Here we are, on the eve of the draft, which means it’s time to post my one and only mock draft of the year. Let’s get started

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

   Garrett is the highest rated talent in the draft, and a special talent in this draft, Cleveland isn’t going to draft a QB when Garrett has Julius Peppers-like upside.

2. San Francisco 49ers: Solomon Thomas – DE, Stanford

   The 49ers try to trade out of this pick, but no takers on this occasion, too much capital to give up in a deep draft. Thomas adds a high-motor player to the 49ers defense who won’t quit.

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

   The Bears need secondary help in the worst way, so why not take the best rated cover-man in the draft? Prince Amukamura, Kyle Fuller, and Marshon Lattimore as a group would help slow down some of the passing offenses in the NFC North.

4. Carolina Panthers (TRADE): Leonard Fournette – RB, LSU

   The first trade in this mock draft sees the Panthers moving up to get the top running back in the draft. Fournette brings a presence to the Panthers running game that was sorely missed last year. (Panthers trade the 8th and 40th overall picks for the Jaguars 4th and 110th)

5. Tennessee Titans: Jamal Adams – S, LSU

   The Titans have 2 huge needs coming into this draft: defensive back and wide receiver. They could easily go Mike Williams, Corey Davis, O.J Howard, or even Malik Hooker is Adams isn’t available in this spot. Adams adds a much needed leader and playmaker to the Titans defense

6. Cleveland Browns (TRADE): Mitchell Trubisky – QB, UNC

   The Browns get their quarterback of the future by trading up with the New York Jets, who are happy to move down after the selections of Lattimore and Adams. Trubisky brings Hue Jackson the type of quarterback he likes in his offense, the additions on the offensive line this offseason will help keep Trubisky upright for the foreseeable future. Browns trade the 12th, 52nd, and 185th pick for the Jets 6th overall pick)

7. LA Chargers: Malik Hooker – S, Ohio State

   The Chargers have an up and coming defense, with Joey Bosa emerging as a star, Denzel Perryman and Melvin Ingram showing their potential last year, this team needs a playmaker at safety to man the deep middle of the defense, particularly in Gus Bradley’s Cover 3 scheme. Hooker can be that playmaker.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars (TRADE): O.J. Howard – TE, Alabama

   After the Jaguars traded away Julius Thomas to the Dolphins, there was a hole created at the tight-end position, enter O.J. Howard. He has the potential to be that next great tight-end, so the Jaguars move down, and still get one of the top-rated players in the draft.

9. Cincinnati Bengals: Jonathan Allen – DL, Alabama

   The Bengals have lost many good players in the trenches on both sides of the ball, Allen re-stocks the talent on the defensive line, brings a nastiness to the Bengals defense that it needs (not the kind Vontaze Burfict provides, mind you). Great value for a potential top-5 pick in the draft.

10. Buffalo Bills: Mike Williams – WR, Clemson

    Some people think it could be fellow Clemson Tiger DeShaun Watson being picked here, instead, they go with the big wide receiver to line up across from Sammy Watkins to give Tyrod Taylor a pair of big-time playmakers to throw to, plus the reliable Charles Clay underneath. Williams opens things up for Shady McCoy in the backfield as well. Gareon Conley and Marlon Humphrey could be consideration here as well.

11. New Orleans Saints: Takkarist McKinley – DE/OLB, UCLA

    Tak McKinley brings a much needed pass-rushing presence to NOLA opposite Cameron Jordan that the Saints have needed since Junior Galette was released. McKinley has the speed and skills to help improve a Saints defense that’s been a major liability over the last few years.

12. New York Jets (TRADE): Gareon Conley – CB, Ohio State

    Despite accusations coming out against Conley, he’s still among the top corners available in this draft, Marlon Humphrey was in consideration here, but after Dee Milliner, the Jets brass may be soured on Alabama corners. Conley gives the Jets secondary a good, smart foundation to build on.

13. Arizona Cardinals: Patrick Mahomes – QB, Texas Tech

    Despite needs on defense after a ton of losses this offseason, Bruce Arians needs to draft his quarterback of the future in Pat Mahomes. Carson Palmer isn’t getting any younger, so why not give Mahomes a year or two to learn before throwing him to the wolves?

14. Philadelphia Eagles: Christian McCaffrey – RB, Stanford

    Doug Pederson loves running backs who can catch the ball, run hard, and who are elusive. McCaffrey brings all of those things to the table for the Eagles.

15. Indianapolis Colts: Derek Barnett – DE, Tennessee

    It’s no secret that the Colts need help on defense, they haven’t been able to consistently get after the quarterback since Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis were terrorizing the AFC quarterbacks, Barnett helps the cause, plus the Colts have had good history with talented players from Tennessee.

16. Baltimore Ravens: Cam Robinson – T, Alabama

    Ozzie Newsome loves his Alabama alums, and to help fill a need on the Ravens offensive line, Robinson makes sense, especially with Rick Wagner counting his millions in Detroit. Robinson brings toughness to the Ravens offensive line, and they hope with that added toughness, they can improve their 28th rated rushing attack.

17. Washington Redskins: Haason Reddick – LB, Temple

    The Redskins needed someone other than Ryan Kerrigan who can get after the quarterback, especially after losing Chris Baker in the offseason: enter Hasaan Reddick. Reddick has the speed and technique to get around the edge and get after the other QB’s in the NFC East.

18. Tennessee Titans: Corey Davis – WR, Western Michigan

    The Titans missed out on Mike Williams in favor of taking the best safety in the draft at the 5th overall pick, but they add the big playmaker from Western Michigan here in Davis, giving Marcus Mariota the #1 receiver he’s been hoping for. The Titans are a much better team after the first round of this draft.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Dalvin Cook – RB, Florida State

    The Buccaneers could use a running back after Doug Martin’s struggles last year and subsequent suspension effective the first 4 games of the 2017 season. So why not just go up US-98 North to Tallahassee and pick Dalvin Cook, a back very similar to the division rival Falcons’ Devonta Freeman? Seems like a dream fit for Jameis Winston and company.

20. Houston Texans (TRADE): DeShaun Watson – QB, Clemson

    The Texans desperately need a quarterback, especially after not only the free agent bust that was Brock Osweiler struggled mightily this season, but when Tony Romo, widely believed to be available at one time, decided to retire. Watson brings legitimacy to the position, and doesn’t have to be the Texans savior immediately, as the Texans have a good team to put around Watson (Broncos trade the 20th and 203rd overall picks for the Texans 25th and 57th overall picks)

21. Detroit Lions: Reuben Foster – LB, Alabama

    After DeAndre Levy’s release, there’s a big hole in the Lions defense, Paul Worrilow was brought in to be a part of the linebacking group, but as he proved in Atlanta, he’s a tackler, not a playmaker, Foster brings both to the Lions.

22. Denver Broncos (TRADE): Ryan Ramczyk – T, Wisconsin

    The Broncos jump back up with the Dolphins to get ahead of the Giants for Ramczyk’s services on their offensive line. (Broncos trade the 25th, 126th and 203rd overall picks for the Dolphins 22nd overall pick.) Elway has shown a willingness to trade in the draft.

23. New York Giants: Garrett Bolles – T, Utah

    Despite missing out on Ramczyk, the Giants still get a potential quality tackle in Bolles to help protect Eli Manning in the twilight of his career. Bolles could play either tackle position, depending on what the Giants decide to do with Ereck Flowers.

24. Oakland Raiders: Charles Harris – DE, Missouri

    The Raiders finished last in the NFL in sacks last year, Harris is a ferocious pass rusher to pair with Khalil Mack, and will help the Raiders secondary since they won’t have to cover as long. Harris is too good of a value to pass up here.

25. Miami Dolphins: Kevin King – CB, Washington

    It’s no secret that the Miami Dolphins need help at the cornerback position, after the release of Brent Grimes last offseason, they’ve needed to find someone to play opposite of Byron Maxwell. King brings size and presence to a Dolphins secondary that was lacking both this past season, especially with Rashad Jones injured.

26. Seattle Seahawks: Forrest Lamp – OG, Western Kentucky

    The Seahawks offensive line has been… well, offensive to watch for years now, it was so bad, it got Marshawn Lynch to retire early, only to have him come back and play for the Raiders (who are not only his hometown team, but have a very good line). Lamp helps start the rebuilding process with a blue-chip prospect who can start day-1.

27. Kansas City Chiefs: Jarrad Davis – LB, Florida

    Derrick Johnson is 34 years old and coming off a major Achilles injury, it may be time to start thinking about a new player to man the middle of the Chiefs defense (To Chief the Chiefs, so to speak). Jarrad Davis is that guy, he’s extremely athletic, is a leader and a great team guy. Perfect fit for Kansas City.

28. Dallas Cowboys: Jabrill Peppers – S/LB, Michigan

    Peppers brings flexibility, speed, and an attitude to Dallas that it’s been missing for a long, long time (In a good way, T.O doesn’t count). Peppers can play Safety in base packages, and linebacker when the defense goes to the nickel (5 defensive backs on the field). Dallas lost a lot of players on that already thin defense last season, Peppers helps fill a few holes.

29. Cleveland Browns (TRADE): David Njoku – TE, Miami

    Once again, the Browns trade up to get their guy in Njoku, who helps Trubisky tremendously by giving him a supremely athletic tight-end to throw to from day 1. The Browns also ensure that they get a 5th year option on a guy with a huge ceiling. (Packers trade the 29th and 182nd overall picks for the Browns 33rd and 108th overall picks)

30. Pittsburgh Steelers: T.J. Watt – LB, Wisconsin

    If Watt can be anything like his older brother, this pick could be the “steel” of the draft (I know, it’s steal, but I’m a hopeless semantic). Watt would give James Harrison a bookend rusher, and at age 38, I’m sure Harrison would appreciate that.

