Round 1
· Current draft position is based on record and playoff seeding (noted by the asterisk).
· Picks are based on need and value.

1. Tampa Bay (2-14) – Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon (6’4” 215lbs). The Bucs pretty much have to take a QB. Josh McCown is an old journeyman and they really don’t seem interested in Mike Glennon as their franchise guy. Mariota doesn’t have an elite arm, but he is accurate, intelligent, and brings mobility to the position as well.

2. Tennessee (2-14) – Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama (6’1” 210lbs). This might be a little high for Cooper, but there is no doubt he is one of the top players available regardless of position. Nate Washington is old and Justin Hunter cannot stay healthy, nor does he seem to be developing as planned. The Titans seem poised to go with Zach Mettenberger next year, so why not give him better weapons? Cooper paired with Kendall Wright would be a nice duo.

3. Jacksonville (3-13) – Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford (6’6” 310lbs). Blake Bortles might be their franchise guy, but how could they possibly know with all of the issues they have on the offensive line? Peat is arguably the top tackle on the board. He has ideal length for the position to go along with a nice drop-step and mirroring skills. Peat could play on the right side or the left, but I think the Jags may consider swapping Joeckel back to the right side.

4. Oakland (3-13) – Leonard Williams, DT, USC (6’4” 295lbs). When the Raiders played Denver earlier this year, CJ Anderson broke something like 63 tackles (purposeful exaggeration) during the game. The Raiders have some good players in Khalil Mack and Sio Moore, but I still think they should go with the best defensive player on the board and that is definitely Williams. He is a force against the run and can play defensive end, but I also think he will add a lot of value as an interior pass-rusher.

5. Washington (4-12) – Ray Stanley, OT, Notre Dame (6’5” 315lbs). Trent Williams is a very good tackle and Korey Lichtensteiger is a good center, but other than that the Redskins really have very little talent on the offensive line. It is hard to evaluate their QB situation when they only have 2 seconds to get rid of the ball every other snap. Stanley has been a fast riser on many boards because of his ability as a run-blocker and his performance against Leonard Williams.

6. New York Jets (4-12) – Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State (6’4” 235lbs). Winston is a big risk, especially for a team in New York. What are the Jets supposed to do though? Geno Smith is terrible and there likely won’t be many options at QB during the free agency period. Winston reminds me a lot of Andrew Luck with his throwing motion and size. He is more of a pocket passer than a run-first guy, but he can take off and make plays with his feet. If the coaching staff can reel in Winston’s ego, he could turn out to be a pretty good player.

7. Chicago (5-11) – Landon Collins, SS, Alabama (6’ 210lbs). Chris Conte is terrible and Ryan Mundy has been a pretty big disappointment. Brock Vereen looks to have some upside as a free safety for the Bears, but they really need someone else manning the deep areas of the field. The nice thing about Collins is that he is decent in coverage, but he excels against the run as well. Many scouts have stated that Collins is a better overall prospect than both Mark Barron and Haha Clinton-Dix were.

8. Atlanta (6-10) – Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska (6’5” 255lbs). Gregory is an explosive pass-rusher with long arms and nice closing speed. He is a bit raw and needs some refinement with pass-rushing moves, but overall there is a lot to like about his game. The Falcons’ defense is terrible and they generate almost no pass-rush during games. They have the pieces to run a 3-4, so I think Gregory could fill the ‘RUSH’ linebacker spot nicely.

9. New York Giants (6-10) – Dante Fowler, DE, Florida (6’3” 275lbs). Fowler is a disruptive pass-rusher with a non-stop motor. He does a nice job against the run as well. His numbers from Florida don’t necessarily say “elite pass-rusher”, but he does have that upside. I can’t see the Giants paying to keep Jason Pierre-Paul after two disappointing seasons and they’re a bit lacking on the defensive side of the ball anyway.

10. St. Louis (6-10) – Shane Ray, DE, Missouri (6’3” 245lbs). I could see the Rams going for a QB here, but with Mariota and Winston off the board, I think they’ll look to improve an already stout defense. Ray is an ideal fit for the Ram’s aggressive attacking defense. Ray is aggressive, a bit hitter, and has nice closing speed. He’s not outstanding in coverage, but the upside is there for him to develop into an every down player.

11. Minnesota (7-9) – Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin (6’1” 215lbs). Gordon has big-play-ability as a running back because of his size, strength, and speed. He can really accelerate away from defenders when he gets into the open field. The Vikings are likely going to part ways with Adrian Peterson and they’ll be looking for his replacement in this draft. Jerrick McKinnon showed some nice ability, but Gordon is someone that can carry the ball 20+ times per game for the next 5-7 years.

12. Cleveland (7-9) – Devante Parker, WR, Louisville (6’3” 210lbs). The Browns look like they’re finally done dealing with Josh Gordon and they don’t have a receiver that can be a feature guy after him. If they truly feel that Johnny Manziel can be their franchise QB, then they’re going to need to give him a lot of weapons. I really think Parker is going to shoot up draft boards when scouts look at the big picture with him. He has elite size with great hands and exceptional body control in the air.