With Alabama and Clemson both scoring, 77 college football teams out of the 78 total teams have now scored in the bowl season. Congrats on another exciting college football season, everyone!
Reeds kicks game-winning field goal as Duke beats Notre Dame
I've got to give it to that Fighting Irish team. They fought til the very end and did not cave in. Once push came to shove, however, their inexperience and lack of poise became clear as crystal. Brian Kelly is building something special up there in South Bend. He's in his 8th season and will need a bit more to get his system in place. They're probably not bowling this season, but look for them to be a solid 9-3 team in two or three seasons.
Finley leads NC State to 27-21 upset of No. 12 Florida State
I'm not 100% on the rules here, but since FSU has only played two games this season I'm pretty sure they can stop playing and just consider this their redshirt season.
I think it’s time we all have a talk with Illinois. Rutgers accepts their beatings every week with no push back. I mean first a close game against Michigan last week, now UPSETTING Wisconsin, it’s gone too far.
Fields leads No. 4 Ohio State past Northwestern 52-3
Post game announcer “hey Justin, what’s the difference between the team this year and the osu teams of the past 2 years” like Justin wasn’t on Georgia and could somehow answer that question
Louisiana Tech beats Miami 14-0 in Independence Bowl
First off, full disclosure - I am not a Miami person. Second off - after watching this frankly mortifying Miami vs. LA Tech adaptation of Shreveport, LA’s Independence Bowl, I’m not altogether sure I am a football person anymore either.
UCF gets 10th by beating Marshall 48-25 in Gasparilla Bowl
Commentating: trash. Player civility: non existent. First half offense: trash. Second half defense: trash. Overall a very fun game to watch. Good job UCF
Florida State beats Southern Miss 42-13 in Independence
How many of you people disrespecting my bowl eligibility have ever been 6-6 or spent a significant amount of time being 6-6? I grew up in a bowl streak and it's my streak; the way that people disrespect the streak every year around /CFB is absurd. Do yourself a favor and go 6-6 before throwing your stones. Consider how you would feel if your streak that you love was constantly being shit on by people who have no idea how many scholarships Delaware State has. It's rude, disrespectful. Just stop.
A bunch of touchdowns scored? Check. A bunch of touchdowns allowed? Check. A shit ton of turnovers? Check. A shit ton of plays that were almost turnovers? Check. A receiver going off for 200+ yards and a crapload of touchdowns? Check. A cocaine binge-esque atmosphere from start to finish? Check. Hawaii blowing a double digit lead and finding a way to win anyway? Check. Lads, this was peak Week Zero Hawaii football.
A team that entered the day with a 4-23 record in their last 27 games, was a 19.5-point underdog, and had lost 25 straight games against Power 5 teams since 2006. That's who Arkansas lost to tonight, at home.
No. 20 Stanford comes back for 15-14 win over Oregon State
you ever wonder how a game with 53 strangers going against 53 different strangers playing fancy catch with a dead inflated pig’s hide can make you pick up the bottle
Sun Devils use strong defense to stun No. 5 Huskies 13-7
Final Tally of Chaos: 2 Clemson, 5 Washington, 8 Washington State, 10 Auburn, 19 San Diego State, 24 Texas Tech, 25 Navy. It has been a successful weekend for Team Chaos boys.
YOU PUT YOUR OFFENSE IN, AND THEY GET SHUT OUT! YOU PUT YOUR DEFENSE IN, AND IN THE FIRST HALF THEY'RE BLOWN OUT! YOU DO THE HOKIE POKEY AND THE NEXT HALF THEY WIN OUT! THAT'S WHAT THIS BOWL'S ABOUT!
There’s a very good chance someone in attendance at today’s Georgia game also attended Wednesday’s Braves game. If this is you, please don’t hesitate to seek help.
2021 NFL Mock Draft with explanations for each pick (3 rounds) + Prospect rankings.
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:
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
Kyle Trask, QB, Florida
D’Eriq King, QB, Miami
Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M
Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State
RB:
Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
Kylin Hill, RB, Mississippi State
Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oklahoma State
Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis
TE:
Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
Pat Friermuth, TE, Penn State
Brevin Jordan, TE, Miami
Hunter Long, TE, Iowa State
Grant Calcaterra, TE, Oklahoma
WR:
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota
Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
OT:
Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama
Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas
Jackson Carman, OT, Clemson
Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota
OG/OC:
Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State
Creed Humphrey, OC, Oklahoma
Trey Smith, OG, Tennessee
Deonte Brown, OG, Alabama
Josh Myers, OG, Ohio State
DT:
Marvin Wilson, DT, Florida State
Jay Tufele, DT, USC
Jaylen Twyman, DT, Pittsburgh
Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama
Tyler Shelvin, DT, LSU
DE:
Gregory Rousseau, DE, Miami
Kwity Paye, DE, Michigan
Quincy Roche, DE, Miami
Carlos Basham Jr, DE, Wake Forest
Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan
LB:
Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama
Cameron McGrone, LB, Michigan
Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina
CB:
Patrick Surtain Jr, CB, Alabama
Caleb Farley, CB, Virgina
Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State
Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia
Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
S:
Jevon Holland, FS, Oregon
Paris Ford, SS, Pittsburgh
Hamsah Nasirlideen, SS, Florida State
Caden Sterns, FS, Texas
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.
