WAB Mock Draft - V1

[wab]

With only 3 games left, and bowl season upon us...I figured that now would be a good time to throw out a mock draft. Obviously this will change several times between now and April.

*This draft assumes that the Bears win at least 2 or their last three, and that they resign both Fuller and Amukamara.

Round 1
1. Browns Lamar Jackson QB Louisville
I don’t think Kizer is beyond development and the Browns would be wise to go the veteran route. The general consensus is that the Browns will go after Alex Smith, but the Chiefs might not be ready to had the reigns over to Patrick Mahomes. But until that happens, Jackson is a thrilling playmaker that would help the Browns from day one.

2. Giants Josh Rosen QB UCLA
Whoever takes over as the HC would be wise to not just cast Eli Manning aside, but they still need to have someone ready to go behind him. Rosen has the best mechanics and is the most natural pocket passer. He throws a tremendous ball and can really spin it.

3. Colts Saquon Barkley RB Penn State
Fixing that offensive line should be priority #1, but that can be done pretty easily in free agency. Barkley would take an awful lot of pressure away from Andrew Luck.

4. Broncos Bradley Chubb DE NC State
Chubb isn’t a perfect fit in the Broncos 3-4, but he’s an explosive playmaker that is big enough to play DE. Should Darnold declare and be on the board at this point, it might be hard to pass him up. But I see the Broncos going the established vet route.

5. Browns f/HOU Roquan Smith ILB Georgia
The Browns defense has really come to life since switching back to the 4-3. Smith makes plays all over the field and would really round out that side of the ball.

6. 49ers Minkah Fitzpatrick CB Alabama
If a WR proves worthy of this pick, I could see them going in that direction. As it stands now, grabbing the most versatile defensive back in the draft would be the smart move.

7. Bills f/TB Baker Mayfield QB Oklahoma
TRADE: Scouts are all over the board when it comes to Mayfield. He’s undersized, but ridiculously productive. He’s a threat on the ground and even though he doesn’t have a cannon, he can make every throw needed in the NFL. Assuming the Bills are comfortable with his size, they could look to move up to get ahead of several teams that could be in the market for a QB and take the Heisman winner that reminds a lot of people of Doug Flutie.

8. Bengals Derwin James SS Florida State
It’s tough to pin the Bengals down because they look to be heading into an offseason full of change. Will they need a new QB? Do they feel comfortable with their young OTs? Regardless, James would likely be the BPA on the board at this point.

9. Washington Christian Wilkins DT Clemson
This all comes down to what they decide to do with Kirk Cousins and Terrell Pryor. Assuming that they bring both back, Wilkins would be a great addition to their defensive line.

10. Jets Connor Williams OT Texas
Not everyone is sold on Williams, and he’s coming off an ankle injury, but he’s the best pure pass blocker in the NFL and is a clear upgrade over Kelvin Beachum and Ben Ijalana

11. Bears Christian Kirk WR Texas A&M
The Bears head into the offseason with the lowest number of players under contract in the league, so this pick could go a number of directions. Case in point, if the season ended today, the only WR’s under contract would be Markus Wheaton and Kevin White. Wheaton has one catch for 9 yards this season, and White has only played in 8 games in 3 years. Cam Meredith should be brought back, and both Kendall Wright and Dontrell Inman have made a strong case to stick around. But the Bears lack a true #1 WR that can run routes, stretch the field, and help Mitch Trubisky. Kirk is being compared to Odell Beckham Jr, so he’d be an excellent choice. They also have some decisions to make at CB, OLB, and along the offensive line, so it will be interesting to see how it shakes out.

12. Dolphins Quenton Nelson OG Notre Dame
Nelson is my favorite player in the draft. He’s a 6’5 320lb monster than can play either tackle spot and either guard spot. The Dolphins OL is extremely overrated and hasn’t performed well consistently.

