btcutter
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1. Cleveland Browns - Sam Darnold, QB, USC
The Browns' search for a long-term answer at quarterback will continue into the offseason. Darnold's turnovers stand out, but so do his intangibles, passing instincts and ability to move the pocket and create plays. Three months before the draft, Darnold is the current favorite to go No. 1 to the Browns.
2. New York Giants - Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
The Giants don't expect to be drafting in the top-three very often. So with the future of Eli Manning very much up in the air, the Giants should target their quarterback of the future. Rosen is far from a clean prospect, but his natural passing skills and arm talent are starter quality.
3. Indianapolis Colts - Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State
Entering his second draft, Colts general manager Chris Ballard has plenty of holes to fill. The defense lacks impact players on the edge who can put pressure on the quarterback, but Chubb would change that. The NC State pass rusher is a strong candidate to be the first non-quarterback drafted.
4. Cleveland Browns (from Houston) - Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB, Alabama
With a league-low 13 takeaways on the season, the Browns are void of playmakers in the secondary. Whether he is playing cornerback, free safety or nickel, Fitzpatrick has the intelligence, leadership and physical skillset to be a game-changer.
5. Denver Broncos - Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
Denver has major question marks at quarterback, and there are obvious connections to make between the Broncos and the Wyoming prospect. In a controlled setting like the Senior Bowl, Allen has a chance to shine under the direction of the Broncos' coaching staff and it is fair to assume that John Elway will be intrigued with his elite physical traits.
6. New York Jets - Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
With three quarterbacks off the board in this scenario, the Jets could look to Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield. However, a playmaker like Barkley still on the board would be hard to pass up.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame
The Buccaneers need to do some reshuffling and upgrading on the offensive line. Picking an offensive guard in the top-seven isn't a sexy selection, but Nelson is arguably the best player in the 2018 draft class and would help stabilize Tampa's interior protection
8. Chicago Bears - Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State
Chicago lacks playmakers on the outside at cornerback and needs to find upgrades this offseason. Ward lacks ideal height, but his feet, hips and eyes make him a potentially special cover man.
9. San Francisco 49ers - Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
Combining the talents of Smith with Reuben Foster would remind 49ers fans of Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman. Smith would be drafted to be the starting WILL linebacker, and with Foster's injury history and off-field concerns, he would also provide insurance.
10. Oakland Raiders - Vita Vea, DT, Washington
The Raiders have one of the weakest interior defensive-line units in the AFC and need to upgrade from the inside out on defense. At 340 pounds, Vea is a rare player with his power to handle double teams and athleticism to chase down ballcarriers on the perimeter.
11. Miami Dolphins - Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech
Quarterback or offensive line are options here, but the Dolphins also need to make upgrades on the defensive side of the ball, including at linebacker. Edmunds has the size of a defensive end but moves more like a safety and displays the budding instincts to be a future NFL Pro Bowler.
12. Cincinnati Bengals - Connor Williams, OT, Texas
The Bengals need to address offensive tackle this offseason, possibly with this pick. After putting together first-round tape in 2016, Williams had a rollercoaster 2017 season, starting with a poor September followed by a midseason knee injury and then a strong finish.
13. Green Bay Packers - Marcus Davenport, DE/OLB, UTSA
With the future of Clay Matthews Jr. in a Packers uniform in doubt, Green Bay will be looking to add another pass rush option to the arsenal. Davenport is a good-looking athlete with a hoops background and the potential to be a difference-maker.
14. Washington Commanders - Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
After drafting an Alabama defensive lineman in the first round last year (Jonathan Allen), the Commanders could repeat the recipe this April. Payne moves very well for his size and has the upper body power to bully blockers, allowing coaches to line him up at various positions.
15. Arizona Cardinals - Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
The quarterback position is currently a question mark on the Cardinals' depth chart and Mayfield is one of the possible answers. He would present a considerable change from the retired Carson Palmer, but that is not exactly a bad thing.
16. Baltimore Ravens - Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
The Ravens have only two wideouts with 20+ catches this season (Mike Wallace, Jeremy Maclin) and need to add a young playmaker to help Joe Flacco. Ridley offers NFL-ready route-running and the play speed to create - both before and after the catch.
17. Los Angeles Chargers - Derwin James, SS, Florida State
A safety this high in the draft would buck the trend of what the Chargers usually do in the first round, but James has the athletic profile and NFL ceiling that should force the front office to think outside the box.
18. Seattle Seahawks - Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa
One of the breakthrough prospects this season, Jackson finished the college football season No. 1 in ball production (26 passes defended, eight interceptions). He offers the size, length and instincts that fit well in Seattle.
19. Dallas Cowboys - Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan
Most Cowboys fans weren't thrilled with a Michigan defensive lineman in the first round last year, but they should be intrigued if Dallas goes back to Ann Arbor to upgrade the defensive front. Hurst is a disruptive three-technique prospect who offers the quickness and power to surge through gaps and make plays in the backfield.
