Hey everyone. I don't know to what extent "build logs/stories" are allowed here, but I just wanted to share the 5 year long story of my PC - one that I didn't build from scratch, but in the process of transforming it to what it is today, I have at least taken part in just about everything that would go in to building a PC anyways.
I want to share this because, for the longest time, PC building was a hobby that I could only ever interact with through a screen. LinusTechTips, JayzTwoCents and a few others were my only way to engage with the PC world. It felt so out of reach to me, and I had basically just accepted that when it comes to PCs, I will likely just settle for pre-builts.
That was until August of this year, when I got tired of looking at my PC in its sad and dusty state, and wanted to finally do something about it. We'll get to that, but first...
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October 2015

I was 17 years old at this time with no income of my own, and the laptop that I had up to that point (an Asus K55N-DS81) suffered a slow and painful death. Shortly after I got it sometime in early 2013, I stepped on the screen like an idiot, and for the next 2.5 years it was basically a desktop, connected to an external keyboard, mouse, and monitor. In its final months, it had become so hot, and I was desperate to extend its life, so I removed the keyboard, sat a desk fan on it, and aimed it straight at the cooling fan's intake. I thought it would make a huge difference, and I guess it was a little better, but with the knowledge I have now, I'm pretty sure I might've made it worse since I believe this laptop's keyboard doubled as a heatsink, and the real culprit was likely dust and crusty thermal paste all along - that wasn't something I had the guts to try and remedy back then, though. In any case, it finally died when trying to upgrade to Windows 10. It restarted and began what I imagined to be the update process, shut down in the middle of it, and would never turn back on again. I was pretty bummed out about it - while this was no gaming laptop, it was my first entry in to playing games on PC. It could handle things like Skyrim, Minecraft, League of Legends, and Sims 3/4, which is all I really needed since everything else was played on my PS3/4 anyways.
This was over the summer, and now, in October, I desperately wanted a new PC, so I had somehow convinced my parents to get me an early Christmas present. They let me choose the one that I wanted as long as it was under $500, and I ended up going for the CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme GXI8000, which was around $460 at the time. Even then I knew this wasn't exactly fit for high-end gaming, but it had a dedicated GPU, a case that at least looked the part, and LED fans that I thought looked cool, so I was satisfied.
Here's a picture I took of the internals shortly after I had gotten it. I quickly discovered that the LED lighting is heavily exaggerated in the online images - they didn't cast anywhere near that much light in real life, but at least they put some effort in to cable management.
As far as specs go, here's what we started with:

• CPU: Intel Pentium G3240 @ 3.10GHz
• GPU: Nvidia GT 720 1GB DDR3
• RAM: 8GB DDR3-1333, Dual Channel
• Motherboard: MSI H81-E34
• Storage: 1TB 7200RPM Toshiba

While that wasn't going to impress anyone even in 2015, it surely impressed me. Having so much RAM and being able to open so many tabs in Chrome felt liberating. The 7200RPM drive felt so fast coming from the 5400RPM drive of my laptop. The games that I played ran better than they did on the laptop. For everything I used a computer for, this one made it a faster and more enjoyable experience, so I was more than satisfied.
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Early 2016

I've had the PC for a few months now, and this is around the time I discovered overclocking. I used Nvidia Inspector to boost my GT720's memory and core clocks by I think 200MHz, or a little bit under. League of Legends was the only game I played at the time that had an in-game FPS counter (can't remember if Steam had this yet, and if it did, I definitely didn't know how to activate it), and I remember my framerate in that game went up by around 20fps with a mix of medium and high settings @ 1080p. Its PassMark score went from the mid 700s to the mid 900s. My laptop's GPU scored in the low 600s IIRC, so I was happy with this.
I also remember being really surprised at how cool the PC ran. My laptop was a fiery inferno of thermal throttling, but even after playing games for hours, I remember the air exhausting out of my PC was barely warm. Later on though, I discovered that my GT 720's overclock was perhaps a bit much. I remember seeing 80C readings after long sessions, and sometimes, it would crash and reset itself back to default speeds. Of course, I'd OC it right back, albeit bringing the MHz down each time.
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August 2016

It was my birthday, and I was gonna try something new. At this point, I had challenged my PC with some more demanding games like DiRT 3 and Bioshock Infinite, which definitely ran and looked better than their PS3/360 equivalents, but it was pretty rough, especially with no 30fps lock at the least. I decided to buy a new graphics card and perform my first-ever upgrade. I had just over 90 bucks to spend, and, being afraid of the used market, it looked like the GT 740 was my best option. I chose EVGA's single slot version in particular because I like their card designs and it didn't require any external power, something I didn't trust my "TurboLink Switching Power Supply" with thanks to its notorious reputation.
Here's an image I took just moments after installing the new card. It's so thin you can barely tell it's there. I was amazed by how simple the process was. I simply swapped the cards (giving the GT 720 to my brother for his PC), and because Nvidia drivers were already present on my system, it just worked. I remember one of the first things I did was run it through PassMark, where it scored in the 1100s. Armed with my new overclocking knowledge though, I was able to get that score up to the 1600s.
This totally changed my gaming experience. I was able to play Dirt 3 at 1080p/60 with many of the settings maxed. Bioshock Infinite was also very playable at 1080p, but I'd settle for 900p for a more consistent framerate. Basically, if the game was older than the card itself, I could play it comfortably at higher settings than the PS3/360 versions. Since I had a PS4 for the more modern AAA stuff, I was fine with that.
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September 2016-August 2019

With the new card, I tried more demanding games. Dead Island ran great at 1080p, Black Ops 2 (which I mostly only played for Zombies) did too. Later on when I would sell my PS4, I even tried Assassin's Creed: Unity. The audacity right? To my surprise, I was able to get 30fps @ 720p if I kept the settings low. Other than games, I was also big in to Visual Studio, editing things with Sony Vegas, and recording guitar in Fruity Loops, all of which this PC handled acceptably.
Unfortunately, around the beginning of 2017 I believe, the red LEDs on my exhaust fan burned out, but it still worked, so I didn't think much of it. I think it would last another full year before the fan itself gave out too, at which point I removed it. I don't have any pictures of my case from this time, but dust buildup was beginning to become a problem. It was coming close to Winter (2018) at this point, so running my PC without a case exhaust didn't really seem to have a big impact on temperatures. It wasn't until the early summer of 2019 that it became a problem. Under load, my measly Pentium could barely stay under 65C, and its stock cooler whined at RPMs I had never seen it achieve before. My GT 740 wasn't faring much better either, now reaching the high 70s while gaming. I also noticed that my intake grille was pretty much completely blocked thanks to my neglect, so that intake fan wasn't doing much of anything.
One of my biggest complaints about my laptop, especially near its end, was how hot it ran, and now my desktop was starting to do the same.
To solve this, I did something a little drastic.

September 2019

Behold.
It's unsightly. It's trashy, but it solved all my problems. Basically, I removed the intake fan from its compartment up front and taped it to the top of the drive cages, so it now blows air towards the GPU and helps push its hot air out of the vented PCI brackets. Next, I stole the exhaust fan out of my brother's PC (to be fair, he didn't use it anymore at this point) and installed it where my old one used to be. I then mounted the PSU fan upside down, since I felt that the bottom vents were too restrictive, and its dust filter had broken up in to lots of tiny pieces at this point. Clearly, this PSU was designed to be mounted with the fan facing down, so the interior of my PC now looks just atrocious, but boy did it make all the difference in terms of thermals. Both CPU and GPU now ran much cooler and quieter after doing these very Linus-esque modifications.
The victory was short-lived, though. After over 3 years of a frankly brutal overclock, my GT 740 began giving me problems. Freezes mid-game, random black screens, driver failures, artifacting, you name it. I would try inching down my overclocks in steps, and I had to basically settle for stock speeds. Even then, I would still encounter all of the aforementioned problems, just at a much lower frequency.
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October 2019

Not a very eventful period, other than tapping in to my PSU's 12v wires to install some horrifically bright LED strips. The motherboard area was lit up in blue, and the drive cage area in white.
Look at this monster. I thought it was cool at first, but looking at my PC's guts for too long would hurt my eyes.
When the PC was under load, the lights would adopt a slight flicker (a testament to the quality - or lack thereof - of this power supply, probably), but I never had any issues with it.
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December 2019

Even after sitting at stock speeds, the issues I had with the card now became very frequent again. It was frankly unusable at this point. This card was on its deathbed, and it was going fast. It was time for another GPU upgrade. I bought myself the low profile EVGA GT 1030. I got it for a lower price than what I paid for the 740, so I was happy about that. Of course, the first thing I did was overclock it until I could get ~2500ish on PassMark. Truthfully, it didn't feel like as big of a jump as the GT 740 was from the 720 (though I could now at least run Cities: Skylines at 1080p instead of 720p), but it made up for it by running much cooler, consuming way less power, and being much more stable overall.
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January 2020 - July 2020

During this time, my PC saw very little use. While I was pleased with the card I bought, my PC's biggest issue now was its hard drive. Being almost 5 years old now, the speed it had pleasured me with when new had vanished. It was now unbearably slow. We're talking 3 minutes from pressing the power button to getting to the login screen, and then an additional 3-5 minutes for the desktop to finish loading up. Doing something about this involved taking steps that were a little more complex than simply popping in a new graphics card, so I honestly just kind of gave up on it. In March of this year, I got a great deal on an HP laptop with a 10th gen Core i3 and NVME SSD.
It's so fast and responsive that for a while, I had pretty much "retired" my desktop, only keeping it plugged in if I ever wanted to record guitar, while all my gaming needs would now be served by my consoles.
That changed in August.

August 2020

While the laptop was great, it was not at all capable of much gaming and my desktop had five years worth of history that I wanted to keep, so I decided to take action.
My PC's case at this point was just a mess. The front intake grille? Ruined. Random hardened grime in unexplained places? Yep. Dust caked all over the fans thanks to the negative pressure air flow? You already know. In addition, my front IO panel - with the exception of the microphone jack - no longer worked. The headphone jack was broken by my cat a few years ago, and as for the two USB ports? I have no idea, they randomly stopped working one day. My case's side panels also would never fully close. It wouldn't bulge from the sides, but I could never get it to slide all the way in to place anymore, and those godawful LEDs really showcased the gaps. My power and reset buttons felt gross and you had a 50-50 chances as to whether or not they would work. The HDD activity LED was a bust.
So if I was going to do anything, I first needed a new case, and a small one at that. I went with the InWin CE685. I wanted something console-like in size, it's not that expensive, and it has all the front I/O i could ask for, now including USB 3.0, which my motherboard surprisingly supports.
Here's the last picture of my PC in its old case, moments before I would rip everything out.
Three hours and lots of fear later, everything has been transplanted in to the new case.

• Exterior View
• Interior View

It was frankly a horrifying experience. I was so scared I'd break something, but in the end, the most difficult part was getting the front I/O connectors plugged in to the right pins.
Only thing that has changed as far as specs are concerned is the power supply. It's a 300W TFX unit, and interestingly enough, its internal PCB is so much more dense than the "500W" PSU in my old case that I'd be surprised if the old one could safely deliver 200W, let alone 500. I also had to remove the fan shroud from the GT 1030 in order to install the low profile bracket. The screws for the shroud are underneath the fan and I just couldn't be bothered putting it back on. Apart from that, it's still the same PC - I even kept the optical drive.
I began brainstorming what upgrades to do next, but I would spend the next few months saving the money for them.
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November 2020

Here we are.
First thing's first, I ordered a Samsung 870 QVO SSD to replace the godawful hard drive. Rather than go with a fresh install, I wanted to keep everything, so I opted for cloning the HDD to the SSD instead. This was a painful process. I got winload errors after three separate cloning attempts, and it took me all night and the next morning to finally get it right on my fourth attempt (TLDR, EasyBCD saved my life). The difference was night and day. Pressing the power button and getting to a fully loaded desktop took less than 45 seconds. I know that's not as fast as it probably could be if I went with a fresh install, but it was worth it to keep everything. Applications and games saw an equally massive boost in responsiveness.
Next, I wanted to upgrade the graphics card. The GTX 1650 was a no-brainer, it's the most powerful low profile card you can get, period. Maybe I should've waited for the GDDR6 version to come back in stock, but I was impatient and got the GDDR5 version anyways, particularly Zotac's, since reviews I've read suggest that this variant has the best cooling solution, whereas Gigabyte's and MSI's run hotter.
Here's the 1650 next to the 1030 it's replacing, and here is the 1650 installed.
A couple of things worth noting in that second picture. To the left of the graphics card, you'll notice a small fan. I ordered a pair of 40mm fans because I knew that by the time I was done upgrading this PC, there was going to be a lot of heat in this case, so I purchased these to help exhaust it out. They're USB fans, powered internally via a Molex-USB adapter. Secondly, I couldn't install the card at first because there were two small capacitors literally blocking it from slotting in all the way. I tried and tried for over half an hour, and, out of desperation, resorted to bending the edges of the PCI bracket backwards by 90 degrees so they would just glide right over the capacitors. It's straight-up barbaric, but it's not noticeable on the outside, and it worked, so I won't complain.
When I turned on my PC after installing the card, the new card made its presence immediately known. It's...audible, even at idle. When playing games, it screams like a banshee, but I dealt with it. I worried about how effective my little 40mm fan would be, but when I reached around and felt how much hot air it was pushing out, I figured that it was worth it.
After that, I had a rather tumultuous experience when upgrading the CPU. I decided to stick with this same motherboard, so LGA1150 is my only option. Not wanting to push my PSU too hard, I looked at power-efficient offerings first. I ordered a Core i5-4590T first (for just 35 bucks), but then quickly realized I could do better, so I ordered a Core i7-4765T just a day or so later. The i5 arrived just fine, but I decided to wait on the i7. It was now two or three days past its expected delivery, and I was getting impatient (kind of a common theme, really), so I decided to install the i5 anyways.
While removing the CPU cooler, I had actually broke the little plastic tips that lock the cooler in to place. I was screwed. No CPU upgrade was happening tonight. I was put on pause while I waited for my low profile Silverstone cooler to arrive. It was about time for this anyways, though. Just look at how gross the stock cooler had become.
Installing this new cooler meant that I'd have to remove the motherboard and install a backplate. This whole process was also terrifying. Took me a few tries to get the backplate orientation right, and once I did, I was worried about if I had put on too much or too little thermal paste, and whether or not I had aligned the heatsink properly so I don't end up screwing holes in my motherboard.
Luckily, I made it through, and all was well. Here's a picture taken shortly after the i5 and new cooler install.
With a better CPU (finally leaving dual core behind), GPU, and SSD, this thing already felt like a different beast. Unfortunately though, the i7 I ordered never came. I can only imagine it was stolen, so after a couple weeks of back and forth between myself, my post office, the item seller, and eBay, I finally got refunded for that after filing a police report. Also within this time, I added a 2.5" 1TB 7200RPM drive for game installs to take some load off of the SSD.
While I was satisfied with the i5, after measuring my PC's power consumption under load (barely 120W), I realized that I could probably get away with a lot more. I found a good deal on a Core i7-4790S, and this time, once the tracking had showed it arrived at my post office, I went to pick it up myself that morning.
I installed the 4790S as soon as I got home, and while I was first very excited by its near-10k PassMark score (nearly quadruple the Pentium it replaced), I quickly discovered that the Silverstone cooler was not enough to keep its thermals in check. Given that the 4790S is labelled as a 65W TDP processor, and the Silverstone cooler is rated for exactly that, I was surprised at this. I tried redoing things like the thermal paste and heatsink mounting, but to no avail. I discovered that the CPU is only 65W TDP at base speed (3GHz). Since it spends all of its time turbo'd up to 3.8-4GHz, it's actually more like 82-84W. Temps during an Prime95 torture test quickly exceeded 85C, topping out at around 91-92.
I ordered the Noctua NH-L9i right away. Installing this one was kind of weird. I don't have access to the rear of my motherboard while it's in the case, so I had to take out the board again, get rid of the Silverstone backplate, and then basically install the motherboard to the heatsink instead of the other way around.
Long story short, it made all the difference. Temps at idle are now in the low 30s, gaming keeps it in the high 50s/low 60s, and torture tests will push it to the mid-high 70s, but I mean, in a case like this, I can't ask for much better.
As a final touch, I installed two more 40mm fans. One is right against the main exhaust vent (now occupying both sides of the GPU), and another sits at the front,blowing cool air at the drives (they would get up to 50C because the 1650 just dumps its hot air all over them in this layout), which never go over 35C now. There are now eight fans inside this case, and in case you're wondering, yes, having three 40mm fans in here makes the PC noisy, to say the least. I wouldn't say it's as bad as an old PS4 idling at Modern Warfare 2019's menus, though.

And here is the finished product.

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Now, our final specs:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-4790S @ mostly 3.9GHz
• GPU: Nvidia GTX 1650, 4GB GDDR5
• RAM: 8GB DDR3-1333, Dual Channel
• Motherboard: MSI H81-E34
• Storage: 1TB Samsung QVO, 1TB HGST 7200RPM

Basically, the only things that stayed the same are the RAM, motherboard, optical drive, and OS install. I'll probably upgrade the RAM to 16GB at some point, but other than that, that's as far as I'll take this one.
Killing Floor 2? 1080p, 45-60FPS with near-max settings + Nvidia Flex. Bioshock Infinite? 1440p/60, maxed out. Minecraft with shaders? 1080p, 40-60fps with 16 chunk render distance. Rocket League? 120fps with 1080p and lower settings, but I ran it at 1440p/60 with high settings for a while. COD: Warzone? 1080p/50-60fps with "Normal" settings. That's all I've really tried so far, but these are feats that my PC in its older iterations couldn't even dream of. To so effortlessly chew through the games that I throw at it really blows me away. It really does feel like an entirely different machine, and I couldn't be more happy about it finally being complete.
If you've read this far, I hope you enjoyed the journey, and all that I've done to keep my PC alive and well throughout the years. It's a little ugly and definitely unusual, and I could probably make it look much more pleasing if I got rid of the zip-tied and taped 40mm fans, but I like having any extra cooling I can afford.
If you're a new builder or someone thinking of pulling the trigger, I hope that this post inspired you to do so. I've struggled at pretty much every turn, and ended up spending more money than I originally intended, but me and my PC came out of it alive, and it's running better than ever.
In 2020, it'd probably be difficult to even call this a mid-range PC, but it accomplishes all that I need it to at speeds and settings that were once out of reach, and, considering the specs of this PC at the beginning of its life, it is, again, night and day.
It was fun being able to get this intimate with a hobby I've never been able to enjoy before, and I'm really glad I decided to take this PC to the present and future with me instead of putting it in a closet like I planned to at the beginning of this year. Beyond possibly upgrading the RAM, my next project will be starting over from scratch, but that won't be for some time.
Thanks for reading.

Draft order was from tankathon
1 - New York Jets - Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson - The Jets are terrible in every faucet, but Sam Darnold certainly hasnt inspired any confidence he can be the QBOTF this season even once Adam Gase is removed. Trevor Lawrence has been QB1 for this draft ever since his first game for Clemson and I dont see this changing any time soon.
2 - Atlanta Falcons (via New York Giants - Trades 1.06, 2.37, 2022 2nd for 1.02) - Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State - This move will likely be a bit of a shocker, but I truly believe the Falcons need a reset. Matt Ryan might be a great QB, but he’s 35 at this point, and there isnt much future left in Atlanta. Justin Fields has been electric at Ohio State, and plopping him down into a team with a decent OL and fantastic receivers will make the somewhat murky future of the Falcons that much brighter. Is this a steep price? Yes. Is it worth every penny? Also yes.
3 - Miami Dolphins (via Jacksonville Jaguars - Trades 1.04, 2.49, 4.113 for 1.03, 3.67) - Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon - Assuming Tua is the franchise QB for the Dolphins, the Phins NEED to protect him, especially considering his reputation for frailty. So they offer the Jaguars an offer they can refuse in order to grab Penei Sewell, who might be the best OT prospect since Joe Thomas came out of Wisconsin. Sewell should be an immediate rock at RT for Tua, and fill the hole that Tunsil left when he was traded.
4 - Jacksonville Jaguars (via Miami Dolphins via Houston Texans) - Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama - The Jaguars have needs everywhere. The WR corps is good but lacks a true star, the EDGE group has been toothless following Josh Allen’s injury, and Schobert has been atrocious after signing that big contract. But the CB most of all has needed help, considering the Jaguars defense has been torched through the air. Surtain is an elite cover corner in every way, and should provide a nice young CB tandem for the Jaguars to replace the one they lost.
5 - Dallas Cowboys - Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami - Demarcus Lawrence is still pretty good, but Aldon Smith is not a long term solution at EDGE. Rousseau, however, can be. He’s a fantastic athlete with an array of moves, and with Surtain off the board here, Rousseau is my pick for the player who will help beef up the Cowboys defense the most.
6 - New York Giants (via Atlanta Falcons) - Jamarr Chase, WR, LSU - This was a close one here. The Giants really need an inside linebacker and Darius Slayton has been a great player for them. But Jamarr Chase is just that good. And the rest of the Giants receivers outside of Slayton dont exactly inspire any confidence. Daniel Jones might or might not still be the Giants QB of the future, but Jamarr Chase should absolutely be their WR1 going forward.
7 - Washington Football Team - Trey Lance, QB, NDSU - Haskins is probably done. I dont foresee any sort of happy conclusion to his time in Washington, and thus Ron Riveria is probably going to look to install his own guy at QB. Trey Lance might not be a near finished product the top 2 QBs are, but he has gobs of potential and has a ceiling that might even surpass Fields or Lawrence. Will Trey Lance end up being Mahomes/Josh Allen or just another big armed bust? That’ll be up to the Washington coaching staff, but he’s a fantastic prospect for Washington to figure out.
8 - Los Angeles Chargers - Alex Leatherwood, OG/T, Alabama - Herbert looks like a franchise QB so far, so the Chargers look to fix the most glaring issue on their team, their offensive line. Leatherwood has been a starter on the Alabama OL ever since he got on campus, and he’s got plenty of experience protecting Tua, Mac Jones, and all those Bama QBs. He should be a day 1 starter at RT, and if Bulaga and Turner both come back and play at high levels, he can still contribute by sliding inside to RG or LG.
9 - New England Patriots - DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama - The Patriots desperately need a QB of the future, but even if they did draft one, who exactly would he be throwing to? The receiving corps is more barren than the Sahara, especially thanks to some brutal misses at WR. stares at N’keal Harry. Enter DeVonta Smith, who’s surpassed his teammate Waddle as the #2 WR on my big board. Any concerns he had last year are all gone now, especially with Waddle out. It’s been the DeVonta showdown at Alabama, punctuated with a 200+ yard 4 TD performance against Mississippi State. Smith has Charmin soft hands and fantastic route running, and most importantly, gets fantastic separation. He’s a bit thin at only 175, but his frame should fill out nicely once he gets to the NFL. He should easily be the best receiver on the Patriots, and could be their best WR since Randy Moss and Wes Welker still play for New England.
10 - Minnesota Vikings - Wyatt Davis, iOL, Ohio State - Kirk Cousins isnt the answer in Minnesota, but throwing a rookie QB behind that O-line might as well be throwing them to the wolves. So, the Vikings grab the best iOL prospect in the class and beef up their interior with Wyatt Davis. Davis is an absolute bulldozer up front, and will run over almost anyone in his way. There's very few flaws with his game, and he should be a plug and play guy from day 1. Count this pick as killing 3 birds with one stone. Helping Cousins, helping Dalvin Cook and the run game, and protecting whoever the Vikings pick as the QB of the future.
11 - Chicago Bears (Via Cincinnati Bengals - Sends 1.18, 3.82, 2022 CHI first for 1.11) - Zach Wilson, QB, BYU - Trubisky isn't it, and the Bears pretty much threw away a 4th and cap space trading for Foles. The Bears need an answer at QB, and with the Panthers looking to pounce on the very last of the top tier QB prospects in my eyes, the Bears bite the bullet. With an aging defense and their Super Bowl window closing fast, they jump just over Carolina to draft Zach Wilson. Wilson has been flying up the draft boards recently, torching defenses on his possible Heisman campaign. He’s got great mobility, especially when it comes to extending plays, and solid pocket presence. Most of all, there’s a bit of reckless brilliance that reminds me a little of guys like Stafford, Mahomes and Allen. Its a fine line to balance and Wilson does have his flaws - such as too much aggressiveness and concerns about his shoulder’s durability, but if the Bears can keep Allen Robinson, then I can foresee a very fruitful connection in the future between the two, as well as a chance for Wilson to be the best QB in Bears history (Yes, its that bad).
12 - Carolina Panthers - Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State - Every few years or so, there’s a blue chip prospect that drops too far. Guys like Ceedee Lamb, Derwin James, or Marshon Lattimore that fall out of the top 10 due to no fault of their own, but the needs of the teams before them. This year, that guy is Micah Parsons, who falls into the waiting laps of the ecstatic Panthers. Parsons is a special linebacker, athletic, versatile, rangy and smart. He’s disruptive everywhere, and his ability to slip blocks and penetrate the offensive line definitely shows his background as a defensive end. Outside of perhaps not being the most consistent run defender, something thats barely an issue, the only flaws are nitpicky. A year after losing Luke Kuechly, Carolina has their replacement.
13 - Detroit Lions - Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama - The Lions really need some interior help on the defensive line, but in all honesty, I dont really like much of this iDL class. The #1 guy on my board is only there because everyone above him dropped like a rock. So, I have the Lions addressing another need at Linebacker with Dylan Moses. While it is unfortunate that Parsons didnt drop one more pick, Moses is certainly no consolation prize. He’s a fantastic linebacker in his own right, He’s an elite athlete with plenty of range and can hit like a truck. He also knows when to wrap up and is generally a sure tackler, which is a rather underappreciated trait. He does need to improve his ability to diagnose plays and shed blocks, but overall, he’s a force at ILB, and would be a great replacement for both the uninspiring. Jarrad Davis or Jahlani Tavai.
14 - Denver Broncos - Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State - From what Ive seen of the Broncos, Drew Lock has shown plenty of promise, and Garrett Bolles has actually been playing at a near elite level all season. That leaves one last problem for the Broncos, their secondary. Bryce Callahan has been fantastic all year and I've heard some praise for Michael Ojemudia, but AJ Bouye has been a disappointment, and that's when he’s on the field. Shaun Wade should be able to be that final piece in the Broncos secondary they need. It was close between Farley and Wade, but with the season the Broncos have had, Wade’s ability to stay on the field was the tiebreaker. Of course, that's only a bonus to Wade’s fantastic coverage ability, especially from the slot, and his run defense reminds me of Trae Waynes’s ability to stop the run at corner. With how complex NFL offenses are now, Wade’s ability to be both a slot and outside corner means he can follow a #1 WR wherever they go, which is surely should help him become an elite CB at the next level.
15 - San Francisco 49ers - Creed Humphrey, iOL, Oklahoma - The 49ers offense depends on their run game, and their run game depends heavily on their offensive line. And although the 49ers OL isn't as bad as it was early in the season, it's still comfortably in the bottom half of the league. Not to mention with Trent Williams becoming an FA as well as almost all their corners, C Weston Richburg is probably gone, and possibly the rest of the interior OL as well. So, the 49ers grab the first replacement in Creed Humphrey. Shanahan has historically run a zone blocking scheme for his OL, and that makes center an extremely important position for the 49ers to address. With plenty of experience in Oklahoma’s zone blocking scheme, Humphrey and the 49ers should be a match made in heaven. Thats not even mentioning his football smarts or his leadership. Humphrey should be a centerpiece in the 49ers offensive line for years to come.
16 - Miami Dolphins - Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama - Although EDGE is definitely a more pressing need for the Dolphins, how can anyone pass up reuniting Tua and his old college buddy? Of course, Waddle isnt just Tua’s former WR. He’s an explosive receiver who shreds the turf just like his former teammate Henry Ruggs III, a player with a great catch radius and the ability to dart to the holes in coverages, and a great kick/punt returner. Adding a burner like Waddle who can stretch the field should only help Tua, Parker, Williams, and the rest of the Miami offense.
17 - Las Vegas Raiders - Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia - The Raiders EDGE corps isnt barren the way it was two years ago, but Maxx Crosby hasnt lived up to the hype he had after a stellar rookie season, and although Clelin Ferrell is an elite run defender, he’s nowhere near as good of a pass rusher. They need to add someone who can GET after the QB, and although there are better EDGEs left, I think Ojulari is the best pure pass rusher on the board. He’s got fantastic hand usage and his low center of gravity lets him bend the corner through contact really well. There’s some work to be done on run defense, but Ojulari does give me flashes of Ngakoue at times, and his versatility would allow for Ferrell to slide inside and be a mismatch there. This might be a little high on his currently, but I dont think Ojulari is someone who will end up rising on draft boards in the future.
18 - Cincinnati Bengals (via Chicago Bears) - Dillion Radunz, OT, NDSU - The Bengals offensive line is injured to hell, but even when they were healthy, it was pretty obvious they were not protecting Joe Burrow all that well. When losing Bobby Hart is an actual problem, then you know the OL is terrible. Thats why I have the Bengals selecting OT Dillion Radunz out of NDSU. There are some question marks about athleticism and competition level, but Radunz’s technique is elite, and his toughness is unquestionable. He should be a welcome addition to the Bengals offensive line, and will provide solid protection for Burrow.
19 - Philadelphia Eagles - Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech - The Eagles WR situation was looking dire, but thanks to the emergence of second year WR Travis Fulgham, they can look to shore up another issue. The Eagles secondary has been pretty terrible for a few years now, and they need to find a solid answer. Farley can be that. He’s an outstanding press corner, and mirrors opposing receivers so well that he might as well be running their routes. He’s long, physical, and impressively sticky. He should be able to lock down the #1 CB position for the Eagles that they have sorely missed.
20 - Cleveland Browns - Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan - Myles Garrett is having a DPOY level season, but once again he’s missing someone disruptive on the opposite side of him. Oliver Vernon is gone soon, and Clayborn is no long term solution. They need to grab the compliment to Garrett, who although is a one-man wrecking ball, is still one man. Kwity Paye is a very strong power rusher who can uses his bull rush well to set the LOS. He’s a tank with fantastic explosiveness and a pretty high ceiling, and his ability to cause problems against the opposing offensive line should be welcome on the Browns defense.
21 - Jacksonville Jaguars (Via Los Angeles Rams) - Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida - The Jaguars TE group is pretty weak right now, and Pitts talent should place him much higher than here. He’s an extremely versatile weapon in the way that most modern TEs are, able to line up all over and cause issues for the opposing defense. He’s not an elite blocker, but the effort is there and it's just simply an issue of fixing his technique and making him stronger. As a receiver, he’s a fantastic route runner with soft hands and a huge catch radius, just as good as any TE or even some WRs. Pitts should be a fantastic weapon for Minshew or whoever the Jaguars decide their QBOTF is.
22 - Arizona Cardinals - Jay Tufele, iDL, USC - The Cardinals passing defense is pretty terrible, and corner is a definite need. However, there’s more ways to improve a passing defense than just adding corners, and Tufele is too much value to pass up here for the Cardinals. Tufele can be a dominant force at 1 or 3T, with his explosiveness and powerful hands, which allows him to be utterly unblockable at times. And adding such an interior force would boost the Cardinals pass rush even more, which could also help improve their defense. If Tufele can become more consistent, there’s no good reason why the Cardinals defensive line can’t become one of the best in the NFL.
23 - Indianapolis Colts - Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina - Xavier Rhodes has had a resurgence for the Colts, but its hard to say how long that will last, and there have been issues with the other corners getting torched. Jaycee Horn should help with that problem. A physical aggressive corner who knows how to properly use his size as leverage against opposing WRs, Horn would benefit greatly from Rhodes, and could be a great compliment alongside him as well.
24 - Baltimore Ravens - Trey Smith, iOL, Tennessee - With the retirement of Marshall Yanda, the Ravens have had a huge hole at LG that they still haven't been able to fill. And with their offense becoming more and more run heavy due to the addition of JK Dobbins and Lamar Jackson’s rushing abilities, one guy came to mind here. Trey Smith, the OG out of Tennessee, seemed like the natural fit. Smith is an absolute road grader in the run game, absolutely flattening whatever defensive players who are unfortunately enough to get into his way. He’s solid enough in pass protection, but more importantly, his fantastic run blocking paired alongside Orlando Brown Jr should lend itself to an absolutely terrifying run game from the Ravens.
25 - New Orleans Saints - Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota - Emmanuel Sanders is a fine WR2, but there’s definitely room for improvement, and with Michael Thomas becoming more erratic in his behavior, it wouldn't hurt to pick up an insurance policy here. Thats why Ive got New Orleans picking Bateman, as he’d provide a great compliment to Thomas, while also being good enough to be a star WR in his own right. Bateman’s a big play machine, someone who not only runs great routes, but gobbles up YAC once he has the ball. He should be a fantastic addition to the potent Saints offense, and would be a great 3rd option after Thomas and Kamara.
26 - Tennessee Titans - Joseph Ossai, EDGE, Texas - The Titans went up against a Bengals Oline that was starting 3rd stringers and recorded 0 sacks. Thats all I need to say about how terrible the Titans pass rush is. Landry is still pretty promising, but at this point Clowney is neither an answer to the pass rush woes nor is he likely staying long term in Tennessee. Joseph Ossai could be the answer to both, though. A quick trigger pass rusher who has plenty of room for improvement, Ossai presents a tantalizing option for Tennessee as someone who has the ability to become a very dominant pass rusher. He’d be a great fit in the Titans hybrid defense, and could grow into a cornerstone alongside Simmons and Landry on the DL.
27 - Green Bay Packers - Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson - Yes, I know the Packers have Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams and that they picked an RB in the second last year. But the thing is that David Bahktiari is also a free agent this year, and considering he’s going to demand a market resetting deal, cuts will need to be made somewhere. And that's not even mentioning Davante Adam’s contract is expiring a year later. With those two thoughts in mind, I dont think either Jones nor Williams will be back due to cap issues. But with Rodgers still wanting to win now, a stud like Etienne will be a great replacement, if not more. Etienne is an elite RB, who can break off huge chunks of yardage at a time and rip defenses apart with his burst. He’s also improved his catching ability to where he can be a every down RB. With Green Bay still a SB contender for the near future, Etienne can be that thing that pushes them into Super Bowl winners.
28 - Jacksonville Jaguars (via Buffalo Bills - sends 2.36, 4.116 for 1.28) - Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas - With so much drat capital at their hands, the Jaguars part a little with their haul in order to jump into the first round and secure a quality OT. Cosmi is an intriguing prospect with tons of athleticism and excellent smarts, someone who wins via brains and technique rather than pure brawn. With enough practice and proper coaching, Cosmi can be a stonewall OT for whoever the Jaguars decide to ride with in the future.
29 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Quincy Roche, EDGE, Miami - The Buccaneers defensive overall has been absolutely elite this year, but there are some question marks on the future of their defensive line. Both Suh and Barrett are on one year deals, and Gholston certainly isnt the future at EDGE/DE. Grabbing someone young for the future is a definite need, someone like Quincy Roche. Roche is a fluid, explosive and long EDGE with great hands and a ton of moves. He’s got the ability to play both EDGE and rush LB, although he does need to bulk up a little bit at the NFL level. Still, overall Roche should be a great successor on the EDGE position for Tampa Bay.
30 - Kansas City Chiefs - Terrane Marshall Jr, WR, LSU - The Chiefs do have a ton of needs everywhere else, but sometimes talent is just way too much to pass up. Marshall has been fantastic at LSU with Chase out - which is more impressive with how bad LSU has been, and he’s got all the physical traits to be an elite WR. He rarely gets caught in press coverage and with his ball skills and frame, excels in contested catch situations. With a very deep iOL class and Watkins very likely gone in a season or two, adding Marshall Jr to that already deadly Chiefs offense will make nightmare fuel for opposing defensive coordinators.
31 - New York Jets - Josh Myers, iOL, Ohio State - The Jets interior offensive line has been a serious issue for the last few years, which has hamstring the run game and severely hurt their QBs. Replacing one of their iOL with Josh Myers is a good first step to fixing that issue. Myers is a very mobile iOL who is a great anchor and provides stability in both the pass and run game. With Trevor Lawrence now on the team, protecting him should be priority 1, and Myers can be his Jeff Saturday.
32 - Pittsburgh Steelers - Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota - Steelers LT Villanueva’s contract will expire soon, and although the Steelers have some great prospect that could replace him, neither is really a sure thing. Adding another OT could better mitigate that risk, just in case Villanueva leaves and neither Banner nor Okorafor end up panning out. Faalele is a very risky but high upside OT, who’s an absolute dancing bear. He might be huge, but his mobility is insane for his size, and he possesses excellent feet as well as a strong anchor against power rushers. There’s definitely technique issues here that need to be ironed out, but Faalele has the tools to be an absolutely dominant OT, and with how good the steelers have been historically at coaching up offensive line, he should definitely become a stalwart on the OL.

