NFL Draft Predictions/Husker Draft Predictions

Let’s do this thing.  My annual, “If I was this teams GM, this is the route I would take” mock draft.  Last year I was on the money with Saquan Barkley, Sam Darnold, Quenton Nelson and Roquan Smith.  The rest? Not so much. I thought Josh Rosen was the most pro ready QB in the draft and I also didn’t think Josh Allen would be that great as a rookie.  Looking back, I still like Rosen, but it appears the Cardinals may be moving on already. Most of these stories won’t be finished for at least four years, others may not be heard from again much past this weekend.

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This draft isn’t full of a lot of star prospects, but it has a few.  The depth in this draft is great though and people that I think should be first round picks might fall into the 3rd round.  The defensive and offensive tackles in this draft are deep, there are intriguing options at quarterback and there might be a running back that is an All Pro next season that I won’t even have in the first round.  And away we go…

1. Arizona Cardinals – Nick Bosa DE – I get it, people want to see the Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray go first overall.  The Cardinals took Josh Rosen in the first-round last season. So why didn’t that work out? The reality is, the Cardinals were a wreck last season.  They may not be any better moving forward. They have holes all over the team and Murray simply isn’t going to fill them all. Unless new coach Kliff Kingsbury is sure that Rosen is a bust, I’d take the best player available and that is probably Bosa.  If you are feeling good about things, trade down, let another team make a reach pick on Murray. Are we sure he is as good as Baker Mayfield? Are we sure he will be the best short quarterback since Russell Wilson came into the league? I’m not, and I’m not sure how the Cardinals can be either.
2. San Francisco 49ers – Josh Allen OLB – Bosa would clearly be the choice for the 49ers at this spot if he gets past the first pick, but Allen is a special talent.  His ability to get to the quarterback should translate well to the NFL level. The question as always, will he be better in a 3-4 playing in space or a 4-3 strictly coming off the edge?  Time will tell, but he is an animal off the edge and I would take him no matter what defense I ran. Looking at help for the offense here would be helpful to this team, but there is no skill player worthy of this pick.  You will see a lot of teams take defense in the first round, simply because this is where the best players are.
3. New York Jets – Ed Oliver DT – The first time I’m throwing a curve in this draft.  Oliver to me, is one of the best talents on the board. He is strong against the run, although he is undersized to be a nose tackle. He is a beast on the pass rush when he needs to be.  The Jets will run a 3-4 based on personnel but could shift to a 4-3 and keep Oliver inside. The Jets also need line help in the draft, but I can’t reason taking Jawaan Taylor or Jonah Williams at this spot.  If I’m the Jets, I try to trade down, recoup some later picks and let someone come up to get a quarterback if they want one.
4. Oakland Raiders – Montez Sweat Edge – The Raiders will be angry if Bosa and Allen are gone at this point, because they really need to replace Khalil Mack and the production that he took to the Bears.  With multiple picks, the Raiders can fill a lot of holes and could choose to go a number of ways here. I’d take a flyer on Sweat. He has unbelievable athleticism and he could play with his hand on the ground or in space if he needs too.  I know teams have taken him off the board because of a possible heart condition, but I think that is smoke to throw other teams off the scent. They could take a player like Rashan Gary and have him play defensive end, or they could to a different route all together and Quinnen Williams to shore up the middle.  
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers –– Quinnen Williams DT – You have to take the best available player sometimes and Williams is certainly that at the fifth pick.  I also love Devin White at inside linebacker and they could go that route. I would go with Williams because he can anchor the middle of your defensive line for a decade.  He plays with great strength and should help your defense against the run so that your linebackers are free to make plays. The Buccs need help all over the defense, but at this point there isn’t enough value at other positions in the draft to take another player this high.
