1.1-
QB-Mitchell Trubisky 22 years old | 6’3” | 74 AWR | 95 THP | 87 THA
Commentary: The New Orleans Saints own the first pick in the 2017 draft having acquired it via trade with the Giants. They swapped first round picks while sending their second round picks do the Giants and the Giants sent the Raiders fourth round pick back to the Saints. This means the next pick for the Saints after 1.1 will be the second pick in round three. As for who the saints are going to pick, I think they have three needs quarterback obviously and this is the greatest needs. They also have a need for a stand out WR, and they have a need for a #2 defensive tackle. You don’t pick #2 defensive tackles at 1.1 and while you do pick stand out WR’s this early, it seems obvious that the Saints are set on a franchise QB and Mitchell Trubisky seems to be that guy. Should they draft him and he skews favorably he will be roughly at the same attribute level as the Saints current QB, Josh Freeman. This really does make this an easy pic for the Saints.
1.2-
CB-Marlon Humphrey- 21 years old | 6’1” | 97 SPD | 44 STR | 66 AWR | 94 AGI | 97 ACC | 64 CTH | 85 JMP | 57 TAK
Commentary: The Giants having swapped out the first overall pick for the second overall pick and are now on the clock. As are most teams who pick early in the draft, the Giants are coming off a pretty disappointing season. They recently acquired veteran QB, Jordan Palmer from the dolphins so it looks like their QB situation, at least in the short term, is solved. If they were looking for a specific QB, they probably would’ve kept the first overall pick so this likely means they’re headed in one of two directions, either CB or WR. I think this boils down to what they see as the greater of their two needs, there are stud WR’s in the draft and stud CB’s in this draft. Their selection will be whichever they believe to be the greater of the two needs. In the end, I think they probably go CB in which case I believe they will take Marlon Humphrey. It would be two consecutive CB’s in two consecutive first rounds have taken Jalen Ramsey last year but I still think it’s worth it. Humphrey has everything you would want in a CB and he’s only 21 years old with really good AWR.
1.3-
LE-Myles Garrett- 21 years old | 6’4” | 268 lbs. | 85 SPD | 75 STR | 67 AWR | 82 AGI | 88 ACC | 76 TAK
Commentary: The Raiders are next on the clock at pick #3. This is part of the package they received in exchange for QB A.J. McCarron, a trade they made with the Bills prior to last year’s draft. The Raiders will have liked the way the first two picks have gone in this draft if indeed, they do go that way. They don’t have many needs particularly on the offensive side of the ball. But they do have some defensive needs and particularly at LE. This class is not deep on DE’s but it does have the high end, Myles Garrett and that’s where I believe the Raiders will go with this selection. Tyson Jackson, whom they acquired from their division rivals, is now starting to regress, and with LE being an important position Garrett fits the need.
1.4-
SS-Eddie Jackson- 22 years old | 6’0” | 95 SPD | 67 STR | 63 AWR | 99 AGI | 99 ACC | 49 CTH | 89 JMP | 74 TAK
Commentary: The Patriots are up next at pick #4. The Patriots have a stud QB, who is young in Derek Carr, and some pretty decent wide receivers in Victor Cruz and Brian Quick. Also, I like the running back, Doug Martin. However, they have significant needs on the defensive side of the ball. They may have even wanted Myles Garrett, who the Raiders selected just prior. However, they still have plenty of opportunities to upgrade their defense. I have them selecting SS, Eddie Jackson, who is a generational talent at the position. They could also go for a player like OLB, TJ Watt, but I think for value purposes, Jackson is too good to pass up. Now I fully believe that the Chargers are trying to figure out a way to select Jackson and so if the Patriots were planning on making this pick, I’m sure the Chargers would push to trade up. Even still, I think a Patriots GM, who had the resolve, would do well to pick Jackson here.