Adapted 1990s Custom Conference Setup with Teambuilders
I was feeling kind of nostakgic last night and wanted to go with something that felt out of the 90s but still included my Teambuilders. Teambuilders * Delaware -> Old Dominion * Montana -> North Texas * Montana State -> Arkansas State * North Dakota -> Western Kentucky * North Dakota State -> Troy * South Dakota -> South Alabama * South Dakota State -> Mid Tennessee State I picked the last big FCS state schools (I go to UM, I grew up around UND & NDSU football and a friend of mine goes to UD) and the teams I took out had hardcoded rivalries in the game against each other. Nothing against any team. ACC * Clemson * Delaware * Duke * Florida State * Maryland * North Carolina * North Carolina State * South Carolina * Virginia * Wake Forest Pretty much your 90s ACC + Delaware American * Boston College * Miami * Penn State * Pitt * Rutgers * Syracuse * UConn * UMass * Virginia Tech * West Virginia Expanded Big East based on Joe Paterno's idea for an Eastern Seaboard leage Big 12 North * Colorado * Iowa State * Kansas * Kansas State * Missouri * Nebraska South * Baylor * Oklahoma * Oklahoma State * Texas * Texas A&M * Texas Tech Old Big 12, pretty straightforward Big Ten * Illinois * Indiana * Iowa * Michigan * Michigan State * Minnesota * Northwestern * Ohio State * Purdue * Wisconsin The traditional Big Ten from the 1960s to 1992. C-USA East * Houston * Louisiana Tech * Rice * SMU * TCU * Texas State * Tulsa West * Boise State * Fresno State * San Diego State * San Jose State * UNLV * UTEP * UTSA With all the talk about the WAC starting football again, I wanted to capture the feeling of the giant 16 team WAC with more of a Texas focus after the collapse of the Southwest. Independents * Air Force * Army * Cincinnati * Louisville * Memphis * Navy * Notre Dame * Temple * UCF * USF Service Academies, schools named after cities, Notre Dame, and the three I just didn't know what to do with since they don't fit evenly anywhere without filling a conference up with too many Florida teams or putting a conference at 11 teams. MAC East * Akron * Ball State * Bowling Green * Buffalo * Kent State * Miami (OH) * Ohio * Toledo West * Central Michigan * Eastern Michigan * North Dakota * North Dakota State * Northern Illinois * South Dakota * South Dakota State * Western Michigan I wanted to include all 4 Dakota schools, but a block that big doesn't fit well with any power conferences, and I have some lingering resentment and bias against the Dakotas. Plus when I hear North Dakota vs Western Michigan all I can think of is college hockey. Mountain West Mountain * BYU * Colorado State * Montana State * Utah * Utah State * Wyoming West * Arizona * Arizona State * Hawaii * Nevada * New Mexico * New Mexico State A take on the WAC of the 70s centered around Arizona & Utah. Pac-10 * Cal * Idaho * Montana * Oregon * Oregon State * Stanford * UCLA * USC * Washington * Washington State SEC East * Florida * Georgia * Georgia State * Georgia Tech * Kentucky * Tennessee * Vanderbilt West * Alabama * Arkansas * Auburn * LSU * Miss State * Ole Miss * Tulane I always switch Georgia Tech and South Carolina around, it just feels right seeing Bama, Auburn & Georgia all dogpiling on Georgia Tech. I usually add Tulane because I like a western version of Vanderbilt and I had a Tulane dynasty where I got really into the Tiger Rag trophy game. Tulane also has more SEC titles than Arkansas, Miss State, South Carolina, & Vanderbilt combined. With no Southwest, I wanted Arkansas back in the SEC, but that put me at 13 teams, so I added Georgia State since it sounds power-conference-ish and plays in the old GeorgiaDome. *Sun Belt" * East Carolina * FAU * FIU * Louisiana-Lafayette * Louisuana-Monroe * Southern Miss Not sure what to do with these guys but at least they're out of the way and won't accidentally become Top 5 teams because their strength of schedule is so bad. BCS Bids * Big Ten: Rose * Pac-10: Rose * SEC: Sugar * MWC: Fiesta * ACC: Any * American: Any * Big 12: Any
Here we go, 2 rounder now that the regular season is over and we know much of the draft order. Like I've done the past few times, this is based on WHAT I WOULD DO and not what I think will happen. No trades either, so we're working with just how the order stands as of now. 1.01 CIN - Joe Burrow QB LSU Do I really need to go into detail here? Washington on the clock. 1.02 WAS - Chase Young EDGE The Ohio State I know Washington needs OT badly (why they didn't trade Trent Williams in-season I have no idea) but Chase is just too good to pass up. Young is a truly special draft prospect up there with the likes on Von Miller and Myles Garrett, and you just don't pass up on guys like that. Ryan Kerrigan and Montez Sweat is a nice duo, but Kerrigan is getting up there in age and Sweat is far from a sure thing, so I'm more than comfortable with just taking one of the most dominant defensive players we've seen in college football. 1.03 DET - Jeffery Okudah CB The Ohio State My #3 overall player on my board goes #3 overall in this mock. Detroit needs help all along their defensive unit, and they can definitely use more help at CB opposite Darius Slay, so taking my best defensive prospect left on the board is a pretty obvious move. Okudah has everything you want in a prospect. He's fast, fluid, and tall with length, ball skills, physicality vs the run and phenomenal footwork. Going 1-12 after starting the year 2-0-1 and no wins since OCTOBER, Detroit has a lot of soul searching to do this offseason, however they simply can't go wrong with taking a blue chip prospect like Okudah to help revitalize their defense. 1.04 NYG - Andrew Thomas OT UGA Another pretty simple pick to me. Nate Solder has been awful at LT and the Giants simply need to improve that position for Daniel Jones' sake. Andrew Thomas is a top 2-3 LT in college football and my top OT in this class. Along with being a stout pass protector, Andrew is a mauler in the run game and is sure to open up plenty of running lanes for the remarkable Saquon Barkley. Easy pick for me to make to help take care of the biggest need on this Giants team. 1.05 MIA - Tua Tagovailoa QB Alabama Obviously this pick depends HEAVILY on how Tua's medicals check out, and even then there's a chance that he could deal with injuries his entire NFL career. With what we know now though, it's worth the risk for a team looking for its QBOTF. When healthy, we all know the phenomenal talent that Tua possesses, so if he can get healthy then the Dolphins tank will pay off and I think a coach with the quality of Brian Flores can lead Miami to the playoffs sooner than most people think. 1.06 LAC - Justin Herbert QB Oregon Probably the least popular pick of this mock so far, however with Philip Rivers and Tyrod Taylor both hitting FA this spring, the Chargers QB position is arguably faced with the more uncertainty than even the Buccaneers or Panthers. Going to Herbert, when Justin is on his game and hitting his stride, he truly looks like the best QB in this entire draft class. However, consistency has been a concern Herbert throughout his 4 years of starting for the Ducks and it's tough to know how NFL-ready he really is. With all that being said, I think the Bolts are the kind of lower-pressure situation that Justin could thrive in. If the Chargers can get the most out of Herbert with the weapons that are already there, they could quickly find themselves back into playoff contention. 1.07 CAR - Derrick Brown DT Auburn Carolina is in a very unenviable position this offseason. Cam Newton has suffered significant injuries the past couple years and it looks like the Panthers are content with moving on from him. Neither Kyle Allen nor Will Grier really look like the answer at QB. Carolina also needs upgrades on the OL, IDL, and at safety, as well as potentially CB if James Bradberry leaves in free agency. That's a lot of holes to fill, and potentially too many to fix in just 1 offseason. Luckily for Panthers fans Christian McCaffery and Luke Kuechly are bonafide superstars and Brian Burns, DJ Moore, and Donte Jackson are all budding stars, so there are building blocks in place. To add to that, I'm going with Derrick Brown. 