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2017 Mock Draft - Last Minute
By Garth Pearce
Special to sfl-football.com

I've been compiling this mock during free agency, so any acquisitions there can easily supersede any perceived needs that are showing on rosters. I have hopefully accounted for any trades that have happened recently with the movement of 1st round picks, but if starter level players have changed hands then too bad. Enjoy!

1: from () QB Mitch Trubisky
It seems that no matter who holds this pick, the player taken is staying the same. The Saints had the conviction to trade up one spot for the real deal and their franchise QB over the long term (even though they lack a mentor to get the most benefit). Even so, Trubisky comes out of the draft with awareness in the ballpark of the current starters, so they technically can’t get worse from this selection when he starts from day 1.

2: from ( via ) DT/DE Davon Godchaux
The Giants briefly held onto this pick before moving back down into a territory where a QB pick from the rest is reasonable. The Chargers jumped several other options to move the Giants out and get ahead of the Raiders, Patriots and Falcons. Which of these teams they were concerned would pick their guy is unsure, especially considering that the Raiders and Patriots were both shopping their picks. If word from GM Cook about free agency and trade acquisitions is true, then his original target here is no longer a priority and he wants to move back out. If he stays, I reckon he addresses the replacement for LE Lawrence with a similarly skilled player but in a DT’s body. Provided his work out looks promising and the skew doesn’t knacker him he’ll be one hell of a defensive end and can perform in any scheme.

3: from () LE Myles Garrett
The Raiders were trying to move down from this pick, but other moves have seem them consolidate in the top 4. Now they can guarantee back-to-back studs and Garrett is the only quality left end in this class with guaranteed athletic capability and will help the Raiders re-adjust back to a 4-3 defense with some legitimate pass rush.

4: from () SS Eddie Jackson
With the investment in C.J. Ham last year at the cost of DeMarco Murray I can see the Raiders doubling down defensively and adding the speedster strong safety in Jackson. This guy adds another element to their defensive backs and will make an impact from day 1. Whilst they do still have the pick of the bunch, the likes of WR Williams or CB Humphrey are on the cards too and can both make an impact for this team.

5: from () HB James Conner
Yes, I like big backs and have pounded many a successful campaign out of them over the years. A few have been questioning the legitimacy of Conner due to his injury and toughness ratings, but no-one questioned Derrick Henry last year at all and he’s very comparable in that department. He’s not as polished overall as some of the highly picked running backs from the last few classes (such as a lower AGI), but overall he’d make a great wrecking ball for years to compliment Bortles in a dual threat offense that wasn’t quite there last season.

6: OLB T.J. Watt
How could you pass up on the opportunity to pair the Watt brothers in this Bears defense. T.J. has some amazing athletic ability and will easily take over from the regressing Clay Matthews. Whilst there is a potential for redundancy at QB, I think this pick can be better spent on getting a starter for this season, which could also include MLB due to similar age factors as OLB.

7: From ( via , ) CB Marlon Humphrey
After moving up Miami is gifted with a plethora of options at positions of need, almost getting first dibs on the best player for each position in this draft. Daren knows how to maximise potential, and he would be hard pressed to pass up on Humphrey to address departure of Akasi Owusu-Ansah. Youth, speed, height, and awareness are all in his favour and he’ll quickly establish himself in the Miami secondary. They could also be tempted by the big body of MLB Hendrikson, WR Williams, or one of the speedy outside linebackers as well.

8: from () WR Mike Williams
UPDATE: Titans trade up with Ravens, giving up pick 16 in the process.
The Titans are after someone special in this draft, and they keep using their ammunition to move up. Here they grab a great receiver in Williams who has impressive size, speed, athleticism, and awareness. His jump is a little on the low side, but at 6’4” he’s already towering over defensive backs who’ll need all their speed to keep up with him.

9: from ( via ) CB Marshon Lattimore
The secondary for the Giants is rather barren and desperately in need of another starter calibre player to pair with sophomore Jalen Ramsey. Lattimore gives them an extra arrow in their quiver with enough athletic prowess to make him a formidable defender in short order. It will still be a rough couple of years as that duo progresses, but this sort of talent with his awareness for a rookie is a great start. Wouldn’t be surprised to see a mentor CB joining this team in the next round of free agency or via trade. The yare still after a QB to mentor, but they take the chance that the demand is not that high for the remaining two top options.