31. Atlanta Falcons: Taco Charlton – DE, Michigan

    Charlton gives the Falcons a bookend rusher to pair with Vic Beasley, who can also play the run extremely well. Charlton can help solidify Dan Quinn’s vision of a fast and physical defense. Vic Beasley, Dontari Poe, Grady Jarrett, and Taco Charlton, sounds like a defensive line the NFC would fear.

32. New Orleans Saints: Marlon Humphrey – CB, Alabama

    The Saints desperately need to overhaul their defense, between the pick of Tak McKinley and Marlon Humphrey, they’ve infused a ton of young talent onto that side of the ball. This pick could also be easily traded back the Patriots for Malcolm Butler, or if the Saints were to shock the world, sent to Seattle for Richard Sherman. Humphrey is the best corner available, and would give them some size to match up with the big receivers of the NFC South.

As we approach the 2017 NFL Draft, there will be countless mock drafts and best player lists by position, but this list will be a little different: this is a list of players that will be drafted too early for their position or talent. This isn’t to say that any of these players will be busts, they could be talented players drafted too soon, or above players that may be overlooked and a better value later in the draft. This list is going to be limited to players with realistic shots at being taken in the first or second round, think of players like Christian Hackenberg who was drafted last year in the 2^nd round by the New York Jets, when they could have had players like Deion Jones, Su’a Cravens, Joe Thuney, and even Dak Prescott was available. Without further ado, let’s get into the list.

15. Jonathan Allen – Defensive End, Alabama: Before you take out your torches and pitchforks, I think Allen will be a fine NFL player and a good run-stuffer, but based on his tape and his combine numbers, Allen may struggle as a pass rusher from the tackle position, or even as a 3-4 DE. He seems more of a complimentary rusher as opposed to a star pass rusher (A Robin instead of a Batman, if you will). It helps to play on the Alabama defense, which features a ton of NFL caliber talent, which could lead to why he’s a bit overhyped. All of this is fine from a defensive lineman taken late in the 1^st round or early 2^nd round, but for someone who, in most mock drafts, is going between the 2^nd and 8^th overall pick, he could be a disappointment with expectations that high.

14. Marshon Lattimore – Cornerback, Ohio State: Lattimore has the physical tools to be a very good NFL corner, he’s got great speed and athleticism, good size, and played on against Big Ten competition, so why is he on this list? He was a 1-year starter at Ohio State, he’s had issues in off coverage, did not see the opposing teams’ best receivers, that job mostly fell to Gareon Conley. The biggest issue with Lattimore is his health, he’s had multiple hamstring issues in his career, most significantly in 2015, which caused him to miss 7 games. He also pulled up lame at the NFL Combine, which raises red flags as to how well he’ll hold up over a 16-game schedule at the next level.

13. John Ross – Wide Receiver, Washington: Ross is the man who broke Chris Johnson’s combine record in the 40-yard dash, does that make him a top-15 player? No. He’s got great speed, but has no answer to press coverage, has below average strength for a receiver, gets too emotional on the field over drops and missed throws, however, he does play with the same speed in-game that he showed off at the combine. The biggest thing working against him, he could be drafted ahead of players like Corey Davis and Mike Williams, guys who are more prototypical players who could be special talents. Ross can be the next DeSean Jackson, or he could be the next Brandin Cooks, and Cooks was just traded for the 32^nd pick. Who would you rather have? Cooks with the 32^nd pick, or Ross with as high as the 13^th overall pick?

12. Deshaun Watson – Quarterback, Clemson: I think Watson is the best QB prospect in this class, he should be a mid to late first round pick, but I could see a team take him or trade up for him in the top-10 picks of the draft, which is too early for a quarterback that might need to sit for a year and learn the pro game from a veteran QB. A team like Kansas City would be ideal for Watson, as Alex Smith is 33 going on 34, and Andy Reid has a history of developing quarterbacks into pro level passers, like Donovan McNabb, and a rehabbed Michael Vick. If a team like the Jets, 49ers, or Browns take him, he could be forced to start before he’s ready.

11. Obi Melifonwu – Cornerback/Safety, UConn: Melifonwu comes in at 6’4”, runs a 4.40 second 40-yard dash, and can hit, which all sounds great, until you remember that Taylor Mays came in with a very similar draft profile and combine performance, but Mays is currently out of football. Not exactly the player you’d want your 1^st round pick to be compared to. Melifonwu seems to have better ball instincts than Mays, but he also gets tied up when it’s time to turn and run with receivers deep. He needs to be coached up, but there’s a ton of potential if he goes to the right team, and, more importantly, without the pressure of being a 1^st round pick in this draft.

10. Christian McCaffrey – Running Back, Stanford: McCaffrey is a good football player for sure, but he’s a solid 2^nd round player, not a top-15 or even top-10 pick as some mock drafts have seen him go. McCaffrey has proven to be a multidimensional player, who can have an impact as a back, a receiver, and a returner. A team that tries to use him as a primary back will be very disappointed, as he will not hold up under a workload involving more than 300 carries and 40-50 catches a season. McCaffrey also lacks that next gear, and that burst to get away from defenders. In the right offenses, he can be downright scary, but if he’s asked to be the lead guy, he won’t hold up.

9. Jordan Willis – EDGE, Kansas State: Billed as a “tweener” (A player who can play defensive end or outside linebacker, depending on scheme), Willis has a lot of potential as a developmental “Robin” type of pass rusher, but due to the ever-growing need for pass-rushers among teams could be drafted to be a “Batman”, or worse yet, he could be asked to cover if he’s drafted into a 3-4 scheme, something Willis was not asked to do in college, could present problems at the next level. He has not yet developed enough pass rushing moved to consistently beat tackles in the NFL.

8. Cam Robinson – Offensive Tackle, Alabama: In a weak Tackle class, there are bound to be some reaches in this draft, Tackles were overpaid in Free Agency this year, but for those teams desperate to improve their offensive lines, they might look at Robinson as a left tackle, when he might be better off as a right tackle, as his technique is raw, he loses balance lunging at opposing pass rushers, he ducks his head as a run-blocker, but is a solid road grader. Road graders play right tackle, they don’t protect the Quarterback’s blindside. Robinson could be a top-20 pick, but for someone who plays similarly to Ereck Flowers of the NY Giants, I wouldn’t take him in the first round, let alone the top-20.

7. Ryan Ramczyk – Offensive Tackle, Wisconsin: Ramczyk can appear to be the ideal NFL left tackle with his size, his game speed, and his ability to keep rushers off his QB in 1-on-1 blocking, that is until you realize how easily he’s beaten by a spin-move, in watching game film against Michigan game, along with some issues getting to the next level and staying on his blocks at times. He might be better off as a right tackle, much like Cam Robinson. Also like Cam Robinson, Ramczyk could be over drafted to play left tackle.

6. Alvin Kamara – Running Back, Tennessee: Kamara seems to be more of a 2^nd round player in most mock drafts, but Kamara is more of a day 3 pick based on film and most scouting reports, especially with his lack of field vision and fumbling issues at the college level, he also has durability concerns at a position that’s prone to injury. He could find a role as a solid platoon back who can play on any down, as he is a good pass protector and receiver out of the backfield. He’s also been known as a leader at Tennessee, which could serve him well in whatever locker room he ends up in.

5. Mitch Trubisky – Quarterback, North Carolina: Trubisky could be a very good quarterback in the NFL, if he goes to a team with a decent offensive line and doesn’t need to play early, as he will need time to learn to play under center, and he needs to get better at recognizing blitzes and knowing when the pocket is breaking down. He’s got a good, strong-arm, he can read coverages effectively. The biggest red flag about Trubisky is that he’s only been a 1-year starter in college, not giving teams time to adjust to him, meaning he hasn’t necessarily had to adjust his game to defenses exposing his weaknesses. As a late 1^st round, early 2^nd round QB, he should be fine, but if he’s taken in the first 10-15 picks (Looking at you, NY Jets) he could be in trouble.

4. Jabrill Peppers – LB/S/KR/Offensive Weapon, Michigan: Peppers is a solid football player, he’s got the versatility to play linebacker, safety, he can return kicks, and even played a bit of offense for the Wolverines, so what’s the issue? Lack of impact plays in pass defense, he had 1 career interception and only 10 passes defensed in his entire career. This isn’t a guy you take in the first round, as he is an electric return man, even Devin Hester, the best return man in NFL history, was a 2^nd round pick. The idea that Peppers is the next Charles Woodson is a pipe dream. He can be a fine NFL player, but Peppers is a solid player, not a playmaker. Playmakers are special talents worth a 1^st round pick, Peppers isn’t that guy right now, could he be? Maybe, but that’s too big a risk for a top pick.

3. Joe Mixon – Running Back, Oklahoma: We’ve all heard about Mixon’s off-the-field issues, which is a part of the reason he’s this high on the list, the other reasons are that he doesn’t have great feet or great vision to find holes and creases in the run game. He doesn’t create plays in the running game the way other top backs in this class do, Dalvin Cook and Leonard Fournette do that, that’s why they’re possible first round picks. Mixon also hops around into his cuts as opposed to planting his foot in the ground for clean cuts. He’s a very good receiver out of the backfield, and has been a very good player at Oklahoma, but will that translate to the next level? That’s too many questions and issues for a borderline 1^st possible 2^nd round pick.

