My 3 favorite months in the NFL calendar year are January, September and April. I grew up as a Jets and Raiders fan, so the end of April was usually the time when I had the most hope, and by early October I was usually looking forward to next April again LOL
I've always found it to be a waste of time to start Mock drafting in January and February. There's simply too much that happens leading up to the first week of April. Rosters change so much in the months that follow the Super Bowl. I find it to be best to let the dust settle and then evaluate.
First and foremost... I am the biggest trade scenario conspiracy theorist in the world. I could write post after post about all of the trades that could and should happen. But truthfully, big blockbuster trades rarely happen especially in the top 10. We all remember the ill-advised trade the Redskins made for RGIII. Lots of people fired because of that one. NFL front office guys are gamblers by nature, but there is enough pressure drafting a top 10 draft pick without adding in the fact you mortgaged your future by trading away a bunch of players and picks to move up. Every draft pick is a gamble.
I think that the teams drafting in the top 4 will stay the same. The Titans will be happy to stay at #1, the Browns will try hard to move their #2 but the price will be too high, I'm sure the Chargers will be open to a trade but will have a bunch of impact games changers to add to their roster if they draft #3 and finally the Cowboys will also stay put at #4.
When the Jags are on the clock at #5 things will get very interesting. If Either Goff or Wentz are still available phones will be ringing in Florida. If the 49ers sit back and expect one of these guys to drop to them because the Jags and Ravens aren't taking a QB they will be very disappointed IMHO. I don't see anyway the Broncos are able to trade up into the top 10, but the Rams and Jets have the ammunition and they are both QB needy. It will be Los Angeles vs. New York. Epic!
All that being said, I am going to do this Mock Draft with no trades, just a straight up estimation of what player will go to what team. So here we go!
1) Titans select Tackle Laremy Tunsil. 6'5" 310lbs... prototype 10 year starter. Can't miss.
2) Browns select S/CB Jalen Ramsey... easily the best all around player in the draft. Can't pass.
3) Chargers select DE Deforest Buckner 6'7" 291lbs... the Leonard Williams of this draft. Can't pass.
4) Cowboys select RB Ezekiel Elliot. Combined with that O-line and pass catchers Romo will have his best shot ever at a Super Bowl.
5) Jaguars select DE/LB Joey Bosa 6'5" 269lbs. I'd love to see him line up opposite Fowler Jr.
6) Ravens select WR Laquan Teadwell from Ole' Miss. They may be the most WR needy team in the league. 120 million dollar QB's deserve a top 10 drafted WR on the roster.
7) 49ers select QB Jared Goff. This is assuming that Kaepernick is not on the roster.
8) Eagles select QB Carson Wentz. And trust me, if this QB falls to them they will have Bradford traded before the draft weekend ends. Maybe before the first round ends.
9) Bucs select CB Vernon Hargreaves III. Can't miss no brainer here. What an exciting young squad.
10) Giants select WR Josh Doctson from TCU. Perfect book end for Beckham Jr. Maybe the best WR in this draft.
11) Bears select DT A'Shawn Robinson 6'4" 310lbs. Fox needs to shore up that D-line
12) Saints select OLB Leonard Floyd... they need a pass rush, and Floyd is the obvious answer.
13) Dolphins select OLB Myles Jack. I am much too familiar with the river boat roster management style of Mike Tannenbaum. He will roll the dice on a player coming off a major injury. His upside is unquestionable, but will he make any impact in 2016?
14) Raiders select WR Will Fuller from Notre Dame. Carr, Cooper, Murray and Fuller can lead that team to the playoffs. This is immediately the best young WR tandem in the game. They compliment each other so well.
15) Rams select (who else but) QB Paxton Lynch. They need to make a splash with this pick. This guy is the biggest gamble in the 1st round for me. He has all the tools to be a megastar, and he can also be a complete bust. Sadly I don't think he's a first year starter, but he may be thrown into the fire.
16) Lions select Tackle Ronnie Stanley from Notre Dame. Perfect fit and an amazing value if he lasts this long.
17) Falcons select MLB Reggie Ragland, he will be Quinn's new Bobby Wagner.
18) Colts select CB William Jackson III, this was a hard one because they have so many holes to fill, this guy is a top 10 talent.
19) Bills select Tackle Jack Conklin from Michigan State. This is the perfect player for the Jets. Rex isn't too bright but he knows that gang green needs this guy and he will love snatching him away. LOL
20) Jets select OLB/DE Shaq Lawson 6'3" 269lbs. Paired up with Lorenzo Mauldin these big bodied 3-4 edge rushers could be what that Jets D has been missing. I think the Jets should find a way to move up for Carson Wentz, but I know it's a long shot. I also think they should try and leap frog the Colts and Bills by trading with the Falcons to try and land a bluechip Tackle like Stanley or Conklin, but I doubt they will.
21) Redskins select WR Corey Coleman. Gruden is an offensive guy and he needs to restock his pass catchers and give his very highly paid, very average talent QB more help. Coleman will compliment Jackson well.
22) Texans select Tackle Taylor Decker fro Ohio State. Gotta' protect the franchise!
23) Vikings select Guard Cody Whitehair from Kansas State. They need serious O-line help. Great late 1st round pick. 10 year starter.
24) Bengals select LB Darron Lee. He's fast and maybe a top 10 talent. He'd complete that LB corps. well.
25) Steelers select CB Eli Apple. They need a playmaker in their secondary. Big run on Ohio State players here in the late 1st round.
26) Seahawks select DE Robert Nkemdiche. Love how his skills fit with this defense. Great value in this spot.
27) Packers select LB Jaylon Smith from Notre Dame. He needs to show a clean bill of health in the next few weeks, but he is a solid 1st round talent.
28) Chiefs select CB Mackenise Alexander to replace Sean Smith. Should start year one.
29) Cardinals select DT Andrew Billings from Baylor. Supremely powerful D-lineman. Great fit for what they do.
30) Panthers select RB Derrik Henry from the Crimson Tide. I know he is projected in the 2nd round and they have a big need on the O-line, but they are a dynamic rushing team, why not take Henry here?
31) Broncos select DT Sheldon Rankins. The best front 7 in the game can use a shot in the arm like this to help make up for some of their losses in free agency. I see no way they take any of the remaining QB's with this pick. They aren't good enough to warrant it.
So there you have it. I now it's a bit shocking to think that a QB won't be off the board in the first 6 picks, but I truly think that the Browns are very high on RGIII and passing on Ramsey would be very difficult. I also don't see how the Cowboys can afford to take a QB when they have a franchise QB in place, no matter how fragile he is. Elliott is a perfect fit in big D.
-Jay Wagner
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