{"id":62410,"date":"2018-04-06T07:42:25","date_gmt":"2018-04-06T07:42:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=62410"},"modified":"2018-04-06T07:42:25","modified_gmt":"2018-04-06T07:42:25","slug":"nfl-mock-draft-2018-projecting-first-round-trades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/sports\/nfl-mock-draft-2018-projecting-first-round-trades.html","title":{"rendered":"NFL mock draft 2018: Projecting first-round trades"},"content":{"rendered":"

NFL mock draft 2018: Projecting first-round trades<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

The NFL draft is only three weeks away … which is to say we’ve officially entered the pre-draft rumor mill phase, which is billowing smokescreens and wild speculation fueling the league’s version of silly season. Delightful. So following the Rams’ lead \u2014 GM Les Snead has already made five significant offseason trades after obtaining WR Brandin Cooks from the Patriots on Tuesday evening \u2014 our latest mock draft will delve deep into the trade market while adding grist for a mill now in overdrive.<\/span><\/p>\n

(And in a year when so many highly capable quarterbacks are coming out, this could provide a reasonably realistic slice of what’s to come on April 26, when the draft room phones could be ringing even more than usual.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Browns \u2014 Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming: Yup, the latest buzz links Allen and his ballistic arm to Cleveland. But before you dismiss the notion, consider that new Browns GM John Dorsey traded up last year, when he was running the board in Kansas City, to select Patrick Mahomes, who, like Allen, probably had the biggest fastball and most upside \u2014 and risk \u2014 of any incoming passer. And even though arm strength remains a dubious trait when forecasting NFL success, it’s definitely a nice attribute for quarterbacks who play in the AFC North’s cold and windy climes. Like Mahomes, Allen would also reap the benefits of joining an up-and-coming roster while sitting behind a veteran, Tyrod Taylor in this case.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n*PROPOSED TRADE** Bills (from Giants) \u2014 Sam Darnold, QB, USC: OK, let’s have some fun. Buffalo didn’t believe in Taylor and certainly didn’t invest in AJ McCarron at a level that would suggest team brass believes he’ll replicate his championship feats at Alabama. But with Darnold, widely regarded as the best overall quarterback in the draft, on the board in our scenario, GM Brandon Beane has to complete his systematic trek to the top of the board to get the long-awaited successor to Jim Kelly. But this won’t come cheaply given the price the Jets already paid (three second rounders) just to move up three pegs. Giants GM Dave Gettleman could reasonably expect Beane to fork over the 12th and 22nd picks of this draft and next year’s first rounder.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jets (from Colts) \u2014 Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA: Had he not been born in 1943, Joe Namath might have been a Millennial right out of central casting. So don’t expect GM Mike Maccagnan to flinch at taking Rosen \u2014 there’s probably no rookie QB better equipped to step right into Gang Green’s lineup \u2014 no matter how much former Bruins coach Jim Mora elaborates\/equivocates about him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Browns (from Texans) \u2014 Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State: Dorsey will owe the football gods quite an offering if he winds up with the quarterback of his choice and Barkley, who’s almost universally regarded as the draft’s best player and perhaps the perfect guy \u2014 see Todd Gurley, Ezekiel Elliott, et al. \u2014 to relieve pressure on a sidekick like Allen.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Broncos \u2014 Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State: Denver let perennial Pro Bowler Aqib Talib go and may lose Bradley Roby to free agency next year. Cover corners grow on trees in Columbus, Ohio, and Ward is ripe for the picking, capable of stepping into Talib’s shoes and keeping the No Fly Zone devoid of enemy TD passes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Colts (from Jets) \u2014 Bradley Chubb, DE, North Carolina State: Though GM Chris Ballard surely remains open for business as he rebuilds the foundation around Andrew Luck, he’ll be hard pressed to bypass a pass rusher (and relentless run stopper) of Chubb’s caliber \u2014 especially since he’s capable of closing out games and enabling Luck to hand off more.<\/span><\/p>\n

*PROPOSED TRADE** Giants (from Buccaneers) \u2014 Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame: Gettleman strikes again. Using the 12th pick acquired from Buffalo as bait, he gets back on the horn with Bucs GM Jason Licht, who took DE Jason Pierre-Paul off his hands last month. Knowing he has to get in front of Chicago, which employs Nelson’s former Fighting Irish O-line coach (Harry Hiestand), Gettleman could also send Licht a third rounder to flip from 12th to seventh. Why do it? Nelson may be the best player in the draft not named Saquon. He would help the Giants win now and later regardless of which quarterback he’s protecting and will surely help revive a dormant ground game. All that aside, Gettleman’s mancrushes are reserved for his beloved “Hog Mollies.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Bears \u2014 Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama: They spent free agency putting new pieces around QB Mitchell Trubisky and would surely like to count Nelson as part of that effort. Barring that, there’s probably not another offensive player on GM Ryan Pace’s top-10 radar. But Fitzpatrick would enhance a defense charged with combating slot receivers like Randall Cobb, Golden Tate and Stefon Diggs. Fitzpatrick could eventually settle into a safety combo with former ‘Bama teammate Eddie Jackson if Adrian Amos moves on in free agency next year.<\/span><\/p>\n