13. Cardinals Courtland Sutton WR Southern Methodist
Larry Fitzgerald looks to be retiring after the season and Jaron Brown is a free agent. Sutton is a big smooth WR with a surprising second gear.

14. Raiders Orlando Brown OT Oklahoma
I don’t know if Brown can play LT in the NFL, but his skill set is perfect for what the Raiders do on the OL, regardless of which side he lands on.

15. Lions Arden Key DE LSU
Kerry Hyder landed on IR, so it’s hard to say if he was a flash in the pan and there is no other consistent pass rusher on the team aside from Ansah. Key is has question marks, so his interviews will be extremely important.

16. Cowboys Maurice Hurst DT Michigan
Dallas has some extremely talented DE’s on the roster in DeMarcus Lawrence, David Irving, and Taco Charlton, but what they don’t have is a 3T that can disrupt the pocket from the inside.

17. Buccaneers f/BUF Derrius Guice RB LSU
Doug Martin isn’t what he used to be. You can see what not having a consistent ground game has done to Jameis Winston this season.

18. Packers Vita Vea DT Washington
Vea is a massive man with strength and explosion. The Packers have struggled to put together lines on both side of the ball.

19. Seahawks Joshua Jackson CB Iowa
Should the team move on from Richard Sherman they’ll need someone to step right in.

20. Buccaneers f/BUF (KC) Mike McGlinchey OT Notre Dame
Donovan Smith hasn’t proven that he can play LT in the NFL. McGlinchey needs some technique work, but he has the feet and long arms needed to stay at LT in the NFL.

21. Ravens Calvin Ridley WR Alabama
Their Alabama love is unprecedented.

22. Chargers Chukwuma Okorafor OT Western Michigan
Joseph Barksdale has been a bit of a disappointment on the right side, and Russell Okung can’t play forever.

23. Titans Malik Jefferson OLB Texas
Derrek Morgan and Brian Orakpo could be cap casualties, and Kevin Dodd has been kind of a weird fit at OLB. Jefferson and Josh Carraway could be the guys to take over.

24. Falcons Taven Bryan DT Florida
Bryan is a perfect fit in the Falcons defense. He can play inside next to Grady Jarret or slide outside and play the heavy end.

25. Steelers T.J. Edwards ILB Wisconsin
With Ryan Shazier’s career up in the air, the Steelers are going to need to consider another guy to put next to Vince Williams in the middle. Edwards is an athletic inside player and a sound tackler.

26. Panthers Marcus Davenport DE UTSA
The Panthers DE’s have some age on them. Daeshon Hall has promise, but he’s currently on IR. Davenport is a 6-foot-6, 250-pound defensive end with long arms, explosive burst, and an array of elite pass-rushing moves. He’s far from a household name, but that won’t last long.

27. Vikings Will Hernandez OG Texas-El Paso
As well as the Vikings have been playing, the interior of the offensive line needs some work. Some have Hernandez as the best pure guard in the draft.

28. Eagles Kendall Joseph ILB Clemson
The Eagles defense has really flourished since moving away from the 3-4. The one thing they could really use is an upgrade at LB. Joseph is a little light, but he has the frame to add weight.

29. Patriots Denzel Ward CB Ohio State
Malcolm Butler was the source of trade speculation last offseason, and barring a new contract he will head into free agency as one of the top available players. Ward is a guy that could go much much higher come draft day.

30. Rams Mark Andrews TE Oklahoma
It’s surprisingly hard to find holes in the Rams roster right now. They could use some depth at inside LB and a possible replacement for Connor Barwin, but the Mackey award winner is a prototypical TE and would be too hard to pass up here.

31. Jaguars Frank Ragnow C Arkansas
Brandon Linder has well enough to get a massive extension, but he’s a really out of place at center. Drafting Ragnow would allow Linder to move back to his more natural RG position.

