Latest First Pick Simulator

[OSUfan]

While this is not the highest scoring First Pick Mock I have done I do think it may be one of the best when it comes to overall value for the franchise when you look at immediate impact as well as future consideration.

1st Round-11th Selection



Jawaan Taylor - 6'5" 312 - OT - Florida:

Meet the starting RT for the next 10 years. Taylor has Willie Anderson ability with more athleticism. When you watch film on him you will see some poor technique at times but what you will also see is him able to flat stonewall defenders even when using poor technique. He is an absolute bull. He has handle every rusher that the SEC could throw at him.

2nd Round-10th selection:



Dexter Lawrence - 6'4" 342 - DT - Clemson:

Geno's new running mate. The guy that is going to eat up blocks and allow Geno to do his thing. Very athletic for a man this size and absolute brute strength. Excellent length to keep blockers from latching on to him. Run stuffer with the ability to push the pocket in the passing game. Will be a great compliment to what we have with Geno. Immediate starter.

Round 3 - 8th Selection:



Chris Lindstrom - 6'4" 308 - OG - Boston College:

Day 1 starter at RG. To find fault in the game of Lindstrom takes serious nitpicking. He is just an all around extremely good prospect. Could man the RG spot next to Taylor for the next 10 years as well. Extremely athletic and a pure technician. Not an absolute brute but a force in the run game at any rate. Gets off first block and explodes to the second level for his next block. Doubt he will be here at this point as I do not see him making it out of the second round but if he is you absolutely take him.

Round 4 - 8th Selection:



Lonnie Johnson Jr. - 6'2" 213 - CB - Kentucky:

Elite size, speed, length combination. Will need to listen to NFL coaching and hone his technique but if he does this could be an absolute NFL difference maker. I think he is a guy as well that could transition to a hybrid LB/S position as well. Has the frame to carry more mass without losing speed or quickness. Not at all a sure thing but check a lot of boxes. Can he take coaching and reach his potential?

Round 5 - 11th selection:



Elijah Holyfield - 5'10" 217 - RB - Georgia:

When I watch Holyfield he reminds me of another SEC RB we had in Rudi Johnson. Just a physical all around good back. Not a burner but a guy that is going to get tough yards and good hands as a receiver. Durable and a class young man. Will be a very good fit as a rotational back to spell Mixon and a good short yardage guy.

Round 6 - 10th Selection:



Miles Boykin - 6'4" 220 - WR - Notre Dame:

Will he still be on the boards? I doubt it. Someone may very well gamble on his monstrous size and athleticism before this point. However, if he is still here then there is no way to pass on the potential of this young man. Yes he is inconsistent and yes he needs to clean up areas of his game and become a better route runner. These are all coachable areas. What he does have in huge amounts are the things that you cannot coach. Legit freak speed and size combination. Huge catch radius. Game breaking skills.

Round 6 - 25th Selection:



Isaiah Johnson - 6'2" 208 - CB - Houston:

I like this selection as well as any outside of the Jawaan Taylor selection. I think Johnson is going to be a great CB in the NFL. His first two collegiate seasons were spent as a WR and has shown great strides in a short period of time in making the transition to boundary corner. Another guy that has elite size, speed, length combination. Making the strides he has already in changing positions shows that he is coachable. Seems to be a very high character kid as well.

Could the future hold another Johnson & Johnson for the Cincinnati region?

6th Round - 37th Selection:



Dontavius Russell - 6'3" 319 - DT - Auburn:

Russell is just a solid all around DT prospect. Will need to play with better pad level at the NFL level but has been productive at a major program. Will be an outstanding addition to the rotation of our defensive front.

Round 6 - 38th Selection:



Antoine Wesley - 6'4" 206 - WR - Texas Tech:

While he does not have game breaking speed what he does have is rare ball skills and very polished route running. Outstanding catch radius and elite hands. Even though he has not shown outstanding speed what he has shown is the ability to separate from close coverage and provide a throwing window for his QB. I believe he will make a roster and not a practice squad.

