2018 NFL Mock Draft: 1st-Round Predictions for Nation's Top Prospects

The Philadelphia Eagles have 8-1 odds to win Super Bowl LIII, per OddsShark. The sportsbooks list two obvious candidates to dethrone the defending champs, with the Minnesota Vikings sitting at 9-1 and the New England Patriots leading the way at 5-1.

Those two teams just so happen to be the ones the Eagles beat in the conference championship and Super Bowl, respectively.

Here's a look at what the Pats and Vikings could do in the back end of the first round of the NFL draft on April 27 to help dethrone the Eagles and earn a Super Bowl victory.

2018 NFL Mock Draft

1. Cleveland Browns: Wyoming QB Josh Allen

2. New York Giants: USC QB Sam Darnold

3. New York Jets: Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield

4. Cleveland Browns: North Carolina State DE Bradley Chubb

5. Buffalo Bills (proposed trade with Denver Broncos): UCLA QB Josh Rosen

6. Indianapolis Colts: Penn State RB Saquon Barkley

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Alabama DB Minkah Fitzpatrick

8. Chicago Bears: Notre Dame OG Quenton Nelson

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

10. Oakland Raiders: Georgia LB Roquan Smith

11. Miami Dolphins: Florida State S Derwin James

12. Denver Broncos (proposed trade with Buffalo Bills): Notre Dame OT Mike McGlinchey

13. Washington Redskins: Washington DT Vita Vea

14. Green Bay Packers: Ohio State CB Denzel Ward

15. Arizona Cardinals: Louisville QB Lamar Jackson

16. Baltimore Ravens: Alabama WR Calvin Ridley

17. Los Angeles Chargers: Alabama DT Da'Ron Payne

18. Seattle Seahawks: Texas OT Connor Williams

19. Dallas Cowboys: SMU WR Courtland Sutton

20. Detroit Lions: UTSA EDGE Marcus Davenport

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Alabama LB Rashaan Evans

22. Denver Broncos (proposed trade with Buffalo Bills): Ohio State OG/C Billy Price

23. New England Patriots: Boston College EDGE Harold Landry

24. Carolina Panthers: Alabama S Ronnie Harrison

25. Tennessee Titans: Michigan DT Maurice Hurst

26. Atlanta Falcons: Florida DT Taven Bryan

27. New Orleans Saints: Texas A&M WR Christian Kirk

28. Pittsburgh Steelers: Boise State LB Leighton Vander Esch

29. Jacksonville Jaguars: South Carolina TE Hayden Hurst

30. Minnesota Vikings: UTEP OG Will Hernandez

31. New England Patriots: Louisville CB Jaire Alexander

32. Philadelphia Eagles: LSU RB Derrius Guice

Super Bowl Favorites: 1st-Round Mock Picks

30. Minnesota Vikings: UTEP OG Will Hernandez

One of the highest risers in this year's NFL draft is UTEP offensive guard Will Hernandez. The guard wasn't even on Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network's first ranking of the top 50 draft prospects this year. However, Hernandez has since risen to No. 21 in the third version of Jeremiah's big board.

The 6'2", 327-pound mauler would be a great addition to the Vikings for a few reasons. First, it's never a bad idea to invest in the offensive line after signing a new franchise quarterback to a massive deal, which Minnesota did when inking former Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins to a three-year, $84 million contract.

Second, while the Vikings offensive line played well last year, adding another tough run-blocker to the mix couldn't hurt. The team finished toward middle of the league pack (19th) in adjusted line yards, per Football Outsiders.

Although the healthy return of running back Dalvin Cook (who suffered a torn ACL in Week 4) will likely make everyone on the Vikings offense look better if his four games last season are any indication, imagine how dominant Minnesota could be with the second-year pro running behind a player like Hernandez.

Lance Zierlein of NFL Media offered praise for the former UTEP star's run blocking, saying he "has the feet and the force to keep run blocks sustained and centered" and "flashes outstanding upper-body strength to turn defenders out of the run lane."

Josh Norris for Rotoworld explained why Hernandez would be a good fit in Minnesota: "The Vikings roster is awesome, and Hernandez would only make it better, He’s a true mauler up the middle to pair with Nick Easton and Pat Elflein."

Hernandez seems like the type of player who could be a mainstay on a team's line for a decade-plus. Don't be surprised if the team that takes him is Minnesota at No. 30.

23 and 31. New England Patriots: Boston College EDGE Harold Landry and Louisville CB Jaire Alexander 

If the Patriots don't package the No. 23 and No. 31 picks for a higher first-round selection, it's possible both slots could be used to beef up the defense.

In the above scenario, Boston College edge-rusher Harold Landry might be the best defensive player left on the board, and he would be hard to pass up. He amassed 16.5 sacks in just 12 games in his junior year before accruing an additional five sacks (in an injury-shorted eight-game season) in his senior year.

Matt Miller of Bleacher Report is a fan, ranking Landry 26th in a recent big board and writing that he "can stand up or put his hand in the dirt to get after the quarterback." That versatility could be a big plus for the Pats, who ranked seventh in sacks last year (42) but were unable to get to Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles in the Super Bowl.

As far as the 31st pick goes, a cornerback is a possibility. The Pats lost Malcolm Butler to free agency but picked up former Cleveland Browns corner Jason McCourty in an offseason trade.

While McCourty could be a key addition, the Pats' defense was suspect last year, ranking 21st in pass-defense efficiency and 31st in defensive efficiency, per Football Outsiders. The Pats also allowed 7.3 yards per attempt, which ranked 25th in the NFL.

New England could use more depth in the secondary, and Louisville cornerback Jaire Alexander may be a good addition. He had a solid performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, highlighted by a blistering 4.38-yard dash. Bernd Buchmasser of Pats Pulpit wrote about Alexander and his potential fit with the Patriots prior to Butler's departure:

"Alexander is an aggressive cornerback that has experience playing both man-to-man and zone coverage and has earned a reputation as a big-play defender by playing with intelligence and top-notch instincts...Alexander is a high-upside option that would certainly earn considerable snaps on a Patriots defense that is expected to lose Malcolm Butler in free agency."

Alexander amassed five interceptions and nine passes defended in his sophomore year (an injury-marred junior year held him to just six games), so he may work out for a Pats defense that could use another playmaker.