32. Saints Ryan Finley QB NC State
At some point the Saints have to prepare for life after Drew Brees. He’s going to be a 39 year old FA after the season, and should the Saints win the super bowl this year it’s possible that he could call it a career. New Orleans has Chase Daniel and he’d probably be the guy to take over, but they really need to think long term. Finley is similar to Brees in a lot of ways. He’s a smart QB that would fit really well in the Saints offensive system.

Round 2
33. Browns Bryce Love RB Stanford
34. Giants Martinas Rankin OT Mississippi State
35. Colts Kolton Miller OT UCLA
36. Broncos Ronald Jones II RB Southern California
37. Browns f/HOU Deontay Burnett WR Southern California
38. Patriots f/SF Clelin Ferrell DE Clemson
39. Buccaneers Derrick Nnadi DT Florida State
40. Bengals Billy Price OG Ohio State
41. Washington Luke Faulk QB Washington State
42. Jets Mason Rudolph QB Oklahoma State
43. Jets f/CHI James Washington WR Oklahoma State
44. Dolphins Harrison Phillips DE Stanford
45. Cardinals Drew Locke QB Missouri
46. Raiders Jamarco Jones OT Ohio State
47. Lions Dorian O'Daniel OLB Clemson
48. Cowboys Da'Ron Payne DT Alabama
49. Bills Sam Hubbard DE Ohio State
50. Packers Jeff Holland OLB Auburn

51. Bears f/NYJ Tremaine Edmunds OLB Virginia Tech
The Bears move down and pick up a 3rd rounder from the Jets (or possibly Muhammad Wilkerson?). With the Jets pick, they should look to boost the pass rush opposite Leonard Floyd. Pernell McPhee hasn’t stayed healthy and should be a cap casualty. Edmunds plays a lot like McPhee, but with much more athletic ability. He’s an aggressive LB that can make plays from sideline to sideline. He has long arms, plays downhill, and doesn’t hesitate to initiate contact. He uses his long arms to fight off blockers and has a solid pass rush. He also holds up very well in coverage and doesn’t have to come off the field on 3rd down. With the way the Bears use Floyd, Edmunds would be an excellent complement.

52. Chiefs Rashaan Evans ILB Alabama
53. Ravens Braden Smith OG Auburn
54. Chargers Clayton Thorson QB Northwestern
55. Titans DeShon Elliott SS Texas
56. Falcons Isaiah Oliver CB Colorado
57. Steelers Anthony Miller WR Memphis
58. Panthers Nick Chubb RB Georgia
59. Vikings Dontavius Russell DT Auburn
60. Browns f/PHI Jaire Alexander CB Louisville
61. Patriots Tyrell Crosby OT Oregon
62. Bills f/LAR Ronnie Harrison SS Alabama
63. Jaguars Michael Deiter OT Wisconsin
64. 49ers f/NO Parris Campbell WR Ohio State


R3 (from Jets) Maea Teuhema OT Southeastern LA
Teuhema was dismissed from LSU for academic reasons, but the LSU coaches speak highly of his character. The Bears have some decisions to make along the OL. Sitton and Massey could be cap casualties, Compton only signed a one year deal, and who knows if Kyle Long will ever be the same. At worst Teuhema is a solid offensive lineman that can play multiple positions.

Rest of Bears picks
R4 Trenton Thompson DE Georgia
Akiem Hicks is a beast, and the team is excited about Roy Robertson Harris’ potential but should the team decide to not bring back the underrated Mitch Unrein they could look to Thompson as a potential future starter. He was one of the top recruits in the nation and had a fantastic junior season. He hasn’t played as well as a senior though.

R4 Davontae Harris CB Illinois State
Another one of my favorite players in the draft. Harris is an excellent cover corner that isn’t afraid to tackle. The Bears have tapped the ISU pipeline a few times and could look there again.

R5 BJ Hill DT NC State
Eddie Goldman is a stud but he still struggles to stay healthy. John Jenkins has played well in spot duty but he’s a free agent. At a minimum Hill would provide quality depth.

