Month: December 2017 (Page 3 of 3)

First 2018 mock draft (top-25 projection)

Firstly, apologies for the lack of posts this week. Disney didn’t have Wifi. Who knew!?

With the college football regular season complete, here’s a top-25 mock draft. The order is taken from the brilliantly named ‘Tankathon’ website. Let me know what you think in the comments section.

Note — I didn’t include Sam Darnold. There’s enough talk about him staying at USC to believe that is likely.

Second note — this is a (very early) projection not a breakdown of where I think every player should go.

#1 Cleveland — Josh Rosen (QB, UCLA)
With accuracy, a great release, the ability to make a range of throws and ideal size — Rosen has every chance to become a very good NFL quarterback.

#2 New York Giants — Josh Allen (QB, Wyoming)
Allen’s 2017 season doesn’t warrant a pick this high. Yet his physical tools will likely entice teams during the post-season workouts. There’s every chance someone will take him this early based on upside even if he has a lot to work on at the next level.

#3 San Francisco — Saquon Barkley (RB, Penn State)
The best player eligible for the 2018 draft with a perfect blend of explosive physical traits, size, playmaking ability and character. A star in the making.

#4 Denver — Baker Mayfield (QB, Oklahoma)
Mayfield is sparky, competitive and completely warrants a selection this early. He’s elusive and improvises superbly when necessary but also makes plays in the pocket. The Broncos need some excitement on offense.

#5 Indianapolis — Vita Vea (DT, Washington)
You have to watch Vea live to really appreciate just how good he is. There aren’t many human’s on the planet who get around the field like he does at a listed 6-5 and 340lbs. The next Haloti Ngata.

#6 Chicago — Bradley Chubb (DE, NC State)
Bradley is Nick Chubb’s cousin. Nick had one of the best SPARQ workouts imaginable in 2013 at the Nike combine. Bradley is a 6-4, 275lbs version of Nick.

#7 Cleveland — (via Houston) — Minkah Fitzpatrick (S, Alabama)
The Browns should take inspiration from the Jaguars. Throw money on stud D-liners in free agency and bring in a young star for the secondary.

#8 Tampa Bay — Christian Wilkins (DT, Clemson)
Wilkins plays a bit like Sheldon Richardson. He might not be quite the same disrupter when rushing the passer but he’s incredibly active playing across the line and his motor never stops.

#9 Arizona — Quenton Nelson (G, Notre Dame)
Possibly the second best player in the draft behind Saquon Barkley. Nelson could go earlier than this depending on how he works out. Terrific prospect. Everything you want from a guard — physical, gets to the second level, plays with an edge.

#10 New York Jets — Connor Williams (T, Texas)
In a league with an increasing left tackle problem, Williams will likely go quite early. He’s highly athletic and should test well. His 2017 season was impacted by a knee injury.

#11 Washington — Roquan Smith (LB, Georgia)
Showed in the SEC Championship game what an impressive player he is. Might not make a ton of splash plays but flies around the field, sets the tone and rarely puts a foot wrong.

#12 Miami — Billy Price (C, Ohio State)
Quenton Nelson is really good but Billy Price isn’t a million miles behind him. Plays with the same edge and tenacity. Urban Meyer raves about him. He coached both Pouncey brothers.

#13 Cincinnati — Clelin Ferrell (DE, Clemson)
Plays bigger than his listed 6-5 and 260lbs. Helps set the edge against the run and does the little things right. Has 8.5 sacks in 2017 but 3.5 came in one game against Syracuse. Consistent performer.

#14 LA Chargers — Mike McGlinchey (T, Notre Dame)
Dominated Harold Landry when Notre Dame met Boston College. Might not be the most athletic but he appears to be relatively sound in his technique and footwork and worked well with Quenton Nelson.

#15 Dallas — Tim Settle (DT, Virginia Tech)
I wanted to put Settle higher than this — and probably will do if he declares. He is an incredible prospect. At times he looks like Warren Sapp rushing the passer. Incredible mobility for his size. Fantastic talent.

#16 Oakland — Derwin James (S, Florida State)
A big name player and a big hitter too. He is what he is though — a strong safety. And that can be a valuable thing as we know in Seattle. I just wonder if his stock is more Eric Reid than Eric Berry.

#17 Detroit — Taven Bryan (DT, Florida)
Really good prospect who might be a bit underrated after Florida’s horrible season. Strong at the POA and can dominate with the bull rush — but has enough quick twitch ability to be an effective pass rusher.

