I played GM and picked "my guys" for two rounds in my original mock draft earlier this week, but now it's time to reevaluate and sort out the best of the rest (even if it's completely last minute). Like, seriously, the second round literally starts in 1 minute. You should go turn it on if you haven't already.
Enjoy, and feel free to follow, then blast me on Twitter: @Hoover_L_A
- Cleveland Browns – Justin Reid, S (Stanford)
- Forward thinking: Reid has tremendous range and instincts for a free safety. In 2019 he'll draw the unenviable task of spying Lamar Jackson on run-pass options and whenever a pass play is extended longer than 2.5 seconds. - New York Giants – Will Hernandez, OG (UTEP)
- This pick is not being made for Eli Manning. Adding Hernandez is all about putting green grass in front of Saquan Barkley. A bulldozer of a man, Hernandez will be the guy challenged to push the likes of Fletcher Cox, Jonathan Allen and Da'Ron Payne off the ball to spring Barkley free. - Cleveland Browns (from Houston) – Geron Christian, OT (Louisville)
- It's a nice failsafe that both your quarterbacks are mobile in the pocket, but with Joe Thomas hanging them up and no heir apparent on the roster, adding the 3-year starter who protected Lamar Jackson's blindside is the wise move. - Indianapolis Colts – Nick Chubb, RB (Georgia)
- You gave Andrew Luck the premier bodyguard to fight the rabid front sevens in the AFC South. Now give him a bellcow to run through the big holes Quenton Nelson can blast open and force those rushers stampeding into the backfield to show some respect for the run game. - Indianapolis Colts (from NY Jets) – Anthony Miller, WR (Memphis)
- T.Y. Hilton cannot do it by himself when the Colts do throw and Miller's game is as polished as they come for a rookie receiver. To beat the elite Jacksonville secondary the Colts will need someone with Miller's blend of savviness and aggression in his route running to give Luck some throwing windows. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Derrius Guice, RB (LSU)
- The Buccaneers have not had consecutive seasons with a 1,000-yard rusher in more than 20 years. In fact, they've had only five 1,000-yard rushing efforts this century (two by the curious case of Doug Martin). Guice will be a breath of fresh air for Jameis Winston, who bears too much of the weight of their offensive success on his right shoulder. - Chicago Bears – Connor Williams, OG (Texas)
- The Bears have the new face of their defense, but this offseason has been dedicated to raising the play of the face of their offense. After dumping Josh Sitton to make way for a Quenton Nelson pick that didn't make it to them in Round 1, Williams is a nice consolation prize for an offensive line needing to beef up Mitchell Trubisky's protection. - Washington Redskins (from Denver) – James Daniels, C (Iowa)
- Steal of the round. Daniels is easily one of the five best offensive lineman in this class and will fill a huge area of need for the Redskins who suffered through a near biblical injury plague to their o-line in 2017. - Oakland Raiders – Josh Jackson, CB (Iowa)
- After reaching a bit in the first round, the Raiders can get supreme value in the second with this ball-hawking corner rounding out a young secondary with a huge ceiling. - Miami Dolphins – Dallas Goedert, TE (South Dakota State)
- The football gods reward Miami for staying patient in the quarterback race and let a game-changing tight end fall into their laps to fill a critical need. - New England Patriots – Isaiah Oliver, CB (Colorado)
- The Patriots roster is still built to go best player available, and while that's a coin toss between Oliver and Harold Landry, one must not forget that New England essentially has a rookie pass rusher in Derek Rivers, last year's third round pick who missed the entire season with a torn ACL. Moreover, Oliver's exceptional length and aggressiveness at the catch point will be a welcome addition to a defense that doesn't have a cornerback under the age of 25 with 10 career pass breakups. - Denver Broncos (from Washington) – Austin Corbett, OG (Nevada)
- Continuing an offensive line overhaul it started in last year's first round, Denver grabs a versatile college tackle who can play any spot on the line effectively. - Green Bay Packers – Harold Landry, OLB (Boston College)
- In this dream scenario the Packers are lucky enough to get the playmaking corner they coveted in round one and their future sacks leader that should have also come off the board Day 1. Landry brings a great dip and rip move off the edge that will make Green Bay fans cope much better with the impending loss of Clay Matthews. - Cincinnati Bengals – Mike Gesicki, TE (Penn State)
- Gesicki is simply too good of a value to pass up here despite other needs. Tyler Eifert has appeared in just 24 games in the last FOUR years and is on a one-year deal because of this. A freak of nature athlete, Gesicki keeps Cinci's offense on track if Eifert continues to be snake-bitten. And if Eifert finally gets healthy, good luck to defenses trying to stop the Bengals in the red zone. - Arizona Cardinals – Courtland Sutton, WR (SMU)
