New WAB 1st Round Mock

[wab]

1. Jacksonville : Trevor Lawrence - QB - Clemson
Easy pick.

2. NY Jets : Penei Sewell - OL - Oregon
If they aren’t going to give up on Darnold, they might as well surround him with the best young OT pair in the NFL.

3. Carolina f/MIA (HOU) : Zach Wilson - QB - BYU
With Sewell gone, Miami moves down and Carolina gets their QB of the future.

4. Detroit f/ATL : DeVonta Smith - WR - Alabama
With Atlanta having multiple needs, they move down and Detroit gets a Marvin Harrison clone.

5. Cincinnati : Christian Darrisaw - OL - Virginia Tech
Slater makes sense too, but Darrisaw is the next best pure OT.

6. Philadelphia : Ja'Marr Chase - WR - LSU
The Eagles could take a QB but Chase is too good to pass up.

7. Atlanta f/DET : Kyle Pitts - TE - Florida
Will Atlanta take a replacement for Matt Ryan, or give Matt Ryan all the help they can? Pitts is listed as a TE but he’s basically Megatron.

8. Miami f/CAR : Jaylen Waddle - WR - Alabama
It seems like a safe bet that if a Miami WR is available, the Dolphins will take him.

9. Denver : Trey Lance - QB - North Dakota State
I don’t know how anyone in the Broncos organization really feels about Lock. Lance lacks experience but has a skillset on par with Trevor Lawrence.

10. Dallas : Rashawn Slater - OL - Northwestern
The Cowboys OL was decimated by injuries and it killed their season. Slater gives them insurance at multiple positions.

11. Chicago f/NYG : Justin Fields - QB - Ohio State
If Fields slides out of the top 10, I could see the Bears making a move up to get him. He’s not my favorite QB in the draft, but it’s hard to deny the talent he has. The Bears give up Anthony Miller, #20, #52, and their 2022 R2 for #11 and #106. This allows the Bears to still address the OL or WR positions in R3 and they keep their 2022 R1.

12. San Francisco : Patrick Surtain II - CB - Alabama
The Niners would have probably taken Fields, but I don’t think they have a single CB under contract.

13. LA Chargers : Dillon Radunz - OL - North Dakota State
Radunz really increased his stock at the senior bowl. He’s smooth in pass protection and versatile enough to play multiple positions.

14. Minnesota : Christian Barmore - DL - Alabama
The Vikings top priorities this offseason are fixing the interior of the OL and finding pass rushers. Barmore provides tremendous inside push.

15. New England : Micah Parsons - LB - Penn State
Parsons is a top 10 pick in most years. He does things not many off the ball LBs can do.

16. Arizona : Caleb Farley - CB - Virginia Tech
They need a RB and some interior linemen, but if Farley is here they can’t pass on him. Especially if they lose Peterson.

17. Las Vegas : Kwity Paye - EDGE - Michigan
I think Paye is a little overrated, but the Raiders need help getting to the QB and he is a guy that can play inside or outside.

18. Miami : Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah - LB - Notre Dame
He’s a little light in the pants, and kind of a hybrid LB/DB, but he’s a similar (and maybe better) player than Isaiah Simmons.

19. Washington : Mac Jones - QB - Alabama
For all I know, Mac Jones could go anywhere between #8 and #58. But here he is, and he’s a good fit for the WFT.

20. NY Giants f/CHI : Zaven Collins - EDGE - Tulsa
The Giants move down and get one of my favorite players in the draft. He reminds me so much of DeMarcus Ware.

21. Indianapolis : Teven Jenkins - OL - Oklahoma State
The retirement of Anthony Costanzo puts the Colts in a bind because they traded for Carson Wentz, and they know he needs protection to be effective.

22. Tennessee : Azeez Ojulari - EDGE - Georgia
The one year rental of Jadeveon Clowney didn’t go as planned. Ojulari is a name that’s getting hot as draft season gets closer.

23. NY Jets f/SEA : Najee Harris - RB - Alabama
Protect Darnold and give him a workhorse RB. Harris shouldn’t be able to do the things he does at his size.

24. Pittsburgh : Creed Humphrey - OL - Oklahoma
With the top OT’s off the board, the Steelers should look for another 10 year starter at center.

25. Jacksonville f/LAR : Terrace Marshall Jr. - WR - LSU
OT, LB, and CB are considerations, but giving Lawrence another WR isn’t the worst idea.

26. Cleveland : Gregory Rousseau - EDGE - Miami
Rousseau is a bit of an enigma, he’s a tremendous talent with one huge season. He’s very much worth the risk here.

