New mock draft lands Commanders a CB climbing draft boards

A local star lands in Washington in a new mock draft.

With the 2023 NFL draft only 2 and a-half weeks away (April 27-29), it is now when you begin to notice players trending upward or downward in the voluminous mock drafts.

In the newest CBS Sports mock draft by Tom Fornelli, the Commanders take one of those players that, in the last few weeks, has been trending upward in mock drafts.

With the 16th selection, Fornelli has the Commanders selecting Maryland cornerback Deonte Banks. Have you noticed how Banks’ performance at the Scouting Combine has resulted in his stock evaluation rising in more minds?

Fornelli had this to say about why the Commanders would choose Banks:

Deonte Banks has developed a cult following since his performance at the combine. He ran a 4.35 40 with a 42-inch vertical and 136-inch broad jump. He’s a tremendous athlete and uses it to recover from potential mistakes.

It is pretty much conventional wisdom that for this particular draft, the Commanders are going to select a cornerback or offensive tackle in the first round if they remain at the 16th draft position. If they trade down, they would obtain another pick or two, and this could alter the order in which they would select players.

Another player climbing mock drafts in the last two weeks that I’ve noticed is Tennessee Volunteers offensive tackle Darnell Wright. Wright is moving up in his evaluation and could be available at No. 16 for the Commanders in the actual draft.

Fornelli has Wright moving earlier and being taken in the 13th position by the New York Jets.

As for the Commanders’ interest in cornerbacks and offensive tackles in the first round?

Fornelli has CB Devon Witherspoon (Illinois) going 6th to the Lions and CB Christian Gonzalez (Oregon) 15th to the Packers, and Joey Porter Jr (Penn State) 17th to the Steelers.

OT Peter Skoronski (Northwestern) goes 7th to the Raiders, OT Paris Johnson (Ohio State) 9th to the Patriots, Broderick Jones (Georgia) 11th to the Titans, with Wright (Tennessee)13th to the Jets.

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2021 NFL draft: Jets take Georgia edge rusher in new CBS Sports mock

CBS Sports has the Jets taking Zach Wilson and Azeez Ojulari in their most recent mock draft.

CBS Sports has a new mock draft in which the Jets take their quarterback of the future and add another pass-rusher to the mix.

Here, the Jets are paired with Zach Wilson, which can practically be written in pen at this point. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound BYU product fits quite well with what the Jets and Mike LaFleur are looking to accomplish offensively.

Wilson thrives off of his ability to make off-platform throws and would be given the freedom to do so in New York’s offense. While he isn’t as physically gifted as Justin Fields or Trey Lance, he has tremendous arm strength and projects to be a long-term starter at the next level.

As for Gang Green’s second first-round pick, Georgia edge rusher Azeez Ojulari is the projected selection at No. 23.

While Ojulari is one of the more complete pass-rushers in this year’s draft class, it would be hard to envision Joe Douglas passing on either Oklahoma State OL Teven Jenkins or Northwestern CB Greg Newsome II with this pick.

Ojulari is a bit undersized for New York’s 4-3 defensive scheme at 6-foot-3, 240 pounds. The Georgia product will need to put on some weight. That being said, he has the necessary explosiveness and athleticism to be a productive pass-rusher at the next level.

Ojualri totaled 30 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, 16 quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles in 10 games this past season.

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Xavier Tillman Sr. a mid-first-round pick in latest CBS Sports NBA mock draft

Tillman is slotted in at No. 17 overall in Kyle Boone’s latest mock draft.

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Xavier Tillman Sr. is going to get the guaranteed two-year deal he is seeking if the latest CBS Sports NBA mock draft is to be believed.

Tillman is projected to go No. 17 overall to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Kyle Boone’s latest mock draft. OF the pick Boone wrote, “After grabbing Tyrese Haliburton earlier in this draft, let’s get Minnesota some help down low defensively with Xavier Tillman, one of the most savvy and strong bigs in this draft class. Tillman sets hard screens, plays above his size and does all the little things that contribute to big winning — the type of selfless player the Wolves need to maximize D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns. He should be able to shore up their bottom-10 defense and improve the team’s frontcourt defense specifically, which is dragged down by Towns, who this season ranked 407th out of 529 players in defensive win shares.”