6. New York Giants – Dwayne Haskins QB – I wrestled with this pick for a while, but if are the Giants and you know that you need to replace Eli Manning and you want this kid, you need to jump at it.  They could use the help from a player like Devon White or could help shore up problems on the offensive line with Jawaan Taylor. The thing is, the Giants are going to be bad again next season.  They traded away Odell Beckham Jr. and they need playmakers outside of Saquan Barkley. If you don’t want to waste Barkley’s prime, you better have a quarterback warming up in the bullpen. Otherwise, you waste another season without a plan for the most important position on the team.  Take Haskins, then get yourself some help with the next pick at 17.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jawaan Taylor OT – This is a perfect fit.  The Jaguars need help at right tackle and Taylor should fill that position for years.  The Jaguars are going a different direction with Nick Foles and they need someone to block for Leonard Fournette (assuming he plays).  It’s important to give a quarterback you paid franchise changing money, the tools he needs to be successful.
8. Detroit Lions – T.J. Hockenson TE – Again, taking the best player available.  Mathew Stafford regressed a bit last season. With everything he is going through with his wife this offseason, next year could understandably be a difficult year for the franchise.  So, go get the franchise quarterback a little help. I hate that Devin White is starting to fall, but the Lions need help scoring points. Hockenson is the best TE in the draft and could be a starter for 10 years.
9. Buffalo Bills – Jonah Williams OT – Josh Allen at QB was a pleasant surprise to me last season.  His lack of accuracy in college didn’t seem to be as big of a deal in the NFL as I thought it would be.  His size and ability to escape the pocket made a big difference for him. The Bills did a good job of addressing needs on the offensive line in free agency but adding Williams could be the cherry on top.  They need wide receiver help and they could use a pass rusher, but I think they can get those needs filled later in the draft.
10. Denver Broncos – Devin White LB – Sometimes when I do these mock drafts a player starts to fall that really shouldn’t fall this far, White fits that bill in this year’s addition.  White was a whirling dervish at LSU and the Broncos can add another piece to an already salty defense. The better of the two Devins (Bush being the other) would be my pick over players like Rashan Gary and possibly Noah Fant at tight end.  I just can’t justify taking a QB at this spot after trading for Joe Flacco. Eventually the Broncos will get a franchise QB, I wouldn’t do it here.
11. Cincinnati Bengals – Devin Bush LB – People keep saying they need to take a quarterback in this draft and I might think about it if Dwayne Haskins is here.  So, do you take Kyler Murray? I don’t know that he fits what new coach (former Husker) Zac Taylor’s offense typically needs. Do you take Daniel Jones?  I don’t know if he will even be a starter in the NFL and is he really an upgrade over Andy Dalton? With the quarterbacks coming out in next season’s draft, I think they need to seriously think about upgrading other positions first and come out swinging for the franchise quarterback next season, but that’s just me.
12. Green Bay Packers – Noah Fant TE – As a Bears fan, I dislike the Packers immensely and this is the type of pick that keeps that feeling going.  Fant was underused at Iowa and should be an immediate impact playing with Aaron Rodgers. The Packers need some help on the offensive line, but there is nothing that beats this pick.  Hockenson will probably be better right away, but Fant could be a transitional talent for the Packers. I’m already ill just thinking about it.
13. Miami Dolphins – Kyler Murray QB – This will never happen in a million years, but if you are the Dolphins, and Murray is still here at 13, you would jump at it right?  Murray is dynamic, and since Dan Marino left Miami the Dolphins have floundered in mediocrity. They need help on the offensive line and could also use a talent like Rashan Gary on the defensive line.  It this mock scenario, Murray is the only quarterback I would take at this spot, so go do it Miami!
14. Atlanta Falcons – Rashan Gary DE – Gary is an enigma for me.  I think he has an awesome skill set, but for some reason he never really stood out at Michigan like his pedigree would suggest.  I think moving him to defensive end or at least rotating him out there will help him flourish. Unlike at Alabama, Michigan players don’t always peak in college.  They could go a different direction with someone like Brian Burns, but I like Gary’s versatility and I think he has a high ceiling.