27. Baltimore : Kadarius Toney - WR - Florida
If they don’t upgrade at WR in FA, they will have to do it in the draft. Toney is an electrifying WR that is buried in a deep class.

28. New Orleans : Greg Newsome II - CB - Northwestern
The Saints need to find a corner to pair with Marshon Lattimore and Newsome is getting first round consideration.

29. Green Bay : Alijah Vera-Tucker - OL - USC
With Bakhtiari out indefinitely and Rick Wagner gone, they have needs on the OL. They may also need a WR depending on what happens with Adams.

30. Buffalo : Javonte Williams - RB - North Carolina
One thing was certain in the AFC Championship, the Bills need to run the ball better. Assuming they retain the majority of their starting OL, drafting a RB makes sense.

31. Kansas City : Jalen Mayfield - OL - Michigan
I think the only starting offensive lineman under contract currently is Kevin Shaffer, and he might be a cap casualty.

32. Tampa Bay : Kyle Trask - QB - Florida
Trask in the first? Maybe. Brady is coming back for at least one more year, but there’s no one behind him. This gives the Bucs a young player to develop on a cheap 5yr deal.

I went into this under 3 main assumptions:
1 - The Bears are unable to trade for a QB
2 - Allen Robinson is tagged
3 - Leno and either Bars or Ifedi are the starting OTs in 2021

The Bears should be able to get a potential future starting OT in R3. Spencer Brown, Brenden Jaimes, D'Ante Smith, and Dan Moore Jr are all developmental OT's who should be there in R3 (Spencer could go in R2 I suppose).

[crueltyabc]

I missed Fields' bad games so I like him more than many, and I love this idea. I actually think the Bears could continue their trend of delaying OT draft and instead use the 3rd rounder to add another WR. The 2022 first rounder could be earmarked for an OT if it doesn't turn out that Ifedi or Bars are long term solutions. This is a bit of a boom or bust strategy for 2021 where I would look to get Fields in the lineup ASAP and see what happens before a bunch of contracts come up next year on both sides of the ball

[wab]

I missed Fields' bad games so I like him more than many, and I love this idea. I actually think the Bears could continue their trend of delaying OT draft and instead use the 3rd rounder to add another WR. The 2022 first rounder could be earmarked for an OT if it doesn't turn out that Ifedi or Bars are long term solutions. This is a bit of a boom or bust strategy for 2021 where I would look to get Fields in the lineup ASAP and see what happens before a bunch of contracts come up next year on both sides of the ball

I don't know how realistic it is. It's entirely possible that 4 QBs go in the first 5 picks.

But if one of top 4 does slide out of the top 10, whether it's Fields or Lance, I think it makes sense. Fields seems a bit more ready to play right away but Lance has some insane tools to develop.

[crueltyabc]

It's definitely a longshot to get Fields or Lantz but it's a good exercise to consider and discuss how the Bears should build around a good young QB if one was acquired and the Bears were trying to work with mid-round picks.

With a new QB, this year and next year are about adding weapons and solidifying the oline. I think there's a better chance of getting two starters with the combo of 3rd Round WR + 1st Round OT rather than the other way around, and I like that an additional WR could crack the lineup rather than being on deck for injury (and competing for that spot) in 2021 like a mid-round OT.

[RichH55]

I like that Demarcus Ware comp

[Grizzled]

Pretty good job. I don't see the Jets using the #2 on another OT after taking one in the first round last year. If they do really want another OT, there are several teams would be probably want to move up for Wilson or maybe Fields. I'm hoping the Bears don't move up for Fields, I'm more of a move-down for more picks and take a QB in round 3 guy.

[IE]

I like Fields way more than some it seems. He had a few bad outings - but that's what he did. What he CAN do is what is so enticing. I've seen him be absolutely elite, and it wasn't luck or against nobodies.

According to senile Casserly, Fields will be available when the Bears pick. ROFL

[thunderspirit]

I like Fields way more than some it seems. He had a few bad outings - but that's what he did. What he CAN do is what is so enticing. I've seen him be absolutely elite, and it wasn't luck or against nobodies.

According to senile Casserly, Fields will be available when the Bears pick. ROFL

Casserly needs to go out to the pasture to stud.

I feel like Fields is the real deal. He (well, and Lawrence, of course, but that's not happening) is the only guy I'd be willing to pay the price to go up and get.

[wab]

I like Fields way more than some it seems. He had a few bad outings - but that's what he did. What he CAN do is what is so enticing. I've seen him be absolutely elite, and it wasn't luck or against nobodies.