Fellow CBS writer Gary Parrish also has Tillman in the first round albeit a little bit lower at pick No. 26. Parish also has MSU’s Cassius Winston in the first round going to the Toronto Raptors at No. 29 overall.

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2020 NFL Draft: Jets trade up for Andrew Thomas in 3-round CBS Sports mock

The Jets land Andrew Thomas in CBS Sports’ most recent three-round mock draft projections.

With the 2020 NFL Draft less than a week away, CBS Sports released a new three-round mock.

In these projections, CBS Sports’ Dan Schneier has the Jets trading up to secure the offensive tackle of their choosing. After that, the Jets are able to acquire a starter at receiver and an edge rusher who has the potential to eventually be one.

Let’s take a look at who Schneier has the Jets taking in Rounds 1-3.

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Round 1 (via JAC):

9. Andrew Thomas | OT | Georgia

The Jets move up two spots to ensure they’ll get Andrew Thomas. In this projected trade, the Jets part ways with picks Nos. 11 and 79 while adding pick No. 116 in the process.

Here’s CBS Sports’ explanation for the trade-up and selection:

The Jets don’t chance a team trading up ahead of the Giants to draft the third of the big-four OTs (before their cross-town rival snags the last one at No. 10). The Jets lose their best Day 2 pick in the process (but grab back an early Day 3 pick), but that’s a fine price to pay to lock in their choice of the final two OTs (an absolute must given the current depth chart). Thomas has played against some of the best competition in the SEC, but he is my OT4 in this class (only slightly behind the top three) due to issues I spot in pass protection. At times when you watch Thomas, it also feels like he was hidden by Georgia’s play-action heavy system. A case can be made that Thomas is OT1 and for some teams who just might be — the Jets come away thrilled with this pick.

New York had a private dinner with Andrew Thomas and worked him out the next morning before pre-draft visits were shut down, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. It’s clear that the Jets have done their homework on the Georgia tackle. The question that remains is will he make it out of the top-10? The Dolphins have shown interest and have the draft capital to trade up and grab him if need be.

Thomas didn’t have the best combine but his results at Georgia point to a model of consistency. A three-year starter, he got a crack at playing both tackle positions. Coming from a well-coached team, Thomas will be a Day 1 starter due to his technique and versatility on the line.

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CBS Sports’ two-round mock draft likes this Ohio State star going to the Bucs

Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports released his latest two-round mock draft and predicts the Buccaneers find backfield help in Round 2.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers used a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft to take running back Ronald Jones out of USC, hoping the former Trojan could provide some much needed stability and explosiveness in the backfield.

Two years in, and the jury is still out on Jones. His rookie campaign was a forgettable one as he had just 23 rushes for 44 yards and one touchdown in nine games. Last year was a major improvement as Jones rushed for 724 yards and six touchdowns, playing in all 16 games and starting nine. Still, the Bucs need more insurance at the position now that Tom Brady is under center.

Finding a dynamic back in next week’s NFL draft should be high on the Bucs’ list of priorities, right after offensive tackle, and Chris Trapasso over at CBS Sports thinks Tampa Bay will find both in the first two rounds.

In his two-round mock draft, Trapasso has the Bucs nabbing Georgia OT Andrew Thomas with the 14th pick, as most mocks seem to believe they’ll do. “The Buccaneers avoid the temptation to move up to pick a tackle and get a stud here to protect the right side for Tom Brady,” Trapasso said of the Thomas pick.

In round two, he has the Bucs grabbing Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins, who surprisingly is the third running back off the board in his mock, behind both Jonathan Taylor of Wisconsin and D’Andre Swift of Georgia.

I think Tampa Bay would be happy to settle for Dobbins. The Ohio State star rushed for 2,003 yards and 21 touchdowns last season. Add that to an offense that includes Brady, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and the New Orleans Saints will be looking over their shoulder next season in the race for the division crown.

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Colts go WR, EDGE in latest CBS Sports mock draft

Here’s what the Colts did in CBS Sport’s latest mock draft.

Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports released a two-round mock draft on Wednesday that should make Indianapolis Colts fans very happy.

As more and more mock drafts are being released, many experts are trying to predict what Chris Ballard will decide to do after trading the No. 13 pick for Deforest Bucker.

Trapasso does not have the Colts trading back into the first round like many predict, but instead sticking with both pick 34 and 44.

At No. 34, the Colts select Arizona State wideout Brandon Aiyuk. Aiyuk is an explosive talent and he would fit in nicely with the already very fast Colts receiving corps.

As a player that could be taken in the late first round, Aiyuk falling to No. 34 would be a steal for the Colts as many predict they will take a receiver in the second round. It is hard to dispute the quality of this pick for the Colts.

At No. 44, the Colts select edge rusher Yetur Gross-Matos from Penn State. At 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, Gross-Matos is a huge, dynamic pass rusher off the edge and has been seen as a late first, early second round prospect.

While cornerback might be a bigger need for Chris Ballard and company at this pick, Gross-Matos would be a quality pick for depth on the edge. He would only boost the defensive line that the Colts have reformed this offseason.

While there are many needs for the Colts, all of them will not be filled in this draft. Ballard is known for developing young players and moving draft picks so we will have to see just what the Colts do next week in preparations for the upcoming season.

New mock draft has the Bucs trading down in round one but still landing a prized OT

Patrik Walker of CBS Sports thinks the Bucs could end up trading down in round one but still wind up with this prized offensive lineman.

The NFL will stage a virtual draft this year for the first time as the world works to combat the coronavirus pandemic. General managers, including Bucs GM Jason Licht, will be making the picks from their homes. Gone are the draft war rooms filled with coaches and scouts pouring over data together. It’ll certainly be an adjustment for teams in terms of how they convey the pick to the league, but a team’s needs heading into the draft shouldn’t be affected.

For the Bucs, who hold the 14th pick in round one, the top need is to find help up front for quarterback Tom Brady, who will be 43 when the season kicks off. A majority of post-free agency mock drafts have had the Bucs taking Georgia OT Andrew Thomas. But, in Patrik Walker’s one and only mock draft over at CBS Sports, he has Thomas going all the way at No. 4 to the New York Giants.

So, where does that leave the Bucs at 14? Well, in Walker’s mock draft, the Bucs actually swap picks with the Dallas Cowboys, going from 14 to 17. Walker has the Cowboys trading up to take cornerback CJ Henderson out of Florida. Meanwhile, the Bucs end up with OT Mekhi Becton out of Louisville.

Per Walker:

“Tom Brady is no spring chicken, so protecting him is job numero uno for Tampa. They’ll find Becton gets that job done fairly handily. And considering he would’ve been their pick at No. 14, they landed their guy and an extra pick from the Cowboys, because chess.”

Again, offensive linemen have been all over the place in mock drafts. Thomas has routinely fallen to the Bucs at 14, while Becton has found himself going in the top five in several mocks. Maybe the lack of Pro Day visits and in-person interviews has made it difficult to peg which player best fits each team. Regardless, it’ll be an interesting and important draft for the Buccaneers now that they have Brady under center.

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Will Brinson’s latest mock draft predicts the Bucs trade down in the first round

Will Brinson of CBS Sports thinks the Bucs will trade down in the first round of the 2020 draft.

It was hard to gauge what direction the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would go in at the 2020 NFL draft until free agency began and we saw which players were coming and which were going.

Right now, it looks like the Bucs are stacked next season on defense again after deciding to bring back both Shaq Barrett (franchise tag) and Jason Pierre-Paul (two-year deal). Oh, and they also signed some quarterback named Brady.

Now that the six-time Super Bowl champion will be under center for the Buccaneers in 2020, the task for Tampa Bay now is to find a way to protect the Golden Boy and keep him upright. The offensive line was a major issue last season for the Bucs, as Jameis Winston was sacked 47 times, fourth-most in the league. For comparison, Brady was sacked just 27 times.

