NFL Mock Draft 2018: Predictions for Nation's Top Prospects
Perhaps one of the biggest storylines entering the 2018 NFL draft pertains to how much elite talent is going to get pushed down the board because teams will make early runs on scarce positions.
Think quarterback, which is once again sure to have a variety of names come off the board early, pushing high-end prospects at premium positions down the board to other teams more than happy to scoop them out of a fall.
So it should go in a draft where it feels like for the first time in a long time there isn't a surefire No. 1 pick, and fans might not find out who it is until the Cleveland Browns walk to the podium Thursday.
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Fitting, really, after one of the most interesting paths to the draft in quite some time. Below, let's look at one plausible scenario before breaking down some notable picks.
2018 NFL Mock Draft
1. Cleveland Browns: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
2. New York Giants: Sam Darnold, QB, USC
3. New York Jets: Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
4. Cleveland Browns (via Houston Texans): Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State
5. Denver Broncos: Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
6. Indianapolis Colts: Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Derwin James, S, Florida State
8. Chicago Bears: Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame
9. San Francisco 49ers: Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
10. Oakland Raiders: Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU
11. Miami Dolphins: Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama
13. Washington Redskins: Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
14. Green Bay Packers: Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State
15. Arizona Cardinals: Vita Vea, DT, Washington
16. Baltimore Ravens: Harold Landry, DE/OLB, Boston College
17. Los Angeles Chargers: Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech
18. Seattle Seahawks: Isaiah Wynn, OL, Georgia
19. Dallas Cowboys: Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
20. Detroit Lions: Derrius Guice, RB, LSU
21. Cincinnati Bengals: James Daniels, OL, Iowa
22. Buffalo Bills (via Kansas City Chiefs): Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State
23. New England Patriots (via Los Angeles Rams): Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA
24. Carolina Panthers: Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State
25. Tennessee Titans: Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
26. Atlanta Falcons: Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan
27. New Orleans Saints: Will Hernandez, OG, UTEP
28. Pittsburgh Steelers: Marcus Davenport, DE/OLB, UTSA
29. Jacksonville Jaguars: Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa
30. Minnesota Vikings: Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado
31. New England Patriots: Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State
32. Philadelphia Eagles: Sony Michel, RB, Georgia
1. Cleveland Browns: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
We've had Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield coming off the board at No. 1 in this mock for quite a while now.
It's not hard to see why, either. Mayfield possesses the best upside in the class at the position thanks to his ability to extend plays with his feet. He was plenty accurate in college, completing 70.5 percent of his passes as a senior, but also threw for 36 or more touchdowns in three consecutive seasons while also rushing for five or more over the same span.
Those Browns likely wouldn't mind a pocket presence like Sam Darnold, but sheer pocket guys have high bust rates as well. At least with Mayfield, head coach Hue Jackson will get a guy who can scramble and still put the ball in the vicinity of a Josh Gordon.
The skill set and leadership qualities here likely explain why ESPN's Adam Schefter is hearing of a late push for Mayfield at the top of the draft:
The nice thing for the Browns? They can nab Mayfield and still get a top-tier prospect elsewhere at No. 4.
Another wrinkle to the Mayfield train here is the presence of Tyrod Taylor. Jackson and his staff can still lean on the veteran and implement the best possible offense for Mayfield while he's developing free of pressure.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Derwin James, S, Florida State
Florida State safety Derwin James is one of those high-end prospects sure to fall down the board.
James would normally come off the board even higher. He's a dominant prospect at a premium position a team can lock down for five years before working on some sort of extension, an explosive attacking safety near the line of scrimmage who can change the complexion of games.
Thanks to his eye-catching skill set and upside, it makes sense James has heard some lofty comparisons, as captured by SiriusXM NFL Radio:
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers certainly aren't going to complain about James falling into their laps at No. 7. Safety is one of the more vulnerable positions on the roster right now, and corners like Vernon Hargreaves and Brent Grimes need some stability next to them in the back end of the defense.
As a whole, a pass rush led by Gerald McCoy, Vinny Curry and Jason Pierre-Paul should disrupt offensive timing and make life easier on James as he adapts, not to mention giving him plenty of chances to make impact plays.
Not bad for the Buccaneers, considering in a year without so many top quarterback prospects they would likely need to be three or four picks higher to land a player like James.
14. Green Bay Packers: Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State
Leighton Vander Esch is a fun combination—he's one of those top prospects who will fall a bit down the board thanks to runs on other positions but also is simply a lesser-known name.
For now, at least.
Vander Esch is a productive prospect who checks in at 6'4" and 256 pounds. He screams potential after his instinctual play last year and a frame able to add muscle, meaning he's close to the best, if not the best, every-down linebacker prospect in the class.
Here's what an NFC defensive coordinator told NFL.com's Lance Zierlein: "Really impressed with the Boise linebacker. There aren't too many (linebackers) in the league who have his size and explosiveness in testing. And it shows up on tape. He's a player, not just a tester."
A team like the Green Bay Packers isn't going to let this sort of potential slip past in the middle of the draft's opening round. Maybe LVE can't have an every-down role right away as he packs more muscle on his frame, but even a rotational presence before taking over in a year or so is a boon.
And it might not be possible for Green Bay without a class strong at quarterback and along the offensive line. Linebackers like this don't come around too often because at some point they don't fit in a scheme or don't do something well enough that offenses can exploit.
LVE seems like the exception, and his draft stock hasn't been higher as a result.
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