Finding Perfect Homes for NFL Draft's Best Remaining Players
The 2018 NFL draft started with a surprise in the quarterback selection order. The Cleveland Browns chose Baker Mayfield with the No. 1 overall pick, Sam Darnold fell into the New York Jets' lap at No. 3 and Josh Rosen slipped to the Arizona Cardinals, who traded up to No. 10.
Five quarterbacks heard their names called in the opening round. Surprisingly, clubs didn't flock to offensive skill players in premium spots. Between running backs and wide receivers, only five players started a fresh chapter with a new team Thursday. We should see top players at both positions go early in Round 2.
As far as top-notch defensive talents are concerned, an injury-riddled campaign before going pro, health concerns and character questions likely dropped three recognizable names on big boards. Looking at the glass half full, these prospects will become high-value picks Friday.
Which signal-caller will come off the board next? What's the best landing spot for first-round talents at running back and wide receiver? We'll pair 10 notable prospects with ideal teams for Day 2.
Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State
1 of 10
The whispers about Lamar Jackson's rising stock, as reported by Yahoo Sports' Jordan Schultz, held true. The Baltimore Ravens traded up to pick him with the last selection in the first round.
Early in the draft process, many considered Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph as part of the top six at the position.
Defenses in the Big 12 don't garner much respect, which hurt Rudolph's stock. There's also a cause for concern about his ability to operate in a pro-style offense that requires the signal-caller to go through his progressions when the initial read isn't open.
At 6'5", 235 pounds, Rudolph possesses the prototypical size of an NFL quarterback. In several outings, he flashed the accuracy to find his two 1,000-yard wide receivers, James Washington and Marcell Ateman. The Cowboy completed at least 62 percent of his passes as a starter over the past three seasons.
However, there are question marks about his anticipation skills when the windows don't look as wide as the Grand Canyon. Front offices will view Rudolph as a project quarterback for at least a year or two.
At No. 77, the Cincinnati Bengals could send a subtle message to quarterback Andy Dalton, who doesn't have dead money owed to him after the 2018 term, per Spotrac. The depth chart also doesn't have a young developing arm to offer any competition for the 30-year-old after AJ McCarron signed with the Buffalo Bills earlier in the offseason.
Dalton has been selected to three Pro Bowls, but Rudolph could become the next man up if the Bengals decide to part ways with their veteran starter beyond the upcoming season.
Perfect home: Cincinnati Bengals
Derrius Guice, RB, LSU
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According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the NFL couldn't confirm running back Derrius Guice's account that a club asked him about an attraction to men.
Schefter sent out the tweet just a day before the draft started. Leading up to the event, Guice spoke with frustration about question marks concerning his maturity.
At this point, it's only a guess as to why Guice fell to the second round. As a ball-carrier, he's a Day 1 talent. NFL Media analyst Lance Zierlein compared his running style to Marshawn Lynch. He doesn't hesitate to hit holes with good vision and finishes his runs with extra yards after contact.
Guice hit his collegiate peak during the 2016 campaign with 1,387 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. He battled injuries last season but still ran for 1,251 yards and 11 scores on the ground.
As arguably the best overall prospect still available, the Browns shouldn't hesitate to take Guice at pick Nos. 33 or 35. He'd join Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson, who would project as the primary receiving back among the trio.
Perfect home: Cleveland Browns
Ronald Jones, RB, USC
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Ronald Jones led the team with 987 rushing yards as a freshman. He surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in the following campaign and completely broke out last season with 1,550 yards on the ground.
At 5'11", 205 pounds, teams may see him as an evasive running back who needs a cap on his workload as a ball-carrier. Nonetheless, he takes care of the football and offers sufficient pass protection.
We didn't see Jones utilized heavily as a receiver. He only caught 32 passes for 302 yards in three years on campus. An NFL coaching staff should test that part of his skill set before assuming it's nonexistent.
The Trojans running back won't last long on the board among Day 2 targets. He's an appropriate fit for the Denver Broncos, who released C.J. Anderson, their top rusher from the previous season.
Devontae Booker and Jones would form a solid young duo behind an offensive line that should improve with tackle Garett Bolles going into his second year. There's also hope that ninth-year veteran tackle Jared Veldheer can turn things around after a subpar year with the Cardinals. Assuming guard Ronald Leary stays healthy, he would clear lanes on the interior.
Perfect home: Denver Broncos
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Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia
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As a freshman, Nick Chubb took over for Todd Gurley, who served a suspension then tore his ACL, during the 2014 campaign at Georgia. After taking over the starting position, Chubb also suffered a serious knee injury the following season, which shortened a promising year.
Chubb returned as a junior and picked up where he left off but didn't look as explosive after the injury. In the last campaign, the one-cut ball-carrier looked closer to his form before surgery to repair cartilage and ligaments in his knee.
While the injury history may float in the back of a general manager's mind, there's enough film to justify picking him early Friday. As a downhill ball-carrier, he's capable of grinding out yards with a bit of daylight in the running lanes.
Low productivity as a receiver has led to some questions about Chubb's ability to catch out of the backfield. For those in doubt, check out his freshman tape when he stepped on the field as Gurley's backup.
Lastly, like most running backs coming into the league, there's room for improvement in Chubb's pass protection.
At No. 51, the Detroit Lions should select the Georgia tailback to boost their ground attack, which ranked last in the previous term.
Chubb would immediately take over as the lead back with experienced one-cut running back LeGarrette Blount in the mix. Former second-round pick Ameer Abdullah has been a disappointment since entering the league as the No. 54 overall pick in 2015.
