NFL Draft: Three-Round Mock

With the Combine resolved and a good amount of free agency fallout settled, this is my best guess at how the first three rounds of the NFL Draft might look. That's not to say it's a good guess, but it makes some sense to me anyway.

Stay tuned for a forthcoming article on updated dynasty league rookie rankings, as well as some MFL10 analysis.

1. Cleveland Browns – Myles Garrett, DE/OLB, Texas A&M

Garrett is one of those players you're thrilled to draft first overall – a true blue chip coveted by every franchise. Even with the arguable need at quarterback, the Browns have an easy task at the first pick.

2. San Francisco 49ers – DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame

Who knows what's going to happen with Kirk Cousins, but I doubt Brian Hoyer is considered a long-term option by the 49ers. I think Kizer is the top quarterback prospect in the draft, so I'll pencil him in for this pick.

3. Chicago Bears – Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State

Mike Glennon's addition rules out a quarterback for this pick, and I think the Bears have enough interior defensive line investments to make Lattimore the pick over Jonathan Allen.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars – Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU

I always hate the Jaguars' first-round picks, and while I like Fournette, I think he'd be a bad value here. Therefore I have to consider this a highly plausible pick.

5. Tennessee Titans (from LAR) – Jamal Adams, S, LSU

This is a bit high for a safety, but the Titans are desperate for secondary talent, and it's likely that no corners are worth the pick here.

6. New York Jets – O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama

It feels weird to place a tight end this high in the order, but the Jets don't have one, and I think Howard is as good as former sixth-overall tight end picks Vernon Davis and Kellen Winslow. The presumed Jay Cutler signing would seem to rule out a quarterback here, or at the least indicate the Jets don't like this year's class.

7. Los Angeles Chargers – Solomon Thomas, DE/OLB, Stanford

Even with Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa stepping up as pass rushers, the Chargers could use another outside linebacker for base formations and for when Bosa moves inside.

8. Carolina Panthers – Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan

I'll admit it doesn't really seem in Carolina's nature to make a pick like this – they've always taken Cam Newton's presence as a reason to go cheap on offense – but maybe they'll one day see how ridiculous that approach is.

9. Cincinnati Bengals – Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama

The Bengals run defense was a vulnerability last year, and Allen would be a nice addition on the interior line.

10. Buffalo Bills – Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State

Aaron Williams and Stephon Gilmore are gone, making secondary a top priority for the Bills.

11. New Orleans Saints – Haason Reddick, LB, Temple

Reddick was the top player on a strong Temple defense, then followed it up with a dominant Combine. The Saints clearly are not fond of Stephone Anthony at this point.

12. Cleveland Browns (from PHI) – Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson

I don't buy the Jimmy Garoppolo talk with Cleveland, and I still fully believe the draft philosophy they displayed last year means that they'll target either Watson or Pat Mahomes in the first round.

13. Arizona Cardinals - Pat Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech

Mahomes has a cannon for an arm, and his downfield passing projection in the NFL could make him a matter of significant interest for Bruce Arians.

14. Philadelphia Eagles (from MIN) – Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin

Lane Johnson is a suspension risk and Jason Peters is very old.

15. Indianapolis Colts – Malik McDowell, DL, Michigan State

They'd prefer a true edge defender, but McDowell is better than the edge options in this scenario.

16. Baltimore Ravens – Reuben Foster, (3-4) ILB, Alabama

Zach Orr's unfortunate retirement leaves the Ravens thin at inside linebacker, and pairing Foster with fellow former Alabama star C.J. Mosley could result in a dominant run defense.

17. Washington Redskins – Mitchell Trubisky, QB, North Carolina

Trubisky could very easily go higher than this – it's not hard to imagine teams like the Texans and Jets trying to trade up for him – but in this case Washington would be glad enough to get a potential Kirk Cousins replacement.

18. Tennessee Titans - John Ross, WR, Washington

Even with concerning medicals on his knees, Ross' 4.22 speed would be too tempting for Tennessee's otherwise slow offense to pass up.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – David Njoku, TE, Miami (FL)

Drafting Njoku here wouldn't be a criticism of Cameron Brate, who appears a fine starting tight end. It would more so give Tampa the option of going with an uncommonly explosive two-TE offense.

20. Denver Broncos – Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama

Robinson's play is uneven, but he has major upside as a top athletic talent at tackle. The Broncos need offensive line help one way or another.

21. Detroit Lions - Mike Williams, WR, Clemson

The Lions would presumably head into the draft planning to target a defensive end, but Williams falling this far might be too nice of a value for them to pass up.

22. Miami Dolphins – Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan

More of a steady strong-side end than a true double-digit sack threat, Charlton nonetheless would be a welcome addition to a Dolphins end rotation that lacks just about everything.

23. New York Giants – Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan

Be it as a safety or linebacker, the strong Giants defense could probably get immediate production out of an athlete as novel as Peppers.

