Donno's Big Board - First Round Mock 4.0
Follow 560 WQAM: Twitter | Facebook
With the NFL Draft weeks away, 560 WQAM is turning to show hosts Orlando "Big O" Alzugaray and Alex Donno to put on their prognosticating hats and build mock draft boards for the first round of the draft.
This is the final update of their mock drafts until the NFL Draft on April 27-29.
Donno's Picks
1) Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M – Despite reports of the Browns debating between Myles Garett and Mitchell Trubisky with the first overall pick, sanity will prevail in the end. Garrett is considered the consensus No. 1 and a potential franchise-changing player wherever he lands. He will land in Cleveland.
Previous Pick: QB Mitchell Trubisky
2) San Francisco 49ers: Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford – Thomas is an elite run defender and pass rusher, and the Niners were 28th against the pass and 31st against the run last season.
Previous Pick: DE Myles Garrett
3) Chicago Bears: Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State – The Bears have needs in their defensive backfield and Lattimore is the most pro-ready corner in this draft. His history of hamstring injuries will force teams to take a close look at his medical charts, but he'll be too good to escape the top five.
Previous Pick: DE Solomon Thomas
4) Jacksonville Jaguars: Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU – A physical specimen and future perennial all-pro if he can stay healthy, Fournette can take some pressure off Blake Bortles.
5) Tennessee Titans: Jamal Adams, S, LSU – Adams reaches my top five for the first time in version 4.0. While cornerback is the Titans greatest need, they won't let the best available player pass them by. Adams is physical and instinctive, with legendary leadership qualities.
Previous Pick: DL Jonathan Allen
6) New York Jets: Mitchell Trubisky, QB, North Carolina – His mere 13 collegiate starts are worth raising an eyebrow in my eyes, but Trubisky has all the measurables and characteristics of a franchise quarterback. The Jets are in dire need of an upgrade at football's most important position.
Previous Pick: S Jamal Adams
7) Los Angeles Chargers: Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama – Allen is a versatile player who can dominate inside and outside, He will become an amazing piece for Gus Bradly, who takes the reigns as Chargers defensive coordinator this season. Allen's ever-growing list of shoulder surgeries will drop him out of the top five, but not by much.
8) Carolina Panthers: Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State – Two Ohio State defensive backs in the top 10? Yes. Hooker has great vision and instincts, which allow him to make plays on the ball with confidence.
9) Cincinnati Bengals: Mike Williams, WR, Clemson – The Bengals could use another playmaker in its offense to take some pressure off of A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert.
10) Buffalo Bills: John Ross, WR, Washington – The Bills lost Robert Woods and can do well pairing Ross with Sammy Watkins. Bonus, he might even become Watkins' replacement in a couple years, as the Bills are still undecided on his fifth-year option for 2018.
Previous Pick: LB Reuben Foster
11) New Orleans Saints: Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan – The man named after my second favorite food moves up four spots in this week's mock. The Saints could use an edge rusher to compliment Cameron Jordan.
12) Cleveland Browns: Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson – He's a three-year collegiate starter with a strong arm and frightening dual-threat abilities. Watson's experience is impossible to ignore. He torched Alabama's defense in consecutive National championship games, winning his most recent. The Browns have made plenty of mistakes over the years in trying to draft their "quarterback of the future" (See Tim Couch, Brandon Weeden, and Johnny Manziel) but this might be the time they finally get it right.
Previous Pick: CB Marlon Humphrey
13) Arizona Cardinals: DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame – Two straight quarterbacks come off the board. Kizer's stock is rising and the Cardinals could sure use an heir apparent to Carson Palmer. His former college coach thinks he should have stayed in school, but the chance to learn behind a veteran like Palmer will be all the schooling he needs.
Previous Pick: QB Deshaun Watson
14) Philadelphia Eagles: Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford – McCaffrey's versatility makes him a top 15 player. He will be the perfect all-purpose weapon to add to Carson Wentz's toolbox.
Previous Pick: LB Haason Reddick
15) Indianapolis Colts: Haason Reddick, LB, Temple – He recorded 9.5 sacks in his final college season and then dominated the combine – running a 4.52 in the 40-yard dash. He will bolster the Colts defense with his versatility. Reddick can play both inside and outside linebacker.
