2018 NFL Mock Draft: Latest 1st-Round Predictions for Marquee Prospects

In every NFL draft class, there is always a handful of marquee talent that the mainstream audience gets to know.

For much of the time, these players are the quarterbacks; for this draft class, though, we've also seen coverage of quite a few other prospects, including Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson, Penn State running back Saquon Barkley and North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb.

Below, we'll look at a first-round mock draft and examine three scenarios that include some popular marquee prospects.

NFL Mock Draft: Round 1

1. Cleveland Browns: Sam Darnold, QB, USC

2. New York Giants: Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

3. New York Jets (via Indianapolis Colts): Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming

4. Buffalo Bills (projected trade w/ Cleveland Browns, via Houston Texans): Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA

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: Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia

11. Miami Dolphins: Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech

12. Cleveland Browns (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. Cleveland Browns (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

Predictions

Giants Take Barkley at No. 2

After being a speculated trade partner with the Buffalo Bills for their No. 2 overall pick, the Giants will stay put and take Barkley to bolster their Eli Manning-led offense.

According to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, the Giants view Barkley as an even better prospect than when Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott came out of Ohio State.

Taking the 21-year-old at No. 2 will be the highest a running back has been drafted since Reggie Bush was taken by the New Orleans Saints at No. 2 overall in 2006.

Barkley is a generational talent and will provide an immediate boost to the Giants offense.

Over the last few years, New York has struggled to find consistency out of the running game, sporting guys such as Orleans Darkwa, Shane Vereen, Paul Perkins and Rashad Jennings.

Even though he's a running back, Barkley is a fairly safe selection for the Giants.

However, it should be remembered that the running back position is undervalued, and they deal with contact every play, leading to a shorter shelf life.

After being candidates to draft a quarterback to succeed Manning, the Giants will ultimately land a running back who looks a lot like Barry Sanders on film.

Bills Trade Up to No. 4, Draft Franchise QB

With two picks in the first round, plus additional draft assets including two second-round selections, the Bills have more than enough firepower to trade up.

In this scenario, the Bills trade up and get the Browns' second top-five selection for their two first-round picks, a second-round pick and a first-round pick in 2019.

As a result, the Browns will have the No. 1, No. 12 and No. 22 overall selections.

The Browns will take their franchise guy at No. 1 in Sam Darnold, the Giants get Barkley at No. 2, the New York Jets will take Josh Allen to sit behind Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater for the year, which leaves the Bills getting the best prospect at the position—Josh Rosen.

Rosen will need to shoulder quite the load in Buffalo with his receiving options, and you better believe he and running back LeSean McCoy will get well-acquainted.

In this scenario, the Bills will still have a second-round pick, so maybe they use it on a receiver to go alongside Rosen.

Either way, the Bills find a way to trade up and get their guy—even if it's not with the No. 2 overall pick.

Patriots Trade Up for Brady's Successor

After trading wide receiver Brandin Cooks to the Los Angeles Rams for the No. 23 overall pick, the Patriots will use that pick and their No. 31 overall pick to trade up with the Green Bay Packers for the No. 14 overall pick in a rare move.

With that pick, the Patriots will draft Lamar Jackson right in front of the Arizona Cardinals—a team that needs a quarterback badly.

There are some obvious immediate differences between Brady and Jackson. The former is a more traditional pocket-passing quarterback and the best to ever do it; the latter can throw from the pocket but can also make plays with his legs and is the most electric quarterback prospect since Michael Vick.

Coming out of Louisville with Bobby Petrino, Jackson is used to a pro-style offense which will help in learning the "Patriot way."

Also, this could be a move to find Josh McDaniels his guy if the offensive coordinator takes over from head coach Bill Belichick. 

If anyone can cater an offensive system to a quarterback, it's McDaniels.

By trading up for Jackson, the Patriots have faith in him to lead their team for the next decade after Brady hangs up his cleats.