2017 NFL Mock Draft 4.0: Three Quarters Season Edition

It’s been too long! Update for everyone: This is the point of the year where I will be shifting my focus more towards draft content. With the season coming to a close, the draft order is starting to become more clear and needs for each team are becoming more and more obvious. An interesting idea was given to me by a friend: Do a mock draft with alternative picks. So, the draft layout will be round one with the first pick being what I think the team will do and the second pick will be what the team should do. And then I will do a second round with what I think the team will do. And as always, there will be tons of Quick Hits at the end of the article. Get used to lots of draft content from here on out. Now then, let’s get started. (What I Would Do = WIWD)

Draft order via sbnation.com

Playoff picture via nfl.com

            ROUND ONE:

11.     Cleveland Browns: Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina

(WIWD)                      Myles Garrett, EDGE, TAMU

22.     San Francisco 49ers: Myles Garrett, EDGE, TAMU

(WIWD)                      Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami

33.     Jacksonville Jaguars: Johnathan Allen, DL, Alabama

(WIWD)                      Johnathan Allen, DL, Alabama

44.     Chicago Bears: Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan

(WIWD)                      Jamal Adams, S, LSU

55.     New York Jets: Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU

(WIWD)                      Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU

66.     Tennessee Titans (via Los Angeles): Jamal Adams, S, LSU

(WIWD)                      Mike Wiliams, WR, Clemson

77.     Carolina Panthers: Derek Barnett, EDGE, Tennessee

(WIWD)                      Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida

88.     Cincinnati Bengals: Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama

(WIWD)                      Derek Barnett, EDGE, Tennessee

99.      New Orleans Saints: Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida

(WIWD)                      Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina

110.  San Diego Chargers: Mike Williams, WR, Clemson

(WIWD)                      Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan

111.  Cleveland Browns (via Philadelphia): Jalen Tabor, CB, Florida

(WIWD)                      Dalvin Cook, RB, FSU

112.  Arizona Cardinals: Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin

(WIWD)                      Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama

113.  Buffalo Bills: Malik McDowell, DL, Michigan State

(WIWD)                      Jalen Tabor, CB, Florida

114. Tennessee Titans: Sidney Jones, CB, Washington

(WIWD)                      Sidney Jones, CB, Washington

115.  Indianapolis Colts: Dalvin Cook, RB, FSU

(WIWD)                      Takkarist McKinnley, EDGE, UCLA

116.  Philadelphia Eagles (via Minnesota Vikings): Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State

(WIWD)                      Dan Feeney, OG, Indiana

117.  Green Bay Packers: Takkarist McKinnley, EDGE, UCLA

(WIWD)                      Ryan Anderson, EDGE, Alabama

118.  Washington: D’Onta Foreman, RB, Texas

(WIWD)                      D’Onta Foreman, RB, Texas

119.  Miami Dolphins: Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama

(WIWD)                      Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State

220.  Pittsburgh Steelers: Tim Williams, EDGE, Alabama

(WIWD)                      Tim Williams, EDGE, Alabama

221.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers: John Ross, WR, Washington

(WIWD)                      John Ross, WR, Washington

222.  Denver Broncos: Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford

(WIWD)                      Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida

223.  New York Giants: Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt

(WIWD)                      Taco Charlton, EDGE, Michigan

224.  Kansas City Chiefs: DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame

(WIWD)                      Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama

225.  Houston Texans: Jake Butt, TE, Michigan

(WIWD)                      Jake Butt, TE, Michigan

226.  Atlanta Falcons: Taco Charlton, EDGE, Michigan

(WIWD)                      Carl Lawson, EDGE, Auburn

227.  Baltimore Ravens: Ryan Anderson, EDGE, Alabama

(WIWD)                      Pat Elflein, C, Ohio State

228.  Detroit Lions: Carl Lawson, EDGE, Auburn

(WIWD)                      Malik McDowell, DL, Michigan State

229.  Seattle Seahawks: Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama

(WIWD)                      Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin

330.  New England Patriots: Dan Feeney, OG, Indiana

(WIWD)                      Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford

331.  Oakland Raiders: Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida

(WIWD)                      O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama

332.  Dallas Cowboys: Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan

(WIWD)                      Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan

ROUND TWO:

333.  Cleveland Browns: O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama

334.  San Francisco 49ers: Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson

335.  Jacksonville Jaguars: Pat Elflein, C, Ohio State

336.  New York Jets: Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State

337.  Chicago Bears: Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami

338.  Carolina Panthers: Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan

339.  Los Angeles Rams: Evan Pocic, C, LSU

440.  Cincinnati Bengals: Charles Harris, EDGE, Missouri

441.  San Diego Chargers: Marcus Williams, S, Utah

442.  Philadelphia Eagles: Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon

443.  New Orleans Saints: Dawuane Smoot, EDGE, Illinois

444.  Arizona Cardinals: Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson

445.  Cleveland Browns (via Tennessee): Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State

446.  Indianapolis Colts: Ejuan Price, EDGE, Pittsburgh

447.  Minnesota Vikings: Marcus Maye, S, Florida

448.  Green Bay Packers: Bucky Hodges, TE, Virginia Tech

449.  Buffalo Bills: Isaiah Ford, WR, Virginia Tech

550.  Washington: Desmond King, CB, Iowa

551.  Pittsburgh Steelers: Justin Evans, S, TAMU

552.  Miami Dolphins: Caleb Brantley, DL, Florida

553.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tyler Orlosky, C, West Virginia

