Every year, a draft has its own flavor of talent. Sometimes, it’s sweet chocolate that melts in your mouth right away, other years it’s more solid vanilla that takes some time for the taste to develop. In 2019, it’s gonna take time. The position of strengths are wide receiver, tight end and the defensive line. That’s a problem for a league where we expect production right away from rookies under cheap control for 4-5 years.

Without further ado, enjoy the Luke Monster mock draft! Please note, this mock is nothing more than a piece of propaganda and nothing written should be taken seriously.

Continue reading 2019 2-Round NFC IFL Mock Draft →

Every year, a draft has its own flavor of talent. Sometimes, it’s sweet chocolate that melts in your mouth right away, other years it’s more solid vanilla that takes some time for the taste to develop. In 2019, it’s gonna take time. The position of strengths are wide receiver, tight end and the defensive line. That’s a problem for a league where we expect production right away from rookies under cheap control for 4-5 years.

Without further ado, enjoy the Luke Monster mock draft! Please note, this mock is nothing more than a piece of propaganda and nothing written should be taken seriously.

1.01 Cincinnati Danny – Josh Jacobs, RB, Oakland

Danny has the 2^nd worst roster in the IFL, so hitting the 1.01 is imperative to turnaround his horrific roster. Josh Jacobs will be the center of his franchise, but unfortunately is the weakest 1.01 we’ve seen in the last half-decade. Jacobs comes with many positives, a 1^st round pedigree, opportunity for days in Oakland and little mileage on his legs during his time in Alabama. (which can also be seen as a negative) We don’t know how a large workload could affect Jacobs’ production. He could be relegated to a timeshare back if a workhorse role is too much for his body. This makes this pick riskier than someone like Barkley, 4Net, and Elliot.

1.02 Kansas City Curt – David Montgomery, RB, Chicago

David Montgomery’s star shined in the college ranks for years, and unlike Jacobs proved an annual workhorse role is not too much for his body. A workout warrior with an impeccable character, Montgomery is my favorite prospect in this class with opportunity, skill set and our running back rules in place. Montgomery slides right into the Jordan Howard role, which is a 300+ point production role and if Monty can prove his worth as a receiver, he could eclipse anything Howard achieved. Curt has retooled his offense and with Marlon Mack and David Montgomery as the future running backs he builds his team around, it’s feasible he finally makes his first IFL playoff appearance.

1.03 Indianapolis Erik – Miles Sanders, RB, Philadelphia

I like Miles Sanders as a player, but he’s not even remotely close to value at the 1.03. Here we are in the IFL world where running backs are king. Sanders is a bowling ball of a back, breaks tackles like crazy, but I don’t see NFL-level elusiveness and fumbles far too much. He reminds me of a less shifty Don’t’a Foreman. The situation Sanders finds himself in is also precarious, as Philadelphia is known for rotating their backs to keep them fresh. Sanders is an excellent 4^th back behind Melvin Gordon, Kerryon Johnson and Sony Michel. He is the last of the solid running back prospects.

1.04 Pittsburgh Spencer  — Devin Bush, LB, Pittsburgh

What an incredible draft class Spencer has built himself. With six picks in the first two rounds, Spencer has the opportunity to vault himself to the top of the AFC North. Spencer has an excellent duo at linebacker of Darius Leonard and Tremaine Edmunds. I’m sure he’s imagining a world where he acquires the best linebacking corps for the next 3+ years in the IFL with Devin Bush and Devin White. It’s not a hard projection to say that Bush is going to eat. He’s a 3-down lock and finally an admirable replacement for Ryan Shazier. 100+ tackles right off the bat is the expectation.

1.05 Pittsburgh Spencer – Devin White, LB, Tampa Bay

Devin White is behind Bush because his opportunity for tackles in Tampa next to Lavonte David is minimized. Long-term, perhaps White is the better player, but with our rookie contracts, players that perform early on receive a boost. White is a near lock to hit as a premier linebacking prospect and am excited to see how he can boost a terrible Tampa Bay defense.