- They've got their quarterback, but now the Cardinals desperately need to get him some post-Larry Fitzgerald era weapons. Sutton is a big body in the Alshon Jeffery mold and a year or two serving as apprentice to Fitzy will be huge for his development. - Los Angeles Chargers – Maurice Hurst, DT (Michigan)
- The Chargers are working on becoming the Jaguars of the west, and adding an interior disruptor like Hurst will bring them another step closer. - Indianapolis Colts (from Seattle via NY Jets) – Uchenna Nwosu, OLB (USC)
- Nwosu has incredible quickness and can blaze off the edge for an Indianapolis defense that is putting emphasis on speed and backfield disruption. - Dallas Cowboys – D.J. Chark, WR (LSU)
- Chark is the ultimate play-action receiver in this class. When defense lean forward to crash the box on Ezekiel Elliott his 4.3-speed will make them pay. It does not replace what Dez Bryant brought them, but it's a good start. - Detroit Lions – Josh Sweat, OLB (Florida State)
- If anyone can get the most out of Sweat's immense physical gifts, it's Matt Patricia. Looking to add speed to a Lions defense that lost Tahir Whitehead, Detroit snags this former 5-star recruit to line up next to Jarrad Davis. - Philadelphia Eagles (from Baltimore) – Brian O'Neill, OT (Pittsburgh)
- Jason Peters, the former All-Pro O'Neill will ultimately replace, also brought the unnatural athleticism from playing tight end to the tackle spot. That seemed to work out well, so the Eagles will try to replicate that with a guy who has yet to sniff his peak at the position. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Buffalo) – Jessie Bates, S (Wake Forest)
- Bates is the consummate centerfield who can help prevent the NFC South's loaded quarterback group from burning the Bucs deep. - Kansas City Chiefs – Lorenzo Carter, OLB (Georgia)
- The Chiefs' first pick is an insurance policy for Justin Houston's health and Dee Ford's contract. - Carolina Panthers – Carlton Davis, CB (Auburn)
- Losing physical corner Daryl Worley in the offseason leaves a significant hole in the Carolina secondary. With nearly identical measurables, Davis can slide in nicely opposite James Bradberry. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Buffalo) – Donte Jackson, CB (LSU)
- The Buccaneers allowed 7.8 yards per pass attempt last year largely due to a league-high 2,900 yards allowed to wide receivers. Jackson's speed should help bring that number down. - Tennessee Titans – Sam Hubbard, OLB (Ohio State)
- A motor player with a full arsenal of pass rush skills, Mike Vrabel can move Hubbard around and maximize his potential as an eventual replacement for one of Brian Orakpo or Derrick Morgan. - Atlanta Falcons – Tyrell Crosby, OG (Oregon)
- Getting Matt Ryan a new toy in Round 1 was the right move. If the Falcons are smart, now they'll get him and his stellar running backs some extra blocking. - San Francisco 49ers – Christian Kirk, WR (Texas A&M)
- Garoppolo needs more toys if he's going to live up to the ginormous contract the 49ers handed him. And it sure doesn't hurt to add a dynamic return man when it's been seven years since your franchise has returned a kickoff or punt for a score. - Pittsburgh Steelers – Josey Jewell, LB (Iowa)
- The Steelers may have reached for Terrell Edmunds in the first round with the intent of bulking him up and moving him to linebacker to replace Ryan Shazier. If the instinctive Jewell, who plays the game similarly to former 49ers linebacker Chris Borland, is on the board here, he gives Pittsburgh the ability to groom Edmunds into the safety enforcer he really should be. - Jacksonville Jaguars – Ian Thomas, TE (Indiana)
- The Jaguars lost Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns and Marcedes Lewis this offseason and Austin Seferian-Jenkins needs a buddy in the red zone. Thomas also gives them much better speed down the seam and extra run blocking from their tight ends. - Minnesota Vikings – Rasheem Green, DE (USC)
- As the Eagles proved, you simply can't have too much pass rush. With Everson Griffen and Brian Robison in their 30's, Green is a great addition to a defense that needs to stay a strength in the same division as Aaron Rodgers. - New England Patriots – Ronnie Harrison, S (Alabama)
- The Patriots lack youth at safety and that Bill Belichick connection with Nick Saban runs deep. Harrison provides a thumper who can diagnose plays. - Cleveland Browns – Ronald Jones, RB (USC)
- Carlos Hyde will be 28 this season and Duke Johnson will be a free agent next season. With special open-field elusiveness and underrated toughness running through trash, Jones could quickly emerge as the leader of this backfield.
Trade:
Denver Broncos receive the 44th and 163rd selections from Washington in exchange for the 40th selection.