2. Patrick Mahomes – Quarterback, Mahomes is alarmingly similar to Jay Cutler in terms of his physical talent, which is good, but he can also be Cutler-like in how he makes decisions, which is bad, and he is inconsistent in terms of how much touch he puts on the ball, which is ugly at times. He’s very mobile, but is not a running QB, he’s the kind of player that will drive fans and coaches crazy early on in his career, like all the other top quarterbacks in this draft, he needs a good amount of time to adapt to the pro game before he gets thrown to the wolves. A team like Houston at 25 could take him and thrust him into the starting lineup before he’s ready, or if Arizona takes him at 13, he may be expected to take over for Carson Palmer before he’s ready to play. He should be a 2^nd round pick at the highest, but we could see a 2011 NFL Draft like run on quarterbacks.

1. Deshone Kizer – Quarterback, Notre Dame: Kizer should scare teams more than he does, he struggled to hold down the starting job, his own coach has admitted he needs time to develop as a quarterback prospect, not to mention the mechanical and mental issues in his game. He doesn’t lead his receivers the way he should, he doesn’t have the anticipation needed to play early on. Quarterbacks that need as much time as Kizer will need typically go in the 3^rd and 4^th round, but he is still touted as a potential 1^st round pick. He’s also had at least 1 interception in 15 of his 23 starts.

After a long and surprising 2016, we have finally arrived on Super Sunday with a team everyone expected to be here in the Patriots, and a team no one expected to be here in the Falcons (Seriously, no expert picked the Falcons to be here, only a madden simulation did). Let’s take a look at how these two teams got to this point in the season.

New England Patriots:

The Pats started their season with Tom Brady serving a 4-game suspension over the deflategate scandal from 2014, people wondered how well they would fare without their star QB. In comes Jimmy Garroppolo led the team to a thrilling win over the Cardinals (who lost on a missed field goal attempt) in week 1, then played extremely well in a week 2 win over the Dolphins, but Garroppolo left the game with a shoulder injury, and missed the next 2 games. In comes Jacoby Brissett who managed the next 2 games well enough to beat the Texans 27-0 on Thursday Night Football, but lost to the Bills 16-0, giving the keys back to Brady on a 3-1 team (Probably why he didn’t win MVP, but more on that later). Brady proceeded to set an NFL record for TD-INT ratio over a season, 28-2, in an 11-1 season in which his only loss was to the Seattle Seahawks in Foxborough. The Pats, as usual didn’t face much competition for the AFC East title, and kept rolling on their way to the number 1 seed in the AFC Playoffs, clinching home-field advantage throughout.

En route to the Super Bowl, the Pats played the Houston Texans in the divisional round of the playoffs, who put up a tough fight in the first half, thanks to their number 1 overall defense (in terms of yards allowed), but ultimately, Brock Osweiler fell apart in the second half, and the Patriots ran away with the game, thanks in large part to the heroics of Dion Lewis. In the AFC Championship Game, the Pats caught a huge break when Le’Veon Bell left in the first quarter with a groin injury, and was unable to get back into the game. The Steelers fought hard, but again, after halftime, they just couldn’t score on the Patriots number 1 scoring defense on the way to an easy Patriots win.

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons started their season with a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a game in which it looked like Jameis Winston was ready to take the next step in becoming a franchise quarterback, and it looked like it could the start of a long year for the Falcons. This was a different team than last years team, as they ripped off 4 straight wins, including back to back 45+ point performances in games against the Panthers and Saints, the latter of which was the 10-year anniversary of the Superdome reopening after Katrina. The world was introduced to this new, seemingly unstoppable Falcons offense, and rookie linebacker Deion Jones, who returned an interception of Drew Brees 90 yards for a touchdown in that game. A mid-season lull would follow that 4-1 start, as Hotlanta would cool off, losing 4 of their next 7 games. How would Atlanta finish? Would they win the NFC South, or would it be the upstart Buccaneers, who, after losing to Atlanta 43-28, suddenly became a stingy defense, and were in the division title race until week 16, when the Falcons clinched in a win over the Panthers. Week 17 became an extremely meaningful game once the Seahawks lost to the Cardinals, it meant that Atlanta was in position to get the number 2 seed in the NFC Playoffs, allowing them to get at least 1 home game by beating the rival New Orleans Saints.

In the NFC Playoffs, Atlanta faced off against Seattle first, who had beaten the Falcons earlier in the season (in Seattle) on a missed pass interference call against Richard Sherman. The Seahawks took the opening drive down the field for a touchdown, Atlanta responded by taking a 19-10 lead into halftime, after Matt Ryan directed a 9 play 99 yard drive just before halftime, finding a wide open Tevin Coleman in the endzone. Atlanta controlled the game in the second half, on their way to a 36-20 win. In the NFC Championship game, which will go down as one of the most memorable games in Atlanta sports history, the Falcons got out to a 24-0 halftime lead on Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, only to extend it to a 31-0 lead after forcing a Packers 3 and out on their opening drive of the second half. This was a result very few people saw coming, there were a ton of blowouts in this year’s playoffs, but this was the most lopsided of them all in terms of how dominant the Falcons were, the final score of 44-21 doesn’t show just how dominant Atlanta was.

The Prediction

In last year’s Super Bowl, I pointed out how frequently the #1 defense has beaten the league MVP, and this year, we have the number 1 scoring defense (New England), going against the NFL MVP (Matt Ryan, QB of the Falcons). This was the main reason I picked the Denver Broncos to upset the Carolina Panthers, who were a great team in their own right. This year is interesting, because the Patriots defense gave up a ton of yards, but would tighten up in the redzone, the old “bend, don’t break” style of defense, whereas the Broncos were a total shutdown defense, built to stop everyone in their tracks. The question that will come up for a lot of people is this: Can the Falcons defense slow down Brady and the Pats offense? The answer is yes, they actually can. There was a ton of pressure on Aaron Rodgers throughout the Packers game, and the Packers offensive line is the best group of pass protectors in the league. Getting pressure on Brady early is the way to throw him off of his game, look no further than what the Texans did to frustrate Brady, they through Whitney Mercilus at him mercilessly up the middle. The Patriots will need to focus on stopping the Falcons rushing attack if they’re going to limit the Falcons offense, which is easier said than done. They’ll need Alan Branch and Malcom Brown to play even better than they’ve played to this point in the season.

So who’s going to win?

Despite the stats that tell me the Pats should win, my gut says that the Atlanta Falcons take down Goliath in a very close, hard-fought game

27-23 Falcons take home their first Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.

This time of year, every media outlet is discussing who should be MVP, what absurd playoff scenarios could exist (The 9 games the Buccaneers need to go a certain way in order to make the playoffs, or if the Lions and Packers tied, they’d both make the postseason, for example), but I’m here to list my top 5 candidates for the award, and to make the case for and against each, and ultimately pick who I would vote for, and who I predict will win the award. Without further delay, let’s begin:

Honorable Mention: Derek Carr – Quarterback, Oakland Raiders

I love watching Derek Carr play, he’s the guy I’d build a team around if I had a pick of any quarterback under 30, which made it all the more heartbreaking to see him injured so severely last week. I think he’s been having a near-MVP caliber season, but he’s had 6 games with a QB rating under 85, which is tough in a season with spectacular QB performances

5. David Johnson – Running Back, Arizona Cardinals (tie)

The Case For: This man leads the NFL in touchdowns, in scrimmage yards, and is the reason, it seems, that the Cards have more than 2-3 wins this whole season. He’s been arguably the best running back in football, possibly its best receiving back as well (there’s a good debate between him and the guy I have him tied with).

The Case Against: The Cardinals are 6-8-1 this season, and were eliminated from playoff contention. This has been a wildly inconsistent team despite having the league’s most consistent production from the running back position, MVPs lead their teams to the playoffs, not to sub-.500 records. He’s the most likely player to get offensive player of the year though.

5. Le’Veon Bell – Running Back, Pittsburgh Steelers (tie)

The Case For: Have you watched Bell play this year? The Steelers offense goes as he goes, during the mid-season slump, Bell only averaged around 80 yards rushing per game. The Steelers are on a 6 game winning streak, all the while, Bell has averaged well over 150 yards from scrimmage in these contests, and has scored 7 of his 9 touchdowns on the season in that span. That is indicative of his value to this offense.

The Case Against: Bell has only played in 12 games this year, because he was suspended for the first 3 games of the season for failing a drug test. The only player to miss more than 1 game during an MVP season was Joe Montana, and the reason he won that award was because he was far and away the best QB in the NFL during that span, there was no debate who was the most valuable to his team. This point will also be brought up later with another player on the list.

4. Zeke Elliott – Running Back, Dallas Cowboys

The Case For: Elliott has exploded onto the scene in his rookie season, showing why he was worth the 4th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Zeke has been a true game changer for Dallas, and has helped Dak Prescott rapidly develop into a good passer this season, as he’s been able to work with loaded boxes. Zeke also leads the NFL in rushing this season by around 300 yards.

The Case Against: Donald Trump will be basing his wall on the Dallas offensive lines ability to keep unwanted parties at bay. (I’m only putting a Trump mention in here for more google search results). But in all seriousness, the offensive line in Dallas has been a wall for Zeke to run through all season, and the development of Prescott has allowed Elliott more space to work with at times. He’s also a running back, which means, to win MVP, he has to do something that transcends the sport like the last running back to win the award, Adrian Peterson with his 2000 yard season.

3. Aaron Rodgers – Quarterback, Green Bay Packers

The Case For: Rodgers has put on a show for the last few weeks, taking a Packers team that was 4-6, and giving them a chance at the division title if they win a showdown with the division leading Detroit Lions. The offense has been at another level since they ended their 4 game losing streak, with Rodgers passer rating over 100 for 4 of the 5 games in the Packers 5 game win streak.