554.  Denver Broncos: Lowell Lotulelei, DL, Utah

555.  New York Giants: Montravius Adams, DL, Auburn

556.  Kansas City Chiefs: Armani Watts, S, TAMU

557.  Houston Texans: Solomon Thomas, EDGE, Stanford

558.  Atlanta Falcons: Chidobe Awuzi, CB, Colorado

559.  Baltimore Ravens: Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State

660.  Detroit Lions: Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU

661.  Seattle Seahawks: JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC

662.  New England Patriots: Carlos Watkins, DL, Clemson

663.  Oakland Raiders: Wayne Gallman, RB, Clemson

664.  Dallas Cowboys: DeMarcus Walker, EDGE, FSU

- What does being a “blue-chip” prospect mean? It is a term used in the scouting world that essentially means that that specific player is an elite level prospect. Most of the time, these players are the top of their positions, but there are a few things to note on that. A) being the top player at your position doesn’t mean you are a blue-chip prospect and B) there can be multiple blue-chip prospects at a single position. That being said, here are my blue-chip prospects so far: Leonard Fournette, Myles Garrett, Johnathan Allen, Jamal Adams, Mike Williams, Derek Barnett, Reuben Foster, Quincy Wilson, and Dalvin Cook.

- You may have noticed there is a new number one quarterback in town, and his name is Mitch Trubisky. I have mentioned Trubisky before and the hype train is real. Trubisky is having the same kind of meteoric rise that Carson Wentz had last year, and if you compare the two, there are a lot of similarities. Both display good pocket presence and accuracy (throwing just four interceptions this season) as well as the ability to extend plays with their legs. Both also had roughly one-year of starting experience and will enter the draft process very raw. Trubisky is getting number one pick hype, and with the needy Cleveland Browns picking first overall, don’t be surprised to see his name get called very high come April.

- You also may have noticed in my “what I would do” scenario, that I have Brad Kaaya as the first quarterback off the board. Kaaya remains my top quarterback for the time being, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Kaaya’s toughness and leadership are very attractive qualities for me, and I believe that he can become an excellent pocket passer at the next level. His arm strength is limited, but we have seen quarterbacks such as Alex Smith have long-term success regardless of having that cannon arm that fans are so attracted to.

- I find that I am a very stubborn person when it comes to domestic violence instances. Every scout and general manger has their own kinks and red-flags that they can’t ignore. For me, domestic violence will instantly drop you from my board. Some of you will be quick to point out that earlier this year I had Devonte Fields as a first round talent. While he is a very talented individual, his off-field is too scary for me and I have quickly dropped him down my rankings. Another popular name is Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon. Mixon is a highly-touted running back and many believe that he could be a first round talent if not for his off-the-field issues. In October of 2014, Mixon punched a woman in the face and subsequently broke her jaw after she used derogatory language towards Mixon. While she had no right to say what she did, no one can justify hitting a woman. Mixon has recently apologized for this incident and it appears that scouts are easing up on Mixon’s draft stock. However, what teams think versus what the media and fans think is vastly different at times. And Mixon’s case will be a great example of this because…

- A report came out recently that the surveillance footage of the incident is to be revealed ). Based off the public’s reaction to the Ray Rice footage a few years back, it wouldn’t surprise me to see the same response over Mixon’s incident.

- I am not one to hold a grudge. When it comes to Joe Mixon and Devonte Fields, I can forgive and forget if they truly seem sorry about the incident and aren’t afraid to take the right steps forward to move past the incident. Take the Ray Rice incident and the Greg Hardy incident as an example of this. Where Rice has apologized countless times to the media and taken steps towards repairing his image by donating to the cause and speaking out against domestic violence (all this while no teams were interested in signing him), Hardy did nothing to repair his image until it was too late and he was out of the league. Mixon’s apology is a great first step, but he has a long ways to go. How he interviews between now and draft day will be vital for where I rank him.

- One last rank on domestic violence and other off-field issues. In today’s NFL teams appear to have a short term memory when it comes to off-field incidents… at least if you are a talented player. Apparently, if you are a good athlete, you can get away with crimes and teams will turn the other cheek. Had Greg Hardy posted double digit sacks in his campaign with the Cowboys after his domestic violence incident, it wouldn’t have shocked me to have seen him get a fancy new contract and still be playing today.

- Back to draft talk, who is my top ranked player? The answer is Leonard Fournette, but that is simply based off tie breakers. If I had to be honest, it’s a four-way tie between Fournette, Myles Garrett, Jonathan Allen, and Jamal Adams (in that order for the sake of tie breakers). Fournette is one of the best prospects I have ever seen. Garrett is a generational talent that I have had my eye on since his freshman campaign. Allen has been the most dominant defensive player in college football this season after betting on himself and not entering the 2016 draft, in which he could’ve been a first round pick. And Adams is a rangy safety who can do everything. He is very much like Eric Berry to me.