10: from () OT Garett Bolles
The Bucs have plenty of needs but none of them are sexy picks this early with the talent available. Their best bet is to draft the best offensive lineman available in the draft and re-jig their o-line to fit him in as they are a bit bare at guard. With a need at both safety positions they’d be reaching for FS Hooker or SS Gerry, and DE’s a rather thin on the ground, but a super-fast tight end would be a fine addition to support Zeke and Cousins as a double threat.
11: from () TE George Kittle
Whilst Jesse James is a nice tight end, we are talking about the SFL All-Stars here, so they need an all-star tight end. Kittle has wide receiver speed to add that next level of threat to an already dynamic offense. There does appear to be a strong effort to move MLB Chris White, so maybe MLB Hendrikson’s 270lbs frame is a siren call to Apolo that he can’t refuse.

12: from () WR Kenny Golladay
Who can say they don’t need a speedy 6’4” receiver? Definitely not Breck who loves a good receiver change over and Golladay would pair impressively with Josh Gordon as Brandan LaFell mentors and declines in skills over the coming years. Recent trades have opened up a need for a defensive end, but the pickings now aren’t worth this pick unless they workout really well. The cupboard is also completely bare at most the safety spots on the roster and they may be tempted to go that route, but I think they get better value this way.

13: from () DT Jaleel Johnson
In their efforts to transition to a pure 3-4 defensive structure, the Chargers add the final piece to the puzzle in a big, strong, and surprisingly athletic man or the middle. With the output of DT Sen’Derrick Marks for the Titans in their 3-4 last season this could be a great sleeper pick that produces startling results, but we all know DTs are not sexy picks and historically have not gone high in a draft.

14: OT Julie'n Davenport
The Jaguars would be ecstatic to land one of the top offensive tackles in the draft with this pick as they have a couple of holes needing some elite skill. Davenport is an athletic monster that just needs some work on his blocking skills (as most o-line in this draft do), but he will fit quite comfortably anywhere on the line. The other options are adding an outside linebacker who can push his speed into corner territory to replace an aging Brian Cushing.

15: from ( via , ) QB DeShaun Watson
The Giants still get a franchise quarterback in this draft and can see him mentored with controlled growth. Whilst not at the freakish rookie level as Trubisky, Watson is on par with most of the top quarterbacks in previous drafts. It could be a coin toss between Watson and Mahomes here, depending on what name Ro prefers. Although with plenty of other needs on the team they could chance letting a quarterback slide to their next pick at 28 with the hope that few teams are actually in the market this year. It wouldn’t surprise me to see them jump on a receiver, safety, defensive end, or outside linebacker instead.

16: from ( via , via ) CB Tre'Davious White
Defensive tackle is an actual need for this team, especially if match eligible doesn’t go their way, along with a young, quality defensive back, or even the next generation of running back. White brings an elite injection of speed and with the potential to hit 99/99/99 SPD/AGI/ACC with ease. Whilst just below the ideal 6-foot marking, at 5’11” there are plenty of SFL starters out there who have thrived at this height without his outstanding athleticism. The could be tempted by some other corners here, but age and speed

17: from ( via , ) WR JuJu SmithSchuster
The Dolphins are still spilt for choice with their second pick of the first round and can add another talented player like SmithSchuster. The man with two compound names has blazing speed in a 6’2” frame and will be an instant starter to help Mariota progress and become his long-term partner in crime. Even though free agency has provided some serviceable players to fill roster needs, there could be a play at an outside linebacker here that would be a great upgrade over Sio Moore and co.

18: from ( via ) SS Jabrill Peppers
The patriots have a couple of needs, but the players from the class in strong safety and defensive end by this point are borderline 1st round talent. If the skews go the wrong way on Peppers or the likes of De Hall or Allen then they’ll be a bust, so without private work outs this is a tough one to call. Peppers is still the better option over Justin Evans mainly due to the 2-year age difference and the awareness both being in Peppers’ favour.

19: from () TE Evan Engram
Kevin has the luxury of taking BPA here as he has a lot of talented youth across the board. He may be tempted by SS Josh Evans to understudy and eventually succeed Dominique Barber, but the age may deter him from this course of action. They have a bevy of tight ends, but none of them are stand outs across the board like Engram who will be a matchup nightmare for any defense. They could be tempted to go for a stronger and bigger defensive tackle to anchor their line if one of the few talents is still available, but that position is very shallow this draft.

20: from () SS Josh Evans
A second offensive lineman did I hear you say? No, can’t see Bryan doubling down there when he still has other holes to fill. Evans gives him a talented safety option with few downsides and less potential that the skew will make him average like a defensive end would. Looking back at the film room does not indicate whether Bryan is going 4-3 or 3-4, so picking the right type of defensive end here would be a challenge anyway.

21: from ( via , , , ) OT Roderick Johnson
Aiming for a guy to play offensive guard is decent value at this pick, especially if the draft trends this way and only a couple of linemen have been taken at this stage. Johnson has stellar athleticism and strength for an offensive lineman which will serve him well anywhere on the line. He does struggle with run blocking out of the gate, but his superior intellect for a rookie means you can focus progression into that area instead of balancing awareness with blocking capability.