1.5-
HB-James Conner- 22 years old | 6’2” | 250 lbs. | 93 SPD | 80 STR | 60 AWR | 86 AGI | 92 ACC | 74 CAR | 88 BTK
Commentary: Pick #5 in the 2017 draft belongs to the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons are a team that does have some needs particularly on the defensive side of the ball. This is again one of those situations where if SS Jackson made it past four I think maybe he’s a good fit here for the Falcons, but in this mock draft Jackson has been taken at four, so the Falcons are going to have to look elsewhere. I don’t think that there is a huge need at RB. However, knowing how much the Falcons GM values a running game I am going with James Conner here at five. I do believe Connor is a stud of a RB. There just aren’t many guys at 250 pounds. Some GM’s don’t really care about that but I think, perhaps, the Falcons GM could. Even if you just look at his attributes, there’s much to be commended. He has the potential to be a star and he could actually form a backfield duo with David Wilson, who himself is a good RB. Conner’s the pick for me here at number five.
1.6-
OLB- T.J. Watt- 21 years old | 6’4” | 243 lbs. | 85 SPD | 85 STR | 63 AWR | 87 AGI | 92 ACC | 74 TAK
Commentary: The Bears are up next at #6 overall. They are not typically picking this low, but with Erik Ainge‘s injury this past season, they find themselves way further down the line than they thought they would be. The Bears are well-run organization and are used to winning, but there are a couple of spots that they need to address and one of them is OLB. Clay Matthews, in particular, has had a great career but he is now in year two of regression and the Bears need to think about what’s next. I think a great pick for them would be TJ Watt. He is a strong, quick OLB who is only 21 years old. The Bears have demonstrated they’re willing to take an OLB in round one and so I would go with Watt. Another option for the Bears, if they wanted to go against tendency would be to take TE Evan Engram but I think they go OLB here.
1.7-
DT-Davon Godchaux- 21 years old | 6’4” | 293 lbs. | 80 SPD | 87 STR | 55 AWR | 84 AGI | 78 ACC | 74 TAK
Commentary: The Chargers come in next at pick #7. They currently have picks 7, 9, and 15. I only see three specific need positions: a 3-4 DE, a FS, and a SS. With Jackson gone at pick 4, I think they pivot to their DE need and go with Devon Godchaux. Listed as a defensive tackle, he would be an easy transition to LE. And he is an incredibly athletic, prototypical DE. I’m fairly confident he’s the type of guy the Chargers would like. Now they may prefer to try to pick him up at pick nine and have Jackson at pick seven but I don’t think that’s how it’s gonna go down. I’m going with Godchaux here at seven to the Chargers.
1.8-
WR-Mike Williams- 22 years old | 6’4” | 210 lbs. | 95 SPD | 29 STR | 69 AWR | 95 AGI | 99 ACC | 78 CTH | 75 JMP
Commentary: The Baltimore Ravens have pick #8 of the 2017 draft. They are a well run, stable organization who doesn’t do much in the way of trading but instead builds through the draft. One of their great franchise picks in previous drafts is WR Dwayne Jarrett. However, he is now starting to regress and there’s a guy on the board who looks a lot like Dwayne Jarrett looked when he was selected in the first round and that guy is Mike Williams. Previously the Ravens selected Alshon Jeffery in the first round, and Mike Williams could come alongside him as a #2 WR. He’s got good size, speed and acceleration, and really good AWR to begin with. I think he’d be a great fit in that Ravens passing attack. Mike Williams is the selection here at number eight.
1.9-
WR-JuJu Smith-Schuster- 22 years old | 6’2” | 215 lbs. | 99 SPD | 46 STR | 54 AWR | 99 AGI | 99 ACC | 84 CTH | 86 JMP
Commentary: The Chargers are back on the clock at #9. They could still use safety help but there really aren’t safeties worthy of a top 10 pick, so I think they go best available here and I think they go with WR JuJu Smith-Schuster. Now do the Chargers really need a WR? No not really, but Smith-Schuster is an elite level player, and the Chargers will find a way to either fit him in or draft him, and then trade one of the other wide receivers. When you have multiple high first round picks you have the flexibility to draft for value and not need and Smith-Schuster is more a value pick than a need pick.
1.10-
QB-Deshaun Watson- 22 years old | 6’2” | 66 AWR | 97 THP | 86 THA
Commentary: The Texans are at number 10 in the 2017 draft. This will be the first draft under their new GM, who was formally in Buffalo. During his time in western New York, Brandon Lindgren experienced both success and failure, which is the plight of most GM’s in the SFL. He’s now got a fresh start in Houston and many needs that he can address in this first round. While I think WR is a potential area of need with some high-quality players still on the board, you don’t always have a chance to draft a franchise QB with a mentor already on your roster and I think that is going to be too good to pass up here at number 10. So which franchise QB do you go with? I think if we’re looking strictly at attributes and not at names, the next guy on the list is Deshaun Watson. He possesses elite level throwing power and very good throwing accuracy and awareness. Another option here would be Patrick Mahomes but I just like Watson a little better. The second QB comes off the board here at number 10 in the form of Deshaun Watson.
