NFL Mock Draft 2018: 1st-Round Projections and Safest Prospects Available

Every year in the NFL draft, there are a bevy of prospects with high upside, but they may present some questions marks with their initial NFL impact.

However, there are those few prospects that are as close to a guarantee to contribute from day one as anybody else.

Naturally, a lot of these prospects are drafted in the first round, and rightfully so—they're safe and have plenty of talent.

Below, we'll look at a first-round mock draft and look at three of the safest prospects in the 2018 class.

NFL Mock Draft: Round 1

1. Cleveland Browns: Sam Darnold, QB, USC

2. New York Giants: Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame

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

4. Cleveland Browns (via Houston Texans): Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

5. Denver Broncos: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma

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

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

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

9. San Francisco 49ers: Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech

10. Oakland Raiders: Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia

11. Miami Dolphins: Will Hernandez, OG, UTEP

12. Buffalo Bills (via Cincinnati Bengals): Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming

13. Washington Redskins: Vita Vea, DT, Washington

14. Green Bay Packers: Derwin James, S, Florida State

15. Arizona Cardinals: Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville

16. Baltimore Ravens: Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama

17. Los Angeles Chargers: Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan

18. Seattle Seahawks: Isaiah Wynn, OG, Georgia

19. Dallas Cowboys: Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State

20. Detroit Lions: Harold Landry, EDGE, Boston College

21. Cincinnati Bengals (via Buffalo Bills): Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame

22. Buffalo Bills (via Kansas City Chiefs): Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU

23. New England Patriots (via Los Angeles Rams): Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA

24. Carolina Panthers: Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame

25. Tennessee Titans: Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama

26. Atlanta Falcons: Taven Bryan, DT, Florida 

27. New Orleans Saints: Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama

28. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville

29. Jacksonville Jaguars: D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland 

30. Minnesota Vikings: Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA

31. New England Patriots: Connor Williams, OT, Texas

32. Philadelphia Eagles: Josh Sweat, DE, Florida State

Safest Prospects

Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame

In an ordinary draft class, it's almost unheard of to see a guard drafted as high as the top five.

But Nelson is worthy of being the top-five pick. He is acclaimed as one of the best run-blocking guards to ever be evaluated, and Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network has said he could end up being a 10-year All-Pro.

The Giants offensive line will have Nate Solder at tackle and Nelson at guard on the left side.

When it comes to the safeness and the longevity of a player, Nelson will likely be the last man standing from this 2018 draft class in terms of still playing 10-15 years down the line.

Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

You don't need to be an NFL draft savant to know who Barkley is. He is perhaps the best running back prospect to come out of college since Adrian Peterson at Oklahoma.

At 6'0" at 230 pounds, Barkley had 29 reps of 225 pounds at the combine and also ran a 4.40 40-yard dash. That's a rare combination of size, power and speed.

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein has compared Barkley to Barry Sanders, which says it all.

Prior to all the trading up to snag quarterbacks, I had Barkley as being the No. 1 overall pick—he's that special. And with the No. 4 pick in the draft, the Browns could still get him, setting up a backfield franchise duo for the next decade.

Some will argue that waiting for a back in this deep draft class is the better option, but Barkley is special.

Whichever team gets him is set at the position, barring major injury.

Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA

While it's hard to find a consensus on who the top quarterback prospect is in this draft class, my choice is Rosen.

Some have concerns over his arm talent, but the other concerns are his perceived attitude and injury history, per broadcaster Mike Pesca.

Players get hurt in football, and as far as the attitude controversy goes, that comes down to a team and how they evaluate it.

Rosen does everything well—he's accurate, he has tremendous footwork and is able to get his receivers open with throws.

What more do you want from a quarterback?

As you see above, Rosen is not the No. 1 overall pick, but that comes down to what I believe the Browns will do. Rosen has a chance to be drafted No. 2 to the Giants, too, but he's not falling past No. 5 and the Broncos. Ideally, that's where he'd land, but perhaps the Bills make a play.

According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, Bills general manager Brandon Beane is "trying like hell" to trade up to No. 2 to secure a quarterback.

With the No. 12 and 22 overall picks, this could be possible, but they may need to add a bit more, especially if they want Rosen.

Rosen is a franchise quarterback through and through, despite some of the concerns that some may have with him.