Legend's Post Free Agency Mock Draft

[The Legend]

I plan on doing one more the week before the draft, but here's where I think things stand right now.

1. Tennessee Titans: Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss – If the Titans don’t improve their offensive line then they are going to waste the potential of the possible franchise quarterback in Marcus Mariota that they selected last year. He’ll turn into the next David Carr. In drafting Tunsil, they can improve both tackle spots by placing him at LT and moving Taylor Lewan over to RT and putting Byron Bell on the bench.

2. Cleveland Browns: Jared Goff, QB, Cal – The Browns streak of trying 23 quarterbacks since 1999 without finding one that could look like a solution for at least three months is impressive, what’s more impressive is that the team hasn’t invested its highest draft pick in the most important position in the game since taking Tim Couch in 1999. They break that streak here and take Goff. Please, God, let them take Goff and pass on the instant sensation that’s Carson Wentz.

3. San Diego Chargers: Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State – The Chargers could use a lot of help. They are incredibly thin at corner right now and lost their biggest playmaker in the secondary in Eric Weddle in free agency. After giving up almost 400 points last season they need help on that side of the ball and Jalen Ramsey is the best playmaker in the draft. They get a big boost with this one.

4. Dallas Cowboys: Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State – Dallas had a train wreck of a season last year, but finding a backup QB in the top 5 just in case Romo gets hurt again isn’t the answer. Let’s start by drafting the best available player and a guy that will be a huge boost on defense. Joey Bosa is a man beast and will have a JJ Watt-like impact on that defense.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Myles Jack, OLB, UCLA – Thanks to an injury last year, Jacksonville could get a huge impact of basically having two top-five draft picks enter the fray in one year. Both of them will be on defense in this case as they add Myles Jack to put on the opposite side of Dante Fowler from a year ago.

6. Baltimore Ravens: Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame – Injuries ran roughshod over the Ravens’ season a year ago. I can’t see them having that much bad luck again. They are too talented to have another season like they did in 2015 as well. Adding one of the best offensive linemen in the draft will bolster a big weakness for them and when they get Flacco back healthy they will be ready to roll again.

7. San Francisco 49ers: Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State – Colin Kaepernick is on his way out of the Bay area, it’s just a matter of when the Niners decide they have to cut him and allow Denver to sign him without giving anything up. Once that happens San Fran will be on the prowl for a quarterback, I don’t see them executing a trade up to the #1 spot which means it’s whoever Cleveland doesn’t take at #2. In this case it’s Wentz, which is good because his extra size will do him well for when Chip Kelly tries to get him killed by the NFC West defenses.

8. Philadelphia Eagles: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State – Elliott is the best offensive playmaker in the draft by a fairly large margin. A running back may not be sexy in this day and age, but he’ll help keep Sam Bradford healthy and transition this offense back to a more traditional style under Doug Pederson.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida – The Bucs took a lot of steps forward last season. Pretty much all of them were on the offensive side of the ball. That Tampa defense has fallen a long way from when the Tampa 2 was the rage of the league and it’s awful. A shutdown corner would certainly help to improve the weakest area of the defense, the secondary and Hargreaves can fit that bill.

10. NY Giants: Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson – The Giants need to improve their defense as well if they want to extend Eli Manning’s career and take one more run at a Super Bowl with their veteran quarterback. They’ve spent a lot of money this offseason, but they can’t get enough pass rushers, that’s what made this unit great before and it would again if they can add a piece like Shaq Lawson to their already existing group.

11. Chicago Bears: DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon – An interesting prospect for sure in Buckner. I think his speed and athleticism will make him a star at the next level and Chicago is another NFC team that needs help on defense. As the NFC North continues to improve, the Bears need to find a way to keep pace.

12. New Orleans Saints: A’Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama – The run on defensive linemen in the top of the first round continues. The defensive line is the most important part of a great defense and this year is the time to stock up on guys that can control the point of attack like Robinson. The Saints need to figure out how to not give up 30 points per game next season and Robinson in their run defense is a good place to start.

13. Miami Dolphins: Darron Lee, OLB, Ohio State – Darron Lee is an athletic freak and has all the ability to be a linebacker that can make plays all over the field in coverage and run protection. His production hasn’t always matched his ability, but he’s got a knack for big moments and somebody is going to take a chance on him in the middle of the first round.

14. Oakland Raiders: Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville – The Raiders have had a busy offseason and combining what they’ve added and what teams around them are losing in the AFC West the time could be right to make a move. Improving their defense with Rankins could be the final piece to the puzzle.

15. Los Angeles Rams: Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis – Nick Who? I’m sure that’s what the fans in Hollywood are saying about their QB heading into the draft. After the first round they’ll have a more buzzworthy name for the land of stars with Paxton Lynch. I doubt Lynch’s ability to transition to the NFL, but he’ll no doubt get pushed up the draft board into the first round because he’s a quarterback.

16. Detroit Lions: Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State – Detroit could go a number of ways here, but I think Conklin is the safest pick for them at this point and will help them on the offensive line.

17. Atlanta Falcons: Reggie Ragland, MLB, Alabama – Atlanta is close to getting back to where they used to be. They need to continue to improve that defense though and a stalwart in the middle like Ragland could be a critical piece to making the puzzle fit together in Hotlanta.