- There appears to be no consensus on who the number two wide receiver in this class is after Clemson’s Mike Williams. My choice is Washington’s John Ross, but other names who are being considered are Western Michigan’s Corey Davis, Virginia Tech’s Isaiah Ford, and Oklahoma’s DeDe Westbrook. This is likely a debate that won’t be settled anytime soon and will likely come down to team preferences.

- Two controversial names in this year’s class are Jabrill Peppers and Adoree’ Jackson. Peppers doesn’t seem to have a true position and lacks the ball skills to create turnovers. Jackson, on the other hand, is incredibly raw at cornerback and appears to be more of a return specialist than anything. Pepper’s raw talent and ability makes him a first round pick and while Jackson has the talent to be taken round one, his lack of a true position keeps him out of round one for me currently.

Richard Bradshaw is available to follow on Twitter @RichieBradz36. Thank you for the read.

Quick Hits: Week 9

-         What’s the current formula to win games? Build a strong offensive line. To back up this point, look no further than the Dallas Cowboys and the Oakland Raiders. The two teams have combined for a 14-3 record and are in sole possession of first place in their respective divisions. If the season ended today, they would also receive a first-round bye in the playoffs. They have done this by creating the two best offensive lines in the NFL, which has allowed to teams to have dynamic offenses that seem almost unstoppable. The Oakland Raiders are third and fourth in passing yards and rushing yards respectively while the Cowboys are second in rushing yards, and that has everything to do with their offensive lines. The two teams have also surrendered just 11 sacks each. Overall, these teams could easy represent their respective conferences in Super Bowl LI. That would definitely be my dream Super Bowl… (stats by www.espn.com)

-         While everyone may be surprised by how well the Lions are playing this year, I would like to gloat for a second and mention that I thought this team would surprise everyone. In my article covering the NFC North, I mentioned that this team’s offense would win them a lot of close games, as well as lose close games. The result has been this: All of their games have been decided by one possession. The Lions are also very quietly 5-4 and a half game back in their division. I projected the Lions to finish 7-9, but they could easily be a 9-7 or 10-6 team with the potential to earn a playoff spot. It all rests in the hands of Matthew Stafford, and with how well he has played thus far, the sky is the limit for the Lions.

-         The Ravens have officially taken first place of the AFC North. That would be impressive in any other year, but the team sits at 4-4 on the year thanks to a dominant defense and a below-average offense. Similar to the Lions, all of their games have been decided by a single possession. The team is coming off a very impressive win against the Pittsburgh Steelers high flying offense. The Ravens held the Steelers to just two first downs through the first three quarters and held Le’Veon Bell, arguably the most dynamic running back in the NFL, to just 32 rushing yards on 14 carries. The defense is legit, if the offense can get literally ANYTHING POSITIVE going forward, they can be a legit threat in the AFC.

-         Staying in the AFC North, the Cincinnati Bengals are a very disappointing 3-4-1 on the year. The team entered the year, once again, with playoff expectations. Some thought the team would start to take steps back and that their window would start to close and that is definitely beginning to become true. I personally think the team still has a chance to rebound, especially with the break-out season A.J. Green is having, but they need to kick it into second-gear fast.

-         It has been recently reported that the Rams will not start Jared Goff until they are out of playoff contention . This makes absolutely no sense to me. Why would they continue to roll with Case Keenum, who is second in the NFL in interceptions with 11? Do they honestly believe that he gives them a better chance to win than the number one overall pick? Goff is this team’s future, for better or for worse. It is past time for them to roll out with Goff and see what he can do for them now.

-         Let’s talk about Monday Night Football. An unbelievably super controversial non-call was made when Seahawks’ Richard Sherman ran straight into Bills’ kicker Dan Carpenter and did not receive a roughing the kicker penalty. This was despite the fact that Sherman collided with Carpenter and sent him straight into the ground. But thank you, NFL, for making sure you called offsides on Sherman. Go, you! The next play, Carpenter had to be removed due to NFL rules. The Bills elected to spike the ball with three seconds left so carpenter could come back out and attempt the field goal. The Bills would then commit a false start penalty and ultimately miss the field goal. That is beyond ridiculous. It’s completely absurd. To make things better, the Bills would lose the game by three points. Three points the Bills should’ve had had the refs called the game properly.

-         On another note, and I say this constantly (unfortunately), how can the NFL preach player safety and then allow Dan Carpenter to get lit up the way he did? It makes zero sense to me, as well as tons and tons of other viewers. The NFL is far more concerned with Tom Brady DEFLATING FOOTBALLS than they are their employees taking cheap shots.

Richard Bradshaw is available to follow on Twitter @RichieBradz36. Thank you for the read.

Who You Got?! Week 9

Last Week: 6-6-1

Overall: 69-49-2

Thursday Night Football (5:30 pm AZ time):

Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are both playing at an elite level this season for the Falcons. The Bucs have Jameis Winston and Mike Evans who are playing at Pro Bowl levels to make this game a shootout. The difference here will be the defenses, as the Falcons will have the edge. Vic Beasley will make lots of noise and the Falcons win this game by seven and take a commanding lead over the NFC South.

