Are you ready for the NFL Draft?
2018 NFL Draft: Third Round
Mock Draft and Analysis By: Gregg Schutze
as of April 26, 2018
65. Buffalo Bills (from Cleveland) – Allen Lazard, 6’5”, 227lbs, WR, Iowa State
04/12/18 - B.J. Hill, DT, NC State
I fully expect the Bills to look to the draft to find weapons for whoever lines up under center. Kelvin Benjamin played six games for Buffalo after a midseason trade with Carolina, but is a free agent at the end of the year. Zay Jones was expected to be the other starter, but given his off-field incident in Los Angeles, he can’t be counted on as a primary weapon. Lazard came to Iowa State as a highly-touted high school senior and leaves as the school’s all-tine leader in receptions (241) and yards (3,360) and second in TD (26). Lazard proved to be a favorite target of Cyclone QB’s, hauling in at least one pass in 48 consecutive games. He’s a mismatch nightmare on the outside, a downfield threat and a legitimate red zone option. Lazard has a large catch radius, extending for the ball down the field. He does a tremendous job using his big body to shield the ball from defenders and plucks the ball out of the air with excellent hands. Lazard is known for his ability to highpoint passes in traffic and for his physicality after the catch. He also had a flair for the acrobatic catch. Against Texas Tech, Lazard extended for a one-handed catch on a 34-yard post for TD; he ran a fade against Oklahoma State and with the CB draped all over him, Lazard was able to tip the pass to himself and showed off incredible concentration to haul in the pass while also getting both feet inbounds in the end zone before going out; and in the Liberty Bowl against Memphis, Lazard again showed off his concentration and quick hands to haul in a tipped pass in the back of the end zone while also getting both feet in for a score. For all the big-play potential, there were also many critics who felt that Lazard couldn’t run and might have to bulk up and play TE. However, he proved those doubters wrong when he posted a 4.54 40 at the Combine. Remember last year’s draft when critics said the same thing about JuJu Smith-Schuster coming out of USC? JuJu silenced his critics when he also posted a 4.54 40 at the Combine and went on to be a dynamic receiving threat for Big Ben and the Steelers. I think Lazard can have the same type of impact for the Bills.
66. New York Giants – Rashaad Penny, 5’11”, 220lbs, RB, San Diego State
The Giants have a chance to take Saquon Barkley in the 1st Round or possibly Derrius Guice, Sony Michel or Ronald Jones at the top of Round 2. However, the G-men can still wait until the 3rd Round to land their franchise back. When a program loses FBS’s all-time leading rusher, you would expect it to be difficult to find a replacement. However, when Donnel Pumphrey left SDSU for the NFL, the Aztecs’ ground game was in good hands with Penny, who actually racked up 1,000 yards as Pumphrey’s backup. As a senior in 2017, Penny proceeded to lead the nation in rushing with 2,248 yards and became just the fourth player to rush for over 200 yards in five straight games, joining Marcus Allen (1981), Barry Sanders (1988) and Jamario Thomas (2014). Penny was also named the Mountain West Conference’s Offensive and Special Teams Player of the Year and finished his Aztec career with seven kickoff returns for TD, tying an FBS record with C.J. Spiller and Tyron Carrier. Penny as a blend of power and speed that allows him to be effective between the tackles and on the outside. He’s patient between the tackles to let the hole develop, then shows the burst downhill to quickly get to the second level. What may set Penny apart is his vision to see cutback lanes. He presses the line of scrimmage and is able to put his foot in the ground and is sudden laterally to slip through the crease to get north and south in a hurry. Penny also has the lower body strength to run through contact and will drag defenders for extra yards to finish. The Aztecs didn’t throw the ball often, but Penny showed soft hands in the passing game and used his shiftiness to make plays in the open field after the catch. Maybe his biggest struggle is as a pass blocker as he seems to get lost easily, which could limit his effectiveness as a three-down back. Penny can make an instant impact in the return game and is a versatile runner to be more than just a change-of-pace back.
67. Indianapolis Colts – Darius Leonard, 6’2”, 237lbs, LB, South Carolina State
The Colts are transitioning to a 4-3 defense, which means they’ll use the draft to help overhaul personnel to fit their scheme. Leonard is an instinctive LB with sideline-to-sideline range who racked up impressive tackle numbers for South Carolina State. While he was lining up against FCS competition, Leonard showed he could quickly diagnose plays and flow to the ball, avoiding blocks to quickly get to the football. He can come downhill and fill holes, but also has the lateral agility and burst to get outside on perimeter runs. Now Leonard did run a pedestrian 4.7 40 at the Combine, but his play speed is much quicker because he trusts his eyes. Leonard finished his collegiate career with 381 tackles, including back-to-back 100-tackle seasons. He wasn’t challenged much in coverage but shows smooth hips to turn and run and did record 13 pass breakups in his career. Leonard also proved he can get after the BQ as he recorded 8.0 sacks as a senior, which adds another level to his versatility. His lack of size means he can be overpowered is an obvious concern, but Leonard is a versatile playmaker who can start early for the Colts.
