Per reports, the Cleveland Browns are strongly considering drafting Mitch Trubisky with the 1st pick, and boy does that shake things up!
The majority of draftnik’s have mocked Texas A&M EDGE rusher Myles Garrett to the Cleveland Browns with the first pick for months, but considering a report that came out yesterday, the Browns might be thinking of drafting someone else there.
Per ProFootballTalk.com, the Browns are “strongly considering” drafting UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky with the first pick:
Report: The Browns are "strongly considering" taking QB Mitch Trubisky with the No. 1 pick https://t.co/KOkLwKhA4K
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 2, 2017
Coach Hue Jackson has set an ideal height for a QB in his system: 6-2. How tall did Trubisky stand when he was measured at the NFL Combine? 6-2 1/8.
So, considering the report of Cleveland’s interest in Mitch Trubisky, how would him being selected 1st overall shake up the draft?
Let’s get to mocking!
1st pick: Cleveland Browns - Mitch Trubisky, QB, UNC
In addition to the reports above, Trubisky has been praised as the best quarterback in this class by many analysts. He only started for one season at UNC, but in that season he threw for 3748 yards, 30 touchdowns vs. only six interceptions, and held a completion percentage of 68%.
2nd pick: San Francisco 49ers - Myles Garrett, EDGE, Texas A&M
As of right now, the 49ers do not have a QB set to be on the roster on March 9th at 4 p.m. — the first day of free agency — so I would hope they’d draft a QB with the 2nd pick...
...But with Myles Garrett available and the team’s recent transition to a 4-3 defense, the 49ers should grab the best prospect in the draft.
Garrett totaled 31 sacks and 47 tackles for loss in his three year career at Texas A&M. Standing at 6-5, 262 lbs, Garrett has ideal size, as well as speed and power, to be a team’s No. 1 pass rusher. If the 49ers can land a stop-gap QB in free agency, Garrett becomes a must-pick.
3rd pick: Chicago Bears - Jamal Adams, S, LSU
Chicago is another potential landing spot for a QB, but a recent report stated that the team is “loading up” to target QB Mike Glennon, as well as CB Stephon Gilmore, in free agency.
With that, the Bears would likely be out of the quarterback and cornerback market with the 3rd pick. The Bears could take the best player available in Jonathan Allen, but considering they have a pretty good pass rush with 2016 first round pick Leonard Floyd and Willie Young leading the pack, the Bears need to add a safety to their defense to help fix their woes in their pass coverage.
Adams has an incredibly high floor for a safety prospect, and offers prototypical size — 6-1, 211 lbs — and ideal traits in coverage and against the run to thrive in the NFL. With five INTs and fourteen defended passes at LSU, the Bears would significantly upgrade their secondary in drafting Adams.
4th pick: Jacksonville Jaguars - Jonathan Allen, EDGE, Alabama
Allen is the best all around defensive lineman in this draft, as he can play both defensive end and tackle, although his home in the NFL is defensive end.
Standing at 6-3, 291 lbs, Allen gathered 28 sacks and 44.5 tackles for loss during his time at Alabama. A mechanically sound player, Allen would be a perfect fit opposite of Yannick Ngakoue.
5th pick: Tennessee Titans - Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
The Titans are in desperate need of a cornerback and early, and in picking Lattimore, they get the best cover cornerback in this draft.
Lattimore intercepted four passes and defended another nine in 2016, his first season as a starter. He’s a gifted man coverage corner with near-perfect mechanics and speed that will serve him well in the NFL. Tennessee improves their secondary tremendously with this pick.
6th pick: New York Jets - Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
I have yet to come across a single mock draft with Foster becoming a Jet, mostly because the Jets have a huge need at cornerback, but the more I think about it, the more I like it.
The Jets run a hybrid 4-3/3-4 with Davis Harris as their full time MIKE, however at age 33 he isn’t getting any younger. Foster can step in as a versatile linebacker playing the SAM linebacker in 3-4 packages and MIKE in their 4-3 sub-packages, before eventually taking Harris’ full time role at MIKE.
