2018 NFL Draft: Josh Rosen could slide; Colts looking to trade
Print By Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks NFL.com Published: April 16, 2018 at 12:27 p.m. Updated: April 16, 2018 at 02:59 p.m. 0 Likes | 0 Comments Read Discuss
Editor's note: NFL.com analysts and former NFL scouts Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks of the Move The Sticks Podcast share some of their scouting notes for the 2018 NFL Draft, including Brooks' look at how the Cowboys can replace Dez Bryant in the draft.
But first, we kick off this week's notebook with Jeremiah revealing 10 pieces of draft intel based on his recent discussions with league sources.
* * *
With 10 days to go until the 2018 NFL Draft, I spoke to several sources around the league this weekend as I gathered intel for my next mock draft (dropping on Tuesday). Now, I'm always a little skeptical of the buzz this time of year with so much draft misinformation being circulated, but when I'm hearing the same things from at least a few different teams, I give it a little more validity. Here are 10 things I'm hearing from multiple clubs.
1) Josh Rosen is the QB most likely to slide: Everyone I've talked to around the league believes there will be three quarterbacks selected within the first five picks of the draft. That means someone out of the "big four" QBs -- USC's Sam Darnold, Wyoming's Josh Allen, Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield and UCLA's Rosen -- could slide a little bit. When I bring up this topic with personnel executives, Rosen is the one they point to as the most likely slider of the group. I personally believe Rosen is the second-best quarterback in the draft class behind Darnold, but the former Bruins QB might fall out of the top 10. Why? Part of it comes back to the durability concerns for Rosen that we've heard about throughout the process. We'll continue to hear people question his intangibles as a leader, but that's far less of a concern than the fact that he missed half his sophomore year with a shoulder injury and suffered two concussions last season.
2) Courtland Sutton could be first WR drafted: Teams are enamored with Sutton's combination of size (6-foot-3, 218 pounds) and ball skills. He was impressive at SMU's pro day last month, and teams have enjoyed visiting with him throughout the evaluation process. It wouldn't shock me if he ended up being the first wide receiver off the board.
3) Colts are looking to trade down again: The Colts' roster is in bad shape and many around the league expect them to trade down from the No. 6 spot to gain more draft picks. As you'll recall, Indianapolis traded down from the No. 3 spot in a deal with the Jets last month. I would keep an eye on teams like the Bills and Cardinals as potential trade partners should their quarterback of choice make it to Indy's pick at No. 6.
4) Quenton Nelson's range is between picks 6-8: I have the Notre Dame guard rated as the No. 3 player in this class, but he's probably not going to be a top-five pick. Most evaluators expect the first five picks of the draft to consist of three quarterbacks, Bradley Chubb and Saquon Barkley. The teams picking next -- Colts (No. 6), Bucs (No. 7) and Bears (No. 8) -- would be ideal fits for Nelson.
5) Teams are in love with Georgia's Roquan Smith and Virginia Tech's Tremaine Edmunds: These two linebackers are universally praised by the executives I've spoken to in the last week. I've been asked this question multiple times: "Do you think either of those linebackers will be there when we pick?" To those teams picking outside the top 10, my answer is brief: "No."
6) Cowboys in the market for a safety and WR: With the release of Dez Bryant, many expect the Cowboys to look for a wide receiver with their first-round selection (No. 19 overall). It's certainly possible that they'll go in that direction with their top pick. However, I'd keep an eye on the safety position as well. I highly doubt Alabama's Minkah Fitzpatrick will be there at No. 19, and the same goes for Florida State's Derwin James. However, keep an eye on Josh Jackson. The talented cornerback from Iowa is being slotted as a safety on some draft boards and he would fit beautifully in the backend of the Dallas defense.
7) Chiefs are a candidate to trade up for a CB: The Chiefs don't own a first-round pick in this year's draft (they dealt that pick away in the Patrick Mahomes trade last year), but I won't be surprised if they move up from where they're picking in the second round (No. 54 overall). They have a glaring need at cornerback and the top cover men will be long gone by the time they are on the clock if they stay put at No. 54. They need to get into the range of picks 35-40 in order to secure a Day One starter at that position, and many around the league expect them to make that happen.
8) Bills could go heavy on OL: The Bills have an obvious need for a long-term answer at the quarterback position, but they also have several holes to fill along the offensive line. They've lost three key starters in the offseason: Eric Wood (injury), Cordy Glenn (traded to Bengals) and Richie Incognito (placed on reserve/retired list). If they don't trade up for a quarterback, expect them to heavily address the offensive line in the first three rounds.
9) Chargers looking for QB in Round 2: The Chargers have been doing their homework on this quarterback class and there is a lot of chatter about them potentially looking for Philip Rivers' eventual replacement. While many have pointed to the possibility of taking Louisville's Lamar Jackson in the first round, I'd keep an eye on guys like Washington State's Luke Falk, Oklahoma State's Mason Rudolph and Richmond's Kyle Lauletta in the second round.
10) LSU's Donte Jackson is the best nickel cornerback in the draft: Jackson isn't often mentioned with the top cornerback prospects in this draft class, but teams around the league are very high on his skill set. He's extremely explosive and has experience in the slot. In fact, several teams believe he's the best nickel corner in the draft. In today's NFL, the nickel cornerback is considered a starter. With that in mind, Jackson could come off the board much earlier than expected. He could be selected as early as the final 10-12 picks of the first round. -- Daniel Jeremiah
Ten NFL Draft 2018 prospects the Browns should avoid Posted April 16, 2018 at 06:05 AM | Updated April 16, 2018 at 07:08 AM
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The 2018 NFL Draft is a little more than a week away, and the Browns have five picks in the first two rounds.
That leaves plenty of top prospects with appeal and question marks. Here is a breakdown, considering the Browns’ roster configuration and potential pitfalls with the prospects.
By Matt Goul, cleveland.com link 10. Orlando Brown, Oklahoma OT His appeal: Brown’s 6-foot-8, 345-pound frame is one of the most massive in this draft. Bringing in the son of Orlando “Zeus” Brown could be a tremendous story.
Drafter beware: For that size, Brown put up 225 pounds just 14 times at the combine. Add his 5.85-second run in the 40-yard-dash, and those were the worst performances of any offensive lineman. It should be noted his play at Oklahoma suggests that combine performance is an aberration. Brown’s footwork is a bigger concern. As NFLDraftScout.com’s Rob Rang noted, “Speed rushers can get him leaning to his left and Brown shows less than ideal balance reacting to inside counters, occasionally crossing his feet.” Rang also called him a “potentially significant project” whose footwork might not fit at left tackle in the NFL. If the Browns are thinking about him as a potential answer for Joe Thomas, his value might not fit the pick until Day 3.
Connor Williams Darron Cummings, Associated Press 9. Connor Williams, Texas OT His appeal: Unlike Orlando Brown, Williams is considered the top tackle. He started at left tackle for Texas as a true freshman and earned All-America first-team honors in 2016.
Drafter beware: That outstanding 2016 season didn’t happen last year because Williams missed seven games with a knee injury. Could he slip to the top of the second round, when the Browns pick at No. 33? Williams’ short arms (33 inches) have made some projections for him at guard, a position the Browns don’t need (more on that later).
Christian Kirk,Essang Bassey Chuck Burton, Associated Press 8. Christian Kirk, Texas A&M WR His appeal: Kirk sparkled for the Aggies and performance against big-name competition, including Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick. Kirk doubles as an impact player in the kick-return game. He made the All-Southeastern Conference first team as an all-purpose player, and NFLDraftScout.com’s Dane Brugler wrote that he has one of the “highest floors” in the draft.
Drafter beware: Kirk, more than Alabama's Calvin Ridley, does not fit the Browns because of his size. Does Cleveland need to add the 5-10, 201-pound Kirk to a receivers room that includes two 5-11 targets in Jarvis Landry and Corey Coleman? Receiver also is no longer a glaring need in Cleveland, which signed Landry to an extension and should have Josh Gordon for a full year on the edge.
7. Billy Price, Ohio State C His appeal: An All-American guard in 2016, Price succeeded at center in 2017. He appeared, at times, to be the best center prospect in this draft. That honor now goes to Iowa’s James Daniels, who declared early for the draft.
Drafter beware: This is a recurring theme for the Browns with interior offensive linemen — if they can’t help the team improve at tackle, are they worth an early pick? Price finished his career at Ohio State as one of the safest prospects in this draft, but he is recovering from a torn pectoral muscle suffered during the combine. The Browns also signed guard Kevin Zeitler, center J.C. Tretter and extended guard Joel Bitonio last year.
6. Maurice Hurst, Michigan DT His appeal: Pro Football Focus loves Hurst. The evaluation site gave him a 96.8 grade, its highest for an interior defensive lineman in four years. The 6-1, 292-pounder looks the part of an upgrade from Danny Shelton, whom the Browns shipped this offseason to New England.
Drafter beware: Hurst received a red flag at the combine because of a heart condition. He has been cleared by cardiologists at the University of Michigan and Harvard, according to MLive.com. Is that enough?
Daryl Wilson, Associated Press 5. Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State TE His appeal: Goedert is the top-rated tight end by many outlets. As ESPN’s Todd McShay put it, Goedert has “potential to be a star” and ranks him 25th among all prospects.
Drafter beware: Goedert’s projections in this draft are similar to David Njoku last year. The Browns took Njoku, so why draft another tight end so high so quickly? This is not nearly as strong as a tight end class, either. It ranked 11th among 14 positions in cleveland.com’s recent positional gauge. Goedert’s spot here is a reflection of the position in general.
Brynn Anderson, Associated Press 4. Isaiah Wynn, Georgia OG His appeal: Georgia reached the national championship game and had two standout running backs, Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, who will go high in this draft. Much of their success has to do with Wynn, an All-Southeastern Conference lineman at 6-3 and 313 pounds.
Drafter beware: Wynn played tackle during the Bulldogs’ impressive run. He is projected at guard — where he played in previous seasons — because of his shorter-than-ideal arms (33 1/8 inches). Any guard other than Notre Dame’s Quenton Nelson, who could push Bitonio to tackle, is not a fit for the Browns because of their investments already made to the position.
3. Derwin James, Florida State S His appeal: If Cleveland trades down and winds up with more first-round picks (say, from Buffalo), James has appeal. The Browns did not work out Saquon Barkley, Bradley Chubb or Minkah Fitzpatrick, as cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot reported, so this could happen. All three are prime candidates for the No. 4 pick. James thrived early and often at Florida State and has size for his position at 6-2, 215 pounds.
Drafter beware: James has an injury history and he does not fill a need. He missed most of the 2016 season with a torn meniscus and projects more as a strong safety, which conflicts with 2016 first-round pick Jabrill Peppers. The Browns also just added Damarious Randall, who is penciled in at free safety.
2. Marcus Davenport, UTSA DE His appeal: If the Browns trade out of the No. 4 spot, that means they probably didn’t end up with North Carolina State’s Bradley Chubb but could be in position to take Davenport with whatever additional first-round pick(s) they acquire. Davenport is a boom statistically, possessing a 6-6, 264-pound frame that helped him to 8.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss in 2017.
Drafter beware: Remember, this happened at the University of Texas San Antonio. Davenport and the Roadrunners didn’t face any teams with premier offensive tackles that are in this year’s draft. Dane Brugler of NFLDraftScout.com offered this critique: “Plays tall and moves tall, causing his pass rush to stall. Relies more on his lower body than upper body to beat blockers. Immature hand usage and doesn’t display a cohesive rush plan.”
1. Josh Allen, Wyoming QB His appeal: Allen’s arm strength makes you believe he could toss the football into Lake Erie from FirstEnergy Stadium. Coaches, scouts and former players, who watched Allen work out, were enticed by the velocity of his throws. Browns coach Hue Jackson recalled being able to hear the boom of the football hitting a receiver in the sternum.
Drafter beware: Accuracy. Accuracy. Accuracy. Allen has a career completion percentage of 56.2 and did not perform well when Wyoming played big games. Accuracy also is considered the toughest part of a quarterback’s game to correct in the NFL. “People say it takes 7,000 reps to change those types of things, but you can,” Jackson said during the NFL meetings. The arm strength is great, but there are no players to catch it in Lake Erie. Jackson already promised once to jump in there. Maybe Allen can throw to him, if the Browns take this gamble.
I actually have a feeling we won't trade back at all this draft ... if anything we're trading up
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
So we drop from 1 to 2, and from 4 to 12? Makes sense.
Heard it from a friend who, heard it from who, heard from a friend you've been messin' around ...
Last edited by PastorMarc; 04/17/1809:24 AM.
John 3:16 Jesus said "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
So we drop from 1 to 2, and from 4 to 12? Makes sense.
If it involves the Bills going from 12 to 1, it probably came from a Bills fan. This is especially so if it involves them paying anything less than the whole city of Buffalo for the pick.
Bills get #1 Giants get #4 and #22 Browns get #2 and #12 ... LOL, there's gotta be a WHOLE lot more than this on our side
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
Bills get #1 Giants get #4 and #22 Browns get #2 and #12 ... LOL, there's gotta be a WHOLE lot more than this on our side
I can't even get my head around what all it would take. The Bills have two second rounders this year I think. And our 3rd round pick. So all of those, plus the Giant's 2nd round pick. And the 1st round next year from both Buff and NYG? Heck, throw in the one year rental for OBJ.
As someone said earlier, this is stupid even for the internet.
Bills get #1 Giants get #4 and #22 Browns get #2 and #12 ... LOL, there's gotta be a WHOLE lot more than this on our side
that's kinda what makes this story interesting. It's not complete and all the details haven't been released. Everyone knows that no one would benefit from this deal. What I also find interesting is that some of this stuff leaks a few days out of Berea before it happens.
Obviously, not all of it comes to fruition like Alex Smith, Quinn, and I can't remeber the other one.
However, many people started posting on twitter vaguely with a few peices of the trades for landry, kizer, taylor, Randall, and Shelton a few days before it happened.
keep in mind, Dorsey has made it very well known he is more than willing to trade the first pick.
He's basically doing the smart thing. Feel teams out, listen to offers, get an idea of what teams want to do. It might give the Browns a better sense of what's going on with the #4 pick (the pick that is far more likely to be available in a trade, albeit at a steep price.)
Random Draft Stuff? Where does the real Mr Irrelevant start,
Pick 130+, pick 115+ or somewhere in between.
I think the real answer is 4 picks into the old (original) 28 team 5th round draft, pick 116, or definetly somewhere between pick 104 and 117 I think the relevancy declines.
Browns have 114. Hopefully the last impact player, I won't expect much from the later selections. Should I?
There will be no shortage of trade partners for the Cleveland Browns in next week's 2018 NFL Draft. Browns247 examines some of the trade scenarios that could be presented to General Manager John Dorsey.
Cleveland acquires No. 2 overall from the Giants:
If Dorsey truly values Penn State running back Saquon Barkley and the Giants are willing to deal, then there is no reason the team should not attempt to move u and secure the top two picks in the 2018 NFL Draft. They would land their quarterback of the future (presumably Wyoming's Josh Allen or USC's Sam Darnold) and a valuable asset, Barkley, to take some pressure off of that player's plate.
What it would take:
The difference between the No. 4 and No. 2 overall selections is 800 points, which equates to the No. 21 overall selection, according to the Trade Value Chart. The No. 35 overall pick is worth 550 points so the Browns could add a 2019 second round pick or the No. 64 overall selection in order to seal the deal.