49ers \u2014 Derwin James, S, Florida State: The Niners have been busy building a Seattle-style defense laden with former Seahawks, including CB Richard Sherman and Super Bowl XLVIII MVP Malcolm Smith. James isn’t exactly Earl Thomas or Kam Chancellor but is a special player whose makeup is a combination of skills that include some of the best attributes of Seattle’s star safety tandem.<\/span><\/p>\n

SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis and Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz on why the late first round of the NFL draft could be just as wild as the first 10 picks. USA TODAY Sports<\/span><\/p>\n

*PROPOSED TRADE** Cardinals (from Raiders) \u2014 Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma: Maybe Arizona won’t have to go that far for its long-term answer under center. We’ve got GM Steve Keim sending a third- and fifth-round pick to Oakland in order to swap their Round 1 slots and jump the Cards ahead of Miami, which has been widely linked to Mayfield. The fiery Heisman Trophy winner has every intention of playing right away and given his ability \u2014 and fellow Sooner Sam Bradford’s lengthy medical chart \u2014 it might very well be Mayfield feeding Larry Fitzgerald and David Johnson under the capable tutelage of OC Mike McCoy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dolphins \u2014 Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia: Miami’s defense was merely average with Ndamukong Suh, which speaks volumes. Last year’s linebackers didn’t prove very effective despite the benefit of lining up behind Suh and the double teams he commanded. Hence, a strong case to be made for a guy like Smith, who’s far more capable of making plays on his own while bringing a nice streak of leadership.<\/span><\/p>\n

**PROPOSED TRADE** Buccaneers (from Bengals via Bills and Giants) \u2014 Mike Hughes, CB, Central Florida: Tampa Bay doesn’t have to drop far (or look beyond state lines) to snag a player who can further remedy the NFL’s worst defense in 2017 while also adding juice to the Bucs’ return game.<\/span><\/p>\n

13. Redskins \u2014 Vita Vea, DT, Washington: No team gave up more rushing yards last year than the ‘Skins. Vea’s 6-4, 347-pound frame alone will obstruct running lanes, but he’s also uniquely mobile for a man his size and has shown the ability to bag quarterbacks, too.<\/span><\/p>\n

**PROPOSED TRADE** Chargers (from Packers) \u2014 Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech: Bolts GM Tom Telesco admits needing more from his linebackers. It’s probably worth surrendering a fourth-round pick in order to leapfrog the Raiders for Edmunds, 19, who already packs 253 pounds onto his 6-5 frame. Yet his size doesn’t appear to impede his range, and that could bolster the AFC’s worst run defense, which is sometimes left vulnerable up the middle when Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram are roaring around the edges.<\/span><\/p>\n

15. **PROPOSED TRADE** Raiders (from Cardinals) \u2014 Da’Ron Payne, DT, Alabama: Jon Gruden would probably like another toy for his offense, but the smart play is putting more talent around Khalil Mack and a defense that ranked 23rd.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ravens \u2014 Marcus Davenport, DE, Texas-San Antonio: Outgoing GM Ozzie Newsome’s final first-round pick might be best spent on a player who could ultimately supplant Terrell Suggs, who remains Baltimore’s best pass rusher at age 35. Davenport would benefit from Suggs’ wisdom and on-field presence before the seven-time Pro Bowl selection winds down.<\/span><\/p>\n

*PROPOSED TRADE** Packers (from Chargers) \u2014 Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama: Jordy Nelson is gone, and Randall Cobb might be in a year. Ridley effectively mixes the skills of both, ready to run polished routes now and able to provide the deep speed lost with Nelson’s departure.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama: Pittsburgh’s defense \u2014 and Super Bowl aspirations \u2014 fell apart last season after LB Ryan Shazier was lost in Week 13. Pittsburgh GM Kevin Colbert probably can’t wait for Evans, whose abilities largely mirror Shazier’s, and would likely have to part with a third rounder and additional sweetener to get Seattle to drop 10 slots. But the championship window for Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and others may close soon, and this is the kind of bold move that could secure a record seventh Lombardi Trophy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cowboys \u2014 DJ Moore, WR, Maryland: WRs Dez Bryant and Allen Hurns and TE Jason Witten are all nice weapons but essentially classify as rebounders. Moore is an explosive asset who could take this offense to another level.<\/span><\/p>\n

