2018 NFL Draft: Packers upgrade secondary in two-round mock draft
9. San Francisco 49ers: Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech
I think the 49ers will have to look at other options at the linebacker position in case they have to cut Reuben Foster, but fortunately for them there are two great linebacker talents that should be available when they are picking.
Those two players are Tremaine Edmunds and Roquan Smith.
Both of them would be great options for San Francisco, but I think they would prefer Edmunds due to his ability in coverage.
10. Oakland Raiders: Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
The Raiders have some holes on defense, and they could add someone like Minkah Fitzpatrick or Vita Vea. But I think they are leaning towards Roquan Smith.
Smith is an elite defensive prospect who will immediately help solve the Raiders’ run defense issues and is one of the safest picks in this year’s class. Smith should be a no-brainer here.
11. Miami Dolphins: Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
I think in reality Rosen would be off the board sooner, but this mock doesn’t have any trades so he takes a bit of a tumble here and falls outside of the top 10.
I wouldn’t be shocked at all if they looked for a successor to Ryan Tannehill in the first two rounds of this year’s draft, and fortunately for them they get in my opinion the best quarterback in this year’s draft without having to trade up.
Rosen is a great pro-style quarterback who should immediately be able to step in and run an NFL offense. He was UCLA’s main starting quarterback in the three years he was with the team, and has plenty of experience which should help his transition to the NFL.
Rosen has several traits that you like to see in a prospect. He is good under pressure, is the most accurate quarterback in this year’s class, and has great anticipation in regards to throwing and maneuvering in the pocket.
The only question I really have with him is his durability, and the team drafts him will have to ensure that they keep Rosen well-protected as he lacks the durability that you get with Sam Darnold, Josh Allen or Baker Mayfield.
12. Buffalo Bills: Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
Lamar Jackson is probably the most polarizing player in this year’s draft after Baker Mayfield.
There are a lot of things to like about Jackson. He is a Heisman Trophy winner, and is also the most elusive quarterback to come out of college since Michael Vick.
There are still some lingering negatives with him, such as the fact he had a low completion percentage in college (59.1 percent in his junior season, per Sports Reference) and he has some durability concerns due to his size.
I still think Jackson is worthy of a first-round pick and Buffalo would be a good landing spot for him. The GM and coach there both succeeded in Carolina with a mobile quarterback in Cam Newton, and I believe that even though Jackson and Newton are two very different players, they both have some similar skill sets. The Bills also played most of the last few seasons with a mobile quarterback in Tyrod Taylor.
The Bills may be a little disappointed if they miss out on one of the top four quarterbacks, but I wouldn’t be. If they tailor their offense around Jackson it could pay big dividends.
13. Washington Redskins: Vita Vea, DL, Washington
Vita Vea is similar to former Washington Huskie Danny Shelton and may have more upside than Shelton. It’s rare you find a talent that can pressure an offense on a regular basis at his size. He reminds me of Dontari Poe.
The Redskins are in a division with several good running backs such as Ezekiel Elliott, Jay Ajayi and potentially Saquon Barkley. The Redskins will need to improve their run defense if they want to catch up to the other teams in their division, and Vea would be a great step in that direction.
14. Green Bay Packers: MInkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama
The Packers luck out here and get one of the best players in this year’s class at 14. Drafting Minkah Fitzpatrick would fill a crucial need while also getting the best available player for Green Bay.
Fitzpatrick’s main specialty is the safety position, but I could see him excelling as a slot cornerback, which the Packers are badly in need of.
They already have Tramon WIlliams and Kevin King to cover the outside, but they need to find a cornerback in this year’s class that can fill the void in the slot as I don’t see either Davon House or Josh Hawkins as reliable every-down players.
Fitzpatrick would be a every-down player and more for the Packers. He brings great leadership and is one of the safest picks in this year’s class.
15. Arizona Cardinals: Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
I wouldn’t be shocked if Arizona traded up for a quarterback on draft day, but the Cardinals still badly need a number two receiver that could be a future number one receiver for them after Larry Fitzgerald retires.
Calvin Ridley may not be the best player available at 15, but he fills a crucial need for the Cardinals while also help taking pressure off of Fitzgerald.
16. Baltimore Ravens: Derrius Guice, RB, LSU
The Ravens also have a lot of holes on their roster, and even though they have Alex Collins it would make sense to target Derrius Guice.
Joe Flacco isn’t getting any younger and they will need to find a three-down back who can help carry that offense for him. The combination of Guice and Collins could do that.
The Ravens play in the AFC North, which is a gritty division where you need power backs to succeed. Here they get a workhorse with Derrius Guice.