68. Houston Texans – Orlando Brown, 6’8”, 347lbs, OT, Oklahoma, Jr.
04/20/18 - Chukwuma Okorafor, Western Michigan
The trade of Duane Brown to Seattle ultimately meant rookie Julie’n Davenport took over as the starting LT. It remains to be seen whether Davenport is capable of starting all 16 games protecting Deshaun Watson’s blind side, but he’ll be given a shot. On the right side, Derek Newton sat out the entire 2017 season while recovering from two torn patellar tendons in October 2016. Houston is hoping he can return to form to give the line some veteran leadership up front. If Newton’s health wasn’t already a concern, swing tackle Seantrel Henderson is a free agent after the season. The mammoth Brown was tasked with blocking for Heisman Trophy Winner Baker Mayfield and led an offensive line that blocked for the nation's leader in total offense with 579.6 yards per game. At 6'8" and 347 pounds, Brown is enormous and has a huge wingspan. He absolutely engulfs DE's at the point of attack and if he gets his hands inside quickly and locks out his arms, it's all over as he easily controls his man. Despite his size, Brown can bend at his knees and has surprisingly nimble feet. He can lose the edge to a speed rusher, but because he is so big and it's so dicult to get around him, he's able to recover and drive his man up the field. Brown proved to be a top pass protector, surrendering just one sack in 659 snaps. However, he's is also physical in the ground game, where a bit of a mean streak comes out. He fires off the ball quickly and often caves in the entire left side of the line. Brown will lock onto his man, quickly drive him down the field, then brutally finishes the run by driving his man into the ground.
69. New York Giants (from Tampa Bay) – Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, 6’1”, 253lbs, OLB, Oklahoma
The Giants have a chance to land Bradley Chubb in the 1st Round of the draft, giving them an elite pass rusher to team with Olivier Vernon in James Bettcher’s 3-4 defensive scheme. However, depth is a concern at the position, so I expect New York to look for more rushers to add to the rotation. Okoronkwo is a speed rusher off the edge who racked up 17.0 sacks in his final two seasons with the Sooners. “Obo” has enough flexibility to bend around the edge and once he flattens out, he keeps coming after the QB. However, Okoronkwo will also set up outside looking to cross the face of the OT to shoot back inside to pressure the QB. While he can get engulfed and driven back at the point of attack, he can use his quickness to get outside to force run plays back inside. Okoronkwo will be counted on to give the Giants an infusion of speed off the edge to get after the passer.
70. San Francisco 49ers (from Chicago) – Anthony Miller, 5’11”, 201lbs, WR, Memphis
The 49ers will be looking to add weapons for Jimmy Garoppolo in this draft and they have to be looking for a slot WR and one of the best options in this year’s draft is Memphis’ Anthony Miller, who amassed 3,590 yards on 238 receptions with 37 TD with the Tigers. Miller, a former walk-on, had 17 games with 100+ yards, 10 double-digit catch games and 9 games with multiple TD receptions. He also played big when it counted – in an upset win over UCLA, he posted 9 receptions for 185 yards and 2 TD; and racked up 195 yards on 14 receptions with 3 TD in a heartbreaking loss to Central Florida in the AAC Championship. While Miller doesn’t have ideal size for the position and lacks top-end speed vertically, he’s very sudden with his movements and is a savvy route runner who knows how to get open. He creates separation on double moves with quick head fakes and jab steps to set up the defender, then accelerates quickly away from the defender. Miller has good body control to elevate for the football, then keep his balance to get up the field. He’s a playmaker with the ball in his hands, using a quick juke to make the first man miss and has the vision to see cutback lanes to run to daylight. Miller is a model of consistency and could be a favorite target early for Jimmy G.
71. Denver Broncos – Deon Cain, 6’2”, 202lbs, WR, Clemson, Jr.
Starting WR’s Demariyus Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders will be under contract for the next two seasons, but Cody Latimer is now with the Giants and Bennie Fowler is still a free agent, which leaves Jordan Taylor as the team’s No. 3 WR. Clearly, another WR is needed and Denver would be ok with waiting until the 3rd Round if they are able to land Cain, who is Clemson’s latest wideout with big-play potential. Cain was a vertical threat for the Tigers, showing a quick burst off the ball to get by defenders down the field. He can track balls well and closes late to haul in the pass. Frankly, there aren’t many WR’s with Cain’s size who can run a 4.43 40 time. However, Cain did not run a diverse route tree as he was mostly a deep threat, so Denver will need to work on his route running before he can be much more than a weapon stretching defenses over the top.
72. New York Jets – Donte Jackson, 5’11”, 175lbs, CB, LSU, Jr.
The Jets landed Pro Bowl CB Trumaine Johnson in free agency and brought Morris Claiborne back on a one-year deal, while Buster Skrine will be back as the team’s slot corner. The team also made a deal for Rashard Robinson, who has struggled with off-field issues, in October and he was promptly arrested for marijuana possession in December. Another corner is clearly needed, and the Jets would be ecstatic to land Jackson if he were to fall this far. Donte Jackson was the leadoff leg on LSU’s 4x100 meter relay and cemented himself as one of the fastest players at the Combine after posting a blazing 4.32 40 at the Combine. His speed and fluid hips allow him to mirror WR’s all over the field. He’s an explosive athlete with fluid hips to turn and run with WR’s and can close quickly on the football. He did pick off 4 passes and broke up another 20 in three seasons with the Tigers. However, he’s very slight, which will limit his effectiveness in press coverage as he struggles to re-route WR’s. Jackson also will get outmuscled down the field and may be a liability coming up in run support.