1.06 Oakland Craig – N’keal Harry, WR, New England

Craig enters his first rookie draft in a solid spot, as he gets the best of the rest after what seems to be a pretty cut and dry top 5. Harry is slated to be the best receiver prospect when you combine opportunity and talent. Harry inserts into an offense starving for another receiver other than Edelman, and Harry could be their best red zone weapon immediately. With New England going more run heavy over the last couple of years may cap his upside, but Harry is likely the #1 New England receiver for a long time.

1.07 Miami Brad – Nick Bosa, DE, San Francisco

I believe Brad when he says he’s done paying defensive ends 10+ million. I don’t believe for a second he goes into the season with Michael Brockers, Charles Harris and Yannick Ngakoue as his 3 DEs. Bosa is the best defensive end prospect since… well his brother in 2016. At a position that doesn’t have more than 16 startable options weekly, Bosa is projected to be a top 5 option very quickly. Similar to his brother, as long as he can stay healthy, he’s going to be hitting double-digit sacks.

1.08 Indianapolis Erik – Parris Campbell, WR, Indianapolis

Sometimes, the narratives write themselves. Campbell enters the best short-term and long-term receiver situation after the NFL draft, and the dude has speed for days. With little to nothing behind TY Hilton, Campbell will likely slot right into the #2 role and eventually replace Hilton as Luck’s number one option. Erik’s love for the Colts helps this homer selection become a reality.

1.09 Buffalo Travis – Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona

With Cam Newton’s shoulder giving him trouble in all of 2018, it’s likely Travis is licking his chops to improve his quarterback position with Kyler. Kliff has handpicked Murray to throw it like crazy and his legs give him elite QB1 upside. Out of every QB that has entered the NFL since the start of the IFL, there isn’t a higher upside prospect when you combine his traits and opportunity.

1.10 Pittsburgh Spencer – Noah Fant, TE, Denver

Spencer enters chapter two of his dream draft with the 10^th selection and the two best tight end prospects are still on the board. Noah Fant enters the league as the best receiving prospect of the tight ends and Flacco has historically loved to throw to the position. Fant is not a blocker and struggles with drops, but no one can question his elite athleticism and receiving chops. He’s the best bet to be a viable fantasy option in the short and perhaps long term.

1.11 Pittsburgh Spencer – TJ Hockinson, TE, Detroit

Hock is a perfect fit in Detroit coming from the Midwest Iowa and addresses a dire need for the Lions. The dude is a complete tight end and is being compared to the likes of Travis Kelce and of course George Kittle. Unlikely to ever leave the field, he’s a good bet to end up as a top 10 option in 2-3 years and potentially a top 3 option if Stafford can return to his 4,000 yard passing days.

1.12 Tennessee Jason – Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco

Another match made in heaven here, as Deebo could be the #1 receiving option for Jason’s favorite team. Samuel is an excellent route runner with plus hands and is a dark horse to end up being the best prospect out of this class. Nothing is standing in his way in terms of receiving talent and he’s already getting rave reviews in OTAs. This is truly a value pick here and I feel there is a tier break in prospects at the 1.13.

1.13 Tennessee Jason – Mecole Hardman, WR, Kansas City

There is no prospect that gained more value than Hardman, as he’s the man who is going to replace Tyreek Hill. Hardman is a burner and it shows on the tape with his time at Georgia. He reminds me of a faster Malcom Mitchell and hopefully, doesn’t deal with the same type of injuries. Both entered excellent situations, but Hardman could be the one to capitalize.

1.14 Cleveland Kyle – DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle

Everybody was all on the Metcalf train, but we do not truly know why he fell to the bottom of the 2^nd round. Was it because of his lack of agility? Is he a one-trick pony? Does he work hard or have work ethic issues? We don’t know. However, he’s is the best deep threat prospect of this class and has some of the best tape. Seattle is not a great situation to enter, as they are as run-heavy as any team in the NFL and Lockett appears to be their #1 option. However, if Metcalf shows off his elite traits, he could transcend his situation.

1.15 Cleveland Kyle – Marquise Brown, WR, Baltimore

Everyone hated where Marquise Brown landed, but there is no one, literally no one standing in the way of Brown to eat up targets. Opportunity aplenty, Brown has an excellent chance to be a startable asset as long as Lamar Jackson can resemble a decent thrower, which he’s shown in his time at Louisville. Grabbing a 1^st round receiver at the end of our 1^st round is excellent value, and its these types of picks that often we look back at and ask ourselves how could we of let him slide. This is a very on-brand, no-RB Kyle pick.

