2018 NFL Draft top-10 mock: Bradley Chubb or Quenton Nelson fall to 49ers?
By Peter Panacy
Top 10 NFL Draft Mock Selections
The Cleveland Browns still own two picks in the top five, and they won’t take a quarterback twice. So we know there’s going to be at least one non QB gone before the Colts use the selection acquired via the Jets trade.
Here’s your top 10.
player. 53. The Browns traded for former Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor, and he’s a nice stopgap option while Cleveland develops a franchise-type signal-caller. Cleveland could wait until pick No. 4 to grab a quarterback, but doing so right off the bat ensures general manager John Dorsey gets the guy <em>he</em> wants.. Quarterback. USC. Sam Darnold. 1
player. 31. It’s been a while since the Giants had a top-three pick in the NFL Draft, and they need to find a replacement for Eli Manning sooner or later. Going after Wyoming’s Josh Allen makes sense, as they won’t be pressured into starting him right away. It wouldn’t be shocking to see New York trade out of this spot, though, getting a huge haul in the process.. Quarterback. Wyoming. Josh Allen. 2
Oklahoma. Baker Mayfield. 3. player. 30. The only reason the Jets made this blockbuster move was to grab a quarterback they thought wouldn’t fall to them at No. 6 overall. Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield could be viewed as the signal-caller with the highest ceiling in this year’s draft class. He <a href=. Quarterback
Picking up former 49ers running back <a href=. Safety. Florida State. Derwin James. 4. player. 53
UCLA. Josh Rosen. 5. player. 45. UCLA’s Josh Rosen’s NFL Draft stock has fallen a bit since the NFL Scouting Combine, but the market likely corrects itself a bit leading up to draft day, making this selection sensible. Denver inked former Vikings quarterback <a href=. Quarterback
Penn State. Saquon Barkley. 6. player. 46. The Colts may have been in play for Penn State running back Saquon Barkley at No. 3 anyway. Moving down in the NFL Draft, and still picking up Barkley, is a win-win situation for general manager Chris Ballard.. Running Back
North Carolina State. Bradley Chubb. 7. player. 48. After finishing dead last in sacks last season, the Buccaneers get a shot to dramatically improve their pass rush. NC State’s Bradley Chubb is the best pass-rusher in this year’s NFL Draft class, and he’s an easy choice for Tampa Bay here. Too bad he won’t fall to San Francisco at No. 9 overall.. EDGE
Alabama. Minkah Fitzpatrick. 8. player. 57. This is a tricky one to pick. The Bears brought aboard wide receivers <a href=. Defensive Back
9. player. 42. The 49ers are darned lucky Notre Dame offensive guard Quenton Nelson falls all the way to No. 9. It’s arguably the team’s biggest need outside of a pass-rusher, but Nelson is a no-brainer pick if he ends up falling. San Francisco spent all that money to keep quarterback <a href=. Offensive Guard. Notre Dame. Quenton Nelson
Inside Linebacker. Georgia. Roquan Smith. 10. player. 28. The Raiders could stand for all kinds of help on the defensive side of the ball, but why not start with finding a rangy defensive quarterback in Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith? Boasting a strong front seven would alleviate a lot of the needs Oakland has within the secondary, and Smith’s presence would take pressure off edge rusher Khalil Mack too.
Getting Nelson would be a dream scenario for San Francisco. But there are a few X-factors in play here.
Let’s dive into those.