2018 NFL Mock Draft: Two trades in top five, Giants go linebacker after moving down

We're three weeks away from the NFL Draft, and there are still plenty of things left to be decided before Roger Goodell walks onto that stage inside AT&T Stadium and gets booed like he's never been booed before. Sure, he'll play it off, and act like he enjoys it, but deep down I bet it hurts his feelings a little bit.

Some people enjoy being the heel, and I'm not sure Roger's one of them.

Anyway, onto slightly more important things: the actual draft. There's been a big change to the first round since my last mock two weeks ago, as the Patriots have added a second first-round pick to their bevy of selections, and some wonder if this is a precursor to the Patriots making a move to draft Tom Brady's successor. It would make sense, seeing as how Jimmy Garoppolo was sent to the 49ers last season, and according to some reports, Bill Belichick didn't do so willingly.

As interesting a storyline as that is, though, I think a lot of what happens in the first round -- and this draft in general -- hinges on what the New York Giants do at No. 2. Maybe they trade the pick to New England, or maybe they hold onto it. Some mock drafts have them keeping the pick to choose their own QB, but I'm not sold on that outcome. Nor am I sold on the idea that the Giants are shopping Odell Beckham. If somebody makes a ridiculous offer maybe they pull the trigger, but my gut says that's all the Giants are doing. Hoping for somebody to do something stupid.

All their other moves this offseason leads me to believe this is a team looking to make a run at another title before Eli Manning rides off into the sunset. If they keep the pick and don't draft a QB, teams like the Browns, Colts, Buccaneers, and Bears might be able to get a king's ransom for their draft spots. Or maybe the Giants trade down themselves. The 49ers received four draft picks from the Bears last season for the No. 2 spot, and that was just so the Bears could move up one spot. Teams like Buffalo and New England could offer the Giants two first-rounders this year, and for a team trying to build a winner quickly, that's awful enticing.

Or maybe they do take that QB and send a bunch of other teams scrambling for position. What does my mock draft have the Giants doing? Let's find out.

1. Cleveland Browns

Sam Darnold, QB, USC: There's some disagreement on which QB the Browns will take here, but just about everyone on Earth thinks they'll be taking a QB.

2. Buffalo Bills (NYG mock trade)

Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA: The Giants create a bidding war between division rivals in the Bills and Patriots, and Buffalo's two first-rounders are more attractive than New England's. The Bills move on their QB of the future.

3. New York Jets (from IND)

Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma: Maybe the Bills just stole Rosen from the Giants, or maybe the Jets moved up to No. 3 thinking Mayfield would be there all along.

4. Denver Broncos (CLE mock trade)

Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming: The Broncos can't risk the Patriots or anybody else jumping up to take Allen, so they pay the Browns a similar price to what the Bears paid San Francisco last season to move up a spot.

5. Cleveland Browns (DEN mock trade)

Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State: So not only do the Browns get their QB at No. 1, but they're able to acquire extra draft picks and still get Barkley at No. 5. Not a bad day.

6. Indianapolis Colts (from NYJ)

Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State: The Colts wouldn't have minded trading down from this spot, but with four QBs gone already there won't be much fighting for picks at this point. I guess they'll have to take the best pass-rusher in the draft!

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Derwin James, S, Florida State: I'm torn between James and Minkah Fitzpatrick here, but in this case, I'm banking on Tampa betting on the ceiling with James.

8. Chicago Bears

Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame: The Bears invested a lot in Mitch Trubisky last year, and now they need to protect him. Nelson might be the surest thing in this draft, and the Bears hired his OL coach from Notre Dame this offseason.

9. San Francisco 49ers

Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB, Alabama: The Niners need a corner in this draft, and you have to imagine John Lynch would be thrilled to see Fitzpatrick on the board here.

10. Oakland Raiders

Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia: I'm sure Jon Gruden will try to trade this pick for an aging veteran first, but then he'll come to his senses and take the best defensive player left on the board.

11. Miami Dolphins

Vita Vea, DL, Washington: The Dolphins are another team that could trade up for a QB, but in this mock I have them drafting a replacement for Ndamukong Suh.

12. New York Giants (BUF mock trade)

Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech: The Giants could also look for a pass-rusher here, but Edmunds is an intriguing prospect that's hard to pass up here.

13. Washington Redskins

Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State: Washington lost Bashaud Breeland, and now they get a chance to replace him with what might be the best cover corner in this draft.

14. Green Bay Packers

Marcus Davenport, DL, UTSA: The Packers defense needs an edge-rusher, and Davenport's versatility will be intriguing.

15. Arizona Cardinals

Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville: Arizona added both Sam Bradford and Mike Glennon, but neither are long-term answers. Instead, they both provide Arizona with the time to groom Jackson to become the starter.

16. Baltimore Ravens

Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama: He's the best WR in this draft, even if he's not a true No. 1 type in my opinion.

17. Los Angeles Chargers

Connor Williams, OT, Texas: The Chargers certainly need help on their line to protect Philip Rivers, and Williams does just that.

18. Seattle Seahawks

Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa: Seattle certainly opened up some room in its secondary this offseason, and Josh Jackson could be the perfect replacement.

19. Dallas Cowboys

Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama: The Cowboys could go quite a few different directions here, but I think Evans will be hard to pass up.

20. Detroit Lions

Harold Landry, DE, Boston College: New coach Matt Patricia goes with an edge rusher to help out his new defense.

21. Cincinnati Bengals (from BUF)

Maurice Hurst, DL, Michigan: If Rashaan Evans is still on the board I think that's where Cincinnati goes, but this mock has him in Dallas, so the Bengals go with the possible steal of the draft.

22. New York Giants (BUF mock trade)

Derrius Guice, RB, LSU: The Giants could have taken Saquon Barkley at No. 2, but instead traded down to land both Tremaine Edmunds and now Derrius Guice as well.

23. New England Patriots (from LAR)

Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State: The Patriots weren't able to move up to get their QB, but maybe they weren't trying to? In my mind, Rudolph fits the mold of what the Patriots have looked for before.

24. Carolina Panthers

D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland: The Panthers need somebody who can stretch the field for them from the outside, and Moore just might be the guy to do it.

25. Tennessee Titans

Will Hernandez, G, UTEP: The Titans need help on the interior of their offensive line, and Hernandez is a good prospect who has been overshadowed by Quenton Nelson.

26. Atlanta Falcons

Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama: I don't know who it will be, but I'm 99.99 percent certain the Falcons will draft a defensive lineman in the first round.

27. New Orleans Saints

Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville: The Saints are somewhat mysterious in this spot, but I have them taking a corner to shore up the secondary.

28. Pittsburgh Steelers

Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State: The Ryan Shazier injury leaves the Steelers with a need at LB.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars

Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame: The Jags need help at OT, and while their particular preference in the player that fills it may be different than mine, I think it makes sense for them to go this direction at No. 29.

30. Minnesota Vikings

Mike Hughes, CB, UCF: The Vikings are in that enviable position of being solid just about everywhere, allowing them the freedom to take who they see as the best player available here.