Sometimes players just fall or get drafted higher than I expect . God knows I can't fathom why Tyrell Crosby is still on the board .At least with Mo Hurst we have all heard he has a heart condition, and I guess it's more serious than I thought .This is my list so if you don't agree that's fine. I'm not infallible , and I definitely don't have all the character & injury information these teams have . Sometimes I find out later about something and I get it. Sometimes I'm right and I don't , but for now this is how I see it . As always - Feel free to leave a comment. Agreeing or disagreeing is welcome, but please do it intelligently and respectfully. If you can't , or resort to personal attacks, I just won't post it.
# Is for a player with with reported character or maturity concerns.
** Is for a player with reported medical concerns.
STEALS OF ROUND 1
1.COLTS - QUENTON NELSON - G - N. DAME - 6"5" , 325
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON - STEVE HUTCHINSON - retired
That's right. When the best player in the draft falls to number 6 and you snag him it's a steal!
Andrew Luck probably met him at the airport and has invited him to move in to the crib .
2.DOLPHINS-MINKAH FITZPATRICK - CB/S - ALABAMA - 6 feet , 204
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON -DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE- FA
This guy has such a high floor and upside, and even though I had him falling all the way to #13 in my mock it's still a huge get for the Phins .
3.CHARGERS -** DERWIN JAMES - S - FLORIDA ST. - 6"2" , 215
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON - SEAN TAYLOR - retired
Shocked! That's how I felt as tumbles all the way to #17 . Another guy that has such a high floor and upside . I had thought he would go to Tampa if the stayed at #7 , but in my final mock I had them trading back to #15 and still getting him, which I considered a steal then . Where he went isn't entirely shocking , but Tampa did trade back although they just went to at #12, and still passed on him . Time will tell if a lot of teams missed out, but I'm betting on James to be a guy that will be a top 10 pick in 2018 re-draft articles 3 years from now .
4.RAVENS - LAMAR JACKSON - QB - LOUISVILLE - 6"2" , 216
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON - MICHAEL VICK - retired
I know it may surprise you that I put him here because I had him ranked at #30 in my top 177 , but he is a potential franchise QB, and they are usually over drafted . Trading back into the first to secure that 5th year option is a fitting end to the first round in the last draft as GM for the legendary Ozzie Newsome . Props to Joe Flacco for going on one of the great post season runs in history in 2012 and getting paid, but the last 3 years he has been a average starter at best . They are probably stuck with him for 2 more years unless he plays well enough to trade him , but in 2020 his cap number is 28,250,000 and they can save over 20 million of it by getting rid of him that off season . Jackson may be ready in 2019, but I'll bet on him to be ready to take the reins in 2020 and they will have relatively low cost QB ready to go .
STEALS OF ROUND 2
1.GIANTS - WILL HERNANDEZ - G - UTEP - 6"2", 327
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON - BRANDON BROOKS - EAGLES
Anytime you get a guy with a first round grade in round 2 it's a blessing , but this is just a really good fit scheme wise and fills a big need . I'm sure Eli can't be happier with the way this off season has gone with an upgraded left tackle in free agency, and now a electric running back and mauling guard with a strong anchor in the first 2 rounds .
2.BROWNS - NICK CHUBB - RB - GEORGIA - 5"11" , 227
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON - MICHAEL TURNER - retired
Running back is an often undervalued position in the draft , but remember that despite the success of so many high profile top 10 drafted RB's the past few years the 2 most productive RB's last season ( A. Kamara and K. Hunt) were both taken in the 3rd . Jordan Howard and Alex Collins were both 5th round pick in 2016 and David Johnson and Jay Ajayi were 3rd and 5th rounders respectively in 2015 . Basically RB is the position where the most players drafted after the first round tend to make an immediate big time impact. Plus I love Nick Chubb's game and have a first round grade on him .
3.TAMPA BAY - RONALD JONES - RB - USC -5"11" , 205
Another RB I have a first round grade on who falls to round 2 and to a coach who will know how to use him and I admit I thought he might have fallen even farther than he did , but I think that's only because an injury prevented him from running full speed in the pre-draft process and showing off the jets he has on tape .
4.BEARS - JAMES DANIELS - C - IOWA - 6'3' , 306
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON - RODNEY HUDSON - RAIDERS
A technician that should excel at center or guard in a zone scheme who I had a first round grade on who surprised me by being the 3rd center taken of the three I thought would go high .
5.**HAROLD LANDRY - OLB/DE - BOSTON COLLEGE-6"2" , 252
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON - VIC BEASLEY - FALCONS
I get that his tape wasn't as good this year as it was in 2016, but I never thought the best pure pass rusher in the draft, and a potentially elite player would fall to the middle of round 2 .He played hurt and was constantly double teamed last year, and even if you take into account that he may not be every down player in 4-3 schemes right away it came as big surprise to me .
6..**CONNOR WILLIAMS - OT - TEXAS - 6"5" , 296
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON - DUANE BROWN - SEAHAWKS
Another guy who's tape was better in 2016 than it was this year , and it was also due to injury . Throw in that his arms barely measures at 33 inches, and that means some teams also see him as guard instead of as tackle. Since he is lean and only weighs 296 that also limits him to a zone heavy scheme . I disagree. He is lean because he is ripped up like a TE instead having the gut most O-line have . Also, he plays with a mean streak and therefore I think he could kick inside if needed . Last, his 2016 tape is that of a top 10 LT , and I still think he can play outside . A steal for a Dallas team who's Pro Bowl LT was hurt some the last 2 years , and it showed . He went from being an elite player to a above average one when hindered . Also, RT Le'al Collins will be a free agent after the year and even if he balls out you can't afford to pay 4 OLineman marquee money . Probably is their starting LG this season .
7.#** DERRIUS GUICE - RB - LSU - 5"10" , 224
NFL PLAYER COMPARISON - MARSHAWN LYNCH - RAIDERS
Undefined character rumors were swirling around him in the draft media right before the draft so I went searching. Haven't heard about any ridiculous Laremy Tunsil type stuff popping up soon so don't panic . These are the things I've definitely heard . ONE- That there is no evidence to corroborate any of the claims he made in the media about being asked some non PC questions by teams are true . So whether he is being accused of lying, snitching , being some political crusader , or some combination there of is unclear to me . None are good in my opinion though , because I don't want a guy on my team that can't be trusted to put the teams message and needs first . In my experience it causes nothing but division . TWO- If it's a guilt by association possie/family thing that's entirely fixable if he wants to leave them behind . I grew up in the ghetto and have multiple criminals in my past from close friends to family, but I have no contact with any of them now. I suggest he do the same to any of them who don't want to escape that life . Last and very damming is this quote he gave after the rumors started "“Now I’ve got to be this person I’m not. Now I’ve got to hide who I really am, hide my personality.”. If he sticks to that it's better than being a distraction , but it would worry me if he was on my team .Teams don't want guys who are hiding who they are until they get that guaranteed money. A very wealthy guy once told me " I am so rich now that I have what's called F$$K YOU MONEY ". Once some people get paid they stop giving a crap about the rules of so called polite society . Let's hope that not the case here because he is in the public eye and everything he does will be under a microscope. His vision and decision making on runs is inconsistent . For such a physical runner I was surprised at how many times he tried to bust a big one outside to his teams detriment when he had some guaranteed yards with contact , but at least he finishes all ( unlike Saquon) his runs. a week ago I had him as the 2nd RB on my board, but I had to move him out of my definite first rounders after all this stuff came to light . I still had him at #23 on my board, and it's beyond surprising that he is the 7th RB off the board .
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