73. Miami Dolphins – Luke Falk, 6’4”, 215lbs, QB, Washington State
The Dolphins have to decide what to do with Ryan Tannehill. He threw for 4,000 yards in back-to-back seasons in 2014 and 2015 before tearing his ACL against the Cardinals in December 2016 on a hit by Calais Campbell. He returned from that knee injury only to have his knee buckle in a non-contact play in training camp before the 2017, which again ended his season. Tannehill is said to have rehabbed his knee and is healthy, but will it hold up? Rumors swirl that Miami will find a way to land Baker Mayfield on the 1st day of the draft. If that happens, Tannehill is on his way out. But if HC Adam Gase truly believes in Tannehill, expect him to still take a QB, especially considering Brock Osweiler and David Fales are the only other QB’s under contract, but he will wait until Day 2 to take a QB flying under the radar. Falk ran Mike Leach’s air raid system at Washington State and threw for 14,486 yards with 119 TD to 39 Int. in an offense that forced him to read the field, go through progressions and make decisions quickly with the football. He is deadly accurate on short-to-intermediate routes and has tremendous touch down the field to drop the ball in over the receiver’s outside shoulder. He also does a tremendous job throwing his WR’s open to make plays after the catch. Falk’s draft stock is tempered by an average arm. You won’t see a ton of velocity on his passes, which could get him into trouble when trying to get the ball to the perimeter. Falk does a good job anticipating his throwing windows and gets the ball out quickly, which does help make up for the lack of arm strength a bit. He’s an average athlete and tends to hold onto the ball too long, which was a recipe for disaster especially because he didn’t get a ton of protection at Wazzou, which led to 131 sacks in just four seasons under center for the Cougs. However, Falk’s skill set would be a fit in Gase’s offense that combines West Coast concepts with a vertical passing game.
74. San Francisco 49ers – Quenton Meeks, 6’2”, 205lbs, CB, Stanford, Jr.
The 49ers have a budding star at one CB in Ahkello Witherspoon and signed Richard Sherman this offseason, but his effectiveness is questionable given the fact that he’s returning from a torn Achilles. There are question marks behind them, which is why there’s talk of moving safety Jimmie Ward back to corner. Even if that move is made, adding another CB makes sense. Meeks is a big, physical corner who flourishes in press coverage. He uses his length to jam WR’s at the line of scrimmage and does a good job re-routing the WR. He also does a good job pinning the WR to the sideline vertically and will use his tremendous leaping ability (39.5-inch vertical) to contest 50-50 balls. When Meeks is in bail technique, he does a good job reading the QB’s eyes and will drive quickly to undercut routes. Meeks has good ball skills, having picked off 7 passes and registering 18 pass breakups in 3 seasons with the Cardinal. As is to be expected with bigger WR’s, Meeks has some stiffness in his hips and lacks recovery speed if he’s beaten off the line. San Fran could use a physical presence in the secondary and this local product has a chance to see the field early.
75. Oakland Raiders – Anthony Averett, 6’0”, 185lbs, CB, Alabama
The Raiders will look to add depth at the CB position even after landing Rashaan Melvin as a free agent to pair last year’s 1st Round pick Gareon Conley. A big reason for it is because Oakland had to release Sean Smith last month after he pleaded guilty to felony assault and is facing a one-year prison sentence. Averett is explosive on the outside with sub-4.4 speed which allows him to play in off coverage and drive quickly on the ball. He can run stride for stride with WR’s vertically and can close quickly on his man when he’s beaten off the line. Averett’s production did not match his physical skills as he managed to pick off just one pass while breaking up only 16 passes in three seasons with the Crimson Tide.
76. Green Bay Packers – Dante Pettis, 6’0”, 186lbs, WR, Washington
Jordy Nelson is gone, leaving Davante Adams and Randall Cobb as the primary receiving targets at WR for Aaron Rodgers along with TE Jimmy Graham. Pettis would be a nice addition because of his big-play ability as both a WR and in the return game. Pettis set the NCAA record with 9 career punt return TD, where he was able to showcase his suddenness and vision to create with the ball in his hands. Offensively, you saw an intelligent wideout who would set up his routes well, then explode out of his breaks to create separation. Pettis tracks the ball well down the field and has the body control and leaping ability to adjust to the ball in the air and highpoint passes to haul in the 50-50 balls. It’s a shame that an ankle injury kept him competing at the Combine or UW’s pro day.