6'5 320 with quickness, strength, and length to make things happen as a pass rusher and run defender, Brown will probably be needed considering the amount of change that will probably occur on this Carolina DL. I could see a fair amount of losing in Carolina's immediate future, but Derrick in the top 10 could definitely help lead towards brighter days. 1.08 ARI - Tristan Wirfs OT Iowa I really like AJ Epenesa in this spot, but at the end of the day you've gotta protect your franchise QB. Kyler Murray showed a lot of potential in his rookie season, but took way too many sacks this season, and could have trouble holding up long term if he continues to take a high amount of hits. Wirfs should help in protecting Murray with his combination of size and athleticism. Able to play RT or LT, Tristan can also allow Arizona to play its best OL combination possible. Wirfs was a lock down tackle on both sides of the Iowa OL this season, and I expect that to continue for the Cardinals for years to come. 1.09 JAX - Isaiah Simmons LB Clemson One of the most impressive athletes in this draft class, Simmons is an offensive coordinator's nightmare with all the places he can line up at. With Simmons' length and athleticism, he's able to make an impact on the field wherever he is. Against the run, as a blitzer, or (like we saw in the semi-final game) in coverage, Isaiah can do it all on defense. For a team missing Telvin Smith's presence at LB, Simmons can offer a similar type of skillset with even more impressive physical tools. A good pick to help the Jaguars get back on track. 1.10 CLE - Jedrick Wills OT Alabama Wills is probably the last OT on the board that I feel is worthy of top 10 consideration. For Cleveland, you've gotta got tackle if you get the chance to. The run blocking was honestly pretty good for most of the year, but the pass protection was sorely lacking and Baker Mayfield deserved better. Wills is a strong player with solid athleticism to move with EDGEs. Arm length could come into question with Jedrick, but I believe he's an OT in the NFL and he should give Cleveland a boost to a fledgling OL group. 1.11 NYJ - Jerry Jeudy WR Alabama You screwed up Jets. You won 7 games and have allowed Adam Gase to keep his job. Now Sam Darnold will go through another wasted season in 2020 and Le'Veon Bell might not be a Jet in 2020 because Gase is apparently allergic to talent. Not only that, but you won too many game to get you an elite OL, Chase Young, or Jeffery Okudah. Luckily for you, an elite skill position prospect falls into your lap at 11 with Jerry Jeudy. Jeudy isn't the biggest WR and he's had some uncharacteristic drop problems in the back half of this season, but he's still an undeniable talent and one of the most electric receivers we've seen come out of the draft in a while. With 4.4 speed, amazing explosiveness, and some of the best route running we've seen out of a WR prospect of this past decade, Jerry should make an immediate impact for the Jets and give Darnold a true #1 WR from their first NFL snap together. I don't like the direction the Jets are heading in but with Jeudy it gives the Jets the best chance to not get in their own way picking at 11. 1.12 LV - Henry Ruggs III WR Alabama I know a ton of people like Lamb as their WR2, and I like Lamb too, but for me Ruggs is the #2 receiver prospect in this class. Ruggs has monster big play ability with his blazing speed that should make him an immediate contributor in the NFL, especially with weapons like Tyrell Williams, Josh Jacobs, and Darren Waller to take the pressure off of him. Henry has also shown toughness to make tough catches over the middle of the field in his time at Alabama, so I could see him developing some reliability with Carr and trust with Gruden as well as a Raider. I feel it's too early to take a LB for the Raiders, and between CB and WR Ruggs is my highest rated prospect left on the board of those 2 positions, so in my mind this pick fits really well. 1.13 IND - AJ Epenesa EDGE/DL Iowa I know a lot of Colts fans probably want CeeDee Lamb in this spot, but I just cant pass up Epenesa with him still on the board. A top 5-10 prospect for me, AJ has the versatility to play many different spots on this Indy front line. With how much he's been able to destroy opposing guards as a pass rusher this season, the Colts could kick Epenesa inside with his 6'6 280 lbs frame and let him wreak some havoc on NFL guards that can't match his quickness. With length, power, budding hand usage, and some solid quickness and flexibility for his size, Epenesa can be a true chess piece for the Colts to create a ton of pressure in a division where you can take advantage of that. 1.14 TB - Tyler Biadasz IOL Wisconsin The Bucs had an overall successful season, except for the fact that they won too many games to take a top QB in this year's draft to replace Jameis. With Winston probably getting 1 more year in Tampa Bay, my focus shifts to the offensive line. The defense was actually pretty solid this year with a good mix of vets and youth, and I think you can do something similar on offense. There aren't any OTs that I would feel comfortable taking at this spot but there are 2 IOL that I'm fine with in the middle of first round and one of those is Biadasz. A powerful, steady presence in the middle of the OL that has shown more athleticism than many have expected this season IMO. The Bucs need to do a lot to revamp this OL but I think having Tyler on an OL with a guy like Ali Marpet is a good starting point to try and get this OL back to a quality level. 1.15 DEN - Kristian Fulton CB LSU My CB2 comes off the board here as Denver will probably be looking at corners in the offseason, especially with Chris Harris more than likely on his way out. Fulton is certainly a man corner, but I think that skillset will allow Vic Fangio to be more flexible with his coverages, and I also think Fulton can grow into a zone role with his FBIQ, smarts, and instincts. Fulton also has very good length and ball skills that will definitely be desirable on this Broncos defense as well. 1.16 ATL - Javon Kinlaw DT South Carolina The Falcons need EDGE as well but there just isn't one that I'd take over Kinlaw. With Javon, you're getting a very lengthy interior defensive lineman with strength and really good burst. Kinlaw still needs some technical improvement, but he provides a lot of pass rushing upside to a team that really needs it at both areas of the DL. Atlanta is carrying a lot of momentum into the offseason and picking Kinlaw is a good way to build on that momentum. 1.17 DAL - Grant Delpit S LSU Pretty simple to me, Dallas needs to address their secondary and Delpit is the best DB talent on the board at the moment. Delpit has had his issues with tackling and injuries this year but he's still a great talent with size, instincts, and a great playmaking ability. Dallas has some things to figure out with its coaching staff and who to re-sign, but taking a talent like Grant should not be that difficult of a decision. 1.18 MIA via PIT - Creed Humphrey IOL Oklahoma Thanks for Minkah Fitzpatrick btw! Creed is the other IOL that I'm comfortable taking in the middle of the 1st round and I think this is a good direction for Miami to go in. The Fins need a ton of help on the OL and Humphrey is the highest OL on my board at this point in the draft. Creed brings size, athleticism, and some nice power, especially as a pass protector. I personally feel like centers are underappreciated in the NFL and having a reliable C is super important, so getting someone like that on a rebuilding team makes a lot of sense in my mind. Tua needs protection and Creed brings that in spades. 