So, it shouldn’t comes as a surprise that Will Brinson of CBS Sports has the Bucs taking an offensive lineman in the first round in his latest mock draft. What is surprising, however, is that Brinson believes the Bucs will trade down in the first round, swapping picks with the Las Vegas Raiders, dropping from 14 to 19, where they will take Josh Jones out of Houston.

Per Brinson:

“The Bucs have to improve the offensive line with Tom Brady in the fold. Another trade down could even make sense, but Jones is rising in this draft process.”

Jones is 6-foot-5 and close to 320 pounds, so would be a welcome addition to the right side of the offensive line. But, if an offensive lineman like Jedrick Wills of Alabama or Tristan Wirfs of Iowa is sitting there at 14, Tampa Bay may choose to stay where they are to take one of them.

The 2019 draft was all about rebuilding the defense for the Bucs. 2020’s draft will be about shoring up their offensive line to protect their franchise quarterback.

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CBS Sports’ latest mock draft says Bucs will take value over need in Round 1

See who Josh Edwards over at CBS Sports thinks will be the top pick for the Buccaneers in round one of the 2020 NFL Draft.

As crazy as the world is right now, there’s one thing we can always rely on: NFL mock drafts.

Despite the fact that several teams, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, have taken their coaches and staff off the road in light of the coronavirus pandemic, the NFL draft still seems to be moving ahead next month — for now.

While pro days and other pre-draft events may be on hold right now, teams were able to get an up-close look at this year’s class during the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. For the Bucs, their biggest area of need seems to be along the offensive line. And while taking an offensive tackle in round one with the 14th pick seems like a solid option, Josh Edwards over at CBS Sports thinks the Bucs will choose value over need in his latest mock draft. Edwards predicts Tampa Bay passes on an OT in favor of LSU edge K’Lavon Chaisson.

Per Edwards:

“Tampa Bay would love to take an offensive tackle but Chaisson is the best value. The Buccaneers can potentially take an offensive tackle on Day 2. A rookie quarterback does not seem likely for them.”

It definitely seems like the Bucs favor a veteran QB over an unproven rookie. With several quarterbacks hitting the open market in free agency, including Tom Brady, Philip Rivers and Teddy Bridgewater, the Bucs may prefer experience over potential.

Still, whoever is under center in 2020 will need protection on the right side, the Bucs’ biggest area of need along the O-line. There are options in free agency, like Jack Conklin of the Tennessee Titans. The Bucs have the cap room to make some big moves, and if they can land a big free agent or two, the NFL draft will just be icing on the cake. And, getting a guy like Chaisson to add to that young defense would be a great way to kick off round one.

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CBS Sports’ latest mock draft says Bucs should take this OT to ‘prioritize winning now’

See why Josh Edwards over at CBS Sports thinks the Bucs should select an OT in the first round of the draft in order to prioritize winning.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished the 2019 regular season just 7-9, missing the postseason for the 12th-straight season. But a 4-2 finish to the year showed people what Tampa Bay is capable of and what they are building towards. 2019 was a step in the right direction for a franchise playing its first season under head coach Bruce Arians.

Arians, 67, is a two-time NFL Coach of the Year who didn’t come out of his one-year retirement to just occupy time on the sideline. He wants to turn this organization around now, which is why the team is seriously considering letting 30-interception man Jameis Winston walk in free agency.

While the Bucs could look to add a new quarterback in April’s NFL draft, CBS Sports’ latest mock draft from Josh Edwards says the Bucs should look to take offensive tackle Andrew Thomas out of Georgia with the 14th pick if they truly want to win now.

Per Edwards:

“Tampa Bay may bring back Jameis Winston or add another veteran quarterback. It is unknown how long Bruce Arians intends to coach, so the Bucs must prioritize winning now. The focus should be adding an offensive tackle, running back and then best players available on defense. They are set in the pass-catching unit.”

Edwards believes in round two, the Bucs will look to take a running back with the 45th pick in Florida State RB Cam Akers, who finished the 2019 season with 1,144 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns. In round three, Edwards has the Bucs taking Florida edge Jabari Zuniga, which could be a great pick should some of Tampa Bay’s big-name defensive players leave in free agency.

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