Monday Morning Draft is back! This is a column that delves into the past weekend’s action from an NFL Draft perspective. As the season goes on, the draft picture and slotting will become more clear, but every Sunday will provide a few hints for next April.
By Charlie Campbell.
Send Charlie an e-mail here: [email protected]
Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell for updates.
Race for the No. 1 Pick:
Cleveland Browns: The Browns made history by finishing 0-16 in the 2017 season with a loss to the Steelers backups. It was fitting for Sashi Brown, Hue Jackson, Andrew Berry, and Paul Depodesta that their first draft pick in Corey Coleman dropped an easy pass at the Pittsburgh 10-yard line late in the fourth quarter to clinch the winless season.
Cleveland had some bad coaching this season, plus was overmatched from a talent perspective on a weekly basis. The Browns were the last winless team in the NFL and did not significantly improve over last season despite lots of spending in free agency to go along with high draft picks. That lack of talent and passing on franchise quarterbacks ended up costing Sashi Brown his job after a stretch of 1-27 running the Browns.
As stated by owner Jimmy Haslam, finding a franchise quarterback is the No. 1 priority for new general manager John Dorsey. With the first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Dorsey will have his choice among candidates of Josh Rosen, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson; most likely Sam Darnold goes back to USC. At this point, Rosen would be the favorite to be that pick.
To add insult to injury this year, the Browns lost to the three quarterbacks they’ve passed on recently and who look like three future franchise signal-callers. Carson Wentz won over them earlier in the year, and then the Texans’ Deshaun Watson killed Cleveland’s defense, teasing the organization with what could have been if it hadn’t passed on him twice in the 2017 NFL Draft. Mitch Trubisky put the final insult to the season with the Week 16 win over Cleveland.
Let’s Play Matchmaker:
This section will look at some of the top talent in college football and match those prospects up with teams that have a dire need at the position.
Cleveland Browns: Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State 
The Browns have two top-five picks in the 2018 NFL Draft, so it would make sense for Cleveland to take a game-changer like Barkley to go with a quarterback prospect. Isaiah Crowell is entering free agency, and the Browns could use an upgrade over him. Barkley would be a great asset to help the Browns’ new quarterback pan out and give more bang for their buck after all the money they have spent on their offensive line.
In 2017, Barkley averaged 5.9 yards per carry for 1,271 yards with 18 touchdowns. The junior had 54 receptions for 632 yards and three touchdowns as well. Barkley has devastating quickness to hit the hole and accelerate downfield. Along with great speed, Barkley (5-11, 225) possesses tremendous balance, vision, cutting ability, elusiveness and power. He also is a receiving threat who presents mismatch problems for a defense in the passing attack. Barkley is an elite running back prospect in the same mold of Leonard Fournette, Todd Gurley, and better than Ezekiel Elliott. Unless Barkley has an injury or off-the-field issue, he’s a lock to be a top-10 pick next April. In this draft analyst’s opinion, Barkley is the best player in the 2018 NFL Draft.
New York Giants: Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma 
The Giants closed out the 2017 season with their third win as Orleans Darkwa ran for 154 yards and a touchdown. The offensive line was one of the biggest problems for the Giants in 2017, and they will need to upgrade their front for next season. The Giants are expected to target a quarterback with the second-overall pick, so improving the blocking for that signal-caller would make a lot of sense.
Brown (6-8, 360) is a massive blocker who has been a physical blocker for the Sooners. He opened a lot of holes for Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine in 2016, and has been a reliable protector for Baker Mayfield in 2017. Brown has done the same for others as a starter over the past few seasons. Brown uses his strength and physicality to toss a lot of defenders to the ground as he can be a flat-out bully on the field. Brown might be able to stay at left tackle in NFL, but he should likely be a good right tackle in the NFL. He would be a good addition for the Giants to lead off Day 2 of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Detroit Lions: Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn 
The Lions were able to cruise over Green Bay in Week 17, but Detroit’s lack of running game was given another vivid example versus the Packers. The stat lines for the Lions’ running backs of Tion Green (9-21), Ameer Abdullah (8-18) and Theo Reddick were pathetic. If the Lions are going to get back to the playoffs and be a serious contender for a Super Bowl, they have to improve their rushing offense and bring more balance to that side of the ball.
Detroit could land a good value at running back on the second day of the 2018 NFL Draft. The 6-foot, 212-pound Johnson carried Auburn to wins over Alabama and Georgia to put his draft stock on the map late in the 2017 season. Versus both defenses loaded with NFL talent, Johnson showed real quickness with good cutting ability, vision, and decisive downhill running. He also played banged up, illustrating his toughness to withstand a heavy work load and some hard hits. In 2017, Johnson is averaging 5.0 yards per carry for 1,320 yards with 17 touchdowns. He also has 23 receptions for 188 yards and two scores. As a second-round pick, Johnson would be an excellent addition to the Detroit offense.
Cincinnati Bengals: Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame 
Cincinnati had a shocking win over the Ravens as Andy Dalton got good pass protection to hurt Baltimore through the air. The past two games have illustrated what the Bengals’ offense is capable of doing when they get good blocking. In the offseason, Cincinnati needs to add more talent to its blocking front. If the Bengals take Nelson in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, he could be road grader to open holes for Joe Mixon and Gio Bernard.
The 6-foot-5, 325-pound Nelson is a powerful blocker at the point of attack. He has the ability to blast defensive linemen out of their gaps and open holes to the second level. Nelson also is rock solid in pass protection. Some team sources have compared him to Logan Mankins. If the Bengals take Nelson, he could be an immediate starter and upgrade for their offensive line. He would make a lot of sense for the organization’s first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
San Francisco 49ers: Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame The 49ers continued their winning streak to close out the season, beating a Rams team that was resting its starters prior to the playoffs. Jimmy Garoppolo has been very impressive for San Francisco, doing a lot of damage despite not having a lot of receiving talent. On the second day of the 2018 NFL Draft, the 49ers could target a receiver like St. Brown with their second-round selection or one of their third-round picks.
St. Brown has 31 receptions for 468 yards and four touchdowns in 2017. His production and opportunities are getting killed by the lack of passing talent with Notre Dame quarterback Brandon Wimbush. St. Brown also sees lots of double teams. The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder had a quality 2016 season with 58 receptions for 961 yards and nine touchdowns with DeShone Kizer at quarterback.
Scouts have told me they are really intrigued with St. Brown. They say he is a super-polished route runner with tremendous speed, athletic ability, body control, and hands. They still think that St. Brown could be a first-rounder even though he didn’t have big production this season thanks to Wimbush playing quarterback. Other scouts aren’t as high on St. Brown and grade him on Day 2 of the 2018 NFL Draft. St. Brown would be a great fit in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
Indianapolis Colts: Isaiah Wynn, OL, Georgia 
The Colts got their fourth win of the season, but once again, they allowed a lot of hits on the quarterback. Jadeveon Clowney overwhelmed their blockers, and the Colts have to improve their line in the offseason as they were one of the worst lines in the NFL this season. Indianapolis could use upgrades at tackle and guard. Here’s a versatile blocker who could help them as a second-day pick.
Wynn (6-2, 302) has played really well in 2017. He has been very good in the ground game, pushing defenders around at the point of attack to open holes for Georgia’s stable of backs. Wynn has nice strength to get movement and blocks hard through the whistle. He also has shown some nice quickness, bending skills, and athleticism in pass protection, including impressive play to negate speed rushers this season. If Wynn were three inches taller, he would be a top-16 pick. Being short and lacking length, however, makes him more of a second-day pick. Wynn could be an overachiever who stays at left tackle, or just plays as a guard, center, or right tackle in the NFL.
Arizona Cardinals: Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville 
The Cardinals pulled off a shocking win in Week 17 to help knock Seattle out of the playoffs. Finishing at 8-8, Arizona won’t be picking high enough to land one of the top quarterback prospects, so the team will have to consider the signal-callers in the second-tier group of Baker Mayfield and Jackson. Jackson is a superb play-maker who could be a dynamic player in the NFL. Cardinals general manager Steve Keim has stated Arizona would have taken Deshaun Watson in the 2017 NFL Draft, and that is very questionable considering the Cardinals could easily have traded up for Watson if they had wanted him. Perhaps Keim will see the success of Watson and go for a similar quarterback prospect in the 2018 NFL Draft with Jackson.
In 2017, Jackson completed 59 percent of his passes for 3,660 yards with 27 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry on the ground on his way to 1,601 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns. Jackson has an amazing skill set with a powerful arm that allows him to make throws off platform that many NFL quarterbacks couldn’t even dream of making. He is tough in the pocket, knows his scheme well, and has amazing athleticism and speed as a runner. Jackson looks like a taller and right-handed version of Michael Vick. Some team sources feel that Jackson is being undervalued similarly to Deshaun Watson a year ago. For the NFL, Jackson needs to get stronger and work on his accuracy. However, he has big-time play-making potential and could be a dynamic player if an offensive system is built around him.