1.19 LV via CHI - Kenneth Murray LB Oklahoma The Raiders need help in the middle of their defense and linebacker is a dire need. Murray gives this defense an important injection of athleticism into it. He's also got solid size and has had some improved instincts vs the run. With the lack of quality LB prospects in this draft class, getting on that train early would be a very smart move for the Raiders to make with one of their 1st round picks. 1.20 JAX via LAR - CeeDee Lamb WR Oklahoma I know Jacksonville probably has a couple other needs that fans might want more, but Lamb is one of the 3 best players left on my board and the one that fits the Jags' needs the most. Jacksonville has a lot of speedy receivers that want to win with their burners. Lamb offers a different skillset in that he's gonna win with his physicality, IQ, and toughness. I think some overstate his actual size but he certainly plays huge and I think that's something that will fit with the Jags. DJ Chark is a quality up-and-coming WR and pairing him Lamb will give their QB 2 great young receiver options, whether that QB is Minshew or Foles. At the end of the day, CeeDee is too talented to fall outside the top 20 and I like this spot for him. 1.21 PHI - Trevon Diggs CB Alabama Corner's a pretty big need for Philly and right here in the mid-late 1st is a good value to take a corner. Diggs is my CB3 and while it seems like he's dropped for some people as of late, I still believe that Diggs is a CB worthy of taking in the 1st round. Diggs has length, size, athleticism and great ball skills. Trevon still needs some work in terms of his footwork but I'm okay with that because he hasn't been playing corner for that long. I still love all the traits he does posses and I believe that he can become a very good corner in this league. 1.22 TEN - Terrell Lewis EDGE Alabama Ryan Tannehill has done a completely 180 with his career and has become the answer at QB for the Titans. This allows Tennessee to be pretty open with how they take in the 1st round. They have some FA stuff to take care of, namely Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry, but EDGE is probably the 1 position that will be a need throughout the offseason. It isn't even really a need due to poor play though, as Harold Landry is a very good, young pass rusher and Cameron Wake is still solid, but Wake will be 38 years old in a month. Clearly, more youth needs to be injected in the position and Lewis is a good risk to take. Finally healthy, Terrell is showing off the athleticism that makes him special. Great burst with a great frame for strength and nice hand usage, if Lewis can stay healthy he projects to be an impact pass rusher pretty quickly into his NFL career. 1.23 BUF - Laviska Shenault WR Colorado This pick was really between 2 big-bodied receivers in Tee Higgins and Shenault. Personally though, I don't fancy Higgins a ton and I think that while Higgins is a better jump ball receiver than Laviska, Laviska can still win in contested situations while offering more in terms of creative ways for OC Brian Daboll to use him. The Bills already have a pretty complete roster with a great coaching staff, and they have a lot of money to spend on a pass rusher in FA to boot. Buffalo will go as far as Josh Allen takes them, and if Allen can find consistently good form with the physical and athletic tools he has, the era of the Patriots might finally be coming to an end. 1.24 MIN - Paulson Adebo CB Stanford I know Adebo isn't the hottest name right now, but I still believe in his talent. His game vs UCF early in the year was, how should I put it, not good at all. However overall he's a promising player with some great traits for a CB. Size, athleticism, length, and ball skills are all plentiful for Paulson. He also has 8 INTs and 27 PDs in only 22 games played as a redshirt sophomore. With Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander being UFAs in March and Xavier Rhodes regressing into the Marianas Trench, someone needs to be with Mike Hughes in this secondary for the long haul. In a deep corner class Adebo hasn't been getting talked about much, but I feel like this could be a really good landing spot for him. 1.25 MIA via HOU - D'Andre Swift RB UGA A running back in the 1st round, incredible! Might not be super popular but Swift is the best player left on the board and the Dolphins really need a RB after they misused and then traded Kenyan Drake. Swift is my #10 overall player and with QB and OL addressed so far I think it's okay to make a pick like this, especially when you can follow it up with another early second round pick. Swift has everything you want in a RB, vision, contact balance, agility, speed, hands as a receiver, and toughness in pass protection. D'Andre isn't an ultra elite athlete like McCaffery or Barkley to get him selected in the top 10, but he's worthy of a 1st round pick and will bring a ton of talent to an offense that needs it. 1.26 SEA - Lucas Niang OT TCU Unfortunately unable to finish his senior season due to an injury, Niang still has a very solid resume at RT as a Horned Frog that should make him a top 30-40 selection. Fantastic size and length at 6'5 330 lbs, Lucas is a nimble mover with a ton of power to throw people out the club. He also has a strong base to anchor vs power rushers and the length to push speed rushers up the arc and past the QB. Seattle could definitely use reinforcements along the OL, as putting Niang as the bookend to Duane Brown sounds much more appealing than Germain Ifedi or George Fant, both UFAs at the end of this season. 1.27 NE - Hunter Bryant TE Washington I realllllllllly wanted to go Xavier McKinney here, but the Pats' offensive needs are just too great to not address with their only top 90 pick. Prime trade down targets in real life to get draft capital back from the Mohamed Sanu deal, I'm forced to reach with New England due to their current pick situation. Bryant should be a very good weapon in Foxboro though, with the hands and athleticism to be a matchup problem for most teams in the league. Last time this pick was Brycen Hopkins, but I wanted to switch things up since I have Bryant and Hopkins so close on my board. Even though Hunter isn't the biggest TE, he's able to be lined up and used in so many different places in different formations that New England should be able to find mismatches in his favor with his speed and ball skills. The Pats need to keep adding playmakers to their offense and Bryant certainly does that. 1.28 GB - Devonta Smith WR Alabama The Packers need more weapons, plain and simple. They have a really good defense and some nice pieces on their OL, but Aaron Jones and Davante Adams need some help. Smith could be the perfect compliment in Green Bay, as he has really good hands to go along with his quality route running. Smith doesn't have amazing size or speed, but he knows how to consistently get open and was still a pretty consistent big play receiver for the Crimson Tide. I really think Devonta can fit pretty seamlessly into the Green Bay WR corps and offer some big plays early on to a skill position group that really needs a bigger boost. 1.29 KC - Jeff Gladney CB TCU This pick was going to be Dylan Moses from Alabama, however on Monday night it was announced that he was returning to Tuscaloosa for his senior season. With no other LB to take at this spot, corner seems like the next logical place to look at for the Chiefs. In this spot, Gladney is a quality option considering his ball skills, footwork, athleticism, and instincts. While I think his thin frame will limit him against bigger receivers in the NFL, he's an absolute gamer who has the traits necessary to thrive in the NFL. Kansas City will be facing plenty of quality receivers while they're on top of the AFC West, so getting a smart and solid corner who can make plays on the ball is a really important get for KC. 1.30 NO - Jalen Reagor WR TCU Another team at the end of the first round that needs WR, Reagor would be an awesome weapon in New Orleans with Sean Payton and Drew Brees. Jalen has a little bit of trouble with consistent hands, but he's a fantastic athlete and a very good route runner who gets open often. Reagor's stats don't really reflect his talent, as he was saddled with some poor QB play this past year at TCU. The Saints offense is already potent enough as it is, but getting another major perimeter receiving threat to pair with Michael Thomas could make their offense even more unstoppable. 