Sunday Morning Football (11:00 am AZ time):

New York Jets @ Miami Dolphins

The Jets are bad this year. The Dolphins are surprisingly competitive and could make this game a blowout. I don’t think the Dolphins are talented enough to blow any team out, but they will certainly give this Jets offense fits. Jay Ajayi has been a one-man wrecking ball the last couple of weeks, including back-to-back 200 yard performances in weeks six and seven. He won’t get even close to that number against a stout Jets run defense, but don’t be shocked to see him get 70+ yards and a touchdown in a Dolphins win. Give me the home team by 10 or fewer.

Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Giants

The Giants will give the Eagles a ton of problems, and having a rookie quarterback could force the Eagles into some trouble. However, the Giants surprising lack of pass rush (just nine sacks as a team), despite major offseason money spent on the pass rush, could lead to Carson Wentz having time to limit mistakes and win a close road game. Look for Eli and Odell to make big plays, but ultimately watch the Eagles win the time of possession battle and get a big division win and go to 5-3 on the year.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Kansas City Chiefs

The Jaguars have to be the most disappointing team in the league. Coming in with big expectations due to a young defense and improving Blake Bortles, the team was expected to challenge for a playoff spot at a minimum. Instead, they are 2-5 on the year and looking at another top five draft selection. Gus Bradley will more than likely lose his job this offseason, and a blowout loss on the road to the Chiefs won’t help his case. Bortles is prone to turnovers, so expect Marcus Peters and company to get in on the action and force Bortles into some bad decisions.

Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings

Have the injuries finally caught up with the Vikings? We will get a definitive answer this week, facing a must win game at home against the Lions. Matthew Stafford is playing MVP caliber football and is winning them games practically by himself. Let’s put it this way, if Jay Cutler can have success against one of the league’s premier defenses, Matthew Stafford can have a field day. That being said, keep your expectations low on Stafford’s upside. Last week was the exception, not the rule. Lions get a HUGE win on the road and begin to send the Vikings into a downhill spiral.

Dallas Cowboys @ Cleveland Browns

Chalk up another losing record for the Browns. This game won’t be close. Dak Prescott and Zeke Elliott will terrorize this Browns squad. Thankfully, the Browns will likely get first rounder Corey Coleman back this week to join Terrelle Pryor in an improving pass attack, but that won’t even be close enough to compete with the best team in the NFC.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens

This game is a is going to be a coin flip. I am simply going to pick the home team here. Throw out the records for this game, this is going to be classic smash mouth football. Joe Flacco will air it out against the Steelers secondary and the Ravens defense will clamp up a Steelers offense that won’t be at 100% even if Ben Roethlisberger returns to action. Home team by six or fewer.

Sunday Afternoon Football (2:05 and 2:25 pm AZ time):

New Orleans Saints @ San Francisco 49ers

Drew Brees is the king of gunslingers and will be facing one of the league’s worst defenses. Even on the road, the Saints will pile up the yards and keep the game to high scoring for a bad 49ers’ offense to compete with.

Carolina Panthers @ Los Angeles Rams

The Panthers are coming off a HUGE, potentially season saving win against the Cardinals. Facing another NFC West opponent on the road, don’t expect the Rams to just roll over and let the Panthers get another crucial win. That being said, the Panthers have Cam Newton and company to light up this Rams defense and the Rams offense simply doesn’t have enough to keep up. I expect Todd Gurley and Tavon Austin to both have really nice fantasy days, but their lack of scoring will ultimately doom the Rams.

Tennessee Titans @ San Diego Chargers

The Titans are riding hot right now behind Marcus Mariota’s dynamic play. The Chargers have been surprisingly competitive behind a solid defense and a gunslinger mentality in Philip Rivers. I completely expect this game to come down to the wire, but ultimately will pick the hotter team to win a crucial game. If the Titans win this game, they will be 5-4 on the year. Raise your hand if you saw that coming… now put your hands down, you liars. The Titans are in the mix for a playoff spot. Expect them to make this game a major statement win.

Indianapolis Colts @ Green Bay Packers

As much as I want to take the Colts as an upset team here, their defense is too terrible to overlook. Aaron Rodgers will take full advantage of this god-awful defense and turn in an A+ effort game. Thankfully for the Colts, the Packers secondary hasn’t been as good as it was supposed to be, and Andrew Luck will light them up and keep this game close. With no run game, the Packers will have to lean entirely on Rodgers to win them this game. Lucky for them, Rodgers will rise to the occasion and get a crucial win in a tight NFC North playoff race.

Sunday Night Football (6:30 pm AZ time):

Denver Broncos @ Oakland Raiders

The home team and unstoppable Raiders offense will get a big win against the division rival Denver Broncos. Derek Carr has turned in an MVP caliber performance thus far this season and against a Broncos’ shutdown secondary, he will struggle but do just enough to win this game. The Broncos offense will do enough to keep them in the game for three quarters, but ultimately blow it in the fourth quarter and watch the Raiders emerge to a 7-2 record and first place in the AFC West.