1.16 Houston Dean – Josh Allen, DE, Jacksonville

Dean needs help at a variety of positions, but 5-years of control of one of the best DE prospects sounds like a pretty good investment. Allen enters an amazing situation, with the opportunity to rarely if ever see double teams in front of him. He also gets to learn from Calais Campbell, who will likely be lining up next to him on most passing downs. The pass rush in Jacksonville just keeps getting better and it’s a testament to their front office to consistently take the best player available.

2.01 Cincinnati Danny – Justice Hill, RB, Ravens

Danny needs to hit home runs if he’s to turn his team around. Hill certainly constitutes as a risk/reward prospect. The Ravens’ backfield seems like it will be dominated by Ingram, but Justice Hill was nothing short of a stud muffin at Oklahoma State. He’s going to be in a stiff competition for touches with Gus Edwards and Kenneth Dixon, but I like his talent more than both. At the very least, Hill should be a check down machine for Lamar and provide another elite speed component for a team that prioritized juice in the draft.

2.02 Pittsburgh Spencer – Clelin Ferrell, DE, Oakland

Heading into round two, Spencer pivots back to the defensive side of the ball and depth is needed at defensive end. Clelin Ferrell was overdrafted, but his opportunity in Oakland is abundant from day one. The 4^th pick in the NFL draft brings Pro-Bowl caliber traits to the table, but Oakland doesn’t have much to take attention away. This pick could take a year or two to pan out, but Ferrell has the opportunity you look for when picking a defensive end early in our draft.

2.03 Indianapolis Erik – Brian Burns, DE, Carolina

As I look through Erik’s draft order, it shows he’s done his homework on where the value will be. Brian Burns has some question marks on position designation, but the dude has a double digit upside skill set. Carolina is an excellent landing spot that doesn’t have much in his way of playing time. Mario Addison and Bruce Irvin are past their prime players and Burns will be able to learn in a rotation before handling his own side of the line in year two. Erik’s line is in need of a boost with just Joey Bosa as a startable asset.

2.04 New England Mark – Darrell Henderson, RB, Rams

There’s been a lot of talk that Henderson is a 1^st round pick, but I would be hard pressed to select a backup running back behind an elite option with a prized 1^st round pick. However, if I had said elite running back option, that player becomes much more enticing. Darrell Henderson to Mark makes too much sense. Henderson will likely be the back to spell Gurley, but the big question is if his usage makes him startable. I would bet no, but there is a chance the talented Henderson proves to be a very valuable commodity.

2.05 Indianapolis Erik – Ed Oliver, DT, Buffalo

Erik is in dire need for a defensive tackle after trading away DeForest Buckner to his division rival for Rueben Foster. (The struggle is real dude) Ed Oliver strikes me as the best defensive tackle prospect we’ve seen in this format since Buckner in 2016. Oliver joins a defensive line without much help, but his quick get-off the line and variety of pass rush moves make him a low-risk prospect. Buffalo has a long way to go for relevancy, but between him and Edmunds, they have a couple of solid pieces to build around.

2.06 Cleveland Kyle – Germaine Pratt, LB, Cincinnati

Green Dot U needs a new linebacker… or three. Unfortunately, this class is donkey poo poo. However, Germaine Pratt enters a fluid situation with extreme athletic traits and joins a depth chart with average talent ahead of him. Burfict is no longer the WILL in Cincinnati and someone has to play there, why not the former safety from NC State? With Marvin Lewis out of town, rookies should have more of an opportunity to prove themselves than in years past. Reports out of OTAs have been positive and in a couple of months, we could be wondering why he wasn’t in consideration for a 1^st round pick.

2.07 Cleveland Kyle – Andy Isabella, WR, Arizona

Isabella landing in Arizona as a 2^nd round pick means they are prepared to utilize him extensively. This slot delux machine enters an offense that ‘should’ be passing it a ton, and is in a situation that has old man Fitzgerald as an established starter. The Cardinals have virtually nothing in receiving options. This could end up being a steal for a team that made it to the AFC Championship in 2018.

