Tag: NFL Network Mock Draft

New mock draft has Cardinals bolstering their receiving corps in first round

The Arizona Cardinals and Arkansas receiver Treylon Burks are once again being connected as the NFL draft is just one day away.

The NFL draft is Thursday night and there are only a few mock drafts left to look at. With just one day to go, it’s fun to look at what NFL analysts think the Cardinals will do.

NFL Network Analyst Charles Davis released his final mock draft of the year. He has the Cardinals selecting Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks with the No. 23 overall pick.

Arizona’s receiving corps took a hit with the loss of Christian Kirk in free agency. Adding the power-forward-esque player to QB Kyler Murray’s arsenal is a strong move. Burks can be the Cardinals version of what Deebo Samuel has been for the 49ers.

The Deebo Samuel comparisons have been made to Burks’ game before. He was electric after the catch, a trait that would be invaluable in Kliff Kingsbury’s heavy screen and short pass offense.

Burks played primarily in the slot at the collegiate level but his size and build project as an outside receiver at the next level. At 6-3 and 225 lbs, Burks has the size the Cardinals have sought to add with Kyler Murray’s game. The team may want to be cautious, however, as playing players out of position has hurt them before.

Burks had 1,104 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns last season. One of his standout performances came against elite-level defensive talent when he racked up 179 yards and two touchdowns against Alabama. He was dominant despite a lingering injury. It’s always worth noting when a prospect plays that well against future NFL talent.

Officially, Burks ran a 4.55-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, but he plays the game much faster than that. General Manager Steve Keim mentioned the need to pay attention to game speed over combine speed during his press conference, citing Rams All-Pro WR Cooper Kupp as an example.

Here’s an example of Burks’ ability, as he quite literally runs away from the entire Crimson Tide defense.

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2021 NFL draft: Jets add surprise wide receiver in new NFL Network mock

In Peter Schrager’s first mock draft, the Good Morning Football host has the Jets selecting Zach Wilson and Rondale Moore.

Peter Schrager is out with his first mock draft less than a month before the real thing.

The Good Morning Football host and NFL Network personality has the Jets going the expected route at No. 2, but they take the road less traveled with a surprise selection at No. 23.

Schrager pairs the Jets with BYU QB Zach Wilson to start things off, something that seems to be more than a foregone conclusion at this point.

Here’s his explanation for the selection:

In the end, I think Wilson will be the guy. His 2020 campaign numbers were eye-popping, but it’s his toughness and fearlessness over the course of his entire college career that really impresses folks around the league.

The Jets have already moved on from Sam Darnold and Joe Douglas didn’t deny Steve Young’s comments that New York has “committed” to Wilson and his family. Douglas didn’t have much of a rebuttal, adding that the legendary quarterback is “pretty tapped in” to the BYU football program.

The only box likely left to check is Wilson’s medicals, but the Jets aren’t concerned with Wilson’s shoulder injury history, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

As for New York’s second first-round pick, Schrager has them rolling the dice on Purdue wideout Rondale Moore.

Here’s his explanation for the pick:

Moore is a beast and a nightmare to tackle after the catch. He’s neither a burner nor a huge physical specimen, but he fits everything the Jets are looking to be. Think Deebo Samuel, with his ability to carry the ball, catch the ball and generally be a DC’s headache week in and week out.

While Moore is only 5-foot-7, his testing has been off the charts. Moore ran a 4.29 40-yard dash and had a 42.5-inch vertical at his pro day. The Purdue product has exceptional traits and is an explosive playmaker even though he’s an undersized slot receiver.

Where Moore may draw criticism beyond his size is his ability to stay on the field. He hasn’t played a full season in two years. He did, however, haul in 114 receptions for 1,258 yards with 12 touchdowns in 2018.

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2020 NFL Draft: Tristan Wirfs falls to Jets in NFL Network 3-round mock

In NFL Network’s post-combine mock draft, the Jets are able to re-tool their offensive line with their first two selections.

With the NFL Scouting Combine ending last weekend, the NFL is in a holding pattern of draft buzz until the start of the new league year. With that, NFL Network’s Chad Reuter released his latest mock draft, a three-rounder.

In this hypothetical, the Jets are able to reload the offensive line while finding potential replacements for both Robby Anderson and Jordan Jenkins on Day 2. At the same time, the Jets whiff on the copious amount of wide receiver talent in this draft.

Free agency will be telling of what the Jets plan to do round-by-round. For now, projections are the best measurement until it is understood what the front office wants to do with the offensive line.

With that said, here’s a look at the players selected by Reuter in each round for the Jets.

First Round: Tristan Wirfs | OL | Iowa

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

It’s unlikely that Tristan Wirfs is still on the board with the 11th pick, but with Cleveland trading out of No. 10 and four quarterbacks going within the top-10 picks, it opens up a window for New York.

Here’s the explanation for the pick from Chad Reuter:

The Jets’ O-line is a mess right now. Wirfs gives them a stout protector whether he’s at guard or tackle.

While the Jets seem interested in trading for Trent Williams, who the Redskins have made available via trade, that doesn’t take them out of the running for OL in the first round.

Wirfs is athletic enough to play both tackle spots. He started 10 games at right tackle and three games at left tackle for the Hawkeyes in 2019.  Daniel Jeremiah believe Wirfs has All-Pro potential at guard, too.

Wirfs would make an immediate impact on the Jets wherever he lines up. He is a big, powerful offensive tackle who shows off a solid balance of size, speed and strength. The 6-foot-5, 322-pound product from Iowa would be a homerun first pick for Joe Douglas and company.

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