RuthlessBurgher's Initial Offseason Mock Draft 1.0 prior to the Senior Bowl

[NJ-STEELER]

Time for an updated full first round mock since I haven't done one since the Rams traded up to #1. It looks like Cleveland wants to trade down after being leapfrogged by L.A. Their new Moneyball Jonah Hill guy wants to maximize draft equity by acquiring more picks rather than acquiring a franchise quarterback for the first time in several decades. Back in 2009, Cleveland had the 5th pick but traded back 3 times before making a pick (NYJ traded up from 1.17 to 1.5 to take Mark Sanchez, TB traded up from 1.19 to 1.17 to take Josh Freeman, PHI traded up from 1.21 to 1.19 to take Jeremy Maclin, then CLE finally took Alex Mack at 1.21). I'm projecting that the Browns trade back 3 times again this year.

Both the Niners at 1.7 and the Eagles at 1.8 want to move up to 1.2 to take their QB of the future (Chip Kelly vs. his former employers bidding against each other). The Browns take San Fran's deal, since they have a 2nd round pick this year and Philly does not (it was traded to the Rams in the Bradford deal and has already been used as ammunition to move up to the #1 spot). So Chip Kelly's dumb trade involving Philly's 2016 second round pick ultimately ends up benefitting...you guessed it...Chip Kelly. Go figure. Cleveland trades 1.2 to SF for 1.7, 2.27, 4.105, and a second round pick in 2017.

Miami tried to sign every RB on the market in free agency, but were not successful. They want Zeke Elliott bad. But they know Philly covets him as well as their backup option since they were unsuccessful in their attempt to trade up to the #2 spot for a QB. Cleveland screws Philly a second time, since Miami is willing to give them a 2nd round pick (which, again, Philly doesn't have...thanks again Chip) to jump ahead of the Eagles for Elliott. Cleveland trades 1.7 to MIA for 1.13 and 2.42.

Indy need OL help badly...they figured they could land either Jack Conklin or Taylor Decker at 1.18...even if the Lions took one of them at 1.16, they could still get the other. However, with Tennessee moving down from 1.1 to 1.15 with a big OL need as well, the Colts decide to jump ahead of both of them to be sure that they are able to get the OT that they want to keep their franchise QB upright. Cleveland trades 1.13 to IND for 1.18, 3.82, and 4.116.

1. LA QB Carson Wentz
2. SF QB Jared Goff
3. SD OT Laremy Tunsil
4. DAL S/CB Jalen Ramsey
5. JAX LB/S Myles Jack
6. BAL DE/OLB Joey Bosa
7. MIA RB Ezekiel Elliott
8. PHI DT DeForest Buckner
9. TB CB Vernon Hargreaves III
10. NYG OT Ronnie Stanley
11. CHI DT A'Shawn Robinson
12. NO DT Sheldon Rankins
13. IND OT Jack Conklin
14. OAK LB Reggie Ragland
15. TEN OT Taylor Decker
16. DET WR Laquan Treadwell
17. ATL DE Shaq Lawson
18. CLE QB Paxton Lynch
19. BUF DT Jarran Reed
20. NYJ DE/OLB Leonard Floyd
21. WAS LB Darren Lee
22. HOU WR Corey Coleman
23. MIN WR Josh Doctson
24. CIN DT Robert Nkemdiche
25. PIT CB Eli Apple
26. SEA DE/OLB Noah Spence
27. GB DT Andrew Billings
28. KC CB William Jackson III
29. ARZ CB Mackenzie Alexander
30. CAR RB Derrick Henry
31. DEN DT Vernon Butler

Wow. Apple, billings,Jackson,Spence and Alexander all on the board when our pick comes. That would be interesting.


Wow. I can't see the giants selecting an OT. They spent a too 10 pick on LETflowers last year. AND DRafted a RATings the teens either 2 or 3 YEARS ago. although they may have moved him to gUARD. But I still wouldn't bet they use a 10 overall to play RT.
Gonna be defense, where they were awful

[RuthlessBurgher]

What ever became of Marcus lattimore. Did t he have nerve damage when he got hurt his senior year. I remember the in res drafted him but has he played at all??

