With the
combine finished and pro-days in full swing, preparation for the NFL Draft is
underway as teams finalize their boards for the big day. With many key free
agent signings over the past week, requirements have definitely changed for
what teams are looking to draft. Let’s take a quick look at teams needs and
what they could potentially draft.
NFL Draft Round 1:
Pick 1: Cleveland Browns | Top Needs – RB,
QB, DL, OL
As active as
the Browns have been this offseason, they still have ample opportunities to
stack their roster with their abundance of picks. Tyord Taylor is a great bridge
quarterback for any team looking to upgrade the position. With the Jets trading
up to #3 overall, and the Bills potentially orchestrating a trade to man the number
two spot, the Browns hand might be forced to snag their franchise quarterback
at one ahead of the NY Jets and Buffalo Bills. The choice for their top
selection in the 2018 draft should indeed include; Sam Darnold, or Saquon
Barkley. Keeping things interesting, it’s not out of the question to see the
Browns trade down hording more picks for the future. Recent buzz surrounding
the first overall pick suggests the Browns are enamored with Sam Darnold and
could very well be selecting him first overall. But of course its draft season,
which means any truth to rumors could be a manoeuvre to work the board, it’s
about to get real exciting.
Pick 2: New York Giants | Top Needs – RB, OL,
WR, DL
As the
Giants entertain trading down in hopes to garner more draft capital, there is a
possibly New York stands pat and uses the second overall selection. ADF firmly
believes the discussions of the Big-Blue drafting a replacement for Eli Manning
is a smoke screen to drive up the price and demand on their pick. Knowing how
general manager Dave Gettleman likes to operate, he sees great value in
generating more picks to round out the roster as the “win-now” mentality is
real with Eli running out of time. If Barkley falls to them here, it’s a clear
no brainer selection. If the Giants don’t trade out of their spot, and the
Browns elect to go with Barkley, don’t be surprised to see Bradley Chubb
selected as New York loves having elite pass rushing depth/talent. With recent
news that the Giants have traded Jason Pierre-Paul to the Buccaneers, Chubb is
a distinct replacement at a much cheaper price.
Pick 3: New York Jets (via IND) | Top Needs
– QB, DL, DB, TE
With the
biggest splash thus far seeing the Jets managing to trade up with the Colts
placing them in a prime location to select their quarterback of the future in
the third slot, it’s all but a formality that a new signal caller will find his
way to New York. While the Jets have many needs as they did away with vast
quantities of the previous regimes talent, moving up to pick third overall
suggests a quarterback is the only move for New York. Early rumors have the
gang-green looking at Baker Mayfield leading the charge atop their board. This
might suggest smoke screen early on, as playing in any cold weather city would
advocate a strong arm talent as the solution. Josh Allen or Josh Rosen could
find themselves drafted here at three ahead of Baker Mayfield.
Pick 4: Cleveland Browns (via HOU) | Top
Needs – RB, QB, DL, OL
Scoring gold
on their 2017 draft trade with the Texans, the Browns also hold the fourth
overall selection which could equate to more draft success. This pick is also a
prime candidate to see a move down the board to garner more selections provided
they choose to remain in the number one position. The New York Giants would act
as the largest nemeses to the Cleveland Browns agenda so long as they remain
with the second overall selection. New York is the wild card at this point as
they could move in any direction selecting Barkley, Chubb, Nelson, or even
throw off ADF’s prediction and actually select a quarterback (though highly
unlikely). For the Browns to become 100 % victorious with the first and fourth
selections, they would need another quarterback needy team to remove the Giants
from that pick, perhaps the Buffalo Bills. In speculation, let’s propose the
Giants do move down from number two and give that selection to a team in need
of a quarterback; Cleveland would now have the opportunity to select their
quarterback of choice first overall leaving picks two and three as sure
quarterback selections, allowing the Browns to have their pick between Barkley
and Chubb! Not a bad proposition if we do say so ourselves. There’s a lot to
get excited about in Cleveland these days.
Pick 5: Denver Broncos | Top Needs – OL,
LB, QB, TE
When John
Elway took over as general manager and EVP of the Broncos, he promised to bring
glory back to the club which he did in winning a Super Bowl back in 2016. Elway
has been great in his efforts to recruit talented free agents to the fold, but
has consistently missed the boat in terms of the NFL draft. With aging high
priced talent on the roster and moving out the door, the window is quickly
closing on any type of winning formula to be sustained in Denver. Failing to
adequately replace Peyton Manning, Elway should be looking for a long term
solution at the quarterback position. Though it remains not the highest of
priorities (with Case Keenum recently signed as another Band-Aid approach), the
Broncos offensive line should be the target here. No matter which quarterback
finds his way under center, the struggles will continue as long as Elway
continues to neglect this important positional unit. Thinking intelligently
would suggest that Denver should entertain a trade down as the top five
selections of the draft could be dominated with quarterbacks leaving the
Broncos to cash in favorably. A very interesting position Elway finds himself
in this year.
