With the combine over and the first wave of free agency in the books, it’s time for mock draft 2.0. There is still well over a month until the draft and there will be plenty of pro days, interviews, and drug tests between now and then, so things may change considerably but these are my best educated guesses as of mid-March. With the compensatory picks released I’ll be breaking out my first seven round mock over the next few days.
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If you have any questions, suggestions, or complaints hit me up in the comments below or on Twitter (@MikeFlannery_)
Mock Draft 2.0: Round 1
1.) Tennessee Titans – DB Jalen Ramsey, Florida St
I’m still skeptical that the Titans will be the first NFL team to ever take a defensive back first overall, but that is what team officials are saying. It does make some sense… They don’t need a QB after taking Marcus Mariota 2nd last season, their o-line holes are more inside than out, and they definitely have a need at both corner and safety.
I would take Tunsil personally, but teams have been raving about Ramsey throughout the draft process and he’s spotless off the field. Ramsey has the ability to develop into a lock down press corner or All-Pro safety depending on where the Titans feel he fits best. No team has ever taken a defensive back this early, but if the Titans can’t trade the pick and aren’t sold on Tunsil, then Ramsey is going to make history.
2) Cleveland Browns – QB Carson Wentz, North Dakota St
The hype train has pushed Wentz to the top QB in the draft and it’s hard to argue after watching him in the Senior Bowl and combine. He’s an above-average athlete with ideal size (6’6| 238), the best arm of any QB in this draft, and supposedly wowed teams during combine interviews. It may take a year or two for Wentz to adjust to the huge leap in defensive speed between DII and the NFL, but the talent is there for the Browns to finally have a legit #1 QB. They will probably screw it up.
There is a definite chance that the Browns sing RG3 or make a trade for Colin Kaepernick, which I’ve seen some mocks use as a reason to draft a non-QB at #2, but both players are far from a sure thing and won’t cost much long-term. It’s possible the Browns could bring in either one to provide a bridge for Wentz and if they plays well, then the Browns have a trade chip when Wentz is ready.
3.) San Diego Chargers – OT Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss
If Tunsil is gone, then I think the Bolts go with Buckner who would be a perfect fit in their 3-4 scheme, but their tackles aren’t good enough to pass on a legit LT like Tunsil. QB Philip Rivers got hit way too often last season and the Chargers badly need an upgrade at left tackle.
Tunsil has the footwork to handle speed rushers, which he’ll need against Miller, Mack, and Houston in the AL West. He should be able to step in right away and improve both the run and pass game for the Chargers.
Next: Picks #4-#10