77. Cincinnati Bengals – Malik Jefferson, 6’3”, 236lbs, LB, Texas, Jr.
Cincy has to address the LB position as Vontaze Burfict has been suspended for PED usage and they could use an upgrade to Nick Vigil at the other starting spot. Malik Jefferson came to Texas as a highly-touted five-star recruit and expectations were high. Jefferson started in nine of 11 games for the Longhorns as a freshman and finished his first game with 2.5 TFL against Notre Dame. He was named the Big XII Freshman of the Year. A concussion limited his success as a sophomore and he seemed to really struggle at times as a MLB. When Tom Herman came to Austin, he and DC Todd Orlando moved Jefferson outside and he seemed to flourish, leading the team with 110 tackles, 4.0 sacks and 10.0 tackles for loss. Jefferson seems to lack the instincts to play on the inside and his overall awareness is questionable, as he gets blocked way too easily and he doesn’t always take the right angle to the ball. However, he’s absolutely built like an NFL LB with 4.5 speed and can cover a lot of ground in a hurry. Jefferson also has the strength to set the edge in the run game and has the fluidity to drop in coverage. I think Jefferson’s read-and-react play on the field is similar to Burfict’s, but he comes without the baggage.
78. Kansas City Chiefs (from Washington) – Da’Shawn Hand, 6’4”, 297lbs, DE, Alabama
The Chiefs need to improve upon the league’s 25th-raned run defense and while Chris Jones and Allen Bailey are established starters, Bailey, Rakeem Nunez-Roches and Jarvis Jenkins all become free agents at the end of the year so the DE position has to be an area of focus in this draft. Hand has elite size and length for the DE position, which generated a lot of buzz around him coming into the 2017 season despite only being a rotational player to that point. Hand’s production was very underwhelming, finishing with just 27 tackles, 3.0 sacks and 3.5 TFL, though part of that issue could have been due to an MCL sprain that only allowed him to play in 10 games during the season. Hand’s size allows him to be stout at the point of attack against the run and uses his length to get off blocks quickly to affect the play before it develops. However, you never really saw him live up to the big-play potential everyone was expecting from him and he’s not much of a pass rusher, though you did see an ability to get off blocks while using his hands in one-on-one drills at the Combine. KC needs space eaters who can hold their ground against the run and Hand can do just that.
79. Arizona Cardinals – J.C. Jackson, 5’11”, 193lbs, CB, Maryland, Jr.
Arizona needs to invest in the CB at some point during the draft’s first two days. Patrick Peterson is a seven-time Pro Bowler and a three-time 1st Team All-Pro, but he needs help. Brandon Williams is intriguing and is continuing to develop, but another CB to challenge for playing time is needed on the outside. J.C. Jackson started his collegiate career at Riverside Community College after being charged with four counts of felony armed robbery, though he would be found not guilty of those charges. He transferred to Maryland, where he started 23 of his 24 games played with the Terps, finishing his career with 4 Int. and 12 pass breakups in his career. Jackson is a physical CB who does a good job re-routing WR’s off the line. He’s still a bit raw and needs to continue to develop his ball skills. He also tends to get a bit aggressive and handsy in man coverage, having been flagged for 9 pass interference calls and another 5 for holding in just two seasons. However, his physical nature will be intriguing and if you give Jackson time with Peterson, he has starter potential.
80. Houston Texans (from Seattle) – Ian Thomas, 6’4”, 259lbs, TE, Indiana
TE C.J. Fiedorowicz had to retire after the 2017 season following three concussions in one year. This comes one season after Ryan Griffin was placed on IR after two concussions in 2016. TE is now a major concern and if Houston can wait until this pick to land Thomas, who emerged as a weapon for the Hoosiers in the passing game after hauling in 25 passes for 376 yards and 5 TD as a senior. Thomas was a weapon up the seam, showing off speed to stretch defenses down the middle of the field. He’s a bit raw with his route running and he tends to double-catch quite a bit, but he’s elusive in space and has the speed to run away from defenders. What the Texans will also like is his physicality in the run game, which speaks to his versatility. I think Thomas will need time to develop, but he has a chance to ultimately make an impact at the next level.
81. Dallas Cowboys – Josey Jewell, 6’1”, 234lbs, MLB, Iowa
04/12/18 - Allen Lazard, WR, Iowa State
The Cowboys have question marks at the LB position. There’s no doubt Jaylon Smith will be a solid starter on the roster, but with Anthony Hitchens moving on, I think the best move would be to kick Smith outside to SLB. He would play opposite Sean Lee, who is one of the better LB’s in the league if he can stay healthy. The MLB position can then be addressed with Iowa’s Josey Jewell. There may not have been a LB at the collegiate level with better instincts than Jewell; if you wanted to know where the football was heading, all you had to do was keep an eye on # 43 and he would take you to the ball. Jewell was a ballhawk, having amassed 433 tackles, 28.0 behind the line, 10.0 sacks, 6 Int., 26 pass breakups and 3 forced fumbles in his career. While he may not be the most gifted athlete, he makes up for it with a knack for reading the play in front of him and being decisive with his movements and was rarely out of position. Jewell is quick to come downhill and shoot gaps inside and takes good angles to the perimeter. He works well in traffic and uses his hands to get off blocks. Jewell also gets good depth in coverage, reads the QB’s eyes and breaks quickly on the football. He’s a tough, gritty player who is reliable and can instantly become a leader on Dallas’ defense.