    

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15. Washington Redskins – Brian Burns DE/OLB – You might say, gie them a quarterback, but this team has a lot of places that need help.  I just can’t see taking Drew Lock or Daniel Jones, and you have Case Keenum for this year. I know Redskin fans won’t like this, but they really need to pick up help across the board and go for a quarterback in the second or third round.  They also could use an offensive lineman like Cody Ford or they could go with a wide receiver like Marquise Brown to blow the lid off.
16. Carolina Panthers – Cody Ford OT – I go back and forth on Ford and Andre Dillard, but Ford is the better run blocker and fits what Carolina likes to do better.  They also need an edge rusher like Clelin Ferrell or could use a defensive lineman like Christian Wilkins or Dexter Lawrence. Basically, anyone from Clemson’s defense last season would fit.  Are we sure Clemson’s defense wasn’t better than the Panthers last year?
17. New York Giants – Marquise Brown WR – After taking Haskins with the first pick, you might as well replace the other former Giant star, Beckham Jr. and start the rebuild.  The Giants can provide a big spark to the offense at this point. They could also take Dillard at this spot to help protect Haskins, but I love Brown’s ability to stretch the field.  My feeling is the Giants need to reinvent themselves on offense and if they take Haskins, getting him help is the best way to do that.
18. Minnesota Vikings – Andre Dillard OT – This is the spot that I thought about having the Vikings take a chance on Josh Jacobs from Alabama.  The Vikings need better protection for Kirk Cousins though and they need to shore up the offensive line. Jacobs could be the back that Dalvin Cook has yet to become and I think he would be a great fit for the Vikings.  They could of course take any of the remaining wide receivers that may end up in the first round like A.J. Brown or 40-yard superstar D.K. Metcalf.
19. Tennessee Titans – Dexter Lawrence DT – This kid just shows up in games and I love watching him play.  The Titans need a playmaker on the defensive line and to me you can’t go wrong with any of the Clemson trio of Lawrence, Ferrell or Wilkins.  I like Lawrence based on the eye test and his size, but I’m sure others will like Wilkins more or Ferrell. The Titans could also jump on a corner here, like Greedy Williams who I think is a steal at this point.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Greedy Williams CB – I don’t know how the Steelers do it, but they always seem to fall into a great player in the first round, just by being in the right place at the right time.  I also would be tempted to take Josh Jacobs at this spot to replace Le’veon Bell, but Williams is just too good to pass up at a place of real need.
21. Seattle Seahawks – Clelin Ferrell DE – The Seahawks traded Frank Clark to the Chiefs and the replace him with one of the more productive college rush ends, off a line loaded with great players.  Ferrell has great instincts off the edge. They could also look at local player Byron Murphy at corner or maybe go with a wide receiver like A.J. Brown.
22. Baltimore Ravens – Garrett Bradbury C – I wanted to put a wide receiver here, but I’m not sold completely on A.J. Brown and certainly not sold on D.K. Metcalf.  What I am sold on is getting a starting center for the next 10 years. Bradbury is my next best available for the Ravens. There aren’t any pass rushers that I can put at this spot either.  Take the lineman and drive on.
23. Houston Texans – Kaleb McGary OT – Ok, the Texans were the team that I wanted to give Josh Jacobs to.  Unfortunately, the offensive line is a mess for the Texans. McGary is a big kid and he can anchor one side of the line.  There will be other running backs available in the later rounds, I’m not sure someone with McGary’s upside will be around in round 2, let alone later in the draft.
24. Oakland Raiders – Jeffrey Simmons DL – Taking Sweat with their first pick allows them to take a flier on a top 5 talent that tore his ACL.  The Raiders have another pick at 27 for the Amari Cooper trade, so they have some flexibility. They aren’t going to be good next season, so why not load up on talent.  They could take Jacobs at running back here, but he may be around at their next pick. If not, they could take a wide receiver or tight end like Irv Smith.