Buffalo moves up to No. 4 overall
Quarterbacks will almost certainly go No. 1 and No. 3 overall to the Browns and Jets. The Giants and Broncos are wildcards in the quarterback race. At worst, the Browns will be on the clock at No. 4 with the fourth and final top quarterback prospect available. At best, a potential trade partner would be able to move up and pick between two players. UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen sounds the most likely to be there at this point.
What it would take:
The No. 4 overall selection is worth 1800 points. The value of Buffalo's choices at No. 12 and No. 22 overall equals 1980 points alone but most feel that the Bills could be milked for a 2019 first round pick as well. It would be hard to bypass that deal regardless of who is on the board at No. 4 overall.
Denver moves up to No. 4 overall
A trade with Denver is ideal because Cleveland could pick up additional draft assets and still select a player they covet at No. 5 overall. The latest buzz suggests that the Broncos are not in the quarterback market but that is hard to fathom considering their current starter, Case Keenum, has a very limited track record of success in the NFL with the exception of last season. The players most commonly linked to the Broncos are Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward and Notre Dame offensive guard Quenton Nelson.
What it would take:
The difference between No. 4 and No. 5 overall is only 100 points, which is the equivalent of the very last pick in the third round. However, if other teams are interested in moving up, then there will become a bidding war. A year ago, the Bears moved up one spot with the 49ers to secure North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. It cost them a third and a fourth round selection. Cleveland might be able to milk Denver for the No. 40 overall pick if there is enough suitors.
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Three-team deal between the Bills, Giants and Browns
The latest rumor is that a three team trade between the Bills, Giants and Browns is being discussed to enable each to land a coveted player. In the scenario, the Bills and Browns would take a quarterback and the Giants would take Barkley.
What it would take:
The Bills would be moving up to No. 1 overall and surrendering a lot of picks. The Giants would move down to No. 4 overall and likely acquire the No. 22 overall selection and a fifth round pick or better from the Bills. The Browns would move down to No. 2 overall while acquiring the No. 12 overall pick, a 2019 first round pick and potentially one or both of Buffalo's second round picks (Nos. 53 & 56 overall).
Giants move up to No. 1 overall
If the Giants covet USC quarterback Sam Darnold, then they could move up and secure him at No. 1 overall. Again, it would allow Cleveland to add draft capital while still selecting a player that they covet - Allen.
What it would take:
It would start with the No. 2 overall selection of course and likely include the Giants' second round pick, No. 34 overall. The Browns might have to surrender a fourth round pick or so to make it work.
Most of these ideas are complete non-starters from the Browns perspective. Silly season.
Moving down from 4 to 5 (so the Broncos could take a QB) would be desirable, if the situation presented itself. I have my doubts.
Moving down from 4 to 12 would be possible, but at a steep price. I doubt the Bills would want to pony up what it would take.
Trading down from 1-- no thanks. Trading up from 4 to 2-- why?? How would this even make sense. And trading down from 1 to 2 and 4 to 12 in a three way trade with only a few picks thrown in for our trouble... come on.
If we get 3 1st round picks from the Bills, for moving down 8 spots, we would have to do it.
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
This is where somebody comes in and says we already have a bunch of good players, and we need difference makers!
And I wonder how a team can have a bunch of good players and still go 0-16, doubly so since we lost 3 of our better starters via retirement/trade. Though Dorsey has done a nice job patching holes... there were a ton of them.
I'd be fine staying at #4 by the way. It's just that 3 firsts (or maybe 2 firsts, prioritizing #12 and next year's first, plus more) are still premium picks and would be too much to pass up.
The trade i see is a 3 way between our #4 and the bills and colts. Bill get #4 we get #6 and the colts get #12 Bills would have to pony up #22 and some second round picks distributed between us and the colts. Possibly next year’s #1 too.
Not sure exactly who would get what but ither than Denver I don’t see anything else working out.
Am I perfect? No Am I trying to be a better person? Also no
This is where somebody comes in and says we already have a bunch of good players, and we need difference makers!
And I wonder how a team can have a bunch of good players and still go 0-16, doubly so since we lost 3 of our better starters via retirement/trade. Though Dorsey has done a nice job patching holes... there were a ton of them.
