Post Free Agency Mock Draft

[Green Jets & Ham]

With not much left to accomplish in free agency, its time for the post free agency version:

ROUND 1

01. BUCS - JAMEIS WINSTON, QB, FLORIDA STATE

I don't love either QB, but it seems Tampa is locked-in on Winston.

02. TITANS - LEONARD WILLIAMS, DE, USC

I don't believe Tennessee will pass on the consensus best player in the draft for Mariota, and they like Mettenberger.

03. JAGUARS - DANTE FOWLER, DE/OLB, FLORIDA

Jags need to upgrade their pass rush and Fowler tops a terrific group of edge rushers on my board.

04. RAIDERS - KEVIN WHITE, WR, WEST VIRGINIA

White or Cooper, its anyones guess, but I'm betting they opt for the bigger and faster guy. White is also a great hands catcher who plucks it with ease.

05. REDSKINS - RANDY GREGORY, OLB, NEBRASKA

I'm aware of John Clayton's report that the Skins will take Mariota, but at this time of year smoke-screens abound and I don't believe it. That said, Gregory would be a terrific replacement for Orakpo.

06. JETS - AMARI COOPER, WR, ALABAMA

I'm not a believer in Mariota. There's no law against having three top notch receivers and most teams play a base 3-WR offense nowadays anyway. Brandon Marshall is 31 and he can't play forever. For now Cooper can excel out of the slot (sorry Kerley), and when Marshall is done he can move outside and be an elite #1 WR. In the meantime if Geno can't excel with these weapons (AKA a super unit), its time to go find a new profession.

07. BEARS - DANNY SHELTON, NT, WASHINGTON

A monster in the middle, for the monsters of the midway.

08. FACLONS - SHANE RAY, DE, MISSOURI

Ray is a terror of the edge and his hits on the QB are violent.

09. GIANTS - VIC BEASLEY, OLB, CLEMSON

Ideally Beasley would get drafted as a 3-4 OLB, but the Giants can use him the way Denver uses Von Miller to get after the QB from the 4-3.

10. RAMS - DEVANTE PARKER, WR, LOUISVILLE

Somewhere Sam Bradford will be thinking, oh sure, now they get a big #1 WR for Foles, where was that for me?

11. VIKINGS - TRAE WAYNES, CB, MICHIGAN STATE

Waynes has the length and speed to be lockdown corner at the next level.

12. BROWNS - MARCUS MARIOTA, QB, OREGON

If Mariota gets past the Titans and Jets, there is a chance he can fall to the Browns barring another team trading up to draft him in front of Cleveland.

13. SAINTS - ALVIN "BUD" DUPREE, OLB, KENTUCKY

Dupree is one of my favorite players in this draft. He has terrific size and athleticism, and he ran in the same 4.5's as Beasley, only he did it at 6' 4" and 270 Pounds.

14. DOLPHINS - TODD GURLEY, RB, GEORGIA

One way to capitalize on the heat in Miami is to pound visiting teams with a great power-back. Its also a good way to take the pressure off a mediocre QB and not ask him to do too much. ACL's are not what they used to be, you fix them up and the player is like new, and Gurley is the best combination of size, strength, power, speed and agility I have seen in college since Adrian Peterson.

15. 49ERS - DORIAL GREEN-BECKHAM, WR, OKLAHOMA

You just know somebody is going to overlook his rap-sheet and gamble on this size/speed freak earlier than they should.

16. TEXANS - ERECK FLOWERS, OT, MIAMI

Big man with a big upside. Has the size and strength to dominate at RT and can slide over to LT if you need him too.

17. CHARGERS - EDDIE GOLDMAN, NT, FLORIDA STATE

Straight-up beast who reminds me of a young Vince Wilfork.

18. CHIEFS - JAELEN STRONG, WR, ARIZONA STATE

Maclin was a good start, but they released Bowe and they still need a BIG WR opposite Mac to fix a WR core that didn't catch a single TD pass in 2014.

19. BROWNS - BRANDON SCHERFF, OG, IOWA

Not sure if Scherff will slide this far, but if he does its a steal for the Browns.

20. EAGLES - MARCUS PETERS, CB, WASHINGTON

Byron Maxwell is rock-solid at one CB spot, but you can't count on Walter Thurmond at the other, the guy has a medical record a mile long. IMO he's better off at nickel. Peters and Maxwell would be a much stronger duo.

