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NFL Mock Draft 2.0: The Top Three Picks
The college football regular season is over, which means it’s about the time that college players will begin declaring for the NFL draft—and on Monday, Michigan defensive lineman Rashan Gary kicked it off, announcing that he’ll forego his senior year officially announced his intention to declare for the draft. (Last week, I previewed the top defensive linemen prospects because this draft class is stacked with all types of pass rushers.)
And with this comes our second mock draft of the NFL season. Here are our top three picks for the second mock draft of the season, all defensive linemen. Click here to read the entire mock draft.
1. San Francisco: Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State
A scout told me last week there's a good chance Bosa will be the first pick, as long as he can perform athletically at some point before the draft. The 49ers have their quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo, and a trade down is possible if another team falls in love with one of the quarterbacks. Scouts say Bosa is nearly identical to his older brother, Chargers pass rusher Joey Bosa, and the 49ers are desperate for a playmaker on the edge.
2. Arizona: Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
The redshirt sophomore has picked up a ton of buzz recently, enough for him to leapfrog Ed Oliver as the other top interior defensive line prospect. Williams has had a breakout year in his first season as a full-time starter, and has proven himself against top-level competition in the SEC. He's made himself at home in opponent's backfield because of his quick get-off and impressive use of his hands. Teams might question whether the 19-year-old is ready for the NFL from a maturity standpoint, but there aren't many questions about his play on the field.
3. Oakland: Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
Oliver returned to the field last Friday after missing four straight games with a knee injury, but he re-aggravated the injury in the second quarter and had to sit out the second half. Oliver said after the game that he plans to play in Houston’s bowl game, but even if he misses his last collegiate game, Oliver has likely done enough to cement himself as a top-five pick. Some scouts are worried about his transition to the NFL because double-team blocks overwhelmed him at times, and the offensive line talent in the American Athletic Conference is marginal compared to power-five talent. Still. He would provide a promising start to Jon Gruden’s defensive rebuild.
Check out the rest of the mock draft here.
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WHAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED: Jonathan Jones on the Seahawks reclaiming control of their playoff race. ... Orr on how the Patriots utilized Gronkowski in his return from injury. ... Who to grab off the Week 13 fantasy football waiver wire. ... and more.
PRESS COVERAGE
1. Leonard Fournette was suspended one game for his fight Sunday with Buffalo's Shaq Lawson. Here’s a lesson: Don’t punch a man wearing a helmet.
2. Andy Dalton was placed on IR with a thumb injury. His season is over, and the rest of the Bengals season isn't looking bright.
3. Lamar Miller makes NFL history with his 97-yard touchdown run on Monday Night Football.
4. Even Jeopardy! has taken to making fun of the historically woeful Detroit Lions.
THE KICKER
Sad Packers fans, cheer up with this hilarious tweet. Wonder what hotel the Packers stayed at Saturday night in Minneapolis? Days Inn?
Question? Comment? Story idea? Let the team know at talkback@themmqb.com
