Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Complete 2018 first-round mock draft, version 1
Look no further Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans, I’m about to predict the future with my initial first-round mock draft of the year!
Just in time for April Fool’s Day, I’m going to take my best stab at figuring which prospect will land with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and why. The why is the six picks preceding Jason Licht’s first selection.
For the sake of leading into second-round discussions here or on social media, I’m also going to play the role of general manager for the other 25 picks in the first-round as well.
One administrative note. I am not going to speculate any trades in this first attempt. I will in the future, and plan to even open up some Twitter votes to allow you guys to tell me which trade you want to see mocked out.
And yes, this is a slideshow. For those who despise slideshows, feel free to download the Pewter Plank app and voila! This will instantly turn into one longform article.
Getting on with it: The Cleveland Browns are on the clock!
53. I hear the same chatter as everyone else. The Browns HAVE to take a quarterback at the top of the draft. Well, it doesn’t mean they have to take the first one. <p>Here, the newly weaponized offense gets a running back to go with <a rel=. Running Back. Penn State. Saquon Barkley. 1. player
2. New York Giants: Guard, Quenton Nelson (Notre Dame)
I know Eli Manning won’t play forever, but the team already made a move to replace him prematurely and it backfired in so many different ways.
This franchise needs to protect their franchise quarterback, not go out and find a new one. With Odell Beckham returning – maybe – Brandon Marshall coming back, and Sterling Shepard still on roster there is plenty of reason to think this team could bounce back in a real way.
Don’t hit the panic button just yet.
3. New York Jets: Quarterback, Josh Allen (Wyoming)
Who predicted Allen off the board first among quarterbacks? Nobody? Ok.
While I see some of the logic, I think the Jets are looking upside versus immediate play. It’s not often I can get on board with drafting a developmental guy at third overall, but Allen has the cannon to justify it and the Jets have two quarterbacks who are good enough to keep ‘Gang Green’ from yelling Allen’s name too early.
4. Cleveland Browns: Defensive End, Bradley Chubb (NC State)
How lucky are the Browns? Passed on a quarterback with the first pick and the guy everyone thought they’d take is still on the board! Of course they have to draft….a pass rusher!
Cleveland’s defense wasn’t all that terrible last year but bringing in Chubb to play opposite of Myles Garrett for 2018 and beyond gives them the most lethal pass rush in the AFC North.
5. Denver Broncos: Quarterback, Josh Rosen (UCLA)
Is it possible the consensus number-one quarterback in the NFL Draft is the third or – gasp – fourth guy taken? Yes. It is. Remember Aaron Rodgers?
Why is this happening? Well, because John Elway needs to win now. He doesn’t have time for Sam Darnold to grow into the NFL game and develop as a mature leader in the locker room.
Nope. He needs a guy like Rosen who comes in as an NFL ready talent on a quarterback hungry team. He won’t have to earn the respect of the locker room. His teammates will be happy just to no longer play quarterback roulette with Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch.