65) Cleveland Browns: Alvin Kamara, Running Back, Tennessee
Rumors say Browns are hot and heavy for Fournette, but the analytics say wait and get better value later on with a guy like Kamara.
66) San Francisco 49ers: Cooper Kupp, Wide Receiver, Eastern Washington
Want a good laugh? Go look at the Niners’ receiver depth chart. Even with the addition of Pierre Garcon, this team needs to add young bodies. What’s not to love about Kupp? The guy catches everything and owns the NCAA record for everything receiving (catches, yards, touchdowns).
67) Chicago Bears: Zay Jones, Wide Receiver, East Carolina
This is the sweet spot to hit on some of these value receivers. Jones may never be a true No. 1 but will be a great complimentary guy who is always open versus single coverage.
68) Jacksonville Jaguars: Kareem Hunt, Running Back, Toledo
My favorite day-two running back, Hunt’s vision and balance are the best of the bunch. Finally, a guy you can give the ball to 20 times and help take pressure off the quarterback with big chunk plays.
69) Los Angeles Rams: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Wide Receiver, USC
If the Rams want their first overall pick quarterback to develop, they better start surrounding him with some weapons. One of the more athletic wipeouts the draft has to offer, Smith-Schuster will suit up as a starter and get plenty of looks next to Robert Woods and Tavon Austin.
70) New York Jets: D’onta Foreman, Running Back, Texas
Want to ease a young quarterback into the NFL? Let him hand the ball off 30 times per game. While it’s not a long-term solution, Foreman is a hammer you can grind for five years and play ball controlled offense.
71) Los Angeles Chargers: Dorian Johnson, Offensive Guard, Pittsburgh
The DJ Fluker fiasco is finally over. Johnson is a better prospect coming out than the former first round pick and will come in and start from Week 1. There, I said it.
72) New England Patriots (From CAR): Samaje Perine, Running Back, Oklahoma
With LeGarrette Blount on the streets, it’s vital for this offense to have someone they can count on to carry the running offense, literally. He’s not as explosive as teammate Joe Mixon however, I’m not sold he won’t be the better pro when the dust settles.
73) Cincinnati Bengals: Dalvin Tomlinson, Defensive Tackle, Alabama
He’s a lot more than just a run stuffer despite his label as a pure nose tackle. Tomlinson has a good wiggle into the backfield and will soak up double teams. Don’t be surprised to see Tomlinson leapfrog Andrew Billings on the depth chart and earn a starting spot in the rotation right away.
74) Baltimore Ravens (From PHI): Ahkello Witherspoon, Cornerback, Colorado
The Ravens need to come out of this draft with some legitimate cornerback talent. Luckily for them, this class is deep at their position of need. While everyone drools over Kevin King size, Witherspoon sits at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds with a 41-inch vertical. All the physical tools you drool over to mold as a coach.
75) Buffalo Bills: Josh Reynolds, Wide Receiver, Texas A&M
The Bills wisely retained Tyrod Taylor, but the departure of Robert Woods and a lingering ankle on Sammy Watkins continues to deplete the wideout unit. Reynolds was a Senior Bowl favorite of mine standing out with his long arms he uses to create separation at the top of his routes and at contact.
76) New Orleans Saints: Sidney Jones, Cornerback, Washington
Listen, the Saints are loaded with ammo with five picks in the top 103. Regardless of what they do their defense will take two years to be completely rebuilt. Grabbing a top-15 stud like Jones is the best case scenario if you can stay patient and redshirt him after an ACL tear in 2017. Now, your 2018 starting cornerbacks are Tre White, P.J. Williams and Jones. Worth it.
77) Arizona Cardinals: Demarcus Walker, Defensive End, Florida State
The Cardinals thrive on pressure up front and, while he’s been a great addition, Chandler Jones won’t play at this level forever. Walker is a tweener in a 3-4 right now and can either lean down as a stand-up linebacker or bulk up as a five technique. Regardless, his quick twitch and ability to bully slower blockers will always remain.
78) Baltimore Ravens: Chris Wormley, Defensive Line, Michigan
How’d these guys get so many picks again? With nine picks in the first five rounds last year, Ozzie Newsome has four picks in the first three rounds again and is set to do a major overhaul. After grabbing a high-ceiling edge guy in Jordan Willis, Newson grabs Wormley, who outplayed his peers in Mobile. A physical hard-nosed player in the middle is exactly what John Harbaugh covets in the trenches of his 3-4 system.