1.31 SF - Xavier McKinney S Alabama This is another simple pick for me, as I believe McKinney is a top 15 talent in this class and is too talented to fall out of the first round. Xavier would bring a solid boost to an already solid secondary, but McKinney's range, ball skills, physicality and instincts could turn it into a very good unit to round out a really good defense. McKinney is also a solid tackler as well, so he won't be a liability in any situation he's thrown into, even if he doesn't have a bunch of splash plays either. Overall this would be phenomenal value at 31 for the Niners. 1.32 BAL - K'Lavon Chaisson EDGE LSU Definitely some reaching going on here (again, Moses would've been a great pick) but Chaisson has some good potential. Regardless of if Matt Judon stays or leaves in FA, the Ravens could use another edge rusher. K'Lavon is a pretty raw pass rusher but he's a very good run defender and has a great combination of physical tools and athleticism. As a pass rusher, he needs a good amount of refinement in finishing his rushes but the pieces are there when he starts his pass rush. I would still be pretty excited about this pick if I was a Ravens fan, as it would be a good place for Chaisson's development into a solid pass rusher to take place. 2.33 CIN - Alex Leatherwood OT Alabama 2.34 IND - Tee Higgins WR Clemson 2.35 DET - Julian Okwara EDGE Notre Dame 2.36 NYG - Ashtyn Davis S Cal 2.37 LAC - Austin Jackson OT USC 2.38 CAR - Jordan Love QB Utah State 2.39 MIA - Yetur Gross-Matos EDGE Penn State 2.40 ARI - Neville Gallimore DT Oklahoma 2.41 CLE - Trey Smith IOL Tennessee 2.42 JAX - AJ Terrell CB Clemson 2.43 CHI via LV - Jacob Eason QB Washington 2.44 IND - Raekwon Davis DT Alabama 2.45 TB - Prince Tega Wanogho OT Auburn 2.46 DEN - Brandon Aiyuk WR Arizona State 2.47 ATL - Curtis Weaver EDGE Boise State 2.48 NYJ - Darryl Williams IOL Mississippi State 2.49 PIT - Brycen Hopkins TE Purdue 2.50 CHI - Ben Bredeson IOL Michigan 2.51 DAL - CJ Henderson CB Florida 2.52 LAR - Darrell Taylor EDGE Tennessee 2.53 TEN - Shaun Wade CB The Ohio State 2.54 PHI - KJ Hamler WR Penn State 2.55 MIN - Justin Madubuike DT Texas A&M 2.56 BUF - Jonathan Taylor RB Wisconsin 2.57 HOU - Travis Etienne RB Clemson 2.58 SEA - Alton Robinson EDGE Syracuse 2.59 ATL - Jaylon Johnson CB Utah 2.60 GB - Isaiah Wilson OT Georgia 2.61 KC - JK Dobbins RB The Ohio State 2.62 MIA via NO - Bryce Hall CB Virginia 2.63 SEA via SF - Justin Jefferson WR LSU 2.64 BAL - Donovan Peoples-Jones WR Michigan
Week 4, AKA the best week of the year so far. 3 ranked vs ranked matchups, beautiful Group of 5 contests, and quite a few shootout chances. Which games should you watch? I'm here to help by ranking all FBS vs FBS matchups this week, starting with... 49) Coastal Carolina vs Massachusetts - 1:00, Check local listings: We start with a local listings game, which is how each list should start. CCU beat Kansas already this year, while UMass lost to Southern Illinois. That shows who will win this matchup. 48) Nevada vs UTEP - 8:00, ESPN3: Nevada hasn't been the same team since it beat Purdue. Since then, they got steamrolled by Oregon and barely defeated Weber State. They'll get back in the win column here, as UTEP doesn't know what a win is. 47) Bowling Green vs Kent State - 3:30, ESPN3: Up next, we have the two worst teams in the MAC. I know, exciting. If you truly need a reason to watch this game, this is likely the only time Kent State will actually be a favorite this year, so can they handle the pressure? 46) Troy vs Akron - 3:00, ESPN+: We continue the group of 5 clashes with this pathetic matchup. Why the heck is Troy going to Akron in the first place? It doesn't matter where this matchup will take place, as Troy will win. 45) Georgia State vs Texas State - 7:00, ESPN+: This is a lot like the Kent State game. It should be close, but why should you care? Georgia State hasn't done anything noticeable since beating Tennessee, and likely won't at all this year. Just avoid this. 44) South Alabama vs UAB - 3:30, NFL Network: This matchup has literally nothing going for it. It's not a rivalry, it won't be close, neither team is particularly great, and it's on freaking NFL Network! UAB will have it won by the half. 43) New Mexico State vs New Mexico - 4:30, Check local listings: This is somewhat of a rivalry, but it really isn't. The spread on this game is only 5, but it likely should be higher. New Mexico will still be without Coach Davie, but they'll get this win for him. 42) Charlotte vs Clemson - 7:30, ACC Network: Now we get to the Power 5 vs Group of 5 blowouts. Clemson will not lose until the Playoff, as they already got through the hardest part of their schedule. Surprisingly, Charlotte won't even keep this close. 41) San Jose State vs Arkansas - 7:30, SEC Network: The Hogs didn't look perfect against Colorado State last week, but they still won by 19. Now they face a much worse Mountain West team in the Spartans. If they win by less than 19, something's wrong here. 40) Ball State vs North Carolina State - 7:00, ESPNU: I don't know what to think about NC State yet. They've lost to WVU, which isn't a great loss, and beat Western Carolina and East Carolina, which isn't much. They'll add another win here, but I still won't know anything afterwards. 39) Southern Miss vs Alabama - Noon, ESPN2: Yes, Tua will further cement himself as a Heisman favorite here. No, he won't play more than a half. Southern Miss had an extremely entertaining win last week, beating Troy 47-42. This won't be nearly as fun. 38) Central Michigan vs Miami (FL) - 4:00, ACC Network: Let's keep the blowouts going! CMU is one of the worst teams in the FBS, yet somehow they have a winning record. Then again, they've only beaten Albany and Akron. They'll fall to .500 this week. 37) Tennessee vs Florida - Noon, ESPN: Yes, Florida is starting their backup QB. Then Again, all the Vols basically have are backups. They are a major disappointment this year, and we didn't even expect much! They'll get destroyed. 36) Miami (OH) vs Ohio State - 3:30, Big Ten Network: The only way Miami would have a shot here is if Big Ben was still playing for them. Now, they'll get destroyed, it's just a matter of how long it will take for a win to be unreachable. 35) Louisiana-Monroe vs Iowa State - Noon, Fox Sports 1: Iowa State had their chance in the spotlight last week, and they choked. They muffed a punt which allowed Iowa to win. They'll get back in the win column this week, and it won't be close either. 34) Baylor vs Rice - 7:00, CBS Sports Network: How does Rice keep getting Big 12 schools to visit them?! They had Texas crush them last week, and now Baylor will dominate this week. It will be closer than the Texas game, but not by much. 33) UCLA vs Washington State - 10:30, ESPN: Spoiler Alert! Chip Kelly doesn't have much job security right now. He'll have less of it after this. It is unprecedented for UCLA to be 0-4, but the Cougars will keep rolling, unless they get trapped looking ahead to Utah. 32) LSU vs Vanderbilt - Noon, SEC Network: LSU had a slow start against Northwestern State last week, losing 7-3 after the 1st quarter. They ended up winning 65-14. If they have another slow start this week, it may cost them the game. 31) Old Dominion vs Virginia - 7:00, ESPN2: Old Dominion hasn't done anything of notice since beating VT last year. They aren't gonna pull another upset like that here. Virginia is a great team, and they'll keep climbing up the rankings the next few weeks. 