TL;DR - I use the craft beer industry as a way to understand Capitalist Propaganda, how Capitalism and Socialism are inextricably linked to each other, and how through the use of propaganda, companies use the "illusion of choice" to coerce you into believing that you prefer the products that are most favorable to them. In order to change this into the consumer's favor, you need to be an informed consumer in the free market, and raise class consciousness to overthrow the tyranny of Capitalist Propaganda, that is called "Marketing".
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You can't understand Capitalist Propaganda unless you have a solid understanding of what Capitalism is beyond the literal definition of the word, which is just an abstract ideal. Propaganda plays off of the discrepancies between the ideals of Capitalism, like the free market, which is another abstract ideal, and the reality of Capitalism in practice in America, which can be characterized as Trickle Down Economics. Capitalism sought to be a pragmatic alternative to its economic predecessors, a fact which drives Capitalist Propaganda. However, through layers of abstraction throughout the years, it has become more of a religion, as critics refer to the increasingly ideological concept as "Supply Side Jesus", meaning you give all the money to the rich, it'll trickle down to the poor, and they can "vote" on the actions of the capitalists through monetary interactions in the free market.
Capitalist Propaganda is engrained in America, because at the time of our founding, Adam Smith wrote "Wealth of Nations", which is considered the Bible of the Free Market. This groundbreaking work utilized Newton's Laws of Physics, which were en vogue at the time, to describe how interactions in the marketplace would balance each other out, just as the laws of Newtonian Physics do.
The very noble purpose of Wealth of Nations was not create the oligarchy we have today, but to do the opposite. He wanted to describe a system that would protect individual freedoms and be truly democratic. Just as Lenin and Stalin bastardized the works of Marx, so too have capitalists in America bastardized the intentions of Adam Smith.
Capitalism and Socialism are best learned side by side, in my opinion, to avoid falling into the trappings of either ideology that our brains like to do. Which one is better? It depends on the market, but the answer is almost always somewhere in between.
Through learning how Socialist concepts can be applied to problems in Capitalism, you can cut through the propaganda and will see for yourself that these problems can be solved if we just drop the labels and do what's best for society and the individual. The problem is always finding the proper balance.
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WHAT? CAPITALISM AND SOCIALISM ARE JOINED AT THE HIP?
Yep. You can never live in a pure economic system. Purity is always an illusion. If you want something to be pure, you have to put a lot of energy into making it that way. Nature likes to mix stuff up. This is why ideologies around racial purity and fascism always fail. There are people who want a "pure" economic system, but they are usually the people at the top and would only get richer from more purity while the rest of society loses freedom and slowly starves.
In a nutshell, Capitalism promotes laws that benefit those with money, while Socialism promotes a safety net that benefits everyone. Every single human is born into Socialism. As a baby, you need food, someone else works for it and gives it to you, but then at some point, you are expected to exchange labor for capital, and buy your own food. See? The two are forever bound as the yin and yang. You can also grow your own food, but for that you need land, which is capital.
These interactions are very tricky. I only want to tell you enough so that you can start to see Capitalist Propaganda, because right now, you're like a fish in water that can't see water. I often use this line to describe a person who can't see their own homegrown propaganda. The best way I found to study Capitalism is by relating it Socialism, the "air" above the "water" of Capitalism, if that makes sense.
I always find it best to look at a microcosm to understand these concepts. And today, that microcosm is beer.
Mmmm....Beeeeeeeeeerrrrrrr.....
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CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND THE ILLUSION OF CHOICE
Before I poison your mind with my own propaganda, picture you're on vacation and you walk into a bar and want to order a beer. If you really want to understand the power of propaganda in your own life, really think of this before we break this all down. Really think, what makes you decide which beer to order? Do you like to look at the labels on the tap or bottle? That's obvious propaganda. It has absolutely nothing to do with the taste or quality of the beer itself, but sways your opinion toward logos you've seen before, which is why you see so many beer advertisements, which means that money that could've gone into quality is instead going into propaganda, and you're already biased towards an inferior product. Interesting. You really can't help being swayed by marketing, but at least you can be conscious of that fact, and that's important in order to be an informed consumer.
Do you ask the bartender for a recommendation? Why would you do that? You don't know the bartender any better than the beers in front of you. How do you know they aren't paid more to offer you a beer that sucks and is 12 years old and the owner wants to get rid of it? Do you ask for a certain style of beer? Do you ask for a local beer? And once you finally narrow it down to a few choices, do you ask for samples so you can make up your own mind? You should always do this. Then we get into "flavor propaganda", which we'll discuss later. Jeez. Did you every realize there was so much complexity behind being an informed consumer and just ordering a simple beer? Maybe you'll give in and just tell the bartender to pour whatever. Choice is difficult sometimes.
If you really visualize this and take a minute to let this sink in, you'll start to understand how external forces hijack the processor in your mind to manufacture desire through the illusion of choice. However, your health and enjoyment of the beer is not the goal for these external forces, they only want you to purchase. The perfect example is fast food. They know their product sucks, but they know you'll keep buying it, but that doesn't keep them from lying about how delicious it is in their ads. There is far more at play behind the curtain. There is a science behind addicting you to things, this is reinforced by a corporate tax and subsidy system that contorts the free market pushing centralization of production through homogenization and use of chemicals to hide the homogenization, and simply because there is more than one option, they make you feel like you have choice. This, in a nutshell, is how the illusion of choice works in the free market. It's not about what YOU want. The producer manipulates you to think you want what they have. Through this, they deceive Americans into buying products with a list of ingredients that a person would never freely choose to consume. So if you want to order a beer with no shit in it, then you're shit out of luck in America. You could in Germany, but we'll discuss that later.
While you're standing at that bar, you aren't conscious of the fact that your interests are in direct opposition to those of the bar owner's. Capitalists hide this fact with their perfect smiles, but Marx described this in detail. You want the best beer for the cheapest price, and the bar owner wants to sell you the cheapest beer at the highest price you'll pay. It doesn't stop there. The bar owner flips roles in the same situation with the beer distributor, who does the same with maybe another level of distribution, and continues to the brewer, then goes to the brewer versus supplier, supplier to farmer, and even though you'd think it stops there, the farmer has to deal with suppliers of equipment and seeds, and on and on.
Add to this list their auxiliary staff of HR, drivers, managers, brewers, bottle/keg makers, and of course owners, none of them care whether you actually like the beer you're drinking as long as you keep buying more. That's the big driver here.
Did you ever realize that every time you buy a beer, your own capital is partially responsible for creating and sustaining all of these jobs involved? You, my dear beer drinker, are the true job creator. Budweiser can brew all they want, it means nothing without buyers, who are the true engines of capitalism. Instead, you're treated as a rube by suits in a boardroom somewhere.
Capitalist Propaganda tells us the billionaires are job creators, but this is a lie. Jeff Bezos can't drink enough beer to sustain all these jobs. So why do we let him hoard all the money? Wouldn't the economy do better if we spread out Jeff's money so more people could buy more beers and more jobs would be created? According to Socialist Economics, yes. That's actually, quite simply, a Socialist Free Market. Did you even know that existed? The power hungry greedy people who are too lazy for manual labor go to such great lengths to make sure you don't learn it. They want you to think that only Capitalism allows you choice in the market. I'm sure you can guess why they say that.
Capitalism maintains itself by exulting the wealthy who use their economic power to punch down. The only way this system won't fall into fascism and fail is if the consumers start to punch back. Where Marx envisioned the Dictatorship of the Proletariat as they usurped power from the Bourgeoisie, a modern alternative is just teaching people to understand the system we live in, so that we can just start making changes in the way we live and to whom we give our money.
See that? Capitalism and Socialism can get along nicely, so long as the consumers are informed.
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CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE ALIENATION OF LABOR CAUSING LONELINESS IN SOCIETY
What I described within the previous section is what Marx called "Alienation of Labor". Each step in the process of making your beer is isolated from the others, so no one feels ownership over the end product or a true connection to the consumer, or job creator. Even the bartender selling it is alienated from the profit of their labor in serving the beer, so they only focus on the service aspect of giving you the beer, because that is where they earn their tip. They can't really fix anything about a shitty beer other than to offer you a different brand. The capitalist owner is usually not there. Their only interaction is setting the rules for everyone in the bar to follow, and pay themselves more than everyone who has to follow those rules. This is part of the conflict between the classes. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, I'm just pointing it out. The bar owner themself has to spend money on propaganda to attract customers that could be spent in other places, so has to find ways to cut costs. Unfortunately, they buy cheaper beer...and this is why you end up with IPAs. No one is connected to the products, so they only look at prices and find the cheapest, passable product. This is the race to the bottom of Capitalism.
Compare this to when brewpubs were a new thing. The brewer would come out and talk to you about the beer, you would give feedback that could effect future batches and it connected everyone to each other through commerce. It makes business "social" and I think nearly everyone enjoys that, but it is losing out in competition with chain breweries that enforce isolation and make cookie cutter propaganda and cookie cutter business models so they can turn owners into managers and suck all the profit back their corporate headquarters and offshore accounts. They kill the experience and make everything transactional. And all the kitsch they hang around their cookie cutter chain bar is just to hide the fact that no one in that place cares about anything other than not getting fired. Everyone is effectually alienated from everyone else. It's worth a read to check out this page on Marx's Theory of Alienation.
This alienation is the root of a lot of misery in society. Humans are communal animals forced to live in a society of individuality and alienation. As they mope around, they seek an escape. And that is why advertising is so nefarious. It seeks to manipulate you in that state. Imagine driving home from your alienating job to you empty home, but looking up and see a billboard with bunch of actors laughing and drinking beer. They take pictures that make these actors look like friends. It's just for show. They aren't selling beer to those laughing people in the picture. They're tempting lonely people to drown their sorrows. Capitalist Propaganda is used so your brain doesn't understand what it wants. It wants friends, then sees the words Bud Light. So when the bartenders asks...Make it a Bud Light. Look at how much money they spend to manipulate and capitalize on people's suffering.
Propaganda in Communist countries is controlled by the government, so it's clear who the enemy of your freedom is. Capitalist Propaganda hides behind the layers of complexity of the same economy you rely on to survive, so you never know what's propaganda or where it's coming from. Marketers find every way imaginable to get their disinformation in front of your eyes, even enlisting your friends on Facebook in annoying MLM schemes. Propaganda invaded everything that can be legally monetized. It's in the media, and not just commercials anymore. There's product placement, stories injected into the news, and even movies and social media created an entire industry of "lifestyle propaganda", telling you how to live your life and indulge in overconsumption. It's REALLY hard to get away from Capitalist Propaganda. There is so much money and research behind it and so much depth, even this long post is only barely scratching the surface. I just want to open your eyes to it.
I can't make you see all this. No one can. I can only describe it as best as I can. What you will experience when you understand this is what I call "Economic Enlightenment", similar to what Marx called "Class Consciousness". Once it happened to me, the world looked amazing, and the shitty propagandists selling us false hope all look like clowns in a very odd circus of vanity, despair and mediocrity.
Once I understood this, I saw clearly how we are increasingly trapped in a form of Corporate Slavery, led by seriously ridiculous oligarchs like Mark Zuckerberg, who thinks he's the reincarnation of Augustus Caesar or something. That's why he has that haircut! This is a guy who stole a company and hired "screen psychologists" from Las Vegas to get you hooked on Facebook the same as casinos do with slot machines. He wants to be the funnel for propaganda throughout the world. He wants to be the kingmaker, decide what people buy, who they like, what views they hold. He can only do this because so many companies spend so much money to put their propaganda on that platform. They can only have this much money because the free market is not actually free. It's bought and paid for on platforms like Facebook and Amazon. The money that was supposed to "trickle down" is instead being spent on Capitalist Propaganda on these platforms, to get the proletariate to trickle their money up through endless, nonsensical online purchasing and local businesses who send the town's money to people who can't do anything with it but buy up properties that increase your rent and cost of living.
When people get drunk on the power of propaganda, they forget the lessons of the past. Propagandists always fall prey to their own delusions over time. In reality, your life is better without Facebook. There isn't anything on there that is healthy. Even if you just want to talk to a few friends, you are going to fall for the propaganda there. You can't help it. And if your bar advertises on Facebook, just think, that money could've gone into purchasing higher quality beer then sold at the same price, instead of going to Mark Zuckerberg so he can drop $30 million to buy the houses around him so no one can spy on him while he spies on you. You really gotta watch out for a guy who combines spying and propaganda all into a single app and thinks he's going to bring 200 years of peace to America. History is littered with knuckleheads like that. It's best to get off Facebook and encourage everyone else to do the same. Zuck only wants to lead himself to the Promised Land, and he's using your ignorance to fuel his own delusions by deluding you into thinking you want what he has to offer.
Let's get back to beer.
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IPAs AND THE FREE MARKET VS THE RACE TO THE BOTTOM
I like beer. When I worked in Germany, it was easy to walk into a bar and, like Farva, just order a liter o' beer. Often, there would only be two choices, light color or dark. As a matter of fact, even at the most famous beer festival in the world, Oktoberfest, people mostly drink the same standard type of beer, and no one complains about the lack of choice. It's quite easy. You can order with one finger. No need to see a menu or ask what's in it. It's simply beer. This worked for centuries. Consumers are fine with it. Prost! Have you ever shared a story like this and people say, "Oh, that would never work in America. Americans want choice." Yeah. Because we are flooded with Capitalist Propaganda.
So if consumer choice isn't pushing for a selection, why would a free market call for it? Imagine there are two bars and one of those bars says "30 beers on tap" and the other doesn't. You're more likely to choose it, and the other bar will have to compete in some way, often by copying. This forms trends, and people mistake this for something customers wanted. Trends are always marketing. Don't believe me? What happened to fidget spinners? So now you have a bunch of beers that no one asked for, yet will now demand. Competition creates more Capitalist Propaganda to create demand for something you never even wanted, but makes you think you do. And that's the best propaganda. You think you are thinking for yourself. This is the fallacy of consumer choice.
If you want to understand just how important that last paragraph is, consider this, "consumer choice" is the same propaganda they used to get you to carry around a device that spies on you 24/7 and sends that data to people you don't know, and you can't stop it, can you? You chose that. You wanted it. Not only that, but you paid $1,000 for the device to opt into their spying program, for the privilege of being mind controlled by the propaganda their AI selects for you. Did you read the Terms of Service? As bad as you may have thought Communist Propaganda was, Capitalist Propaganda is far better, and far stealthier. You believe you have freedom of choice. But your only choice is usually take it, or leave it. Oh, you need it for work? Maybe find a different job. Or just succumb to mass surveillance, and next year, you can drop another grand on a device with a marginally better camera.
There is a way to free yourself. You just have to understand the nature of propaganda. It took me a while, but I eventually broke free. Under Socialism, there would be laws against the exploitation of consumers. Capitalist Propaganda tells you that this takes away your freedom. This is a lie. Regulations give you the freedom to not have to worry whether the beer you're drinking has poison in it.
Germany has a lot of regulations on beer. It has the Reinheitsgebot (purity order), a law passed in 1516 that states that beer can only consist of water, hops and barley. Note, this is a different use of the word "purity" from earlier, as beer is itself a mixture of things. Historically there have also been regulations where beer could only be sold regionally, so no matter what part of Germany you were in, you only got a certain brand of beer at the bar, but it didn't matter because they all had the same ingredients. They could make wheat beers or unfiltered, but they were generally variations of pilsners and lagers. One meaning of the word "Lager" in German is "storage", meaning the beer was brewed in a way that it could be stored, allowing them to brew in bigger batches and store it.
Lagers use a more complex brewing process, so only larger breweries would make them, but this worked because of protected territories. America has a similar system, because each state has its own regulations on alcohol, but this is changing as corporate lawyers fight to homogenize the rules favorable to them, but the consumer loses control. Big brands tend to be lagers as they have general appeal to a wide audience. Did you notice this is the second time I pointed out that corporations create homogeneity? Without regulations, corporations create Fascism. That is why I tell people that we already live in the NWO but corporations rule the world instead of governments. Why do you think so few conspiracy theorists make this connection? Propagandists are paid a lot of money to keep even our small community confused about the reality of what's happening. Now, check out conspiracy and you'll see what I mean. They are spreading propaganda for the NWO over there and don't even know it. I tried to point that out and they finally banned me. Oh well. They'll figure it out in their own time.
In America, in 1978 it became legal to brew beer at home. This is what led to the explosion of new beers in the US decades later. Americans don't have purity laws, so could test new recipes. But people didn't generally like IPAs before, so how did they become so popular that they control 30% of the market? Marketing, of course. Create the market and tell people what they want.
IPA stands for India Pale Ale. It was invented by the British as an easy way to make a beer that they could drink in India. People only drank it out of necessity, as the other beers couldn't make the trip. IPAs are very easy to make and very forgiving, because if you mess it up, it already tasted bad anyway. As people started trying to get into microbrews, they often didn't have the capital to make lagers at small scale, and also wanted a simpler process so they didn't have to hire or train expert brewers, IPAs are cheap and easy to make at smaller scale.
In order to make it drinkable, brewers experimented with many different flavorings. This created a cult following of craft IPAs, where people would drive hours to stand in line for hours to try the newest concoction. The trendy nature of the craft beer world kept people training their palate to adapt to the taste of an IPA, making people start to actually like them. The flavorings made people think they were different, so even if they didn't like it, marketing tactics kept people coming back to try the latest blend. Your palate can adapt A LOT. Swedish people love Surströmming, but watch this video of Americans trying it for the first time. They tried to get me to eat it several times, but I would rather sit in a sauna until Tuesday to avoid smelling it while watching them eat it. It really smells that bad.
IPAs enticed people with popular, aromatic ingredients like bananas and pineapple. This is what I call "flavor propaganda". It's not bad in and of itself, but it can be easily misused to cover issues with quality or hide the taste of preservatives. Since we don'e have laws like Germany, you're left to rely on the knowledge and honesty of the bartender to find out. They don't make this info readily available, which is another form of Disinformation.
So if you think you actually like IPAs, just remember, you are just like a Swede eating rotten fish. A lot of propaganda went in to making IPAs popular, but it's the cheapest, easiest product to make that can be sold at the highest price, so they become popular. This is what business students call a business plan. To overcome the bad taste, IPAs were marketed as "classy" to shame you if you choose the more expensive to produce and more appealing pilsners and lagers, which were given a bad name due to being associated with major brands like Bud Light. This makes it harder to market microbrew lagers, which can only fetch a certain price due to association. And this is what is referred to as the "race to the bottom" in Capitalism.
Instead of trying to innovate ways to produce the beers you want, they just figure out how to get you to pay more for an inferior product, just like they do with BBQ. They make you think you want it. From this you can understand why "food" is full of junk that you wouldn't feed your dog. Whatever legal poison helps cheapen the product is considered "smart business", another propaganda term designed to hide the reality of doing immoral and harmful things to other humans for profit. If you make money on it, it's good. As if there aren't better choices we could come up with if there truly were a free market with an informed consumer.
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STRENGTHEN THE FREE MARKET BY BEING AN INFORMED CONSUMER
We don't need a Communist Revolution to make positive changes, so take off your ski masks and put your Antifa flags down. I like microbrew culture and still enjoy IPAs, but understanding the marketplace is how I do my part as an informed consumer and job creator to help create the world that I want to live in. I encourage you to do the same. Vote with your dollars. Don't let the Zuck-type sociopathic, corporate people in a distant land decide what you consume by looking at ads on his platform. Visit local breweries and talk to the brewmaster. Don't reinforce alienation from labor. Connect with the people who make the things you buy. Support independent entrepreneurship. These are the paths to a brighter future where we share in the abundance of wealth.
Discover Economic Enlightenment for yourself and realize that We The People are ultimately in control. Wealth inequality is greater than it was in France before the French Revolution. Don't let this train take us into the depths where another Lenin will arise and spend the night shooting people.
How you choose to spend your money today is what decides what will become the society of tomorrow. And remember, you always have the choice to buy nothing at all. I never saw a billboard that said that.
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LET THEM DRINK BEER!
I hope this gave you a glimpse behind the curtain of Capitalist Propaganda. Propaganda isn't just political, it has invaded everything and it's at full blast right now. I hope you can piece together how Capitalist Propaganda is actually designed to make you subservient by controlling what you want so they can maximize their own profit and teach you to accept whatever they offer, the homogenization of choice. However, your life is your own and you should remain in control of all aspects of it, including your desires.
Richard Wolff is an economist who studied at three elite universities in America and discusses how he was not able to even learn about Socialist Economics in the ivory tower, even though Capitalist Propaganda calls universities leftist. He found no department in America that is even willing to teach it or study it. Capitalist Propaganda censors these ideas, especially at the university. People in power don't want the serfs to learn about themselves. Check him out on YouTube. You'll realize that unchecked Capitalism leads to Fascism and Slavery, which is why they want to get rid of the minimum wage, so that we can return to sharecropping which is already increasingly happening in America under different names, like "student debt", "mortgages" and "insurance". Don't you think it's odd that a person has to go into debt so they can generate profits for corporations who really ought to be paying for this education themselves? If you have to go into debt before they'll hire you, it's much easier to negotiate against you.
If you want to see other examples of propaganda, check out this random tweet from one of America's Top Capitalist Propagandists. These are very odd pictures, and the only thing I can see in them is that they must be promoting those outfits, likely the blue dress, maybe those men's outfits as well. One thing you know is that she didn't become a billionaire by letting any single opportunity to enrich herself at the expense of others pass her by. I didn't look it up, but I am certain they sell that blue dress, or whoever does paid her to post this.
That's the main reason celebrities use social media. It's marketing. Their whole schtick is to sell garments made in a sweatshop in a foreign country by people who can't even afford a beer to Americans who are facing bankruptcy and homelessness themselves.
Read the replies of the tweet. These people have influence that vastly outsizes their understanding of their impact on the world. There are guillotines in the comments. There usually are. I'm seeing them a lot lately.
This type of propaganda is everywhere. And it's destroying America. Just like propaganda led to the demise of Nazi Germany, we could be looking at the same thing, but worse. It could start off as famine.
If you're having trouble deciding between the beers you are being offered, it's probably because you don't want anything at all, in which case the proper choice is: nothing. Or, try tap water. Maybe you're just thirsty. Now ask yourself, when you envisioned yourself at a bar, did you ever think to order water instead? Did you entertain the idea that you didn't even want a beer. That's the power of suggestion.
What if the rest of the world just cut America off from the means of production outsourced to areas with cheap labor? We would have our own famine and likely war. And if we have a revolution here, with the masses in the country being so disinformed about everything and not having any sort of class consciousness at the moment and instead stuck in alienation, the leader that rises here will likely lead to something horrifying. And we censor ourselves from pointing out the simple fact, that the only way America will survive is to tax the deluded royalty like Kim and Mark back to reality, so they can't indulge their reckless, childish delusions by selling off the very fabric of our nation to the highest bidder.
That doesn't make me a Socialist, that just makes me honest.
Enjoy your beer!
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Thanks for reading and I hope I helped you understand how you can empower yourself. I'm excited about the one I wrote for Election Day tomorrow to keep our NOPOL spirits up while all the politics clouds the airwaves. Cheers!