Foster is one of the best prospects in this draft, but is projected to fall a bit simply due to linebacker value not being as high as EDGE rushers, quarterbacks, running backs, and cornerbacks, positions this class is loaded at. However, the 6-1, 245 lb linebacker with 211 total tackles, 23 tackles for loss, seven sacks, and nine defended passes in his career makes a lot of sense here with Marshon Lattimore not making it to the sixth pick.
7th pick: Los Angeles Chargers - Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
The second Ohio State defensive back off the board in the top seven, Hooker offers rare range and athleticism at safety and fits Gus Bradley’s single-high safety role perfectly.
Collecting seven INTs in 2016, Hooker is a ball hawk with ideal size: 6-2, 205 lbs. Los Angeles would finally have their heir to Eric Weddle at free safety in selecting Hooker.
8th pick: Carolina Panthers - Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
The Panthers need to take some pressure off of Cam Newton and give him a more reliable weapon at running back than the aging, oft-injured Jonathan Stewart. Leonard Fournette has been debated as the best running back in this class against Dalvin Cook, and both carry different traits to the next level that will lead to them prospering.
I prefer Cook over Fournette, simply because he has better all-around traits and created behind a very bad offensive line, but Fournette is the better scheme fit in Carolina as a power running back, and he possesses great breakaway speed at the second level. All in all, Carolina gets a weapon that will take a lot of pressure off of Cam Newton.
9th pick: Cincinnati Bengals - Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
Andy Dalton and AJ Green struggle to lead the Bengals defense all by themselves in the passing game, and could use a second all-around threat at wide receiver. Williams, the 6-4 receiver fresh off of Clemson’s National Championship, can be just that. He missed most of 2015 due to a neck injury, but fully recovered and went on to grab 98 catches for 1361 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2016.
Williams can give the Bengals a huge threat opposite of AJ Green and take Cincinnati’s passing offense to the next level.
10th pick: Buffalo Bills - Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
Humphrey is a physical, speedy cornerback with great size — 6-1, 196 lbs. In my opinion, he’s the best all-around cornerback in this class, and is my “CB1”, but I have Lattimore drafted above him due to Lattimore’s insane coverage skills.
The Bills are losing Stephon Gilmore in free agency and need all the help they can get in their secondary. Humphrey can provide a physical presence in both coverage and the run game, and can thrive in Buffalo’s new zone coverage-heavy scheme.
11th pick: New Orleans Saints - Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech
A sleeper pick if you’ve ever seen one.
Drew Brees is one of the best QBs ever, but at 38 he isn’t getting any younger and New Orleans should look into drafting his heir.
That’s where Mahomes comes in. Mahomes has the raw talent to be the best QB in the class with his insane arm strength and accuracy, plus mobility. However, he has some funky mechanical issues with his feet that will take time in adapting in the NFL. He needs to be drafted somewhere that gives him a good enough QB to let him sit for a year or two and learn from, and Drew Brees provides just that.
Fun fact: Brees and Mahomes were the only QBs to throw for 5000+ yards last year in the NFL and NCAA, respectively.
12th pick: Cleveland Browns - Solomon Thomas, DE/DT, Stanford
The Browns skipped on Myles Garrett for a QB with the first pick, but still nab a first round talent at pass rusher in Solomon Thomas. The two year starter at Stanford who collected 12 sacks and 24.5 sacks is a bit of a “tweener” on the defensive line, and I think his best fit is as a defensive tackle, but he could also play five technique at the next level and Cleveland has a need at the defensive end position after transitioning to a 4-3 defense.
13th pick: Arizona Cardinals - Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
Watson is the most pro-ready QB in this draft and the narrative that he is careless with the ball is false: Of his 17 interceptions last year, only eight of them were truly his fault on my count (you can watch a Deshaun Watson interception breakdown by Mark Schofield of Inside The Pylon here).
The Cardinals are in need of an heir to Carson Palmer, who will be 38 before the 2017 season is over. The Bruce Arians-led Cardinals took a step back in 2016 from 2015, and QB play has a lot to do with that. Watson, who led Clemson to win the 2016 NCAA National Championship, can turn the Cardinals around.
