FINAL 5 Round Mock - V11 - Explanations First 2 Rounds
I've spent too much time doing this but it is very fun. Thanks for all those fellow mockers, ball knowers, and critics for the insights and keeping the discussions going. Tried to have some potential shakeups in this one, but ones I think are completely possible. Explanations first 2 rounds and some select ones after that. I love you all deeply and truly, there's not a better group of people I've never met.
LV – Mendoza, QB – He’s going to be solid.
NYJ – Reese, EDGE – Speed at edge to demolish QBs. Could be flexible in the 3-4 as well.
ARI – Mauigoa, RT – Cards go for the best OT in the draft
TEN – Love, HB – Titans can’t resist the potential to pair Love with Ward. Building something special. Think this is also why WAS, KC, and NO have all signed RBs. They know he isn’t going to last.
NYG – Tate, WR – Pairing Tate with Nabers will be deadly, which feels especially likely after receiving #10
TRADE – CLE->DAL – Styles, LB – Cleveland gets Dallas’s 2 firsts, Dallas gets #6 and #39. Jerruh gets a star. Cleveland trades back after missing out on Tate.
WAS – Downs, S – Commies have shored up Edge during FA, and now can take a franchise altering safety with Tate gone.
NO – Bailey, Edge – Saints have a top edge fall into their laps.
KC – Bain, DE – Chiefs go for a beast with T-Rex arms. He’s such a Dawg x3.
NYG – Delane, CB – Giants get the best corner in the draft to face off against Tate in practice. Great spot for them.
MIA – Ioane, G – Dolphins try to keep Willis standing and invest in their new investment with the best overall lineman in the draft.
TRADE – DAL-> CLE – Freeling, OT – Browns still get their franchise tackle.
LAR – Lemon, WR – Rams are such a complete team after free agency signings in the secondary they go for the unfair approach and get a 3rd star receiver. He’ll be a beast in the slot.
BAL – Fano, G – Ravens take Fano to play at guard. He’ll be fantastic.
TRADE – TB->CLE – Tyson, WR – Browns move back up using Dallas’s first and get Tyson too. They don’t seem to mind injured players and if he stays healthy they look like geniuses (for once).
NYJ – Cooper Jr., WR – After Browns jump them for Tyson, Jets settle with Cooper. I think he’ll go higher than people think, and the Jets have met with him in the Top 30. Solid pick in my opinion.
DET – Miller, RT – Sewell will move to LT and Lions get the best remaining lineman.
MIN – Thieneman, S – Vikes get their replacement exciting hwite in the secondary. He’s gonna be a beast.
CAR – Lomu, LT – With Ekwonu rupturing his patellar tendon, and not quite living up to expectations otherwise, they go with Lomu who’s agile and isn’t too big for Bryce to see over.
TRADE – CLE->TB – Mesidor, EDGE – Bucs go with the best edge they can to win now, not minding his age.
PIT – Proctor, LT – With Jones maybe not playing again due to the neck injury, Steelers bolster the O Line with a brick wall.
LAC – Parker, EDGE – Chargers go with Parker here to get some more pass rushing polish. Could easily be Faulk here as well.
PHI – Sadiq, TE – With it seeming confirmed that Brown is gone after the draft, Eagles go with Sadiq here for pass catching and to replace Goedert.
CLE – McCoy, CB – Browns get an amazing corner after already grabbing Freeling and Tyson. Haul for Cleveland.
CHI – Faulk, Edge – Chicago goes for a big, long run stopping edge with pass rush upside. Dennis Allen loves guys like this. Booker also likely can come in on passing downs as well.
TRADE – BUF-> ARI – Simpson, QB – Bills and Cards swap 1^(st) and 2nds, 3rds, and 4ths for the Cards to move up for Simpson. Think LaFleur will use him well.
SF – McNeil-Warren, S – 9ers grab the BPA who is also at a position of need, bolstering the secondary.
HOU – Woods, DT – Texans go with potentially the only weak spot on the D Line making their maulers even more terrifying.
KC – Concepcion, WR – I mean his name is KC. He just seems like a Chief to me outside of that as well, not sure why. Think he’ll be a good pair with Rice.
MIA – Hood, CB – Dolphins go with the best corner on the board.
NE – Young, Edge – Pats get a big, mean edge to replace Chaisson.
SEA – Terrell, CB – Seattle gets a steal at corner to fill Riq’s shoes. And I think he’ll fill them well.
- Round 2
NYJ – Johnson, CB – Jets get a decent Sauce replacement to work it out.
TRADE – ARI->BUF – Rodriguez, LB – Bills get a franchise Mike to anchor the position for years to come.
TRADE – TEN->NO – Boston, WR – Titans trade back to pick up some more shots at it. Saints get a big outside WR to pair with Olave for their franchise QB.
LV – McDonald, NT – Raiders get the BPA in a bear of an NT.
NYG – Bisontis, G – Best guard left on the board for the G Men.
HOU – Pregnon, G – Texans try to keep Stroud upright.
TRADE – CLE->DAL – Lawrence, Edge – Cowboys grab a traitsy edge to attempt to fill Parson’s shoes.
KC – Cisse, CB – Spags gets a steal of a corner in the 2^(nd). He’s going to be awesome.
CIN – Allen, LB – Bengals stop Allen’s slide and grab a solid Mike linebacker if he can stay healthy.
TRADE – NO->TEN – Howell, EDGE – Titans move back and get who they may have wanted anyways.
MIA – Iheanachor, RT – I think this is a steal. Miami goes 2/3 in the offensive trenches to start this draft and solidifies the line for years to come.
