NFL Mock Draft 2018: 1st-Round Projections for Prized Prospects

The transactions over the last few weeks altered the selection order for the 2018 NFL draft, but the focus of the teams at the top of the first round remains the same.

All of the attention is surrounding the quarterback class, and there's a potential scenario in which signal-callers are selected with the first five picks.

With the Cleveland Browns still in possession of the No. 1 and No. 4 overall picks, speculation will continue to swirl about them moving one of the selections for a bigger haul that helps them in the long term.

Beneath the top-five selections, the discussion revolves around which non-quarterbacks are going to help the franchises that aren't in need of a new signal-caller.

2018 NFL Mock Draft

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

2. New York Giants: Sam Darnold, QB, USC

3. New York Jets (from Indianapolis): Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA

4. Cleveland Browns (from Houston): Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming

5. Denver Broncos: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma

6. Indianapolis Colts (from New York Jets): Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State

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

8. Chicago Bears: Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame

9. San Francisco 49ers: Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State

10. Oakland Raiders: Derwin James, S, Florida State 

11. Miami Dolphins: Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia

12. Buffalo Bills (from Cincinnati): Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville 

13. Washington Redskins: Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech 

14. Green Bay Packers: Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa

15. Arizona Cardinals: Marcus Davenport, DE, Texas-San Antonio

16. Baltimore Ravens: Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama

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

18. Seattle Seahawks: Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame

19. Dallas Cowboys: DaRon Payne, DT, Alabama

20. Detroit Lions: Connor Williams, OT, Texas 

21. Cincinnati Bengals (from Buffalo): Isaiah Wynn, OG, Georgia

22. Buffalo Bills (from Kansas City): Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan 

23. Los Angeles Rams: Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama

24. Carolina Panthers: Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M 

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

26. Atlanta Falcons: Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville

27. New Orleans Saints: Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State 

28. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Hughes, CB, UCF

29. Jacksonville Jaguars: Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU

30. Minnesota Vikings: Billy Price, C, Ohio State 

31. New England Patriots: Taven Bryan, DT, Florida

32. Philadelphia Eagles: Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State 

Cleveland's No. 4 Pick Is the Most Coveted Selection At The Moment

All eyes are going to be on the No. 4 pick for the next month.

After the Indianapolis Colts shipped the No. 3 selection to the New York Jets for a nice collection of picks, teams further down the first round in need of a quarterback are running out of options.

Despite all the interest, the Browns should do their best to keep both picks and continue to build their roster after a strong start to free agency.

With plenty of quarterbacks available in the top four, the Browns should go after Penn State running back Saquon Barkley with the No. 1 overall pick before focusing on a quarterback.

There's no guarantee the New York Giants use the No. 2 pick on a quarterback, but even if they do, only two of the five coveted signal-callers will be off the board when the Browns return to the clock at No. 4.

Wyoming's Josh Allen is the pick at No. 4 right now for the Browns, and he'll start the 2018 season on the bench with newly-acquired Tyrod Taylor earning the starting role.

Butch Dill/Associated Press

If the Browns are interested in making a trade, the Buffalo Bills, who already jumped up to No. 12, and the Arizona Cardinals, who are at No. 15, seem like the two most-likely trade partners given their quarterback situations.

Arizona Is Odd Team Out on Quarterback Market

Not every team will get what they want on draft day, which means the Cardinals are going to be on the outside looking in when it comes to the quarterback market.

With Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, Allen and Baker Mayfield going second through fifth and the Bills taking Lamar Jackson at No. 12, the cabinet is going to be dry by the time the Cardinals' pick comes around.

Arizona is hoping that isn't the case, and one of the quarterbacks fall in its direction without having to give up a first-round pick, but it seems impossible after the moves by the Bills and Jets.

Texas-San Antonio defensive end Marcus Davenport is the current pick for the Cardinals, who are going to have to focus on other parts of the roster in the first round before mining the later rounds for their signal-caller of the future.

Butch Dill/Associated Press

The good news for the Cardinals is they aren't totally out of luck if they lose out on one of the top-five quarterbacks.

Oklahoma State's Mason Rudolph is going to become a coveted prospect once Jackson goes off the board, and there's even a possibility the Cardinals trade back into the first round to secure Rudolph.

In order to jump into the final 10 selections of the first round to swoop up a quarterback, the Cardinals are going to have to give up either their second-round selection or third-round pick, or both depending on the demands of their potential trade partners.

With so many possibilities surrounding them, the Cardinals are going to be one of the top teams to watch in the first round.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.