Hey everyone. Warning this is a massive post, but im sure that's normal here!
Decided to do an early mock and prospect analysis. I operate a 49ers blog and Slack server, and had done this with them, but I decided to share it here. fortheniners.com is my website if you want to check it out for more stuff, but it's mostly 49ers oriented. Give me some feedback, would love to hear it from you guys.
I created a custom order based on the rest of the season and i simulated the rest. Some picks might be switched in the 2nd round and 3rd due to the reordering of picks, but mostly it should be OK. I felt this order fit how I think the NFL will shake out by the end of season. I can't get the picks to number for some reason correctly.

Positional Rankings

QB:

1. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
2. Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
3. Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
4. Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
5. Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
6. Kyle Trask, QB, Florida
7. D’Eriq King, QB, Miami
8. Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
9. Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M
10. Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State

RB:

1. Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
2. Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
3. Kylin Hill, RB, Mississippi State
4. Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oklahoma State
5. Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis

TE:

1. Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
2. Pat Friermuth, TE, Penn State
3. Brevin Jordan, TE, Miami
4. Hunter Long, TE, Iowa State
5. Grant Calcaterra, TE, Oklahoma

WR:

1. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
2. Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
3. Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama
4. Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota
5. Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue

OT:

1. Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
2. Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama
3. Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas
4. Jackson Carman, OT, Clemson
5. Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota

OG/OC:

1. Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State
2. Creed Humphrey, OC, Oklahoma
3. Trey Smith, OG, Tennessee
4. Deonte Brown, OG, Alabama
5. Josh Myers, OG, Ohio State

DT:

1. Marvin Wilson, DT, Florida State
2. Jay Tufele, DT, USC
3. Jaylen Twyman, DT, Pittsburgh
4. Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama
5. Tyler Shelvin, DT, LSU

DE:

1. Gregory Rousseau, DE, Miami
2. Kwity Paye, DE, Michigan
3. Quincy Roche, DE, Miami
4. Carlos Basham Jr, DE, Wake Forest
5. Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan

LB:

1. Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
2. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
3. Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama
4. Cameron McGrone, LB, Michigan
5. Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina

CB:

1. Patrick Surtain Jr, CB, Alabama
2. Caleb Farley, CB, Virgina
3. Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State
4. Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia
5. Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina

S:

1. Jevon Holland, FS, Oregon
2. Paris Ford, SS, Pittsburgh
3. Hamsah Nasirlideen, SS, Florida State
4. Caden Sterns, FS, Texas
5. Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse

3 ROUND MOCK

1st Round

NYJ - Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

• Maybe the best QB prospect… ever. Lawrence brings what the Jets have lacked for a very long time. “It”. Lawrence is almost a flawless QB prospect, complete with elite physical tools, mental tools, experience in big games, and the football IQ to be one of the best QBs ever.

JAX - Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State

• Make no mistake. Justin Fields is not a consolation prize. The Ohio State product is one of the best QB prospects in recent memory as well, with exceptional arm talent, elite ability to make throws on the run, athleticism, leadership, and good decision making. Gifted with a strong arm and a very good deep ball, he will do well on a team that can build around him. He’s also part of the new generation of mobile QBs - Fields is expected to run in the 4.4s.