Monday Night Football (6:30 pm AZ time):

Buffalo Bills @ Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks home-field advantage is as good as it gets. This game will be a lot closer than people will think, but the Bills are slumping and will fall victim to a Seahawks defense that will limit everything the Bills try and do on offense. Russell Wilson really needs to get going, but won’t have the dominant performance he needs against a very good Bills defense. This is a tight, low scoring affair that the Seahawks get at home.

Quick Hits: Week 8

We've reached the halfway point of the season and it's time once again to dive into our analysis of what happened in week eight of the season. Let's dive on in, shall we?

-       -  Cam Newton recently spoke out against the lack of calls and protection he is getting from the league. Newton stated that he “doesn’t feel safe” and the hits are “taking the fun out of the game” per the the Charlotte Observer. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, the NFL preaches player safety, yet somehow let’s one the biggest faces of the league get punished. I am not saying that Newton doesn’t put himself into some situations because he does with his style of play. But there are certainly times where a low tackle or cheap shot to the head should have been flagged and it wasn’t. I don’t know if it’s a race thing, if it’s the fact that he is a “mobile quarterback” (another term that gets thrown on African-American quarterbacks) or something completely different, but it needs to change and in a hurry.

-       -  On the top of the term “mobile quarterback”, I want to address the stereotype that gets attached to that term. So often we want to call quarterbacks with dark-skin “mobile” because they like to run or are athletic. Last I checked, you need to be athletic to play in the NFL. What frustrates me the most about this is there are quarterbacks with light-skin who run around just as much as the former. Take Blaine Gabbert as an example of this. Here’s a fun stat: who has more rushing attempts: Gabbert or Russell Wilson? You would assume it is Wilson because he is a “mobile quarterback” but you’d be wrong. They have 39 to 25 respectively. The biggest difference is Wilson is looking to pass far more often than Gabbert is. Not to mention Gabbert had those 39 attempts in just five games! Two fewer than Wilson. How come we don’t refer to Gabbert as a “mobile quarterback”? it’s become a frustrating stereotype. Especially when I hear people call guys such as Teddy Bridgewater or Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon “mobile quarterbacks”. I don’t mind the term at all and even understand it to a certain degree. But it is also become a stereotype for African-American quarterbacks and other ethnicities. So, I want to stress I am not asking us to stop using the term, but don’t be afraid to call guys like Gabbert, or Blake Bortles, or Carson Wentz, or other Caucasian quarterbacks “mobile” as well as guys like Cam Newton or Russell Wilson.

-       -  Okay, rant over! Moving on, it’s time to recognize the Dallas Cowboys as the best team in the NFC. They are 6-1 and only lost week one against the Giants because Terrance Williams has no idea where the sideline is. Ezekiel Elliot and Dak Prescott have done unreal things as rookies and the defense is playing much better than the talent on paper would represent. The offensive line is the best in football and it’s really not even close. Not to mention a healthy Dez Bryant will help the team to not remain so one-dimensional (even though it hasn’t slowed them down). The Cowboys are the best team in the NFC and while there are definitely other teams who can and will challenge them this season, I will be picking the Cowboys on a regular basis to win the rest of their games and maybe even make it to a Super Bowl.

-       -  Chiefs’ running back Jamaal Charles has landed on injured reserve after being active for just three games. Complications with his knee have left many wondering before the season even started if he would ever be the same and now we are seeing what is more than likely the end of Charles great career. While I wouldn’t say he is Hall of Fame worthy, we certainly have to acknowledge Charles as one of the best running backs of the 2010s.

-       -  The NFL trade deadline was yesterday and there was almost no activity, let alone blockbuster trades, to be made. It was a very boring day, despite big names such as Sheldon Richardson, Cameron Wake, Joe Thomas, Joe Staley, and Joe Haden as well as others on the trade block. There was one big trade, however…

-       -  The Patriots dealt linebacker Jamie Collins to the CLEVELAND BROWNS for a compensatory third round pick in 2017, per nfl.com. I have quite a bit to say on this so let’s break it down for each team:

-       -  I would say the clear winners of this trade are the New England Patriots. The Patriots entered a contract-year with Collins and were able to ship him away from a high third round pick. That beats the hell out of losing him to free agency and not getting anything in return until the 2018 draft. Collins was reportedly asking for Von Miller money, although he denied that today per cleveland.com. Regardless, Collins is one of the best young linebackers in the game and it would’ve been extremely difficult to sign him long-term without damaging their cap space tremendously. It is also a practice we often see with the Patriots, as they dealt Chandler Jones to the Cardinals just before the 2016 draft for a second round pick. Overall, it makes sense for the Patriots side. On the contrary…

-       -  Why did the Browns trade a valuable third round pick for a linebacker who clearly is more about himself than the team, let alone the fact that he is entering free agency when the 2016 season concludes? I understand the Browns are devoid of talent by why trade a high pick away for someone who can’t make your team win now? Collins is a stud, don’t get me wrong. And if the Browns can resign Collins for the right price, he will be a great building piece for this defense. I have to convince myself that he is the future leader for this defense. If they let him walk in free agency, was it really worth it, Cleveland?

-       -  Another week, another tie. I am not going to say much on this because I already covered it in last week’s Quick Hits, but I still hate ties. Hopefully after back-to-back weeks of games ending in ties, the NFL will take a serious look at perhaps changing overtime rules and preventing this from happening.