6th Round - 40th Selection:



Joe Giles-Harris - 6'2" 234 - LB - Duke:

While I would have liked to have addressed LB prior to this selection I was not going to pass on better value and higher ceiling for player position. There are LBs I really like in this draft but was not going to reach or overdraft to get one of them.

With that said I really like the selection of Giles-Harris and I see a Vinny Rey LB with more athleticism and cover ability. It would not shock me at all to see Giles-Harris making an immediate impact for this defense and would not be shocked if he was the starting WLB.

Round 7 - 9th Selection:



Tommy Sweeney - 6'4" 251 - TE - Boston College:

Will need to get stronger but is a reliable receiver that understands how to use his body in the passing game. Willing and in line blocker but will need to add more strength at the NFL level to continue to be effective in this area.


And there you have it!

[Hammerstripes]

If the draft fell that way I would be pretty excited - getting 3 guys that are slated to go in round 1.

[OSUfan]

(03-29-2019, 12:07 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: If the draft fell that way I would be pretty excited - getting 3 guys that are slated to go in round 1.

Absolutely agree with you. I think what you have to keep in mind though is that many players get first round grades however there are only 32 first round selections. There also seems to be that guy every year that many thought had a day 2 grade but gets taken in the first. There are A LOT of really good DTs this year and little things here and there that different teams are looking for are going to play into their selection so I would not be surprised to see several sliders at that position group.

Simmons is a prime example. When you look at the NFL draft grading he comes out as the #2 overall prospect.https://www.nfl.com/draft/tracker/prospects

Yet is slotted to go near the end of the first round or top of  the second because of an early off the field incident. Who knows how things will fall but I would love this draft.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

The only thing i can complain about in this Mock is not taking a LB early but if Tem can coach up our existing players along with Lonnie Johnson JR as a Hybrid and Giles-Harris this could be knocking it out of the park. The trenches are taken care of in this mock and as long as our biggest weakness in the Linebacking core can come down and punish teams for dumping the ball off we will be damn tough.

At first i was like man, need a LB here, need a LB here but the weakness can be coached up. Haslett was terrible.

Great mock OSUfan.

[OSUfan]

(03-29-2019, 04:06 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: The only thing i can complain about in this Mock is not taking a LB early but if Tem can coach up our existing players along with Lonnie Johnson JR as a Hybrid and Giles-Harris this could be knocking it out of the park. The trenches are taken care of in this mock and as long as our biggest weakness in the Linebacking core can come down and punish teams for dumping the ball off we will be damn tough.

At first i was like man, need a LB here, need a LB here but the weakness can be coached up. Haslett was terrible.

Great mock OSUfan.

Thanks for the props and could not agree more. The linebackers we have actually have the physical traits we should be looking for in terms of speed and athleticism. They are guys, that with the proper coaching, should excel in coverage just has not been the case thus far. What makes me point to coaching is that the coverage weakness is across the board not one or two players. So I as well feel this can be corrected with a coaching change.

As I stated there were many times in this draft that I wanted to select a LB but in doing so it would have been passing on greater value elsewhere to overdraft at the LB position.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(03-30-2019, 09:36 AM)OSUfan Wrote: Thanks for the props and could not agree more. The linebackers we have actually have the physical traits we should be looking for in terms of speed and athleticism. They are guys, that with the proper coaching, should excel in coverage just has not been the case thus far. What makes me point to coaching is that the coverage weakness is across the board not one or two players. So I as well feel this can be corrected with a coaching change.

As I stated there were many times in this draft that I wanted to select a LB but in doing so it would have been passing on greater value elsewhere to overdraft at the LB position.

Agreed, coaching has been our biggest problem, especially at Linebacker. Both Vigil and Evans covered well in college and are athletic. They need to get the fundamentals of tackling down and learn to read Defenses. Preston i thought played pretty good last year considering being in a new D, having new coaches and being injured.

