1st Round Mock - February
 

Time to release my initial first round mock of the season... Input/Criticism welcome.

01. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - QB Jameis Winston - Florida State
02. Tennessee Titans - DL Leonard Williams - USC
03. Jacksonville Jaguars - DE Shane Ray - Missouri
04. Oakland Raiders - WR Amari Cooper - Alabama
05. Washington Redskins - DE Dante Fowler - Florida
06. New York Jets - QB - Marcus Mariota - Oregon
07. Chicago Bears - DT - Danny Shelton - Washington
08. Atlanta Falcons - DE - Randy Gregory - Nebraska
09. New York Giants - SS - Landon Collins - Alabama
10. St. Louis Rams - OT - Andrus Peat - Stanford
11. Minnesota Vikings - WR - DeVante Parker - Louisville
12. Cleveland Browns - WR Kevin White - West Virginia
13. New Orleans Saints - DE Alvin Dupree - Kentucky
14. Miami Dolphins - DT - Malcolm Brown - Texas
15. San Francisco 49ers - DE - Arik Armstead - Oregon
16. Houston Texans - OT - Ereck Flowers - Miami
17. San Diego Chargers - RB Melvin Gordon - Wisconsin
18. Kansas City Chiefs - WR - Devin Smith - Ohio State
19. Cleveland Browns (f/BUF) - DT Eddie Goldman - Florida State
20. Philadelphia Eagles - CB Trae Waynes - Michigan State
21. Cincinnati Bengals - CB PJ Williams - Florida State
22. Pittsburgh Steelers - LB Vic Beasley - Clemson
23. Detroit Lions - OT Brandon Scherff - Iowa
24. Arizona Cardinals - LB Benardrick McKinney - Mississippi State
25. Carolina Panthers - OL - La'el Collins - LSU
26. Baltimore Ravens - CB Marcus Peters - Washington
27. Dallas Cowboys - DT Michael Bennett - Ohio State
28. Denver Broncos - OG A.J. Cann - South Carolina
29. Indianapolis Colts - DE Eli Harold - Virginia
30. Green Bay Packers - DT Jordan Phillips - Oklahoma
31. Seattle Seahawks - WR Jaelen Strong - Arizona State
32. New England Patriots - CB - Quinten Rollins - Miami (Ohio)

I'd be surprised if Miami takes an OT in the first. They should be getting Albert back and James was really good as arookie. They need aguard, defensive tackles and linebackers.

Detroit I would also be surprised to see go OT in the first, but they could think Scherff was too good to pass up and put Iowa guys on either side, but I think they must be thinking hard about DL, especially if they lose both Fairley and Suh.

Carolina on the other hand needed to take aleft tackle last year and didn't. They have to take one this year. In this scenario Erving is still available. I know everyone wants him to be acenter but he's apretty good LT, too.

JMO.

If Gordon, Beasley, Waynes, Scherff are on the board when we draft they will need more phones in the draft room to answer calls for teams wanting to move up,

This draft has depth like last year but not near the first rd talent,
If Gordon gets past SD look for teams to move up to get him, or several other players.

I feel like the Chiefs are in a good spot this year and players will fall that other teams have on there radar. The top 3 WR and OT will be off the board when we draft.
ILB and CB are thin, the last of the top five pass rushers will also be there when we are on the board. Some teams will reach for them we should take advantage of that this draft.

Wouldn't be upset with Smith but if CB Wayne is still on the board thats the way I'd go. Prefer a playmaker this year.

That is quite the reach to take Devin Smith. Most mocks and rankings show him going in the 3rd round.
I also can't imagine us passing on the best CB, ILB, OLB, a top OT for Devin Smith.

You know, I actually forgot they had Albert haha. No shit. I dunno what I was thinking there. I don't know if they really need a DT in round 1 if they re-sign Odrick. I do agree they need linebackers. They will likely cut Wallace or Hartline to free up space, so WR could become a need. I'll re-work that one.

I didn't pick Scherff as an OT, I picked him as a LG for Detroit. I don't know if this kid will be drafted as a tackle and I think he falls the same way Reiff did.

Good note on Carolina, but in this scenario there were no first round OTs left for them so I took a guy that they need on defense and would make that unit pretty sick. And no, TJ Clemmings is not a first round caliber player. Cam Erving doesn't have the movement skills to play LT in the pros, maybe RT but better off staying at C.

Good reply Steve.

Third round? Most major publications, that is the ones that are consistently among the most accurate in the "industry," have him in the top 50 players overall. Anyhow not going to argue only the Chiefs pick in this scenario and I'm not likely to change it soon.

I really don't like Waynes that much. He's too grabby and doesn't transition well. He doesn't break on short routes well at all, leaving ground and easy catches. He could become real good if he does correct some major flaws. There's a reason they didn't match him up against Devin Smith when they played Ohio State, because he can't handle that type of quickness. Still, Michael Thomas was able to torch him a few times on hitches because Waynes gives up ground on those types of routes. He also had a hard time sticking with Corey Smith, when Smith wasn't being a decoy, on quick slants. I'm not worried about Waynes' ability vertically, its my worry about NFL receivers carving him up in the short game. He couldn't cover Antwaan Goodley on the short routes when they played Baylor either. He really couldn't cover anyone for Baylor all that well, but Goodley torched him.

I think they are in a good position to trade, but I generally don't mock any trades this early. RBs rarely go in the top 20 picks these days. However, I could see a team moving up for a guy like Beasley. I think Scherff falls, tha't my opinion. If a team loves Waynes, which I do not, then sure they could move up because the CB class isn't strong at the top, nor anywhere for that matter.

I went and checked and you are correct he has moved up to around the mid to late 40s.
I still think there are much better players available by the mock in the OP.

I'd rather have McKinney.

Devin smith is a mike wallace type wr. I don't think he has #1 wr upside, but he's got a good skill set that would contribute right away

I just don't see the value of picking Devin Smith round 1.
2nd rd WR's include Phillip Dorsett, Nelson Agholor, Justin Hardy and Tyler Lockett are the same type of fast WR's.

Can you really say that a LB as good as McKinney will be there later? Doubt Perryman or maybe Anthony (he's being mocked rd 1 now) are there.
And you can't seriously tell me an OL (desperate need) the caliber of Scherff will be available after round 1.

The disparity at WR is very little in rd 1 and 2 in terms of what we need (YAC guys). I'm going with either McKinney or Scherff here.

If they take Devin Smith over Brandon Scherff or PJ Williams I'll ****ing go ballistic. (Throw McKinney in there as well if you want considering the state of affairs of the ILB position for the Chiefs.)

I know you have a massive, throbbing, vein popping hard-on for the guy, but jesus...at #18?

:spock: