!(These are my opinions based off of my own research on team performances and more)!
!(Also does not include any possible trades that may have/ possibly might occur)!
No. 6: New York Jets (5-11 last season)
Needs: QB, OLB, CB
Summary: It's kind of hard t.o believe, but I think it's fair to say that the last time we saw the New York Jets at their best was when Mark Sanchez was their starting quarterback. Back then, Rex Ryan was their head coach, Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards were the starting wide receivers, and Darrelle Revis was the star and leader of quite an incredible defensive unit. But nowadays, it's Todd Bowles as the head coach, Eric Decker is their top wideout, a once prominent defense continues it's shift between looking very good and being just average, and no one is sure who the quarterback will be next year. The franchise hasn't seen the Super Bowl since the 1968 season with quarterback "Broadway" Joe Namath and are itching to get back soon. Through the free agency period, the Jets were able to acquire former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Morris Claiborne and former Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown in order to help fill in some holes on the roster. But it seems that even bigger ones have now opened up with the loss of veteran center Nick Mangold, receiver Brandon Marshall, and aging veteran corner Darrelle Revis. It feels as though the Jets' hope of turning it all around hang in the balance of what management and coach Bowles decide to do in this year's draft or suffer the fate that could be their end.
My Pick: Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State - This pick all depends on how Tennessee drafts because I feel that the Jets will probably draft for defense instead of going for a QB like Mitch Trubisky or Deshaun Watson. So, if my draft goes as planned, then I would tab the Jets to take Ohio State free safety Malik Hooker. Now when it comes to the talk between Jamal Adams and Malik Hooker for the Bears, I have been a big fan of both if the other was not there for a reason. For Hooker, in this case, his game shows that he has a tremendous body of work for the safety position. With a combo of speed and great body control, Hooker has show that he has the ability to play the ball in the air with the best of them. It almost seems as though his hands are magnets and the ball is metal from how good he is at creating turnovers, which shows after having 7 INTs in his first full year as the starter. Because of this too, it seems that Hooker has very good understanding of his position and the game in order to make him prepared for almost any situation that an offense can throw at him. Along with his ball hawking skills, Hooker has also proven to be a "big hit" safety that can come up and deliver a blow to the bay carrier.But again, Hooker has some concerns that are possibly holding him back from being a Top 5 player in the draft. The biggest one is the injuries he had operations on in February for a torn labrum and hernia. And while the talk is that the injuries he had surgery on may not affect him at all down the line and certainly don't seem to be affecting him now, I would still be be cautious because no one can actually know how any of these players are going to be once they actually hit the field. But when it comes to drafting players that are coming off of injuries, it can be such a huge gamble for a team. The other big knock I have found on Hooker is the lack of experience. Last year was his only year as a full-time starter after being a situational/special teams player mostly the year before. So despite a strong showing as a top flight safety in first year, he still has much more to learn about being a top notch safety at the pro level. He also seems to be a bit out of control on pursuits at times and needs to work on his tackling form as well if he wants to take down some of the NFL's top ball carriers. The only thing that would concern me as of now is the injury stuff, and if that doesn't seem to be affecting him at all like it is now, then if the Titans don't select him first, I then I would bank on the Jets.
No. 7: Los Angeles Chargers (5-11 last season)
Needs: WR, DE, OL
Summary: It's new era in San Diego Chargers history as they make a return back to whence they came from originally. Earlier this year, the Chargers made the announcement that they would be leaving San Diego to join the Los Angeles Rams (former St. Louis Rams) in Los Angeles. But even with a change of scenery coming for the franchise, the Chargers are still in need of some upgrades in order to get back to competing with the Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs, and Denver Broncos. The franchise's two biggest stars, veteran quarterback Philip Rivers and tight end Antonio Gates, are coming near the end of their days and would probably like to have one chance at capturing the Lombardi Trophy to make their careers cemented in the Hall of Fame. Outside of them, the team demo seem to be putting pieces together to give them a shot at competing in their division. Thanks to the emergence of last year's No.3 overall pick, defensive end Joey Bosa, and linebacker Melvin Ingram, the defense looks ready to take the next step once it gets another playmaker for the secondary and up front. Meanwhile, the offense has seen WR Keenan Allen become the torch carrier for where Vincent Jackson use to be the star. But the team may be looking to add another big weapon to their lineup while concern is still there for filling in the gaps at O-line.
My Pick: Johnathan Allen, DL, Alabama - This one will depend on Jacksonville decides to do; if they go the route of DT with the No. 4 overall pick, then Allen will be the guy that they most likely take then. But according to my own draft, I think that the Chargers will go Alabama's defensive linemen Johnathan Allen. Now as an LSU fan, I HATE Alabama. However, I due respect the product of talent that they continue to push out into the NFL year after year. This year, Allen headlines an impressive group as the man who has been noted as the best defensive player on the best defense in college football. And while I do cringe at that some, I kind of have to agree. He has very impressive upper body strength that coordinates with strong hands that he has a arsenal of moves to use to make him a fierce competitor on the front. He shows solid agility and quickness at the line and when pursuing the ball carrier. His tackling skills are outstanding as he uses all of his body to take down his opponents. He also seems to have a natural ability to locate and track down the ball in order to make the play. And his versatility at being able to play as a DE in the 3-4 defense or a DT in a 4-3 defense makes him a nice pickup for someone looking to solve defensive line problems overall. Plus it doesn't hurt that he ranks second all-time in Alabama history in career sacks (28.5).
But while Allen sounds like a definite solid player to where some say he should be considered for the No.1 overall pick, I would look again and be cautious. From the start, my hometown team of the Chicago Bears have been tied to him. And even then I was more convinced that DB was the biggest issue to address. So once I was able to watch more of his game film and do more research on Allen, I still think he is talented but the issues he has scare me for draft him No.3 overall. One of the biggest talked about concerns for him have been the arthritis in his shoulders. Now I understand that there are medications that can be taken in order to help with it, but for a defensive linemen, you are always down in a three point stance with your weight hanging down and pulling on your body. The pain that he could be in could limit the amount of play time he sees and might be the thing that ends of hampering his career and no one wants that for him. But it's something that we cannot avoid because as someone that is going to have to use his arms and shoulders to lay into guys, he'll need to be sure that he can handle the pain. Along with the shoulder injuries, Allen also had a torn labrum before the start of the 2016 season so that could be a concern, but would say minor considering how he played last season. Outside of his health, Allen also needs to get better at getting off at the snap of the ball, needs to be better at recognizing when O-linemen go low on his legs, needs to work on breaking down before making his tackle, and making sure that he stays low so not to get caught upright and thrown around. Another concern is that since Allen is a hybrid DL, he may struggle some in certain defensive schemes. But with the hope that Johnathan Allen can stay healthy and continue to grow, I don't see why the Chargers would maybe consider adding him on the line with Bosa.
No. 8: Carolina Panthers (6-10 last season)
Needs: OT, DE, RB
Summary: From Super Bowl contenders in 2015 to... whatever they are now, the Carolina Panthers will be looking to make sure that they can land a homer with this draft in order to help their chances of getting back. Ever since the team drafted Cam Newton No.1 overall in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Panthers seemed to be on the rise. Sure at first, they went through a few of the bumps before getting to the Super Bowl against the Broncos in 2015, but they did find a way to get their thanks to their "Cam-Do-Everything" quarterback and a amazing young defense. But after losing the Super Bowl to Denver, the team saw star corner Josh Norman leave and sign with Washington, Cam Newton begin to take hits and get hurt, and a lack of finishing in crunch time, which they seemed to be so good at before hand. While Carolina's roster still has playmakers on both sides of the ball such as Newton, TE Greg Olsen, and WR Kelvin Benjamin on offense, and DT Kawann Short and LBs Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis on defense. Along with free agent pickups like OT Matt Khalil and Captain Munnerlyn, the Panthers will look to try and upgrade their front five on offense, find a suitable pass rushing defensive end to succeed Julius Peppers, and possibly look to make a play for another running back.