I'd be fine staying at #4 by the way. It's just that 3 firsts (or maybe 2 firsts, prioritizing #12 and next year's first, plus more) are still premium picks and would be too much to pass up.
I don't like the thought of dropping to 12 and 22.
We really don't need to. Rather have 4 than 12 for sure.
4=STUD.
And we have 2 HIGH Picks in Round 2 that can be utilized to move up twice if desired.
Package 33 for 1 move then package 35 for another move. Even if we have to tap into the 2019 draft.
Clearly, it is a situation we can use all the help that we can get.
We were also last in the league in takeaways last season. Pressure causes mistakes which lead to takeaways.
Football is all about situations now, and pass defense is, collectively, the most important. See the Jacksonville Jaguars. As the QB is the most important player on the field, stopping/making him uncomfortable is the most important task for opponents.
I'm assuming we're going QB at 1. We've already addressed CB and FS in free agency. This is a deep class of corners and there should be good ones available in round 2. I only see 3 impact pass rushers and they are all likely to go in the top half of round 1. Chubb is the best of the bunch. He can play the run better than the other two. He has a great motor to go with measurables and technique. He doesn't have any easily identifiable weakness to exploit.
If he is available at 4, which may not be the case, he should probably be the pick.
If he's not, then the Fitz/Barkley/Ward/Trade debate is on.
You mess with the "Bull," you get the horns. Fiercely Independent.
I'm assuming we're going QB at 1. We've already addressed CB and FS in free agency.
Saying we disagree here is a MAJOR UNDERSTATMENT ... we brought in some good depth at CB with maybe one starting caliber CB ... MAYBE ....
We brought in a dude that hasn’t taken a single snap at FS in his 3 year nfl career ... and he wasn’t [rojected to be all that and a bag of chips ... crap ... im not even sure he was drafted to play safety ... and he STUNK AS A CB ...
If u think were set in the secondary ... WE DISAGREE and that will change the entire convo cause were starting from such different places ...
We do have a different opinion of Ogbah .. but lets say i thought he was average ....
We MAY have one AVERAGE starting CB ... thats MAY HAVE ONE ....
We MAY have one AVERAGE FS ... MAYBE ...
I guarantee U if we take Fitz or Ward at #4 they won’t be forcing even an AVERAGE PLAYER TO THE BENCH ....
U guys are gonna get your wish .. and just like it ended up for Dorsey in KC when he did it .. its going to end up being a mistake here ...
To me the best way to improve secondary play on a team as weak as ours in the secondary is to bring in BETTER SECONDARY PLAYERS not bring in better pass rushers .... if we had better secondary personal this would be an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT DISCUSSION ...
I'm assuming we're going QB at 1. We've already addressed CB and FS in free agency.
Saying we disagree here is a MAJOR UNDERSTATMENT ... we brought in some good depth at CB with maybe one starting caliber CB ... MAYBE ....
I would agree with this.
Going into this off-season our glaring weaknesses were, in no order, QB, WR, and DB. Crowell leaving and JT retiring added RB and OT.
With FA, Dorsey addressed each of these. Didn't fix these, but improved them to the point where we don't necessarily have to reach in the draft to acquire a specific position. I think this was huge. With the OL and DB, the depth is much improved. Building the bottom of the roster helps as well.
From the beginning I have been pulling for Rosen and Fitz with our 1st two picks. I have also said that the concussions do concern me with Rosen, and Darnold is my next choice for #1 if the Rosen's health does not check out.
Nothing that has been said or debated over these months has changed my mind. Not saying Chubb won't be good, but I think Fitz should be the pick. The fact that he is the only player that Saban has ever let in the film room speaks volumes. Having him back there as the QB of the defense would do wonders for us.
Getting that situational pass rusher sure would be sweeeeeet ....
Some people might think you are serious.
I can see that if we grab Barkley at 4 then take Sam Hubbard at 33 (If Available) ...
John 3:16 Jesus said "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
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