We made it to the climax of draft season. I hope everyone has enjoyed the process, which will hopefully lead to a better draft experience overall.
I have never tried to guess what our draft will look like, just a plethora of different players. The goal being, during the draft, I will know some of the names and perhaps have formed some draft crushes to root for.
Take a look at the other mocks to see all of the players to look for:
Mock 1, Mock 2, Mock 3, Mock 4, Mock 5, Mock 6, Mock 7, Mock 8, Mock 9
Since this is the big climax, we have to do things bigger and different from before. We still don't really know which rounds or where in those rounds, we will actually draft, so instead of doing a mock with picks I am going to give some a target for each half round. I'll throw in some other names also, but primarily who I think they will be looking at in each half round.
I am leaning heavily on NFLmockdraftdatabase.com to figure out where guys will go, but using a little bit of my own thoughts and guesses thrown in.
I realize most pundits and viewers say BPA over and over again, but that isn't how teams actually draft. Teams are looking for how players grade out compared to their own roster. In the early rounds, you hope to have someone grade out so that they are actually contributing, in later rounds you are looking for developmental traits and guys that can contribute on special teams. A great example is our own roster. Our front 7 has a set of starters that are legitimate NFL starters. We can argue the strength and weaknesses, but we could go into the league year and it wouldn't be the weakest part of the team. At OT, we have one possible starter and that is kinda stretching it, so an OT prospect is going to grade out better than most of the front seven players. It isn't as simple as that in all cases, because you can look later in the draft, on your board and go better talent, less need earlier, but that can lead your team into trouble if you take it too far.
After I go through all of the targets, I'll list out some possible actual draft scenarios, to show what our full class could be.
So here are my top targets in each half round:
Top Half of the 1st Round
DT Jordan Davis - Georgia
Measurements: 6'-6" 340
40 Yard Dash-4.78
Vertical Jump-32
Broad Jump-123
NFL.com The Draft Network Bleacher Report
So, I am assuming one of QBs, Hutchinson, Neal, Ekwonu, Thibodeaux, Gardner, Walker and one of the WRs are gone by our pick. If we are sticking with number 9, I want someone who is an immediate starter and game altering. None of the QBs fit that bill and if we went OT or rusher we are getting at best, the 3rd to 4th best player at that position, in a top end weak draft. Jordan Davis isn't just the best NT in this draft, he is the best NT prospect in recent memory. NTs haven't historically been valued, but in the modern 3-4 defense, unless you have Aaron Donald, you need a dominate NT to clog the middle, while your back end is disguising an empty box, giving them time to get to their run fits. Jordan Davis has the tools and potential to be the most dominate NT in the league in a very short amount of time.
Other options:
Bottom Half of the 1st Round
OT Bernhard Raimann - Central Michigan
Measurements: 6'-7" 305
40 Yard Dash-5.05
Bench Press-30
Vertical Jump-30.5
Broad Jump-117
3 Cone Drill-7.46
20 Yd Shuttle-4.49
NFL.com The Draft Network Bleacher Report
A case can be made to take a 3-4 DE or OLB here, but if you project a draft grade onto our current roster, you would find that we already have reasonable or better starters at those four positions. There is definitely room for improvement at the DE spots, but Taylor and Nwosu are better than anyone you will get in the back of the 1st. The same can't be said about OT. Brown and Shell are still out there and I am sure will be signed if we don't do something different in the draft. This would be the opportunity to do something different. Raimann is at the back of the first, not the front, because he is new to football. If you were to chart his improvement, over the last few years though, he looks like he could be the best of all the OTs in this class in the next couple of years. He is athletic and quick, which is perfect for a zone running team. I would love to grab him and let him develop into our LT for the next decade.
Other options:
Top Half of the 2nd Round
WR Christian Watson - North Dakota State
Measurements: 6'-5" 208
40 Yard Dash-4.36
Vertical Jump-38.5
Broad Jump-136
NFL.com The Draft Network Bleacher Report
Elite size, speed and explosion. He is DK Metcalf's skinny little brother. His speed and explosion rival Metcalf and you just can't coach up that type of profile. I want to put him across from DK and make defenses make a choice to leave Lockett lightly covered and make them pay. Watson in the top of the 2nd, will be one of the last truly elite WRs available in this class and would have an instant impact on the team.
Other Options:
Bottom Half of the 2nd Round
3-4 OLB Nik Bonitto - Oklahoma
Measurements: 6'-3" 240
40 Yard Dash-4.54
Vertical Jump-35.5
Broad Jump-120
3 Cone Drill-7.07
20 Yd Shuttle-4.23
NFL.com The Draft Network Bleacher Report
He is undersized as an edge player and will struggle at times against the power run game, but...he is a force as a pass rush. Super-fast and quick, which doesn't allow the OL to get their hands on him, forcing QBs to move off their spot. In the run game, he has surprisingly good play recognition, which allows him to get into position to stop the run before the OL can affect him. He may not be an every down starter from day one, but he would be a great addition to the pass rush and maybe develop into a solid every down edge player.
Other Options:
Top Half of the 3rd Round
CB Marcus Jones - Houston
Measurements: 5'-8" 185
NFL.com The Draft Network Bleacher Report
Don't tell me he is short and what he can't do on the perimeter. Watch his highlights and try not to fall in love with this guy. As a CB his comp is DJ Reed and as a returner, he is the best prospect to come out in recent memory. Even if he never makes it as a CB, he has the potential to be a pro bowl returner in year one and I would draft him in the third to get that. Oh, by the way, he also played WR at times and was a super dynamic gadget threat. With that being said, he held his own as an outside CB in college and should easily transition into a solid slot CB in the pros. This is my number one draft crush and we need to make this happen. Like right now.