R6 David Bright OG Stanford
Bright has played tackle for Stanford, but his future in the NFL is really as a guard. He needs to get stronger, but he has the technique to develop into quality backup/possible starter.

R7 Pending
I’m assuming that the Bears will bring back Inman, which would send this pick to the Chargers.

[Atkins&Rebel]

You think Josh Jackson will go in the first round? I haven't done any of my own work yet but the compiled lists I have so far have him averaging mid 2nd round grade and ranking between 7-9th CB. If you're just ahead of the game, great, but just wondering if you have different insight for him going that high...

[The Marshall Plan]

I know that day 1 really needs to be BPA, but its always a knee jerk reaction of mine when a mock draft doesn't take the guy I want in round 1. Go figure.

Why do you think the Bears would go WR in round 1? Is Kirk really BPA in that mock draft? Is he a better overall player than Key or Ferrell? Or do you think that round 1 shouldn't be BPA that it should be based on need?

Impressive that you can put that together with all the player detail.

[Adipost]

I know that day 1 really needs to be BPA, but its always a knee jerk reaction of mine when a mock draft doesn't take the guy I want in round 1. Go figure.

Why do you think the Bears would go WR in round 1? Is Kirk really BPA in that mock draft? Is he a better overall player than Key or Ferrell? Or do you think that round 1 shouldn't be BPA that it should be based on need?

Impressive that you can put that together with all the player detail.

If the Bears drop out of the top 10, WR is probably a good pick.

[DaSuperfan]

I prefer to address OLB or OT in R1. I have a feeling the Bears will address a #1 WR in FA, by going for someone like Allen Robinson. Then in the draft, I expect them to draft a speedster WR in R2 or R4 - essentially replacing Wheaton who has done nothing.

In this R1 scenario, I'd bypass Kirk and go for either Nelson, Key or Brown. I think Nelson can play RT and he can certainly play inside and be considered an elite player. I think his talent and versatility will make him a high pick in R1.

[wab]

Nelson is kind of my homer pick, but it really depends on what his arms measure.

As far as WR goes, there isn't a single one entering FA that doesn't have a question mark, and Pace is very much a moneyball guy when it comes to WRs so I could see him taking one in the top 2 rounds.

[G08]

God bless ya, wab. I haven't even started digging into these prospects yet... probably will the second the season ends and we announce our HC and coordinators.

[YOGABBA]

I'm curious, how you predicting your trades?

IMO, if we're going to predict trades, then it would really be to our benefit to finish worse than either Houston of SF, or both.

[wab]

I'm curious, how you predicting your trades?

IMO, if we're going to predict trades, then it would really be to our benefit to finish worse than either Houston of SF, or both.

Wut...

[YOGABBA]

Fairly easy question: You have Buffalo trading up to #7. What are you basing that off of?

Next, I think if we are thinking trades, then we should hope that the Bears finish worse than Houston or SF, or both of them. As it would help for potential trades.

What are you missing?

[G08]

Fairly easy question: You have Buffalo trading up to #7. What are you basing that off of?

Next, I think if we are thinking trades, then we should hope that the Bears finish worse than Houston or SF, or both of them. As it would help for potential trades.

What are you missing?

[wab]

Fairly easy question: You have Buffalo trading up to #7. What are you basing that off of?

Next, I think if we are thinking trades, then we should hope that the Bears finish worse than Houston or SF, or both of them. As it would help for potential trades.

What are you missing?

So. This isn’t real life. And as I said at the top of the post, I’m basing this pretend draft off the thought that the Bears will win at least two more games and drop out of the top 10. Houston and SF will have a hard time winning enough games to put them below the Bears...because math and strength of schedule and all. So even if I wanted to pretend that was possible, it isn’t.

Also, the Bills currently have two first round picks. Which add up in value to the 6th pick. And they need a QB. So...that’s a pretty easy one to grasp.