The Case Against: Are the Packers winning because of Aaron Rodgers, or because players around him are finally getting healthy and settled into new positions? Jordy Nelson finally looks like his 2014 self, when he and Rodgers were lighting up scoreboards. How about the emergence of Ty Montgomery as the Packers lead running back? Rodgers also enjoys some of the best pass protection in the league these days. That’s a ton of factors helping a guy who is supposed to be the most valuable to his team, but I ask the question, is Rodgers the Packers MVP, or is it Jordy Nelson? Really think about this one.

2. Blake Bortles – Quarterback, Jacksonville Jaguars

The Case For: Uh, moving on.

2. Tom Brady – Quarterback, New England Patriots

The Case For: Brady has been on an absolute tear since coming back from suspension (more on that later) 25 touchdowns against only 2 interceptions is just insane, especially considering how long Brady has been without the best tight end in the league, Gronk. Brady has led the Pats to a probably #1 seed in the AFC, and has reminded everyone how good he can be.

The Case Against: Much like Le’Veon Bell, Brady was suspended (albeit a dumb suspension) for the first 4 games of the season, which significantly affects his eligibility for this award, not to mention that the team went 3-1 without him, including a 27-0 shutout win over a playoff bound Houston Texans team with third-string QB Jacoby Brissett starting the game. The Pats are a very talented team that doesn’t necessarily need Brady to make the playoffs, it certainly helps to have a great QB like Brady under center, but with all the talent on that team, I think Jimmy Garroppollo could lead them to an AFC East title as well.

1. Matt Ryan – Quarterback, Atlanta Falcons

The Case For: The Mattural (or Matty Ice, but I’m with Rich Eisen on this one) has been a beacon of consistency, and has led his Falcons to a historically great offense, as he’s become the only QB to throw a touchdown to 13 different receivers in a single season, he’s the current holder of a 54 game streak where he’s thrown for at least 200 yards, and he leads an offense that has scored 33.5 points per game. He is the heart and soul of the Atlanta offense, he is the Steph Curry of the NFL this year. He’s got the best passer rating in the league this season with a stellar 115.5, and his passer rating as only been under 90 for 2 games the entire season. Oh, and all the while Julio Jones has missed 2 games, and been held under 35 yards in 4 games. The Falcons have won all 6 of these games.

The Case Against: The addition of Alex Mack has taken some burden off of Matt Ryan’s shoulders, as has a play-calling scheme that allows him to distribute the ball to so many different receivers. Playing in Atlanta certainly hurts his chances, as he’s on a second seeded Falcons team without a truly signature win on the season, the best win you get is the win over the Broncos in Denver and the win over the Saints on Monday Night Football on the anniversary of the Superdome reopening, there are plenty of great wins, certainly, as was the win over the Raiders early in the season. It’s tough to get voters excited about a guy who’s a model of consistency that doesn’t play for one of the NFL’s signature franchises.

The Ruling

So you’ve heard the cases, and I have thought long and hard over who has truly earned the right to be called the NFL’s Most Valuable Player, and the winner is:

Matt Ryan:

My reasoning for this is the fact that the Falcons defense has been carried by that spectacular offense all year.The Falcons have gone on 53 touchdown drives and had 55 drives end in punts or turnovers, no team in the NFL team is even close to touching them in that regard. The offense scores on 55 percent of their drives, leaving them as second to only the 2007 Patriots in terms of scoring percentages (57% of drives led to scores for that team.) The man who leads his offense, and who truly provides more wins over the next man up (which is the definition of value), is the one who should win MVP. If I have to choose between Brent Hundley, Jimmy Garroppollo, and Matt Schaub, my season isn’t over with Hundley or Garroppollo, my season is most certainly over with Schaub. That, and Ryan’s Falcons beat Rodgers’ Packers, and Ryan has vastly outplayed Tom Brady against common opponents, Ryan has more yards and touchdowns, and a much better passer rating.

Who do I think the media will give it to?

I think the voters will get this one right and go for the guy who has been leading their team to victory in Matt Ryan.

Who do you all think should be the NFL’s MVP? What do you think of my rankings? Let me know in the comment section below.

Week 2 of the 2016 NFL Season has several interesting divisional match ups to keep our eyes on, as fans know, these are the games that mean the most, they’re the most familiar foes with the most unpredictable outcomes. Think about last year, when the Patriots were on their way to the #1 seed in the AFC, all they had to do was beat the Dolphins to secure that spot, a team that fired their head coach during the season. What happened? The Patriots lost  soundly, 20-10. As for this week, we should expect the unexpected, as  the Jets and Bills already showed us with their thrilling Thursday night match up, and without further adieu, here are my rankings for which match up will be the most interesting:

6. Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns – The Browns are not a good football team, the Ravens defense seemed to be much improved after the week 1 win over the Buffalo Bills, but it remains to be seen if they can keep it up. The Ravens offense has enough talent that it could run away with this one, much like the Eagles did last week against Cleveland. This one could be hard to watch: 20-6 Ravens get the win.

5. Green Bay Packers vs Minnesota Vikings – I considered putting the Cowboys – Redskins game here, but that game lends itself to being closer than this game. As good as the Vikings defense is, and as good as Adrian Peterson is, the Vikings just don’t quite have enough to break down the Packers strong defense and high-octane offense. We also don’t know who the Vikings quarterback will be, Shaun Hill knows the offense, but doesn’t have the talent of a Sam Bradford. Packers win 31-20.

4. Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams – These are normally very close contests, but not particularly well played games at that. The offensive lines on both sides are well below average at absolute best, the defenses are vicious, but the Rams have very little talent outside of Todd Gurley at the skill positions, while the Seahawks have a talented receiving corps and backfield committee (Fantasy owners, don’t shudder too much at that thought) However, Russell Wilson is not healthy, meaning that there could be a ton of negative plays for both sides. The Rams did sweep the Seahawks last year, but that was when they were the St. Louis Rams, a new city brings a new result: Seahawks will win 7-3 in a close, but not particularly fun to watch game.

3. Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins – This match up should be a good one, 2 young quarterbacks dueling it out in the nations capital, as Dak Prescott, who looked good last week against the Giants, faces off against Kirk Cousins, who set Redskins franchise records last year as a passer. Not to mention we get to see round 2 of Dez Bryant vs. Josh Norman, which, if the Redskins are smart, we’ll get to watch for the whole game. This is also a game of who can get on track in the NFC East, a loss here hurts both teams chances of competing for the division later in the season. A lot of story-lines, some really good match ups, and a Dallas Cowboys win on the road: 24-21.

2. Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots – This would be the most interesting game if not for the Bengals – Steelers rematch, because watching how Jimmy Garoppolo handles a relentless Miami pass rush could be a lot of fun. The Dolphins always play the Pats tough, and beat them last year (as mentioned above). Seeing what Bill Belichick comes up with on defense to help out the offense will be interesting to watch for sure, with Adam Gase on the other sideline, scheming against Bill’s defense, it’ll be a chess match between these two, Miami pulls of the upset: 21-20 on a last minute touchdown.

1. Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers – This is not a game for the faint of heart, after the last couple years of hard hitting smash mouth football, last years playoff match up between these 2 teams is one to remember. All the hard hits, the penalties, it was a brutal game from the opening kick off. From Ryan Shazier’s hit that knocked Jeremy Hill out, to Vontaze Burfict’s near decapitation of Antonio Brown (causing him to be suspended for 3 games this season), it was one of the most physically and emotionally draining games in recent memory. The Steelers overcame it all and walked out with a victory, but lost Antonio Brown, and the game to the Super Bowl Champion Broncos the next week. In this rematch, the Steelers take it at home 20-17.

Week 1 is the first football action we see in months (That matters, anyway) so it’s natural to overreact to things that we see on the football field for this week. So fans, with week 2 on the horizon, all I can say is this: take a deep breath, relax, and read on.

5. New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis is finished – Is Revis past his prime? Yes, is he no longer a good corner? Not necessarily, let’s just remember that Revis went against one of the top receivers in the league in AJ Green, most defensive backs look bad against him. Revis is slowing down, no doubt, he’s not going to be the same dominant “Revis Island” that Jet fans have become accustomed to. Revis will be fine, he’s just not dominant anymore.

4. Redskins wasted their money on Josh Norman – On Monday Night Football, the biggest story wasn’t DeAngelo Williams shredding the Redskins defense, or Antonio Brown being Antonio Brown, it was about how Josh Norman didn’t cover Brown because he couldn’t. Norman covered Brown on a few plays – one was a pass breakup, the other was a near-interception of Ben Roethlisberger. The Redskins coaching staff made a mistake, it has nothing to do with Norman’s talent.

3. The Rams have the worst offense in the league – The 49ers are the kings of week 1 Monday Night Football, remember last year when they beat the Vikings 20-3, remember how that turned out by season’s end? The Vikings made the playoffs behind a solid offense and a stifling defense. The Rams offense won’t be great this year with that offensive line, but the worst in the league? Remember, the Browns are still in the NFL. The real concern should be when Jeff Fisher and Les Snead get contract extensions.

2. The Patriots are going 4-0 with Jimmy Garoppolo at QB – Garoppolo played fine against the Cardinals, completing 24-33 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown. However, the Cardinals pass rush, aside from Chandler Jones, is not good, and while Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu are great, the Cardinals don’t have much depth in the secondary. The Dolphins aren’t good in the secondary either, but they held the Seahawks to 12 points in Seattle. The Texans are going to be tough, and the Bills could compete, divisional games are always unpredictable.