WAS - Zach Wilson, QB, BYU

• Wilson is an interesting prospect. The eye-test shows a mega-talented QB with a knack for big plays, but reading in between the lines, his prospects become murky. Playing against a low level of competition, Wilson has never been truly under pressure from a pass rush during a game. Regardless, Wilson might be the most naturally gifted playmaker in this class - his ability to make throws on the run and extend plays is reminiscent of Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, and more, and his arm talent fits that category. One year wonder, sure, but Wilson can be a superstar.

NYG - Gregory Rousseau, DE, Miami

• Passing on the best tackle prospect in recent memory is probably a bad idea. Unfortunately, Dave Gettleman has a penchant for that. Rousseau is a very raw albeit extremely talented pass rusher from Miami. Despite being underdeveloped as a pass rusher, his physical gifts alone made him a top pass rusher last season, trailing only Chase Young as the best pass rusher in college. The Giants add another big man to a talented DL, along with Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence. Rousseau is oozing with potential, and with his length, burst, and strength, can become a force that will terrorize the NFC East. Rousseau is going to test very well at the combine as well.

CIN - Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon

• Joe Burrow is screaming for joy. Sewell is the best OT prospect, arguably since Joe Thomas, or Trent Williams - he has everything. This is almost a cant-miss pick for Cincinatti, and it gives them two young, bookend tackles in Sewell and 2019 1st round pick Jonah Williams to protect the Heisman award winning QB.

DAL - Patrick Surtain Jr, CB, Alabama

• Dallas is not as bad as this pick slot indicates, but regardless, they pick due to their injury concerns. Drafting on the defense has to be the priority here, and why not reunite Surtain Jr with his former Alabama teammate, and fellow DB in Trevon Diggs? It fills a need and is arguably the BPA at this spot.

LAC - Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama

• While they missed out on Sewell, longtime blindside protector for Justin Herbert, Leatherwood is a great prospect in his own right. A well rounded OL with experience in a tough conference like the SEC, Leatherwood is a stalwart that can start at guard or tackle, giving the Chargers a piece they can put anywhere on the line to protect Herbert, and he is NFL-ready on Day 1.

DET - Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama

• Passing on Micah Parsons! How? Last time they picked a LB in the first round, it was Jarrad Davis, and they were burned, badly. Instead, they opt for the explosive WR out of Alabama, marking 3 straight picks from Tuscaloosa. Waddle is a game-breaker, stirring up comparisons to Tyreek Hill - and rightfully so. His speed is incredible, and his hands and route running are right up there as well, and he brings rare instincts and elusiveness. Waddle was the best WR in college before getting injured this season. Waddle adds the last piece to the Detroit offense, giving them a great group around Matthew Stafford who is entering the twilight of his career - with Waddle, Golladay, Jones Jr, Swift, and Hockenson, the Lions have the makings of a very good offense.

MIA - Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State

• Brian Flores would sprint to the podium to pick up Parsons if this was the scenario. The former LB coach grabs one of the most gifted LB prospects in a long time, and he fits the Dolphins at one of their biggest positions of need, with Raekwon McMillan gone. Parsons forms a fearsome LB duo next to Jerome Baker, and brings rare instincts, speed, and physicality to Miami.

DEN - Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas

• Denver was hoping that Parsons would fall one more pick, but alas, they have to settle. Cosmi is one of the most physically talented OTs in the draft, and although he is raw, he’s got plenty of ability and potential. John Elway grabs his hopeful franchise LT to protect Drew Lock.

ATL - Kwity Paye, DE, Michigan

• One of the fastest risers in the draft, Paye is physically dominant as an EDGE rusher and has the production to back it up. Atlanta could have taken a QB here, but considering that they have Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley both in their primes at the moment, they decide to stick with Matt Ryan - for the short term, instead of spending a massive asset on a rookie QB and waiting on him. Paye can become one of the best DL in the league, and replaces Takkarist McKinley.

MIN - Wyatt Davis, IOL, Ohio State

• Another team that could have taken a QB - Minnesota passes on the hometown kid, Lance, in favor for an interior lineman. While QB would be ideal here, Kirk Cousins’ contract is a behemoth, and it does not afford the Vikings a real opportunity to get off that contract - Minnesota would be better off shoring up the rest of their team, and looking for a new QB in the future, while sticking with Cousins short-term.

SF - Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State

• The Garoppolo era is over - and the new era of Trey Lance begins in San Francisco. Lance is the only QB of the “big four” who exclusively works in a pro-style offense, and under center. His big arm, mobility, and IQ on the football field will be a welcome sight for 49ers fans who have seen none of those under the last couple years with Garoppolo at the helm. Lance, although in a weak conference, has showcased both elite ability as a pocket passer and a runner, with exceptional touch on deep balls. He can stand in the pocket, deliver while taking a hit, and Kyle Shanahan will like all of that. Great decision maker, and he limits turnovers.

NE - Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida

• Bill Belichick misses out on the last remaining big QB. He instead opts for the premier offensive weapon in the class, Kyle Pitts. Pitts is in the running for the Heisman. As a TE. Yeah. Belichick adds Pitts to a weakened Patriots offense in desperate need for a big weapon like Pitts, and he steps into the 6 foot 6 inch, 265 pound gap left by Rob Gronkowski in Foxborough.

CAR - Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech

• With Teddy playing very well, Carolina likely opts to reinforce their defense, after doing so already last season. Their offense is all but set, with stars like McCaffrey, DJ Moore, and Curtis Samuel already in the mix - but the biggest problem is the defense. While they could go LB to replace Kuechly, why not provide one more big time player in the secondary. With Donte Jackson, Caleb Farley, Jeremy Chinn, and more, Carolina has the makings of a great defense.

LV - Marvin Wilson, IDL, Florida State

• They will go DL and the BPA in that case is FSU’s Marvin Wilson. The big man has been one of the best interior DL in college for a very long time and will continue to do so in Vegas, and provides a physical presence next to Maurice Hurst, Clelin Ferrell, and Maxx Crosby. This is a reach, but the Raiders bet that Wilson can recapture his previous level of play in an NFL program.

CLE - Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama

• Moses, physically, is one of the most talented LB prospects in the draft. A thumper at LB, Moses has seen everything coming from the long list of star Alabama LBs in recent years - but there are question marks. Before his ACL injury, Moses was supposed to go top 10, but after, his play level, and instincts have declined and he looks a step slow. Still, Cleveland opts to grab Moses and place him next to Mack Wilson, giving the Cleveland defense the leader and MIKE LB they need and that they had lost in Joe Schobert.

JAX - Pat Friermuth, TE, Penn State

• Friermuth has drawn Gronk comparisons as a big, bulky target over the middle with blocking capability and red-zone dominance. While he may never reach that level, this is a no-brainer at 18 - Jacksonville gets Justin Fields his safety blanket for the next 5 years or more, and fills one of their biggest needs on the offensive end of the ball.

PHI - JaMarr Chase, WR, LSU

• Philly fans are likely screaming in joy. Arguably the best WR in the draft drops all the way to 19, and right into the lap of Doug Peterson. Carson Wentz finally gets his #1 WR, and it’s a good one. Next to Jalen Reagor, Chase forms a lethal duo and both complement each other perfectly. He has everything a WR needs, and although he is not exceptionally fast, his hands, route running, ball skills, and physicality more than make up for it. He drops partly due to his speed not being amazing and recency bias favoring Jaylen Waddle.

TEN - Jay Tufele, DT, USC

• Tufele is a gifted defensive tackle - with good athleticism, technique, and all-around ability, and young as well, he is nowhere near his ceiling both as a pass rusher and run defender. He can be a 3 down player and can start day one, and for a contender like Tennessee, that makes perfect sense. They shore up the DL again, with three pieces set in stone - Harold Landry, Jeffery Simmons, and now, Tufele.

MIA - Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama

• With Preston Williams, DeVante Parker, and Jakeem Grant, the Dolphins have a good WR corps. But they need that final piece, the #1 - and Smith is exactly that. Tua gets his favorite target back, as Smith follows in the footsteps of the Alabama route-runners before him in Jerry Jeudy, Calvin Ridley, and Amari Cooper. He is thin, but strong at the same time, showcasing good speed, elite route running, elusiveness, and hands, giving Tua the target he needs.

CHI - Mac Jones, QB, Alabama

• The SAVIOR! The Trubisky saga is over, and Nick Foles time is short lived in Chicago as well. Chicago opts for Mac Jones, the signal caller from Alabama. Jones is an experienced QB - but the sample size of him playing well is small. Armed with an elite deep ball, a good arm, and functional mobility, Jones works in a pro-style system and is one of the few QBs that could start Day 1 in the NFL. With great decision making and ability to read the field, while playing tough defenses in the SEC - Jones opens up the entire playbook for Chicago because he can throw to any part of the field. They could take Kyle Trask, but instead opt for the higher ceiling in Mac Jones.

NO - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame

• A WR would also be a fit here next to Michael Thomas, but with Mac Jones gone, the Saints opt to add another LB next to the aging DeMario Davis and questionable Kwon Alexander. J.O.K. is a talented LB who can lineup at anywhere from MIKE, to S, to OLB, and do it at a high level. Great in coverage, and can play against TEs and occasionally WRs in the slot. He’s a defensive weapon for Sean Payton.

BUF - Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State

• Tre White gets a partner in crime. Wade falls all the way to 24, where Sean McDermott picks up the best fit at corner for his scheme. Wade is exceptional both in press and in zone, and is an explosive and fast athlete with some swagger when tackling. He can work both outside or in the slot, and while he has some issues against taller and bigger WRs, it’s nothing that cannot be ironed out. The Bills form an elite, top 3 defense with Wade in the fold.

IND - Jevon Holland, S, Oregon

• A QB could make sense here, but Trask once again falls as Indianpolis decides to stick with one of the three in Rivers, Brissett, or the Uber-talented rookie in Jacob Eason. Instead, they grab the best safety in the class in Jevon Holland. Holland is a do-it-all safety with great coverage ability, and a lot of range - and he gives the Colts a player they can plug and play at either FS or SS. Malik Hooker simply has not worked out for the Colts due to health reasons, so the Colts grab a long term starter at S.

ARI - Creed Humphrey, IOL, Oklahoma

• Kyler Murray gets his old friend from Oklahoma. Humphrey is a plug-and-play center or guard prospect in the NFL and gives Murray some much needed familiarity - and at a big position of need. Arizona’s biggest focus should be protecting Murray, and Humphrey is a strong, technical stalwart in the interior, which is key against the NFC West’s talent like Aaron Donald, Arik Armstead, Nick Bosa, and more.

GB - Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue

• Aaron Rodgers will riot if this pick is not another weapon. Despite the defensive short comings for the Packers, they have to take WR here - it’s holding back their offense. They opt for Rondale Moore, the explosive WR from Purdue. Moore is a game-changer with the ball in his hands, a YAC machine who will destroy you in the open field. And that is a perfect compliment to Davante Adams, as Moore can lineup anywhere, from RB, to the SLOT, to outside WR. Aaron Rodgers has clearly missed Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb - but Moore brings what Cobb also brought to the table.

BAL - Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota

• The speed demon in Marquise Brown is already there - but the Ravens need a true #1. Bateman brings a physical, big presence at WR, something Lamar has not had since college, and something he really needs. Bateman’s sure hands, body control, contested catch ability, and explosiveness is exactly what the Ravens need - as the final piece in a juggernaut of an offense being created. With Mark Andrews, JK Dobbins, Marquise Brown, Jackson, and now Bateman in the fold, Jackson’s full ability as a passer can be unleashed and the Ravens offense with that.

TB - Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama

• When in doubt, take the Bama player. In all seriousness, there are plenty of options the Buccaneers can go with here - but clearly, reinforcing the DL is the most popular way of doing so. Barmore next to Vita Vea gives the Buccaneers a great duo, with Barmore a perfect candidate to play the 3-tech. He’s raw but plenty of growing room.

PIT - Kyle Trask, QB, Florida

• Trask finally comes off the board, and to arguably the perfect team. Trask is not ready to start in the NFL day one - but he can be that guy in the future. Although he does not possess an amazing arm, he has all the intangibles, accuracy, and decision making to become the QBOTF in Pittsburgh. Trask’s biggest issue is his footwork - if he can fix that, everything else will fall into place. He possesses the physical attributes to be a star, tall, built strong, and he is fearless in the pocket. The throwing motion is good, but the overall mechanics in combination with the footwork need improvement. Fortunately, he will have time to do so under Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh.

KC - Carlos Basham, DE, Wake Forest

• Basically any pick is a luxury pick for Kansas City, but they opt for Basham here. Basham is a sure-thing, he won’t be a superstar, but he will be a very good defensive end. He is strong, big, and possesses both good burst and good technique - and forms a great duo across from Frank Clark.

NYJ - Jackson Carman, OT, Clemson

• While they could take Etienne here, instead of the next pick right after, they take Carman first - for the 5th round option. RBs are usually easy to keep, but that 5th year option if Carman pans out will be massive. The Jets grab Trevor Lawrence two familiar faces back to back, in order to appease their new franchise QB, who may not have been enthusiastic to be drafted by NY.

2nd round:

NYJ - Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson

• Jets grab another familiar face, this time in the best RB in the draft. Lawrence feeling at home. Etienne has incredible speed, acceleration, and is a complete RB, being able to play on 3rd down. The Jets get a dynamic weapon, a stark contrast to the slow and steady Le’Veon Bell.

JAX - Trey Smith, OT/OG, Tennessee

• If Justin Fields is going to succeed, the Jaguars need to step it up everywhere. They’ve addressed TE, now they address the OL, with Smith. Rock-solid lineman with versatility, Smith is one of the best pass protectors in the draft.

WAS - Sage Surratt, WR, Wake Forest

• First step in Washington with new management in the fold is building a new culture. Support players - and Surratt is squeaky clean off the field with academic awards and more. But really, this is about football - Surratt is a very good possession WR and fits next to McLaurin well, giving Zach Wilson a big target with soft hands and good speed.

NYG - Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan

• Passing on Sewell hurts - but Mayfield makes up for it. A very high potential player at OT, Mayfield can play at RT or LT, depending on where the Giants shift the struggling Andrew Thomas. Saquon Barkley breathes a sigh of relief.

CIN - Terence Marshall Jr, WR, LSU

• Familiar target? Check. AJ Green is likely out of Cincinnati after this season, and Marshall can perfectly fit in as a height-weight-speed freak with production. Marshall can be the #1 WR in Cincy.

DAL - Caden Sterns, S, Texas

• Strengthening this defense is key - and the next step is at safety. Sterns fits the bill as a playmaking coverage safety who can play in man or zone, helping this Cowboys pass defense take the next step.

LAC - Walker Little, OT, Stanford

• Two tackles in a row? With a QB like Herbert, you need it. With Trai Turner, Leatherwood, Little, and Lamp on the OL, Herbert will have good protection and for a long time with two new bookend tackles. Little is a great fit at RT, with Leatherwood slotting on the left. Good technique, great size, and great length.

DET - Cameron McGrone, LB, Michigan

• Taking the Ann Arbor product, McGrone has sky-high potential as a three down LB with sideline to sideline speed. Detroit gets the chosen one at their biggest need.

MIA - Quincy Roche, DE, Miami

• Besides the Miami connection, this is a no-brainer. Roche drops to the 2nd, where Brian Flores picks him up to reinforce a pass rush in need of a speedy, bendy edge rusher like Roche. Big time pick up, as Miami is nailing the draft.

DEN - Jaylen Twyman, DT, Pittsburgh

• Von Miller and Jurrell Casey should return next season, giving the Broncos a fearsome trio combined with Bradley Chubb. Twyman is the final piece and gives them a longterm solution. An explosive, undersized DL, Twyman is already an elite pass rusher on the interior with room to grow.