24. Oakland Raiders – Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State

Cook's terrible Combine could knock him out of the first round, but his film and production remain remarkably convincing. He could take the Raiders offense to the next level.

25. Houston Texans – Taylor Moton, OT, Western Michigan

Moton should start right away at right tackle, and could even be a long-term left tackle conversion candidate if the team should move on from Duane Brown.

26. Seattle Seahawks – Forrest Lamp, G, Western Kentucky

They need offensive line help, and Lamp posted the top-notch athletic testing the Seahawks typically require.

27. Kansas City Chiefs – T.J. Watt, LB, Wisconsin

Watt would primarily play inside linebacker for the Chiefs, but his ability to play on the edge on at least an occasional basis gives him an extra value for Kansas City.

28. Dallas Cowboys – Garrett Bolles, OT, Utah

Doug Free's retirement makes right tackle a need.

29. Green Bay Packers – Jordan Willis, (3-4) OLB, Kansas State

Ted Thompson isn't afraid to make picks conventionally regarded as reaches, and Willis' killer Combine should seemingly make him a target of Thompson's.

30. Pittsburgh Steelers - Takarrist McKinley, DE/OLB, UCLA

McKinley had disastrous agility drills at the Combine, but his college production and straight-line explosiveness could make him worth the project as James Harrison's eventual replacement.

31. Atlanta Falcons – Tim Williams, DE/OLB, Alabama

The Falcons have a strong roster all around, so they can afford to take a player like Williams, who would generally do little more than work as a pass-rush specialist initially.

32. New Orleans Saints (from NE) - Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford

Mark Ingram would remain the lead runner in this scenario, but McCaffrey could possibly push for a roughly equal number of snaps due to his ability to contribute in multiple capacities.

Round 2

33. Cleveland Browns – Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson

34. San Francisco 49ers – Evan Engram, TE/WR, Mississippi

The 49ers don't have anyone who profiles as a true No. 1 WR, even with Pierre Garcon aboard. Engram heads into the NFL with a tight end classification, but Engram grades as a borderline elite athlete at receiver, too.

35. Jacksonville Jaguars – Kevin King, CB, Washington

36. Chicago Bears – Budda Baker, S, Washington

37. Los Angeles Rams – Chris Godwin, WR, Penn State

I've been a leading Godwin proponent for months, so I hope he goes just about anywhere else.

38. Los Angeles Chargers - Dan Feeney, G, Indiana

39. New York Jets – Tyus Bowser, (3-4) OLB, Houston

40. Carolina Panthers - Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn

41. Cincinnati Bengals - Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt

42. Philadelphia Eagles – Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama

43. Buffalo Bills - Curtis Samuel, WR/RB, Ohio State

Samuel's skill set is a bit redundant with fellow open-field burner Sammy Watkins, but doubling down on killer speed can't be that bad of an idea.

44. New Orleans Saints - Obi Melifonwu, S, Connecticut

45. Arizona Cardinals – Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State

46. Indianapolis Colts – TreDavious White, CB, LSU

47. Baltimore Ravens – Derek Rivers, DE/OLB, Youngstown State

48. Minnesota Vikings – Dion Dawkins, OL, Temple

49. Washington Redskins – Raekwon McMillan, (3-4) ILB, Ohio State

50. Denver Broncos – Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida

51. Cleveland Browns (from TEN) – Bucky Hodges, TE, Virginia Tech

Given his adequate production and killer athleticism metrics, Hodges will presumably earn high grades from Cleveland.

52. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Taywan Taylor, WR, Western Kentucky

Taylor would be a perfect slot receiver fit for a Tampa offense that otherwise has Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson at outside receiver.

53. Detroit Lions – Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado

54. Miami Dolphins – Justin Evans, S, Texas A&M

55. New York Giants – Adam Shaheen, TE, Ashland

Shaheen might need a year or two to get up to speed after playing at Ashland, but he also might not. Comically athletic for a tight end pushing 280 pounds.

56. Oakland Raiders – Montravius Adams, DT, Auburn

57. Houston Texans - Desmond King, CB/S, Iowa

58. Seattle Seahawks – Larry Ogunjobi, DT, Charlotte

59. Kansas City Chiefs – Fabian Moreau, CB, UCLA

60. Dallas Cowboys – Sidney Jones, CB, Washington

61. Green Bay Packers – Vincent Taylor, DT, Oklahoma State

62. Pittsburgh Steelers – Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina

The Steelers would ideally get a big wideout to complement Antonio Brown and Eli Rogers, but this draft doesn't offer a great deal on that front. But there are a number of strong WR2 types, Jones included.

63. Atlanta Falcons – Adoree Jackson, CB, USC

64. Carolina Panthers (from NE) – Marcus Williams, S, Utah

Round 3

65. Cleveland Browns – Carlos Henderson, WR, Louisiana Tech

Probably one of my ten favorite players in the draft, there's no way the Browns won't love Henderson once they take a look at his target data.

