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2018 BOARD'S NFL Mock Draft Selection Thread
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22-03-2018 8:15pm#1
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With the first pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns select, Quarterback, Sam Darnold. USC.
Sam Darnold is my favourite QB of this draft, hands down. At just 20 years old, I think he is an absolute blue chip prospect that the Browns will be delighted to have.
People question the throwing motion and ball handling that lead to numerous fumbles, but the latter can be fixed and the former is overplayed in my eyes. Darnold has a quick release and can make all the throws. His ability outside the pocket making unscripted plays shows flashes of Aaron Rodgers, and he has the character and skillset to make an impact on this league.
This time last year every analyst and scout in the country was raving over Darnold. I feel like a poor offensive line and supporting cast has dampened some of that initial enthusiasm, but for me he's the most exciting prospect in the draft. There isn't an offensive system that I don't think Sam Darnold could learn and ultimately excel in. And, at 20, he has more than enough time to sit and learn behind Tyrod Taylor for a year or two. Certainly more so than the 23 year old Baker Mayfield, who has been touted as an alternative.
Browns can be delighted with their pick, and I'm only sorry the ginger assassin won't be slipping to the Giants at #2.
(I won't be around for a while tomorrow morning so posting my pick now for fear of holding this up)0 -
With the second pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, the New York Giants select:
Quenton Nelson OG Notre Dame
Bit of a surprise at #2 but I believe this quarterback class is slightly overrated and the Giants are quietly happy with Davis Webb at backup QB.
I think Nelson is the most talented player in the draft and with the Giants missing out on their long term target Andrew Norwell in Free Agency I believe Dave Gettleman opts to continue to improve the giants O-line having already added Nate Solder in Free Agency.
Having watched Gettleman select two defensive tackles with his first two picks with the Panthers in 2013, I know how much stock he puts in his linemen or hog mollies as he calls them.
Tempting to go after Bradley Chubb since the JPP trade but a dominant power run game is a huge part of Gettleman's philosophy and with this selection he'll have turned the Giants greatest weakness, their O-line into one of their greatest strengths in the space of one off season.
I do believe the giants could trade down a few spots and still get Nelson but who knows how trades may turn out yet.0 -
With the 3rd selection of the 2018 draft the New York Jets select Josh Allen QB from Wyoming/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57967795/usa_today_10266961.0.jpg)
First of all I think the Jets have a great situation for a young qb. Josh McCown by all accounts is destined to be a coach as his knowledge of the game is brilliant and is very good with helping out his fellow qbs. Also with Bridgewater there there are 2 potential starters who can lead the team allowing Allen to sit for the first year and learn.
As for Allen he is physically the best qb in the draft. Has a huge arm and is mobile enough that he can make plays with his feet. His completion percentage in college is a worry but there are some mitigating factors for this. Firstly he played in a pro style offense that doesn't really give as many easy reads/completions as say Mayfield would have gotten. Also he lost 4 receivers to the NFL which are not easily replaced in a smaller school like Wyoming.
Its probably fair to say that Allen along with Jackson are the 2 biggest boom or bust prospects out of the top 5 qbs, but hey it's the Jets. What could possibly go wrong!!!!0 -
With the 4th selection of the 2018 draft the Cleveland Browns
select #26, Saquon Barkley, Running Back, Penn State, 1.83m, 106kg
With Sam Darnold being the first QB off the board and the Browns not doing Browns type things with pick #1, we now give them the best possible player in the draft in Saquon Barkley.
Having gone defense heavy over the last several premium draft picks they've had in Myles Garret, Jabrill Peppers, Emmanuel Ogbah and Carl Nassib the Browns now start trying to actually win games with the best players available.
Barkley a three year starter under James Franklin at Penn State goes to Cleveland as they get back to doing what they have always done best in running the ball. In a college career laden with personal and team achievements, Barkley a two time Big 10 player of the year and Big 10 champion in 2016 finished with several school records when departing after winning the 2017 Fiesta bowl.
Barkley finished his college career with an almost astonishing 5,500 all purpose yards and functioned as a runner (3,800+ yards and 43 touchdowns), receiver (1,200 yards and 8 touchdowns), kick returner (519 yards and 2 touchdowns) and even threw a couple of passes including a touchdown for 36 yards.
