This was a tough mock draft to put together as the main issue was who leave out vs who to put in.
Before we get into the second part of the draft, I wanted to give some honourable mentions to players that didn’t make it.
On the IDP side of the ball there are edge rushers like Arden Key and Bradley Chubb who we could see go in the first round as we did with Myles Garrett in the 2017 draft. At line backer there’s also Josh Allen, the junior from Kentucky who can play both inside and outside, Matthew Thomas at Florida State and Oren Burks from Vanderbilt.
On offence I felt that after the 2017 draft, teams maybe more hesitant to draft a tight end and go for the chance of instant production through a running back or wide receiver.
Mark Andrews, the tight end from Oklahoma, I am sure will be in the first round of many of the dynasty mock drafts we see over the coming months. Going back to running backs, LJ Scott, Kallen Ballage, Chris Warren III, Akrum Wadley and Mike Weber are all backs that are worth keeping tabs on. One or two of them could easily be in the first round conversation come draft time.
Some may also ask about Bryce Love from Standford. Love has shown to be supremely talented in 2017 but I think returns to college for another year so have removed him from consideration.
The other elephant in the room is of course, quarterbacks, where are the quarterbacks? Coming into this season, the 2018 class was widely reported as being the best QB class for quite some time. However, now in late October the shine has faded on some of the prospects. Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen and Josh Allen have all had their issues this season. Also, I took into account the teams they may end up in, such as Cleveland, which is a hot mess right now. For those reasons I don’t think a QB goes in the first round of the IFL draft.
With the honourable mentions done, we will continue with part II of the mock draft. To see the first part of the draft go HERE.
Part II
1.09
NFC 49ers
Damien Harris, Alabama RB
The second Alabama back to go in draft is Damien Harris. Bo Scarbrough was getting more draft hype than Harris heading into this season, but the latter has proven he’s arguably the more complete back who can be on the field for all three downs. Harris was an elite recruit and reportedly runs the 40 in the 4.4s but was behind Scarborough in the pecking order before Scarborough picked up the injury against Clemson. Harris has grasped the opportunity with both hands, totalling 671 total yards and 9 touchdowns in an impressive 2017. Look for him to go top ten, possibly leapfrogging Scarborough in the 2018 IFL draft.
1.10
NFC Lions
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In a draft class jam packed with running backs we may not see the receivers go as high purely because GMs might be looking for a repeat of the 2017 class. However, Auden Tate is the type of prospect that deserves top ten attention. First off, he’s huge, absolutely huge for a receiver, standing at 6’5″ and weighting over 220 pounds. The Florida State receiver is having a fantastic 2017, scoring five touchdowns with 312 receiving yards. That may not jump off the page but he is playing with a back up QB this season with DeAndre Francois on the sidelines.
1.11
NFC Bucs
Sony Michel, Georgia RB
Sony Michel is another 5-star recruit in this class. The must have thought back in 2016 that the Georgia backfield was be his to run with. However, after Nick Chubb unexpectedly returned to Georgia for 2017 he’s been in a committee. Michel has been viewed as a receiving back but weighing in at 215 lb he’s already accumulated 492 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns. That alone is impressive but when you consider he’s averaging 7.2 yards per carry it really shows how he has no problem taking advantage of his opportunities. He wont go as high as the draft the likes of Guice, Chubb and Barkley but he’s certainly one to keep an eye on.
1.12
Ronald Jones, USC RB
The first thing three things that strike you about Sam Darnold’s teammate is production, production and production. During his time on the west coast he has had 2,936 all-purpose career yards, 31 touchdowns and averaging an impressive 6.3 yards per carry. Jones is 6’1″ and a reported 200 lbs so a slightly thinner frame than the other backs in that have gone before him in this draft. That thinner frame hasn’t stopped him putting up 640 rushing yards, 112 receiving and 9 touchdowns. He’ll certainly be in the mix for first round consideration in Vegas and it will be interesting see where he lands in the NFL draft.
1.13
AFC Colts (From Patriots)
James Washington, Oklahoma State WR
If you like big plays then James Washington is your man, he’s averaging average of 20 yards per play at Oklahoma State. In many mocks leading up to the draft next year I doubt we’ll see Washington go this low. However, it’s a product of the IFL scoring system and after seeing the 2017 backs performing so well, I think we see GMs going all in on running backs in the first round. Anyway, back to Washington. In his time with the Sooners Washington has accumulated 3,864 all-purpose yards, 33 touchdowns to date. Couple those impressive figures with his 6’1 and 205 lbs frame and you have all the markers for a day two, possibly late day one NFL draft pick. Some may opt for a running back over Washington given the situation we saw his year.
1.14
NFC Lions (From Bears)
Equanimeous St.Brown, Notre Dame, WR
With arguably the best name in the draft, Equanimeous St.Brown is one of the top receiving prospects in the class. He finished 2016 with 58 receptions for 961 yards with nine touchdowns. He showed that he’s a polished route runner with some of the best hands in the college game. So far in 2017 he has 211yards a just the two touchdowns. Last year was definitely a better year for St.Brown as he had DeShone Kizer as hisQB. The current Brandon Wimbush is really struggling, which is impacting on St. Browns numbers. At 6’4″, 205 pounds he certainly has the height that scouts look for but he could do with adding a little muscle in the draft process. If he can do that then physically he’ll have everything you look for in a receiver.
1.15
Malik Jefferson, Texas LB
So I wanted to round out the first round with LJ Scott, Kallen Ballage or Mark Andrews, the tight end from Oklahoma. However, this is an IDP league after and Luke will not be a happy bunny unless i feature at least a couple of defensive prospects. So without further ado, let me introduce Malik Jefferson. Jefferson has spent this season playing the WILL for Texas after previous playing in the middle for the Longhorns. In both positions he’s proved to be hugely productive. In 2017 so far Jefferson has 54 tackles with six tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks in 2017. The 6’3″, 240 pound Jefferson also had 8 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss in his first two seasons at Texas. All that racks up to make him an exciting IDP prospect. As of right now Jefferson is my top linebacker for 2018.
1.16
NFC Cowboys
Roquan Smith
One of this year’s fastest risers in draft rankings has been the breakout linebacker, Roquan Smith. Smith has been manning the middle for the Georgia and he has been tremendous for Bulldogs in 2017. His numbers for this year have been very impressive as Smith has racked up 53 tackles with one sack and two passes batted down. In 2016 he again was very productive with 95 tackles, five tackles for a loss, and two forced fumbles. However, it’s been his speed and movement that has wowed some NFL scouts. More importantly is his ability to stay on the field for all three downs through his excellent ability to play in pass coverage. Still only a junior there’s a chance goes back to college but right now he’s one of the most exciting IDP prospects in the 2018 class.