The Niners took him in the 4th round in 2013. He redshirted his entire rookie year as expected, rehabbing the whole time, and by the middle of his second year, in became apparent that he wouldn't be able to come back, he retired without ever actually appearing in an NFL game. I think the 4th round is a good point where potential risk/reward would be worth the chance on Jaylon Smith this year, knowing full well that he will not play in year one and may never get back to his old self again (especially if we get a CB, S, and DT...in whichever order...with our top 3 picks).

[RuthlessBurgher]

Comparing what the Titans got from the Rams to move from 1.1 to 1.15 (a first rounder this year and next, two second rounders this year, and a third rounder this year and next...plus they gave back a 4th and a 6th this year), my three Cleveland trades from 1.2 down to 1.18 netted them the following haul:

1.18, 2.37, 2.42, 3.82, 4.105, 4.116, and a 2nd round pick from SF in 2017.

They didn't get the extra first round pick that the Titans got, but, overall, a 1st, 3 2nds, a 3rd, and 2 4ths is a pretty solid haul. That would give them 15 total picks to fill their myriad of holes this year (a 1st, 3 2nds, 2 3rds, 4 4ths, 3 5ths, a 6th, and a 7th). For most teams, having that many picks would be a waste since you wouldn't expect that many rookies to be able to make a team, but considering what Cleveland lost this offseason and how severe their attempt to start over fresh appears to be, this could be something that those Moneyballers would like to see happen.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Two Round Mock Draft:

1. LA QB Jared Goff
2. PHI QB Carson Wentz
3. SD S/CB Jalen Ramsey
4. DAL DE/OLB Joey Bosa
5. JAX LB/S Myles Jack
6. BAL OT Laremy Tunsil
7. SF DT DeForest Buckner
8. CLE RB Ezekiel Elliott
9. TB DE/OLB Leonard Floyd
10. NYG CB Vernon Hargreaves III
11. CHI OT Ronnie Stanley
12. NO DT Sheldon Rankins
13. MIA LB Darren Lee
14. OAK LB Reggie Ragland
15. TEN OT Jack Conklin
16. DET DT Jarran Reed
17. ATL DE Shaq Lawson
18. IND OT Taylor Decker
19. BUF DE Kevin Dodd
20. NYJ QB Paxton Lynch
21. WAS CB William Jackson III
22. HOU WR Corey Coleman
23. MIN WR Laquan Treadwell
24. CIN DT Robert Nkemdiche
25. PIT CB Eli Apple
26. SEA DE/OLB Noah Spence
27. GB DT Andrew Billings
28. KC WR Josh Doctson
29. ARZ OC Ryan Kelly
30. CAR RB Derrick Henry
31. DEN DT Vernon Butler
32. CLE QB Connor Cook
33. TEN CB Mackenzie Alexander
34. DAL DT A'Shawn Robinson
35. SD OT Jason Spriggs
36. BAL DE/OLB Kamalei Correa
37. SF WR Will Fuller
38. JAX DE Emmanuel Ogbah
39. TB SS Keanu Neal
40. NYG OT/OG Germain Ifedi
41. CHI CB Kendall Fuller
42. MIA CB Artie Burns
43. TEN DT Kenny Clark
44. OAK SS Karl Joseph
45. TEN OG Cody Whitehair
46. DET WR Michael Thomas
47. NO DE Johnathan Bullard
48. IND DE/OLB Shilique Calhoun
49. BUF WR Tyler Boyd
50. ATL TE Hunter Henry
51. NYJ OG Joshua Garnett
52. HOU TE Austin Hooper
53. WAS DT/DE Chris Jones
54. MIN SS Vonn Bell
55. CIN WR Braxton Miller
56. SEA OT Le'Raven Clark
57. GB LB Joshua Perry
58. PIT DT Austin Johnson
59. KC SS Jeremy Cash
60. NE OC Nick Martin
61. NE DE Bronson Kaufusi
62. CAR CB Xavien Howard
63. DEN OG Christian Westerman

[Iron City Inc.]

