Minnesota Sports Forum

Moving past the Superbowl it is draft season.


7 rounds of mock draft.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2757373-2018-nfl-mock-draft-matt-millers-post-super-bowl-predictions

Some player details
http://walterfootball.com/draft2018OT.php

The thing that surprised me about the Mock was they had 2 Centers going in 1st. One replaced Elfein at Ohio State.

You're hardcore Bleed! Honestly, if they just folded the team it would bother me until sometime in June.

Edit: A quick look at that mock and they have the Vikings drafting a left tackle one year after signing Rieff to a big contract and his having an excellent season. Unless that is far an away the best value on the board it would be ridiculous.

TheSP wrote:You're hardcore Bleed! Honestly, if they just folded the team it would bother me until sometime in June.

Edit: A quick look at that mock and they have the Vikings drafting a left tackle one year after signing Rieff to a big contract and his having an excellent season. Unless that is far an away the best value on the board it would be ridiculous.

After a strong start FWIW PFF has him rated #59 of all tackles with an overall grade of 48.6.

TheSP wrote:You're hardcore Bleed! Honestly, if they just folded the team it would bother me until sometime in June.

I am more excited through draft and then wake me up in October when boating season is over.

From
http://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2018/insider/story/_/id/22170535/todd-mcshay-updated-top-32-prospects-ranking-2018-nfl-draft-new-no-1-not-quarterback

Top 10 prospects at each position
QBs
1. *Sam Darnold, USC
2. *Josh Rosen, UCLA
3. *Josh Allen, Wyoming
4. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
5. Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State
6. *Lamar Jackson, Louisville
7. Luke Falk, Washington State
8. Kyle Lauletta, Richmond
9. Kurt Benkert, Virginia
10. Mike White, Western Kentucky

There is a definite drop-off after the top four QBs here. Rosen is the most NFL-ready QB right now, but I believe Darnold has the higher long-term ceiling.

RBs
1. *Saquon Barkley, Penn State
2. Sony Michel, Georgia
3. *Derrius Guice, LSU
4. *Ronald Jones II, USC
5. Rashaad Penny, San Diego State
6. Nick Chubb, Georgia
7. *Kerryon Johnson, Auburn
8. Akrum Wadley, Iowa
9. *Josh Adams, Notre Dame
10. Royce Freeman, Oregon

Michel has impressed me lately and was terrific in the College Football Playoff, especially showing his speed against Alabama.

WRs
1. *Calvin Ridley, Alabama
2. *Christian Kirk, Texas A&M
3. *Courtland Sutton, SMU
4. James Washington, Oklahoma State
5. Anthony Miller, Memphis
6. D.J. Chark, LSU
7. *Auden Tate, Florida State
8. *D.J. Moore, Maryland
9. Michael Gallup, Colorado State
10. *Jordan Lasley, UCLA

Ridley is the cream of the 2018 draft wide receiver class crop, but not an Odell Beckham Jr. or Amari Cooper-type of No. 1 NFL wideout.

TEs
1. Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State
2. *Mark Andrews, Oklahoma
3. *Hayden Hurst, South Carolina
4. Mike Gesicki, Penn State
5. *Ryan Izzo, Florida State
6. Ian Thomas, Indiana
7. Troy Fumagalli, Wisconsin
8. Jordan Akins, UCF
9. Chris Herndon, Miami (Fla.)
10. Durham Smythe, Notre Dame

Goedert had another big season for South Dakota State, with 72 catches for 1,111 yards and 7 TDs, after 92 catches, 1,293 yards and 11 TDs in 2016.

C/G
1. *Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame
2. Billy Price, C, Ohio State
3. *James Daniels, C, Iowa
4. Braden Smith, G, Auburn
5. Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas
6. *Will Clapp, G, LSU
7. Mason Cole, C, Michigan
8. Scott Quessenberry, G, UCLA
9. Skyler Phillips, G, Idaho State
10. Will Hernandez, G, UTEP

Nelson is a plug-and-play starter and exactly what you're looking for in a starting NFL guard.

OT
1. *Orlando Brown, Oklahoma
2. Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame
3. *Connor Williams, Texas
4. *Brian O'Neill, Pitt
5. *Kolton Miller, UCLA
6. Martinas Rankin, Mississippi State
7. Chukwuma Okorafor, Western Michigan
8. Tyrell Crosby, Oregon
9. Desmond Harrison, West Georgia
10. Jamarco Jones, Ohio State

There is a lot of potential in this offensive tackle class, but not a surefire top-10 pick. At least at the moment.

ILBs
1. Rashaan Evans, Alabama
2. *Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State
3. Josey Jewell, Iowa
4. Micah Kiser, Virginia
5. Nick DeLuca, North Dakota State
6. Mike McCray, Michigan
7. Shaun Dion Hamilton, Alabama
8. Jack Cichy, Wisconsin
9. Fred Warner, BYU
10. Chris Worley, Ohio State

Evans made great strides this season after moving into the starting role late last year and is a likely top-40 pick.

OLBs
1. *Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech
2. *Roquan Smith, Georgia
3. Harold Landry, Boston College
4. Uchenna Nwosu, USC
5. Obo Okoronkwo, Oklahoma
6. Lorenzo Carter, Georgia
7. *Malik Jefferson, Texas
8. Jeff Holland, Auburn
9. *Jerome Baker, Ohio State
10. Skai Moore, South Carolina

I've been hearing more buzz surrounding Edmunds, who has terrific athleticism and should test off the charts at the combine.