30) Connecticut vs Indiana - Noon, Big Ten Network: While UConn kept it close with Illinois 2 weeks ago, this will not be close. Indiana got pummeled last week, and they'll be begging for a win. They'll get it here, and they'll get it fast. 29) FIU vs Louisiana Tech - 8:00 Fri., CBS Sports Network: Both of these teams have a shot at winning the C-USA title, and that shows how bad the conference is. There aren't any great teams, just many mediocre ones. The winner here will get a head start in that race. 28) Western Michigan vs Syracuse - Noon, ACC Network: WMU is one team that either dominates or gets dominated. They pummeled Georgia State last week, but now things get tough. Cuse is only a 6 point favorite, so we'll see if there's an upset. 27) Temple vs Buffalo - 3:30, ESPNU: Although Temple is a 2 touchdown favorite, I say Buffalo will hang around here. The Bulls have a very fine defense, and Temple may still be riding high from their win last week. Keep an eye on this one. 26) Louisville vs Florida State - 3:30, ESPN: Both of these teams badly need this one, not only for confidence, but this could be the difference in going bowling. Louisville is the better team, but this is a tough road trip. It will be close, but it'll also be ugly. 25) UTSA vs North Texas - 7:30, Check local listings: The Mean Green had a solid upset chance last week, but fell to Cal 23-17. Mason Fine and his team should rebound here, as UTSA isn't anything special. They'll win, but not cover. 24) Wyoming vs Tulsa - 3:30, CBS Sports Network: I'm not that high on Tulsa this year. They've lost to 2 P5 teams so far, and crushed San Jose State. If they can win here, they'll change my mind. They'll have to get past the tough Cowboys defense though... 23) Houston vs Tulane - 8:00 Thurs., ESPN: I might honestly watch this game instead of Titans vs Jaguars. It'll be interesting to see what Holgerson has against this solid defense of Tulane, and his team will make any stops. Take the over here, you won't be disappointed. 22) Louisiana vs Ohio - 2:00, ESPN+: This will be a nailbiter all the way to the end. Ohio lost a close one to Marshall last week, and they may do the same here. With how good ULL's offense is, this could be the Troy vs Southern Miss of the week. 21) West Virginia vs Kansas - 4:30, ESPN+: Which Kansas team will we see here? The one that lost to Coastal Carolina, or the one that dominated Boston College? They'll need the second one to win, and this may be their lone shot at a Big 12 win. 20) Boston College vs Rutgers - Noon, Big Ten Network: If we get the same BC that we saw last week, we'll have a close game here. If not, it'll be a rout. Rutgers has a chance at their biggest win in a long time here, and they have a realistic shot. 19) Nebraska vs Illinois - 8:00, Big Ten Network: The Illini lost a nailbiter last week against Eastern Michigan, and they'll be fighting to get back in the win column here. Nebraska would be a great win for them, and if they avoid making mistakes, they'll win. 18) California vs Mississippi - Noon, ESPNU: This is a very interesting matchup for multiple reasons. Are the Golden Bears a legitimate Pac-12 contender? Does Ole Miss have a solid defense? Does Cal have enough of a passing game to win? All these will be answered... 17) South Carolina vs Missouri - 4:00, SEC Network: Missouri has been scoring points like they're going out of style, but it could slow down here. SC didn't look too bad against Bama last week, and Ryan Hilinkski should do enough to earn the upset win. 16) Toledo vs Colorado State - 10:30, ESPN2: I'm not entirely sure the Rams know what a defense is. They've allowed 53.5 points per game against FBS teams this year, and that should continue here. Toledo doesn't have a great D though, so CSU will hang around. 15) Appalachian State vs North Carolina - 3:30, ACC Network: The Heels got ripped off last week against Wake, as an officiating error cost them a shot at a win. They'll wanna rebound here, but App State is a great team. They'll have to play a great game, start to finish, to win. 14) Air Force vs Boise State - 9:00 Fri., ESPN2: Air Force went out and stunned a lot of people, upsetting Colorado in overtime last week. Both teams here are undefeated, but Boise has the edge here, mainly on offense. They pick up another win on the blue turf. 13) Kentucky vs Mississippi State - 4:00, SEC Network: Both of these teams had great finishes last week, and I expect another one here. Both of them also lost last time out, so they'll be fired up to earn a win. Whether Bulldogs QB Tommy Stevens plays or not, it'll be close. 12) Michigan State vs Northwestern - Noon, ABC: Now, we move on to the defensive duel of the week. Sparty lost in a wacky finish last week, as they missed a late field goal. They'll be begging for a win here, but NW has a good defense, and may sneak out with a win. 11) Utah State vs San Diego State - 10:30, CBS Sports Network: The Aggies have scored 48 points per game this year, while San Diego State has only allowed 8 points per game. Which strength will win out? I'll give the edge to SDSU, who would move to 4-0 with a win. 10) Colorado vs Arizona State - 10:00, Pac-12 Network: How about that Herm Edwards defense? Allowed exactly 7 points in each game this year, and he's propelled the Sun Devils back into the rankings. It won't be as easy this week, as the Buffs will fight them hard. 9) UCF vs Pittsburgh - 3:30, ABC/ESPN2: Am I the only one who thinks Pitt has a legitimate shot here? They could've beat Penn State if not for a bad coaching decision. UCF is just as good as Penn State, but they have a long road trip. Pitt will at least hang around. 8) TCU vs SMU - 3:30, Fox Sports 1: This is the sneaky good matchup of the week. TCU dominated Purdue last week, and SMU is still undefeated. Both teams should put up points here, and if SMU can solve the Frogs defense, they'll keep it close all the way to the end. 7) Washington vs BYU - 3:30, ABC/ESPN2: BYU won a thriller last week, beating USC in overtime. They just might have some more magic here, as I'm not very high on Washington. BYU's defense should allow them to hang in there, and leave with a win. 6) Oregon vs Stanford - 7:00, ESPN: Since losing to Auburn in week 1, the Ducks have outscored their last 2 opponents by a combined 112-9. Stanford got pummeled last week by UCF, but some home cooking could be enough for the upset. Take Stanford and the points. 5) Oklahoma State vs Texas - 7:30, ABC: Never count out a Mike Gundy team. The Pokes have a had great looking offense so far this year, but Texas has as well. No matter how many points are scored, this should be decided by a late defensive stop. This will be a true shootout. 4) Utah vs USC - 9:00 Fri., Fox Sports 1: Whichever team wins this match will get a major momentum boost in the Pac-12 race. USC already has picked up a Pac-12 win, so this will give them a serious edge. The Utes are the favorite, but this will be extremely close. 3) Auburn vs Texas A&M - 3:30, CBS: Bo Nix has been very solid as Auburn's starting QB this year, but here's his first true test. Kyle Field will be rocking, and the noise can really mess with a freshman. If their offense can make some big plays, the Aggies will win. 2) Michigan vs Wisconsin - Noon, Fox: Fun Fact: Wisconsin hasn't allowed a point yet this season. That will end this week, but it should still be a low scoring game. Johnathan Taylor needs another great performance for a Badger win, and I say he gets it. 1) Notre Dame vs Georgia - 7:30, CBS: There is absolutely no way the Bulldogs should be a 2 touchdown favorite here. The Irish are a very good team, and no matter the environment, they'll keep it close. Defense will be the difference in the close matchup.