66. San Francisco 49ers – Nico Siragusa, G, San Diego State

67. Chicago Bears – Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida

68. Jacksonville Jaguars – Eddie Jackson, S, Alabama

69. Los Angeles Rams - Roderick Johnson, OT, Florida State

70. New York Jets – Isaac Asiata, G, Utah

71. Los Angeles Chargers - ArDarius Stewart, WR, Alabama

Stewart reportedly was given a second-round grade by the NFL's draft advisory board, so he could go earlier than this.

72. New England Patriots (from CAR) – Samaje Perine, RB, Oklahoma

Maybe the Rex Burkhead signing makes this unlikely – I don't know. But Perine is a good player who belongs in the third round somewhere, and New England has no power right now.

73. Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma

Perhaps my laziest pick projection of all time.

74. Philadelphia Eagles - Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee

75. Buffalo Bills – Teez Tabor, CB, Florida

76. New Orleans Saints – Tarell Basham, DE, Ohio

77. Arizona Cardinals - Josh Malone, WR, Tennessee

Arizona seems disinterested in any receiver lacking speed, but with a 4.40 at 6-3, 208, Malone has plenty.

78. Baltimore Ravens – David Sharpe, OT, Florida

79. Minnesota Vikings – Josh Jones, S, North Carolina State

80. Indianapolis Colts – Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee

He's a bit aesthetically redundant to Frank Gore, but Kamara's too good of a running back prospect for the Colts to pass up in this scenario.

81. Washington Redskins – D'Onta Foreman, RB, Texas

Foreman is a much better big back prospect than Matt Jones, who Washington took in the third round for some reason.

82. Denver Broncos – Ethan Pocic, OL, LSU

83. Tennessee Titans – Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida

84. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jeremy McNichols, RB, Boise State

Brilliant pass-catching back with a history of workhorse production. He also tested better than expected at the Combine. I think McNichols would be a great fit in the Koetter offense.

85. Detroit Lions – Charles Harris, DE, Missouri

86. Minnesota Vikings (from MIA) – Alex Anzalone, OLB, Florida

87. New York Giants – Antonio Garcia, OT, Troy

88. Oakland Raiders – Shelton Gibson, WR, West Virginia

Gibson disappointed a bit at the Combine, but his film and production still make him a convincing big-play prospect.

89. Houston Texans – Davis Webb, QB, California

If Bill O'Brien liked Tom Savage, then he'll love this other quarterback who also isn't good.

90. Seattle Seahawks - Ahkello Witherspoon, CB, Colorado

91. Kansas City Chiefs – Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan

92. Dallas Cowboys – Jalen Myrick, CB, Minnesota

93. Green Bay Packers – Robert Davis, WR, Georgia State

Maybe this is too early for Davis, but he was consistently productive at Georgia State and had arguably the best Combine showing of any receiver.

94. Pittsburgh Steelers – Dorian Johnson, G, Pittsburgh

95. Atlanta Falcons – Dalvin Tomlinson, DT, Alabama

96. New England Patriots – Jonnu Smith, TE, Florida International

I don't know why this guy isn't getting more Jordan Reed comparisons.

97. Miami Dolphins (comp) - George Kittle, TE, Iowa

Largely known for his blocking at Iowa, Kittle confirmed he's actually a borderline elite athlete at the Combine. He should make a standout impact as a pass catcher in the NFL.

98. Carolina Panthers (comp) – Jordan Leggett, TE, Clemson

A big but athletic tight end, Leggett could turn into Greg Olsen's eventual replacement.

99. Baltimore Ravens (comp) – Juju Smith-Schuster, WR, USC

I never could have foreseen this a month ago, let alone six, but JSS's Combine just wasn't good. Smaller than expected at 6-1, 215 pounds, he disappointed in the 40 (4.54 seconds) and vertical (32.5 inches). His age-adusted production from USC remains elite, but his athletic profile is mostly a red flag at this point.

100. Tennessee Titans (comp from LAR) – Gerald Everett, TE, South Alabama

A trendy first-round consideration a couple months ago, Everett was always likely to go closer to this range.

101. Denver Broncos (comp) – Vince Beigel, LB, Wisconsin

102. Seattle Seahawks (comp) – Julie'n Davenport, OT, Bucknell

103. New Orleans Saints (comp from CLE via NE) – Josh Reynolds, WR, Texas A&M

Reynolds' Combine showing was just good enough to compare favorable to Robbie Anderson, and the Saints could obviously use another wideout prospect after shipping out Brandin Cooks.

104. Kansas City Chiefs (comp) – Elijah Qualls, DT, Washington

105. Pittsburgh Steelers (comp) – Howard Wilson, CB, Houston

106. Seattle Seahawks (comp) - Amara Darboh, WR, Michigan

Big enough to run block and athletic enough to pass Seattle's workout metric requirements, Darboh looks like a good fit for Seattle.

107. New York Jets (comp) – Jessamen Dunker, G, Tennessee State