Perfect home: Detroit Lions
Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU
5 of 10
As Maryland wideout D.J. Moore's stock rose leading up to the draft, Courtland Sutton seemingly took a hit in his projection. Now heading into Day 2, he's still on the board as arguably the top prospect at the position. There's always room on the roster for a 6'3", 218-pound pass-catcher who can pluck contested passes out of the air.
Sutton eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards and hit double-digit touchdown totals in each of the past two seasons at Southern Methodist. He finished as the second-best pass-catcher behind Trey Quinn during the last campaign, but there's enough potential to consistently lead a wide receiver corps at the professional level.
Once Rosen earns the starting spot, the confident pocket passer will need a No. 1 threat. Wideout Larry Fitzgerald has mulled retirement over the past couple of seasons. It's time to find the next lead pass-catcher behind him.
The Cardinals could have a talented trio in Rosen, running back David Johnson and Sutton for several years to lead this new regime.
Perfect home: Arizona Cardinals
James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State
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James Washington might have been the best deep-threat wide receiver in the country over the last two seasons.
During his sophomore and senior campaigns, James averaged a shade more than 20 yards per catch. He also logged at least 10 touchdowns in each of the past three seasons.
On the other side of the coin, there's a lingering criticism about Big 12 defenses, which also plagued Rudolph, his quarterback over the past four years. On tape, Washington doesn't show much quickness or a varied route tree. The limitations may lead to an issue in gaining separation at the professional level.
As a potential deep threat with reliable hands, Washington would fit with the Baltimore Ravens, who lost Mike Wallace during the offseason. According to NFL reporter Ed Werder, free-agent wideout Dez Bryant declined a multiyear offer from the team.
Washington would stretch the field for a club still looking to add assets in the passing game.
Perfect home: Baltimore Ravens
Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan
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Unfortunately, Maurice Hurst's draft stock dropped after medical examinations revealed a heart condition at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Even though Hurst received clearance to participate at Michigan's pro day, the questions remain about his long-term health. Whether fair or not, front offices wouldn't have to look any further than Nick Fairley's situation with a heart issue to pause on the former Wolverine.
No reports have linked Hurst and Fairley with similarities, but any time there's a question about a player's heart condition, it's a significant concern. Hurst knew about the matter as a freshman with the program. Yet, he never missed a game because of complications.
The Oakland Raiders need an interior disruptor in the middle. They would land arguably the best 3-technique defensive tackle in this class.
Hurst shows a quick initial step after the snap. Despite knocks on his size at 6'1", 292 pounds, it's hard to argue with the production against top competition. His collegiate resume shows ability as a pass-rusher with 10.5 sacks over the past two seasons.
In the best-case scenario, Hurst enjoys a long NFL career. For the Silver and Black, it's a second-round steal.
Perfect home: Oakland Raiders
Da'Shawn Hand, DT, Alabama
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Defensive tackle Da'Shawn Hand saw the field in all four years at Alabama, which says a lot when looking at the program's steady flow of NFL talent along the front line. In each season, he flashed the propensity to reach the passer or thwart the run.
There's an innate instinct present in Hand's game as a defender who can line up as a 5-technique defensive end or shift inside on four-man fronts. Based on his physical traits, it's fair to expect more from him at the professional level. A quality coaching staff will uncover Hand's true ceiling.
He'd have to fall into the third round to reach an ideal spot with the New York Giants at No. 66. Alongside Damon Harrison and Dalvin Tomlinson, another former Crimson Tide defensive lineman, Hand would complete a stout front for defensive coordinator James Bettcher.
Big Blue may struggle to find a complementary pass-rusher to Olivier Vernon, but Hand would be a suitable addition to the defensive trenches.
Perfect home: New York Giants
Harold Landry, DE/LB, Boston College
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It's not a massive slide, but it's a bit surprising to see Harold Landry on the board in Round 2, especially with the lack of pass-rushing talent in this class.
Landry put his best year on tape as a junior when he led the country in sacks with 16.5. In the same season, he recorded 22 tackles for a loss and forced seven fumbles. An ankle injury hurt his overall production as a senior, but the Boston College prospect managed to sack the quarterback five times.
He has a natural ability to reach the quarterback with various pass-rushing techniques. At 6'2", 252 pounds, Landry can bring power to his pursuit. He's also agile enough to run around or squeeze in between offensive linemen to collapse the pocket.
The Chicago Bears need someone opposite Leonard Floyd off the edge. General manager Ryan Pace chose linebacker Roquan Smith with the No. 8 overall pick Thursday night, but he's more of a sideline-to-sideline defender. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio can unleash Landry on opposing quarterbacks.
Perfect home: Chicago Bears
Arden Key, DE/LB, LSU
10 of 10
Last year, teams would've felt comfortable discussing Arden Key as a first-round talent. As a sophomore, he wreaked havoc in the backfields of opponents with 11 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss.
However, after taking time away from LSU, an offseason shoulder surgery and a 238-pound weigh-in at the combine, he's a Day 2 target at a weak position.
With some added bulk, Key could make an immediate impact in Week 1 as a rotational pass-rusher. Despite a relatively average junior campaign, his freshman and sophomore tape shows the potential to become a 3-4 outside linebacker in the pros.
The Tennessee Titans wouldn't need to start Key right away with veterans Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan starting on the outside as primary pass-rushers. Nonetheless, both players provide a good example for Key, who comes into the league with red flags.
Perfect home: Tennessee Titans
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