79) Indianapolis Colts: Raekwon McMillan, Outside Linebacker, Ohio State
After stealing one of the best edge rushers in Takkarist McKinley the Colts continue to rebuild their defense with a pure 4-3 outside linebacker in McMillan. Finally, some stability in the front-seven for the Colts who look to establish an actual, you know, defensive presence for once.
80) Minnesota Vikings: Caleb Brantley, Defensive Tackle, Florida
The run of bad luck continues for the Vikings after Teddy Bridgewater’s career is threatened with a freak knee injury. Now Sharrif Floyd’s career is in jeopardy, too. Floyd looked like a promising three-technique; however, now the team is forced to plan on playing the future without him.
Enter Brantley, another quick defensive tackle from the Gators system that can attack the gaps and force quarterbacks off their mark and outside of the pocket. His pressures and impact were much better than his stats themselves and will add a serious pass rushing threat in the middle playing next to Linval Joseph.
81)Washington Redskins: Wayne Gallman, Running Back, Clemson
The Redskins have done a great job adding talent up and down each level of their defense. Now, they look to take advantage of a loaded tailback class with Gallman who plays with a sharp burst in and out of his cuts. Gallman turns out to be the ideal complement to last year’s standout Rob Kelley on third-down and passing situations.
82) Denver Broncos: Bucky Hodges, Tight End, Virginia Tech
The Broncos did a good job of adding new starters on the offensive line early before they disappeared in a weak class. Now, they get lucky in a great class of tight ends with Hodges who tore up the combine with ridiculous numbers. Giving Paxton Lynch more weapons and protection is the theme of the Broncos 2017 draft.
83) Tennessee Titans: Alex Anzalone, Inside Linebacker, Florida
The Titans have done an outstanding job hitting on their early picks the last two seasons. With a great foundation built it’s time to finish the with the glue in between the cracks. Selections like these in the mid rounds could make or break their playoff intentions in 2017.
If you go off the tape alone, Anzalone is a late first-round guy with huge size and NFL instincts for the positions. The problem is, there isn’t much tape for a guy who was constantly hurt. Keep him healthy, and he’s a 100 tackle per season guy and a rock in the middle of this team’s defense.
84) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Justin Evans, Safety, Texas A&M
This front office has a done job targeting high-upside talent in the middle rounds, and outside of Roberto Aguayo, they’ve been right, with picks like Kwon Alexander and Ali Marpet. After stealing Corey Davis in Round 1 and adding another threat off the edge in Derek Barnett the team is a playmaker away in the secondary to have one of the best young defenses in the NFC.
85) Detroit Lions: Adam Shaheen, Tight End, Drake
I’ve heard from two inside sources I trust greatly the Lions are drafting a tight end in this loaded class early on. While Haason Reddick and Derek Rivers were too good to pass up filling major needs in the front seven, Shaheen gives them great value later on.
The best small-school guy you’ve never heard of, Shaheen is a boulder at 280 pounds as a blocker. He, however, moves smooth over the middle of the field and will give the Lions serious mismatch weapons both in the slot and out wide with Eric Ebron working in tandem.
86) Minnesota Vikings: Isaac Asiata, Offensive Guard, Utah
The Vikings continue to bolster their trenches with one of the strongest, toughest, and mean son of a bitch in the entire draft. While guys like Matt Kalil and John Sullivan were good enough during their prime, Asiata adds a new element of tenacity and a mean streak the Vikings haven’t had in far too long.
Asiata looks for someone to knock on their ass until the whistle blows. At a beefy 6-foot-3, 323 pounds with more bench reps (35) than any other lineman, Asiata’s play strength is NFL ready from day one and gives maximum effort on the field. With any big body comes slow feet which is something you have to learn to live with unfortunately, meaning Asiata pulling out to the outside won’t be a work of art.
Rick Spielman finally adds a “Mike Zimmer guy” on the offensive side of the ball, helping turn their biggest weakness in 2016 into a strength. Breathe easy Vikings fans, as those nightmarish short yardage, and goal line situations won’t look so tough in 2017 and beyond.
87) New York Giants: T.J. Watt, Outside Linebacker, Wisconsin
The Giants are going to return all of their defensive starters, a feat that’s nearly impossible to accomplish. Still, after adding a new starting offensive tackle and home run runner Joe Mixon, it’s time to start thinking about depth in the front seven.
All eyes are on the younger brother of J.J. as to whether the bloodlines can continue into Pro Bowl-type play. Watt adds some fresh blood and new energy in the linebacking corps while adding a great burst off the edge into the backfield. Don’t be surprised to see him starting by season’s end.