The Browns' search for a long-term answer at quarterback will continue into the offseason. Darnold's turnovers stand out, but so do his intangibles, passing instincts and ability to move the pocket and create plays. Three months before the draft, Darnold is the current favorite to go No. 1 to the Browns.
2. New York Giants - Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
The Giants don't expect to be drafting in the top-three very often. So with the future of Eli Manning very much up in the air, the Giants should target their quarterback of the future. Rosen is far from a clean prospect, but his natural passing skills and arm talent are starter quality.
3. Indianapolis Colts - Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State
Entering his second draft, Colts general manager Chris Ballard has plenty of holes to fill. The defense lacks impact players on the edge who can put pressure on the quarterback, but Chubb would change that. The NC State pass rusher is a strong candidate to be the first non-quarterback drafted.
4. Cleveland Browns (from Houston) - Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB, Alabama
With a league-low 13 takeaways on the season, the Browns are void of playmakers in the secondary. Whether he is playing cornerback, free safety or nickel, Fitzpatrick has the intelligence, leadership and physical skillset to be a game-changer.
5. Denver Broncos - Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
Denver has major question marks at quarterback, and there are obvious connections to make between the Broncos and the Wyoming prospect. In a controlled setting like the Senior Bowl, Allen has a chance to shine under the direction of the Broncos' coaching staff and it is fair to assume that John Elway will be intrigued with his elite physical traits.
6. New York Jets - Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
With three quarterbacks off the board in this scenario, the Jets could look to Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield. However, a playmaker like Barkley still on the board would be hard to pass up.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame
The Buccaneers need to do some reshuffling and upgrading on the offensive line. Picking an offensive guard in the top-seven isn't a sexy selection, but Nelson is arguably the best player in the 2018 draft class and would help stabilize Tampa's interior protection
8. Chicago Bears - Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State
Chicago lacks playmakers on the outside at cornerback and needs to find upgrades this offseason. Ward lacks ideal height, but his feet, hips and eyes make him a potentially special cover man.
9. San Francisco 49ers - Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
Combining the talents of Smith with Reuben Foster would remind 49ers fans of Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman. Smith would be drafted to be the starting WILL linebacker, and with Foster's injury history and off-field concerns, he would also provide insurance.
10. Oakland Raiders - Vita Vea, DT, Washington
The Raiders have one of the weakest interior defensive-line units in the AFC and need to upgrade from the inside out on defense. At 340 pounds, Vea is a rare player with his power to handle double teams and athleticism to chase down ballcarriers on the perimeter.
11. Miami Dolphins - Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech
Quarterback or offensive line are options here, but the Dolphins also need to make upgrades on the defensive side of the ball, including at linebacker. Edmunds has the size of a defensive end but moves more like a safety and displays the budding instincts to be a future NFL Pro Bowler.
12. Cincinnati Bengals - Connor Williams, OT, Texas
The Bengals need to address offensive tackle this offseason, possibly with this pick. After putting together first-round tape in 2016, Williams had a rollercoaster 2017 season, starting with a poor September followed by a midseason knee injury and then a strong finish.
13. Green Bay Packers - Marcus Davenport, DE/OLB, UTSA
With the future of Clay Matthews Jr. in a Packers uniform in doubt, Green Bay will be looking to add another pass rush option to the arsenal. Davenport is a good-looking athlete with a hoops background and the potential to be a difference-maker.
14. Washington Commanders - Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
After drafting an Alabama defensive lineman in the first round last year (Jonathan Allen), the Commanders could repeat the recipe this April. Payne moves very well for his size and has the upper body power to bully blockers, allowing coaches to line him up at various positions.
15. Arizona Cardinals - Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
The quarterback position is currently a question mark on the Cardinals' depth chart and Mayfield is one of the possible answers. He would present a considerable change from the retired Carson Palmer, but that is not exactly a bad thing.
16. Baltimore Ravens - Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
The Ravens have only two wideouts with 20+ catches this season (Mike Wallace, Jeremy Maclin) and need to add a young playmaker to help Joe Flacco. Ridley offers NFL-ready route-running and the play speed to create - both before and after the catch.
17. Los Angeles Chargers - Derwin James, SS, Florida State
A safety this high in the draft would buck the trend of what the Chargers usually do in the first round, but James has the athletic profile and NFL ceiling that should force the front office to think outside the box.
18. Seattle Seahawks - Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa
One of the breakthrough prospects this season, Jackson finished the college football season No. 1 in ball production (26 passes defended, eight interceptions). He offers the size, length and instincts that fit well in Seattle.
19. Dallas Cowboys - Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan
Most Cowboys fans weren't thrilled with a Michigan defensive lineman in the first round last year, but they should be intrigued if Dallas goes back to Ann Arbor to upgrade the defensive front. Hurst is a disruptive three-technique prospect who offers the quickness and power to surge through gaps and make plays in the backfield.