Who is the real National Champion in each year of college football?
TL;DR: Lots of teams claim lots of national championships for lots of reasons with lots of evidentiary sources. Edit: Added the key at the bottom. Edit 2: Added a list of my errors to the bottom. It was bound to happen. This post is going to be long. In several places I've replaced tables in the text with links to images of the tables to help. There’s just a lot to cover in 150 years. For the earliest seasons National Champions were named retroactively by various groups and individuals, later seasons relied on more timely declarations, and most recent college football history had seen a turn to attempt to pin down one set system, most recently with playoffs that are, depending on who you ask, too small, too late, incomplete, or boringly repetitive. Social media and online media groups have their own rankings or have tried to make lists of national champions in preceding years. So, setting aside the drink question of how or if we should change the current system, I wanted to look at what came before. I dug through various websites to figure out who named who national champions each year. I also looked at pages associated with different universities. And yes, not all rankings are made equally and I’m sure I missed some. In the end, we’ll never have a perfect answer to this. There are too many, sometimes conflicting, systems in place and retroactive naming is tricky, as is the idea that college football changes over time – what makes a national champion today is not exactly what made one in 1950 or 1900 or 1869.
The “Consensus” 1 National Champion Per Year: Maybe?
This was my attempt to pull together what I’d learned into a list of 1 national champion per year, based on who was the most “voted for” across the various rankings and lists. This ignores vacated championships.Suckit,NCAA. If there was a tie, I went to number of wins and then SoS. Here is my main compiled data set. Boxes that are gray indicate when that system or list is not active. Green is for information I'm still missing. If you have more information on those, I’d appreciate it. I'll make a comment listing what those 1-56 columns are - they each stand for a ranking system or list of the national champions from certain years, pulled from various recognized ranking systems, social media/online sources, or the NCAA and schools.
Edit new image with correction: 1952 should be Michigan State, not Michigan. Error on my part in editing the original image. In this system there are a total of 148 years in which 37 teams have won National Championships. There is no national champion for 1871 and, of course, we don't have one for 2019 yet. Here is how this list varies from other lists, as this system gives the national championship to…
just one team instead of two or more co-champions as on the NCAA’s main list 33 times. (This includes 1919, the year the NCAA threw its hands up and said “whatever, anyone who can sit quietly for 5 minutes gets a national championship in football.”)
1869: Princeton and Rutgers split the season with each winning one game, but Princeton beat Rutgers 8-0 while Rutgers beat Princeton by just 6-4. 1871: This is the only year since 1869 in which no national champion was declared. Princeton did play Princeton Theological Seminary during that year and one online source puts the results at 3 wins for Princeton, but the games have been dubbed practice or exhibition games. 1874: For this season the Billingsley Report retroactively named Princeton national champions, but the National Championship Foundation gave the honor to Yale. Parke H. Davis named both co-champions alongside Harvard. This made a third of the teams that year national champions – today we’d have 43 co-champions. 1876: Yale’s win over Princeton was commemorated in a print titled “The first intercollegiate championship football game held in America” by Everett Henry published in 1930, which pre-dates at least some of the retroactive naming of Yale as National Champions. 1880: The Princeton-Harvard game that season was described at the time by The Sun as “the first match of the series for the championship of the College Football Association.” Of course, it was also described as “a game which is nominally football, but in reality a series of wrestling encounters for the possession of a large leather globe.” 1886: Princeton and Yale again split the championship and there was some controversy over the Princeton-Yale game itself that year, specifically with the initial lack of and subsequent substitution with another referee, leading the game to be named a 0-0 tie. Later the New York Times reported that the “Intercollegiate Football Convention met at the Fifth-Avenue Hotel last evening, and decided that nothing had been done and that no one held the championship for 1886.” The debate continued later in letters to the editor published in the New York Times. 1899: The Sewanee Tigers managed 5 shutout wins in 6 days in a season of 11 shutouts. They took down Texas on November 9 (12-0), Texas A&M on November 10 (10-0), Tulane on November 11 (23-0), took November 12 off, then beat LSU on November 13 (34-0) and Ole Miss on on November 14 (12-0). That season they also defeated Georgia (12-0), Georgia Tech (32-0), Tennessee (46-0), Southwestern Presbyterian (54-0), Cumberland (71-0), and North Carolina (5-0). Auburn was the only team to score on them, but Sewanee still defeated them, 11-10. 1901: The first non-East Coast National Champion with the Michigan Wolverines, who ended their season by defeating Stanford 49-0 in the inaugural Tournament East–West football game, now the Rose Bowl. 1908: The first southern team to have a recognized claim at a national championship was LSU, who went 10-0. However, Tulane accused LSU players of “professionalism” (being professional athletes rather than students). A SIAA conference investigation cleared LSU. Nevertheless some publications purportedly responded by naming Auburn SIAA champions. 1918: There was a shortened season due to the Spanish flu. Michigan and Pitt are recognized as the national champions for that year but played just 5 games each. 1919: The Centre “Praying” Colonels were accused by West Virginia of playing “ringers,” something Centre refuted. 1922: At the end of the 1922 season, the Washington & Jefferson vs. Cal Rose Bowl ends at 0-0, the only scoreless Rose Bowl. 1926: The last Rose Bowl to end in a tie at 7-7 with Alabama and Stanford, a game the United Press referred to as "the football championship of America” and that brought about the first “coast-to-coast” broadcast via NBC. 1928: Georgia Tech wins the Rose Bowl 8-7 over Cal after Cal’s Roy Riegals picked up a Georgia Tech fumble and ran it 65 yards….the wrong way. His own teammate had to tackle him. 1932: The Colgate Red Raiders were undefeated but were not offered an invitation to the Rose Bowl, leaving them “unbeaten, untied, unscored upon, and uninvited.” 1936: The start of the continuously running AP poll (there had been one poll released in November 1934). Minnesota topped the final poll with 25 points. 1939: USC did not recognize their claim to the National Champion status until 2004. Cornell’s team was invited to the Rose Bowl but the university president Edmund Ezra Day turned it down, “citing the players’ need to catch up on their studies.” 