18. Indianapolis Colts: Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State – The Colts could go any number of ways. Their defense isn’t good enough, their support for Luck isn’t great, but they need to keep Luck healthy and a tackle like Decker is necessary to improving that offensive line.

19. Buffalo Bills: Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Ole Miss – Rex Ryan needs to re-tool that defense into the types of players he needs to make his system work as best it can. Nkemdiche is an interesting talent to have be this low and I doubt character concerns will scare Rex off. Somebody has to draft Nkemdiche and Rex doing it just makes a lot of sense.

20. NY Jets: Noah Spence, DE, Eastern Kentucky – The Jets had an interesting season a year ago, but honestly they feel like a one and done team. Spence is an interesting risk-reward prospect. Quite possibly the second best pass rusher in the class, but the question is can he stay off the drugs that got him permanently disqualified from Big Ten play and forced him to go to Eastern Kentucky? The Jets will take the chance and it will be fascinating to see how it turns out.

21. Washington Redskins: Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson – Washington won the NFC East last year, but if they are going to repeat in a division that seems like it’s going to be a lot better they need to play so much better on defense. Alexander is the best defensive prospect left on the board.

22. Houston Texans: Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame – A bit of a surprise here, I think Treadwell is a tad overrated and won’t be the first receiver taken. I like Fuller’s combination of height and blazing speed. I think him paired with DeAndre Hopkins could be the one of the best receiver duos in the league.

23. Minnesota Vikings: Josh Doctson, WR, TCU – A run on receivers is under way, Teddy Bridgewater needs better weapons than Charles Johnson desperately. This is a receiver that the Cleveland Browns cut a few years ago, has anyone seen the Browns receivers lately? Doctson would help this offense take the next step easily.

24. Cincinnati Bengals: Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor – The Bengals have lost all their help around AJ Green this offseason. Coleman would be a good addition as a slot guy that can make some big plays in the seams.

25. Pittsburgh Steelers: Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State – The Steelers love Ohio State products and Apple is a corner that will help upgrade that poor secondary.

26. Seattle Seahawks: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss – And Treadwell finally comes off the board. He’ll fit in well with the physically imposing receivers they have in Seattle, guys that block as well as catch passes.

27. Green Bay Packers: Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor – Billings adds a level of physicality and nastiness to the Packer defense that is missing. They need to get a little more aggressive and this could get the job done.

28. Kansas City Chiefs: William Jackson, CB, Houston – This just feels like a Chief pick, an underappreciated and under talked about prospect that helped Houston to a fantastic season. Andy Reid will get this guy and help strengthen an already good defense and secondary.

29. Arizona Cardinals: Keanu Neal, FS, Florida – If they really like Connor Cook I could see that being the pick easily, but I don’t really like Connor Cook and I can’t predict they do either. Neal is a defensive piece that just makes them deeper and stronger. At this point in the draft you can’t count on a guy that can make an immediate impact when your team is this talented, but a guy like Neal can find a role even if it’s on special teams.

30. Carolina Panthers: Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson – Carolina adds another piece to their front seven as they build on what they did last year with defense.

31. Denver Broncos: Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama – This is presumptive on the fact that the Broncos have found some sort of quarterback answer by then. Whether it’s Kaep or anyone else, their QB play is going to take a hit, that means you need to make sure the defense is even better than it was last year.

32. Cleveland Browns: Leonard Floyd, OLB, Georgia – The Browns have burnt their team down to the ground. They are starting over and could go literally anywhere from this point forward in the draft. Floyd has the potential to give them a pass rusher they’ve never really had.

[Messiah]

Kevin Dodd makes a lot of sense for the Panthers. I'm still kind of iffy on him as a prospect but he would be a good pick there. Just needs some refinement.

A guy that I think would shock a lot of people if the Panthers took him but it shouldn't is Derrick Henry. For a couple of months now, I've been feeling this way. He is the exact kind of guy that Gettleman would take and fits our offense. We have a visit scheduled with him soon. Just someone to keep an eye on, if Dodd is gone I think the Panthers will take him at our pick. Stewart will probably get cut after 2016.

[DBSoT]

Kevin Dodd makes a lot of sense for the Panthers. I'm still kind of iffy on him as a prospect but he would be a good pick there. Just needs some refinement.

A guy that I think would shock a lot of people if the Panthers took him but it shouldn't is Derrick Henry. For a couple of months now, I've been feeling this way. He is the exact kind of guy that Gettleman would take and fits our offense. We have a visit scheduled with him soon. Just someone to keep an eye on, if Dodd is gone I think the Panthers will take him at our pick. Stewart will probably get cut after 2016.

Stay clear of Henry. He screams NFL failure. He has no lateral movement at all and only worked well in college because of the talent around him.

For the most part, I like your mock @Legend. I know we disagree on Wentz and Goff, but for the most part you did well. Based on your mock, I would imagine the Lions take Ragland over Conklin. They might even take Decker over Conklin. I also don't see that many WRs being taken in the 1st. It is a very thin class of WRs after Treadwell. Doctson and Coleman are intriguing, but Will Fuller screams bust to me. He will need the right compliments around him.