Barkley entered the 2017 college season with high expectations and truly delivered on them. His coming out was the white out night game v the Iowa Hawkeyes where he touched the ball 40 times for 358 yards all purpose yards and a touchdown outgoing the entire hawkeyes offense in doing so. Despite being harried by tackling machine Josey Jewell all night, Barkley came out on top. Highlights are below
Barkley entered the combine as a consensus top 10 pick on all big boards and absolutely blow up the combine with his performance. Figures of 4.40 40 yard dash, 1.54 10 yard split, 29 reps on the bench and a 41 inch Vert jump. As vwell as his hard work and heavy work load on the field he's known to put in the hard work off the pitch and is known as a weight room junkie.
Barkley is labelled as a once in a generation talent (but isn't one of the running backs in every draft the same) and his ability to stop on a dime, spin and move and accelerate should all transfer to the next level. Many consider Barkley to be a great friend of his offensive line with his ability to read defenses, make adjustments and cuts and power through to the second level of defenses. He has a great burst and can also get outside and go round the corner with his solid footwork.
His main weaknesses are considered to be more of an elusive runner rather than a power back like Ezekiel Elliott and Leonard Fournette, has a lower number of broken tackles and lacks powerful legs to go more north/south as is required in the NFL.
There have been comparisons to Barry Sanders and he probably lands in a similar situation to Sanders in that he'll not be landing at a power house program and will be expected to become the face of the franchise with Darnold. If Barkley can come close to achieving Sanders level of performances the dawg pound will be heralding their new "Jim Brown".
The Browns will need to start building out a powerful offensive line to provide the support to both players and it'll be lamented that Joe Thomas has retired and wasn't around to help settle these guys into da dawg pound.
I did consider giving them 2017 Ray Guy award winning and Texas bowl MVP the Aussie "Punt-isher" Michael Dickson... but BARKLEY just manage to edge him out
bigpussybonpensiero and the Denver Broncos are on the clock with the fifth pick in the draft.0 -
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With the fifth pick in the 2018 NFL Draft the Denver Broncos select Josh Rosen.
The purest passer in the draft and arguably the best QB of an apparently QB-stacked draft, the Denver Broncos land a gem at #5. They boast a roster capable of challenging for a Superbowl, but ever since Peyton Manning rode off into the sunset John Elway hasn't been able to find a capable replacement under centre. They have tried and failed with 3 different QBs in the 2 agonising seasons since their Superbowl 50 triumph, and not many people expect Case Keenum to be the long-term solution.
Josh Rosen is an NFL ready QB, he is a player capable of standing tall under pressure and delivering pass after pass. His throwing motion has been dubbed flawless, his arm talent is superb and his ability to anticipate routes is exceptional. By all means Rosen has the ability to become a perennial Pro-Bowler and a franchise quarterback.
There are however, as with every QB in this draft, questions over whether or not he will become a coveted franchise quarterback. There are concerns over whether he can be a leader of men; there are concerns over whether he actually does have the drive to be a successful NFL QB given his affluent background; there are concerns over his ability to be coached; and on the field there are concerns whether he can overcome blitz-heavy packages.
With all that being said, in the unlikely event Josh Rosen is available at pick #5, he will be chosen by the Denver Broncos. He is very much a potential franchise QB and they simply cannot afford to pass him up should he still be on the table.0 -
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With the 6th overall pick the Indianapolis Colts select
Bradley Chubb, Defesive end from N.C. State
It is a close call here between Chubb and Fitzpatrick for the Colts, both are defensive studs at positions of need but DE is a greater need.
They ranked 31st in sacks last year, and thats something that needs to change.
At 6'4" , 269lbs Chubb looks to be the perfect fit for an ailing pass rush. He has delivered in college. He is the all time sack leader for N.C. State, he was named 1st Team All-Conference and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year for 2017.
Speed, strength and athleticism should allow him to transition to the NFL quickly and expect to see production from the get go. He may not be enough on his own to revitalize the Colts defensive line, but he is a blue chip player that should have a long career and be a building block for this unit over the coming years.
Colts may look to trade out of this pick if the offer is good enough (looking at Buffalo if their QB of choice is still on the board) but if not, expect them to shore up their pass rush with Chubb0 -
With the 7th pick of the 2018 NFL Draft,
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers select
Minkah Fitzpatrick, Safety out of Alabama.
Minkah Fitzpatrick has put together quite a nice audition tape in 3 years in Alabama. Though his production dropped off last year (1 INT, 1 FF) his 2016 production was through the roof (6 INT's, 2 pick 6's and 1 FF).