2.08 Cleveland Kyle – Devin Singletary, RB, Buffalo

Looking at Kyle’s roster that houses no running backs, this pick may not happen just based on principle. However, Singletary is nothing short of a tackle-breaking machine that landed in a poor offense. If he can showcase the talent many people feel he has, Singletary could be the starter this time in 2020. McCoy is on his last legs and Gore will likely be hindering some other backfield next season. If Kyle is to jump on the running back bus, Singletary is a good player to start with.

2.09 New England Mark — Johnathan Abram, S, Oakland

Johnathan Abram wasn’t on many radars in the early months of the draft process but began picking up steam after an excellent Senior Bowl practice and reports he was receiving 1^st round consideration. Abram enters a situation where he could be slotted for box strong safety duty on a defense with a past their prime linebacking corps. That could equate to excellent production, but Karl Joseph is still in town. Depending on how that battle shakes out in training camp will determine if Abram is ready for the big time. Mark is in need of all the IDP bodies he can get and this is the best value on the board.

2.10 New England Mark – Quinnen Williams, DT, New York Jets

Speaking of IDP bodies, Quinnen Williams is one of the largest in the class. Entering a defensive line with big ol’ Leonard Williams will help both their values moving forward and it will be interesting to see how Gregg Williams utilizes them. I’m a bit skeptical on whether Williams is ready to be a startable asset for IDP leagues, but if he can consistently notch 6-8 sacks annually, he will be a valuable asset for a long time.

2.11 Oakland Craig – JJ Arcega-Whiteside, WR, Philadelphia

JJAW isn’t a viable asset for year one, but once Agholor departs Philly, we could see him vault into a startable asset. In year one, he’s likely just a red zone weapon with boom-bust tendencies as he won’t have enough targets thrown his way. Craig has surprisingly built a decent offense with Derrick Henry, Julian Edelman, Mike Williams and Robert Woods. JJAW will be an excellent depth piece late in 2019 and certainly in 2020.

2.12 Houston Dean – AJ Brown, WR, Tennessee

AJ Brown was one of my favorite prospects heading into the draft and he likely is a 1^st round pick if he didn’t land in the offensively challenged Tennessee. Sometimes though the offenses without an established receiver can be the best to land in. I’m interested to see if Corey Davis can take the next step in his progression with Brown, Humphries and now Walker at 100%. Mid-late 2^nd seems about right for a good receiver in a bad situation, and Dean could use a cheap 4/5 starter in the coming years.

2.13 Indianapolis Erik – Dwayne Haskins, QB, Washington

With just Sam Darnold on his roster, I would be surprised if Erik didn’t exit the draft without another quarterback. Enter Haskins, who is slated to start from day one with an offense that could be ready to improve. Haskins is a prototypical pocket passer and Washington provides him an above average offensive line to play to his strengths.

2.14 Pittsburgh Spencer – Irv Smith, TE, Minnesota

Irv’s value is kind of in flux, with Kyle Rudolph currently negotiating an extension with the Vikings. If Rudolph departs, Smith is in line to be one of the best values of the draft. Kirk Cousins loved Jordan Reed when he was healthy, although Washington didn’t have two elite receiving weapons like Minnesota has in Diggs and Thielen. Spencer now has Hock, Fant, and his homer TE in Smith. What a TE class to prepare his team for the future.

2.15 Jacksonville Nate – Jace Sternberger, TE, Green Bay

This is the prototypical ‘you’re going to have to wait a couple of years’ for a pick to pay off. Sternberger enters an excellent offense tethered to one of the best quarterbacks of our generation. Albeit 35, Rodgers likely has 4-5 years of shelf life. Jimmy Graham being ahead of him shouldn’t be seen as a negative, rather an elite mentor for the Texas A&M product to learn from. Nate is in an excellent situation to take a step forward this year and takes a dip into what looks like an elite tight end class.

2.16 Cleveland Kyle – Josh Oliver, TE, Jacksonville

Kyle finishes off his epic 1^st and 2^nd round with prospect that produced at a solid level with 3 different starting quarterbacks his senior year. Oliver goes cross country into an offense that has nothing at the tight end position and very little at receiver. If Oliver can make use of his 6’5 frame, he could develop as a Kelce-level talent. Unfortunately, Nick Foles is a below average option and we are uncertain of what this Jaguars situation will look like in 2-3 years’ time.