12. Indianapolis Colts; Tremaine Edmunds, OLB Virginia Tech

The Colts are another team that just need talented pieces, and after trading down to 12, with Edmunds they get a player who is as much about potential as anything. While he is unlikely to help them over the hump in 2018, Edmunds gives them a high upside player to develop as they continue to rebuild around a returning Andrew Luck. This is another ‘best player available pick’ that will likely be whoever the Colts have atop their draft board when the pick rolls around.

13. Washington Redskins; Da’Ron Payne, DT Alabama

The Redskins made a big move this offseason by trading for Alex Smith and he finds himself on an offense with a decent number of weapons; defense could well be the focus of Washington’s draft. Linebacker could be an option if either Smith or Edmunds fall, but without, they they could look to add another Alabama lineman to pair with Jonathan Allen. Allen is more of a natural 3-technique than Payne and so he could be forced back into more of the natural run defending 1-technique role that he excelled at while at Alabama, but he did demonstrate the ability to be an effective pass rusher if teams leave him one-on-one in pass protection.

Josh Jackson

Josh Jackson. Photo Credit: Jeffrey Becker/USA Today Sports

14. Green Bay Packers; Josh Jackson, CB Iowa

The Packers are a team that has seen a lot of change this offseason and have needs at a number of positions; pass rusher should be seen as a real possibility here, but they do look very thin on the back end since trading away Damarious Randall. Jackson is a ball hawk who should be a persistent interception threat from day one. Aaron Rodgers might want more weapons around him, but unless this defense can get some stops, that’s not going to be worth very much.

15. Denver Broncos; Isiah Wynn, G Georgia

The Broncos might be tempted to go after an offensive lineman to protect Case Keenum instead of trading down, but should they move down in this way, they would be elated to add a quality player like Wynn at 15. Wynn could come in and play either right tackle or left guard and immediately help them in both the rushing and passing game; this is a team that is a position to compete in the short term and needs to add players who are going to make them better right now.

16. Baltimore Ravens; Calvin Ridley, WR Alabama

The Ravens need people to catch the ball – Willie Snead and Michael Crabtree are not a solution in themselves and Ridley is the top receiver on the board for most people; add to that another Alabama connection for the Ravens and this pick makes a lot of sense – Ridley can come in and be an immediate deep threat with the ability to develop into a legitimate #1 WR in the near future.

Vita Vea

Vita Vea. Photo Credit: Brian Spurlock/USA Today Sports

17. Los Angeles Chargers; Vita Vea, NT Washington

This would be an absolute steal for the Chargers, and is also a position of need for a defense that made the first step towards actually being a legitimate strength last season. Vea offers the ability to come in and contribute immediately as a run stuffer with the ability to add a pass rushing element that few NTs posses.

18. Seattle Seahawks; Mike McGlinchey, OT Notre Dame

The Seahawks offensive line is….well…not good; the fact that Russell Wilson is still able to walk is frankly amazing; Ifedi has been a disaster and the rest of their starters aren’t great either. McGlinchey isn’t the elite tackle prospect that some other draft classes have possessed, but he is regarded by many as the top tackle prospect and would be a no-brainer for a Seahawks roster that could see multiple early picks spent on the offensive line.

19. Dallas Cowboys; Courtland Sutton, WR Southern Methodist

This is a pick that has been mocked a lot over recent weeks, especially after the release of Dez Bryant; the Cowboys will get Zeke back full-time next season and won’t have their elite offensive line around for that much longer; it is time to add more weapons on the outside. Don’t be surprised if this pick is DJ Moore, but wide receivers tend to sneak up the board every year, and this year, I think Sutton makes it to Dallas. Their defense is a cause for concern, but this could well be something that gets passed over for a target who they hope can help Dak’s development.

20. Detroit Lions; Maurice Hurst, DT Michigan

Ziggy Ansah might be back, but the Lions needs help on the interior of their offensive line with Ngata moving to Philly. Hurst’s estimation varies wildly from analyst to analyst but he is undeniably a good player who should be able to act as a 3-technique in their presumed 4-3 defense.

21. Cincinnati Bengals; Frank Ragnow, C Arkansas

The Bengals are in an odd position where they have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball and yet feel a long way from being a legitimate contender. Some have hinted that the Bengals could use this pick to add another quarterback to develop behind Andy Dalton, but that would be an unusually brave move for a Bengals organization that has been extremely cautious for the most part. Ragnow is a great player who can play multiple positions on the interior of the offensive line and has moved from the third round to being a borderline top-twenty pick over the course of the past two months. Did he really move that far or are analysts just now catching up to where NFL scouts had him?

Derrius Guice

Derrius Guice. Photo Credit: Joe Robbins/Getty Images

22. New York Giants; Derrius Guice, HB LSU

Gettleman gets his running back, having passed on Barkley at the second pick in favor of moving down for a hog molly. Guice is a powerful runner who would fit Shula’s downhill running scheme and could be an immediate contributor alongside Stewart. Even having taken Nelson earlier on, they may double down on the offensive line in order to build around Eli and then try to get a running back on the second day, but teams seem to be getting higher on Guice as the draft gets closer, so he may not make it to Friday night.

23. New England Patriots; Marcus Davenport, EDGE UTSA

The Patriots look to keep both first rounders in this mock and are rewarded with an excellent player who falls to them. Davenport flashes the potential to be a dominant pass rusher from either a 4-3 DE or 3-4 OLB spot and could come in and contribute immediately for a team that is likely looking to regroup for another title push. This is both the best player available and a major need for the Patriots.

 

Next Up: You can probably guess who the Panthers pick, right?

Vincent Richardson on Twitter
Vincent Richardson
Managing Editor at Riot Report
Fan of zone coverage, knee bend and running backs running routes. Twitter: @vrichardson444