He excels as an in the box Safety, blitzing off the edge and tackling running backs. Loves a big hit (sometimes to the detriment of his positioning), and seems like a great character in the locker room.
Tampa have a dire need at Safety with TJ Ward being a massive let down last year and Christ Conte and Keith Tandy not being NFL standard. The Bucs give up massive yardage in the passing game regularly, due to a poor pass rush and poor DB play. Picking up Curry and JPP should help the pass rush, Fitzpatrick would bring their DB's to another level.
Chicago Bears and barney 92 are now on the clock.0 -
With the 8th overall pick the Chicago Bears select
Denzel WardCornerback, Ohio state
The Bears have Fuller and Amukamara but I reckon they could do with a third corner, especially given the division they are in. Rodgers, Stafford and Cousins are a tough trio to have to play regularly so the Bears will need a solid secondary to stop their offences. Ward only had two interceptions for Ohio State but defended plenty of passes and was a decent tackler too.0 -
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With the 9th pick in the 2018 NFL draft, the San Francisco 49ers select......Derwin James, Safety, Florida State
Derwin James is 6'3" and a beast. He is a premium strong safety and he can play multiple positions and has done for Florida State during his career. He is capable of lining up in any of the LB positions and he is particularly good at playing the hybrid safety/lb role, he can go back and play as the free safety too with his speed. He can do all of this at a very high level which makes him very, very valuable to any team. During his time with the Seminoles Derwin showed a great eye for reading the play, he is very quick to track down the running back and he is an exceptional tackler. In fact he has a knack for stripping the ball as he begins his tackle. James showed himself to be a leader on the field at Florida State too. I'm a huge fan of Minkah Fitzpatrick but this guy is just as good and it's close to impossible to pick one over the other. We've seen his impressive displays for the Seminoles and his measurables at the combine just enhance his position in the draft with a 4.47sec 40, a 132 inch broad jump, a 40 inch vertical and 21 reps on the bench press. This guy is going to be, at a minimum, a solid starter in the NFL and I think he could be a future all-pro.
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With the 10th pick in the 2018 NFL draft, the Oakland Raiders select......
Vita Vea, DT, Washington
Defensive tackle is the biggest need on Oakland’s roster. Ndamukong Suh was a flash in the pan, so now the Raiders have only Justin Ellis as a surefire starter after re-signing for three years earlier this month. Vea is regarded as the class’ top defensive tackle
Vea is not only a big man, standing at 6-foot-4 and 350 pounds, but he is also one of the strongest prospects in this draft class. He put on an absolute show during the bench press at the NFL Scout Combine, though his workouts ended with a hamstring injury.0 -
I actually think the Dolphins will take Baker MAyfield here if he is still on the board but...... for my draft....
With the 11th pick in the draft the Miami Dolphins pick LB Tremaine Edmunds, Probably the best in the nation at this position, ^'5, 250-lbs, closing speed like a freight train, great game awareness, can appear anywhere on the field, sideline to sideline speed, strong as a bull and will stand a player up in a tackle and not take a step back
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With the 12th selection of the 2018 draft the Buffalo Bills
select #6, Baker Mayfield, Quarter Back, Oklahoma, 6'1", 215lbs
With the big three gone before we got to 12, Buffalo select the man that some people suspect they might try and trade up to number six and acquire the highly decorated and often times controversial Baker Mayfield.
Buffalo ignore the best available players left in the draft at this point and take the main who can be the face of their franchise for several years to come. After several failed attempts at getting a QB even coming close to the calibre of the great Jim Kelly, Buffalo take's Mayfiled the current Heisman Trophy winner who won every major QB trophy in the FBS in 2017.
Mayfield has gone from being a walk on at Texas Tech and their air raid offence where he rarely played, to having an new NCAA rule named after him when he transferred to Oklahoma. Despite losing a year of eligibility after his transfer, with the Sooners Mayfield transformed into a bona fide star whilst at Norman.
Starting all but one of his 39 games in his time with the Sooners (the one non start due to one of those controversial momenets which we'll get too..) Mayfield's numbers have all improved year on year finishing out his college career with a passing completion of 68.6% (1,003 of 1,462) for 129 touchdowns and 29 interceptions.