1. Carson Wentz is a franchise Quarterback – Wentz played very well in his Eagles debut, throwing for 278 yards and 2 touchdowns, however, that was against the Browns, who are probably the worst team in the NFL as it stands now, especially on defense (Seriously, outside of Joe Haden, name a Browns defender). Let’s wait a few weeks before we name Wentz the future at the position. I like Wentz, and he could become a good player in the league, but let’s wait until he faces a real defense to judge anything.

Got another overreaction you’d like to share? Please leave a comment below to discuss.

With the NFL Season just about here, and with the divisional predictions posted already, it’s now time to predict who’s getting to the postseason, and eventually, who will win the Superbowl. Without any further introduction, let’s get into it:

In the AFC:

Wild Card round:

1. Pittsburgh Steelers – bye
2. Houston Texans – bye
3. New England Patriots vs. 6. New York Jets – This matchup features a fierce divisional rivalry where the season is on the line. In a hard-hitting matchup of two AFC contenders from last seaon, Tom Brady comes up big, and Ryan Fitzpatrick comes up short in a ten point loss in Foxborough. Final score 30-20.
4. Oakland Raiders vs.  5. Denver Broncos – In the second divisional matchup of Wildcard weekend, this is a low scoring, defensive heavy matchup, as the Raiders improved defense goes toe to toe with the Broncos vaunted unit. This is a close game, coming down to who has more playoff experience, the Broncos know how to win in the playoffs, the Raiders don’t yet. Final score 20-17.

Divisional Round:

1. New England Patriots at Houston Texans – This has the potential to be a fun matchup, as both teams are well coached, Brock vs. Brady, Bill vs. Bill, these are two teams that are built very well, but the improvements to the Texans offense are enough to overthrow the evil empire of New England. Texans win at home 27-21
2. Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers – In a repeat of last years playoff matchup, the Broncos and Steelers go at it again in a classic. The Steelers offense against the still tough Broncos defense is the type of football you want to watch in the playoffs. The differences this time around are that the Steelers are healthy, and the Broncos don’t have Peyton Manning’s mind out on the field. The Steelers triumph on this occasion: 24-21 in overtime

AFC Championship:

Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers – The newest NFL franchise versus one of its most historic. An established contender versus a rising star, Lamar Miller leads the charge for a revitalized Texans offense, Brock Osweiler manages games well enough to get the team to this point, and the defense shuts down opposing offenses . The Steelers dynamic offense and strong front seven helped roll through the league for most of the season. It all comes down to the end at Heinz field, on a cold January day. Which team will be able to run the ball better? Houston, we have liftoff, the Texans reach the Superbowl for the first time in franchise history. Texans pull off a stunner 21-17.

For the NFC:

Wildcard Round: 

1. Green Bay Packers – bye
2. Carolina Panthers – bye
3. Seattle Seahawks vs. 6. New York Giants – In a surprise surge, led by the defense, the Giants are able to squeeze into the playoffs over the Cardinals, Falcons, and Buccaneers. The Giants roll into Seattle undaunted by the road game, nor the noise the 12th man presents. However, the Giants just don’t have enough pass-rush to get to Russell Wilson, but Odell Beckham and the Giants offense finds a way to keep up and upset the Seahawks 31-29, missing overtime by a failed 2 point conversion.
4. Washington Redskins vs. 5. Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings are going through a time of transition, starting the season with Shaun Hill under center, then Sam Bradford as soon as he’s ready to take the reigns could move the Vikings to the 6 seed. The Redskins made it to the playoffs last year, only to lose to a team from the NFC North, history does not repeat itself today, as Kirk Cousins leads a comeback from 10 down to put the Redskins into the divisional round, Redskins win 28-24.

Divisional Round:

1. Green Bay Packers vs. New York Giants – In the bitter cold of Lambeau field, this is not a game for the faint of heart, this is a game of attrition, a rock hard field in an icy Green Bay, Wisconsin in the heart of January, a time where legends are remembered, and this day will belong to Eddie Lacy, despite the presence of Damon Harrison, the interior of the Packers offensive line will do enough to allow Lacy to exploit the Giants weakness at linebacker. Packers pound away 31-17
2. Carolina Panthers vs. Washington Redskins – There are mismatches, then there are mismatches, the Redskins are completely overmatched on this occasion, they’ve had a good season to this point, but are looking at a team that’s ahead of them in just about every way. Josh Norman will not be getting his revenge on this occasion, as the Panthers steamroll their way back into the NFC Championship. Kirk Cousins does show some good things, but not enough to keep up with Cam Newton. Panthers win 41-21.

NFC Championship:

Carolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers – These teams represent the 2 new schools of thought in the football world, Green Bay with its wide open offense and a runningback committee of Lacy and James Starks, going against the Panthers power option offense with big receivers on the outside. This should be a close matchup, however, the Packers pass rush proves to be too much for the Panthers offensive line, and the holes in the secondary prove to be their undoing as Julius Peppers gets his revenge, and the Packers go on to the Superbowl to face Houston.

Super Bowl

Green Bay Packers vs. Houston Texans – In a game not many would have predicted, there will prove to be many interesting matchups. The Texans pass rushers of JJ Watt, Whitney Mercilus, and a surging Jadeveon Clowney against a re-shuffled Packers offensive line. Rodgers and his now healthy receiving corps against the Texans secondary. The Texans new-look offense against the Packers now strong defense. Ultimately, the Superbowl is decided by the best overall team, not the best quarterback on the field, as we saw last year. The Houston Texans are your 2016-2017 Superbowl Champions, defeating the Packers in an exciting affair 23-21, as Mason Crosby misses a 60 yard field goal to end the game, wide left will be forever engrained in the minds of Packer fans.

Award Winners: 

Defensive Rookie of the Year – Deion Jones, Atlanta Falcons middle line-backer, Jones was a second round pick of the Falcons because of his speed and potential playmaking ability. Jones is set up to be a tacking and playmaking machine, much like Bobby Wagner is in the Seahawks scheme, as Jones ran a 4.38 40-yard dash time at the combine. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 110 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 interceptions and a forced fumble are enough to get Jones in the conversation, and the award. (Alternate: Jalen Ramsey, Jacksonville Jaguars)

Offensive Rookie of the Year – Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys running back, Elliott has the clearest path to winning the award, running behind the best offensive line in the NFL, having Dez Bryant, Terrence Williams, and Dak Prescott taking the pressure off of Elliot to be the only player defenses have to fear on Sundays. There aren’t many other offensive rookies set up to win this award, but injuries, and the presence of Alfred Morris could present a threat to Zeke’s hopes of bringing home the hardware (Alternate: Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles)

Defensive Player of the Year: Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle, Aaron Donald proved himself to be every bit as dominant and effective as JJ Watt last season, but this is the season where he becomes a household name and takes home the hardware, Watt is on his way to being an all-time great, Donald might not be too far behind him. This is the start of a great battle between 2 incredible defensive players for who can win more DPOY awards, or be first to be named MVP.

Offensive Player of the Year: Lamar Miller, Houston Texans running back, is this crazy? Probably, but Miller has shown incredible potential in his time with the Dolphins, so now that he’s the feature back, and running behind a stout offensive line in Houston, Miller could go off for one of those seasons to remember for a running back. In terms of his career, the Dolphins got Miller Lite, the Texans are about to get into the Miller High Life. (Alternate: Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers)

MVP: Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks quarterback, Wilson is set up to have the best season in his career with a great cast of receivers around him, along with an offense that’s now all his own, without the shadow of Marshawn Lynch waiting to make another run we’ll all remember for a long, long time. (Alternate: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings)

With the 2016 Season about to kickoff, it’s time to make some predictions that could look silly by mid-season, but isn’t that what we love about sports? Anyway, onto the predictions, starting with division standings:

AFC East:

1. New England Patriots – Even though the Patriots will be missing Tom Brady’s luscious locks, they still have the most talented roster in the division, and the best coaching staff in the division. Even if they get out to a 1-3 start with Jimmy Garoppolo, they should have Brady coming back strong for the rest of the season. As long as this team stays healthy, they’re a contender in the AFC.
2. New York Jets – Before the injuries and suspensions on the Bills defense, I had them as the #2 team in the AFC East, but as everything stands as of now, the Jets have the most balanced team remaining in the division. With Matt Forte added in the mix, the Jets have another receiving threat out of the backfield, and someone who can run well between the tackles, there will be times where they miss Chris Ivory’s hard running style, but Forte’s is more sustainable across a full season.
3. Buffalo Bills – Tyrod Taylor, Sammy Watkins, and LeSean McCoy are all high-level playmakers for the Bills offense, with a solid line in front of them (leading the Bills to the top rushing offense a year ago by 9.4 yards per game). However, Rex Ryan’s defense was a major issue, finishing 19th, and with a near major mutiny among the players, including former #1 overall pick and sack artist, Mario Williams. They’ve already lost their top 2 draft picks to injuries in the offseason, and Marcel Dareus is suspended for the first 4 games of the season. If the Bills have another rough year, they could be looking for a new coach in the offseason as well.
4. Miami Dolphins – Year one of Adam Gase could be rough, despite having some talent on offense, including Jarvis Landry and DeVante Parker at receiver and a decent offensive line, there are a ton of questions with their running game, as Arian Foster is expected to start week one. If Foster stays healthy, that should be just fine, and could lead to a rise in the standings, but Foster hasn’t been able to stay healthy and play 16 games since 2012. As for the defense, other than that extremely talented defensive line and Reshad Jones at safety, there isn’t much in terms of speed or great cover guys.