With a new LB coach it might not be as bad as we all think but i still want to hedge my bet and get a good one in the Draft. Who knows if guys like Lonnie and Giles-Harris could be that good LB'er we are missing depth wise? Possible.

Maybe if there is one thing i might change in your mock it would be to go with a LB in round 3 like David Long Jr, West Virginia and draft Lindstrom in the 2nd...

[OSUfan]

(03-30-2019, 02:32 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Agreed, coaching has been our biggest problem, especially at Linebacker. Both Vigil and Evans covered well in college and are athletic. They need to get the fundamentals of tackling down and learn to read Defenses. Preston i thought played pretty good last year considering being in a new D, having new coaches and being injured.

With a new LB coach it might not be as bad as we all think but i still want to hedge my bet and get a good one in the Draft. Who knows if guys like Lonnie and Giles-Harris could be that good LB'er we are missing depth wise? Possible.

Maybe if there is one thing i might change in your mock it would be to go with a LB in round 3 like David Long Jr, West Virginia and draft Lindstrom in the 2nd...

I honestly do not think Lindstrom makes it to the 3rd and I struggled with my decision with Lawrence sitting there but he is the type Dt we have been missing.

[fortyyearfan]

(03-29-2019, 12:07 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: If the draft fell that way I would be pretty excited - getting 3 guys that are slated to go in round 1.

Best mock draft I have seen,I love the first 3 picks and we would get well in a hurry.

[SunsetBengal]

Nice job. Got some premium name brand talent at positions of need at the top, and stocked the depth with high quality athletes in the mid and late rounds.

[bonesaw]

would love

[Bengalstripes9]

Id be really happy if it fell this way. Dont think Lindstrom falls to us in the 3rd. He’s probably gone in the 2nd. Could take a linebacker in the third instead. We already signed a guard anyway.

Could see a good nose tackle falling to us in the second. Not sure OT Taylor falls to us in the first though. Could see us grabbing a defensive tackle in the first and offensive tackle or linebacker in the next two rounds.

I would target a defensive tackle, linebacker and offensive tackle with our top three picks. Sounds like we’ll have a good opportunity to pick those three as best player available picks—which works out for us in terms of need.

[*SHRacerX*]

(03-29-2019, 11:49 AM)OSUfan Wrote: While this is not the highest scoring First Pick Mock I have done I do think it may be one of the best when it comes to overall value for the franchise when you look at immediate impact as well as future consideration.

1st Round-11th Selection



Jawaan Taylor - 6'5" 312 - OT - Florida:

Meet the starting RT for the next 10 years. Taylor has Willie Anderson ability with more athleticism. When you watch film on him you will see some poor technique at times but what you will also see is him able to flat stonewall defenders even when using poor technique. He is an absolute bull. He has handle every rusher that the SEC could throw at him.

2nd Round-10th selection:



Dexter Lawrence - 6'4" 342 - DT - Clemson:

Geno's new running mate. The guy that is going to eat up blocks and allow Geno to do his thing. Very athletic for a man this size and absolute brute strength. Excellent length to keep blockers from latching on to him. Run stuffer with the ability to push the pocket in the passing game. Will be a great compliment to what we have with Geno. Immediate starter.

Round 3 - 8th Selection:



Chris Lindstrom - 6'4" 308 - OG - Boston College:

Day 1 starter at RG. To find fault in the game of Lindstrom takes serious nitpicking. He is just an all around extremely good prospect. Could man the RG spot next to Taylor for the next 10 years as well. Extremely athletic and a pure technician. Not an absolute brute but a force in the run game at any rate. Gets off first block and explodes to the second level for his next block. Doubt he will be here at this point as I do not see him making it out of the second round but if he is you absolutely take him.

Round 4 - 8th Selection:



Lonnie Johnson Jr. - 6'2" 213 - CB - Kentucky:

Elite size, speed, length combination. Will need to listen to NFL coaching and hone his technique but if he does this could be an absolute NFL difference maker. I think he is a guy as well that could transition to a hybrid LB/S position as well. Has the frame to carry more mass without losing speed or quickness. Not at all a sure thing but check a lot of boxes. Can he take coaching and reach his potential?