Mayfield finished his 2016 season as a Heisman finalist finishing third but this was where the fun started for Mayfield heading into the 2017 season. He was arrested for public intoxication in Feb-17 and forced to undertake community service and enroll in in an alcohol education programme. This however was only the start of his misdemeanours which included planting an OU flag at centrefield after defeating Ohio at the shoe and grabbing his crotch and shouting F**k you across the sidelines during the Kansas games after comments in the media during the week by the jayhawks coach. This resulted in his not starting the week after. After his best college season, including a shootout victory in the Bedlam Series v Oklahoma state where they combined for 1,200 plus total yards including 598 passing yards from Mayfield, Oklahoma secured their third straight BIG 12 title and Mayfield was once again in the Heisman running which he won in a landslide securing 86% of the total possible points available.
The major knock on Mayfield has been his inability to get it done on the biggest stage and despite jumping out to an early lead in Rose Bowl v Georgia once more he was unable to lead the Sooners to the BCS playoff final after a crushing double overtime defeat losing 54-48.
Mayfield plays with a fiery demeanor and chip on his shoulder which his offence in Norman loved and they would've done anything for him. He is light on his feet and has an ability to extend plays and scramble when needed. He has underrated arm talent and has accuracy on all levels of play. He can work through his progression in the pocket and whilst on the move when flushed out of the pocket. His accuracy at range over 20 yards, whilst on the move and in the red zone are at elite levels.
His main weaknesses are that he falls short of the measureables of a first round QB. He benefited from a spread scheme offence which created large windows for him to throw into but he will not have that in the NFL and will need to be aware he may be likely to see more deflected and or batted down passes. He can be thrown off by delayed blitz and disguised coverage packages and his desire to make plays will lead to high sack numbers. However the main concern many have is that he needs to reign in his on and off field cockiness.
There have been comparisons to Doug Flutie due to his size but Mayfield should be a player. The bills will need to build the offence around his strengths with this pick.
I once again considered taking 2017 Ray Guy award winning and Texas bowl MVP the Aussie "Punt-isher" Michael Dickson with this pick and he was narrowly ahead of the other consideration in Roquan Smith... but BAKER just manage to edge them both out
Scummyman and the Washington Redskins are on the clock with the thirteenth pick in the draft.0 -
With the thirteenth pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins select:
Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
Was in a bit of a tricky spot here with the Redskins, as I really wanted either Denzel Ward or Vita Vea. Went with what I think is BPA in Roquan Smith, who is a plug and play linebacker who will immediately improve the Redskins linebacker corps.
What are they getting? A unique talent who moves like a safety, but tackles like a linebacker. He’s a real sideline to sideline type player, the first thing you notice about him is his speed. Excellent in coverage, I think he will be a home-run pick for whoever grabs him, especially with the current trend of hybrid safeties/linebackers.
The Green Bay Packers and Connor222 are now on the clock.0 -
With the 14th overall pick the Greenbay packer select/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58767769/usa_today_10569880.0.jpg)
Marcus Davenport, Defensive end from University of Texas- San Antonio
6 foot 7, 255 lbs. Overlooked coming out of high school, Davenport has improved year on year at UTSA. His final season in college he has 55 tackles, 17.5 TFLs and 8.5 sacks. Deflected 4 passes, forced 3 fumbles and recovered one for a touchdown. He was named the C-USA player of the year.
A strong performance at the Senior bowl solidified his draft stock for many commentators and can provide a lot in a position of need for the Packers. A pedestrian 37 sacks placed them tied 17th in the league last year. They could consider a CB here to help their secondary but see depth at that position in this draft, whereas a pass rush threat like Davenport can help generate the pressure to make life easier for their DBs.
Davenport is BPA at this spot and fits a need for the Packers. They get a highly athletic edge rusher who has improved year on year and projects well into the NFL.
Next on the clock is D9male with the Arizona Cardinals0 -
With the 15th pick of the boards.ie NFL mock draft, the Arizona Cardinals select Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame.
So this was a choice between two options. Take a swing at a quarterback or draft the best player available in a position of need. Although Jackson is intriguing, and I could see the attraction in having him and Bradford as vastly different options at QB, I think the good QB's are gone and Arizona will look to strengthen in the offensive trenches if they haven't traded up for Mayfield.
Production? They guy did the business for three years solid at Notre Dame
Ready to Roll? You betcha. The guy is the most pro-ready tackle in the draft.
Robust? Yep, he didn't miss any games in his three years in college.
Right Size? He is 6'8" and 315 pounds so he should be alright.
Pedigree? As a horse racing fan, this is important, and he is a cousin to Matt Ryan.