14th pick: Indianapolis Colts - Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Frank Gore, although playing impressively for his age, isn’t getting any younger at 33, and the Colts could use a speedier, all-around running back like Cook to take pressure off of Andrew Luck, who seemingly is the only hope for the Colts to produce anything on offense as of right now.
Cook, the FSU all-time leader in rushing yards with 4464, and touchdowns with 46, is my favorite RB in this class, and can add much needed balance to the Colts’ offense.
15th pick: Philadelphia Eagles - Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
The Eagles desperately need to add talent for Carson Wentz to utilize, especially at running back. Unfortunately, the two running backs worth a top 20 pick are gone at this point, but with a need at WR, Davis is a fine pick as well.
Davis, the 6-3, 209 lb receiver out of WMU, is the FBS all time leader in receiving yards with 5285 yards. In his senior season, he totaled 1500 yards and 19 touchdowns. Davis is great at tracking the deep ball and competing for it, and would give Wentz a deep threat that he so desperately needs.
16th pick: Baltimore Ravens - Tim Williams, EDGE, Alabama
Williams is a force to be reckoned with as an EDGE rusher, but is he a stand-up rusher in a 3-4 or a hands-in-the-dirt DE in a 4-3? With his athleticism, size, and speed, I like him in the 3-4, and can add production to a Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil-led pass rush, and eventually be the Ravens’ main pass rusher, as Suggs and Dumervil are 34 and 33, respectively.
The 6-4, 252 lb Williams recorded 20 sacks and 30 tackles for loss during his time at Alabama.
17th pick: Washington - Malik McDowell, DL, Michigan State
McDowell is an interesting cat. He has all the tools and skills to be a pure force in the NFL, but his production dropped in 2016 and some scouts question his attitude. Whatever the case is there, the talent as a defensive lineman that McDowell possesses is phenomenal, and he can provide QB pressure as a 5 technique in either a 3-4 or a 4-3, as well as impact the run game inside and on the EDGE.
18th pick: Tennessee Titans - Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt
The Titans add another piece to their defense here after taking Marshon Lattimore with the 5th pick. Cunningham is an athletic LB who can play every position and makes plays: In three seasons, he’s recorded 256 tackles, 36 tackles for loss, six sacks, six forced fumbles, and six defended passes.
The Titans need to add playmakers to their defense very badly. They can do that with Lattimore at five and Cunningham at 18.
19th pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - John Ross, WR, Washington
The 5-11, 188 lb speedster is a perfect complement to a big receiver like Mike Evans, and that’s something Jameis Winston and the Buccaneers need. Ross is so athletic that Washington even had him play a few games at cornerback, where he recorded an interception and two defended passes.
In 2016, Ross recorded 81 catches for 1150 yards and 17 touchdowns.
20th pick: Denver Broncos - Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
The Broncos are in desperate need of upgrades across their entire offensive line, and Ramzyck can be the guy for them at left tackle. Standing at 6-6, 314 lbs, Ramczyk is a very technical blocker who’s both physical and athletic, and possesses a very high football IQ and awareness.
21st pick: Detroit Lions - Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan
The Lions need to upgrade at several spots on defense, and their pass rush could certainly use a premier guy. Charlton offers that.
Standing at 6-6, 273 lbs, Charlton is a big defensive end who is incredibly quick and powerful off the line of scrimmage. In his career at Michigan, he totaled 19 sacks and 28 tackles for loss.
22nd pick: Miami Dolphins - Dan Feeney, OG, Indiana
Feeney, the consensus best guard in the draft, fits perfectly here as the Dolphins are trading Branden Albert to the Jaguars and moving Laremy Tunsil from guard to left tackle.
Feeney, the 6-4, 304 lb guard was a third team All-American in 2015 and first team All American in 2016, mostly playing at right guard, although he can be moved around the line. His biggest strength is run blocking, and with his help, Jay Ajayi can take the next step next year after his first starting season in 2016.
23rd pick: New York Giants - OJ Howard, TE, Alabama
The 5th player to be selected from Alabama in the first round, OJ Howard provides the Giants with athleticism at the tight end position and knows how to come down with contested balls. As Eli Manning slides into perhaps his last few solid seasons he has left, he could use an athletic receiving tight end like Howard to spread the ball around more. Howard recorded 114 catches for 1726 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 15.1 yards per catch, during his time at Alabama.