1942 The Rose Bowl – which featured Duke and Oregon State – was moved to North Carolina. Midway into this footage of the game you’ll hear a pop followed by the announcer going “don’t pay any attention to that pistol going off that was just somebody who was a bit celebrate-y.” 1944: The AP poll featured Service Teams playing during WWII. 1945: Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State, lays claim to a national championship based on their submission to the AFCA who had requested applications from teams who thought they had a legitimate bid for national championships. 1950: First AP pre-season poll. The Coaches Poll began and, as they threw shade at the AP put it, "The nature of the board giving each section of the country equal representation avoids the sectional bias and ballot box stuffing for which other football polls have been criticized." 1954: There is a "no repeat" rule in effect for the conferences, meaning that instead of UCLA going to the Rose Bowl, USC went since UCLA had gone the year before. 1956: Teams split into the University Division (Division I) and College Division (Divisions II and III). 1960: The first year both the UPI and AP conducted a "small college poll." Both put Ohio as the number 1 "small college" team. 1964: The NCAA recognizes 3 national champions for 1964: Alabama, Arkansas, and Notre Dame. The final AP and Coaches’ polls had been released before the bowl games, so Alabama’s loss to Texas (Arkansas had already beaten Texas during the season) didn’t knock them out of the top. This led to several years of back and forth about if the polls should wrap at the end of the regular season or after bowls before the post-bowl final poll became more regular in 1968. Meanwhile, Arkansas took down Nebraska in their bowl.. 1975: Arizona State went 12-0, the only team with a claim to the national championship that year to go undefeated, but neither the NCAA nor Arizona State recognize the championship. Rob Petersen has a song about their win in the Fiesta Bowl. 1978: #1 Penn State faced #2 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, complete with a goal line stand. 1980: An SB Nation piece on how “Georgia became one of the least likely champions in college football history.” 1983: On September 3 Miami lost to Florida, 28-3. On January 2 they upset Nebraska and seized the national championship. Watch Miami block Nebraska’s attempt for a 2 point conversion. 1990: A split championship between Georgia Tech and Colorado helped eventually lead to the Bowl Coalition (it had major issues and would eventually lead to the BCS and then the college football playoffs). 1992: The year of Wide Right I in when FSU and Miami met. "This could be for a national championship." 1995: The Bowl Alliance begins and opens the way for #1 Nebraska to face #2 Florida in the Fiesta Bowl. 1998: The BCS begins. Despite being ranked third, Kansas State was not invited to a BCS bowl, leading to the "Kansas State Rule." 2001: Just one example of BCS controversy - Nebraska did not play in the Big-12 championship game, but was chosen for the Rose Bowl BCS National Championship Game. Colorado beat Nebraska, went on to win the Big-12 championship game, but had lost to Fresno State and Texas. 2004: After the NCAA vacated USC’s national championship, Auburn ended up with rings. 2007: Just weirdness. 2014: The College Football Playoffs begin. 2017: I think we’ve covered this enough in the subreddit, but in case you missed it somehow, undefeated UCF claims a national championship after being left out of the playoffs.
Most Successful Mascots
Why? Because by this point in the digging and note taking and whatnot I was vaguely delirious and wanted to know. Tl;dr: Be a big cat. If not that, a reddish color or a military force. Maybe a dog.
West Virginia vs. Syracuse betting trends. Syracuse is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games and also 4-1 ATS on the season as underdogs. West Virginia is hovered around the .500 mark for bettors throughout the 2nd half of the season specifically going 2-3-2 ATS in their last 7 games. The Mountaineers have hit the ‘over’ in each of their last 5 games. West Virginia is allowing just 31 rushing yards per game and 2.8 yards per carry. Syracuse isn’t too far behind West Virginia’s run defense, as the Orange are allowing just 32 rushing yards per game and 2.9 yards per carry. This game is going to come down to the quarterbacks, as both run defenses have been stellar this season. The Syracuse Orange (9-4 overall, 3-3 ACC) visit the Virginia Cavaliers (10-2, 6-0) Monday for a 7 p.m. ET tip. Below, we analyze the Syracuse-Virginia college basketball odds and lines, with picks and predictions.. The Cavaliers were No. 12 in last week’s Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports (the new poll will be released Monday). West Virginia vs. Syracuse, Camping World Bowl: Prediction, pick, line, odds, TV, live stream, watch online A bowl game with an old Big East flair should feature plenty of offense even without Post Views: 321 West Virginia Mountaineers vs Syracuse Orange Predictions, Picks and Odds for their Camping World Bowl showdown on December 28, 2018, from Camping World Stadium. Direct from Las Vegas, WagerTalk.com, TV host Kelly Stewart, and Dave Cokin look at the Vegas odds and give their college football expert picks and predictions on the […] West Virginia vs. Syracuse, Camping World Bowl: Prediction, pick, line, odds, TV, live stream, watch online 12/28/2018 NFL The Camping World Bowl wasn’t exactly the postseason game West Virginia had in mind when it began the 2018 season just a few months ago. -- The Syracuse football (9-3) team will face West Virginia (8-3) at 5:15 p.m. Friday (ESPN) at the Camping World Bowl in Orlando, Florida. It's time for our predictions. Hop in the comments and Summary #16 West Virginia Mountaineers vs #20 Syracuse Orange Picks – Syracuse Orange at -2.0 and under 60.0. Tags. 2018 Camping World Bowl Syracuse Orange West Virginia Mountaineers. pmroczka Last Updated: December 28, 2018. 0 3 minutes read. Facebook Twitter Reddit Share via Email Print. The 2018 Camping World Bowl featuring the Syracuse Orange and the West Virginia Mountaineers is December 28th. Check out our picks, odds, betting preview and more. Syracuse Orange vs West Virginia Mountaineers Odds - Friday December 28 2018 | Odds Shark Syracuse tops West Virginia in Camping World Bowl, 34-18. Abdul Adams and Trishton Jackson made their Syracuse debuts memorable, combining to score three touchdowns and helping the 17th-ranked
College Football Picks Against the Spread 2018 Camping ...
Las Vegas handicappers Dave Cokin and John Cranton preview the West Virginia vs. Syracuse Pinstripe bowl game, Saturday, December 29, 2012, plus the LSU vs... SBR's College Football Spread Picks experts Peter Loshak, Al McMordie & Ian Cameron breakdown the 2018 Camping World Bowl, West Virginia vs Syracuse. Check o... West Virginia vs. Syracuse: The No. 20 Orange got a convincing victory in the Camping World Bowl over No. 16 West Virginia, 34-18. Quarterback Eric Dungey ha... College Football Bowl Game Preview on the Camping World Bowl between Syracuse vs West Virginia. Get 2 more Free College Football Picks and Predictions in Iow... College Football Picks: 2012-13 New Era Pinstripe Bowl: http://www.sbrforum.com/college-football/free-picks/college-football-picks-2012-13-new-era-pinstripe-... College Football picks from https://www.tonyspicks.com/ between West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Syracuse OrangeTonys Picks website provides sports information... College Football picks from https://www.tonyspicks.com/ between Syracuse vs. West VirginiaTonys Picks website provides sports information from an odds angle....