AFC North:

1. Pittsburgh Steelers – Despite the suspensions of Martavis Bryant (Full year) and Le’Veon Bell (3 games), the Steelers offense should still hum right along with Antonio Brown, Deangelo Williams, and Ben Roethlisberger, with a good offensive line and a solid front seven on defense, the Steelers should be in the driver’s seat for an AFC North title. The secondary is a concern, however.
2. Cincinnati Bengals – The Bengals have a ton of turnover on offense, specifically with the receiving corp, as Marvin Jones and Mohammed Sanu left in free agency, and Tyler Eifert is recovering from offseason surgery. How will Andy Dalton’s chemistry be with Brandon LaFell and Tyler Boyd? This is a team that should still make the playoffs as a wild-card, but it may take another year before they’re a serious title contender.
3. Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens are a team in transition right now, as most of their roster is filled with older veterans (27th oldest in the league, according to Phillyvoice.com). They’re relying on a former Browns cast-off (Terrence West) to be the lead running back, aging pass rushers Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil to chase down opposing quarterbacks, not a great formula for success this season. Good news for Ravens fans though: you still have Ozzie Newsome running the front office, and Joe Flacco under center.
4. Cleveland Browns – As much as I like Hue Jackson and the direction of the front office, this rebuild is going to take a while. With Corey Coleman, Josh Gordon, and Terrelle Pryor in the mix, the Browns receivers have potential, Duke Johnson provides some explosiveness out of the backfield. The defense however, doesn’t appear to have many playmakers aside from Joe Haden.

AFC South:

1. Houston Texans – With the best defense, by far, in the division, the Texans offense just needs to be pretty good to win. There are a lot of new faces on the Texans offense, but with Lamar Miller, DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller, and Braxton Miller in the mix, this team is loaded with young offensive talent. It may take a few weeks for these guys to get on the same page as Brock Osweiler, but when they start clicking, they could be hard to stop.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars – A trendy playoff pick this season, the Jaguars are on the way to being a contender with an exciting offense and a young, talented defense, however, both units still need time to gel, and the offensive line is still a question. Blake Bortles came into his own last year, however, he needs to cut down the turnovers, after leading the NFL with 18 interceptions. If the Jaguars are going to be successful, they need to win the turnover battle more often.
3. Tennessee Titans – The Titans are a difficult team to figure out, they trade for DeMarco Murray, then draft Derrick Henry to give them a pair of sledgehammers in the backfield, then draft Tajae Sharpe later in the draft, leading to the trade of Dorial Green-Backham to the Eagles. The offense should be fine under the care of Marcus Mariota, but the defense is a question mark, as Jurrell Casey is the only elite player on that side of the ball.
4. Indianapolis Colts – The Colts are not a good football team, they have a good quarterback coming off a lost season, good wide receivers in TY Hilton, Donte Moncrief, and Phillip Dorsett. As for the offensive line and defense, it’s about the same as it’s been since Bert Jones was suiting up for the Colts in the 1970’s and early 80’s: average on their best days, dreadful on others. Jim Irsay seems to think a quarterback should win every game by himself, this year, the team pays for his philosophy.

AFC West:

1. Oakland Raiders – This was the toughest call to make among all of the division champions, as there could realistically be 3 teams coming out of the AFC West for playoff spots, but the Raiders are a team on the rise, with a young gunslinger at quarterback, a pair of high-end receivers, one of the best offensive lines in the AFC, Khalil Mack coming off the edge, Dan Williams plugging up the middle, Bruce Irvin and Sean Smith brought in as free agents in the offseason to help ease the burden on the offense, Oakland has a lot to like, despite the weaknesses at safety and depth in the secondary.
2. Denver Broncos – The Broncos still boast the best defense in the division, along with a great pair of receivers on offense, Virgil Green emerging at TE, C.J. Anderson leading a strong running back group, but the biggest question mark has to be the quarterback situation. Between Peyton Manning’s retirement after winning the Superbowl, and Brock Osweiler’s defection to Houston, this left Denver with only Trevor Siemian remaining on the roster, leading the Broncos to draft Paxton Lynch, who will not be starting opening night in Denver. Siemian has had an up and down preseason, but he’s shown a clear understanding of the offense, and despite some mistakes, has looked solid from what he’s shown in live game action. Denver nabs a playoff spot, but it’s much more difficult than last year
3. Kansas City Chiefs – It may look absurd to have the Chiefs in 3rd place, with how talented their roster is, but they’re not quite on the level of the Raiders and Broncos, the defense is very good, but will be missing their best player: Justin Houston for the first 6 weeks, at least, which is tough for any defense. Jamaal Charles is not yet healthy either, and he could miss at least week 1 recovering from a torn ACL suffered last season. This is a solid team, but it might not be as good as it was last year, still a fringe playoff contender though.
4. San Diego Chargers – The Chargers have issues, especially on the defensive side of the ball, the front seven is still slow, only Denzel Perryman stands out as a playmaker at the linebacker position, the offensive line is still a mess, despite having Joe Barksdale returning from injury. When Joe Barksdale is your ace in the hole for your line, that’s an issue. The cornerback position is very good, and Phillip Rivers can still sling it with the top QBs in the league, but those few things aren’t enough in one of the best divisions in football.

NFC East:

1. Washington Redskins – Many analysts seem to have the Giants and Cowboys winning the division, but there are problems with both of those rosters, possibly worse than Washington’s shortcomings. The Redskins have a solid offense, even if they’re unproven at running back with Matt Jones leading the committee. The defense is solid, and improved greatly in the secondary with the addition of Josh Norman. Kirk Cousins is the key to the Redskins season, will he prove himself to be the franchise quarterback he showed at times last season? Or will he be the guy who couldn’t take the reins from an ineffective RGIII in years prior.
2. New York Giants – No team spent more to rebuild their defense than the Giants did this offseason, adding Janoris Jenkins, Damon Harrison, Olivier Vernon, Leon Hall, and re-signing Jason Pierre-Paul, plus drafting Eli Apple to boot. That’s a ton of moving parts for a defense that finished last in the league last season, so chemistry may be an issue early on. The passing game should be fine with OBJ, Eli Manning, and second round rookie Sterling Shepard leading the charge, this is an offense that should be able to score some points. Rashad Jennings and Shane Vereen form a solid tandem out of the backfield. Will the offensive line hold up? That, along with a lack of defensive chemistry holds this team back from winning the division.
3. Dallas Cowboys – Rolondo McClain, suspended, DeMarcus Lawrence, suspended, Randy Gregory, suspended, Tony Romo, injured. These guys will miss a minimum of 4 games (Romo 6-10 games, McClain, 10 games). Yes, Dak Prescott lit up the league during the preseason, but with 2 rookies leading the backfield in Prescott and Zeke Elliot, there could be some early hiccups, something the offense can’t afford to do with the 2 best pass rushers and the revitalized middle linebacker gone for part of the season could sink the Cowboys before they ever have the chance to get started. The offensive line is the most talented in the league, they’re deep at receiver and tight end, which will help the rookie QB, but the Cowboys could be too far behind to catch up to the Giants and Redskins.
4. Philadelphia Eagles – After trading away Sam Bradford to the Vikings, and declaring Carson Wentz as the starter, it appears that the Eagles are probably playing for next year. This is a team without a star playmaker or go-to guy on offense, Jordan Matthews is a nice complementary piece, but not a #1 receiver, Nelson Agholor hasn’t come into his own yet, Dorial Green-Beckham just got traded for Dennis Kelly, which says a lot for how much the Titans valued him, Ryan Matthews and Darren Sproles are both very good players, but they aren’t exactly guys defensive coordinators are game planning specifically to stop. As for the defense, this unit should be strong, as they’re loaded with talent and coached by Jim Schwartz, who was last seen coaching the Bills to be the 4th best defense in the league in 2014. This team has a bright future, but this season could be rough.

NFC North:

1. Green Bay Packers – Originally, I had the Vikings in this spot, up until the Teddy Bridgewater injury, as he knew the offense, and was an  emerging player in the division. Now, with Green Bay getting back Jordy Nelson, Eddie Lacy no longer rounding out.. well, everywhere, the offense is set up to resume its great play of the past few years under Aaron Rodgers. Not to mention that the defense should be improved with Clay Matthews moving back to his natural position at outside linebacker in the Packers 3-4 scheme. He and Julius Peppers can again terrorize opposing quarterbacks coming off the edges.
2. Minnesota Vikings – The drop from first to second could easily be a drop to third in the division this year if newly acquired Sam Bradford can’t learn the playbook quickly, or if the Vikings repeat the mistake they made with Josh Freeman back in 2013, rushing him out as the starting quarterback after only being on the roster for 13 days. The Vikings have a solid team, with Adrian Peterson hard charging, the defense which is loaded with talent at every level, but if Bradford implodes, this team could fall fast.
3. Detroit Lions – After the retirement of Calvin Johnson, this team lost their face of the franchise, however, the Lions didn’t sit still at the receiver position, adding Marvin Jones and Anquan Boldin to play along side Golden Tate, Eric Ebron, and Ameer Abdullah out of the backfield. On top of that, Matthew Stafford finished last season white-hot, throwing 19 touchdowns against just 2 interceptions in the last 8 games, if he can pick up where he left off, the Lions could finish in a surprising second place, provided the defense can take a step up.
4. Chicago Bears – The Bears are in a full rebuild, the defense will be improved from last year, considering they finished 14th in the league, that should help the Bears stay in games. However, the offense is a different story, Jay Cutler is still the quarterback, but he no longer has Adam Gase directing the offense, what does this mean for Cutler? Who knows, and even though he didn’t turn the ball over as much last year, he was still not dynamic enough to lead the Bears offense to a successful season, finishing 21st, despite having Alshon Jeffery, Martellus Bennett (Now a Patriot), and Matt Forte (Now a Jet). This could be a long season in Chicago, though, Kevin White should be exciting to watch.