82. Detroit Lions – P.J. Hall, 6’0”, 310lbs, DT, Sam Houston State
04/20/18 - B.J. Hill, DT, NC State
04/12/18 – Austin Corbett, OG, Nevada
The Lions need to give A’Shawn Robinson some help up front now that Haloti Ngata left in free agency. Hall is a small school three-technique who wreaked havoc in opposing backfields, having finished his career with 86.5 tackles for loss and 42.0 Sacks. He also showed he can make plays on the football, finishing with 9 forced fumbles, 4 Int. and 29 pass breakups. Hall was incredibly active up front, totaling nearly 300 tackles in his career. He’s in the mold of Geno Atkins and Aaron Donald in that he lacks ideal height, but is so quick off the ball and can convert speed to power, which allows him to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. Hall could wind up being a steal in this draft.
83. Baltimore Ravens – Micah Kiser, 6’2”, 238lbs, ILB, Virginia
Patrick Onwuasor played well next to C.J. Mosely and is expected to continue to develop, but depth is a legitimate concern. The Ravens had a top-five defense against the run in 2016 but saw that ranking drop to 15th just one year later. Few LB’s in this year’s draft had the tackle production Kiser had at Virginia, finishing his four-year career with 411 career tackles, including 145 a season ago. Kiser is instinctive and aggressive, diagnosing lays quickly then flying to the ball downhill and arrives at the ball carrier with physicality. He’s limited athletically and is stiff, which may make him more of a two-down LB, but he does a tremendous job working through traffic and uses his hands well to get off blocks. He’s a playmaker when he arrives at the football, having forced 8 fumbles and breaking up 13 passes in his career. Kiser would bring some much-needed attitude to the interior of the Baltimore defense.
84. Los Angeles Chargers – Brian O'Neill, 6'7", 297lbs, OT, Pittsburgh, Jr.
04/20/18 - Geron Christian, OT, Louisville
The Chargers will be looking to find an immediate upgrade at RT and should want to look for someone who can eventually take over for Russell Okung on the left side of the line as Okung will be 31 when the season begins and is under contract for just two more seasons. O’Neill’s a former TE with excellent length and movement skills. He ran a 4.82 40 with a 1.7 10-yard split at the Combine. He has a quick kick slide, with the lateral agility to wall off secondary moves; he can get out in space in a hurry and will bury defenders on the move. O’Neill has to put on size if he’s going to keep from getting overpowered at the point of attack. His athleticism reminds me of Jake Fisher, who was a 2nd Round pick of the Bengals in 2015, but has just 11 starts to his credit.
85. Carolina Panthers (from Buffalo) – Frank Ragnow, 6'5", 312lbs, C, Arkansas
04/20/18 - Martinas Rankin, OT/C, Mississippi State
If the Panthers do not address the offensive line in Round One, then I expect their 2nd Round pick to be used on Ryan Kalil’s replacement. Ragnow is a two-year starter at the pivot, intelligent, picks up blitzes and stunts well and works well in small spaces when he can lock on to his defender at the point. Ragnow has good length and also has experience at the OG position, so he could actually fill in for Andrew Norwell right away and then replace Kalil at season's end.
86. Kansas City Chiefs – Dorance Armstrong, Jr., 6’4”, 257lbs, OLB, Kansas, Jr.
Kansas City’s pass defense gave up the fifth most passing yards per game a season ago with 247 and finished the year with just 31 total sacks, good for 24th in the league. Justin Houston was still a force off the edge, racking up 9.5 sacks a season ago despite not getting much help on the opposite side. Dee Ford was largely ineffective while Tamba Hali battled a knee injury and failed to register a single sack. Ford is a free agent at the end of the 2018 season and Hali was ultimately released at the end of season after 12 seasons with the Chiefs, which leaves the ROLB position up in the air. Armstrong is an athletic pass rusher who is very quick off the ball, bends well off the edge and keeps working to the QB. He has experience playing both with his hand in the ground and as a stand-up rusher off the edge. Armstrong was highly productive as a sophomore in 2016, getting to the QB 10 times while registering a total of 20 tackles for loss. Armstrong accelerates quickly around the edge and can flatten out and run down the QB in a hurry. He has some punch in his hands to drive the OT back off the ball and can then step inside the blocker to shoot into the backfield. Teams are better off running at him because he shows tremendous speed and effort to chase down the ball carrier from the backside. The drop-off in production in 2017 has to be alarming as he managed just 2.0 sacks and 10 tackles for loss as a junior. However, that lack of production was largely due to the fact that he saw double teams all seasons. Armstrong was overpowered and struggled to disengage as a 4-3 DE, which is why he needs to play in space to be effective. However, Armstrong has the pass rush skills to be effective off the edge and can be an eventual starter in Kansas City.
