Mock Draft 2.0

Well, the combine came and went. Some records were broken, islands were not won, and now we are left to wait... again. The NFL Draft is still over a month away but to help quell the insatiable appetite that is Dynasty Fantasy Football, I offer you another morsel in the form of an updated Mock Draft. Enjoy you greedy buzzards.

(1.1) Size Does Matter
Leonard Fournette - LSU

No change here. If anything Fournette's stock has actually bumped up a bit due to his positive showing at the combine. Was he the fastest or most agile guy out there? No. But a guy his size shouldn't be that quick! Most mocks have him going to Jacksonville early which may give Smarty some heartburn when making the pick but honestly, I think the Jags are due for a rebound. They have top notch receivers and Fournette is the perfect guy to balance out the offense and give them a true identity. Fournette is a once in a generation type player who is too good to pass up. Jags are a good fit, Carolina would be even better though.

(1.2) Gold Standard
Dalvin Cook - FSU

My eyes show me an explosive athlete. What about you?

What do you trust most? Your eyes and the game film of a player who was an absolute wrecking ball against all levels of competition and on the highest stage OR the results of the underwear olympics? According to SPARQ (a metric that measures athleticism) Cook's athletic prowess was rated in the 9th percentile. That's not good. Even if you argue that he just had a bad day, that is a dock on his preparation or lack there of. I personally am not worried at all, I've seen enough of FSU these past seasons and the talent shines through. If anything it could get him in a position to be drafted by a more established team and make him a fantasy contributor on day one.

(1.3) Above Average Joes
Christian McCaffrey - Stanford

Run/Catch combo make McCaffrey a nightmare for DC's 

Speaking of SPARQ, here's a guy that excelled in that department. McCaffrey actually came in as the 4th highest rated athlete among the crop of ball-carriers in Indianapolis (coincidentally, a city he very well could return to in a little over a month). In the last mock, I had the Joe's selecting a WR to bolster that core as there were question marks after Cook and Fournette. After the combine, those question marks have shifted over to pass-catchers while McCaffrey's stock is on the rise again. He'll be in play for teams like the Colts, Eagles, and Bucs and if any of them select Run-CMC, he could leap frog ahead of Cook on many draft boards.

(1.4) Garbage Emoji
Joe Mixon - Oklahoma

We all make mistakes, but man that's tough to watch

He didn't run at the combine. he wasn't even invited. Still, there is so much buzz surrounding Joe Mixon. He crushed his pro day and will have several suitors come draft day. The only concern is the history of off the field issues and really, just one slip up could end his NFL career. Keegan has a history of taking chances on troubled players (or maybe he just has a propensity to find the troubled players) and given the recent trade to bring Nuke Hopkins into the fold, he needs that homerun threat in the RB position. If the video of Mixon beating a young women hadn't surfaced, he easily would be in the discussion of being drafted in the first round and possibly ahead of Fournette. Yes, he is that talented.

(1.5) I Vincitori

Corey Davis - Western Michigan
Nothing changes here. Mike Williams showed scouts that he is actually vertically challenged in his leaping ability (a shock for a jump-ball specialist) and his overall athleticism was severely lacking. This should allow Corey Davis, the more polished, prototypical wide receiver to be the first selected in the draft. Free Agency may have hurt some of the rookie value this year with Tampa Bay and Philadelphia solidifying their squads with established pass-catchers so this pick really depends on where the players land. Buffalo is a logical spot but how much action is the wideout opposite Sammy Watkins going to get? Davis has the chops to catch 6+ balls a game and has the route running and YAC ability to be a very solid fantasy option, hopefully he doesn't find himself buried.

(1.6) Garbage Emoji
John Ross III - Washington

4.22 (drops mic).


Just kidding. But seriously, what else needs to be said? Other than health concerns Ross III will be scooped up as a vertical threat, but his smarts and surprising ups will give him a great opportunity to contend for OROY honors. Keegan could go the RB route again (especially if the next guy lands in a good spot to contribute) but he is not one to pass up on top talent; which he'll then ship off for another bevy of draft picks... I'm a huge Ross III & Husky homer, but this guy is the real deal.

