best. I just don’t see it with Allen. I could be wrong, I’ve been wrong before, but I wouldn’t take him until the second or even the third round, simply because he is going to need to sit and watch before he gets out there.  I don’t think he is a day one starter.

Husker Hounds

This year’s Husker draft picks could be interesting.  There could be as many as four Huskers drafted, there could be one or possibly even none, although it’s more likely that a few will be drafted.  Tanner Lee will probably go, because quarterbacks are taken all the time with good arms and because someone always thinks they can fix them. I think the Falcons will snag him around the 6th round.  I think that Nick Gates will get drafted as well.  I could see him going to the Redskins around the 4th round.  Finally, I wonder if Drew Brown will get picked?  I could see him being a kicker that gets selected in round 7.  Josh Kalu could also get selected, but I don’t know if that will happen, it will be late if he is.  Someone could fall in love with him, he has great measurables. Finally, Chris Jones will probably be a free agent, but you never know, maybe someone takes a crazy chance.  

JOLT DESIGN

That’s it, that’s the list.  Remember, this is how I would draft…I know, Josh Allen will go in the top ten.  I don’t care, I wouldn’t do it. Enjoy the draft! GBR!

Carriker Chronicles

Spring Game Spectacular!

A new era begins…

If you have been watching and listening to everything about Scott Frost lately, he basically is a combination of Tom Osborne and Bob Devaney sent from the heavens to Nebraska to resurrect our proud program from its deep slumber.  I know how easy it is to fall in love. Frost makes it easy. Tomorrow is the first spring game of the Scott Frost era in Nebraska.

A new era for Nebraska begins, but for the first time in a long time it feels like an old era and most Husker fans would agree, it feels great!

Now that the fluff is out of the way, I’m going to be a bit of downer.  Only because our coach has properly conditioned us to not get too far out over our skis about a spring game.   Scott Frost is the head coach now. No more excuses from coaches about not understanding the Nebraska way. Scott Frost is Nebraska.  It’s in his blood, just like it is to almost any Husker fan. It’s probably safe to say that Mike Riley, Bo Pelini or Bill Callahan were never accused of being too much of a Husker.

Jolt Design Tees

Coach Frost has already warned us though, if you have been listening, that this isn’t an overnight turnaround job.  He knows how much work is going to be required to get the Huskers back into national prominence. He also has showed us at Central Florida that his words aren’t just something that he says, it’s something he lives by.  Influences from Tom Osborne to Chip Kelly, from Bill Snyder to Mike Tomlin, have prepared Frost to come home as ready as he can be, to make Nebraska into a place that fans can be proud of. We get to see our first glimpse of that this weekend.

There is a lot of newness with this staff, and yet it’s familiar.  Ryan Held, Greg Austin and Barrett Ruud are former Huskers on the staff, but Travis Fisher, Troy Edwards and Erik Chinander have already bought into the Big Red Kool-Aid.  Of course, they all have one common denominator, they are loyal to Coach Frost. Almost every assistant coach has talked about how they would follow Scott Frost to China if that is where he was going to coach.  When Coach Frost picked Nebraska, it turns out his entire staff helped him make the decision to come. That type of loyalty and leadership is a welcome change. Since Tom Osborne retired, I’ve been hard pressed to remember a staff that was on the same page with each other as much as this group seems to be.

What does all this mean?  We won’t really know for a few years.  This weekend is, to quote Star Wars, the first step into a larger world.  Nebraska fans want their program to be relevant again. We want to go to Orange, Fiesta and Rose Bowls again, not Carquest, Holiday and Gator.  We don’t mind not winning our conference, but we are tired of being blown out of our own stadium. We want to have a chance in every game if we can and if we don’t have a chance in a game, we want the team that plays Nebraska to regret it for the rest of the season.  Conference titles will come if the foundation is poured properly. It feels like this staff has all the stuff to do that.

That’s part of the problem.  I thought Bo Pelini was going to be the savior coach when he returned.  I talked myself into Mike Riley being the answer, if he was just given the right tools, surely, he could do it.  Most fans want success so badly, they turn blind eyes to issues in the program and the administration. Goodness knows I’ve done that myself.  Any bit of success seemed to be the turning point under the previous coaches. Success happens, only to come crashing down in a thunderous disappointment later in the season.

So, we wait.  We wait because we are jaded, because we have been burned.  We wait because in our hearts, we know Coach Frost is going to build this thing back to the Nebraska way, but we want to wait to be sure before we give too much of our Husker Heart away.  Saturday, we will all probably fawn all over this team and this staff, which is great. Just be prepared, it’s a long road to the top of the mountain. We should all be a little wiser, and hopefully enjoy this ride.

Carriker Chronicles

ON WITH THE REWIND…

I won’t give a scoring prediction for this weekend…ok, I probably will, but my last few predictions have been way off.  I felt like Nebraska would get up for some games last fall because they had pride in themselves and the program. That couldn’t be further from the truth.  This team has some serious mental health issues. This new staff has a lot to overcome from a simple stand point of teaching this group to be winners. Many have had very little success in college.  With any luck at all, the first part of changing that happened this spring.

Quick Notes:

Who to watch for…. The quarterback group should be interesting.  True freshman Adrian Martinez gets a chance to show why Coach Frost went after him so hard and Tristan Gebbia gets a chance to show why he was a four-star recruit from California.  A starter won’t be named after this spring, but it would be a nice little bump into the summer if these two had some success this weekend.

What else should we see… It’s hard to say how much we will see on Saturday.  It won’t be a bloodbath, but we should see some things on offense that we aren’t used to seeing at Nebraska.  Coach Frost runs an up tempo, push the ball up and down the field type of offense. It’s probably as dynamic as any offense in the country.  Whether we will see any of that Saturday, is anyone’s guess, but I think we will get a taste. Defensively, Nebraska will probably be vanilla.  If anyone really stands out, don’t take it to the bank that it will translate to next fall. Again, long way to go.

Players to be on the lookout for…. I hope to see some fire from a few new players and some old ones that should break out under this staff.  I’m excited to see Tyjon Lindsey. Lindsey is built for this type of offense, hopefully he has a great spring.  I’m excited to see Will Honas, the junior college linebacker. I want to see if wide receiver Mike Williams is as fast as everyone says, along with Greg Bell at running back.  Frost wanted to bring in speed, these two should provide it.

Husker Hounds

Score Prediction: Nebraska  Red 24 – Nebraska White 21

These games always have something crazy happen and the fourth string free safety from Thedford will be a fan favorite coming out of the game half the time.  I’m looking forward to some new faces and some great new coaching. For the last time until August, this is all the football we get…GBR!!