NFL Mock Draft 2018: Latest Projections for 1st-Round Prospects Entering Combine
It's that time of the year for NFL draft prospects: Combine time.
For many of the athletes, this showcase will be the best opportunity to stand out from the rest of their position group. Whether it be on the field or off it, prospects will be under the microscope like never before.
Years of tape have shown teams what a player can do on the field, and yet, the Underwear Olympics have the ability to move prospects up and down draft boards in the blink of an eye. It's a blessing and a curse, so players best bring their A games to Indianapolis.
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A lot can change between now and April, regardless of how the combine goes. For now, here's a look at how the draft could shake out in Arlington, Texas, before teams get a closer look at the players.
2018 NFL Mock Draft
1. Cleveland Browns: Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
2. New York Giants: Sam Darnold, QB, USC
3. Indianapolis Colts: Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State
4. Cleveland Browns (via Houston Texans): Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
5. Denver Broncos: Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame
6. New York Jets: Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama
8. Chicago Bears: Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
*9. Oakland Raiders: Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
*10. San Francisco 49ers: Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU
11. Miami Dolphins: Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama
12. Cincinnati Bengals: Connor Williams, OT, Texas
13. Washington Redskins: Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech
14. Green Bay Packers: Christian Wilkins, DE, Clemson
15. Arizona Cardinals: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
16. Baltimore Ravens: Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma
17. Los Angeles Chargers: Derwin James, S, Florida State
18. Seattle Seahawks: Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
19. Dallas Cowboys: Maurice Hurst, DL, Michigan
20. Detroit Lions: Derrius Guice, RB, LSU
21. Buffalo Bills: Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State
22. Buffalo Bills (via Kansas City Chiefs): Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
23. Los Angeles Rams: Billy Price, C/G, Ohio State
24. Carolina Panthers: James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State
25. Tennessee Titans: Harold Landry, DE/OLB, Boston College
26. Atlanta Falcons: Vita Vea, DT, Washington
27. New Orleans Saints: Marcus Davenport, EDGE, UTSA
28. Pittsburgh Steelers: Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State
29. Jacksonville Jaguars: Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa
30. Minnesota Vikings: Arden Key, EDGE, LSU
31. New England Patriots: Sam Hubbard, EDGE, Ohio State
32. Philadelphia Eagles: Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas
*Denotes tiebreakers to be decided by a coin flip.
4. Cleveland Browns (via Houston Texans): Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
The Cleveland Browns offense is going to look a lot different in 2018—and all thanks to a makeover that will take less than an hour.
Once again, Hue Jackson and Co. will be looking for a franchise quarterback this offseason. While they could use the No. 1 overall pick to try to solve the problem, it's not worth risking missing out on former Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, who could help any quarterback who lines up under center in Cleveland.
The New York Giants have an opportunity to draft Eli Manning's heir apparent at No. 2, and Sam Darnold may be too good for them to pass up. As long as the Indianapolis Colts don't trade out of the third spot, Cleveland will have its choice of quarterbacks, minus the former USC Trojan.
Adam Schefter of ESPN raised some eyebrows when he reported back in December that Rosen would prefer the Giants over the Browns. However, Rosen recently told NFL Network's Michael Silver (h/t Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot) that there's "no foundation" in the initial report. Regardless of his feelings toward Cleveland, the 6'4", 218-pound may be the best quarterback on the board when the team goes on the clock for the second time.
Although there are some concerns, NFL Media draft expert Mike Mayock (via NFL.com's Chase Goodbread) likes the arm on the former Bruin:
Pairing Barkley and Rosen would give Jackson—an offensive guru—a couple of exciting playmakers to pair with Josh Gordon.
8. Chicago Bears: Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
As Mitchell Trubisky enters his second professional season, getting him a playmaker would only help him grow as an NFL quarterback. There would be no better option than the consensus top wideout in the draft: Calvin Ridley.
How good does the former Alabama star project to be? Consider six-time Pro Bowler Reggie Wayne impressed:
To say the Bears could use an upgrade at receiver would be an understatement. Sixth-year receiver Kendall Wright led the team with 59 catches and 614 receiving yards. No Chicago wide receiver caught multiple touchdown passes last season, with just three players catching at least two touchdowns.
Ridley, on the other hand, averaged 74 catches, 927 yards and six touchdowns during his three seasons in Tuscaloosa. He burst onto the scene with 89 catches for 1,045 yards and seven scores as a freshman. Throughout the rest of his career, he continued to prove why he was the top recruit at his position.
At 6'1" and 190 pounds, the Alabama product may be destined for the slot in the NFL, according to Mayock (via Goodbread):
Of course, it's no secret that Alabama wideouts taken in the first round in recent years—Julio Jones and Amari Cooper—have found success in the NFL. If Ridley can follow in those Pro Bowl receivers' footsteps, Trubisky's job will be much easier.
18. Seattle Seahawks: Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
The Seattle Seahawks enter the 2018 offseason with plenty of question marks surrounding the Legion of Boom, but the offensive line still must be a priority.
Russell Wilson nearly carried the team to the postseason without much help up front. Seattle attempted to improve its protection by trading for Pro Bowl lineman Duane Brown before the deadline, but it still wound up allowing 43 sacks, the 10th-most in the league.
Unfortunately for the Seahawks, there will be high demand for offensive line help ahead of them. The good news is that there will be enough depth at the top of the group that a player of Mike McGlinchey's caliber should make it down to the 18th pick.
McGlinchey, who measures in at 6'8" and 312 pounds, has the ability to play either tackle position. While there are questions about his strength, the expectations are that he is NFL-ready. Learning from a seasoned vet like Brown on the fly could help work through some of the growing pains that come with the territory of being a rookie.
If the two-time Notre Dame captain is still on the board at 18, the Seahawks could wind up getting a steal. Pro Football Focus rates McGlinchey as the top tackle in the draft:
Seattle has taken an offensive lineman within its first two picks in each of the last two drafts. Look for that trend to continue, as the team has yet to solve its problem.
Stats courtesy of NFL.com.
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