(1.7) For Narnia
Alvin Kamara - Tennessee

SPARQ ALERT: Kamara was the top rated RB athlete at this year's combine! I think Matt Foley sums up my feelings perfectly (take a moment and do your best impersonation now. it's ok. I'll wait...) Like with Cook, I tend to side more with the film (the actual proof) of what a player can do, not what a metric says his potential is. That being said, NFL scouts LOVE Kamara and most mocks have him going in the late 1st or early 2nd rounds so the pick is warranted. Narnia desperately needs a running back at this spot. Kamara can't be relied on as a RB1 but in the right spot (like every other player) could be a solid contributor.

(1.8) DaBert
Jeremy McNichols - Boise State

Talk about a sibling rivalry. In trading away Nuke Hopkins, Brett was able to grab two 1st round drafted wideouts along and the opportunity to sneak into this year's 1st round. But what makes the trade even more awesome is that he slides in right before his twin brother. So what better way to ignite the fires of rivalry than by selecting the guy your brother is (probably) looking to draft. McNichols is probably going to fall a little bit in the draft but could be a sneaky draft pick as scouts discount his stats for playing in Boise. It's a risky pick, but with 5 RBs already taken and no need for WRs why not go with a high ceiling guy? Especially if he does pan out and you can hold it over your brother FOREVER.

(1.9) Tom-a-Hank
Mike Williams - Clemson

Plays like this are why Williams will be drafted early

Let's be honest, that last pick will probably prove to be hyperbole and a huge wish on my part. Regardless, Brady is probably looking to draft the best available player at this spot and Mike Williams (how many is this now?) would be a big value here. There are question marks stemming from the combine but the track record of Clemson WRs is very promising. He's a big receiver and specializes in contested catches so as long as he has a competent QB he should be able to be utilized as a WR3 or FLEX option. Brady has a lot of potential in his WR corps but none that scream superstar. Pryor and Benjamin have given us glimpses but are they ready to take the next step? Adding Williams would offer extra insurance in case they don't show up.  

(1.10) Gold Standard
D'Onta Foreman - Texas

Everyone looks great against Kansas don't they?

2,000 yards rushing is nothing to sneeze at. Yes, it was against the BIG XII but in the era of the air raid that many rushing yards is quite impressive. Foreman's not going to wow you with agility or top end speed but he's a freaking wrecking ball who will most likely fall into the end zone more than a handful of times this year. The Gold Standard could look to the Tight End position but it doesn't really make sense to overlook the lottery picks at Running Back who could yield more draft compensation in the future. I also would not be surprised to see a QB selected here to replace Eli and Romo in the very near future.  

(1.11) Above Average Joes
Chris Godwin - Penn State

If you watched the Rose Bowl (9-187, 2 tds against USC & Adoree' Jackson) you know why this pick was made. Honestly I was hoping he wouldn't get any buzz and potentially fall to me in the early 2nd round, but that won't (shouldn't) happen. He's big (6'1") fast (4.42) and has great separation skills. He is gaining ground among scouts due to injuries to Davis and Williams' poor combine performance, so don't be surprised if he sneaks into the late 1st round. The Joe's, outside of OBJ, could use some help in the WR room and Godwin could offer sneaky star potential.

(1.12) Garbage Emoji
Samaje Perine - Oklahoma

Just one big run from his 427 rushing yard outing

Initially, I would have said this pick is probably up for sale, but the Hopkins trade has freed up room on the roster for Keegan to take advantage of a loaded draft. Trade Recap: Coleman struggled in his rookie season and his value depends ENTIRELY on the passer. He also failed to surpass a converted QB for prime receiver duties, so is he really going to meet his lofty expectations? We shall see. Shepard had a few shining moments as a rookie but the Giants are gonna ride or die with OBJ and Brandon Marshall's arrival means even less targets going Shepard's way. Tough break for my favorite player in last year's draft. So long story short: Keegan's trade mean Keegan can actually make picks. He'll look to capitalize on the other Oklahoma RB who flashed brilliance when Mixon was off the field. Perine is a short yardage specialist but given the opportunity to could carve a role similar to Michael Turner or Brandon Jacobs. He's probably an early day three selection but I think he could find a home in a place like Green Bay or Houston where they have an established smaller back he can be paired with.