-       -  This little piece came out today while I was writing this week’s Quick Hits ad found it to be the perfect note to end on. NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger has been suspended for six months without pay for making obscene comments about how the Eagles should’ve attempted to injure Cowboys’ running back Ezekiel Elliott, per Bleacher Report. This is beyond awful, and I’m not just talking about Baldinger’s comments. How can the NFL Network, a television channel that represents the NFL in its title, suspend someone who went as far as to say, “This is the guy that we’ve got to hurt” and, “In fact, we may even put a little bounty on Ezekiel Elliott”?! That’s about as unprofessional as it gets. The man shouldn’t be suspended, his ass should be on the curb. There is absolutely no way this man should continue to have a job working for the NFL *BLEEPING* NETWORK. This shouldn’t even be something we are talking about, but it now needs to be. Join me in asking for this man to resign or be fired for these comments. It is beyond absurd he will be rejoining the network when his suspension ends.

Richard Bradshaw is available to follow on Twitter @RichieBradz36. Thank you for the read.

Midseason NFL Award Predictions

My my, how things have changed since the preseason… Half way through the season and it looks like I will be wrong on plenty of things (and I am more thank O.K. with that)! Taking a look at the NFL, we can get a pretty good idea on how the awards are going to go. Some guys have come seemingly out of the blue while others have simply come back to dominate for another year (looking at you, Mr. Brady). Anyways, let’s just dive on into it and see who I am picking now at midseason to win the major NFL awards.

Offensive Rookie of the Years: Ezekiel Elliot, RB, Dallas Cowboys

Preseason Projection: Ezekiel Elliot, RB, Dallas Cowboys

I feel like this is only a moral victory, as just about everybody could have projected this. But who would’ve thought that Zeke would come out and be THIS dominant? I mean, Zeke could rush for 2,000 yards AS A ROOKIE! That is more than unheard of. The rookie rushing record is held by Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson at 1,808 and Zeke is on his way to breaking that record. Wrap your head around that for a second… That is all that needs to be said.

Runner-Up: Devontae Booker, RB, Denver Broncos

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Joey Bosa, EDGE, San Diego Chargers

Preseason Projection: Jalen Ramsey, CB, Jacksonville Jaguars

So far, Ramsey has been up-and-down for the Jags this season. Meanwhile, when Bosa finally took the field he exploded for five tackles and two sacks against a stout Raiders’ offensive line. Bosa currently has four sacks on the year and could easily double that total by season’s end. What’s more impressive is he has those four sacks in just four games. Bosa’s has impacted the Chargers defense immensely and it’ll stay that way for the rest of the season.

Runner-Up: Yannick Ngakoue, EDGE, Jacksonville Jaguars

Offensive Player of the Year: Ezekiel Elliot, RB, Dallas Cowboys

Preseason Projection: Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

This is not a slight to how good Brown has played. After all, he still has 592 receiving yards through seven games and five touchdowns. But like I previously mentioned, Zeke is playing out of his mind right now. credit the offensive line. Credit the offensive play calling. But most of all, credit Zeke’s incredible ball-carrier vision. If he breaks that rookie rushing record, he should be the runaway favorite for the OPOY.

Runner-Up: Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons

Defensive Player of the Years: Von Miller, EDGE, Denver Broncos

Preseason Projection: Khalil Mack, EDGE, Oakland Raiders

J.J. Watt going down for the season after just three games surely helped the rest of the competitors, but Von Miller is having himself one of the best seasons of his career thus far. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) has Miller as the second ranked edge defender and he certainly shows the numbers on his stat line (33 tackles and 8.5 sacks). Miller is playing out of his mind and helping to make the Broncos defense remain one of the best in the NFL. Miller should be able to crack 15+ sacks with a realistic chance to flirt with 20+ sacks. It’s been a great year for Miller and it is time to stop underrating him and give him an award that he’s earned.

Runner-Up: Marcus Peters, CB, Kansas City Chiefs

Comeback Player of the Year: Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts

Unfortunately, my runner-up for this award, Keenan Allen, went down with an ACL tear in week one of the regular season. Meanwhile, my projected winner, Andrew Luck, has been lighting it up this season. Luck has already tossed over 2,200 yards while completing 63.7% of his passes for 16 touchdowns to just 5 interceptions. He also has posted a passer rating of 96.2. Luck has taken his team and kept them in close games, even though their record contradicts this. The Colts would be so much worse off without him, however. This fact alone makes Andrew Luck the favorite to win the COPY, just like we thought he would preseason.

Runner-Up: DeMarco Murray, RB, Tennessee Titans

Coach of the Year: Bill Belichick, New England Patriots

The Jaguars have been so bad this year that it wouldn’t shock me to see the team ditch Gus Bradley by the end of the season. Meanwhile, the Patriots are 7-1 with their only loss coming in week four to the Bills. The next week, Tom Brady returned from suspension and began lighting up teams (more on that next). But for the Patriots to go 3-1 without Brady is extremely impressive considering two of their opponents, the Cardinals and the Texans, were playoff teams a year ago. This is all thanks to the brilliance of Bill Belichick and his ability to adjust his entire team to the talent around him. It wouldn’t shock me and it shouldn’t shock anyone to see the Patriots win the rest of their games and even win a Super Bowl. Even just making the playoffs, Belichick should be considered the heavy favorite for this award.

