My Pre-Combine Mock draft

Free agency
LB Avery Williamson (Titans) 4.5 Mil/year for 3 years
LB Nigel Bradham (Eagles) 5.5 Mil/year for 3 years
OT Cameron Fleming (Patriots) 5 Mil/year for 3 years
15 Mil Total

Cuts
WR Brandon Marshall 5.0 Mil
RB Shane Vereen 4.1 Mil
LB Keenan Robinson 3.0 Mil
LB Jonathon Casillas 2.6 Mil
LB Mark Herzlich 0.9 Mil
15.6 Mil Total

Draft
Round 1 Pick 2 OG Quenton Nelson (Notre Dame)

Pushes tackles around the field and buries them in pancake blocks. Plays mean and to the whistle. Over his career (2,336 snaps), Nelson has surrendered just two sacks, none in the last two years, and only two quarterback hits. Notre Dame has rushed for at least 300 yards in seven of its 12 games this season and leads the nation in rushing TDs. Mel Kiper says he could go in the Top 10, giving Nelson “one of the best grades for a guard that I’ve given out in 35 years of doing this”.


Round 2 Pick 34 OG/OC Isaiah Wynn (Georgia)
Alternate picks: OG Will Hernandez(UTEP), OC/OG Billy Price(Ohio State)

All these guys play mean, to the whistle, and are athletic. Wynn is versatile, technically very sound and an outstanding pass protector. Wynn won the Reese Bowl Practice award for the week's best offensive line performance. This even though he played with a torn labrum. Hernandez is a massive 340 lb mauler, road-grader. Yet he shows terrific athleticism. Billy Price is strong and physically dominates opponents. He is also very durable, starting 55 straight games.

Round 3 Pick 66 DE Dorrance Armstrong
Alternate picks: DE/DT Rasheem Green (USC), LB Lorenzo Carter (Georgia)

In 2016 Dorance Armstrong led the Big-12 in tackles for loss and was second in sacks. In 2017 he was asked to play against the run more. This and opponents double-triple teaming him decreased his sacks to only 2. However he increased his run stops from 23 in 2016 to 38. His unselfish team attitude has made him a better player. Armstrong is fast, strong, excellent against the run, and has great bend. Dorance Armstrong is an unrelenting force as a pass rusher. "It doesn’t matter how difficult the opponent is or what the scoreboard says, the idea of an opponent succeeding over me is what keeps me grinding when things get tough." - Armstrong.


Round 4 Pick 104 RB Jaylen Samuels (NC State)
Alternate Picks: RB Rashaad Penny (San Diego State); Royce Freeman(Oregon);

Jaylen Samuels is one of the most versatile players in college. He has played tight end, running back, wide receiver and special teams. “I just try to learn every position around me” - Samuels. Jaylen is a red zone threat, over the last two seasons he scored a touchdown on an incredible 42% of his red zone attempts. In 2017 he got a 1st down on 32% of his rushing attempts (the highest among combine RBs) and with receiving the number goes to 37%. He was not utilized much in short yardage on 3rd down (1-3 yards) and his rushing numbers for those were not impressive but it was a small sample size. Jaylen runs with elusiveness, power and enough speed to be a playmaker. When needed, Jaylen will drop the shoulder and grind out tough yards.






Round 4 Pick 137 WR Tre'Quan Smith (UCF)
Alternate picks: Dante Pettis (Washington), J'Mon Moore (Missouri), DaeSean Hamilton (Penn State); Marcell Ateman (Oklahoma State); Cedrick Wilson (Boise St);

Smith is a big receiver with good speed and solid hands. He is a red zone threat and tied for 2nd most receiving TDs among draft eligible receivers. Smith is also one of college football's best deep threats. He had the 3rd most deep pass receiving yards among draft eligible receivers and the most touchdown receptions on deep passes among all FBS wide receivers. He will go up and fight for jump balls and makes some spectacular catches. Smith is also an exceptional run blocker. He has some issues with drops though that has improved in 2017. Here Tre'Quan makes the catch over the defender.





Round 5 Pick 141 QB Riley Ferguson (Memphis);
Alternate Picks: QB Kurt Benkert (Virginia); Luke Falk (Washington State); Mike White (Western Kentucky); Matt Linehan (Idaho); Kyle Lauletta (Richmond); Nic Shimonek (Texas Tech); Bryan Schor (James Madison); Chase Litton (Marshall);

Riley has a strong arm and can throw on the run. He has a 63% completion rate and a threw for over 300 yards in 12 games as a two year starter. Over the two years at Memphis he has thrown 70 TDs to 19 interceptions. He has the tools the Shurmur can work with. Just one throw shown here for Riley but what an anticipatory gutsy throw allowing the receiver to not slow down and right in the basket.




Round 6 Pick 179 LB Fred Warner (BYU)
Alternate Picks: LB Shaquem Griffin (UCF), LB Dorian O'Daniel (Clemson), Chris Worley (Ohio State), LB Oren Burks (Vanderbilt);

Fred Warner is a three year starter at BYU. Team captain. Led the team in total tackles for the last two seasons. Started 38 consecutive games over the last three seasons. He is fast to the ball carrier with excellent tackling skills. Always around the ball, Warner ranked eigth among linebackers for active career leaders in assisted tackles for a loss. Warner is very good in coverage, reading the quarterback and anticipating the pass. He had 7 career interceptions with 2 returned for touchdowns. Griffin showed well in the Senior Bowl paractice week playing multiple. As you probably know Griffin had his left hand amputated at age 4 due to a prenatal condition called amniotic band syndrome. Griffin has played as a defensive back, off-ball linebacker and edge rusher. In 2016 he excelled in pass coverage collecting 6 pass defenses (2nd most among linebackers) and one interception. Griffin plays 100% all the time, is a film junkie, and just a real football player.I'm showing Griffin coming around on the edge beating his blocker.



I just don't see spending a number 2 pick on the quarterbacks projected for round 1. I defer to Mayock's article on these so called "franchise' quarterbacks. Mayock article on quarterbacks. For a number 2 pick I want a sure thing, a near perfect player. That player to me is Nelson. I don't look to trade down for him. If he is this "elite" player that will be a perenial Pro-Bowl and All-Pro then you don't gamble that away for another pick or two with those picks being gambles in themselves.