 

[Green Jets & Ham]

Continued:

21. BENGALS - MALCOM BROWN, DT, TEXAS

Brown would be terrific value here and he provides a much needed inside pass rush.

22. STEELERS - LANDON COLLINS, S, ALABAMA

Apparently its the end of the road for Polamalu in Pittsburgh. Its doubtful Collins will ever be that great, but he has legit all-pro potential.

23. LIONS - ARIK ARMSTEAD, DE, OREGON

Armstead is massive, reminds me of Calias Campbell, and he has an enormous upside at D-end or tackle.

24. CARDINALS - MELVIN GORDON, RB, WISCONSIN

The Cards showed interest in some FA RB's with not much luck. Their luck would change if Gordon slides to them here.

25. PANTHERS - ANDRUS PEAT, OT, STANFORD

If the Panthers don't improve their pass pro for Newton he will never reach his ceiling as a QB, and they'll probably get him hurt real bad in the process. It simply cannot be ignored this year if a Peat or Humphries is on the board for them here.

26. RAVENS - DEVIN SMITH, WR, OHIO STATE

Flacco loves to heave it downfield and he lost his #1 deep threat in Torrey Smith. Devin is a similar player who averaged an obscene 27 YPC in 2014.

27. COWBOYS - JORDAN PHILLIPS, DT, OKLAHOMA

Priority #1 for the Cowboys has to be addressing that D-line where they have starters who would have a hard time making it as backups on teams that are really loaded on the D-line. That said, Phillips is a big, strong kid who is barely scratching the surface of how good he can be.

28. BRONCOS - MAXX WILLIAMS, TE, MINNESOTA

I know they brought in Owen Daniels to replace Julius Thomas, but thats not a replacement for an elite TE like Thomas, its a band-aid. I'm not sure if you can replace that kind of basketball player athleticism with Maxie either, but this kid is a playmaker and a pretty good athlete too.

29. COLTS - DJ HUMPHRIES, OT, FLORIDA

Like Carolina, if Indy really wants to take this thing to the next level they have to improve their pass protection for Luck. Some pretty smart people believe Humphries might be the best pure LT prospect in this draft.

30. PACKERS - JALEN COLLINS, CB, LSU

Its still up in the air whether or not they will keep Tramon Williams or lose him, but either way its time to bring in some young blood at the position and Collins has all of the physical tools you look for in a Corner.

31. SEAHAWKS - LA'EL COLLINS, OG, LSU

The other Collins from LSU would be a steal for the Seahawks in this spot, at a position (OG) they really need to upgrade.

32. PATRIOTS - CARL DAVIS, DT, IOWA

If they want a WR, Perriman would be a good pick here, and they have to consider CB's as well. Their defense has taken a huge hit this off-season and another big loss was Vince Wilfork and the end of his brilliant Patriots career. They can only hope that Davis even comes close to making the impact Wilfork did for all of these years, but he's a big, strong kid with a chance to be a really good player for them.

ROUND 2

==
33. TITANS - T.J. CLEMMINGS, OT, PITTSBURGH
==
34. BUCS - DANIELLE HUNTER, DE, LSU
==
35. RAIDERS - JAKE FISHER, OT, OREGON
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36. JAGUARS - TEVIN COLEMAN, RB, INDIANA
==
37. JETS - ELI HAROLD, OLB, VIRGINIA
==

 

[ucrenegade]

if we can get harold in the second i would be ok with that but i really want to trade down pick up more picks and get dupree

 

[JetsMakeMeCry]

love it Ham! sign me up

 

[Old#15]

Hard to argue with your results. Having a future potential #1 WR that can grow into the position and a very good potential edge guy in the 2nd is quite acceptable in my opinion. My only hesitation is whether a trade down makes sense with Mariota on the board, especially with the Browns. My pipe dream would be #6 for #s 12 and 19, and then drafting Dupree and either best WR or OL with the picks.

 

[ucrenegade]

Hard to argue with your results. Having a future potential #1 WR that can grow into the position and a very good potential edge guy in the 2nd is quite acceptable in my opinion. My only hesitation is whether a trade down makes sense with Mariota on the board, especially with the Browns. My pipe dream would be #6 for #s 12 and 19, and then drafting Dupree and either best WR or OL with the picks.

yep mine also

 

[Pointdexter]

No one would be bitchin' if we grabbed Cooper at 6. He has the highest floor out of anyone in this draft, in my opinion. Barring injury, the worst case scenario is he becomes a 10+ year productive #2 type WR in the NFL. Zero bust potential.