Two Round Mock Draft:

1. LA QB Jared Goff
2. PHI QB Carson Wentz
3. SD S/CB Jalen Ramsey
4. DAL DE/OLB Joey Bosa
5. JAX LB/S Myles Jack
6. BAL OT Laremy Tunsil
7. SF DT DeForest Buckner
8. CLE RB Ezekiel Elliott
9. TB DE/OLB Leonard Floyd
10. NYG CB Vernon Hargreaves III
11. CHI OT Ronnie Stanley
12. NO DT Sheldon Rankins
13. MIA LB Darren Lee
14. OAK LB Reggie Ragland
15. TEN OT Jack Conklin
16. DET DT Jarran Reed
17. ATL DE Shaq Lawson
18. IND OT Taylor Decker
19. BUF DE Kevin Dodd
20. NYJ QB Paxton Lynch
21. WAS CB William Jackson III
22. HOU WR Corey Coleman
23. MIN WR Laquan Treadwell
24. CIN DT Robert Nkemdiche
25. PIT CB Eli Apple
26. SEA DE/OLB Noah Spence
27. GB DT Andrew Billings
28. KC WR Josh Doctson
29. ARZ OC Ryan Kelly
30. CAR RB Derrick Henry
31. DEN DT Vernon Butler
32. CLE QB Connor Cook
33. TEN CB Mackenzie Alexander
34. DAL DT A'Shawn Robinson
35. SD OT Jason Spriggs
36. BAL DE/OLB Kamalei Correa
37. SF WR Will Fuller
38. JAX DE Emmanuel Ogbah
39. TB SS Keanu Neal
40. NYG OT/OG Germain Ifedi
41. CHI CB Kendall Fuller
42. MIA CB Artie Burns
43. TEN DT Kenny Clark
44. OAK SS Karl Joseph
45. TEN OG Cody Whitehair
46. DET WR Michael Thomas
47. NO DE Johnathan Bullard
48. IND DE/OLB Shilique Calhoun
49. BUF WR Tyler Boyd
50. ATL TE Hunter Henry
51. NYJ OG Joshua Garnett
52. HOU TE Austin Hooper
53. WAS DT/DE Chris Jones
54. MIN SS Vonn Bell
55. CIN WR Braxton Miller
56. SEA OT Le'Raven Clark
57. GB LB Joshua Perry
58. PIT DT Austin Johnson
59. KC SS Jeremy Cash
60. NE OC Nick Martin
61. NE DE Bronson Kaufusi
62. CAR CB Xavien Howard
63. DEN OG Christian Westerman

Good work Ruthless. Makes you realize our 2nd rounder be it Johnson, Jones, Calhoun,Bell,Burns or whoever should be a talented dude who can contribute year 1.
Feel strongly if it's corner @ 1 then we take DL and S in the 2nd and 3rd just not sure its dl then safety as would be the case in this Ruthless mock.

[RuthlessBurgher]

In case anyone here subscribes to Sirius and listens to Sirius NFL Radio:

Three Point was unable to participate in the Sirius Football Heads Mock Draft this year, so Brandon from Missouri (The Commish) asked if I could represent the Steelers in their mock this year (32 fans, one from each team, on a conference call, doing a two round mock the week before the actual draft). The whole process took 2 hours last night and was fun.

When my turn came up at #25, corners Jalen Ramsey, Vernon Hargreaves, and Eli Apple were all off the board, and DT's Sheldon Rankins, A'Shawn Robinson, Jarran Reed, and Andrew Billings were taken before me as well. My choices were narrowed down to CB William Jackson III, DT Vernon Butler, and all of the safeties (with exception of Ramsey, of course). I took WJIII.