87. Los Angeles Rams – Shaqem Griffin, 6’1”, 227lbs, OLB, Central Florida
The Rams decided to shake up the roster a bit this season, trading for CB’s Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib and signing DT Ndamukong Suh while letting go LB’s Alec Ogletree and Robert Quinn. LA was ranked 4th in the league in sacks a season ago with 48, but with Quinn gone and Connor Barwin gone, there is little production at the OLB spot. If the season were to start today, their starters on the outside would be Samson Ekuban and Matt Longacre, but I guess when Suh teams with Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers, who combined for 15.5 sacks, and two All-Pro CB’s on the outside, there must not be much concern on the outside. However, LA can use an infusion of speed on the outside and Shaqem Griffin is one of the most explosive players in this year’s draft. It’s well documented that Griffin lost his left hand due to a prenatal condition, but that hasn’t stopped him from being named 1st Team All-AAC the last two seasons and was the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2016. What immediately jumps out is his explosive burst off the ball. His 4.38 40 time was the fastest ever by a LB at the Combine. Griffin shoots into the backfield like he was shot out of a cannon. Despite being undersized, Griffin can beat OT’s with speed and has the flexibility to quickly bend around the edge and dip his inside shoulder way under the OT then flattens out in a hurry to close on the QB. While Griffin racked up 18.5 sacks in two seasons with the Golden Knights, he was more than just a sack artist. He’s relentless in his pursuit of the ball carrier in the run game and can shoot gaps to drop RB’s behind the line, posting 33.0 tackles for loss. He also shows the fluidity to drop in coverage and knows how to make plays on the ball, with 16 pass breakups, 4 forced fumbles and 5 recoveries. Griffin is undersized, so he’ll struggle to get off blocks and can’t set the edge, but his game is all about speed and he’s proven he’s not one to be counted out.
88. Carolina Panthers – Jerome Baker, 6’1”, 229lbs, OLB, Ohio State, Jr.
35-year old Thomas Davis returns to Carolina on a one-year deal, but the former NFL Man of the Year will be serving a four-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. Losing Davis for four games is a huge blow and his suspension has to be a wakeup call that they must prepare for life without one of their captains on defense. Baker has the athleticism and range to be the guy to take over at WILL. Baker is a fluid athlete at the LB position who is best when he’s allowed to run free and make plays in space. Baker has good speed; his 4.53 40 time was good for fourth fastest among LB’s at the Combine. He flies around to the ball, showing the range to quickly cover the field to the sideline and can work his way quickly through traffic to get to the ball. His quickness allows him to shoot gaps and disrupt run plays before they can begin. Baker is not much of a thumper and due to his lack of size has a tendency to get run over, but he can break down in space and wraps up well. His athleticism and fluid hips allow him to run with TE’s and RB’s in coverage and has some ability rushing the passer. The Panthers can use an athlete like Baker at the LB position to fly to the ball with Luke Kuechly.
89. Tennessee Titans – Chad Thomas, 6’6”, 281lbs, DE, Miami, Fla.
Tennessee is looking to add depth up front and Thomas is an ideal fit as a five-technique at the next level. At 6’6” and 281 pounds, Thomas definitely looks the part and he uses his size to dominate the point of attack. He has a high motor and never gives up on the play, showing an ability to chase down the ball carrier from behind. He was an absolute terror against the run, racking up 26.0 TFL in his career, with 23.5 of those coming in his final two seasons with the Hurricanes. However, Thomas surprisingly lacked production getting after the QB as he was rather predictable with hos pass rush moves. Thomas always seemed to be around the play, but wasn’t the guy making the play. Playing up front with Jurrell Casey will be a benefit for him as he likely won’t see many double teams, which can let him beat his man one-on-one.
90. Atlanta Falcons – Braden Smith, 6’6”, 315lbs, OG, Auburn
Atlanta signed Brandon Fusco to take over for Wes Schweitzer at RG, but the team restructured LG Andy Levitre’s contract and the 31-year old will be a free agent at the end of the season, so you can expect the Falcons to look for immediate depth and his eventual replacement in this draft. Smith was a fixture up front for Auburn, having played in 53 games with the Tigers, including 41 consecutive starts, mainly at the RG position. Smith is a freakish athlete with impressive strength, having put up 35 reps at 225 pounds in the bench press at the Combine, and explosiveness, as evidenced by his 33.5-inch vertical leap. He uses that strength to dominate at the point of attack in the run game and can explode out of his stance to generate movement. His agility allows him to quickly get out in front to pave the way for the RB as a pulling OG. However, Smith struggled with his pad level, which limited his effectiveness. He would stand too upright, which would cause him to lose leverage an easily get driven back off the ball. Smith can be a starter up front, but he’ll be exposed early and often if he can’t play with better leverage.
91. New Orleans Saints – Breeland Speaks, 6’3”, 283lbs, DL, Mississippi, Jr.
New Orleans lacks depth up front and need to find help for Cameron Jordan and Sheldon Rankins. Speaks has the versatility to play all across the line but could find a home at DE for the Saints as he offers similar size to Jordan. Speaks was very active for the Rebels a season ago, finishing fourth on the team with 61 tackles. He has good movement skills to slide laterally and can chase down plays from behind. Speaks was very raw rushing the passer, but still managed to record 7.0 sacks as a junior. Imagine if he can develop some pass rush moves. If you’re looking for a sleeper in this draft, Speaks may be the guy as he has the upside and versatility to make plays all over the defensive front.
92. Pittsburgh Steelers – Kyle Lauletta, 6’3”, 222lbs, QB, Richmond
Ben Roethlisberger has two more years left on his contract, but at 36 years of age, he is four years older than any other player on the roster and his eventual replacement is not on the roster. While the Steelers likely won’t be in play for any of the first wave of QB’s, they can be patient and wait until Day 2 to land this developmental FCS product who has loads of potential. Lauletta was a three-year starter for the Spiders and is leaving as the school’s all-time leader in passing yards (10,465) while also setting the single season record for passing yards as a senior (3,737). While he doesn’t have a great arm, he’s very accurate, finishing his career completing 63.5% of his passes and finished with a better than 2:1 ratio for TD to Int. (75 TD, 35 Int.). Lauletta has good mechanics as a passer and offers good footwork both inside and out of the pocket. He’s patient in the pocket, going through his progressions while reading the entire field. He makes up for his lack of arm strength with anticipation and ball placement. He has the timing to fit passes into tight windows and the ball is often out of his hands before the WR is out of his break. Lauletta puts the ball where only his WR can get to it and is especially proficient on the back-shoulder throw whether in the pocket or on the run as he can drop the ball in just as the WR is turning around, placing the ball to the outside making it nearly impossible for the CB to make a play on the ball. Lauletta can make plays on the move and isn’t afraid of contact, showing he can lower his shoulder and run over defenders if he decides to run. Lauletta also made the most of the challenge against an FBS opponent, throwing for 337 yards and 3 TD on 68.5% passing in a 37-20 upset victory over Virginia to kick off the 2016 season. Lauletta was also named as the Senior Bowl Player of the Game after showing an ability to quickly grasp the offense and lead a team he hadn’t worked with prior to that week. That speaks to his football IQ and leadership.
93. Jacksonville Jaguars – B.J. Hill, 6’4”, 311lbs, DT, NC State
04/20/18 - Durham Smythe, TE, Notre Dame
Jacksonville has Malik Jackson and Marcell Dareus up front, but the Jags need to find some depth at the DT position. B.J. Hill wins with a good burst off the ball to shoot gaps and get into the backfield in a hurry. He can bend around the edge and is relentless in pursuit of the ball, chasing ball carriers down from behind. He’s also active for a DT, racking up 55 tackles which was good for 7th on the Wolfpack roster. When Hill plays with leverage, he can drive his man back with power, but he too often plays with a high pad level, which nullifies his burst and limits his effectiveness. Expect Hill to get playing time early on passing downs.
94. Minnesota Vikings – Nyheim Hines, 5’8”, 198lbs, RB, NC State, Jr.
The Vikings lost Dalvin Cook for the year a season ago, but he proved to be dynamic in the four games in which he played. Latavius Murray is the power back between the tackles, but the roster is lacking a change-of-pace back who can be a weapon in the passing game. Hines was a freshman WR for the Wolfpack in 2015 and had over 240 rushing and receiving yards with a pair of TD’s. He moved to tailback as a sophomore, but with senior Matt Dayes, who was a 1,000-yard rusher in 2016, in the backfield, Hines was asked to be a pass catcher out of the backfield and he did just that, hauling in 43 passes for 525 yards. When Dayes graduated, Hines took over the starting spot in the backfield and rushed for over 1,100 yards and scored 12 TD while also hauling in 26 passes. Hines has an impressive burst with quick acceleration to get to full speed within a couple of steps. He is patient as a runner, following his blockers before quickly putting his foot in the ground to change directions in a hurry. Hines runs with a low center of gravity and has good balance in traffic. He’s electric in space, showing elusiveness in the open field, and can use his sub-4.4 speed to go the distance. Hines runs routes as a receiver and has very good hands catching passes away from his body. He also offers some return ability, having returned 3 kicks for TD in his career.
95. New England Patriots – Nick Nelson, 5’11”, 208lbs, CB, Wisconsin, Jr.
New England gave up 4,020 passing yards a season ago, a total which ranked 30th in the league, which means the Pats have to be addressing the secondary in the draft. Stephon Gilmore emerged as the team’s No. 1 corner, but Malcolm Butler fell out of favor and was replaced in the starting lineup by Eric Rowe in Super Bowl LII. Rowe and Jonathan Jones will provide depth at the position and the Patriots did trade for veteran Jason McCourty, who is reunited with his brother Devin, but all three are in contract years and not all will be expected back at season’s end. Expect New England to be finding another CB to add to the mix at some point in this draft. Nick Nelson showed off his ball skills at Hawaii with 15 pass breakups as a sophomore in 2015 and then transferred to Wisconsin where he broke up another 21 passes. While some say he can’t finish as he failed to pick off a single pass, he proved to have a knack for making plays on the football, which is something the Pats could use. Nelson does a good job turning and running with the WR up the sideline and drives quickly on the football in off coverage. However, he has a tendency to get handsy and wants to grab the WR rather than try to recover. Nelson tore his meniscus during a pre-draft workout, so the thought is the injury will hurt his draft stock enough to push him to Day 3, but I think taking him here would be good value for the Pats.