My Pick: Christian McCaffrey, ATH, Stanford - Okay, I know that some of you who I have discussed this with may look at this pick and go, "Wow, way to contradict yourself" and you would be right. I am someone who think that Christian McCaffrey at No. 8 seem a little high, but that doesn't mean I don't think he is talented player. The reason I think so many are looking to McCaffrey to be this pick is because of his multidimensional skill set that he brings to the table, hence why I labeled him as Athlete (ATH) instead of running back (RB) because of his ability to run and catch and return punts and kick-offs. He's a heck of an athlete with amazing quick moves and reflexes toward any situation. He's not Leonard Fournette where he can run you over, but he does has the ability to make many people miss in the open field and burst through the whole with speed. McCaffrey also has the ability to see all of the field to make his decisions which makes him a smart runner when the ball is in his hands. While McCaffrey also doesn't have a big and strong body like Fournette, he still has the size to be an RB in the league and make an impact. Plus this kid was born for the NFL with his father, Ed, being a 3x Super Bowl champion along with a mother and grandfather that were also accomplished athletes.But like I keep doing, I need to give you why there should be some concern with taking McCaffrey so high in the draft. One issue is that while he does have the quickness to compete in the NFL, his body is not built very strong and he himself does not have "run you over" strength to take on tacklers. He has some speed, but will not be burning everyone on the field if he gets caught in traffic most likely. He sometimes seems to have to sit and scratch his head in the backfield before committing to a move which means he could be caught the backfield quite a bit. McCaffrey will also need to develop better run blocking ability if he is to play RB at the NFL level. The two big questions that I hold for Christian McCaffrey are basically: what position will he actually play in the NFL and can he withstand the brutal punishment that the NFL can dish out? The position question is important because while McCaffrey did play running back at Stanford and has the size for it, he could be looked at as more of a slot receiver for the Panthers to use across the middle while being their punt/kick return specialist. However, even if McCaffrey takes a role on the team a their third down specialty back like Danny Whitehead, I'm sure the Panthers will love the fact that they know he can help add another level to their offense.
No. 9: Cincinnati Bengals (6-9-1 last season)
Needs: OL, LB, Edge
Summary: For whatever reason, the Cincinnati Bengals seem to have this magic trick in which they make some experts think that they are playoff contenders at the beginning of the season, only to pull the cloak off and reveal that they need more work. With QB Any Dalton, RB Jeremy Hill, and WR A.J. Green on offense, many would think that they would be able to compete against the Ravens and Steelers more so than they have been. But the Bengals biggest problems have seem to been on defense. Even with DT Geno Atkins, DE Carlos Dunlap, and LB Vontaze Burfict, they still need more help in both those departments. I would've mentioned the DBs, but Dre Kilpatrick and William Jackson III are doing better. But as far as I can tell, Cincinnati is going to be looking to find someone that can really get after it and bring a the fight back in that tiger that lies in the jungle.
My Pick: Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee - This was another difficult decision to make on show would be this pick. I was very convinced that is San Francisco was not going to shock the draft by taking Alabama ILB Rueben Foster No.2 overall, then he would probably fall to this point here and be taken by Cincinnati. However, since the incident at the NFL Combine and the now with the word coming out that his urine sample tested positive for being diluted, there's a possibility that Foster may have just cost himself a chance to be a Top 10 pick. So because of that, I would say that the Bengals take Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett in order to fulfill the edge rusher need. One thing I like about Barnett is that he is at the size as well where if he wants, he could be a edge rushing linebacker for the team. he has a natural ability to get low and around offensive tackles to get to the QB, seems to have a great awareness of the ball from the snap to the point of hand-off or drop-back, and shows great ability to maintain control of his body while using his hands to fight off the opposition. Barnett also shows that he can make smart decisions in crucial moments on the field to change the momentum of the game. Along side all of that, Barnett's bonus material is that he was able to break the school record for career sacks (33.0) that was originally held by legendary Hall of Fame DE Reggie White.
