2018 NFL Mock Draft: Predictions for Top Prospects Who Will Get Overdrafted

Every team has a different strategy when they approach the NFL draft.

For some, it's to merely take the best available player. For others, they can be plagued by drafting for need.

But sometimes, depending on the particular depth of a position, it can force guys to be drafted higher than what their talent and ability demonstrate.

This is what we classify as being overdrafted.

Now don't be mistaken, these players are worthy of a draft pick, but perhaps not as high as they may go.

We'll look at a 2018 first-round mock draft below as well as three players who are candidates for being overdrafted and the reasons why.

NFL Mock Draft: Round 1

1. Cleveland Browns: Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming

2. Buffalo Bills (projected trade w/ New York Giants): Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA

3. New York Jets (via Indianapolis Colts): Sam Darnold, QB, USC

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: Derwin James, S, Florida State

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

9. San Francisco 49ers: Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama

10. Oakland Raiders: Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech

11. Miami Dolphins: Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia

12. New York Giants (projected trade w/ Buffalo Bills, via Cincinnati Bengals): Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State

13. Washington Redskins: Vita Vea, DT, Washington

14. New England Patriots (projected trade w/ Green Bay Packers): Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville

15. Arizona Cardinals: Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State

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: Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU

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

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

22. New York Giants (projected trade w/ Buffalo Bills, via Kansas City Chiefs): Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA

23. Green Bay Packers (projected trade w/ New England Patriots, via Los Angeles Rams): Josh Sweat, DE, Florida State

24. Carolina Panthers: Will Hernandez, OG, UTEP

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: Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame 

30. Minnesota Vikings: Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA

31. Green Bay Packers (projected trade w/ New England Patriots): Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn

32. Arizona Cardinals (projected trade w/ Philadelphia Eagles): Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State

Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State

While it may be good news for Mason Rudolph in terms of the money he'll receive, there is a chance he could be a late first-round pick.

Rudolph possesses many traits that could make a team salivate over his potential, but he has real concerns that may not allow him to be successful at the next level.

In college, Rudolph didn't throw much on the run and, although he's a big quarterback, his passes don't necessarily generate enough speed, which could lead to untimely interceptions.

Due to the rush of quarterbacks atop the first round, this could force a quarterback-needy team like the Arizona Cardinals to trade back into the first round to hopefully get their quarterback of the future.

Now, Rudolph will be behind Sam Bradford for at least a season, which will help, but Rudolph would need a few seasons to marinate and develop.

If asked to start his rookie season, it could end poorly for the Oklahoma State product.

Rudolph is a candidate for being overdrafted due to the need of the position across the league and how many quarterbacks are projected to go earlier in the draft.

Connor Williams, OL, Texas

When the pre-draft process began so many months ago, Connor Williams was looked at as a potential top-five pick.

Well, that hype died out fairly quickly.

Depending on where he goes or who you ask, it's unclear what position Williams will play in the NFL.

Is he a guard? A tackle?

For me, he's a guard, as he simply lacks the length to be a productive tackle in the NFL and, although he might have looked great in 2016, this is a "what have you done for me lately" type of process, and his 2017 season didn't exactly match up.

Overall, the offensive line position in this draft is fairly shallow.

Besides Quenton Nelson, the rest of the group kind of run together.

With that said, Williams is probably the fourth or fifth best guard prospect in the draft.

But a team could become infatuated with Williams' 2016 tape or the fact he has experience at tackle and overdraft him.

Does the fourth or fifth best guard in a draft class deserve to go in the first? Probably not.

He's not mocked in the first round above, but he's a candidate for a late first-round pick.

Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU

There are a lot of names and guys in this year's wide receiver class, but there's really only one that is a bonafide first round pick, and that's not Courtland Sutton—it's Calvin Ridley.

Drafting for need in the mock above, the Cowboys went ahead and drafted Sutton.

They released long-time receiver Dez Bryant over the weekend and now need his replacement to line up with Terrance Williams, Allen Hurns and Cole Beasley.

A common complaint about Bryant is his lack of ability to separate from opposing cornerbacks.

Well, that's also an issue with Sutton. 

According to NFL.com, that concern was raised by a source that is identified as an "NFC team regional scout" in which he says, "He's got to get quicker and learn to separate or he's going to be wearing coverage around the field. He's very mentally and physically tough, so I think he'll get it figured out."

The Cowboys would be better off waiting and hoping that a guy like Equanimeous St. Brown drops in the draft or perhaps even Sutton drops.

It's not like Sutton has zero value, but it's a bit of a reach and overdraft at the Cowboys first-round draft slot.

Do the Cowboys fall into the trap of drafting for need here or do they take the best player available and build their team that way?

Without Bryant, they could feel they need to get a receiver, and unless Ridley is on the board when they pick, they should hang tight.