#18 Buffalo — Maurice Hurst (DT, Michigan)
Another player who probably suffers because Michigan had a middling season. He looked really good in the first few weeks of the season, constantly providing the kind of interior pass rush teams crave.

#19 Green Bay — Anthony Miller (WR, Memphis)
When I started this mock I wanted to put both Miller and Tim Settle in the top-15 but couldn’t make it work. Miller will be one of the grittiest players in the draft — but he’s also a big time playmaker. There’s a little OBJ to his game.

#20 Atlanta — Courtland Sutton (WR, SMU)
Sutton recently made the kind of one-handed, improbable grab that makes you think he could still get into the top-15. He won’t be the best tester but he has Dez Bryant’s frame and a knack for the big play.

#21 Buffalo (via Kansas City) — Kerryon Johnson (RB, Auburn)
The Bills could use their two first round picks to move up for a quarterback. Is Lamar Jackson too similar to Tyrod Taylor, who they seem determined to move on from? Kerryon is completely worth a first round grade and could replace LeSean McCoy as the lead back in Buffalo.

#22 Baltimore — Calvin Ridley (WR, Alabama)
The Ravens love ‘Bama. Ridley is really solid but isn’t the most explosive or exciting receiver to watch. He finds ways to get open and will provide a reliable if mostly unspectacular option at the next level.

#23 Seattle — Damien Harris (RB, Alabama)
Harris is an explosive athlete, fits Seattle’s size-profile at RB, averaged 8.2 YPC in 2017, blocks ferociously in pass protection and is a much bigger playmaker than people perhaps realise.

#24 Carolina — Ronnie Harrison (S, Alabama)
Harrison flies around the field and makes big, jarring hits. His sledgehammer blow to Kerryon Johnson basically cost Auburn a chance to compete with Georgia in the SEC Championship.

#25 Jacksonville — Lamar Jackson (QB, Louisville)
I really like Jackson and think he could easily go much earlier than this. He’s underrated — a better passer than people give him credit for, with similar athletic creativity to Michael Vick. He’d be a great fit in Jacksonville to go with that defense.

Honourable mention:

Nick Chubb (RB, Georgia)
I wanted to fit him in the top-25 and would’ve had him in the first round if this was a full projection. If the health of his knee checks out and he has the kind of workout we know he’s capable of, he’ll go in round one.

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Instant reaction: Seahawks win, move to 8-4

Home underdogs for the first time since 2011, experiencing a two-game losing streak at Century Link Field and needing a win to energise the season, not just keep pace with the playoff contenders.

This was a huge (and comprehensive) victory for the Seahawks.

In front of a national audience, Russell Wilson made a case to be a MVP candidate. If the Seahawks keep winning, he’ll be up there.

The defense, banged up and missing key players, limited the Eagles to ten points. Coming into the game they were averaging 32 points per game.

And more than anything this win will get people believing again. It will bring a drifting season back to life. Defeat would’ve had Seattle out of the wildcard spots and two games behind the Rams in the NFC West battle. They could’ve been toast.

Now they’ve beaten a team that were fancied by six points to win in Seattle according to Vegas. Maybe that put the chip back on one or two shoulders?

Nobody was doing the ‘electric slide’ tonight.

This will be a shorter review of the game because it’s 4:40am and in a few hours I’ll be driving to France. Here are some quick notes:

— The defense is missing key defenders but what we saw today is there’s still enough talent to make life difficult for a top opponent. That said, the Eagles started with a very conservative approach. If the two teams meet again down the line, that won’t happen for a second time.

— Jimmy Graham continued his incredible red zone scoring streak. He is a vital part of this team.

— Bradley McDougald had a terrific performance, making several important plays. Based on what he’s shown so far, he might be a priority re-sign.

— Mike Davis might not be a long term answer or the type of player who will get you +100 yards. For now though, he is just what they need to get ‘enough’ out of the running game. He played well again today.

— Wilson is just in majestic form. MVP? Why not? He doesn’t benefit from a fantastic running game like Tom Brady and Carson Wentz.

— Speaking of MVP’s — Bobby Wagner and Calais Campbell have to be at the front of the race for the defensive player of the year.

— Seattle started strongly and played clean football with only a handful of penalties. That is a major positive.

— The Seahawks are 8-4. It’s hard not to think about those two home losses to Atlanta and Washington and wonder what could’ve been.

— Today is also a reminder that as well as Philly, Minnesota and New Orleans have played — they’re not the 2013 Seahawks and are not unbeatable in the post-season.

— This result might focus a few minds in Philadelphia. Good. Their next game is in LA against the Rams.

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