25. Philadelphia Eagles – Dalton Risner OT – The Eagles have the luxury of picking for a few different spots.  They no longer have a pressing need at running back after trading for Jordan Howard and the edge rushers available don’t quite stand out like Risner does at his position.  They could choose to take a center from a deep group, maybe Erik McCoy, but I’d rather take a tackle.
26. Indianapolis Colts – Chase Winovich DE – I can’t help myself, but I really think this guy can play.  He may go down on my bust list, but he plays hard and he just seems like a guy that the Colts should have on their team.  The Colts need pass rushers on their improved defense. I thought about going with Irv Smith here and giving Andrew Luck another weapon, but I think adding a plus defender is the wise move.
27. Oakland Raiders – Bryan Murphy CB – You thought I was going to go with Jacobs, didn’t you.  Normally I would give in to the best running back out there, but in this situation, you would be adding a third starter on the defensive side of the ball.  Again, the Raiders need a lot of help, Murphy supplies that at great value. If you really think they are going to trade Derek Carr, maybe you could take the quarterback you want, I don’t know if Gruden likes one, but this could be the spot he takes Drew Lock.
28. Los Angeles Chargers – Greg Little OT – Again with offensive tackle…well when you need lineman and the draft is deep in them, you take the guy that can help you out.  They could go with a defensive lineman like Jerry Tillery, but I think Little has a great upside. I think he is a player that will be a better NFL guy than college and he wasn’t bad in college.  Johnathan Abram could also be a player that they could give a look.
29. Seattle Seahawks – Johnathan Abram S – Getting a pass rusher at 21 allows the Hawks to take advantage of the pick they obtained for Frank Clark.  Abram is a physical safety that should work well in Pete Carroll’s offense, taking over the spot that vacated by Kam Chancellor. They could go with a player like Tillery as well, but they need help on the back end after addressing the line with their first pick.
30. Green Bay Packers – Chris Lindstrom G – Giving the Packers Fant at 12 makes this a bonus pick for the Packers.  They don’t have an outside linebacker that I love here, but maybe they could go with a player like Jaylon Ferguson and figure it out from there.  Lindstrom is the best guard in the draft and it never hurts to invest in Aaron Rodgers health.
31. Los Angeles Rams – Jerry Tillery DT – It’s doubtful that Suh will be back with the Rams and Tillery would be a good replacement.  I went back and forth about drafting Josh Jacobs here, with Todd Gurley’s knee situation, Jacobs would be a great pick up, but the Rams Super Bowl run may be short if they don’t start replacing aging veterans on defense with some young guys right now.
32. New England Patriots – Irv Smith Jr. TE – I can’t imagine New England will make this pick.  Not because they don’t need a tight end like Smith, he would be a great fit, but they will trade down, I would almost guarantee it.  I will make a prediction on a trade here and say someone trades up to take Daniel Jones. I wouldn’t do that, but if Jones or Drew Lock is around at the end of the first round, someone with a quarterback need will jump up and give the Pats a 1st round pick next year and the Patriots won’t be able to accept that pick fast enough.

Now that we are finished, I didn’t have Daniel Jones or Drew Lock in the first round.  I’m not saying a team won’t take them, they probably will, but I don’t think they are day one starters.  I’d rather take my chances and trade the Cardinals a 3rd round pick for Josh Rosen and see how that goes.  I also think that Josh Jacobs is worth a first-round pick, but I didn’t find a home for him in my mock.

The hopefuls for the Huskers to be drafted may end with Stanley Morgan Jr.  Morgan could go as high as the 3rd round, but I suspect he will fall to somewhere in the 4-5 round action.  Maybe Tanner Farmer gets a late pickup on the final day. Nebraska should have at least one player drafted this year, but things should start to pick up in the next draft. It’s been way too long since Nebraska has had multiple draft picks in the first few rounds.  I think Scott Frost is working to straighten that out. I just don’t see Luke Gifford getting picked, despite the recent attention and I also don’t Devine Ozigbo getting drafted either, but I think Ziggy will play in the NFL as an undrafted free agent next season.

Ok, another year, another first round mock draft in the books.  Love it, hate it, enjoy the draft, it’s like Christmas for the NFL.  Oh yeah…and GBR!