 

[Copernicus]

I love your mock drafts Ham. I just can't see how Mariotta falls to the Browns

 

[Green Jets & Ham]

I love your mock drafts Ham. I just can't see how Mariotta falls to the Browns

Thanks Cop (and others for the feedback).

As for Mariota, I figured that would raise some eyebrows but I didn't do it for that purpose, just to be provocative. I'm really starting to believe he can slide, and we've seen that happen so often with QB's in recent years that it really should surprise anyone if it happens to Mariota. At first I thought I was judging him too harshly, but the more I listen to the experts, and I mean even the former NFL guys, the more I get the impression that nobody really "loves" him. All I hear is how he's a project and can he do this and can he do that, but I don't hear anyone banging the table and saying this kid is a franchise QB, period, and you have to take him if you need a QB. At best I hear lukewarm support. That scares me if we pass on guys like Cooper or an elite edge rusher for Mariota. If we pass on those guys for Mariota, I want to hear people praising him like he's special, and it makes me think he might be the next victim who slides on draft day.

 

[Green Jets & Ham]

No one would be bitchin' if we grabbed Cooper at 6. He has the highest floor out of anyone in this draft, in my opinion. Barring injury, the worst case scenario is he becomes a 10+ year productive #2 type WR in the NFL. Zero bust potential.

Good point, P, he's probably the safest pick in the draft, and his ceiling is sky high too.

 

[Sarge]

I think they'd take Beasley in that scenario, possibly Mariota

 

[Green Jets & Ham]

I think they'd take Beasley in that scenario, possibly Mariota

I don't love Mariota, but Beasley would be a good pick for me. I thought about that.

 

[jets82]

I can go with this. The Jets need to get a pass rushing LB that can pass cover also. If the kid you mentioned in the second round can do that then I'm good with it. Jets are also in need big time for o-line help and a RB wouldn't hurt either. If they draft two o-linemen in the 3rd and 7th and a RB in the 4th and all these guys can contribute as some point. Whether its now or two years down the road we will be looking very good.

 

[hatnlvr]

Loving that mock draft, I'll sign up for that in a hot sec!!

 

[Green Jets & Ham]

love it Ham! sign me up

Loving that mock draft, I'll sign up for that in a hot sec!!

Thanks guys.

 

[Green Jets & Ham]

For whatever its worth, I love that RB I had going to Jacksonville right before us in RD 2, Tevin Coleman.

If that kid is our 2nd RD Pick I'll be just as happy as I would be with Eli Harold.

 

[lounap23]

For whatever its worth, I love that RB I had going to Jacksonville right before us in RD 2, Tevin Coleman.

If that kid is our 2nd RD Pick I'll be just as happy as I would be with Eli Harold.

Tevin Coleman will be a monster!!

 

[Green Jets & Ham]

Tevin Coleman will be a monster!!

So you know about him, huh?

You're right, that kid has 'second round steal' written all over him.

 

[Pointdexter]

Good point, P, he's probably the safest pick in the draft, and his ceiling is sky high too.

Not to be too much of a debbie downer but I think Cooper's ceiling is "moderately" high. I don't think he's the athlete that guys like White or DGB or even Chris Conley are. He will never be the guy that overpowers anyone with his speed and athleticism (think Randy Moss or Megatron), but he will be the guy that's solid in all aspects of the position. IMO, he is closer to guys like Jordy Nelson, Jerry Rice, or Chris Carter who dominated the position without the amazing physical gifts of some of their peers. Whether he is as successful as those guys still remains to be seen.

 

[Green Jets & Ham]

I see where you're going with that, Poindexter, and thats why I have White going ahead of Cooper, he's clearly the more impressive physical specimen. But that said, I've watched about a dozen Alabama Games over the past two years and I'm throwing all of my chips into the middle of the table and betting that Cooper will be a dominant WR at the next level, just like he was in college. I've watched this kid annihilate the SEC for two years, making NFL caliber DB's look overmatched, and I'm as close to certain as you can be that he's an elite #1 WR waiting to happen.

Can I be wrong?

Heck yeah and it wouldn't be the first time, but I love what I've seen from Cooper. If I was a scout and the GM looked me in the eye and asked if we should take this player, and I knew my job depended on it, I'd say "take him."