22: from ( via , ) WR Chris Goodwin
With a few other positions to fill I think the Jaguars find a second target for Winston to throw to who comes with the package of decent height and top end speed. Whilst Josh Malone would provide a bigger target at 6’3”, Goodwin has him beat on speed alone which can be a deciding factor in getting separation from a defender. In the end the Jaguars are spilt for choice and can take their preferred style of receiver here as there are still several talented options available.

23: from ( via , ) FS Mailk Hooker
Whilst we might kid about Rock taking a kicker again the first round, it always remains on the table, but with a later pick in this round he won’t jump too early on that train. Ideally a strong safety would have fallen to the Seahawks here, but with them already gobbled up the Seahawks can strengthen their secondary by adding Hooker with aim of moving him or Meeks to strong safety. Should the skew work in Hooker’s favour he would be a great long-term player for the Seahawks and fill a big hole on the team as he has good height, is young (21), and has well rounded skills to get the job done in either position.

24: OT Cam Robinson
Another athletic specimen amongst this year’s class, Robinson is one of the smartest players entering the league and it will help him offset and low run blocking ability. He’s also only 21 which makes him a better prospect than Sam Tevi with this pick who really only shines brighter on strength and initial pas blocking. If a solid blocker is not to their taste the Browns would be well served adding a corner back here with several options still on the board, like Cordrea Tankersley or Shaquill Griffin. They’re a bit spoilt for choice so late in the first to be able to address a couple of positions of need.

25: from ( via , ) OT Sam Tevi
It’s a hard pick how Breck would use this pick as he can easily make upgrades at corner, safety, linebacker, or on the offensive line. He would get great value from Tevi with this pick to fill a void with a highly athletic specimen. At 23 his age is the real deciding factor on his selection and may impact whether other positions get priority, or he decides a younger offensive lineman is a better choice with a slightly lower stat line.

26: from () MLB Trey Hendrickson
Many would have looked at the man mountain but eventually the higher needs for team have seen him slide to pick 25. After letting Alec Ogletree walk to free agency, they replace him with a player unrivalled at this position. He has immense size at 270lbs but can still book it around the field with a lateral capability and quick first step that look freakish. He will terrorize many an offense with the way he can move, most likely surprising a few teams in how well he can maneuver that bulk around.

27: from ( via , ) OT Ryan Ramczyk
A 2nd offensive lineman? I know it doesn’t look likely but after Luck went down last year and their season got steamrolled, they can use all the quarterback protection they can get and Ramczyk is a solid option balancing age with strength, athleticism, awareness, and blocking skills. There are a variety of option still on the board with their own benefits and the Packers have the luxury of choosing a player that is their style here.

28: from ( via ) WR Josh Malone
At 6’3” and 94 speed, Malone makes for one hell of a target and a troublesome matchup. The Giants are a little light on really talented receivers and they can improve that situation here if they prefer over an upgrade at outside linebacker. It’s a tough call on which outside linebacker would be the next best choice as they all have a range of pros that are weighted against age, height, or weight to combine with some excellent speed, agility, and acceleration options.

29: from () FS Marcus Williams
Private workouts and the skew will play a big part in where the Steelers go with this pick as the need for a faster free safety is high, but speed is not blessing this year’s class. Williams is young with decent stats across the board that only need a slight uptick to make him a quality starter.

30: from () TE Gerald Everett
Age and overall low stats are plaguing the tight ends on the roster so a young stud with the skills to play this position will greatly help this team. Everett doesn’t possess the insane speed of the top 2 tight ends in this class, but he has more than enough to provide an upgrade. He’s a well-rounded player that will benefit the running game and provide a reliable receiving target.

31: QB Patrick Mahomes
When you don’t feel like taking a kicker, what do you do instead? Take a viable quarterback to mentor in the background to take the reins from Alex Smith at a time when it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Any other year the likes of Mahomes would be the top talent, nut this year with Trubisky stealing the show and the demand low he’s literally a steal at tis point in the draft. 65 awareness, 93 throwing power and 89 throwing accuracy are great starting points when he’ll get mentored over the next 2 seasons before needing to start.

32: from ( via ) DE Jonathan Allen
This deep in the draft and it’s fine to take a risk on a defensive end where speed is not a bolded attribute and therefore subject to the heaviest possible swing. If Allen’s speed goes up in any way he’ll be a great nab at this stage. At 6’3” he is probably shorter than average, but he packs 291lbs to throw around. He’s also extremely smart for a defensive end with 70 awareness and is one of the more polished tacklers at 79.
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