Posted in: NFL, Sports | Tagged: BC Mock Draft, Christian McCaffrey, entertainment, Mitchell Trubisky, nfl, sports

The Bleeding Cool NFL Mock Draft Part 2 (Picks 11 – 20)

Published Tue, 25 Apr 2017 20:00:02 -0500

Houston, we have a selection.

The news today included three interesting draft related stories. Adrian Peterson has agreed to a contract with the New Orleans Saints. Jay Cutler announced he wants to play more and not retire. And astronauts on the international Space Station will be announcing the pick for the Houston Texans. The AP signing means that the Saints may not be looking for RB now, The Cutler news may keep a team from reaching on an iffy quarterback… and the space thing is just damn cool.

Doing a mock draft is far more time consuming and frustrating than you'd think. Not only do you have to keep track of all the needs of each team, their offensive and defensive schemes and what they've done in free agency, but you also have to keep track of which players you've already selected… and after hours of research you know that the commissioner may take the stage Thursday night and say, "The Cleveland Browns have traded the first pick to ________" and your carefully crafted mock draft goes right out the window. This is not for the faint of heart.

Now let's get onto picks 11 through 20.

Eleventh Pick: New Orleans Saints
Selection: Haason Reddick LB (Temple)
Analysis: The Saints could work on their offensive line depth, but I can't see them using a first-round pick for that. Their biggest need is on the other side of the ball where they must address their anemic pass rush, linebacking corps and pick up a cornerback. Going with the best player available at a position of need brings us to Reddick. A three-down linebacker with explosive speed who likes to tackle. He collected 22.5 tackles in his final year at Temple where he was a walk-on. This is a solid pick at this spot and will upgrade the defense immediately while he will only improve as a player.

Twelfth Pick: Cleveland Browns
Selection: Mitchell Trubisky QB (North Carolina)
Analysis: This will seem like a reach here, but word is that the Browns really like Trubisky. This could be a smoke screen to keep folks away from another quarterback they like and still allow them to get Garrett, but I think it's real. Trubisky looked good in finale year, but it was also his only year as a starter and it's hard to get a feel for him in that short of time. He will need time to develop and maybe they can use Brock Osweiler as a stop gap. If Trubisky and Garrett develop as projected, this will be hailed as the Browns best draft. If not, then it's just another year in Cleveland.

Thirteenth Pick: Arizona Cardinals
Selection: Malick Hooker S (Ohio State)
Analysis: The Cardinals could go many directions here, but they can wait on quarterback and there really isn't a guard or wide receiver that grades out better here than Hooker. He's a bit unpolished having only started one year in college, but he has good ball skills, can cover ground quick and gets to the right spot. He had seven interceptions last year and the Cardinals need to replaced Tony Jefferson, who moved on in free agency. The team will need to address their aging quarterback situation, but word is the team is looking for someone like Patrick Mahomes who should be there in round two.

Fourteenth Pick: Philadelphia Eagles
Selection: Gareon Conley CB (Ohio State)
Analysis: This is a tough spot for the Eagles. The draft is in their backyard, their fans are going to be everywhere and a player like Christian McCaffrey is still on the board. And the Eagles need a running back, but not nearly as much as they need a cornerback. Conley has the size and speed you want in a corner. He excels in press coverage and was a two-year starter on a Ohio State team that is usually swamped with talent. As flashy a pick as McCaffrey would be here, Conley makes more sense for what the team truly needs.

Fifteenth Pick: Indianapolis Colts
Selection: Christian McCaffrey RB (Stanford)
Analysis: The Colts need a lot of help at a lot of positions. They have a franchise quarterback in Andrew Luck, but really need someone to help take the pressure off of him and that would be McCaffrey. He's slated as a running back, but a lot of teams see him as a slot receiver and that dual ability would make him very valuable to the team. He could set in the backfield and move to slot, making the entire defense shift. And Luck can take his Stanford brother under-his-wing and help him adjust to life in the NFL.

Sixteenth Pick: Baltimore Ravens
Selection: Ryan Ramczyk T (Wisconsin)
Analysis: The Ravens have quite a few needs, but keeping Joe Flacco upright is near the top. Ramczyk was only a one year starter, but Wisconsin is known for turning out good linemen and their offense transfers well into the pro style, giving him a leg up on the competition. Both Cam Robinson and Garrett Bolles are on the board here, but Ramczyk feels like the best fit in this situation. The team could go wide receiver, but I think the draft is deep enough at wideout that they can address the need on day 2.

Seventeenth Pick: Washington Redskins
Selection: Derek Barnett DE (Tennessee)
Analysis: If Barnett falls to Washington at 17, it might be the first steal of the draft. Garrett gets all the hype, but Barnett is pro-ready. He's the Volunteer's all-time sack leader, breaking Reggie White's record. He's got the size, speed and skills to be a dominating presence off the edge. Barnett was ill during the combine and had a strained hamstring at his pro-day, so coaches didn't get to see him excel in shorts… but the game isn't played in shorts. You put on the game tape and you see this guy is a force of nature.

Eighteenth Pick: Tennessee Titans
Selection: Takkarist McKinley DE (UCLA)
Analysis: The Titans are back on the clock after having grabbed the top wideout in the draft. Which leaves them in need of a corner, a linebacker and a pass rusher. Nothing makes your defense better than a good pass rush so I see them grabbing McKinley here. He pulled down 10 sacks last season at a time when opposing offenses were scheming against him. He has the potential to be an elite pass rusher for many years in the NFL.

Nineteenth Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Selection: Dalvin Cook RB (Florida State)
Analysis: Sometimes when you here a certain player associated with a certain team for a very long time, you have to think something is up. Cook ran for 1,765 yards last season… but the reason he isn't higher up is because he did it with a hamstring injury, a shoulder injury and some off-field issues. Teams could get scared off a bit. I think the other option for them here would be David Njoku at tight end, but I think the combination of Cook and Jamis Winston will be too much for the Bucs to pass up on.

Twentieth Pick: Denver Broncos
Selection: Garrett Bolles T (Utah)
Analysis: Bolles is the most athletic tackle in the draft and a good fit for the Denver blocking scheme. He needs to be trained up a bit, but the potential is there and worth honing. He had some behavioral issues when he was younger, but swears he is past all of that. His size, athleticism, foot-work and game-day edge will make teams want to believe him.