ATL - Tyler Shelvin, DT, LSU

• Narrowly missing on Twyman, they settle for Shelvin, the behemoth DT from LSU - a great fit next to Grady Jarrett, Dante Fowler, and now Kwity Paye. Shelvin can swallow up double teams.

JAX - Paris Ford, S, Pittsburgh

• Fields is in the fold, but that does not mean Jacksonville ignores the defense. They get a good safety in Paris Ford, a guy who is always around the ball. With Josh Allen, Chaisson, Myles Jack, CJ Henderson, and now Ford, they have high potential guys on every level of the ball.

SF - Jayson Oweh, EDGE, Penn State

• Dee Ford is likely gone… so the 49ers need a speed rusher, an athletic one for DL coach Kris Kocurek to mold. While very raw, Oweh is a physical freak with speed, a quick first step, strength, and bend. He is not a finished product, and will be limited to pass rush duties in his first years, but once he develops, watch out.

NE - Joseph Ossai, EDGE/LB, Texas

• Bill Belichick runs to the podium for this pick. Home run for NE, as they grab the perfect player they need at LB and the DL - someone who can fill the position that Jamie Collins left years ago. Ossai is very raw but Bill Belichick will savor getting a LB that he can mold in whatever way he wants for his defense. This is a perfect fit.

CAR - Jabril Cox, LB, LSU

• A smart, fast and instinctive LB, Cox will not replace Luke Kuechly, but he can help. Next to Shaq Thompson, the Panthers have filled a lot of their holes already - and it’s still the 2nd round.

LV - Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse

• Cisco gives the Raiders a nice, young, and talented safety duo in their secondary with Abram as well. Raiders continue to strengthen the defense. Cisco is coming off a torn ACL but is talented and was a 1st round prospect, arguably, until his injury.

CLE - Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC

• Odell Beckham Jr is likely done - and either way, Baker Mayfield needs a new target, preferable one that can play in the slot or outside. St. Brown has great hands, great route running, and good speed. Cleveland has a big need at EDGE, but they opt to get their young QB one more target in hopes of a breakout season.

LAR - Josh Myers, OG, Ohio State

• They could take a LB here, but Myers dropping this low is a no-brainer. The Rams add another athletic and polished OL. Myers is a good fit for the zone scheme that Sean McVay runs, and fill one of their most pressing needs. Jared Goff is not Jared Goff under pressure - this is the way to keep this offense chugging… investing in the OL, especially in the brutal NFC West.

PHI - Hamsah Nasirlideen, LB/S, Florida State

• Perfect fit. Nasirlideen can play at safety or LB, and is physically incredible. Knack for forcing turnovers and he is a sure tackler, and although he has some coverage issues, he is still good vs. TEs and slot WRs at times. Philly gets a tone-setter at LB, their biggest need, or at S, arguably the 2nd biggest need.

TEN - Deonte Brown, OG, Alabama

• The battle is won in the trenches. The Titans don’t have many needs, but strengthening the OL is always a good idea.

MIA - Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota

• Miami is nailing the draft. Faalele is the most physically impressive prospect in this class, with great athleticism despite being 6 foot 9 inches and nearly 400 pounds. He’s a freak, and a perfect candidate to play at RT and protect Tua Tagovailoa’s blind side. Tua is very happy right now!

CHI - Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG, USC

• Grabbing another athletic, and technically sound OL - Vera-Tucker fits Chicago’s needs well, especially with long-time starter Kyle Long retired.

NO - Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida

• New Orleans needs a true #2 WR next to Michael Thomas, and Emmanuel Sanders is the short-term for that. Toney is the long-term solution. Explosive YAC threat, Toney is a perfect fit in the West Coast offense that Sean Payton runs, and is seemingly uncatchable in the open field - and he comes with versatility, as a former QB; we know Sean Payton likes that.

BUF - Patrick Jones II, DE, Pittsburgh

• The Bills need more from their DL to take their defense to the next level. Jerry Hughes is already 32, and by taking Jones, an explosive pass rusher with good technique and great size. Across from AJ Epenesa, Buffalo has two good EDGE rushers to anchor a DL and give Ed Oliver some help.

IND - Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan

• He does not have very much burst or an elite first step, but Hutchinson’s pursuit ability, motor, and strength are up there with the best. He’s inexperienced but he has a good assortment of pass rush moves, and offers versatility too - he is 280 pounds. IND gets a guy that they can play 3-4 DE, 4-3 DE, the three tech, or even 3-4 OLB if needed.

ARI - Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia

• Crazy talented athlete, Campbell is raw but he has a ton of potential. Great hips, great recovery speed, and he can run with anyone. Good size, he’s a player that can play in most if not all schemes, with the ability to play bump and run, press, zone, or man.

GB - Brevin Jordan, TE, Miami

• Adding two explosive weapons to an offense that already had Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams is stupid. That’s exactly what happens here - Green Bay grabs their TE of the future, in Jordan. Jordan is a gifted athlete with a lot of speed and explosiveness, built in the molds of the new wave of TEs like George Kittle, Noah Fant, and more. Green Bay now has weapons everywhere and are poised for the short-term with Rodgers, and the long term with Love.

BAL - Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina

• They took Patrick Queen last year, but they still need one more guy on that defense. While they have a pressing need at safety, Surratt’s potential is too much to pass up. Super talented with instincts, Surratt is a former QB and inexperienced, yet he has shown massive ability. High character and the leader the Ravens need on defense.

TB - Alec Lindstrom, OG, Boston College

• Always pick the OL when unsure. Lindstrom is polished and although he does not possess a high ceiling, he should be a good starter in the NFL for a long time. Protect Brady.

PIT - Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina

• Joe Haden is aging and Pittsburgh needs a boost of youth in the secondary to match Minkah Fitzpatrick. Horn has been one of the breakout stars this college season, and it’s a wonder he even dropped this far.

KC - Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State

• LDT’s status is unclear beyond this season, and besides, the Chiefs have needed a boost in the OL for a while. This is a trend - contending teams without weaknesses will almost always opt to strengthen the trenches.

SEA - Joe Tryon, DE, Washington

• Tryon is far from a finished product but would represent the most hope Seattle has had at pass rush in a very long time. He is big, lengthy, has good burst, and good hand placement, and has a very high ceiling. The UW product stays in Seattle.

3rd round:

NYJ - Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia

• If the CB class was not so stacked this year, Stokes would have had a shot to go in the 1st. Either way, the Jets grab a talented, twitchy corner from Georgia with a knack for forcing turnovers. Stokes can be a #1 CB if developed correctly. Great in press coverage especially.

JAX - Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State

• Justin Fields’ favorite target joins him in Jacksonville. He is really polished in everything a WR needs - great route runner, great hands, and he can contort his body to make some tough catches. He is limited physically, that frame is not going to be able to take an NFL season. He is going to have to bulk up, but Fields gets a classic #2 WR who can play in the slot or outside.

WAS - Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern

• Scheme-versatile, athletic, physical. He checks most boxes - he needs work on his technique, specifically when he comes out of his stance, but moving him to guard would eliminate that need. He can anchor himself well too.

NYG - Seth Williams, WR, Auburn

• Prototypical X WR that fits well next to Darius Slayton. Williams cannot separate much, but with his hands and body control, is a great possession WR who will consistently make contested catches. Red-zone threat with upside.

CIN - Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia

• Two-down run defender with upside. He’s got a lot of athleticism and improving technique, but outside of the run-game, he can’t do much right now. Good fit, both for Cincinnati’s needs and also scheme.

DAL - Derion Kendrick, CB, Clemson

• Weird prospect. He switched from WR to CB in college, so he is still clearly learning the nuances of being a corner, but you can see what he can be vs. what he is now. Kendrick is not going to wow anyone for a while, but if Dallas can develop him right, he can be very good. Very much a long-term pickup.

LAC - Asante Samuel Jr, CB, Florida State

• He is really good with the play in front of him, classic slot corner. Good acceleration and he is a good tackler. He’s scheme-versatile, and with good hips, he can play off-man and press if needed. Good and easy replacement for Desmond King in the slot for the Chargers, especially with the aging Chris Harris. Samuel can get bullied by bigger WRs so DCs need to be careful with matchups, at least til he can get stronger.

DET - Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU

• Quandre Diggs being traded last season left a gaping hole in their secondary. Moehrig is a very good centerfield type safety with ball hawking ability and really good instincts. He’s got issues tackling, but most deep safeties have the same issues. Big time potential.

HOU - Alaric Jackson, OG, Iowa

• Protecting DeShaun Watson needs to be the goal - Jackson is a good fit for Houston. Strong with good athleticism, Jackson has played at tackle for a long time at Iowa, but his flexibility and length limit him. He will move to guard - but that’s exactly what Houston needs.

DEN - Monty Rice, LB, Georgia

• A tough inside LB with good closing speed and size, Rice is a good candidate as a WILL LB with coverage skills as well. He is a step late on some plays while diagnosing - which along with his size prevents him from playing at midde linebacker.

ATL - D’Eriq King, QB, Miami

• Surprise! Well, not really. I expect Atlanta to hire a modern OC, and that means a modern QB is needed. King fits the bill as a dual-threat QB with a great arm. I really like his feel for the game, his arm talent, his improving accuracy, and anticipation, and the natural ability to extend plays and make throws on the run or scramble is great too. King may be undersized, but he makes up for it with his elusiveness and build. Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson succeeded, King can as well. Why not pick Trey Lance in the 1st? No matter what, the QB they pick will be a project. It would be better to invest in other positions early, and still grab the QB of the future late. He’s not Quinton Flowers, or JT Barrett - he’s much more. Great anticipation, strong arm, and he makes plays.

MIN - Azeez Ojulari, DE, Georgia

• Really good bend and speed off the EDGE. He is another raw EDGE rusher, which is plentiful in this draft - but Minnesota needs a guy they can develop, just as they did with Danielle Hunter.

WAS - Grant Calcaterra, TE, Oklahoma

• Weapons, weapons, weapons. Wilson needs all he can get, and now he has two talented WRs in Surratt and McLaurin, and Calcaterra joins that group. There are massive injury concerns with Calcaterra - he retired due to concussions and then returned earlier this season - but when he was healthy, he was considered a top TE in College Football. This is very much a bet for Washington, but it could pay off massive dividends.

NE - VOIDED by NFL
CAR - Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame

• NFL-ready frame and he’s got really good length. He can hold his own against most pass rushers, speed or power. Athleticism is average though - he is better off in a power-scheme more than anything else.

LV - Cade Mays, OG, Tennessee

• Nasty and strong, especially in the run game. Jon Gruden will love this guy, but he needs to get more disciplined especially with his footwork and stance - when he maintains his leverage, he is elite. Needs to get more polished but the potential is there.

CLE - Richard LeCounte III, S, Georgia

• Size is an issue with LeCounte, but his ball skills and instincts are great, as is his football IQ. He will be able to start Day One in the NFL - and with Grant Delpit at SS, LeCounte is a nice pairing at FS. Browns strengthen the defense again.

LAR - Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri

• Rams biggest need is probably LB - but they wait til the 3rd to grab one. Bolton is a monster in the run-game, super hard hitter and he’s got good instincts to guess the gap and go. He’s limited in the passing game, but once again - he’s got plenty of time and potential to iron that out. Better in zone, as most LBs are.

PHI - Kary Vincent Jr, CB, LSU

• Really good slot corner. Super twitchy with really quick feet - he can mirror anyone in the slot. The problem is with his size - but in general, this guy can play. He needs work on his tackling and hand fighting at the line but as a man-coverage type, Philly can’t get much better at this point in the draft.

TEN - Hunter Long, TE, Boston College

• He’s just good at everything. Not a game-changing playmaker at TE, but he gets the job done and can do anything asked of a TE. Tennessee will love his blocking and good athleticism.

MIA - Najee Harris, RB, Alabama

• As if Miami wasn’t already nailing this draft, this puts the cherry on top. Harris in the 3rd is incredible value - he’s physical, fast, elusive, and does everything a RB is supposed to do. Every-down RB. TD machine and he will always fall forward - he’s the alpha they need at RB, and a good compliment to Myles Gaskin. Another familiar face for Tua Tagovailoa.

CHI - Anthony Schwartz, WR, Auburn

• The Bears need that extra #2 WR, Schwartz brings exactly that. Anthony Miller is better off in the slot, and while Allen Robinson is awesome, both Miller and Robinson cannot take the top off a defense like Schwartz can. He’s dangerous with the ball in his hands and is still improving. His frame is very flimsy however, and he’s got some issues blocking - but you can see his role in Matt Nagy’s offense.

CLE - Levi Onwuzurike, DT, Washington

• They need a space eater next to Myles Garrett. Onwuzurike brings that and more to the table.

BUF - Dazz Newsome, WR, North Carolina

• Gabriel Davis and Stefan Diggs are great, but Buffalo lacks a threat at slot WR - John Brown and Cole Beasley are again. Newsome is explosive, lightning quick, and has very good route running and elusiveness in the open field.

IND - Shaka Toney, DE, Penn State

• Another DE? Justin Houston is aging, and if Indianapolis wants to keep building their defense, this is necessary to give DeForest Buckner some help. Toney is not ready to be an every-down player, but as most Penn State products are - he is gifted as an athlete. He’s got plenty of potential as a pass rusher.

ARI - Darius Stills, DT, West Virginia

• There are questions about his run defense and is not disciplined as a DT should be. He more than makes up for it with his disruptiveness as a pass rusher. Rare get-off for a DT, and his size lends hm and advantage because he is so powerful and fast with good leverage.

GB - Jack Sanborn, LB, Wisconsin

• Hard hitter with ball production tends to work out in the NFL. He’s a fine athlete and is a quick diagnosed of plays, and while his run defense is great, his coverage skills are better. Not often does a LB log multiple interceptions in one season, but Sanborn did just that. Do-it-all LB for the Packers, although he has some limitations.

MIN - Marquez Stevenson, WR, Houston

• Versatile weapon with a ton of speed and elusiveness. The production matches the skillset, and he brings the presence the Vikings need next to Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen for the next couple of years.

TB - Kolby Harvell-Peel, S, Oklahoma State

• He isn’t much of a coverage safety, but Harvell-Peel is a fantastic run defender and tackler at safety. He’s not a liability, but he is not someone you want covering the back-end on third down either way. Harvell-Peel gives Bruce Arians a piece that he can shift anywhere, from LB to SS to slot CB if necessary, and he can get physical in the trenches and hold his own.

PIT - Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State

• Ruckert is a smooth athlete at TE and a very good blocker too. Despite not having much opportunity at OSU, Ruckert made the most of it - he’s got great hands as well. Pittsburgh grabs the future safety blanket for Kyle Trask… and forms a duo with Eric Ebron.

KC - Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford

• Reinforcing this defense again. Adebo is a good zone and press corner. He’s got limitations, but he’s still developing and could be very good in the future.

NYJ - Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson

• If you ain’t noticed a trend by now, I don’t know what to say. But really, the Jets know that they aren’t exactly enticing for Lawrence. Making it feel like home for him is very important, both for his development and also for the future. They’ve alienated their defensive savant in Jamal Adams, they can’t have this happen again. Ross is mega-talented, but his neck injury last season caused him to drop from a 1st round prospect to a late 3rd prospect. Regardless, if the Jets can get Denzel Mims, Justyn Ross, Travis Etienne, plus two bookend tackles in Mekhi Becton and Jackson Carman - Trevor Lawrence has something he can work with. Ross is a prototypical #1 WR, with height-weight-speed measurements perfect and the production to back it up.