Round 5 - 11th selection:



Elijah Holyfield - 5'10" 217 - RB - Georgia:

When I watch Holyfield he reminds me of another SEC RB we had in Rudi Johnson. Just a physical all around good back. Not a burner but a guy that is going to get tough yards and good hands as a receiver. Durable and a class young man. Will be a very good fit as a rotational back to spell Mixon and a good short yardage guy.

Round 6 - 10th Selection:



Miles Boykin - 6'4" 220 - WR - Notre Dame:

Will he still be on the boards? I doubt it. Someone may very well gamble on his monstrous size and athleticism before this point. However, if he is still here then there is no way to pass on the potential of this young man. Yes he is inconsistent and yes he needs to clean up areas of his game and become a better route runner. These are all coachable areas. What he does have in huge amounts are the things that you cannot coach. Legit freak speed and size combination. Huge catch radius. Game breaking skills.

Round 6 - 25th Selection:



Isaiah Johnson - 6'2" 208 - CB - Houston:

I like this selection as well as any outside of the Jawaan Taylor selection. I think Johnson is going to be a great CB in the NFL. His first two collegiate seasons were spent as a WR and has shown great strides in a short period of time in making the transition to boundary corner. Another guy that has elite size, speed, length combination. Making the strides he has already in changing positions shows that he is coachable. Seems to be a very high character kid as well.

Could the future hold another Johnson & Johnson for the Cincinnati region?

6th Round - 37th Selection:



Dontavius Russell - 6'3" 319 - DT - Auburn:

Russell is just a solid all around DT prospect. Will need to play with better pad level at the NFL level but has been productive at a major program. Will be an outstanding addition to the rotation of our defensive front.

Round 6 - 38th Selection:



Antoine Wesley - 6'4" 206 - WR - Texas Tech:

While he does not have game breaking speed what he does have is rare ball skills and very polished route running. Outstanding catch radius and elite hands. Even though he has not shown outstanding speed what he has shown is the ability to separate from close coverage and provide a throwing window for his QB. I believe he will make a roster and not a practice squad.

6th Round - 40th Selection:



Joe Giles-Harris - 6'2" 234 - LB - Duke:

While I would have liked to have addressed LB prior to this selection I was not going to pass on better value and higher ceiling for player position. There are LBs I really like in this draft but was not going to reach or overdraft to get one of them.

With that said I really like the selection of Giles-Harris and I see a Vinny Rey LB with more athleticism and cover ability. It would not shock me at all to see Giles-Harris making an immediate impact for this defense and would not be shocked if he was the starting WLB.

Round 7 - 9th Selection:



Tommy Sweeney - 6'4" 251 - TE - Boston College:

Will need to get stronger but is a reliable receiver that understands how to use his body in the passing game. Willing and in line blocker but will need to add more strength at the NFL level to continue to be effective in this area.


And there you have it!

I don't see any way Lindstrom is there in Rd 3, but stranger things have happened at the Guard spot.  Some go WAY early and some years they slide.  

I would have preferred they draft the speedy David Long Jr out of WVU to be our sideline to sideline burner in the middle of the field, but I absolutely love the first two picks.  Both scream "can't miss" and address both lines in their biggest point of weakness. 

If the Bengals were still able to sign a veteran FA LB before this draft (or I guess, after) I would be ecstatic.  

[*SHRacerX*]

(03-29-2019, 04:06 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: The only thing i can complain about in this Mock is not taking a LB early but if Tem can coach up our existing players along with Lonnie Johnson JR as a Hybrid and Giles-Harris this could be knocking it out of the park. The trenches are taken care of in this mock and as long as our biggest weakness in the Linebacking core can come down and punish teams for dumping the ball off we will be damn tough.

At first i was like man, need a LB here, need a LB here but the weakness can be coached up. Haslett was terrible.

Great mock OSUfan.