Previous Pick: RB Dalvin Cook
16) Baltimore Ravens: Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee – Here's a player the Miami Dolphins would likely love to draft, but will not get the chance to. The Ravens can replace Elvis Dumervil with Barnett, who will complement the aging Terrell Suggs nicely.
Previous Pick: WR John Ross
17) Washington Redskins: Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama – His dismissal from the combine and the ensuing reports – including a diluted urine sample – hurt his stock a bit, but the Redskins won't pass on Foster. The former Alabama All-American's biggest strength is his explosiveness.
Previous Pick: DT Malik McDowell
18) Tennessee Titans: Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama – A pair of collegiate teammates go off the board in back to back picks. Humphrey falls six picks in version 4.0, but will fill the void at the greatest position of need for the Tennessee Titans.
Previous Pick: WR Mike Williams
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Dalvin Cook, RB, FSU – If Cook can stay healthy and steer clear of any off-field issues, he could end up being the best running back in this class. He joins former FSU teammate Jameis Winston in an improving Buccaneers offense.
Previous Pick: TE David Njoku
20) Denver Broncos: O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama – Howard is ready to play and dominate from game one. He's the most pro-ready prospect from this year's tight end class.
21) Detroit Lions: T.J. Watt, LB, Wisconsin – An edge rusher with great NFL bloodlines. The brother of Houston Texans star defensive end J.J. Watt will provide a nice one-two punch with Lions defensive end Ziggy Ansah.
Previous Pick: LB Zach Cunningham
22) Miami Dolphins: Forrest Lamp, OL, Western Kentucky – While the journey to No. 22 has changed drastically over the previous four versions of my mock, all roads lead to Lamp in Miami. While it would not surprise anyone if the Dolphins take a defensive player in the first round, they won't pass on Lamp if he's still on the board. He's the best overall athlete in this offensive lineman class. The Dolphins will likely use him at guard, but he can play tackle if needed. Despite signing Ted Larsen and re-signing Jermon Bushrod, the Dolphins could still use an upgrade at guard. I love Lamp.
23) New York Giants: David Njoku, TE, Miami – I expect Njoku to be better than O.J. Howard by the time they finish their rookie contracts. Njoku has higher upside because of his pure athleticism and he will garner comparisons to Jimmy Graham in his prime. His blocking can use some work, but as a receiving threat, he will be NFL elite from day one
Previous Pick: OT Ryan Ramczyk
24) Oakland Raiders: Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida – The Raiders need an upgrade at inside linebacker and Davis will be the best available at that spot. Davis is a player the Dolphins might grab at No. 22 if they decide the linebacker corps is just too important not to address.
Previous Pick: S Jabrill Peppers
25) Houston Texans: Patrick Mahomes. QB, Texas Tech – The Texans can start washing their hands of the short-lived Brock Osweiler nightmare. Mahomes will take some adjustment coming from Texas Tech's "Air Raid" offense, which doesn't translate well to the NFL. But he has the elite arm strength to eventually thrive at the pro level.
26) Seattle Seahawks: Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama – Robinson is a former 5-star recruit and three-year starter at tackle for Nick Saban. He can fill the Seahawks biggest need in an impactful way.
Previous Pick: CB Tre'Davious White
27) Kansas City Chiefs: Jabrill Peppers, Safety, Michigan – Peppers, the versatile playmaker and former Heisman candidate, could feel like a steal for Kansas City as the best player available if he indeed falls this far.
Previous Pick: RB Christian McCaffrey
28) Dallas Cowboys: Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin – His fluid technique complements his sheer strength nicely. The Cowboys lost Doug Free and Ronald Leary this offseason and can use Ramczyk to return their O-Line to prominence.
Previous Pick: OT Cam Robinson
29) Green Bay Packers: Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State – A third Ohio State defensive back taken in the first round. Conley's size, quickness and versatility put him right on the border of a first and second round grade, but the Packers need for a cornerback will make this decision easy.
Previous Pick: CB Kevin King
30) Pittsburgh Steelers: Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn – Injuries followed him in college, but he is a top 15 talent when healthy. Lawson will make a great successor to James Harrison in Pittsburgh.
31) Atlanta Falcons: Takkarist McKinley, DE/OLB, UCLA – Here is a player who would make a perfect pass-rushing complement to Vic Beasley.
32) New Orleans Saints (from Patriots): Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado – Saints fill another major need on the defensive side of the ball, after adding defensive end Taco Charlton at 11th overall.
Previous Pick: CB Gareon Conley