INTRODUCTION:
Hello all and happy holidays!
I finally got around to making my first in depth one round mock draft of the year based solely on my own personal scouting. To be clear about what this is, I am making picks for each team based on what I think of players, and not what will actually happen in the draft or what the consensus on a player is. My end goal in making these is always to match closely to what a redraft would look like in five years, rather than what the board will look like on draft night. I will undoubtedly be wrong about a lot of these picks.
MOCK DRAFT AND WRITE-UPS:
1st Overall - Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevor Lawrence - Clemson - QB
The Rams send not only an extra 1st to Duval, but now the first overall pick. Lawrence boasts not only ideal frame, arm strength, and accuracy, but most notably a quick recognition and ability to distribute the ball quickly and accurately. Given adequate weapons, Lawrence will elevate the play of the offensive line as soon as his first year, and show elite talent to methodically matriculate the ball as well as threaten defenses with the deep passing game. The Jaguars get an elite day 1 starter with all-time great potential. An easy pick.
2nd Overall - New York Jets - Justin Fields - Ohio State - QB
With Lawrence now off the table, the decision to move on from Darnold is slightly less obvious. For a rebuilding club, there are many options available at the second overall pick that would make a lot of sense, but as the Jets GM I still elect to grab my franchise quarterback. Fields may be raw, but the talent he possesses won’t be found in many other prospects, in this draft or subsequent classes. His elite combination of arm strength and accuracy alone is one of the most reliable traits when projecting to the next level, and his top tier athleticism and escapability will go a long way in masking his deficiencies between the ears. If the past 5 drafts have shown us anything, is that quarterbacks with Fields’ talent can be developed and thrive in the NFL, and success at the next level can often rely more on the situation they are put in. With a boatload of picks in the next two drafts and an inevitable coaching change, Fields can certainly be a star quarterback for the Jets.
3rd Overall - Cincinnati Bengals - Penei Sewell - Oregon - OT
After the Burrow injury, all eyes in Cincinnati turned towards the draft, and more specifically one name: Penei Sewell. At this point, no one questions the fit, and arguably the best player available fits a desperate need. Sewell already boasts NFL ready technique in a hulking 6’6” 330 pound frame. His footwork is clean and quick, his grip is nearly inescapable when he gets a hold on defenders, and he moves bodies with ease in the run game. With Jonah Williams continuously fighting injury on top of the already apparent need on the line, the Bengals can’t pass on Sewell. Burrow gets his protector and Cincy possibly sees the second coming of Anthony Munoz.
4th Overall - Carolina Panthers - Caleb Farley - Virginia Tech - CB
With the departure of James Bradberry in the offseason, cornerback became a dire need for the Panthers. Luckily, in a strong corner class, Caleb Farley can help assuage the Panthers’ secondary woes and help Matt Rhule along in his defensive rebuild. Farley not only projects as a lockdown corner at the next level, but possesses the top tier athleticism, awareness, and ball skills to potentially be the NFL’s next great ballhawk. Farley’s footwork is a little rough around the edges, but strong overall, using his leverages and fluid hips to stay in his receivers’ pocket through the route. In zone coverage, he is aggressive and instinctive, where he can often be burned, but more often make a strong play on the ball and break up passes. However, where he justifies the fourth overall pick, is in his closing speed and ball skills. Once the ball is in the air, Farley shows the ability to close separation in an instant, and turn himself into the receiver without taking penalties. For the Panthers, Farley’s floor is interesting, but his ceiling is higher than almost anyone since Jalen Ramsey. Carolina not only gets a steady corner, but potentially a complete game changer at one of the most important positions in football.
5th Overall - Atlanta Falcons - Patrick Surtain II - Alabama - CB
The Falcons find themselves once again in the no man's land of the NFL this year: not fully rebuilding, not coming close to contending. As such, there are many directions the Falcons could go with the fifth overall pick. I won’t mince words, I have hated the Falcons drafting over the last few seasons, and they routinely take the players I think are overrated. So despite having drafted a few cornerbacks in recent years, I think it’s still enough a need to address again this year. Patrick Surtain II is a very different prospect from Farley, relying mainly on his veteran level intelligence and polish to lock down some of the best receivers in college. Surtain’s excellent use of leverage, as well as strong hand technique and avoidance of wasted steps allows him to stay perfectly in phase from the line of scrimmage and use his length and athleticism to break up passes. Like Okudah in last year’s draft, it may take him a year or so to learn the tendencies of NFL receivers, but Surtain projects to be a strong CB1 with elite upside in a league where top tier corners are becoming more and more valuable.
6th Overall - Miami Dolphins (via Houston) - Devonta Smith - Alabama - WR
The Dolphins are building a deep, fundamentally sound team in South Beach, and with a gifted top 10 pick from Houston they are primed to address their biggest remaining need: talent on offense. Luckily, my top wide receiver, Devonta Smith, is nothing but talent. Smith is one of the smartest route runners coming out of the draft in a long, long time, he has some of the best hands since Odell, and has more than enough speed to outrun the leagues top corners when he needs to. Additionally, after the catch, he is a threat to take any slant or screen to the house. All reports are that he is humble, dedicated, and intelligent and should be a strong interview for any team considering him. Frame is the only concern for Smith, with some worry about durability at the next level, but I refuse to pass on a talent like this. Devonta Smith honestly might be the best prospect in the class, and recreating the Tua/Smith connection is too good to pass up.
7th Overall - Philadelphia Eagles - Micah Parsons - Penn State - ILB
The Eagles don’t often place a high importance on the linebacker position, and would more likely take a receiver or corner with this pick, but to me Parsons has fallen too far for the Eagles to pass on. Parsons falls into the mould of ‘freak athlete’ that always entices NFL scouts, but where he differs from past top linebackers is between the ears in his play recognition. Parsons routinely is able to sniff out play calls from a mile away and use his explosiveness and fluidity to rip through offenses for TFL’s and PBU’s. He has stopping power in the downhill run game, and the ability to quickly navigate traffic east and west to make a play. In coverage, he is intelligent reading the quarterback’s eyes, and can break on the ball quickly. I don’t think I’m getting carried away by saying Parsons is the best linebacker prospect since Wagner and Keuchely, and is the kind of guy you build your defensive system around. It may not be the most pressing need for Philadelphia, but it's a fit you aren’t going to get anywhere else in any draft, so you take it if it’s there.
8th Overall - Dallas Cowboys - Jaycee Horn - South Carolina - CB
And here goes the final of my top cornerbacks, and not a moment too soon. The Cowboys secondary was hurting bad before Byron Jones left, and now they are left with next to nothing. Jaycee Horn isn’t as sure a prospect as Farley or Surtain, but no doubt has as high a ceiling and maybe higher. Horn is a physical, fluid corner that can frustrate a receivers gameplan and routinely keep the game in front of him. His footwork could be refined, as he can take some false steps, but he makes up for it with fantastic hand usage to jam at the line. When he is at his best technically, he can lean on his size and athleticism to make plays on the ball and create a few turnovers in the process. A top 10 selection may be a slight reach, as I have a top 15 grade on him, but for a team with this big a need at the position, Horn is well worth the pick.
9th Overall - Los Angeles Chargers - Jalen Mayfield - Michigan - OT
This may be my first big hot take of the mock, with many mocking Mayfield as low as the second round but to me Mayfield is the Jedrick Wills of this class; a fitting comparison as Wills was similarly given a second round grade for much of the 2019 season. Mayfield is a true technician at the right tackle spot, with near flawless footwork, a strong base, and reliable hands. In pass protection, Mayfield has an extremely high floor, and is almost guaranteed to be a quality starter. In the run game, he lacks the ability to truly move players off their spot, but makes up for it with great technique to wall defenders off and speed getting to his spots and stealing leverage. The Chargers need to rebuild their line for Herbert, and Mayfield would be a very reliable anchor at either tackle spot even in year one. In no way does this completely fix their line, but this pick is a very strong start for a team that really can’t afford to not address the need.
10th Overall - New York Giants - Ja’marr Chase - LSU - WR
Despite opting out of the season, Chase remains one of the top receivers in the class, and in strong contention for the top receiver spot. His route running is already elite, and packaged with a big frame and jump ball ability Chase has likely the highest floor of any receiver in the past few drafts. His speed doesn’t impress on its own, but Chase is already a master at tailoring his routes to the technique and leverage of DB’s to generate separation. With Saquon set to return in 2021 and the offensive line steadily improving, the Giants need a go-to target to take the top off of defenses and take pressure off of Saquon and Daniel. Chase is a great fit in that role, as he can just as easily find separation underneath as he can haul in fifty-fifty balls on deep throws.
11th Overall - Detroit Lions - Patrick Jones II - Pittsburgh - EDGE
The 2021 EDGE class lacks the true top 10 talent that past drafts had, but there are a few interesting names to watch between the first and second rounds. To me, however, there is none with the upside of Patrick Jones II. For many this pick is a reach, I understand, but Jones’ combination of speed, strength, length, motor, and bend is too rare to pass up for a team like the Lions that needs a game-changer. Jones leans heavily on the bull rush, a skill that doesn’t always translate to the next level, but his raw power to move big tackles inspires confidence that even NFL tackles will have a difficult time anchoring down. But what’s underrated about his game to me is the flashes of diversity and intelligence he shows in rushing the passer. The more you watch Patrick Jones the more you see well executed rip moves, spins, and more generally the ability to attack with a plan and execute at a high level. When tackles adjust to his bull rush, he starts to attack the outside with speed. When tackles adjust to his speed, he counters inside. If all else fails, he pulls out his length and bend to dip even farther around the corner. Is he a polished prospect? Not even close. But he is absolutely relentless rushing the passer, and possesses every raw tool you could ask for on a wishlist. He shows more than enough technical polish to inspire confidence that he can improve, and the ceiling to be a true game changing pass rusher is certainly there.
12th Overall - San Francisco 49ers - Creed Humphrey - Oklahoma - iOL
Ok, I know mocking a quarterback at the very next pick is probably not what 49ers fans want to see. I understand. However, this pick to me does two things: takes the best player available and strengthens a strength, which to me is not a bad thing at all. Whether at guard or center, Humphrey shows elite strength, speed, and awareness in all facets of the game. In pass protection, he has the awareness to find the right work when uncovered and the anchor, strength, and footwork to fortify pocket integrity when covered. In the run game, he can get to his spot very quickly, steal leverages, and move bodies as he pleases. He can pull with the best of them and get to the second level to break big runs. I was so, so close to mocking a quarterback here, but Humphrey is too good to pass up. A true quarterback of the offensive line, a game changer in the run game, and an overall stud. No matter who is at quarterback, Shanahan’s run game is the team’s identity and the star of the show. I’ll reluctantly run it back with Jimmy G for a year and know that my offensive line is set to do what the 49ers do best for the foreseeable future.
13th Overall - Denver Broncos - Kyle Trask - Florida - QB
You know, I don’t hate Drew Lock. Maybe, just maybe, he has a big year in him next season. But when looking at the Broncos needs moving forward, I am pretty high on the team they have put together on paper. A solid offensive line, a ton of weapons, good defensive line (when healthy), some playmakers in the secondary. I think with a healthy season and a reliable quarterback they can be a lot closer to a playoff team than many think. Enter Kyle Trask. Often being lost in the weeds with other intriguing prospects in this class, I think Trask possesses two skills that set him above the rest: accuracy when mechanics fail and throwing with anticipation. After the top two quarterbacks in this class, no one really has great mechanics and Trask is no exception. Trask has a very bad habit of not setting his feet under pressure, often bringing his left foot back and throwing from a standing position falling away. But unlike other prospects, Trask still somehow manages to throw on target and with anticipation anyways. He can throw basically all with his arm and still drop a dime downfield to a streaking receiver. Additionally, without pressure in his face, Trask maintains a very solid base, and shows very solid mechanics all around. He can read defenses very well and throw his players open in a way few in this class can, and has shown production against the highest levels of competition. He may never be a dynamic quarterback, but he is more than capable of being what Tannehill has been for the Titans, and with the weapons Denver possesses, that could be more than enough to revive this offense.
14th Overall - Minnesota Vikings - Alijah Vera-Tucker - USC - OG
One of my favorite prospects in the class, Vera-Tucker really is the complete package at guard. A fantastic blend of technical mastery and athletic talent projects the USC guard as a plug and play impact starter at the next level. You will rarely find a snap where Vera-Tucker doesn’t show an exceptional base and footwork, a strong punch, and leg drive to move bodies in the run game. He is equally as quick as he is strong, and can easily play the zone running scheme that Minnesota often leans on to generate offense. The Vikings have succeeded for years despite poor offensive line play, and additions such as Vera-Tucker really could be the missing pieces to helping them graduate to true contender status. The skill is there offensively for Minnesota, but a great offensive line could unlock something even more.
15th Overall - New England Patriots - Tamorrion Terry - Florida State - WR
How many times are we going to let receivers with this kind of talent fall to the second round? There were concerns over Metcalf’s route running, there were concerns over Claypool’s route running, and now there are similar concerns about Terry. As a route runner he is raw without a doubt, doesn’t know how to manipulate leverages yet, or set up defenders at the line of scrimmage. But like the aforementioned second round receivers, Terry can do one thing very few receivers can: consistently win with athleticism. Terry is a 6’4” speed demon with a long reach and stellar vertical. Additionally, he is a very fluid athlete with shifty lateral quickness to win on routes and create after the catch. He wins foot races against speedy corners just as easily as he goes over big corners for fifty-fifty balls. Terry will never be Metcalf, but he is a true playmaker that projects very well to the modern NFL. The Patriots need talent on offense very badly, and while in his rookie year Terry may or may not not have someone to throw him the ball, once New England does find their quarterback of the future, Terry will quickly become his favorite target.
16th Overall - Chicago Bears - Liam Eichenberg - Notre Dame - OT
It’s true that the Bears have a strong need at the quarterback positions, but without a player I’m confident in taking here I feel very good about addressing another dire need on the offensive line. For all of Nagy’s faults, it’s hard to generate offense without an offensive line, and the Bears line has been underwhelming for quite a while. Eichenberg boasts a high floor and clear ability to play either tackle positions on day one. He isn’t the athlete that many look for at the position, but he more than makes up for it with strong fundamentals and plenty of experience. Eichenberg’s strong footwork is fully on display against the interior pass rush, where he stout, and can casually ride defenders around the outside to allow his quarterback to step up in the pocket. You won’t see many pancakes in the run game, but a strong base and core strength allow him to wall off defenders and create lanes for his running back on a consistent basis. A sure pass protector and a solid run blocker, Eichenberg is a very strong, albeit unexciting pick for a Bears club that desperately needs an unexciting player to help the entire offense elevate its game.
17th Overall - Las Vegas Raiders - Marvin Wilson - Florida State - DT
The first year in Las Vegas has been a bit of a roller coaster for the team, often looking like contenders then subsequently making the Jets look competent. Ultimately, it seems Gruden is building something good for the black and silver and really the team should just stay the course and keep building the same way they have been. When it comes to the defensive line, Wilson is exactly what the doctor ordered. He possesses rare speed and burst for a man his size, and impresses with a handful of well executed pass rushing moves to create pressure from the interior. Quick off the ball, Wilson can eat one on one matchups for breakfast in a myriad of ways. His use of hands allows him to capitalize on his athletic advantage and put himself in a position to either bull rush defenders or open the door to the outside and win on leverage. He could improve his approach to double teams, as he often fails to get low enough to anchor down, but there is no doubt he has the tools to succeed when doubled. WIlson can take a lot of the pressure off of Las Vegas’ young edge rushers, and generate coveted pressure from the interior that can disrupt even the most mobile quarterbacks.
18th Overall - Baltimore Ravens - Wyatt Davis - Ohio State - OG