Runner-Up: Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys

Most Valuable Player: Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots

Wow. Tom Brady is having one of, if not the, best seasons of his entire career at age 39. In just four games, let me emphasize that FOUR GAMES, he has tossed 1,319 yards while competing 73.1% of his passes for 12 touchdowns to ZERO interceptions. That is simply unreal. Can you imagine what he could’ve done in those first four games? The Patriots could be undefeated right now! And there is a good chance they go 12-0 with Brady under center. Brady has taken his game t a whole new level and looks completely unstoppable. The Patriots are a heavy Super Bowl favorite because of him, and no one should be surprised to see him win his fifth Super Bowl next February.

Runner-Up: Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts

Richard Bradshaw is available to follow on Twitter @RichieBradz36. Thank you for the read.

2017 NFL Mock Draft 3.0: Mid-Season Edition

Half way through the season and we can take another glimmer at the NFL draft. For some of you, your team is stinking it up and it’s about time to start getting prepped for the 2017 draft. I got you covered. I have not one, but two rounds for this addition of my mock draft. I thought it would be a nice treat for my loyal readers (and quite frankly I LOVE mocking). There is plenty to talk about in the points afterward. The same rules as last time applied here to determine draft order:

-         Win/Loss record

-         Division record

-         Conference win/loss record

-         Non-conference win/loss record

-         Current win/loss streak

-         If all else fails, I flip a coin

11.     Cleveland Browns (0-8): Myles Garrett, EDGE, Texas A&M

22.     San Francisco 49ers (1-6): Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson

33.     Chicago Bears (2-6): DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame

44.     Carolina Panthers (2-5): Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida

55.     Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5): Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU

66.     San Diego Chargers (3-5): Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan

77.     Indianapolis Colts (3-5): Derek Barnett, EDGE, Tennessee

88.     New York Jets (3-5): Jalen Tabor, CB, Florida

99.     New Orleans Saints (3-4): Johnathan Allen, DT, Alabama

110.  Miami Dolphins (3-4): Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami Florida

111.  Tennessee Titans (via Rams 3-4): Jamal Adams, S, LSU

112.  Baltimore Ravens (3-4): Mike Williams, WR, Clemson

113.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4): Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama

114.  Arizona Cardinals (3-4-1): Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State

115.  Cincinnati Bengals (3-4-1): Charles Harris, EDGE, Missouri

116.  Detroit Lions (4-4): Dalvin Cook, RB, FSU

117.  Buffalo Bills (4-4): Justin Evans, S, Texas A&M

118.  Tennessee Titans (4-4): Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan

119.  Cleveland Browns (via Eagles 4-3): Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama

220.  New York Giants (4-3): Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State

221.  Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3): DeMarcus Walker, EDGE, FSU