Pick 6: Indianapolis Colts (via NYJ) | Top
Needs – OL, DL, RB, DB
A massive
win for the Colts as dropping down a mere three places has provided ample draft
capital for the Colts to begin building a foundation. Much like the Broncos,
Indianapolis has failed to provide a viable offensive line to protect their
franchise quarterback Andrew Luck. Coming at a cost (Andrew Luck’s injury) and
potentially gaining an understanding of how important building a team around an
offensive line truly is, ADF would have no argument if they chose to move in
that direction here. With that said, drafting based solely on need, can place
any team on a path to failure. As glaring of a debacle that is the Colts line,
this club possesses far too many holes to use this draft to fill just needs.
Indy should be open to selecting the best players overall within the first two
rounds of this draft. In completing their trade with the Jets, the Colts now
possess four picks in the top fifty (picks: 6, 36, 37, & 49) to add much
needed talent to areas on this roster. GM Chris Ballard can begin his tenure
with a bang with the plethora of top end selections at his disposal.
Pick 7: Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Top Needs –
DB, S, DL, RB
Tampa Bay
greatly underachieved last season hence the top ten selection in the 2018
draft. Offensively the Bucs do have a lot to work with but need to find a way
to bring it all together. Defensively is where the needs exist and ADF fully
expects Tampa to load their draft class with a talent infusion on the defensive
side of the ball. The conundrum facing the Bucs is they in fact do possess
talent on the defense but require additional pieces to round out the group. With
recent news breaking that the Giants have traded defensive end Jason
Pierre-Paul to the Bucs, Tampa should without question find their way to
selecting either a defensive back or a safety with their first pick seventh
overall. Struggling to make plays and the underwhelming progression and injury
to Vernon Hargreaves, adding players like DB Denzel Ward, DB Minkah
Fitzpatrick, and S Derwin James would be a slam dunk for Tampa Bay. Currently
ADF is siding with either Ward or James to be the pick here at seven, with
James taking a slight lead based on his game changing ability. Either way, the
Bucs will grab another fantastic piece to add to the mix helping them in an
area of great need, “win-win”.
Pick 8: Chicago Bears | Top Needs – DL, LB,
DB, OL
The Bears dazzled
on the free agent market filling needs on the offense that should help their
young pivot Mitchell Trubisky begin his rise in the NFL. While continuing down
the path to add pieces to the offense in the draft should take place, it surly won’t
happen in the first round where they currently pick. The angle with the eighth
selection should undoubtedly move to selecting defensive help to improve a unit
that is clearly on the up and up. Going straight off need, the Bears won’t
reach here to improve their stagnant pass rush, but will rather add talent in
form of the best player on the board. Chicago finds themselves in a fantastic
position to snag whomever the Tampa Bay Bucs don’t choose. The same three
players as listed on the Bucs radar should be on the Bears radar - (DB Denzel
Ward, DB Minkah Fitzpatrick, and S Derwin James). With that said, there is the
potential that offensive line could be picked here (G Quenton Nelson) provided the
top of the draft plays out with heavy quarterback selections. Either way the
Bears will get a talented player picking here.
Pick 9: San Francisco 49ers | Top Needs –
LB, WR, TE, RB
As San
Francisco entertains the full rebuild of their squad, they can literally move
in any direction in the first round of the draft. Obviously with an offensive
minded head coach (Kyle Shanahan) running the show, adding talent to help Jimmy
Garoppolo grow could be something that tickles his cap. Alas, the 49ers have
multiple needs that could be filled with taking the best player on the board.
Rounding out the teams that could be viable situations for the three players
mentioned above to the Bears and the Bucs, San Fran could be in the market for
whoever remains (between Ward, James, and Fitzpatrick), after picks seven and
eight. It’s not out of the question to suggest that line backer could be the
pick here as well. With a massively glaring need at the position, Termaine
Edmunds and Roquan Smith could definitely fit the bill. The 49ers have a surplus
of options and will get a fantastic player in round one.
Pick 10: Oakland Raiders | Top Needs – LB,
LB, DB, DL,
As Coach John
Gurden prepares for his first NFL draft in a decade, he will begin remaking
parts of this team to fit his schemes and will more than likely begin on the defensive
side of the ball. With a unit that has greatly underachieved with high end pieces
and overpaid talent, it was no surprise Oakland addressed offensive issues in
free agency rather than the draft. In doing so, the Raiders have given
themselves the opportunity to use the majority of their selections shoring up a
defense that is in major need of a change. With recent news that Bruce Irvin
will adjust his positional status to become a primary defensive end, it again
leaves the Raiders with heavy needs at the line backer position. Without
question, the Raiders would miss the boat if they didn’t choose one of the two
top line backers in this draft, (Termaine Edmunds and Roquan Smith). Assuming
the draft plays out as we allude to above, Oakland would be in prime position
to begin adding viable talent to assist star Khalil Mack and improve the defense.
Stay tuned for picks 11-20....
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