2018 NFL Draft: Final Mock Drafts

2018 Mock Drafts

Dallas Cowboys

Version I – Who I think they will pick.

1. Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama - He is the best wide receiver in the draft and brings the ideal route running to create separation while earning the trust of the QB consistently being where he is supposed to be. He has strong hands and long speed to stretch the field.
2. Nathan Shepherd, DT, Fort Hays State - Very athletic interior run stuffing and pass rushing threat. He comes from a small school but he impressed against bigger schools and belonged at the senior bowl.
3. Terrell Edmunds, S, Virginia Tech - Steady and dependable safety who contributes both stuffing the run and in coverage.
4. Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA - Swing tackle and has excellent potential. He is not ready to play as a rookie but his athleticism is impressive.
5. Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State - Plus athlete who can chase down any play, upside in coverage but consistently late reading the play.
6. Nyheim Hines, RB, North Carolina State - Unreal speed with zero power.
7. Braden Smith, OG, Auburn - Guard only who has good athleticism to get on the move in a zone blocking scheme. Really needs to add strength before he can compete for a starting job.
8. Darius Fountain, WR, Northern Iowa
9. Desmond Harrison, OT, Western Georgia
10. Chris Jones, CB, Nebraska

Version II – Who I would select.

1. Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama - He is the best wide receiver in the draft and brings the ideal route running to create separation while earning the trust of the QB consistently being where he is supposed to be. He has strong hands and long speed to stretch the field.
2. Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville - Day one starter who is extremely physical and competitive. He can cover at a high level on the outside and in the slot.
3. Tyler Conklin, TE, Central Michigan - Struggled with injuries in 2017 but he is a complete TE who has an advanced feel for running routes, making difficult catches in traffic, working back to the QB and threat in the end zone.
4. Joseph Noteboom, OT, TCU - Solid swing tackle prospect with ideal size, length and athleticism. Needs to get to work in the conditioning program and should be able to contribute better as a pass protector.
5. Justin Reid, SS, Stanford - Solid strong safety prospect who needs help as a solid free safety type. Nothing stands out at a high level in his game but he is steady and makes the play in position especially in the box.
6. Foley, Fatukasi, DT, Connecticut - Excellent run stuffing prospect as a 1 technique but zero threat as a pass rusher. He will not get pushed off the line of scrimmage and force the play to go elsewhere.
7. Braden Smith, OG, Auburn
8. Darius Fountain, WR, Northern Iowa
9. Desmond Harrison, OT, Western Georgia
10. Chris Jones, CB, Nebraska

Houston Texans

1. James Daniels, OC, Iowa – The Houston Texans need to improve their offensive line to protect Watson in his second season.  Daniels is an ideal zone blocking interior lineman who can play either guard or center at a high level. He will improve their running game and can start as a rookie.
2. Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State – Gesicki has good potential to be a solid starting TE in the NFL if he can maximize his talent.  He is a good route runner and needs to take his game to the level it can be.  He needs to get better as a blocker as is the case with most college TEs.  However he can split out wide and get open at the next level.
3. Holton Hill, CB, Texas – The Texans are close to contending for a championship and do not have many holes therefore are in a position to take a chance in the draft.  Holton Hill is a risky player, scouts feel that teams may not be able to trust him in the pros.  He had an up and down career at Texas but he played like a top prospect in 2017 before he was suspended for the final 3 games of his career. At this point of the draft, the potential reward of a starting big physical corner outweighs the risk without a doubt.
4. Dorance Armstrong, OLB, Kansas – You can never have enough pass rushers in a 3-4 defense and Armstrong is a raw player who needs to develop his technique. The speed is there but needs to get stronger and become comfortable playing in space.
5. John Kalu, SS, Nebraska
6. Kendrick Norton, DT, Miami
7. Jayrd Jones Smith, OT, Pittsburgh
8. Joe Zema, P, Incarate Word

New York Giants

1. Sam Darnold, QB, USC – The Giants are the benefactors of the worst franchise in the NFL bypassing on the top ranked QB in the draft and will allow them to transition out of the Eli Manning era quickly.  Darnold is one of the few pro ready QBs in the class and has all the necessary skillsets both physically and mentally to handle the position at a high level.  Why would the Cleveland Browns pass on Darnold? I have no idea but perhaps they let Lebron James make the selection as part of the Cavalier’s package to keep him in Cleveland so at least one franchise can contend for a championship.
2. Connor Williams, OT, Texas – The offensive tackle position in New York was amongst the league worst in 2017 and the Giants need an athletic tackle with a mean streak and Williams is their guy. He needs to add some core strength but no other prospect has the quick feet to handle the best speed rushers in the world like Connor Williams.
3. John Kelly, RB, Tennessee – Kelly is one of the most physical backs in the draft who breaks a lot of tackles and runs with excellent quickness.  He needs to improve his pass protection to earn the trust of his QB but he runs angry with no wasted motion when running the ball.
4. Will Hernandez, OG, UTEP – The Giants use their final pick in the top 100 with another rookie starter in Will Hernandez from UT-El Paso.  A massive man who is a mauling power run blocking guard.  He has extremely powerful hands and defenders cannot run around him once he locks on and good luck trying to bull rush him into the QB.
5. M.J. Stewart, FS, North Carolina – Defenders in the secondary need to be versatile to handle the variety of looks that offenses can throw at them from snap to snap and M.J. Stewart has the upside to fill that role.  He played a hybrid rover role at North Carolina lining up in the slot covering WRs in man coverage, filling in the box against the run like a safety. He needs to improve playing the ball in coverage and become more aggressive against the run. He likely would be subbed onto the field on 3^rd downs to replace LBs but isn’t a coverage liability nor too small to bring down the RB in space.
6. Jerome Baker, SS, Ohio State – Tremendous athlete who needs to find a role on the defense.  He played LB at Ohio State but he’s more of a safety at the next level. He isn’t a big hitter nor a playmaker but he can become a top special teams player and someone who could become a sub package safety by his second season.