24th pick: Oakland Raiders - Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
With DJ Hayden ready to hit free agency and Sean Smith having a decent first season in Oakland, the Raiders need to draft a CB early. Wilson is special in man coverage and has a a nice frame — 6-1, 213 lbs — and is sure to utilize that frame in his physical coverage. At UF, Wilson collected six INTs and 14 defended passes in three seasons.
25th pick: Houston Texans: Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
Brock Osweiller was awful in his first year with the Texans, but he will almost certainly be the team’s starter next year considering he will only be in his second year of his four year, $72 million deal. So, instead of reaching for a quarterback here, they grab Cam Robinson to help protect Osweiller, as the Texans’ offensive line took a beating in 2016. Robinson can play both left and right tackle, but I believe he will stick at left in the NFL.
26th pick: Seattle Seahawks - Taylor Moton, OT, Western Michigan
Moton, the 6-5, 330 lb tackle out of Western Michigan, has started every game for the past four years for the Broncos, and has been a huge factor in their recent offensive success with great pass protection, getting All-American honors in 2016 as a right tackle. The Seahawks need to protect Russell Wilson better, and Moton can add much needed talent on the right side of the offensive line.
27th pick: Kansas City Chiefs - Deshone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
Kizer has an incredibly high ceiling, but his 2016 season had its ups and downs which have caused some concern. However, if the Bears weren’t likely to sign Mike Glennon as they seem to be interested in doing, I likely would have had Deshaun Watson go at third overall and Kizer at 13th overall to the Cardinals.
Kizer is phenomenal at reading defenses and has a very strong arm, but every now and then his accuracy gets away from him, whether it be a dumb pass or a mechanical error — either way, leading to turnovers: He has 19 interceptions in two seasons. However, in a more stable situation than Notre Dame, one that the Chiefs provide, I believe Kizer can thrive.
28th pick: Dallas Cowboys - Derek Barnett, EDGE, Tennessee
I’m not sold on Barnett as a prospect at all, but it’s near impossible to argue that his production in college -- 32 sacks and 52 tackles for loss in three seasons -- isn’t impressive. The Cowboys are in need of a pass rusher as the Randy Gregory experiment isn’t working out due to his off the field issues. In drafting Barnett, the Cowboys get a pure power rusher to play at defensive end to play opposite of Benson Mayowa.
29th pick: Green Bay Packers - Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU
White is a gifted man coverage cornerback, fitting the Packers’ defensive scheme well. The 5-11, 191 lb corner recorded six interceptions and 34 defended passes during his career at LSU, and with a big need at CB after releasing Sam Shields, the Packers need to target a CB early. White is a late first round/early second round talent, and his scheme fit puts him over Teez Tabor and Sidney Jones at 29.
30th pick: Pittsburgh Steelers - David Njoku, TE, Miami
The Steelers could use help at ILB and competition at cornerback, but considering Ladarius Green can never seem to stay healthy and Jesse James is simply average, the Steelers could use a tight end like Njoku to finally be considered the heir to Heath Miller. Njoku is an athletic, receiving tight end who caught eight touchdowns in 2016 and was a huge factor in Miami’s red-zone success.
31st pick: Atlanta Falcons - Jaleel Johnson, DT, Iowa
The Falcons have a young and promising defense that, if continually built upon, can be elite. One of their bigger weaknesses is interior defensive line, and they could use a defensive tackle next to Grady Jarrett with Jonathan Babineaux turning 36 next season. Jaleel Johnson is an athletic interior pass rusher who recorded 7.5 sacks in 2016. Adding Johnson to Atlanta’s up and coming pass rush would be ideal.
32nd pick: New England Patriots - Charles Harris, EDGE, Missouri
Harris is an explosive speed rusher off the line of scrimmage, who accounted for 16 sacks from 2015-2016. With the loss of Chris Long and Jabaal Sheard hitting free agency next week, the Patriots need to add a pass rusher to their arsenal, and Harris can be that guy.