default-cbs-image

Last week, we examined what it would look like if six wideouts went in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. 

How about five running backs? Before you call me off-the-wall crazy, the upcoming draft class of ball-carriers has a chance to be spectacular. I'm talking 2014 wide receiver class spectacular.

Saquon Barkley and Derrius Guice are the unquestioned headliners, but guys like Bryce Love, Ronald Jones II, and a few others are doing a heck of a job to potentially garner first-round consideration. Do I think running backs should be first-round picks? No. Do I think NFL teams will take two or more in Round 1 of the 2018 draft? Yes.

Don't forget: Because the 2017 NFL season is only three weeks old, we're still using SportsLine's projected win totals to break ties.

1. Cleveland Browns

Sam Darnold, QB, USC. The Browns seem to love DeShone Kizer. Right now. They only invested a second-round pick in him, and he's young. Through three games, he hasn't looked like a sure-fire franchise quarterback. And while there's a long way to go in his rookie season and NFL career, Cleveland won't let his presence preclude it from taking the more refined Darnold who'll also turn pro at a young age. Hue Jackson will love the way Darnold is good outside the structure of the play, and his ability to fire anticipation throws on target.

2. San Francisco 49ers

Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA. Second-straight mock going with Rosen for the 49ers. It's just too perfect of a fit to tweak at this point. While he's not renowned for his accuracy on the run, he's certainly mobile and has a upper-level arm strength, both pluses in Kyle Shanahan's scheme. I always mention this, but I can't mention it enough -- Shanahan will love Rosen's football IQ and experience playing in a pro-style system at UCLA with former NFL coach Jim Mora Jr. It's like impossible to mock anything but a quarterback to San Francisco.

3. Los Angeles Chargers

Connor Williams, OT, Texas. Williams is currently out with a knee injury, but there's a good chance the Chargers will be in the market for a talented, pass-blocking offensive lineman, and that's exactly what Williams is. He should be healthy come draft time, and while many will question Los Angeles taking a chance on a injured prospect, the Texas product simply has too much raw ability and polish to pass, even in the top three.

4. New York Giants

Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State. If Ezekiel Elliott can go No. 4 overall, so can Saquon Barkley. The Giants need to improve up front, and in this scenario they spend in free agency to fix their offensive-line woes. Barkley looks more electric every week he's on the field and is an ox between the tackles. He'll energize a G-Men run game that's been anemic for years now. He's the current front-runner for the Heisman. 

5. Cincinnati Bengals

Orlando Brown Jr., OT, Oklahoma. Who knows if Andy Dalton will be the Bengals quarterback in 2018 -- seems like he'll be that guy forever. Doesn't matter though. Whoever's under center in Cincinnati in the future needs quality blindside protection. Brown Jr. is a dominant pass-blocker and has excelled getting to the second level as a run-blocker this season. He's a tower at nearly 6-foot-8 and over 330 pounds. 

6. Chicago Bears

James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State. Mitchell Trubisky will need wide receivers when he takes the reins in Chicago. Washington will become his best friend... fast. Trubisky made a variety of perfect downfield throws in his one year as the starter at North Carolina, and Washington's speed and ball-tracking ability will certainly accentuate his quarterback's downfield ability. The 6-foot-0 wideout checks all the boxes. 

7. Indianapolis Colts

Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB, Alabama. The Colts are slowly but surely rebuilding their defense after it flopped under the guidance of former GM Ryan Grigson. Safety Malik Hooker was added in Round 1 of 2017, and in this mock, Indianapolis adds another long, rangy defensive back to bolster its defensive backfield. Fitzpatrick can play safety in the pinch and throw his weight around in the run game, but he's best going one-on-one with big wide receivers on the outside.

8. New York Jets

Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State. The Jets may ultimately be happy with the job perpetual bridge quarterback Josh McCown does in 2017. He's not the future though. Even he probably knows that. Rudolph has quickly become a highly productive quarterback at Oklahoma State leading one of the most explosive offenses in the country. He's a 6-foot-4 pocket passer who rarely throws interceptions. Rudolph's the type of quarterback the Jets need.

9. Cleveland Browns from Texans

Derwin James, S, Florida State. This will be a popular mock pick for the Browns because they clearly prioritize athleticism, and James is a downright physical freak. They'd love to pair him with Jabrill Peppers on the back end of their defense as foundations of the secondary. James can really play wherever you'd like... don't be surprised if he plays some weakside linebacker to begin his career. He's the ideal defender to spy the influx of mobile quarterbacks entering the NFL every year.