When I was back on the clock at #58, CB Kendall Fuller, DT's Chris Jones, Robert Nkemdiche, Austin Johnson, and Kenny Clark, and safeties Karl Joseph, Vonn Bell, Keanu Neal, Jeremy Cash, and T.J. Green were all off the board. The best NT available was Hassan Ridgeway, the best available safety was Darian Thompson, the best available S/LB hybrid was Sua Cravens, and the best available pass rushing OLB was Kamalei Correa. However, somehow, Mackenzie Alexander was still available as well, so I doubled down at corner, getting both Jackson and Alexander in an effort to solve our ongoing CB dilemma once and for all.

[Slapstick]

If the draft fell that way, I also would not be too angry...

[fordfixer]

Nice..........

[RuthlessBurgher]

Twas the night before NFL Christmas, and all thought the house, not a GM was stirring, not even a louse (like Bill Belichick or Jerry Jones).

Here is the Final Ruthless Mock on the eve of the draft (at least I hope so)…

Two rounds for the entire NFL, and 7 rounds for our Steelers (use all of our prime picks on defense, then some offensive depth with our late picks), plus an additional 4 potential UDFA targets each on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

There will be more trades! Tennessee and Cleveland both already agreed to pre-draft trades, and I predict additional moves by both teams, since they have the ammunition to move up and down the draft board to target players that they like.

When Laremy Tunsil falls down to the 5th slot, Tennessee uses some of the picks they got from the Rams to move up to get the guy that they likely would have taken first overall anyway. They give up 1.15, 2.45, and 3.76 (total points = 1710) to move up to 1.5 (worth 1700 points). They get the guy they wanted all along and still have a 2nd rounder from the Rams this year plus a 1st and 3rd from the Rams next year. The Jags probably would have just taken Myles Jack at #5 if he were completely healthy, but some questions still linger about his knee and if they can get an extra 2nd and a 3rd to move down 10 slots in the first, they will take that deal every day. Tennessee ends up with OT Laremy Tunsil, CB Kendall Fuller, and DT Kenny Clark in the first two rounds, while Jacksonville ends up with LB Darren Lee, DE Emmanuel Ogbah,and OG Cody Whitehair in the first two rounds. Solid hauls for both teams. The trade truly benefits both of them.

When Ezekiel Elliott falls down to #8, the Dolphins call the Browns. 1.8 + 3.77 = 1605 pts. 1.13 + 2.42 = 1630 pts. Cleveland moves down 5 slots in the first and up 35 slots from the 3^rd into the 2^nd (before the shallow wideout pool dries up). Miami gets the RB they have been in search of all offseason.

Cleveland trades up ahead of KC, ARZ, and DEN, since they are worried that one of those teams might take their QB of choice at the end of round one. Seattle picks up the first pick of the 4th round (99th overall) to slide down 6 spots from #26 to the first pick of the second round (32nd overall). 1.26 = 700 pts. 2.32 + 4.99 = 694 pts. Cleveland ultimately ends up with DE Joey Bosa (after a surprising drop to unlucky #13 because of an early run on OT’s), QB Connor Cook, and WR Michael Thomas in the first two rounds.

[RuthlessBurgher]

