NFL Draft 2018- Pairing Prospects with NFL Teams
Each year the NFL Draft brings about another group of outstanding young athletes who hope to become great NFL players, but while the draft is an exciting spectacle, there seems to be a growing sense of enjoyment in the speculation of connecting prospects to individual NFL teams. With nearly 3/4 of the NFL season in the books and the college football playoffs right around the corner, let's begin that speculation right now by connecting some prospects to NFL teams.
This list is compiled of the current projected 2018 NFL Draft order as well as the presumed individuals expected to enter the draft. Bear in mind that this list is NOT a mock draft but merely an exercise in projecting which prospects would fit which NFL teams best based on team needs. This list will also contain multiple spots where one or more prospects are repeated; these are my thoughts about what prospects I think would fit best in the NFL NOT based on rumored connections or scouting visits. Without any further explanation, here is my list:
1. CLEVELAND BROWNS SAM DARNOLD QB USC
2. NEW YORK GIANTS JOSH ROSEN QB UCLA
3. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS SAQUON BARKLEY RB PENN STATE
4. DENVER BRONCOS QUENTON NELSON OG NOTRE DAME
5. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS CONNOR WILLIAMS OT TEXAS
6. CHICAGO BEARS COURTLAND SUTTON WR SMU
7. CLEVELAND BROWNS (VIA HOU) CALVIN RIDLEY WR ALABAMA
8. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS MINKAH FITZPATRICK S/CB ALABAMA
9. CINCINNATI BENGALS MIKE MCGLINCHEY OT NOTRE DAME
10. ARIZONA CARDINALS BAKER MAYFIELD QB OKLAHOMA
11. NEW YORK JETS JOSH ALLEN QB WYOMING
12. WASHINGTON REDSKINS CALVIN RIDLEY WR ALABAMA
13. MIAMI DOLPHINS DENZEL WARD CB OHIO STATE
14. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS CALTON DAVIS CB AUBURN
15. DALLAS COWBOYS HAROLD LANDRY EDGE BOSTON COLLEGE
16. OAKLAND RAIDERS CHRISTIAN WILKINS DL CLEMSON
17. DETROIT LIONS DERRIUS GUICE RB LSU
18. BUFFALO BILLS SAM DARNOLD QB USC
19. GREEN BAY PACKERS ARDEN KEY EDGE LSU
20. ATLANTA FALCONS DA’RON PAYNE DL ALABAMA
21. BUFFALO BILLS (VIA KC) MARK ANDREWS TE OKLAHOMA
22. BALTIMORE RAVENS COURTLAND SUTTON WR SMU
23. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS RONALD JONES RB USC
24. CAROLINA PANTHERS RONNIE HARRISON S ALABAMA
25. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS MARK ANDREWS TE OKLAHOMA
26. TENNESSEE TITANS CLELIN FERRELL EDGE CLEMSON
27. LOS ANGELES RAMS JOSHUA JACKSON CB IOWA
28. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS BAKER MAYFIELD QB OKLAHOMA
29. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES ROQUAN SMITH LB GEORGIA
30. PITTSBURGH STEELERS CARLTON DAVIS CB AUBURN
31. MINNESOTA VIKINGS MAURICE HURST DL MICHIGAN
32. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS RASHAAN EVANS LB ALABAMA