Character? Flawless. The kind of lad you would let walk your daughter home from church with.
Basically, Arizona's offense stinks, and Bradford is going to be mincemeat behind the OL without some serious upgrades. McGlinchey is as solid a prospect as they come, with a high floor. Their defence is good enough to allow for a super bowl run, in my book. Getting Johnson back and if Bradford stays healthy gives them a chance of keeping opposition defences honest. But they will need an O-line to thrive, and McGlinchey will help provide that.
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With the 16th pick of the 2018 draft, the Baltimore Ravens select #16 Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU
It's great when the BPA also fills a massive area of need for the Ravens. At 6' 4" Sutton is the perfect outside complement for Crabtree as we hope to ignite the same potency that the Raiders got when paired with Cooper. Sutton certainly has the highest ceiling in this draft and easily outscores Ridley in the metrics while looking fairly decent on tape too.
A rangy Wr who tracks the ball well, Sutton has the ability to be a dominant x receiver in the NFL. Sutton finished his last 2 seasons with over 1,000 yards and 10/12 touchdowns.
Felt it was a bit of a bigger reach for the next best tackle in the draft in Connor Williams. Wr wise I'd take moore myself but its an unrealistic pick at 16 imo.0 -
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With the 17th pick of the boards.ie 2018 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Chargers select Maurice Hurst, DT from Michigan.
Possibly a curveball with this pick! The big question mark here surrounds the heart issue discovered during tests at the combine. Hurst was since cleared to play so hopefully he will be good to go for his rookie season. The Chargers interior defensive line is weakened following the four game suspension of Corey Liuget and Hurst can compliment the monsterous edge rush of Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. He is towards the smaller size for a DT but with the edge rush attracting attention Hurst can be an effective pash rusher with his initial acceleration.
A quarterback was a possible selection here with Jackson or Rudolph still available, but I reckon Rivers can play on for another two seasons.
With the 18th pick, Mikemac and the Seattle Seahawks are now on the clock.0 -
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With the 18th pick in the mock draft the Seattle Seahawks select
Da’ron Payne , defensive tackle , Alabama 6’ 2” 311lbs/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58535385/905108286.jpg.0.jpg)
Seahawks fans may be calling for more help for Russell Wilson and there are many needs but this GM is going for a lineman. The Seahawks offensive line needs investment also but I felt the better value was on the defensive side
Payne is a run stuffing nose tackle but has been versitale and moved along the line. A durable player he had 29 straight starts. He was not asked to take on many pass rushing duties and only had 3 sacks in college but he is not some 350lbs statue and the coaches can use his athleticism to get him involved.
Bennett is facing legal charges and it’s uncertain if McDowell or Avril will be kept around long term or even short term. I feel Payne can contribute and assist to nullify the likes of Todd Gurley and David Johnson
The Cowboys are on the clock0 -
With the 19th pick in the mock draft, the Dallas Cowboys select Rashaan Evans, LB from Alabama:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57194569/usa_today_10347403.0.jpg)
Second Alabama player in a row off the board (Roll Tide) and the first time time the Cowboys have drafted out of Tuscaloosa since 2001.
Evans stands out due to his power, speed, versatility, leadership, and violence. He views Dont'a Hightower as a model and it shows. He has real sideline-to-sideline speed, PFF graded him first in this years LB class in pass rush productivity, and with the way the game is moving has displayed continued improvements in his coverage work during the last season. Biggest concerns are potentially his injury record, though he only missed 2 games last season, and his lack of running the 40 at both the combine and pro day, which may lead teams to suspect he might not be as fast as he appears on tape (I feel will cause him slide in the real draft).
Not the sexiest pick nor sexiest position, but a definite area of need for the Cowboys, having lost Hitchens, Lee now a regular sicknote, and Jaylon Smith possibly never returning to the player he once was. Having captained Alabama during their championship run this year, a school that provides first/second round LB talent ready for NFL intensity on a near annual basis, Evans is one of the two most prepared LBs to plug-and-play on day one of next season. With the clock ticking down on the Cowboys having Zeke and Dak on cheap contracts, they need to push forward to challenge now and they can't do that when the defense appears to fall apart when Lee is off the field.
In an ideal world, if the Cowboys weren't keen on moving up to get Roquan Smith, they should be able to move back a few picks and still get Evans, however with the lack of trades in this draft the need for the Cowboys to fill a glaring hole with a player with a high floor (even if other LBs may have higher ceilings) trumps taking one here to further reinforce relatively stronger units (OL, DT, DE, CB, WR), despite how some tasty prospects in those positions have fallen in this draft.