[The Marshall Plan]

If the Bears are sitting there in round 1 and the Bills offer them the #21 and #22 picks to trade up I'd have a hard time walking away from that.

I don't know what the cap implications of that are (would it be a savings?), but if you go BPA you can get a couple good players.

Now obviously if the Bears win another game or two then it doesn't matter that trade won't be available.

[Hematite]

Christian Kirk seems like a Golden Tate on sterioids!

[Adipost]

Kirk looked amazing yesterday, such a gamer.

[docc]

Kirk has quicks..and all out speed. 5'11" isn't real tall..but get two/three yards on speed makes him a nice target..

[wab]

I see the ODB comps for sure. Minus the douche factor.

[VA_Mountain_Bear]

It looks like we are picking between 5-8 now. Not sure how the strength of schedule tie breaker will fair for us, but on the division and conference record we sucked! Anyone got an idea where we end up?

I guy I also like in round 1 that ought to be available to us is Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson - we need another pass rusher with Floyd and our D, which made bottom of top 10 this year, should really pop. Also if Floyd keeps getting hurt we are going to need another rusher anyway...but these two together would be a ridiculous tandem.

I like the idea trade down a few slots as Wab mentioned is possible if still grab Ferrel along with another 1st this year and catch Christian Kirk or Courtland Sutton at WR. That would be a coup d'etate.

[Moriarty]

It looks like we are picking between 5-8 now. Not sure how the strength of schedule tie breaker will fair for us, but on the division and conference record we sucked! Anyone got an idea where we end up?

yep

http://www.bearsfansonline.com/forum/vi ... 0&start=40" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Hiphopopotamos]

FWIW - Here are Kirk's measureables from Nike's The Opening in 2014.



Thats 40yd, 20yd shuttle, Power Ball, Vertical.


Kid is an incredible talent - but it would be dishonest to say I wouldn't be a little worried about drafting a 5'10" receiver with a top 10 pick. Even one with route running and hands like Kirk. Also a hell of a returner.

[Adipost]

I see the ODB comps for sure. Minus the douche factor.

I’ve read reports from Texas A & M people saying Kirk’s work ethic is unmatched. That’s what made Odell Beckham such a great player...

"He watched 20 times more film than any kid we had," Stewart said. "And we had to turn out the lights on him after practice because he was working the Jugs machine, just always perfecting his game."

[wab]

I see the ODB comps for sure. Minus the douche factor.

I’ve read reports from Texas A & M people saying Kirk’s work ethic is unmatched. That’s what made Odell Beckham such a great player...

"He watched 20 times more film than any kid we had," Stewart said. "And we had to turn out the lights on him after practice because he was working the Jugs machine, just always perfecting his game."

Kirk is one of my favorite players in the draft. If the Bears were to draft him at 8, I wouldn't mind.

My "guys" are, in order:
Quenton Nelson - Is 8 too high for a guard? No, not one that can play OG and either OT spot.
Christian Kirk - CBS has him ranked as the 119th prospect. CBS is stupid.
Clelin Ferrell - I think that they should look to FA to find a guy opposite Floyd, but if that doesn't work, Ferrell would be a hell of a pick at 8.
Roquan Smith - He's not needed...right now. But I would absolutely not hate him being the pick.
Denzel Ward - I think this really depends on what happens with Fuller/Amukamara.

[G08]

No love for Minkah Fitzpatrick, wab?

[wab]

No love for Minkah Fitzpatrick, wab?

I think he’s gone before we pick.

[G08]

No love for Minkah Fitzpatrick, wab?

I think he’s gone before we pick.

I heard some rumblings he may fall:

Minkah Fitzpatrick was arguably the country’s most impactful defender this year, but after learning NFL teams’ grades, I’ll be surprised if he gets drafted inside the top 10 picks. NC State’s Bradley Chubb will be the first defender taken.