1.11-
WR-Kenny Golladay- 22 years old | 6’4” | 214 lbs. | 96 SPD | 65 STR | 58 AWR | 92 AGI | 95 ACC | 79 CTH | 97 JMP
Commentary: The second team from the NFC North steps to the podium at #11. The Green Bay Packers have had many years of success in the SFL, mostly in the earlier years, but they are still a formidable team. They’ve done a lot of trading, and that trading has given them strengths, but it’s also created a couple of needs. Here at pick #11, I believe they address a WR need and go with Kenny Golladay. Golladay is the prototypical 6’4” WR with great athleticism. The Packers also currently have a need at LT, but this draft has a lot of offensive lineman and the Packers could get this need filled later in the draft. I think they go with an elite WR in Golliday.
1.12-
OLB-Samson Ebukam- 23 years old | 6’3” | 245 lbs. | 88 SPD | 81 STR | 63 AWR | 82 AGI | 86 ACC | 73 TAK
Commentary: One of the corner stone franchises of the SFL is up next in the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins have officially signaled a transition as they have moved on from Jordan Palmer, who won them a Super Bowl, and have now placed their hopes in Marcus Mariota. The time of transition at QB hasn’t meant a decrease in talent at other positions, however. This Dolphins team has a ton of talent still on it. One of the places that they do need to add talent is at OLB. I think they go with Samson Ebukam at pick 12. He is a little older prospect than maybe they would like, but he is fast and strong and has good size. All of those attributes that the Dolphins GM wants at the position. If Daren was willing to overlook size at the position, Matt Milano could also be the choice here as he has some outstanding attributes. The pick for me is Ebukam.
1.13-
TE-George Kittle- 23 years old | 6’4” | 250 lbs. | 92 SPD | 74 STR | 70 AWR | 75 AGI | 84 ACC | 78 CTH | 80 JMP
Commentary: The Indianapolis Colts are at 13 in the 2017 draft. Now knowing what we know about Breck, their GM, he may well not stay at 13. He may move up or he may move down, but we’re not going to factor that in to this mock draft. Breck has done a lot of trading as well this off-season, and he has a strong, WR core, a talented QB, and a young potential franchise quarterback, although Wentz may not quite fit that bill ultimately. But one need position that we’ve seen the Colts GM draft high in round one is TE. There are currently two TE's on the board that are first round talents. I have the Colts picking George Kittle at 13. This could also be Evan Ingram, but he is a little smaller and I think the Colts would prefer somebody a little bigger. George Kittle at 13 is the pick for me.
1.14-
LT-Roderick Johnson- 21 years old | 6’6” | 308 lbs. | 68 SPD | 97 STR | 78 AWR | 77 AGI | 84 ACC | 80 PBK | 70 RBK
Commentary: The Jaguars are next up at 15. They are coming off of an 8-8 season in 2016. It’s the second street year that they have improved on their record from the previous year so they are indeed trending in a good direction. The Jags have handed over the reins to QB Jameis Winston. Winston is in his third season and, though still a little raw, definitely had good moments in 2016. The Jags play in a tough division with the Super Bowl champion Titans and perennial contenders, the Indianapolis Colts. So they need to maximize their draft picks as much as possible. There are some needs in Jacksonville, but primarily all on the offensive line This is where I think the first offiensive lineman will come off the board. I have the Jags taking OT Roderick Johnson. None of the offensive lineman have great blocking skills this year but Johnson has elite, athletic attributes and 78 AWR which is unheard of for a rookie. There are other options should they choose to go another direction other than Johnson. But I have them picking Johnson here at 15.