Detroit Lions are on the clock0 -
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With the 21st pick in the 2018 Boards Draft the Cincinnati Bengals select
Connor Williams OT Texas
The Bengals need to bolster their offensive line. I had wanted to pick Orlando Brown, because I was actually surprised he'd dropped this far. Then I read about his combine. I also considered Josh Jackson at CB.
But Williams was a serious consideration for the Bengals before they traded back, and I think he'll be a good addition. Started as a Freshman at Texas and was an All-American. An injury last year pushed him down the draft board but he'll be very good value here. I'm not going to pretend I know much about the intricacies of OL play but he is proven very, very strong in the run game (he was the one opening lanes for Deonte Foreman in 2016), and provides excellent pass protection as well. He is an elite player, with a serious workrate and a great attitude. Check his highlights out, he's seriously aggressive at left tackle, but the Bengals may look to move him to the right as well, depending on their needs.
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With the 22nd pick of 2018 boards mock draft the Buffalo Bills select...
Corner back Josh Jackson
Coming off an 8 interception season everyone knows Jackson seems to find a way to get the ball, after watching his combine he is a tall fast tight hipped defensive back but I was surprised to no see him gone already!
With the bills already securing a Qb with pick 12, the next pick was definitely for the secondary, I know the Defensive line and Linebacker groups need filling but for the talent available (Vae, Hurst and Payne gone) they are worth later picks,0 -
With the 23rd selection of the 2018 Boards.ie draft the Los Angeles Rams select
select #3, Calvin Ridley, Wide Receiver, Alabama, 6'0", 189lbs
Calvin Ridley was the top recruited WR in 2014 and followed Amari Cooper from Florida to Tuscaloosa and play for Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide. Many predict that the Raiders might try and pair the Bama boys in the NFL but as things have not gone in that direction here he lands in LA (soon to be Las Vegas) to replaced the departed Sammy Watkins and assist Jared Goff.
Ridley has concerns over his failure to post huge numbers during his college years but when you feature in the run first and pass averse Bama offense its hard to show your full repetoire. He finished a three year career at Bama playing 44 games for 2,800 yards and 19 touchdowns.
He has great separation ability from corners and a smooth and steady stride. His slight failure has a lot of clubs worried and he needs to improve his use of his hands to create space from press corners and in catching situations.
Bottom Line (copied from Lance Zierlien on NFL.com)
Ridley has game-changing talent complete with blazing speed and rare route-running ability for a college prospect. He ran the full route tree at Alabama, has experience working in a pro-style attack and is a plug-and-play starter on day one. He must improve his ability to defeat press corners off the snap or he'll become a feast or famine target. Ridley's elite speed and separation talent gives him the potential to become one of the more productive and dangerous receivers in the league.
It's getting more difficult to not take 2017 Ray Guy award winning and Texas bowl MVP the Aussie "Punt-isher" Michael Dickson with this pick
Onecoolcookie and the Carolina Panthers are on the clock with the twenty fourth pick in the draft.0 -
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With the 24th pick of the boards.ie 2018 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers select Justin Reid, S from Stanford.
Height | 6-1
Weight | 204
40 Time | 4.40s
The Panthers cut veteran Kurt Coleman in an effort to get younger and faster in the secondary, this has left them without a starting-caliber safety to play alongside Mike Adams (who himself is getting along at 36). Justin Reid the younger brother of ex 49er safety Eric Reid is an ideal replacement from a coverage standpoint. His primary role was in the slot in Stanford’s scheme but his man coverage skills translate well into a true safety role in the NFL.
Justin is a fast, physical, highly intelligent free safety with the versatility to move around in the defensive backfield. He would immediately give a boost to the struggling Panthers secondary. He is a phenomenal athlete and a day one starter for Carolina. Justin earned second-team All-American honors in 2017, compiling 99 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss, five interceptions and six pass breakups. His combination of range, instincts, ball skills and physicality make him worthy of a first round pick.
This was actually a tricky pick to make, I was torn between taking a WR or S first as they are both huge needs for the Panthers. If Calvin Ridley wasn't picked 23rd by the Rams I would have been sorely tempted to go in that direction but the fact Carolina have picked up Torrey Smith and Jarius Wright this offseason leads me to believe they might wait till later rounds to use a pick on a receiver.0
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