1. LA QB Jared Goff

2. PHI QB Carson Wentz

3. SD DT DeForest Buckner

4. DAL S/CB Jalen Ramsey

5. TEN OT Laremy Tunsil ( JAX trade 1.5 for 1.15/2.45/3.76)

6. BAL OT Ronnie Stanley

7. SF OT Jack Conklin

8. MIA RB Ezekiel Elliott (CLE trade 1.8/3.77 for1.13/2.42)

9. TB DE/OLB Leonard Floyd

10. NYG LB/S Myles Jack

11. CHI CB Vernon Hargreaves III

12. NO DT Sheldon Rankins

13. CLE DE/OLB Joey Bosa (MIA trade 1.8/3.77 for1.13/2.42)

14. OAK LB Reggie Ragland

15. JAX LB Darren Lee (TEN trade 1.5 for1.15/2.45/3.76)

16. DET DT Jarran Reed

17. ATL DE Shaq Lawson

18. IND OT Taylor Decker

19. BUF DE Kevin Dodd

20. NYJ QB Paxton Lynch

21. WAS C Ryan Kelly

22. HOU WR Corey Coleman

23. MIN WR Laquan Treadwell

24. CIN DT Robert Nkemdiche

25. PIT CB Eli Apple

26. CLE QB Connor Cook (SEA trade 1.26 for2.32/4.99)

27. GB DT Andrew Billings

28. KC CB William Jackson III

29. ARZ CB Mackenzie Alexander

30. CAR RB Derrick Henry

31. DEN DT Vernon Butler

32. SEA DE/OLB Noah Spence (CLE trade 1.26 for2.32/4.99)

33. TEN CB Kendall Fuller

34. DAL DT A'Shawn Robinson

35. SD OT Jason Spriggs

36. BAL DE/OLB Kamalei Correa

37. SF WR Josh Doctson

38. JAX DE Emmanuel Ogbah

39. TB SS Keanu Neal

40. NYG OT/OG Germain Ifedi

41. CHI WR Will Fuller

42. CLE WR Michael Thomas (MIA trade 1.8/3.77 for 1.13/2.42)

43. TEN DT Kenny Clark

44. OAK SS Karl Joseph

45. JAX G Cody Whitehair (TEN trade 1.5 for1.15/2.45/3.76)

46. DET WR Tyler Boyd

47. NO DE Johnathan Bullard

48. IND DE/OLB Shilique Calhoun

49. BUF WR Braxton Miller

50. ATL TE Hunter Henry

51. NYJ G Joshua Garnett

52. HOU TE Austin Hooper

53. WAS DT/DE Chris Jones

54. MIN SS Vonn Bell

55. CIN WR Sterling Shepard

56. SEA OT Le'Raven Clark

57. GB LB Joshua Perry

58. PIT DT Austin Johnson

59. KC QB Christian Hackenberg

60. NE C Nick Martin

61. NE DE Bronson Kaufusi

62. CAR CB Artie Burns

63. DEN G Christian Westerman

[RuthlessBurgher]

Final Steelers Mock Draft:

1.25 CB Eli Apple, Ohio State 6'1" 199
2.58 DT Austin Johnson, Penn State 6'4" 314
3.89 SS Jeremy Cash, Duke 6'0" 212
4.123 LB Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame 6'2" 223
6.220 WR Moritz Boehringer, Schwabisch Hall (Germany) 6'4" 227
7.229 OT Brandon Shell, South Carolina 6'5" 324
7.246 RB Tre Madden, Southern California 6'0" 223

Priority UDFA's:
DE David Onyemata, Manitoba (Canada) 6'3" 300
LB Ian Seau, Nevada 6'2" 250
FS Jordan Lomax, Iowa 5'10" 202
CB DeAndre Elliott, Colorado State 6'1" 188
QB Jeff Driskel, Louisiana Tech 6'4" 234
TE David Morgan, Texas-San Antonio 6'4" 262
OG Spencer Drango, Baylor 6'6" 315
OC Mike Matthews, Texas A&M 6'2" 297

[Oviedo]

Final Steelers Mock Draft:

1.25 CB Eli Apple, Ohio State 6'1" 199
2.58 DT Austin Johnson, Penn State 6'4" 314
3.89 SS Jeremy Cash, Duke 6'0" 212
4.123 LB Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame 6'2" 223
6.220 WR Moritz Boehringer, Schwabisch Hall (Germany) 6'4" 227
7.229 OT Brandon Shell, South Carolina 6'5" 324
7.246 RB Tre Madden, Southern California 6'0" 223

