NFL Draft 2018: Updated 1st-Round Mock Draft with Combine on the Horizon

With the NFL Scouting Combine just around the corner, we will learn some new things about the incoming 2018 draft class, for better or worse.

The one thing we can all agree on, though, is that we do not want to see any player get injured and impact his draft status.

For now, we have this past college football season, the Senior Bowl and other expert opinions on these players, but we will become even more familiar with them later this week.

But let's fantasize a bit more, shall we?

Below, we have a first-round mock draft ahead of the combine, and we'll discuss three players in particular.

NFL Mock Draft

1. Cleveland Browns: Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

2. New York Giants: Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA

3. Indianapolis Colts: Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State

4. Cleveland Browns (via Houston Texans): Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma

5. Denver Broncos: Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame

6. New York Jets: Sam Darnold, QB, USC

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama

8. Chicago Bears: Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State

9. Oakland Raiders (pending coin flip): Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa*

10. San Francisco 49ers (pending coin flip): Connor Williams, OT, Texas*

11. Miami Dolphins: Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia

12. Cincinnati Bengals: Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame

13. Washington Redskins: Derwin James, S, Florida State

14. Green Bay Packers: Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech

15. Arizona Cardinals: Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville

16. Baltimore Ravens: Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama

17. Los Angeles Chargers: Vita Vea, DT, Washington

18. Seattle Seahawks: Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma

19. Dallas Cowboys: Billy Price, G/C, Ohio State

20. Detroit Lions: Ronald Jones II, RB, USC

21. Buffalo Bills: Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU

22. Buffalo Bills (via Kansas City Chiefs): Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming

23. Los Angeles Rams: Mike Hughes, CB, UCF

24. Carolina Panthers: Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA

25. Tennessee Titans: Harold Landry, EDGE, Boston College

26. Atlanta Falcons: Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama 

27. New Orleans Saints: Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina 

28. Pittsburgh Steelers: Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama 

29. Jacksonville Jaguars: Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame

30. Minnesota Vikings: Taven Bryan, DT, Florida

31. New England Patriots: Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State

32. Philadelphia Eagles: Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas

*Nos. 9 and 10 will be decided by a coin flip.

1. Cleveland Browns: Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

We haven't seen a running back go No. 1 overall since the Bengals took Ki-Jana Carter (also from Penn State) in 1995, but the Browns are in a unique situation, draft-pick-wise.

Taking Barkley No. 1 will allow them, at No. 4, to take whichever quarterback doesn't go with the No. 2 and 3 picks.

Sure, they could draft a quarterback here, but there is a realistic chance that the Giants or Colts could take the running back.

This way, the Browns will take not only Barkley, but Mayfield as well, bolstering their offense for what they hope will be years to come.

Taking Mayfield and Barkley at the top of the draft sounds like a fantastic idea. Normally, the Browns would just take Mayfield (going by this mock), but there is a reasonable strategy here to take Barkley and wait patiently for the Giants and Colts to go by.

20. Detroit Lions: Ronald Jones II, RB, USC

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Two running backs in the first round? Yes, for the second year in a row.

Most would plug in LSU running back Derrius Guice here, and that is also a fine pick. However, Jones' upside wins out.

With Darnold as his quarterback at USC, Jones was a tad under the radar and not utilized as heavily as he would have been had he been with another top program, but Jones possesses all the tools to be a successful running back for a long time.

Not to mention, the Lions haven't had a legitimate running back in forever. Theo Riddick is more of a pass-catcher, and Ameer Abdullah, well, isn't quite what we all hoped for and has dealt with numerous injuries.

Again, Guice is also a fine pick, but the upside Jones possesses is Jamaal Charles-esque.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars: Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

With wide receiver Allen Robinson set to hit the open market (minus a new deal or franchise tag), the Jaguars could find themselves in a position of needing another receiver.

Last year, they got by with Allen Hurns, Marqise Lee, Dede Westbrook and Keelan Cole. But to be a force again in the AFC, they'll need another receiving threat, and St. Brown fits the bill.

Being the third receiver to go in Round 1, St. Brown is still one of the better receivers in the draft.

Unfortunately for him, he comes from a Notre Dame program that had not-so-good quarterback play, and his numbers suffered because of that.

However, St. Brown is a fantastic route-runner, and he was able to deal with double-teams all season. 

Standing at 6'4", St. Brown has the height to go up and get the ball on contested catches, too.

Sounds like a solid A-Rob replacement. Look for the Jags to take St. Brown should Robinson head for greener pastures.