According to senile Casserly, Fields will be available when the Bears pick. ROFL

Yeah, but the thing is....Casserly isn't the only one saying it.

[IE]

Yep - in the same way Watson got diminished before the draft. I say good - tear him down, as well as Lance. Maybe one will make it to the Bears. And maybe Pace will be smart enough to take them.

Who knows - maybe Casserly is assuming the Bears pick up a QB in FA, and things like that are unspoken in some people's projections. But IMO there are dynamics in play that have people like Mac Jones rising while Fields falls - and heck, I'll even bet Trask bubbles up and may even be selected before Fields or Lance. Predicting it doesn't mean I like it.

[wab]

I don't necessarily think it's what you are implying. I mean Louis Riddick is saying Jones is the 3rd best QB in the draft.

I do think that people are starting to dig into Jones' game and realize he's better than he was being given credit for. I'd still take Fields over Jones all things being equal, because Fields has a much higher ceiling.

[crueltyabc]

I think there are a couple of things at play: the QBs are very different so there's some "matter of taste" type conversation that I'd like to see as a deeper analysis of scheme fit. I want more of this next to people's QB takes:

https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/za ... -nfl-draft

If Wilson really won't work in the Jets scheme, maybe Sewell is at the top of their board.

You also have guys like Chris Sims out there just trying to generate controversy with his takes, and Matt Miller talking about "he was right about Mahommes". Yuck. People who are talking purely Big Board or Rankings are missing the nuance of this.

Then you have recency effect of mobile quarterbacks being successful creating bias in some, and Tom Brady old man pocket passer seemingly justifying old fashioned ideas in some. It's a wild world of "analysis" right now, and nobody is at St. Elmos creating a consensus

[RichH55]

I don't necessarily think it's what you are implying. I mean Louis Riddick is saying Jones is the 3rd best QB in the draft.

I do think that people are starting to dig into Jones' game and realize he's better than he was being given credit for. I'd still take Fields over Jones all things being equal, because Fields has a much higher ceiling.

Im curious on that ceiling comment - especially the much higher part

Is that all arm strength and running?

Pocket Presence, Accuracy, and Progressions are all going to favor Jones

What are we envisioning for Fields that boosts the ceiling portion? Are their throws you don't think Jones can make even if he has the right read?

[thunderspirit]

I'm not @wab but for me, it's mostly the difference in arm strength and running, yeah. And what looks like a denser build.

But that ability to make something happen with your legs, and to make throws that you can only try because you have the arm, can be huge in the NFL.

[RichH55]

I'm not @wab but for me, it's mostly the difference in arm strength and running, yeah. And what looks like a denser build.

But that ability to make something happen with your legs, and to make throws that you can only try because you have the arm, can be huge in the NFL.

Fair - and the legs are no question better

Arm is better too - but is Fields in that Maholmes Arm Class? Josh Allen?

I think it's a good arm but I never got Howitzer vibes - it's still stronger than Jones mind you

Maybe I just think Jones has a higher ceiling than many posters do?

[Z Bear]

People knock Jones for the cast around him, but can't the same be said of Fields? I mean literally that whole OSU offense Fields played with last year is getting drafted early too.

I just hope Pace does not give up more than a 3rd to move up to get his guy, would prefer to stay at 20 and take Jones. If he is gone trade down and take Trask, picking up an extra 3rd. I read an article recently that this draft is so deep there are like 110+ guys with Day 1 or 2 grades,. Picking up an extra 3td would be nice to target at C like Meinerz. Giving up a third would mean we would be getting a QB and OT only that could really help the offense next year.

[RichH55]

People knock Jones for the cast around him, but can't the same be said of Fields? I mean literally that whole OSU offense Fields played with last year is getting drafted early too.

I just hope Pace does not give up more than a 3rd to move up to get his guy, would prefer to stay at 20 and take Jones. If he is gone trade down and take Trask, picking up an extra 3rd. I read an article recently that this draft is so deep there are like 110+ guys with Day 1 or 2 grades,. Picking up an extra 3td would be nice to target at C like Meinerz. Giving up a third would mean we would be getting a QB and OT only that could really help the offense next year.

I thought more with Fields honestly

I seem to remember a 3rd and long and Fields dumped it off to Sermon? in BCS

And it was a great effort by Sermon and he picks up the 1st Down - IMHO that says nothing about the QB

[Bears Whiskey Nut]

Watching the highlights of Fields and Wilson. I'll take Fields. I think he throws a better ball, and I think he's more accurate. I'm back and forth on Trey Lance. I think Lance could be great, or he could be Jameis Winston.