10. Arizona Cardinals

Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame. The D.J. Humphries experiment is nearing its end, and Jared Veldheer is already 30. McGlinchey has spent a good portion of his time at Notre Dame blocking for the run, yet he's a quality pass-protector, which will intrigue head coach Bruce Arians. This is almost a no-brainer selection at this juncture. Humphries was somewhat of a projection entering the NFL. McGlinchey isn't.  

11. New Orleans Saints

Kendall Joseph, LB, Clemson. Through three games, the Saints linebacker group has been an enormous liability. Joseph is a speedy, sideline-to-sideline tackling machine who also thrives in coverage when asked to sink into zone. Yes, the Saints just traded former first-round pick Stephone Anthony, a former Clemson linebacker. They don't let that stop them from making this pick. 

12. Seattle Seahawks

Chukwuma Okorafor, OT, Western Michigan. The Seahawks always fall in love with athletic specimens with size, and that would be Okorafor, the diamond-in-the-rough prospect playing his college ball at Western Michigan. He's about 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds with light feet, a super-strong core, and anchoring ability. Russell Wilson has seemingly been pressured on every other snap so far this season, and despite his magnificent play-making ability, Seattle can't move forward as a franchise with their current offensive-line situation. 

13. Miami Dolphins

Arden Key, DE, LSU. Cameron Wake is still a menacing edge rusher. His age is a factor though. The Dolphins drafted Charles Harris in Round 1 of 2017 to rush the passer. Key is a real specimen and fits nicely into Miami's 4-3 alignment on the outside. He may need some development. You can't teach his length and burst. That's important.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Ronnie Harrison, CB/S, Alabama. Harrison would be a surprise selection here. Yet think about it -- he's around 6-foot-2, 215 pounds and will have plenty of opportunities to showcase his hard-hitting ability on the national stage at Alabama this season. Not to mention, he came into this season with 28 games under his belt. Like his teammate Fitzpatrick, Harrison is an intimidating secondary defender. The Buccaneers need more size in their defensive backfield.

15. Los Angeles Rams

Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State. Robert Quinn was a first-team All-Pro in 2013, yet injuries have derailed the previously promising prime of his career. The Rams can save more than $11 million if they cut him in 2018, which would clear the way for Chubb to man Quinn's defensive end spot in Wade Phillips' defense. The NC State captain is 6-foot-4 and 275 pounds of acceleration, strength, and hustle. 

16. Washington Redskins

Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame. Washington has reaped the benefits of investing heavily on its defensive line over the past few seasons, and it's time it adds a quality piece to its offensive line. Jay Gruden and Co. love Brandon Scherff, but the team needs another quality guard to bolster the run game and provide more protection for Kirk Cousins. Nelson and Scherff would be an impeccable road-grading duo.

17. Buffalo Bills

Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma. The Bills have Charles Clay, and they like what he offers as a three-down tight end, a label that's becoming increasingly rare in today's NFL. The new regime has shown it prioritizes size at the pass-catching positions, and that's precisely what Andrews would bring as a hybrid "big slot" wideout and "move" tight end. The 6-foot-4 Andrews has 16 receptions for 305 yards and two scores thus far in 2017.

18. Baltimore Ravens

Derrius Guice, RB, LSU. The Ravens could go in a myriad of directions in this scenario, but Guice is the best player available. He'd be an instant upgrade to their running-back situation that's been all over the place the past three or four seasons, and would take plenty of pressure off Joe Flacco as he enters the twilight of his career. 

19. Carolina Panthers

Deontay Burnett, WR, USC. The Panthers could use a speedster out wide. Burnett has jets and makes highlight receptions like he's much bigger. He'd be the "point guard" in a wide receiver room filled with "power forwards" like Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess. He'll continue to put but up big numbers as Sam Darnold's No. 1 target this season.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars

Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama. Another team that could use wide-receiver help. Ridley is silky smooth in all areas and finds a way to make an impact often, even if it's just moving the chains on third down. With Ridley, Marqise Lee, Dede Westbrook, and Allen Hurns -- and maybe a re-signed Allen Robinson -- Jacksonville will have plenty of young talent at receiver.

21. Detroit Lions

Bryce Love, RB, Stanford. A "late-riser," teams will gravitate to Love due to his ability to run between the tackles in a power scheme, and his sudden cuts and downfield speed to hit big-gainers. The Lions have respectable pass-catching backs in Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick, and although Love is around their size, he provides more feature-back skills. 

22. Denver Broncos

Quin Blanding, S, Virginia. As a replacement for T.J. Ward, in this scenario, the Broncos pick Blanding because of his specialty as an extra run defender in the box and what he can bring as a rangy ballhawk in center field. Through four games, the Virginia star has a whopping 43 total tackles. As the "No Fly Zone" ages a bit, Blanding adds some youth that's needed.

23. Oakland Raiders

Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, OLB, Oklahoma. The Raiders got a great deal of production out of Bruce Irvin in 2016, yet he represents an $8.25 million cap hit in 2018, and it'd cost nothing to release him. Okoronkwo would be an awesome replacement as an undersized edge-rusher who also can drop into coverage. He's springy around the edge and exudes athleticism.

24. Philadelphia Eagles

Ronald Jones II, RB, USC. The Eagles need a bellcow running back. That's become abundantly clear. Jones II has some Chris Johnson to him, he's a smaller speed back who's fine picking up those important four- and-five-yard gains on inside runs. He'd be a fun addition to Philadelphia's offensive unit and can have an impact in the pass game.

25. Minnesota Vikings

Derrick Nnadi, DT, Florida State. Minnesota could use another large human next to Linval Joseph on the inside. Nnadi is a mature block-shedder with immense strength and the speed to chase runners from the backside of plays. He flashes disruptive ability on passing downs too.

26. Green Bay Packers

Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State. What Ward lacks in size he makes up for with competitiveness and ball skills. The Ohio State standout is the latest first-round caliber Buckeye corner who'll get a long look by many teams in March and April. Although the Packers have spent many early picks on defensive backs recently, not many have panned out. Ward can play on the outside or in the slot. There's some Casey Hayward to his game. 

27. Tennessee Titans

Uchenna Nwosu, LB, USC. Nwosu's draft stock is rapidly rising thanks to his bendy edge-rush talent, and the intelligence he's repeatedly showcased when knocking down passes at the line. Tennessee has a decent amount of skill on defense yet could use a traditional 3-4 outside linebacker like this USC standout.

28. Pittsburgh Steelers

Damien Harris, RB, Alabama. The Round 1 stunner. Another mock-draft scenario in which the Steelers and Le'Veon Bell can't come to an agreement, and he leaves in free agency. Harris seemed primed to move into Bo Scarbrough's shadow this season. That hasn't been the case. He's gained 8.1 yards per carry to Scarbrough's 5.0 and has six touchdowns to his teammate's three. The deceptively fast 5-foot-11, 225-pound Harris ran for 1,037 yards at 7.1 yards per carry in 2016.

29. Dallas Cowboys

Martinas Rankin, OL, Mississippi State. Feels weird typing this, but the Cowboys offensive line needs some work. For real. The losses of Doug Free and Ronald Leary have loomed large in September. Picking Rankin, a monstrous, NFL-ready offensive tackle, would allow La'El Collins to kick inside to guard where he'd be much more comfortable and effective.

30. New England Patriots

Jaylen Samuels, TE, NC State. You expect Bill Belichick to make a selection everyone expects? Doubtful. Samuels has been a blast to watch during his career with the Wolfpack as a true slot-receiver/H-back/tight end hybrid. In this scenario, the Patriots will be enamored with his versatility and his ability to make defenders miss in space.

31. Atlanta Falcons

Austin Bryant, DE, Clemson. Bryant is in for some huge games for the Tigers this season, and he already has six tackles for loss and five sacks in four games. The 6-foot-4, 265-pound junior could play end opposite Vic Beasley or even stand up as a gigantic strongside linebacker if Dan Quinn chooses.

32. Buffalo Bills from Chiefs

Josey Jewell, LB, Iowa. Jewell is on pace for his third-straight 100-plus tackle season, and he has proven to be able to make a tremendous impact as a pass-rusher and in coverage. He currently has 7.5 sacks, five interceptions, and 19 pass breakups in his career. He can do what Sean McDermott wants from his weakside linebacker.