NFC South:

1. Carolina Panthers – The Panthers are the class of the NFC South, with only a few weaknesses including the offensive line and the secondary. Until someone can knock them off, they are the champs of the NFC South, Cam Newton, the reigning MVP, is also getting his best receiver from 2014 back in Kelvin Benjamin, who appears to be fully recovered from a torn ACL, combine that with the improved Devin Funchess, and you have a huge, scary receiving group for Cam to throw to. The defense is still scary in the front 7, and the running game should still be strong.
2. Atlanta Falcons – The Falcons are in a very strange place right now, they’re not a title contender, but also not in total rebuild mode. There are some really nice pieces in place on the offense and defense, with Julio Jones, Devonta Freeman, and Matt Ryan leading the offense, along Desmond Trufant, Vic Beasley, and Dwight Freeney leading the defense. It looks like there will be a youth movement on the defensive side of the ball (Sans Freeney) with rookies Keanu Neal, Deion Jones, and De’Vondre Campbell starting, along with second year men Vic Beasley and Grady Jarrett starting (Jalen Collins might be as well, once his 4 game suspension is over.). Dan Quinn should also be appreciated for making a defense that finished last just 2 seasons ago into an average unit, albeit with no pass-rush.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – The Bucs are an ascending, young team, but they may be a year away from challenging the Panthers for the division crown, as it remains to be seen if Doug Martin is going to play like he did last year or the two years before that, when he was a middling running back, losing his grip on the starting job. The offense has some legitimate young stars in Jameis Winston and Mike Evans, but the offensive line is, well, offensive when you look at the depth chart. The defense has a few good players, Vernon Heargraves looks to be a keeper at cornerback, Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David have been stalwarts on the defensive line and in the linebacker group. The issues with the Buccaneers come on the offensive line, the lack of a slot receiver, tight end (unless Austin Sefarian-Jenkins can figure out how to play well again), safety, and it remains to be seen if they can generate a pass rush.
4. New Orleans Saints – It’s been a broken record for New Orleans for a long time now: good offense, no defense for the Saints, Drew Brees goes into his age 37 season this year with a similar team that he’s been playing with for most of his time in New Orleans, good cast of weapons around him, but no one that can stop the opposing offenses. If it wasn’t for the Giants catastrophic defense last year, the Saints would have been the worst in the league yet again. Delvin Breaux is a nice piece in the secondary, but there isn’t much else, and 1 guy can’t cover a whole offense alone. Brees’ arm strength is starting to deteriorate, and this could be the year that it isn’t enough to carry the team to a 7 win season.

NFC West:

1. Seattle Seahawks – Returning to the top of their division after watching the Cardinals take over last season is the result of Russell Wilson’s rapid ascension from being the quarterback in Marshawn Lynch’s offense to top-level quarterback, he went on a tear at the end of last season to get the Seahawks into the playoffs, then almost led them back to beat the Panthers after falling behind big in the division round of the playoffs. The defense returns most of their pieces, minus Bruce Irvin, and is still among the best in the league. The health of Thomas Rawls and the offensive line play are still question marks that need to be answered. The other looming question is this: when will Jimmy Graham, their expensive offseason acquisition from last offseason?
2. Arizona Cardinals – The Cardinals are a veteran team, but is this the year they just become an old team? Last time we saw Carson Palmer in  a meaningful game, he threw 4 interceptions to the Panthers, and before that, he threw 2 more to the Packers. Could we see a Jake Delhomme type fall from grace for Palmer? Maybe not to that same degree, but it is possible we see a regression, and that regression is enough to keep the Cardinals from repeating as NFC West Champions. There are still a lot of good pieces on offense, not to mention a mostly stout defense, with one glaring question: Where is the pass rush going to come from?
3. Los Angeles Rams – The Rams defensive line is one of the best in football, but outside of that, they have Todd Gurley on offense, Alec Ogletree, Mark Barron, and Trumaine Johnson as their main playmakers. Aaron Donald could be an X-factor though, as he’s closing the gap with JJ Watt as the best defensive player in football, one more year like last year, and we could be looking at another dominant defensive force to be reckoned with. Jared Goff is going to start the year on the bench, as the #3 quarterback, which is a concern when Case Keenum is the starter going into the inaugural season in Los Angeles.
4. San Francisco 49ers – Oh how the mighty have fallen, the 49ers were a Superbowl contender as recently as 3 years ago, and actually made it to the big game back in 2012, but Jim Harbaugh’s departure left the 9ers in despair, as they crumbled over the next few years, to the point where Blaine Gabbert, yes, that Blaine Gabbert (WARNING: NSFW language in both links) is the starting quarterback. The only playmaker on offense is Carlos Hyde, who should shine in Chip Kelly’s offense… Oh yeah, and speaking of the fallen, Chip Kelly is the new head coach after Jim Tomsula’s mustache got run out-of-town. This is a team that should be contending for the first overall pick in the draft.

Early in the 2016 NFL Preseason, I saw the Minnesota Vikings as a team that could potentially surprise everyone and be the #1 seed in the NFC with home-field advantage in the playoffs, much like the Panthers did last season (Albeit with less dabbing). Adrian Peterson has been one of the best running backs to ever play the game since he entered the league in 2007, but he’s not getting any younger, he might have 1 or 2 more elite seasons in him. Teddy Bridgewater was a Probowl player last year, despite only throwing 14 TDs in 16 games, but still is an ascending player in this league at only 23 years old. The Vikings defense, led by head coach Mike Zimmer, was a strong unit last season, leading to an NFC North title and a Blair Walsh field goal attempt away from beating former NFC Champion Seattle. The Vikings were a team on the rise, with a promising young team and growth at many positions.

Then came August 30th. A normal day of practice, teams were preparing for their final preseason game before kicking off the regular season on September 11th. Bridgewater collapsed, untouched, and before any diagnosis was made, many players threw their helmets, were swearing, crying, praying, but they knew they had lost their captain. Bridgewater had shown a ton of promise in his first 2 seasons  As he rode away in an ambulance, it appeared that the Vikings season was lost before it had even begun. The 11th youngest roster in the league lost their leader, leaving Shaun Hill, a man who has 49 touchdowns and a 16-18 record in 10 seasons, as the quarterback to direct this team. What would the Vikings do? Where do they go from here?

Enter Rick Spielman, who has been building this roster since 2005 as Vice President of Player Personnel, then took over as GM in 2012. Many wondered if the Vikings would try to trade for Mark Sanchez, Josh McCown, Mike Glennon, or sign Mike Vick off the free agent market. Spielman decided he had other options, and orchestrated a huge trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to bring in Sam Bradford in exchange for a 2017 first round pick and a 2018 fourth round pick. Was this a good move? Much of the reactions on the internet are saying that the Vikings got fleeced, that the Eagles got a steal. I’d say the deal is slightly more balanced than it initially appeared. Bradford gives the Vikings a legitimate starting NFL QB, not the best QB, but someone who can at least back the defense up with smart decision making, accurate short and intermediate passes. He’ll allow the Vikings playmakers to do their jobs.

Mark Sanchez might try to force one too many passes, costing a very good Vikings team a few more games than they’d otherwise lose. Josh McCown and Mike Vick can’t stay healthy, and within 6 weeks would probably be out for a few games with how recklessly he tends to play. Mike Glennon couldn’t beat out McCown for the Buccaneers starting job, leading to the drafting of Jameis Winston. Bradford has a long injury history as well, but the difference is, he has a great arm, he’s a mostly good decision maker, and is not a 1 year rental, as he’s signed to a 2-year deal. In the worst case scenario, where Bridgewater misses time in 2017 as well, the Vikings will still have the option of Bradford to fall back on. Bradford at least gives the Vikings hope for this season, something they didn’t have 2 days ago.

This is the time of year where fan hope is at an all-time high, in the sense that a good draft today can turn a franchise around tomorrow (or in some cases, immediately), but it is also lying season in the NFL. Trust nothing you hear coming from “anonymous sources”, as most of these are smokescreens at this point in time. Now time for the Main Event, the 2016 Mock Draft (with added predictions at the end).

Mock Draft:

1. Los Angeles Rams – Jared Goff – QB, Cal.

The Rams desperately need a quarterback, as evidenced by their trade with the Titans to move up to the #1 spot, Goff is more pro-ready than Carson Wentz, which the Rams need with a solid roster around the Quarterback position.

2. Philadelphia Eagles – Carson Wentz – QB, North Dakota State

In a surprise move by both teams, the Browns and Eagles swapped first round picks (Although, the Browns got a nice haul in terms of picks), it appears that the Eagles are going to select their future face of the franchise, but will sit him for a year or two behind the likes of Sam Bradford (If he’s still there) and Chase Daniel. The last time the Eagles had the #2 pick, they also picked a QB: Donovan McNabb

3. San Diego Chargers – Laremy Tunsil – OT, Ole Miss

Phillip Rivers would be the happiest man on the west coast if the Chargers select Tunsil, despite concerns over his functional strength at the pro level, and a recent lawsuit filed by his stepfather. Tunsil has huge potential as a blindside protector for Rivers, and as a lead blocker for Melvin Gordon, last year’s first round pick.

4. Dallas Cowboys – DeForest Buckner – DE, Oregon

Despite Jalen Ramsey still being on the board, and Jerry Jones pleading for Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys will be without DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory at the start of next season due to suspensions, and the Cowboys won’t be reaching out to Greg Hardy anytime soon, so Dallas must address a suddenly pressing need.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jalen Ramsey – CB, Florida State

The Jaguars (assuming they stay in this pick, more on that later) are elated to see their choice of Myles Jack or Jalen Ramsey fall to them at 5. Ramsey is the best player in this draft, is a chess piece that can be moved all around the defense, and can help reinforce what was an awful passing defense last year. EJ Manuel threw for almost 300 yards and 2 touchdowns last year, enough said.

