Today we continue on with the 7 round mock draft series for the 2018 NFL Draft.
For those interested, you can see the 2017 7 round mock here, and a Packers only 7 round mock drafts here –>(1, 2, 3).
Something to keep in mind is the fact that this exercise started mid-March so some trades and player rankings will likely change over time but considering a 7 round mock can’t be done with any seriousness in a week, you’ll just have to tolerate a couple errors here and there.
The big board I’m using is from NFLBigBoard.com. It uses an aggregation of several of the top big boards around the web. Also I built it so there’s that.
65 Oakland Raiders (Acquired from Bills in RD 1 trade for Baker Mayfield)
Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State
NFL.com doesn’t have a lot of faith in him as a tackle but we do and we plan to put him at RT. There’s a chance he’ll struggle as a run blocker but he won’t be any worse than Vadal Alexander.
Beyond that, our primary goal here is to protect our QB and Rankin should be able to help in that area
66 New York Giants
Derrick Nnadi, DT, Florida State
Harrison and Tomlinson are solid interior defensive linemen but in base they need a third and as of now they just don’t have one.
All the attention will be on the big men in the middle so Nnadi will have the opportunity to come in and face a lot of 1 on 1’s.
67 Indianapolis Colts
Deon Cain, WR, Clemson
I tried as hard as I could to trade out of this spot but there wasn’t anything I felt good about.
There are a pile of WR’s that aren’t a terrible value and although we are probably okay with weapons, having TY, Kirk, AND Cain, along with Ebron and Chubb, it’s not really something I’m going to be upset about.
68 New England Patriots (Acquired from Texans RD 2 trade for Kerryon Johnson)
Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina
The Patriots have always had talented TE’s and at times have multiple. The rumors that Gronk is going to be traded might not have been accurate but the reality remains that they will need to find an eventual replacement.
Beyond that, the Patriots aren’t apposed to having 2 really good tight ends and certainly know how to utilize them.
69 New York Giants
Michael Gallup, WR, Colorado State
Yes I had the Giants taking D.J. Moore in round 2 but if the Giants really do move on from Odell, they will really just have Moore and Shepherd. I’m not sure there is a ton to get excited about with that.
This gives the group a trio with Shepherd in the slot, the two rookies on the outside, and Engram at TE.
Not moving on from Odell doesn’t make this a poor move, by the way, it’s actually probably ideal. More than likely the receivers will need a little time to develop and Odell will find a new home sooner than later. Keeping him another year while the rookies develop and then dumping him isn’t the worst plan.
70 San Francisco 49ers
Rashaad Penny, RB, SDSU
I mentioned previously that I like McKinnon but it certainly isn’t a concensus that he’s a good back. If McKinnon isn’t the answer, Penny is a similar size and style of back to McKinnon.
71 Denver Broncos
Uchenna Nwosu, EDGE, USC
Barrett and Miller need no help whatsoever but behind them there isn’t much goin’ on. Ray hasn’t really panned out at all and the way Von Millers contract is structured, he’s almost certainly going to be gone after a couple years.
Not every pick needs to be about 2018.
72 New York Jets
Brian O’Neill, OT, Pittsburgh
Just about every tackle taken outside round 1 is going to have a note that they aren’t good enough to play tackle and may need to move inside. If they didn’t have that note they would be round 1 prospects.
David Bakhtiari – “Despite playing his entire career on the edge at tackle, expect the Colorado product to move inside in the NFL.”
With that rant out of the way, the Jets need to protect their new QB Josh Allen and O’Neill has the ability to do that.
Ideally he’s a left tackle but Beachum is a great pass blocker and an abysmal run blocker. Couple that with the fact that there are no real options at RT I have to assume we’ll try him there and see how it goes.
73 TRADE – Pittsburgh Steelers
Jesse Bates III, S, Wake Forest
Steelers receive pick 73
Dolphins receive 2019 3rd
Miami can take someone on the board but their biggest needs aren’t at the top so we’re going to trade back. Beyond that, we’re in a multi-year rebuild so a 2019 3rd works fine for us.
The Steelers are allegedly looking very hard at safety and are likely to take one in the top 2 rounds. I didn’t have them do that but Jesse Bates has fallen a long way and the Steelers are incredibly interested in him and even took him out to dinner.
Bates will play FS and will be able to learn from veteran Morgan Burnett.
74 San Francisco 49ers
Nathan Shepherd, DT, Fort Hayes State
The 49ers have a great player in Buckner but need more help on the D line. They use a NT in their 4-3 system and Shepherd could fit that mold at 315 pounds.
75 Oakland Raiders
Dante Pettis, WR, Washington
Even in the best case scenario with Amari Cooper and Jordy Nelson, the Raiders need a slot receiver.
As it stands, however, Jordy and Cooper are coming off a terrible year, and Jordy doesn’t have many years left.
Pettis has the ability to line up outside but his best chance might be in slot where he can start right away. Perhaps in a post-Jordy era Pettis can move outside.
76 Green Bay Packers
Josh Sweat, EDGE, Florida State
He hasn’t really ever excited me personally but I’m sticking with the board. Sweat is a 3-4 OLB that is said to be raw and in need of vetaran help to unleash his potential.
The Packers can work with that.
77 Cincinnati Bengals
Kyzir White, S, West Virginia
This is a value pick more than anything else. White fell due to being a specialized SS/LB hybrid type player. I’m not sure the Bengals will use him in that way but they can use an upgrade at SS.
78 Kansas City Chiefs
Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas
The interior of the offensive line is not so good. Ragnow is a monster and I have little to no doubt he’ll be the starting center in 2018.
