2018 NFL Mock Draft: Post-Week 4 1st-Round Predictions for All Prospects
As college football's regular season rolls along the NFL draft picture slowly begins to come into focus.
Some players, such as Penn State running back Saquan Barkley, have already begun to establish themselves as elite prospects and appear destined to land among the first players off the board. While others, such as USC quarterback Sam Darnold, continue to struggle and raise questions about their once-soaring draft stock.
Here's a look at how the 2018 NFL draft could play out, followed by a closer evaluation of a few top prospects:
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1. Cleveland Browns: Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
2. San Francisco 49ers: Sam Darnold, QB, USC
3. New York Jets: Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
4. Chicago Bears: Arden Key, DE, LSU
5. Cincinnati Bengals: Derwin James, S, Florida State
6. Los Angeles Chargers: Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB, Alabama
7. Miami Dolphins: Harold Landry, DE/LB, Boston College
8. Indianapolis Colts: Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma
9. Buffalo Bills: Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson
10. Jacksonville Jaguars: James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State
11. Los Angeles Rams: Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State
12. New York Giants: Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State
13. Arizona Cardinals: Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State
14. New Orleans Saints: Vita Vea, DT, Washington
15. Baltimore Ravens: Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M
16. Washington Redskins: Derrius Guice, RB, LSU
17. Cleveland Browns (from HOU): Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville
18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State
19. Minnesota Vikings: Connor Williams, OT, Texas
20. Philadelphia Eagles: Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU
21. Detroit Lions: Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan
22. Carolina Panthers: Austin Bryant, DE, Clemson
23. Denver Broncos: Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
24. Tennessee Titans: Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama
25. Dallas Cowboys: Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State
26. Seattle Seahawks: Mitch Hyatt, OT, Clemson
27. Oakland Raiders: Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas
28. Buffalo Bills (from KC): Deontay Burnett, WR, USC
29. Pittsburgh Steelers: Quin Blanding, S, Virginia
30. Green Bay Packers: Lorenzo Carter, DE/LB, Georgia
31. Atlanta Falcons: Chukwuma Okorafor, OT, Western Michigan
32. New England Patriots: Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma
Draft order based on most recent Super Bowl odds from OddsShark.com
1. Cleveland Browns: Josh Rosen
The Browns drafted DeShone Kizer in the second round in the 2017 NFL draft, but only after passing over him three times in the first round. Clearly, Cleveland's front office wasn't confident in Kizer before the draft, and based on his early-season performance, it's hard to imagine that has changed.
Through four weeks, Kizer has already thrown eight interceptions and completed less than 50 percent of his pass attempts in each of his last three games.
Drafting a quarterback two years in a row is rare, but not unprecedented. In 2011, for example, the Panthers selected Cam Newton with the No. 1 overall pick just one year after taking Jimmy Clausen in the second round.
The presence of Kizer gives the Browns some flexibility, but if the losing continues and they have their pick of the entire 2018 draft class, it may be difficult to pass over a talent like UCLA's Josh Rosen.
2. San Francisco 49ers: Sam Darnold
The 49ers' need for a quarterback is arguably the most glaring in the entire league. Brian Hoyer has always been a serviceable starter, but the 31-year-old isn't the long-term answer in San Francisco.
Unfortunately for the 49ers, the 2018 quarterback class is becoming less promising as the season wears on.
USC's Sam Darnold was presumed to be a challenger for the No. 1 pick along with Rosen, but his season has not gone as planned. After a shaky start in the season opener against Western Michigan, Darnold's struggles have continued to snowball.
According to CFB Film Room, Darnold is just 4-for-23 on throws of at least 10 yards over the past two weeks. That dreadful rate clearly raises a red flag and will cause scouts to focus on his downfield passing performance throughout the rest of the year.
There is plenty of time for Darnold to turn things around, but his status as a slam-dunk top-10 pick is in jeopardy.
3. New York Jets: Saquon Barkley
New York Jets fans entered the season prepared to tank for a quarterback. Some even went so far as to purchase their Darnold jerseys a year early. But after a 2-2 start, it looks like the Jets may have difficulty getting back into position to guarantee themselves a shot at one of the top quarterbacks in the 2018 draft class.
If the Jets miss out on a quarterback, Penn State running back Saquon Barkley would be a nice consolation prize.
Quarterbacks obviously attract more interest in the draft due to the value of the position, but a case could be made that Barkley is the most talented draft-eligible prospect in the nation. With 31-year-old Matt Forte and 28-year-old Bilal Powell sharing touches in the Jets backfield, a younger workhorse running back will clearly be high on the Jets' wish list heading into the draft.
Barkley's ability to contribute in the running game and as a receiver makes him an ideal playmaker to pair with a young, developing quarterback.
The Jets could mimic the Dallas Cowboys' approach when they drafted Ezekiel Elliott early in the first round and then snagged Dak Prescott later in the 2016 NFL draft. Elliott's well-rounded skill set eased the pressure on Prescott, and Barkley could have the same impact on a young quarterback in New York.
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