CBs
1. *Denzel Ward, Ohio State
2. *Josh Jackson, Iowa
3. *Mike Hughes, UCF
4. *Isaiah Oliver, Colorado
5. *Carlton Davis, Auburn
6. *M.J. Stewart, North Carolina
7. Anthony Averett, Alabama
8. *Tarvarus McFadden, Florida State
9. Chris Campbell, Penn State
10. *Jaire Alexander, Louisville

Jackson led the nation with 8 INTs, including three against Ohio State.

Safeties
1. *Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama
2. *Derwin James, Florida State
3. *Ronnie Harrison, Alabama
4. Armani Watts, Texas A&M
5. *Justin Reid, Stanford
6. Kyzir White, West Virginia
7. Quin Blanding, Virginia
8. Jeremy Reaves, South Alabama
9. *DeShon Elliott, Texas
10. Marcus Allen, Penn State

Fitzpatrick is a tremendous player who can do a little bit of everything, and could very well go in the top five.

DEs
1. Bradley Chubb, NC State
2. Marcus Davenport, UTSA
3. *Arden Key, LSU
4. *Rasheem Green, USC
5. *Sam Hubbard, Ohio State
6. Jalyn Holmes, Ohio State
7. Tyquan Lewis, Ohio State
8. Kentavius Street, NC State
9. Duke Ejiofor, Wake Forest
10. Dorance Armstrong Jr., Kansas

Davenport has been a hot name and I'll be interested to see him in person in Mobile for the Senior Bowl.

DTs
1. *Vita Vea, Washington
2. *Da'Ron Payne, Alabama
3. Mo Hurst, Michigan
4. *Taven Bryan, Florida
5. *Harrison Phillips, Stanford
6. Derrick Nnadi, Florida State
7. *RJ McIntosh, Miami (Fla.)
8. Deadrin Senat, South Florida
9. *Tim Settle, Virginia Tech
10. *Hercules Mata'afa, Washington State

Vea, the former HS running back, has the potential to put up some silly numbers at the combine.

I am thinking we go best available in 1st with focus on DT, OL, DB, and Lamar Jackson

Mayfield, Mayfield, Mayfield, Mayfield!

Watch Nick Foles step right in and do exactly what was needed and just as good as Wentz. Why? Coaching.

I'm even more not sold on Case Keenum under a new Offensive Coordinator. I said all year long, Case wasn't really doing anything spectacular. He had good to great stats, but most of the offense was designed around fairly simple throws.

Case is probably a low end starter in any ordinary offense. Teddy? IDK. I think Bradford was the backup in the last couple games. That makes me wonder why? Is Teddy never going to be 100%?

Glassman Bradford can't stay healthy. Teddy might not be 100%. And Case looks to me more like a backup.

We need a QB.

monsterpile wrote:

TheSP wrote:You're hardcore Bleed! Honestly, if they just folded the team it would bother me until sometime in June.

Edit: A quick look at that mock and they have the Vikings drafting a left tackle one year after signing Rieff to a big contract and his having an excellent season. Unless that is far an away the best value on the board it would be ridiculous.

After a strong start FWIW PFF has him rated #59 of all tackles with an overall grade of 48.6.

And tackles are pretty interchangeable out of the draft nowadays. Wouldn't be surprised if the pick pushes Rieff to the right side or if the pick just starts out on the right side anyway even if they were a college LT. Teams have defensive talent coming from all different directions now so the blindside blocker isn't what it used to be.

WolvesFan21 wrote:Mayfield, Mayfield, Mayfield, Mayfield!

Watch Nick Foles step right in and do exactly what was needed and just as good as Wentz. Why? Coaching.

I'm even more not sold on Case Keenum under a new Offensive Coordinator. I said all year long, Case wasn't really doing anything spectacular. He had good to great stats, but most of the offense was designed around fairly simple throws.

Case is probably a low end starter in any ordinary offense. Teddy? IDK. I think Bradford was the backup in the last couple games. That makes me wonder why? Is Teddy never going to be 100%?

Glassman Bradford can't stay healthy. Teddy might not be 100%. And Case looks to me more like a backup.

We need a QB.

I agree with what you are saying. I think hiring the right OC will be key to the offseason.

I don't see Mayfield being available. Lamar to me has the biggest upside, but I wouldn't want him starting next year.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2018/profiles/lamar-jackson?id=2560053

THE DEEPEST POSITION IN 2018 DRAFT IS ...
I've spent the past few months combing through college tape and studying players for the upcoming draft. I still have plenty of players left to watch, but I'm starting to get a good feel for the depth of talent at each position.

I have 6 running backs listed in my initial ranking of the draft's top 50 prospects, including 3 in the top 15, and I think there are several other starting-caliber players at the position. San Diego State's Rashaad Penny and Arizona State's Kalen Ballage are both big, versatile backs and they boosted their draft stock with outstanding performances in the Reese's Senior Bowl.

One player who's been mentioned a bunch in my talks with NFL evaluators is Miami's Mark Walton. He missed a lot of time last season due to injury, but his skill set is very intriguing to NFL scouts. He's drawing comparisons to Devonta Freeman.

SOURCE
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000914648/article/nfl-draft-five-prospects-that-will-make-biggest-impact-as-rookies