1.15-
CB-Justin Hardee- 22 years old | 6’1” | 200 lbs. | 98 SPD | 46 STR | 57 AWR | 97 AGI | 98 ACC | 64 CTH | 99 JMP | 66 TAK
Commentary: The Chargers are back up at 16 for their third pick of the first round. Much like their pick at 13, I think they are inclined to go best available rather than try to fill a need at safety. And when you’re in the first round and you’ve already taken a WR the other position that you are going to look hard at is CB. Justin Hardy is still available at this point and so I think the Chargers go after him here. He’s 6’1”, 98 SPD and 98 ACC. He’s also only 22 years old. This would be a heck of a haul for the Chargers if they could get all three players in this mock.
1.16-
WR-Chris Godwin- 21 years old | 98 SPD | 41 STR | 56 AWR | 98 AGI | 99 ACC | 73 CTH | 90 JMP
Commentary: The Super Bowl champion Tennessee Titans are next at 16. The team continues to be loaded with talent even in an off-season where they have been actively trading. When I look at the team, I think there’s probably really only one need and that’s at DT. But I don’t think there’s a DT that fits here at 16 so I think the Titans will also go best available. This means going to the WR position and selecting Chris Godwin. He’s 6’1”, 98 SPD, 98 AGI, and 98 ACC. The Titans will figure out a way to utilize his talents quickly I’m certain of that. So I have Godwin here going at 16.
1.17-
TE-Evan Engram- 23 years old | 6’3” | 227 lbs. | 94 SPD | 77 STR | 57 AWR | 81 AGI | 88 ACC | 79 CTH | 73 TAK
Commentary: The Detroit Lions are next up at 17. This team has been close in each of the last two seasons, but has yet to get the division title. This is also a talented team even though they have cycled through a bunch of WR’s. The current crop of WR’s is less talented than the ones they’ve had in previous years, but they are still dangerous. Jordan Howard is now in his second season as well at RB and Teddy Bridgewater is in his second season with the club at QB as well. There is one position that kind of stands out to me as being a position of need that also has some first round talent still remaining on the board and that is at TE. I think that the Lions will capitalize on that and select Evan Engram the speedy TE. He would be great value here at 17 in the first round.
1.18-
DE-Jonathan Allen- 22 years old | 6’3” | 291 lbs. | 79 SPD | 73 STR | 70 AWR | 81 AGI | 87 ACC | 79 TAK
Commentary: The Raiders are back again in the first round with pick 18. With the third pick in the draft, Myles Garrett was mocked to them at LE. And when you look at the current roster, you can make a good argument that they should go back to the same position well and grab what will be a starting RE. And I have them doing exactly that in selecting Jonathan Allen. He does not possess top end speed although the skew could help him. However, he has high AWR, a big frame, and great ACC. This combo could cause some problems in the opponents’ backfield. This would be a nice defensive haul if the Raiders could grab both of these guys in round one.
1.19-
CB-Tre’Davious White- 22 years old | 5’11” | 192 lbs. | 97 SPD | 44 STR | 61 AWR | 98 AGI | 98 ACC | 62 CTH | 90 JMP | 61 TAK
Commentary: The New York Jets are next up at 19. Kevin always does a great job of rostering elite level talent wherever he selects in the draft and this year I’m sure it will be no different. The Jets have already made a couple of trades this off-season to bolster their team. Looking at the team right now, I think they will probably look toward the CB position. At this point Tre’Davious White is a highly skilled athletic cornerback that could fit exactly what they’re looking for. If they don’t go with White here, they could potentially go Kevin King instead. He’s a more raw prospect, but has great height/speed combo at 6’3” and 94 SPD.
1.20-
LT-Sam Levi- 23 years old | 6’5” | 315 lbs. | 74 SPD | 99 STR | 63 AWR | 77 AGI | 81 ACC | 85 PBK | 76 RBK
Commentary: The 20th pick in round one is held by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They are coming off an 8-8 season in 2016 which by their standards is probably a little disappointing. The Bucs are loaded with talent including the super star QB Kirk Cousins. Second year RB Ezekiel Elliott had a great start to his career in 2016 averaging a staggering 5.2 YPC. However questions still remain about the Buccaneers. They need help all on the defensive line and on the offensive line. I’m sure Bryan has a plan but in this mock I have them addressing a need at offensive line with LT Sam Levi. Levi is an Uber-talented prospect who may well move inside to one of the OG positions. Levi is good value at 20.