88) Oakland Raiders: Jaleel Johnson, Defensive Tackle, Iowa
The Raiders couldn’t pass up on an explosive playmaker like Dalvin Cook in the first round, pairing him with Carr and the passing game is the worst case scenario for opposing defenses.
The attention quickly focuses back to the middle of the defense now though as defensive tackle and middle linebacker still need to be addressed. There are mixed reviews on Johnson, but no matter how you view him he is a big body that will help out in run support immediately while he fine tunes his game on third downs.
89) Houston Texans: Damontae Kazee, Cornerback, San Diego State
The Texans let A.J. Bouye get a way to Jacksonville in free agency. Now, they must once again find a mid round cornerback that can step in and compete. Kazee might come from a small school; however, his domination with 15 interceptions in his final two seasons proved enough for most scouts and coaches there’s plenty to work with.
He’s also a firecracker in the run game too, with 14.5 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles over his career, Kazee could be an instant starter on special teams as he adjusts to the speed of the NFL.
90) Seattle Seahawks: Carroll Phillips, Defensive End, Illinois
Phillips flashes lightning quickness, shown by his 20 tackles for loss and nine sacks his senior season. It’s still curious why he never produced until his final year but, there is enough potential to develop as the Seahawks continue to churn out front-seven studs.
91) Kansas City Chiefs: Ryan Glasgow, Defensive Tackle, Michigan
Andy Reid couldn’t help himself pulling the trigger on Kizer in round one and now are in catch up mode and forced to replenish their trenches. Glasgow has the football bloodlines with his older brother starting in Detroit at center. A guy who flashes at the Senior Bowl, Glasgow has the tools to be a true nose tackle if he can bulk up. If not, five technique seems to be an ideal fit for him inside the Chiefs defense.
92) Dallas Cowboys: Gerald Everett, Tight End, South Alabama
Cowboys have a new young nucleus to build around in Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott but, must continue to add more weapons around them. In a loaded tight end class I’ve watched Everett fly under the radar during the pre draft process.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRuz7YVGBu8&t=15s
This guy is fun to watch. After transferring from UAB, Everett tore it up — averaging nearly 15 yards per catch. The Jaguars used his athleticism and versatility wherever they could even at running back where he scored four touchdowns. Coming from a small school, Everett will have the rare luxury to learn behind a future hall of fame in Jason Witten before cracking the starting lineup in 2018.
93) Green Bay Packers: Kendell Beckwith, Inside Linebacker, LSU
A downhill player who fights through the trash and can move well sideline-to-sideline. Despite missing some games, Beckwith still managed 263 tackles and 24.5 tackles for loss. He’s coming off a torn ACL however, will be ready for preseason action allowing a linebacker needy team good value in round three.
With newcomers Charles Harris and TJ Watt working off the edge, Beckwith adds some major stability to the middle of a linebacking unit that just got a much needed overhaul by Theodore Thompson.
94) Pittsburgh Steelers: Vince Biegel, Outside Linebacker, Wisconsin
After taking a risk on superstar blitzer Tim Williams in Round 2, this front office dips back to the well for a safer selection. Some actually prefer Biegel over his teammate T.J. Watt with his consistency off the edge. Regardless, Mike Tomlin is stocked backed up with toys to play with and a major chess piece in Budda Baker with their first pick.
95) Atlanta Falcons: Duke Riley, Outside Linebacker, LSU
Just load Dan Quinn up with more speed and you can’t really go wrong. Riley may be undersized but flies all over the field and knows how to get to the ball carrier. Pairing him up with former teammate and standout Deion Jones could give the front seven some serious chemistry for Quinn to unload exotic packages and looks.
96) New England Patriots: Tanzel Smart, Defensive Tackle, Tulane
While Malcolm Brown has been a great pick, you can never have enough depth in the middle of a Bill Belichick’s defense. Smart is a high-motor guy that was the anchor of his team. With limited picks due to the Brandin Cooks trade the Patriots have more pressure than usual to hit on these middle round guys.
Ha, like that’s ever held them back from developing talent and producing winning seasons.
Compensatory Picks
97) Miami Dolphins: Nico Siragusa, Offensive Guard, San Diego State
The Dolphins continue to be stuck in quarterback purgatory. Adding as much talent around Ryan Tannehill as possible remains the focal point as the franchise hopes he can get over this plateau he’s stuck in when it comes to his development.
Siragusa is another mauler inside at guard that can add some serious power to the running game. He fits what the Dolphins want to do on offense with Jay Ajayi wearing down defenses late in games.
After stealing Laremy Tunsil last year, adding Siragusa to the mix gives the Dolphins a legitimate top-10 offensive line. In a copycat league look for them to have similar success to the Dallas Cowboys, and take pressure off their quarterback when they can.