As for what Barnett still needs to work on, He may want to consider building up more strength in order to have more of a push against some of the offensive tackles he'll have to face off with in the league. While he is light, his quickness is not based on speed but more of timing his first step. Also, Barnett will need to improve breaking down before making a tackle and learning to control his aggression that seemed to cause him to miss very easy tackles last season in college. The big concern I find with him here is if he is a DE or OLB. Most likely, he will be an stand-up defensive end or edge rushing linebacker, but if that is the case, then will he be able to also carry out the duties that come with playing the outside linebacker position. That is a big question mark for me on his part. Regardless, I still think that the Cincinnati Bengals, if not sold on Foster being worth the possible gamble, will go with a more secure pick and take Derek Barnett to get after Big Ben and Joe Cool.
No. 10: Buffalo Bills (7-9 last season)
Needs: DB, WR, OT
Summary: The Buffalo Bills were like the gods in the 1990s with four straight Super Bowl appearances and an array of Hall of Fame talent, but unfortunately were never able to hold the title of NFL champions. Now the franchise continues their hunt with a new look of players that may be able to turn it around if everything can finally start coming together to make the magic happen. Already on the roster are undersized yet talented QB Tyrod Taylor, WR Sammy Watkins who will be called to step up more barring more injuries don't happen, and RB LeSean McCoy will stay in top form from last year. Also with them is reliable veteran DT Kyle Williams and DE Marcell Dareus on defense. Since free agency, the Bills have been active in signing former Green Bay Packers' safety Micah Hyde and Raiders' wideout Andre Holmes while resigning LB Lorenzo Alexander and a few others to help keep some key pieces in play. However, the biggest hits were CB Stephan Gilmore leaving for the enemy AKA the New England Patriots, and WR Robert Woods heading for L.A. to be with the Rams. Because of that, there are now two big holes to fit at those spots, along with the problem they've had with finding consistency up from on the O-line.
My Pick: O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama - By this point in my draft, Alabama TE O.J. Howard would make complete sense for a team looking to take just take the best player on the draft boards according the the experts and analysts. So that's why I have him pegged going to Buffalo at No. 10 overall. I could have got with Clemson WR Mike Williams or Western Michigan (and a hometown kid of mine) WR Corey Davis to help them, someone like Howard is hard to look past even in the passing game. Right off the back, he's got size, like freakish size. At 6'6" and around 250 lbs., Howard may be one of the best TE prospects we've seen in a long time that actually designates him possibly being a Top 5 pick possibly. He shows incredible quickness and speed for a man his size while also having strong coordination skills that help him to be balanced. He shows a lot of promise at a pass catching TE, and for the way the game is played now, that could mean big things for the big man. Howard also shows that he understand that his size is his advantage over most players, which is something that some players forget over time in the game. He also showed that his blocking skills are improving from last year which would be great for McCoy to have a such a big athlete sealing off the edge for him to go around.Right now, the biggest knocks being made against O.J. Howard is that he was lacking production at Alabama, despite being considered their best weapon and playmaker. Because of this, some have come to question if Howard's understanding of the position and game are just average and not at the level in which is needed to compete in the NFL. Also, while I did mention Howard is aware that he can use his size to his advantage at a positive, it also seems to be a negative as well as he tends to have him relying strictly on size and athletic ability which could lead to him being far too predictable against defenses. The only other issue I have seen with him seems to be that he does not always run strong and through people like he should be able to at his size. But still, there is no denying O.J. Howard is a heck of an athlete. So depending on what either Jacksonville or Tennessee do, as they seem like the only other team to draft him, I would say that Howard will be a Buffalo Bill with Taylor , McCoy, and Watkins on a growing offense.