Priority UDFA's:
DE David Onyemata, Manitoba (Canada) 6'3" 300
LB Ian Seau, Nevada 6'2" 250
FS Jordan Lomax, Iowa 5'10" 202
CB DeAndre Elliott, Colorado State 6'1" 188
QB Jeff Driskel, Louisiana Tech 6'4" 234
TE David Morgan, Texas-San Antonio 6'4" 262
OG Spencer Drango, Baylor 6'6" 315
OC Mike Matthews, Texas A&M 6'2" 297

I guess Eli is the Apple of your eye this year

Good choices, but CBs in Round 1 scare me

[Slapstick]

I guess Eli is the Apple of your eye this year

Good choices, but CBs in Round 1 scare me

I read that first round CBs bust 40% of the time and go to the Pro Bowl 35% of the time...I don't know if teams were reaching in the "bust" category, but there is no doubt that most of the dominant CBs tend to be drafted in the first...

[RuthlessBurgher]

I proclaimed that yesterday was my final mock draft, but reading all this stuff this morning from Jim Wexell and Mel Kiper and others about a possible Vernon Hargreaves fall...I have to make a last minute day-of-the-draft change. I did the same thing last year when I made a last minute change to Marcus Peters. Although that didn't work out well for us last year (worked out well for Peters, who was named defensive rookie of the year), I'm making the change and hoping that I will be as happy when VHIII falls into our laps at #25 as I was when David DeCastro fell into our laps at #24 a few years ago.

1.25 CB Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida, 5'10" 204
2.58 DT Austin Johnson, Penn State 6'4" 314
3.89 SS Jeremy Cash, Duke 6'0" 212
4.123 LB Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame 6'2" 223
6.220 WR Moritz Boehringer, Schwabisch Hall (Germany) 6'4" 227
7.229 OT Brandon Shell, South Carolina 6'5" 324
7.246 RB Tre Madden, Southern California 6'0" 223

Priority UDFA's:
DE David Onyemata, Manitoba (Canada) 6'3" 300
LB Ian Seau, Nevada 6'2" 250
FS Jordan Lomax, Iowa 5'10" 202
CB DeAndre Elliott, Colorado State 6'1" 188
QB Jeff Driskel, Louisiana Tech 6'4" 234
TE David Morgan, Texas-San Antonio 6'4" 262
OG Spencer Drango, Baylor 6'6" 315
OC Mike Matthews, Texas A&M 6'2" 297

[phillyesq]

In case anyone here subscribes to Sirius and listens to Sirius NFL Radio:

Three Point was unable to participate in the Sirius Football Heads Mock Draft this year, so Brandon from Missouri (The Commish) asked if I could represent the Steelers in their mock this year (32 fans, one from each team, on a conference call, doing a two round mock the week before the actual draft). The whole process took 2 hours last night and was fun.

When my turn came up at #25, corners Jalen Ramsey, Vernon Hargreaves, and Eli Apple were all off the board, and DT's Sheldon Rankins, A'Shawn Robinson, Jarran Reed, and Andrew Billings were taken before me as well. My choices were narrowed down to CB William Jackson III, DT Vernon Butler, and all of the safeties (with exception of Ramsey, of course). I took WJIII.

When I was back on the clock at #58, CB Kendall Fuller, DT's Chris Jones, Robert Nkemdiche, Austin Johnson, and Kenny Clark, and safeties Karl Joseph, Vonn Bell, Keanu Neal, Jeremy Cash, and T.J. Green were all off the board. The best NT available was Hassan Ridgeway, the best available safety was Darian Thompson, the best available S/LB hybrid was Sua Cravens, and the best available pass rushing OLB was Kamalei Correa. However, somehow, Mackenzie Alexander was still available as well, so I doubled down at corner, getting both Jackson and Alexander in an effort to solve our ongoing CB dilemma once and for all.

I'd like that a lot - nice work. William Gay isn't getting any younger, and Jackson III, Alexander and Cockrell could make a very nice secondary.