6. Baltimore Ravens – Joey Bosa – DE, Ohio State

Has any player been picked apart more than Bosa during the whole draft process? Bosa comes to a Ravens team with 2 aging pass rushers in Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumerville who can teach Bosa the ropes before he is depended on as a full time starter in this defense. The Ravens always seem to take a best player available approach, and in this case, Bosa is their guy.

7. San Francisco 49ers – Ronnie Stanley – OT, Notre Dame

I thought about Paxton Lynch here, but the 9ers are going to need help along their offensive line, there wasn’t much protection for the QBs last year, and there weren’t many holes for Carlos Hyde to run through, so why not get a guy who can do both in the form of Stanley? Chip Kelly needs good, tough linemen to run his scheme.

8. Cleveland Browns – LaQuon Treadwell – WR, Ole Miss

After trading back with the Falcons and Bills, who went on to take Julio Jones and Sammy Watkins, respectively (could you imagine if they had stayed in those picks?), this time, the Browns take the best receiver in the draft, Treadwell, and give RGIII someone to throw to other than Gary Barnidge.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Vernon Hargreaves – CB, Florida

The Buccaneers need playmakers in their secondary, as evidenced by their signing of Brent Grimes this offseason, but Grimes alone will not fix a struggling secondary, 3-4 years ago, that’s a different story. Enter Hargreaves: who gives the Bucs a much needed playmaker at the cornerback position.

10. New York Giants – Ezekiel Elliott – RB, Ohio State

This is a no-brainer for the Giants brass, they have a huge need for a running back to be “the guy” rather than “just a guy”, and Elliott gives them a dynamic backfield presence, allowing for Eli Manning to have a more consistent ground game last year, combine Elliott’s skills as a runner to Shane Vereen’s skills as a receiver, and that will make for a dynamic backfield in New York.

11. Chicago Bears – Leonard Floyd – OLB, Georgia

Floyd is an athletic freak and has the potential to become a pass rushing phenom in the mold of a Javon Kearse. At 6’6″, 244 pounds, he ran the 40 yard dash in a blazing 4.6 seconds, which was among the fastest at the linebacker position. The Bears need an athletic rusher to help Vic Fangio’s vision for this defense become a reality, and to bring nightmares to Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, and Teddy Bridgewater. Floyd brings all of that.

12. New Orleans Saints – Kevin Dodd – DE, Clemson

It’s no secret that the Saints struggled on defense last year, it seems like they’ve been in the bottom half of the league since the 2010 season began. Kevin Dodd can help bring a pass rushing presence from the defensive end position opposite Cameron Jordan. Dodd would form a formidable duo with Jordan up front, allowing more space for the Saints young linebackers to work, and more 1 on 1 situations for 2nd year pass rusher Hau’oli Kikaha. Paxton Lynch here wouldn’t be a surprise though, Drew Brees won’t be playing forever.

13. Miami Dolphins – Eli Apple – CB, Ohio State

The Dolphins need help in their secondary, and even though I’d take Apple no earlier than the 20’s, need trumps best player available, but don’t be surprised if the Dolphins try to trade up for Ezekiel Elliott, or trade down with a team trying to get a falling Myles Jack, then get their guy later.

14. Oakland Raiders – Myles Jack – LB, UCLA

After a long wait, Jack finally hears his name called to wear the Silver and Black, and team up with Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin, giving the Raiders one of the youngest and most athletic front 7’s in the league. Jack can be a sideline-to-sideline enforcer for the Raiders, knee issues or not, this is a nice fit, but if Jack is gone, then I’d expect the pick to be either Alabama’s Reggie Ragland or A’Shaun Robinson.

15. Tennessee Titans – Jack Conklin – OT, Michigan State

The Titans need some toughness and some beef on their offensive line, Conklin has been described as “tougher than old beef jerky” so he fits the mold for the Titans. His power in the run game can give Demarco Murray more holes to run through, and help keep potential franchise QB Marcus Mariota upright and healthy.

16. Detroit Lions -Shaq Lawson – DE, Clemson

Pass rushers have become more important in today’s NFL than any other time in NFL history. The Lions need someone to pair with Ziggy Ansah to have a formidable pass rush in the rugged NFC North, Lawson can be that guy for the Lions.

17. Atlanta Falcons – Darron Lee – LB, Ohio State

The Falcons defense was not good last year, it was an improvement, however, under first year head coach Dan Quinn, one of the biggest culprits for their struggles? A lack of coverage from the linebacker position. Darron Lee can help solve that problem, as he was a good coverage linebacker for the Buckeyes throughout his career. His strong performance in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama certainly opened some eyes as he had 7 tackes, 3 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks.

18. Indianapolis Colts – Reggie Ragland – LB, Alabama

When the Colts lost Inside Linebacker Jurrell Freeman to the Bears in Free Agency, it opened up a huge hole in the middle of their defence, Ragland will add a physical tone and a solid run defender to the Colts defense.

19. Buffalo Bills – Sheldon Rankins – DL, Louisville

Between cutting Mario Williams and Kyle Williams coming off of knee injury, the Bills could use some help on the defensive line. Rankins can come in and push the pocket from a defensive end position in the Bills 3-4 defense.

20. New York Jets – Paxton Lynch – QB, Memphis

The Jets get their quarterback of the future in Paxton Lynch, even though he’s a rookie, he will be set up for success with receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker on the outside and Matt Forte out of the backfield. Chan Gailey will have a gifted passer to coach up, and if they re-sign Fitzpatrick, the Jets would be able to sit Lynch for a year and learn before he’s the guy.

21. Washington Redskins – A’Shawn Robinson – DT, Alabama

After losing Terrence “Pot Roast” Knighton this offseason, the Redskins need a big body to man the middle of their defense, and who better than the man who was the centerpiece of the Alabama defense?

22. Houston Texans – Corey Coleman – WR, Baylor

The Texans have DeAndre Hopkins, but lack an explosive speedster to take the top off of a defense, enter Corey Coleman, who ran a 4.37 40-yard dash time at the combine. The reason I went with him over Will Fuller is that Coleman is more consistent catching the ball.

23. Minnesota Vikings – Josh Doctson – WR, TCU

It’s no secret that the Vikings need receivers not named Stefon Diggs to step up in a big way for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, and Doctson can be the guy, as he was accustomed to at TCU. Adding a dynamic receiver to this offense could help Bridgewater in his development, and help Adrian Peterson face fewer 8 in the box situations (When a safety comes down to the linebacker level from the secondary).

24. Cincinnati Bengals – Will Fuller – WR, Notre Dame

After losing Mohammed Sanu and Marvin Jones to free agency, the Bengals have a hole at wide receiver opposite of AJ Green currently being occupied by Brandon LaFell and Brandon Tate. Fuller gives this offense another dynamic playmaker to take pressure off of Green and tight end Tyler Eifert in the passing game, and gives Andy Dalton another target to throw to.

25. Pittsburgh Steelers – William Jackson III – CB, Houston

Jackson fits the mold for the tough, athletic corners the Steelers covet, and Pittsburgh is in desperate need of corners, as was evidenced by their porous pass defense last season. Jackson can come in and help stabilize the secondary.

26. Seattle Seahawks – Le’Raven Clark – OT, Texas Tech

Clark gives the Seahawks a potential franchise left tackle, with great height, arm length, foot quickness and technique, Clark could help protect Russell Wilson’s blind side. With proper coaching, he should be able to fix the inconsistencies in his footwork and help strengthen the offensive line.

27. Green Bay Packers – Robert Nkemdiche – DT, Mississippi

Extraordinary talent, high-potential player who fell in the draft due to character concerns and low production. Nkemdiche would be a high first round pick, but he was suspended from Ole Miss after an incident in an Atlanta hotel room. The Packers have a best player available philosophy, and Nkemdiche is the best available.

28. Kansas City Chiefs – Tyler Boyd – WR, Pittsburgh

In a surprise move, the Chiefs take Boyd after the run of receivers from 22-24, Boyd is seen as more of a 2nd day pick, but the need at the position and the fact Boyd projects to a Jarvis Landry type receiver, who can also excel in a play-action style offense, which is exactly what the Chiefs need.

29. Arizona Cardinals – Keanu Neal – S, Florida

The Cardinals currently have a strong secondary, however, outside of Tyrann Mathieu, the safety position is relatively thin after Deone Buchanon’s move to linebacker. Neal brings another playmaker to the desert, allowing them to continue to contend with the top teams in the NFC.

30. Carolina Panthers – Mackensie Alexander – CB, Clemson

If there was a tackle that was a good value here, I would have the Panthers taking a tackle, however, with the loss of Josh Norman, and Alexander being among the best players available, this pick makes sense for both sides, Alexander was a playmaker for the Clemson defense this past season.

31. Denver Broncos – Cody Whitehair – OG, Kansas State

Despite winning the Super Bowl, the Broncos have needs along the offensive line, after signing Russel Okung, the Broncos continue to rebuild with Whitehair, who is comparable to Cowboys guard Zack Martin, who is a 2 time Pro-Bowler and was voted as an All-Pro in 2014, good value to close out the first round.

Wild-Card Predictions:

1. Jets trade Mohammed Wilkerson to move up in the draft for Paxton Lynch
2. Chiefs move up for a wide-receiver
3. Browns trade down to a team looking to take Ezekiel Elliott (I’m looking at you, Miami Dolphins
4. Colin Kaepernick is traded before the end of the draft
5. There will be at least 10 trades in the first round of the draft