God, how many times does this happen every game?  Go max protect, hold ball forever, check down to RB, easy 8 yards and a first down.  Rinse and repeat.  

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(04-03-2019, 07:59 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: God, how many times does this happen every game?  Go max protect, hold ball forever, check down to RB, easy 8 yards and a first down.  Rinse and repeat.  

No doubt, i am sure Tem will focus on this big time in the Offseason.

It was just so damn obvious what our Defense was good at and what it wasn't that is was unfair to the rest of the guys.

Overall we have a lot of great players on D but the Linebackers and namely their coach were just not up to the task at all. I also believe our LB's aren't nearly as bad as Haslett made them look, coaching is a big damn deal man. So happy we have a new LB coach, been harpin' on Haslett since he got here. 3 years later they finally make the right call lol

[*SHRacerX*]

(04-03-2019, 03:39 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: No doubt, i am sure Tem will focus on this big time in the Offseason.

It was just so damn obvious what our Defense was good at and what it wasn't that is was unfair to the rest of the guys.

Overall we have a lot of great players on D but the Linebackers and namely their coach were just not up to the task at all. I also believe our LB's aren't nearly as bad as Haslett made them look, coaching is a big damn deal man. So happy we have a new LB coach, been harpin' on Haslett since he got here. 3 years later they finally make the right call lol

Coaching and the scheme, absolutely.  Austin was a swing and a miss of a hire, and I am hoping for a more aggressive scheme with the new regime.  I certainly hope it won't return to the weak-ass zone off coverage that got nickel-and-dimed all day long underneath (See LBs again) as it was obvious to everyone that this team has the talent in the secondary to play man.  By the end of the season, even with the beat up roster and pathetic LB play, the defense was solid.  

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(04-04-2019, 07:20 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Coaching and the scheme, absolutely.  Austin was a swing and a miss of a hire, and I am hoping for a more aggressive scheme with the new regime.  I certainly hope it won't return to the weak-ass zone off coverage that got nickel-and-dimed all day long underneath (See LBs again) as it was obvious to everyone that this team has the talent in the secondary to play man.  By the end of the season, even with the beat up roster and pathetic LB play, the defense was solid.  

The new coaches have a whole Offseason to go back and watch what went wrong last year and what the players were good and bad at. I doubt we go back to that soft zone that obviously didn't suit our players and made us the worst Defense in the league last year. You are right, once Marv took over the playcalling and we started to play more man we were solid again.

Pretty obvious to look at the night and day scenario that played out last season.

[OSUfan]

(04-04-2019, 07:20 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: Coaching and the scheme, absolutely.  Austin was a swing and a miss of a hire, and I am hoping for a more aggressive scheme with the new regime.  I certainly hope it won't return to the weak-ass zone off coverage that got nickel-and-dimed all day long underneath (See LBs again) as it was obvious to everyone that this team has the talent in the secondary to play man.  By the end of the season, even with the beat up roster and pathetic LB play, the defense was solid.  

I have been reading up and looking for all interview material and so forth I can find on Lou Anarumo and have to admit I am starting to feel pretty good about the guy. I like that they have brought in a young guy to coach our LBs. I think the role of the modern day LB was lost upon Haslett and I just have not seen any improvement in the position since he has been with the team. Rather even a decline in the play of some since he was the coach.

I think we have some kids in the LB room that actually have some athleticism and talent and look forward to seeing what they can do under a new coach.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(04-04-2019, 03:17 PM)OSUfan Wrote: I have been reading up and looking for all interview material and so forth I can find on Lou Anarumo and have to admit I am starting to feel pretty good about the guy. I like that they have brought in a young guy to coach our LBs. I think the role of the modern day LB was lost upon Haslett and I just have not seen any improvement in the position since he has been with the team. Rather even a decline in the play of some since he was the coach.

I think we have some kids in the LB room that actually have some athleticism and talent and look forward to seeing what they can do under a new coach.

Same here, two players who i think have tons of talent are Malik Jefferson and Jordan Evans. Big and fast.

Haslett could make Keuchly look bad...