96. Buffalo Bills (from Philadelphia) – Genard Avery, 6’1”, 248lbs, OLB, Memphis
Lorenzo Alexander is 34 years of age and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, which means Buffalo has to be looking for a SAM backer to be his eventual replacement. This may be a bit early for Avery, but I think he’s one of the more underrated players in this year’s draft and could work his way into a starting role early in his career. Avery was a 21-game starter for the Tigers and filled up the stat sheets, finishing with 152 tackles, including 23.5 for loss 13 Sacks, 5 pass breakups and 2 forced fumbles. He also proved to be a workout warrior at the Combine, running a 4.59 40, posting a 36-inch vertical leap and repped out 225 pounds 26 times in the bench press. Avery played multiple positions while at Memphis and showed he can play both the run and the pass. He has good instincts against the run, taking good angles to the ball and is a physical tackler who also knows how to wrap up well. Avery can blitz off the edge, showing an ability to bend around the corner and flatten out to the QB. He can also drop into coverage and closes quickly on the ball to prevent any YAC. Avery is a three-down LB who has a chance to see the field early and can be an eventual replacement for Alexander.
97. Arizona Cardinals (Compensatory Pick) – Nathan Shepherd, 6’5”, 315lbs, DL, Fort Hays State
Arizona has been running a 34 defense for a decade, but with HC Steve Wilks bringing in DC Al Holcomb, you can expect more of a hybrid scheme, which will allow some versatility. The Cards will be looking to add depth up front and will be looking for a D-lineman who can play end in any scheme. Shepherd is a Division II star from Canada who came to Fort Hays State as a 200-pound LB before putting on over 100 pounds during his career. He was incredibly disruptive as an interior lineman as nearly a third of his 38 tackles went for loss (12.5 TFL in all). His LB movement skills are apparent with his burst off the ball an ability to shoot gaps and flow through traffic in a hurry. He’s violent with his hands and knows how to finish. I didn’t know too much about Shepherd before the Combine, but he absolutely looked the part in Indy with a chiseled physique without much body fat. He posted a 5.09 40 time and looked very fluid in the drills, showing good lateral agility quick change of direction skills and fluid hips. He’s definitely raw and may not be able to fully contribute just yet, but the movement skills for a guy that size is off the charts. He could be a beast as a five-technique for Arizona.
98. Houston Texans (Compensatory Pick) – Duke Dawson, 5’10”, 208lbs, CB, Florida
Houston has good depth at the CB position, having added Aaron Colvin to a roster that already boasts the likes of Kareem Jackson, Jonathan Joseph and Kevin Johnson. However, Jackson and Joseph are both over the age of 30, so the Texans need to find some youth at the position. Colvin played in the slot for much of his career with the Jaguars but played primarily on the outside in college at Oklahoma, so his versatility will allow Houston to take the best CB available at the end of Day 2, which may end up being Florida’s Duke Dawson, who is expected to play almost exclusively in the slot at the next level. Dawson became the Gators’ No. 1 CB in 2017 and quickly showed he could thrive both in press and off coverage. Duke is physical up on the line to jam the receiver on the line and doesn’t get pushed around easily. He also has the hips to turn and quickly run with the WR. He can also drop and read the QB’s eyes before driving quickly to undercut the route and has good ball skills, as evidenced by his 6 career Int. and 17 pass breakups. Dawson did get beat vertically, so there was concern about his long speed, but he also ran a respectable 4.46 40 at the Combine to silence doubters.
99. Denver Broncos (Compensatory Pick) – Jaylen Samuels, 5’11”, 225lbs, FB/HB/TE, NC State
Denver has needs in the backfield and at TE and they have an opportunity to land Jaylen Samuels, who is a versatile weapon who can address multiple needs at once. Samuels was a bit of a Swiss Army Knife for the Wolfpack, lining at RB, FB, HB and TE while offering production both on the ground and in the receiving game. While at NC State, Samuels carried the ball 182 times for 1,107 yards and 28 TD and caught 201 passes for 1,851 yards and 19 TD. As a runner, Samuels is a very patient runner who sets up his blocks well. He’s also physical between the tackles, runs through contact with a low pad level and knows how to finish runs by initiating contact. As a receiver, he has tremendous hands and is an intelligent route runner. Samuels does a good job adjusting to the ball in the air, especially on back shoulder throws up the sideline, can find the void in zone coverage and has the speed to make big plays after the catch. Not only is Samuels the career leader in receptions at NC State, but his single-season reception totals in each of his last three seasons rank in the top 10 at the school and shares the single-game record of 15 receptions with former NFL Pro Bowler Torry Holt. Denver can line him up all over the field and take advantage of matchups.
100. Cincinnati Bengals (Compensatory Pick) – Kemoko Turay, 6’5”, 253lbs, DE, Rutgers
All three of Cincy’s top pass rushers, Carlos Dunlap, Michael Johnson and Geno Atkins, will be free agents at season’s end, and there is little depth behind them. Adding another edge rusher is a must in the event they lose any of the trio. Turay played only two years of high school football, meaning he’s still relatively raw as a pass rusher. He also has very tight hips and can’t really bend around the edge. However, he’s explosive off the ball, has good length to keep blockers at bay and has a relentless motor to the QB. He tallied 15.5 sacks in his career, though he failed to replicate his first season at Rutgers when he had 7.5 sacks as a freshman. However, he’s a developmental prospect who can learn from some experienced and productive pass rushers on the Bengals roster.