222.  Green Bay Packers (4-3): Jake Butt, TE, Michigan

223.  Washington (4-3-1): Sidney Jones, CB, Washington

224.  Seattle Seahawks (4-2-1): Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama

225.  Atlanta Falcons (5-3): Carl Lawson, EDGE, Auburn

226.  Houston Texans (5-3): O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama

227.  Philadelphia Eagles (via Vikings 5-2): Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State

228. Kansas City Chiefs (5-2): Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State

229.  Denver Broncos (6-2): Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt

330.  Oakland Raiders (6-2): Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida

331.  Dallas Cowboys (6-1): Desmond King, CB, Iowa

332.  New England Patriots (7-1): Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford

333.  Cleveland Browns: Armani Watts, S, Texas A&M

334.  San Francisco 49ers: Isaiah Ford, WR, Virginia Tech

335.  Chicago Bears: Dawuane Smoot, EDGE, Illinois

336.  Jacksonville Jaguars: Pat Elfein, OG, Ohio State

337.  Carolina Panthers: Dan Feeney, OG, Indiana

338.  Indianapolis Colts: Caleb Brantley, DT, Florida

339.  New York Jets: Mitch Trubisky, QB, North Carolina

440.  San Diego Chargers: Evan Pocic, C, LSU

441.  Miami Dolphins: Tim Williams, EDGE, Alabama

442.  Los Angeles Rams: Roderick Johnson, OT, FSU

443.  Baltimore Ravens: Ryan Anderson, EDGE, Alabama

444.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU

445.  New Orleans Saints: Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State

446.  Arizona Cardinals: JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC

447.  Cincinnati Bengals: Marcus Williams, S, Utah

448.  Buffalo Bills: Lowell Loutulelei, DT, Utah

449.  Tennessee Titans: Dede Westbrook, WR, Oklahoma

550.  Detroit Lions: Takkarist McKinley, EDGE, UCLA

551.  New York Giants: Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon

552.  Pittsburgh Steelers: Bucky Hodges, TE, Virginia Tech

553.  Green Bay Packers: Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia

554.  Philadelphia Eagles: Wayne Gallman, RB, Clemson

555.  Washington: D’Onta Foreman, RB, Texas

556.  Seattle Seahawks: Solomon Thomas, EDGE, Stanford

557.  Houston Texans: Carlos Watkins, DT, Clemson

558.  Atlanta Falcons: Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss

559.  Kansas City Chiefs: Devonte Fields, EDGE, Louisville

660.  Minnesota Vikings: Samaje Perine, RB, Oklahoma

661.  Oakland Raiders: Jamaal Williams, RB, BYU

662.  Denver Broncos: Budda Baker, S, Washington

663.  Dallas Cowboys: John Ross, WR, Washington

664. New England Patriots: Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemosn

-       -  Let’s address the elephant in the room: Why did I not have the Cleveland Browns, who have the number one pick, not draft a quarterback with any of their picks?! Because the new regime believes in a best player available approach. This is by far the best way to attack the draft and rebuild a team in desperate need for an infusion of talent. Reaching on a quarterback is NOT the solution. As I will address later, next year’s quarterback class is loaded with talent. The Browns are not one draft class away from competing. They are in a major rebuild and if Jimmy Haslam gives Sashi Brown time to rebuild this team properly, they can turn this boat around in a few years. Best player available is by FAR the best way to draft. This is what the Browns SHOULD do if they want to start winning. Don’t overthink it, Cleveland. Take Myles Garrett and don’t think twice about it.

-       -  The running back class, as we all know by now, is absolutely loaded with talent. As you can see above, I have three going in round one and an astonishing six go in round two. Two new names have emerged and begun to separate themselves from the rest of the pack, however. They are D’Onta Foreman and Jamaal Williams. They are both outstanding backs who have been dominating the college world. It wouldn’t surprise me to see them both be selected as high as top 50 picks. I currently have them both at the end of round two, but rest assure they are steadily climbing up my board.

-       -  Half way through the season, the draft order is becoming a bit more clear. With that in mind, there are certainly some big surprises, particularly Carolina owning a top five selection. This is not something I would have ever imagined, but an awful secondary and the inability to protect Cam Newton has led to their tumble down the NFL rankings. They can solve those issues by grabbing the top cornerback available (Quincy Wilson) and land my “number two” guard at the top of round two. Dan Feeney is a favorite of mine and I view him and Pat Elfein as 1a and 1b. Anyways, I like to do my mocks based on a number of things, but I like to put myself in the shoes of the general manager. If this mock draft was to actually happen, I would kiss everyone in the war room.

-       -  I have addressed this before, but I feel the need to really drive this home: The cornerback class is unbelievably stacked. With that in mind, don’t be surprised if top tier talents such as Sidney Jones or Marshon Lattimore slip into the second round because of that depth. We saw last year with the depth on the defensive line that top tier players like Jarran Reed and A’Shawn Robinson slipped into round two, despite being round one talents, because of the depth. This is a common practice. Basically, when there is a lot of depth, players can be meshed together and not seen as separating themselves from the pack. Therefore, grabbing players at another position that isn’t as deep makes sense and then grabbing a player from the deeper position a round later because so many guys had a similar grade. If it were up to me, as I have hammered this point already, I go best player available. It just so happens I have a ton of cornerbacks with round one grades.

-       -  Mitch Trubisky is getting some major hype right now, and rightfully so. Trubisky is a junior quarterback at North Carolina who has displayed a variety of tools that NFL scouts and GMs drool over. This is his first full season as a starter, however, and could easily return for another season to really polish his mechanics. As of now, I have him with a fringe round one grade, but he is slowly climbing his way up the list in a weak quarterback class.

-       -  On the topic of quarterbacks, don’t be shocked to see Trubisky, as well as the other top three guys, selected within the first 20 picks. Quarterbacks are valued higher than any other position, due to being the most valuable player on the field, and will often times be taken ahead of superior talent. With quarterback needy teams picking in the top 20, it would be surprising at all to see those guys taken very high.

-       -  One more note on quarterbacks, particularly Trubisky and DeShone Kizer. I like both of these guys quite a bit, especially in the upside department, but I would very much love for them to return to school for another year. They are both very raw and don’t have a lot of starting experience. If they returned, however, they would join a LOADED quarterback class to include Josh Rosen (who some scouts, myself included, have said would be the top ranked quarterback in this year’s crop), Lamar Jackson, and Jake Browning. While that would make being a top five selecting hard on both of them, like I just said they could vastly improve their stock by returning for another year. In fact, if they polished their mechanics like I believe they would, they could become top three prospects behind Rosen. However, with a weak class this year it makes sense for them (especially Kizer) to declare this year.

-       -  This draft class has some very interesting names that have superior talent, but terrible off-the-field issues. The two main names that come to mind are Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon and Louisville EDGE rusher Devonte Fields. As many of you know, I was very high on Fields but am dropping him down my board because of his off-field and lack of consistency on-field. As for Mixon, he has so out-of-this-world talent at running back but his off-field is a nightmare. Google these guys if you are curious or want to be well-informed. The point is, guys like this drop-down boards fast. Their interviews during the combine and throughout the draft process will be crucial for them to be top selections. As of now, I believe they are both round three players at best, and top 50 talents.

Richard Bradshaw is available to follow on Twitter @RichieBradz36. Thank you for the read.