98) Carolina Panthers: Marcus Williams, Safety, Utah
While Malik Hooker and Jamal Adams steal the spotlight when it comes to coverage safeties not many were better than Williams who gave up virtually no production to his opponents the last half of the season.
The Panthers are set on offense with Fournette ready to carry the show and Carlos Henderson’s collegiate-best 19 touchdowns set to fill the void of Ted Ginn Jr. Now, adding a playmaking safety in the back end of an aggressive Ron Rivera defensive scheme could be the last piece to the puzzle for the Panthers Super Bowl return.
99) Philadelphia Eagles (From Ravens): George Kittle, Tight End, Iowa
Kittle looked like an offensive lineman blocking in the bruising Big Ten, but when he was asked to run routes he constantly made plays over the middle of the field. You could argue he was the second best tight end in the conference behind Jake Butt. Adding a tight end that can both block and catch fits what the Eagles want to surround second-year quarterback Carson Wentz with.
100) Tennessee Titans: Cameron Sutton, Cornerback, Tennessee
The Titans continue to add great value and talent at positions of need. With Marshon Lattimore set to take over the number one spot, the team still need another boundary cornerback to develop.
Sutton was in every first-round mock draft you could find before being injured. Now, in a deep class he gets pushed down further than he should, meaning the Titans once again pick up another solid mid-round pick at a thin spot.
101) Denver Broncos: Ardarius Stewart, Wide Receiver, Alabama
This offense has done big things with just two legitimate receiving options in the passing game for too long. Stewart is an interesting prospect with a great jolt in and out of his cuts, and an explosive wiggle in the open field.
Stewart could take advantage of single coverage looks inside the Broncos offense, getting over the top of defenses with Lynch’s monster arm, giving them what they hoped Cody Latimer would be.
102) Seattle Seahawks: Larry Ogunjobi, Defensive Tackle, Charlotte
More trench help for the Seahawks who addressed their offensive line early, and now look to add depth on the defensive side of the ball. Don’t expect much more than a first- and second-down guy from Ogunjobi however, he’s still one of the best tackle prospects versus the run you can find in this class.
103) New Orleans Saints: Fabian Moreau, Cornerback, UCLA
Keep ’em coming. We’re doing a complete overhaul on the Saints defense. With Jones set to redshirt the 2017 season, grabbing another cornerback isn’t a bad idea. It’s true, Moreau too is set to miss the first half of the season with a pec injury. However, he is another first round talent when healthy, and another steal for the Saints’ long-term outlook.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4xOJVabZ2Q
Now, the Saints 2018 cornerback depth chart goes from a weak spot to the heart of their defense with White, Jones, Moreau and P.J. Williams.
Whew.
104) Kansas City Chiefs: Rasul Douglas, Cornerback, West Virginia
The Chiefs continue to hit each one of their biggest needs with secondary help. Marcus Peters has quickly become a shutdown cornerback in the NFL after just two seasons. Getting help across from him is now more important than ever as teams will stay away from him and pick apart the No. 2 man until they prove otherwise.
Douglas is a playmaker who picked off eight passes in his first season starting for West Virginia. He now must prove to teams it wasn’t a fluke. This late in the draft, Douglas’ ball skills are well worth the risk.
105) Pittsburgh Steelers: Jake Butt, Tight End, Michigan
He’s a guy you’d hear in the first round had he not torn his ACL. Watch any Michigan tape and you’ll quickly realize he was the team’s go-to weapon and target when the offense needed any big play. With a boat load of major talent at the position Butt gets pushed down the totem pole. The Steelers were blessed to have a rock solid and consistent contributor in Heath Miller for over a decade, but his abbesses has been sorely felt since his retirement.
106) Seattle Seahawks: Chase Roullier, Offensive Guard, Wyoming
Roullier quietly was one of the best guards in the country with positive grades in both the run and pass. The Seahawks have now gone through a major overhaul at a spot of major weakness in 2016. Trust me when I say Luke Joeckel is not the answer at left tackle. This draft has helped load up on a lot of young talent for coaches to develop in Taylor Moton, Ethan Pocic and now Roullier.
107) New York Jets: Davis Webb, Quarterback, California
They just couldn’t help themselves. Even after committing to developing Christian Hackenberg, the thought of not drafting another quarterback was just too much. Still, Webb has more upside than people are giving him credit for and the tools to be a franchise quarterback. Letting him sit for two years would be the ideal scenario before calling it quits on Hackenberg and Bryce Petty.