Other Options:
Bottom Half of the 3rd Round
LB Troy Anderson - Montana State
Measurements: 6'-4" 235
40 Yard Dash-4.42
Vertical Jump-36
Broad Jump-128
NFL.com The Draft Network Bleacher Report
This is a bit of a projection, but he has the potential and tools to develop into a great LB in a 3-4 type system. He is also as Seahawky as it gets. He played QB, RB and S before transitioning to LB and was all conference at every position and DPOY last year as a LB. He is still learning the position, so having Barton on his last contract year will help. He is a core ST guy year one and a starter next to Brooks after that.
Other Options:
Top Half of the 4th Round
Edge Deangelo Malone - Western Kentucky
Measurements: 6'-4" 240
Bench Press-23
NFL.com The Draft Network Bleacher Report
You can never have too many pass rushers. Right now, Malone is primarily a speed rusher, that would play as a rush OLB. Even if he was only a designated pass rusher and core special teamer, that is well worth a 4th. He has all the potential in the world to develop into an every down OLB in the future.
Other Options:
Bottom Half of the 4th Round
CB Zyon McCollum - Sam Houston State
Measurements: 6'-4" 200
40 Yard Dash-4.33
Vertical Jump-39.5
Broad Jump-132
3 Cone Drill-6.48
20 Yd Shuttle-3.94
So, this is the Pete Carrol CB prototype, except the arms are a little short. He makes up for it, with insane speed and quickness numbers for a guy his size. He is significantly faster and quicker than Sherm, which will easily make up for his arms not being quite 32". He is coming from the FCS level, so some development time should be expected, but this is the clay that Pete loves to mold into a big time CB.
Other Options:
Top Half of the 5th Round
RB Pierre Strong - South Dakota State
Measurements: 5'-11" 205
40 Yard Dash-4.37
Vertical Jump-36
Broad Jump-124
NFL.com The Draft Network Bleacher Report
If you are going to run a zone heavy system, you need a back that sticks their foot in the ground and goes. With his speed and explosion, he is great at that. Give him a gap of any type and he will explode through it for a big play. He wasn't used in the passing game much, but he has good hands and should be just fine as an everyday back.
Other Options:
Bottom Half of the 5th Round
CB Joshua Williams - Fayetteville State
Measurements: 6'-3" 197
40 Yard Dash-4.53
Vertical Jump-36
Broad Jump-124
Small school, traits based pick here. He has everything that he needs to develop into a plus starting outside CB. He was a star at the Senior Bowl and that is important to our FO, so I am sure that he is on their radar, plus he is exactly what they want in an outside CB.
Other options:
Top Half of the 6th Round
WR Dareke Young - Lenoir-Rhyne
Measurements: 6'-2" 215
40 Yard Dash-4.47
Vertical Jump-43
Broad Jump-124
A small school, physical freak WR who loves to block and has taken the ball as a RB quite a bit. His comp would be Deebo Samuel, but you can get him in the 6th round. The Hawks had him in for a visit, so he is on their radar and is an exciting late round add.
Other Options:
Bottom Half of the 6th Round
DE/DT Eyioma Uwazurike - Iowa State
Measurements: 6'-6" 320
Vertical Jump-33
Broad Jump-107
At this point in the draft, you are looking for traits that can develop. If Eyioma is used as a 3-4 DE and not moved all around, he has the traits to become a solid starter against the pass and run. Right now he is inconsistent using those traits, but they are there with some coaching.
Other options:
Top Half of the 7th Round
OT Spencer Burford - UTSA
Measurements: 6'-5" 295
40 Yard Dash-5.19
Vertical Jump-27.5
Broad Jump-105
20 Yd Shuttle-4.73
NFL.com The Draft Network Bleacher Report
He has the build and the quickness to develop into a starting OT. He needs to add 15-20 pounds of good weight and get consistent NFL level coaching, but he has all of the tools to become a solid OL starter.
Other Options:
Bottom Half of the 7th Round
K Cade York - LSU
Measurements: Who Cares
Super consistent kicker, who was in a lot of big spots and made the kicks. Just make it happen.
Other options:
Actual Draft Hall
So...what will that look like in reality? Using Draftek's draft trade chart, we can look at a couple of options.
Straight no trades (The least likely scenario)
9-NT Jordan Davis
40-WR Christian Watson
41-CB Kyler Gordon
72-CB Marcus Jones
109-Edge DeAngelo Malone
152-RB Pierre Strong
153-OT Dare Rosenthal
229-K Cade York
One 1st Round Small Trade Back
We give New Orleans the 9th and 152nd pick for the 16th and the 49th picks
16th-OT Bernahard Raimann
40-WR Christian Watson
41-DT Travis Jones
49-Edge Nik Bonitto
72-CB Marcus Jones
109-RB James Cook
229-K Cade York
One Big 1st Round Trade Back
We give Pit the 9th for the 20th, the 52nd and the 84th pick.
20-OT Bernahard Raimann
40-WR Christian Watson
41-LB Quay Walker
52-Edge Nik Bonitto
72-CB Marcus Jones
84-Edge Deangelo Malone
109-CB Zyon McCollum
152-RB Pierre Strong
153-OG Tyrese Robinson
229-K Cade York
We could do this all day, but there are some amazing possible draft hauls. All three of those options include multiple year one starters and multiple year one contributors.
This process has been a lot of fun and I have learned about a bunch of these prospects and am excited to get up way too early in the morning to see what happens.
Loading comments...