. Cowboys \u2014 DJ Moore, WR, Maryland: WRs Dez Bryant and Allen Hurns and TE Jason Witten are all nice weapons but essentially classify as rebounders. Moore is an explosive asset who could take this offense to another level.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bengals (from Bills) \u2014 James Daniels, C, Iowa:Trading for LT Cordy Glenn was a major step in the right direction, but Cincinnati’s O-line is not yet sufficiently fortified.<\/span><\/p>\n

\nPROPOSED TRADE** Giants (from Chiefs via Bills) \u2014 Taven Bryan, DT, Florida: Much of the focus in New York has been on offensive deficiencies, however the defense could also look appreciably different under new coordinator James Bettcher. Bryan is another talented big man likely to intrigue Gettleman and could project as a three- or five-technique depending on the front. And with the 2019 first rounder we gave Gettleman in the Buffalo deal, he remains well equipped to make a run at a quarterback next year if Eli Manning disintegrates.<\/span><\/p>\n

Patriots (from Rams) \u2014 Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame: Though WRs Danny Amendola and now Cooks are gone, it’s far more important to prioritize a bouncer for Tom Brady, who’s spent nearly every snap of his career capably protected by Matt Light and new New York Giant Nate Solder.<\/span><\/p>\n

Panthers \u2014 Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M: Carolina is installing a new offense under veteran coordinator Norv Turner. But despite the presence of scatback Christian McCaffrey, TE Greg Olsen and WRs Devin Funchess and Torrey Smith, there’s definitely immediate and long-term room for a player like Kirk, who can operate outside when not capably manning the slot. He could also take over return duties now that McCaffrey has become the lead back.<\/span><\/p>\n

Titans \u2014 Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State: At 6-4 and 256 pounds, he’s built almost exactly like new Tennessee head coach Mike Vrabel, an extremely versatile player during his 14-year NFL career. Vrabel could be the perfect sculptor for Vander Esch, who could give this defense a boost whether he’s lining up inside or on the edge.<\/span><\/p>\n

Falcons \u2014 Will Hernandez, G, Texas-El Paso: Atlanta’s roster has very few holes. But Hernandez would represent a marked improvement without being a reach in the first round.<\/span><\/p>\n

Saints \u2014 Harrison Phillips, DT, Stanford: There’s a reason New Orleans wanted Suh. Phillips doesn’t have Suh’s gifts \u2014 certainly no knock on him \u2014 but his motor never stops, and his combination of strength and techniques refined as a three-time state wrestling champion in Nebraska would make him a formidable presence between Cam Jordan and Sheldon Rankins.<\/span><\/p>\n

PROPOSED TRADE** Seahawks (from Steelers) \u2014 Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa: Seattle GM John Schneider likes to work the board and historically moves down, an approach which makes even more sense as he reloads the roster this year. At 6 feet and 196 pounds with exceptional ball skills, Jackson is almost a football clone of Sherman, who is slightly taller.<\/span><\/p>\n

PROPOSED TRADE** Dolphins (from Jaguars) \u2014 Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville: Ryan Tannehill’s problematic knee casts further doubt on a career that seemed to be maxing out at adequate before he initially went down in 2016. Jackson has significantly more upside, and Adam Gase, who’s worked with all flavors of quarterback, could be the guy to maximize his highly intriguing potential. It makes sense to trade back into the first round in order to get the prized fifth-year contract option, especially with a quarterback. Meanwhile, Jacksonville could ask for an additional third rounder while taking Miami’s Round 2 selection (42nd overall).<\/span><\/p>\n

Vikings \u2014 Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville: Mike Zimmer co-signed the massive free agent gamble on QB Kirk Cousins. Probably wise to now get him one of the corners he values so deeply, especially if Terence Newman doesn’t come back or finally breaks down once he turns 40.<\/span><\/p>\n

*PROPOSED TRADE** Lions (from Patriots) \u2014 Sony Michel, RB, Georgia: The Alvin Kamara comparison he seems to invite is apt and would greatly enhance an offense that’s gotten little capability or reliability from its backs. Michel and LeGarrette Blount would be a potent tandem.<\/span><\/p>\n

Eagles \u2014 Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina: Philly loves double-tight sets, but Zach Ertz had to say goodbye to Trey Burton and Brent Celek this offseason. Hurst would be an upgrade over both.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nfl\/draft\/2018\/04\/04\/nfl-mock-draft-2018-brandin-cooks-sam-darnold\/484267002\/<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t <\/div><\/div>\n\t\t