We're down to the final days so the let's keep the mock drafting going!
Here is the last edition.
Now onto the new one
Since the expected trade up still hasn't happened the projection of the event with the nine current selection rolls on.
Houston came calling with 42, 59, 86 and next year's second & third round picks for 11 & 232. That would be a lot to add
But in this case it would cost the chance at the quarterback with possibly the most room for growth in his game - JJ McCarthy.
The chance at that level of player tipped the scale
23 brought an offer that's even less likely to happen in reality but was a no-brainer for me, Tampa's 26th and first next year for 23 straight up. With five possible players to choose from it became that much easier to swap.
TB was back with a five for one offer but with Byron Murphy & Chop Robinson adding talent to the defensive front took precedent. It may be wishful thinking but having a disruptive force in the middle of the line is too good so bring on Murphy's law!
As with the previous, Clemson's Will Shipley was around at 108, as was Blake Corum. It may be too high to happen at this point of the draft but adding a running back with RB1 upside is a sneaky need for the team.
Because of the proven depth of that position and the well-known need for DBs, the other path - Washington State safety Jaden Hicks - was the taken.
Texas LB Jaylan Ford has been a regular option for consideration but for the second straight mock, TCU TE Jared Wiley's profile (6'6"/6'7") separated him from the pack.
157 presented a trio of interior OL selection. From that pack Arkansas center Beaux Limmer edged out guards Layden Robinson (TAMU) & Zak Zinter (Michigan) as a possible replacement across the whole interior.
With four picks to go, cornerback is the most glaring omission. Penn State's Daequan Hardy & Boston College's Elijah Jones were possible options, especially Jones, but Oregon State safety Kitan Oladapo could be the kind of variable option which Flores thrived on last season. With 10 picks to go I rolled the dice that Jones would last til the 177th but was sniped at the 176 mark.
So I went for the highest rated corner on the board, Maryland's Tarheeb Still.
For 230 & 232 I tried to identify high-upside players at corner and edge. With the options thin to that end as TEs flooded the big board I settled on Utah safety Sione Vaki. Three safeties in one draft class would be overkill but accounting for the new kickoff rule will play into the way that teams approach Saturday so an overload of a position or a player profile is altogether possible.
To wrap it up I went with LSU LB Omar Speights.
Nine players, headlined by the quarterback of the future and possibly the present.
Two more dawns til we start to get the real answers!
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