79 Arizona Cardinals
Da’Shawn Hand, DT, Alabama
The Cardinals D line isn’t terrible but they can be upgraded at just about any position along it. Hand was at one time the top prospect in the country. He should be an instant contributor to this defense.
80 Houston Texans
Austin Corbett, C, Nevada
The Texans line is not good. They drafted Nick Martin and moved him to center. He didn’t have a good year at all.
If Corbett can play center, they Texans might be able to move Martin to guard and upgrade two positions at once.
81 Dallas Cowboys
Marcus Allen, S, Penn State
I wouldn’t say safety is a weakness but it isn’t a strength. Allen is a very good football player that can find a role on this team.
82 New York Giants (Acquired from Lions in RD 1 trade for Sam Hubbard)
Anthony Averett, CB, Alabama
Jenkins and Apple were expected to be a much better pairing than they have been. It’s possible 2018 is the year but I’m not taking that chance.
83 Baltimore Ravens
Duke Dawson, CB, Florida
Jimmy Smith and Marlon Humphry are a pretty good pairing on the outside but it might be smart to start looking for a replacement for 31 year old Jimmy Carr in the slot.
84 Los Angeles Chargers
Jamarco Jones, OT, Ohio State
The Chargers offensive line is hard to guage. There is a lot of youth and a lot of inconsistent veterans so it could swing either way.
With that said I’m not a huge fan of either Tackle. Okung is old and average and Barksdale has been horrible since 2015.
85 Carolina Panthers
B.J. Hill, DT, N.C. State
I’ll assume nobody will like this pick for several reasons. First, NFL.com has him as a 4-5th round guy. Second, nobody sees DT as a need for the Panthers, in fact, it might be their biggest strength.
Still, Hill is 79th on my board and was the best value. In terms of need, he isn’t, he’s depth and on this team there isn’t much to love behind the expensive Dontarie Poe, and the unbelievably expensive and aging Kawann Short.
B.J. Hill is a big bodied man the Panther like in the middle. Today he is rotational, tomorrow he’s a starter.
86 Kansas City Chiefs
Duke Ejiofor, EDGE, Wake Forest
The Chiefs have two good edge players but both are old and there seems to be zero depth at the position. The Chiefs need to find someone to play behind them.
87 Trade – New Orleans Saints
Jerome Baker, OLB, Ohio State
Saints receive pick 87 and a 6th (194)
Rams receive 3rd (91) and 5th (147)
Demario Davis had a good year as a middle linebacker but the group as a whole is struggling. Baker is slated to be a WILL linebacker and should be an upgrade over Alex Anzalone and Craig Robertson.
88 Carolina Panthers
DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State
I’m not sure there is a single WR on this team that I would consider “good”. A lot would say Funchess is but I’m not one of them. They need to find a good receiver.
89 Tennessee Titans
Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame
Similar to the Panthers, there isn’t a lot to ba afraid of at WR for the Titans.
Corey Davis might take a step but he had a rough rookie year, is 6’2 and runs a 4.5ish (didn’t run the 40 at the combine)
Rishard Matthews hasn’t really ever been very good, is 6’0 and runs a 4.62.
St. Brown is 6’5 and runs a 4.48. I’m not sure if he’s the best receiver on the team in 2018 but he’s the biggest and fastest by a long shot.
90 Atlanta Falcons
Ian Thomas, TE, Indiana
Thomas is raw but athletically gifted. The Falcons need a lot of help in this area.
91 Los Angeles Rams
Darius Leonard, LB, S.C. State
Leonard is a smaller guy and is likely a WILL linebacker at 213 pounds.
Although it seems like a poor fit for a 3-4 system, he’s the same size as Mark Barron, one of the Rams current starting ILBs.
Unless the Rams are trying to add more bulk, Leonard is a good fit.
92 Miami Dolphins
Jeff Holland, OLB/DE, Auburn
Holland is listed as an edge rusher and if we can utilize him in that capacity we certainly will, but I like the idea of using him as our SAM linebacker. First because it may be a better position for him, an second because linebacker is a bigger need for us.
93 Carolina Panthers (Acquired in RD 1 trade with Jaguars for Lamar Jackson)
Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon
McCaffrey is a solid back, especially out of the backfield but who is going to be the bruising back between the tackles.
5’11 234 pound Royce Freeman is, that’s who.
94 Minnesota Vikings
M.J. Stewart, CB, North Carolina
We’ve taken 2 offensive lineman so far. Hopefully that pans out but we need to take a lesson from the Seahawks and not allow our defense to erode trying to fix the offense.
Vikings corners are good not great and could use some more talented bodies.
95 New England Patriots
Josey Jewell, LB, Iowa
After 3 straight picks on offense, the Patriot address maybe their biggest need at LB.
Whether it’s Mike or Will, Jewell has a place on this team.
96 Buffalo Bills
Quenton Meeks, CB, Stanford
They knocked it out of the park with Tre’Davious White and have two great safeties but outside of that there isn’t much to like about the DB group. They need help opposite White.
Compensatory Picks
97 Arizona Cardinals
Marcell Ateman, WR, Oklahoma State
Outside of Fitzgerald, who is likely playing his last year, the cardinals have nothing to throw to outside of their running back.
Ateman is a 6’4 monster that, at the very least, can be a redzone nightmare.
98 Houston Texans
R.J. McIntosh, DT, Miami
McIntosh continued to fall as I simply couldn’t find a fit.
With the Texans he’ll have a shot to play right defensive end opposite J.J. Watt.
99 Denver Broncos
Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia
The Broncos need LB help and Kiser is the best available by a lot. He’s a slight reach but I’d rather not trade back.
100 Cincinnati Bengals
Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State
William Jackson had a great first year and Darqueze Dennard played well in the slot but Dre Kirkpatrick isn’t cutting it.