With the retirement of Marshall Yanda, guard has become a significant hole on what is otherwise a stout group on the offensive line. The Ravens offense relies heavily on putting defenders in conflict using Lamar Jackson’s dual threat abilities and the speed of the weapons around him. To me, even more than their other needs, the Ravens need to re-establish a dominant run game to take pressure off of Lamar and the best way to address this need is to draft a powerful, stout guard in Wyatt Davis. Davis pops off the tape with strength and ability to anchor in pass protection and move bodies in the run game. He is very quick to perform difficult reach blocks and steal leverage away from defenders to create holes in the run game. In the run game his footwork is top tier, and he shows the tenacity to be a plus blocker at the next level. My only small concern with him is his footwork in pass protection, where he sometimes swings his outside foot back and allows defenders to ‘open the door’ on him, but this isn’t a significant issue that will show up often on tape. Overall, Davis would be a key piece in establishing a run game in Baltimore to allow Harbaugh to run his option heavy offense off of and give Lamar all the tools he needs to get back to MVP form.
19th Overall - Washington Football Team - Terrace Marshall Jr. - LSU - WR
Marshall unfortunately spent most of his career at LSU behind Chase and Jefferson, the latter of whom is already dominating the NFL as a rookie, but early in the season Marshall proved that he himself is a top receiver prospect serving as the WR1 for a rebuilding LSU squad. In his short 2020 stint, he showed top tier route running, very solid hands, and good use of his large frame to box out defenders. Ultimately, Marshall should project as a similar player to someone like Allen Robinson. He will routinely win on route running alone, despite lacking elite athleticism at the position, and will come down with the majority of the fifty-fifty balls thrown his way. For a Washington club that struggles passing to anyone not named Terry McLauren, Marshall is a perfect fit as a very good ‘X’ receiver to compliment McLauren’s speed and quickness. He should be a red-zone machine, as well as a very dependable target to move the chains. WFT gets a great player at a major need, who would likely be gone at pick 19 in most draft classes.
20th Overall - Arizona Cardinals - Deommodore Lenoir - Oregon - CB
The Cardinals have all the pieces of a team with a great future, starting with the head coach and quarterback, but with Patrick Peterson showing signs of aging and no good options opposite him, outside cornerback has become a serious position of need. Enter the oft underrated Deommodore Lenoir. As an athlete, Lenoir boasts everything you could want in a corner except size. He is a speedy and fluid athlete and shows the strength and willingness to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage. Lenoir’s game is characterized by his aggressive approach, choosing to attack defenders rather than play passively and showing the athleticism and ball skills to attack passes in the air. Technically, Lenoir shows solid, but improvable footwork to stay in phase with defenders man to man, and good instincts and vision in zone to stay on his assignments and break up passes. If you draft Lenoir, you are drafting the athlete more so than the player, but by no means is Lenoir a raw corner. The Cardinals get a great athlete with solid fundamentals that can develop and become a good complement to Peterson and Murphy, and may eventually be able to truly step into the CB1 role.
21st Overall - Miami Dolphins - C.J. Verdell - Oregon - RB
My hottest take of the draft by far. I don’t think I’ve heard much buzz about Verdell as a top running back, but to me I see all the tools to be an elite back at the NFL level. On tape, the most impressive trait Verdell flashes is his top tier burst and explosiveness. When C.J. decides to hit a hole, he is through it in an instant. A true slasher, Verdell can make one cut and take any play to the house even against some of the fastest, most stout defenses. He may not be the strongest back outright, but moving at top speed he is a sledge hammer between the tackles, and can navigate through traffic to find space and fall forwards for extra yards. As far as vision, Verdell shows both good and bad on tape. As a downhill runner, Verdell can often get tunnel vision and miss open opportunities to bounce runs outside. This may improve with NFL coaching, as Oregon runs a very downhill rushing attack, but it is still a concern going into the draft. But, conversely, within the rushing scheme, C.J. shows very quick recognition of run fits to find the open lane almost instantly, hitting it at top speed with his eyes up to make an extra cut. The ceiling for a back like Verdell is very, very high and his athleticism alone makes him a solid bet to translate to the next level. He reminds me a lot of a young Dalvin Cook: an explosive one-cut slasher with home run ability. If he can put on a little extra muscle and improve his shiftiness in space, Verdell might be the steal of the draft. The Dolphins need elite talent to surround Tua with, and Verdell very well might fit the bill to a tee.
22nd Overall - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Rashawn Slater - Northwestern - OT
The Buccaneers look like one of the most complete rosters in the NFL in 2020, with talent at nearly every position group, but the offensive line remains a work in progress. Wirfs has been very impressive at right tackle in his rookie campaign, but improvement at left tackle and the guards positions would go a long way in helping Brady and/or his successor mount a superbowl run. Rashawn Slater enters the draft as a strong, technically sound tackle prospect that should find immediate success in the NFL just as Wirfs has on the other side. His footwork is extremely polished already: playing angles perfectly, quick to adjust to changes in direction, always in a position to get his hands on a defender and ride them outside around the pocket. hands. In the run game, Slater is ‘sticky’ and can control his defenders with a wide base and a great punch. His intelligence knowing leverages and blocking angles allows him to wall off defenders and create running lanes, even if he doesn’t move people off their spot. He shows above average awareness in pass protection, recognizing stunts and twists quickly and powering down his feet to brace for the twisting defender. Slater should be another plug and play tackle in a strong and deep tackle class.
23rd Overall - Indianapolis Colts - Chris Olave - Ohio State - WR
With T.Y. Hilton having a resurgence the last few weeks, I was tempted to change this pick, but at 31 with injury history, I’m not sure Hilton’s play prevents me from drafting a guy like Olave. Much like former Ohio State receiver Terry McLauren, Olave shows very good route running and superior athleticism that projects him as a dynamic receiver at the next level. He isn’t a technical machine that many expect of ‘good’ route runners, but Olave shows exceptional awareness of leverages, defensive schemes, and techniques that allows him to tailor routes to the defense he sees in front of him. He always seems to know exactly what he should be doing and where he should be going to get separation and give his quarterback a window to throw into. He uses his speed to generate big plays down the field, his awareness projects him as a good red zone and third down threat, and his hands are reliable enough to gain the trust of a veteran quarterback like Rivers. Olave would be a great complement next to the big bodied Pittman, and he brings a lot of the awareness that made Hilton such a great receiver in his prime.
24th Overall - Cleveland Browns - Kwity Paye - Michigan - EDGE
How long have the Browns been looking for a long term answer opposite Myles Garrett? Kwity Paye projects as a quick, technical edge rusher that can capitalize on one-on-one matchups created by Garrett’s presence. At 6’4” with decently long arms, Paye has the length to play against the NFL’s top tackles, despite looking a bit smaller on tape. The most impressive aspect of Paye’s game to me is his hand-usage, which is very active and technically sound. Tackles routinely struggle to get their hands on him, which allows him to use his speed to take the outside shoulder and get a hand on the quarterback. He is patient and efficient on stunts, once again using speed and motor to find open space and generate pressure. In the run game, he is once again disruptive when he can get penetration, but often lacks the strength to compete with well executed tackle play. Opposite Myles Garrett, Paye should be able to generate enough pressure to make life easy for a young and sometimes porous Cleveland secondary and maybe even take pressure off of Garrett himself and allow him to be even more dominant. I don’t expect Paye to ever be an elite rusher, but he has a high floor to be a disruptive presence at the end position, and a much needed partner in crime to the former 1st overall pick.
25th Overall - Jacksonville Jaguars (via LA Rams) - Pat Freiermuth - Penn State - TE
In a very good tight end class, with some elite, elite athleticism, I opt to go with what I believe are more translatable traits in Pat Freiermuth, namely intelligence and blocking. Freiermuth is far from the flashiest tight end in this class, but his awareness of both offensive and defensive scheme is second to none in this class or any of the previous classes in recent memory. As a route runner, Freiermuth is an expert manipulating leverage a la Travis Kelce to be the reliable safety valve for his quarterback. He can create separation down the field as well with strong, subtle route running and excellent use of his large frame. He is an extremely reliable red zone threat, routinely finding open space in zone and boxing out defenders to make tight catches. In the run game, he isn’t elite technically, but his awareness of blocking schemes allows him to be in the perfect place at the right time on trap blocks and getting to the second level. He is a true three down tight end that won’t tip your hand to the defense about your play call. More so than any prospect in recent classes, Freiermuth has all the tools necessary to fall into the mould of a Kelce or Witten. Nothing too flashy, but elite at doing their jobs. Lawrence to Freiermuth has some chance of becoming the next Mahomes to Kelce. There is a very, very good argument for placing different tight end at this spot, or another player at a different position of need for Jacksonville, but I can’t shake the feeling Freiermuth is going to be special.
26th Overall - New York Jets (via Seattle) - Najee Harris - Alabama - RB
I know he is only the second running back on my board, and I know the Jets probably need help elsewhere more than at running back, but I am in love with Najee Harris as a prospect. There just isn’t anything he isn’t great at. His vision is exceptional, with both good immediate play recognition and great patience to follow his blocks to generate an even bigger play. His balance and agility are elite, shedding and side stepping tackles with apparent ease. Harris is just as powerful between the tackles as he is quick in bouncing outside, with no wasted motion in either facet of his game. He is a strong receiving option as well, with sure hands and solid route running/awareness. The Jets will have an opportunity to grab another player shortly with their high second round pick, so I feel good grabbing the best player on the board. Harris will do a ton to make the offensive line better in the run game, and additionally take pressure off of Fields so defenses can’t tee off on the passing game. The dynamic of Harris and Fields in both the rushing attack and the passing game would make me feel a lot better about the future of the Jets offense, and maybe take some of the sting away from missing out on Lawrence.
27th Overall - Tennessee Titans - Gregory Rousseau - Miami - EDGE
I’ll be honest, I never understood the top 10 hype for Rousseau, but for a team that is desperate for help rushing the passer, I am more than willing to take a chance on his physical traits. Rousseau most notably possesses ideal length for the position at 6’7” with long arms to compete with NFL caliber tackles. Rousseau boasts natural, functional strength with a very powerful bull rush, and similarly anchors down well in the run game. He is moderately quick for his size, and while he won’t be a significant speed threat outside at the next level, has enough speed to keep tackles guessing. Where Rousseau doesn’t stack up to other rushers in this class is in his technique and awareness, where he shows a one track mind on tape. Outside of his bull rush, Rousseau rarely rushes with a plan, often leaning too heavily on his strength and frame to win reps outright. His hands are often very passive and unrefined, where he often fails to keep punches off his chest. Rousseau needs to develop consistent technique, build some flexibility, and maybe an inside move to diversify his attack before he can be an impact player at the next level, but the tools are there. The Titans get a stout run defender in the short term who may be able to generate pressure and a handful of sacks on talent alone. With some coaching, however, Rousseau has more than enough upside to be a plus pass rusher.
28th Overall - Pittsburgh Steelers - Christian Darrisaw - Virginia Tech - OT
With Big Ben’s recent play, a quarterback would make a lot of sense here. However, I opt instead to deal with a once great offensive line that needs a few pieces to return to former glory. Darrisaw would slot in very nicely at right tackle next to the aging Villanueva, and could potentially be a replacement at left tackle in the future. Darrisaw stands at 6’5” 313 lbs, and uses all of his frame to play with power and stability. While his feet can be choppy, his functional strength makes it tough for defenders to move him even when they get an extra step on him. His grip, when his punches land, is difficult to break, allowing Darrisaw to maintain control even when he has lost some leverage. In this run game, he could still use refinement technically, especially with his hands, but he shows flashes of being a true people mover with ‘pancaking’ upside. Again, there is some concern about his speed fighting off outside moves, but his strength alone is worth developing, and with even slightly more fluid footwork he could be a stalwart tackle in this league for many years. The Steelers need to improve their run game to take pressure off of Ben and the receiving core, and the future at the tackle position needs to be addressed. Darrisaw shows the upside on tape to help with both issues.
29th Overall - New Orleans Saints - Andre Cisco - Syracuse - S
Arguably the most complete roster in the league, New Orleans more or less has the freedom to take the best player available, depending on what you think of Hill and Winston as potential Brees replacements. To me, Cisco is one of the best ‘under the radar’ players in this class for his high end awareness playing a ‘robber’ type strong safety role. Despite versatility to play free safety as well, Cisco shows elite talent at reading the eyes of the quarterback, diagnosing play calls, and breaking on routes for PBU’s and interceptions. He is likely one of the hardest hitters in this class, and can knock balls loose over the middle with clean contact after the catch. As a free safety, he shows similar awareness playing the true center field role, and has decent speed to play sideline to sideline, but will likely have a lot more success playing the role that Vonn Bell played before leaving for the Cincinnati. Cisco is a ‘do it all’ safety with elite intelligence and closing speed to be a ball hawk and bruiser in the New Orleans secondary. The Saints defense is rolling already, but Cisco has the potential to do what Minkah Fitzpatrick did for the Steelers and elevate the play of everyone around him. If the offense can just do enough with Kamara and Thomas, this defense can carry them to Payton’s second superbowl with the club.
30th Overall - Buffalo Bills - Asante Samuel Jr. - Florida State - CB
Samuel Jr. isn’t the flashiest pick at the cornerback position, but for a team ready to compete and a defense having a bit of a down year, a high foor pick like Asante may be just what the team needs. Opposite an All-Pro in Tre White, Samuel is more than capable of being a very reliable, intelligent CB2 from day one. His footwork and fluidity are top tier coming out of college and easily NFL caliber already, which is unsurprising given his NFL pedigree. Samuel is quick recognizing routes, and is not easily fooled by double moves or trickery at the line of scrimmage. With the ball in the air, Samuel is a dynamic athlete who can make plays on the ball and close on receivers quickly to break up passes. There isn’t really much more to say about Samuel. Arguably one of the safest picks in the draft, you know you are getting an NFL caliber corner who won’t be beat easily and will chime in with enough PBU’s and turnovers to make this pick more than worthwhile. Really a perfect pick for where the Bills are right now.
31st Overall - Green Bay Packers - Amon-Ra St. Brown - USC - WR
Reuniting the St. Brown brothers, the Packers get easily the best receiver in the family tree. While only 6’1”, St. Brown plays bigger than his frame, but also possesses the speed and route running to be a dynamic threat down the field and in open space. With very sure hands and a large catch radius, St. Brown will quickly gain the trust of Rodgers (or Love potentially) and become the ‘go-to’ second option in Green Bay overnight. His route running is very crisp and nuanced, and he shows great ability to set up defenders and move them away from his eventual route. After the catch, St. Brown is quick and hard to tackle, demonstrating very solid yards after the catch ability in the screen or jet sweep game. Although I’m not sure his big play ability will translate quite as well due to his relative lack of speed, Amon-Ra St. Brown will undoubtedly be a reliable target at the next level in the short and intermediate game, and has enough speed and ball skills to come down with a few deep shots at the NFL level. Adams and MVS have proven to be a very solid tandem in Green Bay, but the addition of St. Brown adds an extra element to the receiving room, and when you have a quarterback like Rodgers, there is absolutely no such thing as too many weapons.
32nd Overall - Kansas City Chiefs - Rashod Bateman - Minnesota - WR
Many may scoff at the idea of the Chiefs taking a receiver in the first round; after all, they already have the best skill position group in all of football. If anything, that to me proves why the Chiefs should continue investing in weapons for Mahomes: it works! With Watkins likely gone in the offseason, the Chiefs need another reliable, possession receiver to make plays over the middle and move the chains. We’ve seen over the last three years that this formula with Tyreek, Kelce and Watkins isn’t just a contender, but a champion. Bateman brings fluid route running and fantastic hands to the Chiefs, and will haul in any pass regardless of accuracy and separation. Speed is a bit of a limiting factor when it comes to his production, but his athleticism with the ball in the air, and creativeness after the catch make him an ideal fit for what Kansas City needs. Bateman can be yet another red zone threat for the Chiefs, who are already elite at finishing drives, and can put defenses in even more of a bind wondering “how are the Chiefs going to score on us this time?”. Bateman is built to be an ‘X’ receiver, and has the skill to not only fill Watkins’ shoes, but maybe become an even better possession receiver overall, with less of the downfield threat. There is nothing wrong with strengthening your teams’ strengths, especially when that strength is winning you superbowls. Continue to invest in Mahomes, and Kansas City will continue to be a city of champions. It’s that simple.