A Mock Draft

The Draft is fast approaching and now that we are in April we are in the home stretch before the draft. This is the perfect time to do a Mock Draft and fill my one article a quarter quota.

New York Jets: Zach Wilson QB BYU

The Jets finally ended the suffering of Sam Darnold by trading him to the Carolina Panthers. They got quite a haul for him considering he was one of the worst QBs in the NFL the past three years. With Darnold gone and a new HC plus a GM who never got his guy, this is the perfect time to get their franchise QB. With Trevor Lawrence going #1 that leaves Zach Wilson or Justin Fields as the #2 QB left and I expect the Jets to go Wilson. Wilson has been taking advantage of the Covid shenanigans in College Football to have a pretty solid year and his Pro Day helped him rise up the draft boards as well. Also the Jets will be running a variant of the Shanahan offense which is great for any QB especially for an athletic one like Wilson. The Jets hope this QB actually works out, especially since the last time they drafted top 3, they drafted the 4th best QB in the draft.

Miami Dolphins: Kyle Pitts TE Go Gata

In this draft the Falcons go OL with Sewell and the Bengals hook up Burrow with his favorite target from college with Chase. This leaves Kyle Pitts as the last man standing. Pitts is a QB cheat code who can make anything happen, look what he did to Kyle Trask’s draft stock. While the Dolphins already have a TE in Gesicki who is serviceable, Pitts gives you flexibility as he can also be a WR as well as a TE. With the goal of giving Tua weapons, Pitts is a no brainer over one of the Bama WRs who prefers his successor over him.

New England Patriots: Mac Jones (trade up)

I preface this by saying it is very unlike the Patriots trade up. It is more likely they trade back but I also know Patriot fans want nothing to do with Mac Jones which makes him a perfect choice in this Mock Draft. Mac Jones was also the only QB whose pro day Bill Belichick actually went to. Mac Jones is the highest floor of the top 5 QBs but he also has the lowest ceiling. With the moves the Patriots made this offseason, I can’t see them settling on Cam Newton as their guy which makes me thing they go get a QB early. Or they trade for Jimmy G.

Miami Dolphins: Jayson Oweh DE Penn State

The Dolphins use their second 1st to address the pass rush concern on the defense. Last year the Dolphins went all in on signing pass rushers and the results were mixed as they traded one of their pass rushers away. Oweh has been moving up boards since his great Pro Day where everyone was running a 4.3. Oweh has all the physical tools to be an elite pass rusher and is a guy who you bank on his upside and steady improvement in his three years at Penn State (per PFF). It was either this or reaching on a RB.

New York Jets: Najee Harris RB Rawl Tyle

The Jets got their QB with their 1st pick and now get their RB with the second pick. This offseason the Jets already invested a lot in the WR position and it went from one of the worst units in the NFL to average. Now they upgrade the RB position which had Frank Gore carrying the rock. Harris is a solid runner who shows some ability in the passing game. Plus with the Shanahan offense they are running, they need a RB who can make things happen. A solid RB can only help a young QB, especially with play action.

The Titans of the East: Greg Newsome II CB Northwestern

The Buffalo Bills are in the weird position of being the best team in the AFC East. Something only the Patriots could say for the past twenty years. The Bills offense is set with the entire OL and skill positions locked up and under contract. RB is the only need on offense but that is what a third round pick is for. On defense they have need at pass rush and CB and the way this draft is, there is no real pass rusher worth this pick but there are lot of CBs. Greg Newsome is a very solid zone corner, something the Bills use a lot in the McDermott defense uses and he will be a perfect plug in play for the #2 CB spot which is open since the Bills didn’t sign an ex Panther QB this free agency. Newsome solves the gaping #2 CB hole and allows them to scheme pressure with the front four. The Bills just get better.