NYJ – Haulcy, S – Jets get a solid, rangy safety who can do it all.
BAL –Brazzell, WR – There’s definitely other positions they could go with here, but I just like Brazzell a lot and think he could be a missing piece of the offense for Baltimore.
TB – Hill Jr., ILB – Tampa gets their Lavonte David replacement.
IND – Golday, ILB – Colts get spooked by the LB run and pick up the athletic Golday so they’re not SOL.
ATL – Bell, WR – Falcons grab discount AJ Brown and hope he can come back to form when healthy.
MIN – Miller, NT – Vikes get a monster to anchor the middle.
DET – Jacas, Edge – Lions get a steal of a do-it-all edge. Think Jacas is better than people giving him credit for.
CAR – Stowers, TE – Panthers go with a freak athlete who can help Young become the guy they need him to be. Plus he’s tall and can jump high to help the lil guy out.
GB – Stukes, CB – Packers get some help to keep Keisean Nixon from being burned every other play. Stukes is big and can body up with anyone.
PIT – Rutledge, G – Steelers go O line again to solidify the line after losing Isaac Sesameulo
PHI – Dunker, G/RT – Eagles get the mulleted madman to eventually replace Lane Johnson. He also can slot in at guard in the meantime.
LAC – Tiernan, G/T – Chargers grab Tiernan to play guard. He’s 6’8” but only has 32” arms, so I think he’ll stick at guard. Herbert is tall enough for that to not be a problem. Plus, if they lose both tackles again, he can slide right over to tackle in a pinch.
JAX – Banks, DT – Jags stop Banks slide and grab a beast when healthy. He’s exactly what they needed on the D line last year.
TRADE – CHI->PHI – Thomas, Edge – Bears trade back and pick up both Eagles 3rds for the late 2^(nd) and mid 4^(th). I think it’s a fair trade that allows the Eagles to make sure they get a solid edge rusher.
SF – Moore, Edge – 9ers do the usual and ignore O line for another edge rusher to help with their abysmal pass rush last year.
HOU – Lew, C – Texans again go to the interior to help Stroud stay upright and grab the best center in the draft.
CHI – Scott, SS/Nickel – Scott has been invited as a Top 30 player for the Bears. I think he’ll play strong safety/nickel hybrid. Dennis Allen loves these flexible, do-it-all guys and Scott has a nasty streak.
LAR – Ponds, CB – Rams get a great inside corner to go with their signings.
DEN – Trotter, LB – Denver gets a solid linebacker to help with their defense over the middle.
NE – Klare, TE – Pats get a great TE to eventually replace Henry. Sounds like they won’t need WR after grabbing AJ Brown if reports are true.
SEA – Price, RB – Hawks get the #2 RB, who backed up the #1 RB.
- Round 3 – No explanations unless I think they’re necessary or for trades.
TRADE – ARI->BUF – Hunter, NT – Think Hunter slides due to his lack of athleticism. Bills don’t need him for that though, and he’ll be great at clogging the middle.
LV – Hurst, WR – Personally think he’ll be the steal of the draft. Hurst is going to be a beast for years to come on the outside.
TRADE- PHI->CHI – Halton, DT – Halton is a solid, athletic run stopper. Again, as a Bears fan, he is a great fit for Dennis Allen’s defense who doesn’t utilize a typical nose tackle. Bears also have Shemar Turner returning for pass rush at 3T.
TRADE – CLE->TB – Abney II, CB – Tampa gets a good nickel to fill out the secondary
WAS – Bell, WR – Commies get an athlete to play opposite of Scary Terry. Think Bell is going to be a great player.
KC - Josephs, Edge – KC gets another pass rusher, this time with ideal length.
MIA – Fields, WR – Dolphins get a solid possession guy as a big target for their new QB.
PIT – Louis, LB – Steelers get a versatile linebacker who can play safety if they like.
TB – Barham, LB – Another linebacker to solidify the position for years.
TRADE – CHI->IND – Louis, LB – Poles loves to trade down and the Colts are worried they won’t get their receiver. They go Sarrat to be a redzone/1^(st) down threat to pair with the 120 million dollar man.
TRADE – BUF->ARI – Jackson Jr., NT – Cardinals get a monster in the middle after swapping with Buffalo in the Simpson trade.
TRADE – PHI->CHI – Slaughter, C – Pick ¾ in this trade. Bears get the center of the future.
- Round 4 -
TEN – Parker II, C/G – Think Parker will play center for the Titans.
TRADE – ARI->BUF - Lucas, Edge – Bills get a traitsy edge.
TRADE – IND->CHI - Lane, WR – Bears get a big outside WR who played with Caleb in college after trading away Moore.
TRADE – TB->CLE – Beck, QB – Browns continue to assemble the least likeable QB room of all time. Honestly think Beck could win this job.
SF – Bowry, G – Think Bowry plays guard in the NFL.
PIT – Payton, QB – Think Payton fits McCarthy’s system beautifully and could be a surprise guy like Brock Purdy. He’s my sleeper for 2^(nd) best QB of the draft (behind Mendoza).
NYJ – Nussmeier, QB – Could be a good guy to sit behind Geno and compete with whoever they bring in next year.
- Round 5 – Ran out of juice after this one. Hats off to those who can do a 7 rounder.
MIA – Allar, QB – Dolphins grab a developmental guy in case Willis doesn’t work out.
BAL – Green, QB – Ravens go with the big crazy fast athlete for crazy wildcat packages with Lamar and not having to change the offense too much.