Team Draft Report:
In this section, we take a deeper look at specific teams and where they stand in regards to the 2018 NFL Draft.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Regardless of whether the Steelers win the Super Bowl this year, they should be back in the mix as one of the elite teams in the AFC next year. Pittsburgh has drafted well with elite talents at the skill positions who have a big impact on wins versus losses. Unless Ben Roethlisberger retires, the Steelers should be in win-now mode and completely capable of making a Super Bowl run in the 2018 season. There are a few needs for the team to address this offseason to fortify the roster.
Defensively, the Steelers could use a safety to pair with Sean Davis. A strong safety who is a good tackler and run defender would also make sense after the injury to Ryan Shazier. In my latest mock 2018 NFL Draft, I have the Steelers taking Alabama safety Ronnie Harrison, which looks like a perfect fit. Harrison is a strong tackler and run defender who is a physical force in the middle of the field. His size, power, and violence really fits with the historic culture of the Pittsburgh defense. If Harrison is off the board, another good safety who could be an upgrade is Stanford’s Justin Reid. He is a well-rounded safety who would be an improvement for Pittsburgh.
With Shazier injured and James Harrison being let go, the linebacker position could use addressing in the offseason. Alabama’s Rahsaan Evans could make sense for the Steelers as he can play inside linebacker and rush off the edge. He could be a pick who makes sense late in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Other inside linebackers to consider include South Carolina State’s Darius Leonard, Virginia Tech’s Tremaine Edmunds, Texas’ Malik Jefferson, USC’s Cameron Smith and Ohio State’s Jerome Baker.
All good defenses have three capable edge rushers for depth and rotational purposes. Thus on the second day, the Steelers could target a rusher to go with T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree. A great fit would be Southeastern Louisiania’s Sione Teuhema. He is a good pass-rusher and could play inside linebacker. Other candidates to consider on Day 2 and the mid-rounds include Wake Forest’s Duke Ejiofor, Missouri’s Marcell Harris, Louisville’s James Hearns, Georgia’s Lorenzo Carter and Florida State’s Josh Sweat.
Offensively, the Steelers could use help at tight end. They could consider the position in the first round because sources say that this not a tight end class featuring good depth. Hence, Pittsburgh could take the top one in Round 1. South Carolina’s Hayden Hurst is a first-round athlete who could be a good value for the Steelers’ Thursday night selection. There is a big drop-off in talent after Hurst, but if they wait to the second day of the 2018 NFL Draft, they could consider Oklahoma’s Mark Andrews, Stanford’s Dalton Schultz, Wisconsin’s Troy Fumagalli and Penn State’s Mike Gesicki.
A strong draft in 2018 could help the Steelers to get over the top next season. Pittsburgh could easily end up adding another Lombardi Trophy and a third Super Bowl ring for Roethlisberger.
Houston Texans: Every year in the NFL, there are talented teams that have their seasons ended because of injuries. The Texans were one of those teams in 2017, as star players like quarterback Deshaun Watson, defensive end J.J. Watt, and outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus went out for the season before November. Those are three of the five best players on Houston’s roster, and no team is able to sustain that kind of loss of talent. If those players were not injured, I think the Texans would be among the elite teams in the AFC and playing in January, just like they were the past two years. Watson was playing at a MVP level before his injury and looks like he could be one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. With him, Jadeveon Clowney, and DeAndre Hopkins to go along with Watt and Mercilus, the Texans could be a prime Super Bowl contender in 2018. However, Houston does have two position groups that need to be overhauled in order for the team to make a Super Bowl run.
The Texans have to rebuild and upgrade their secondary this offseason. Safety was an issue all year after losing Quintin Demps in free agency, while veteran cornerbacks Kareem Jackson and Jonathan Joseph showed that age has caught up to them. Finding more talent at cornerback and safety is essential. Without its first- and second-round picks, I expect Houston to sign some veterans in free agency. I could see the organization targeting one or two cornerbacks among the group of Trumaine Johnson, Morris Claiborne and Kyle Fuller. At safety, it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Texans sign Eric Reid. Even with free agent additions, I think they will draft young defensive back talent. In my latest mock 2018 NFL Draft, I have Houston taking Texas safety DeShon Elliott with their first selection in the third round. He was a ballhawk in 2017 and also a physical defender. Elliott would a great fit in Houston. Other safeties to consider would be Virginia Tech’s Terrell Edmunds or Stanford’s Justin Reid, if he slides.
At cornerback, some good options include Maryland’s J.C. Jackson, Florida’s Duke Dawson, Southern’s Danny Johnson and Illinois’ Jaylen Dunlap. I could see the Texans drafting one of them with another third-round pick. Houston has two third-round picks already, and sources have told me that the Texans will get another as a compensatory pick for losing A.J. Bouye, Demps, John Simon and others in free agency.
Offensively, the Texans have to rebuild their blocking front. Center Nick Martin played well this year before going on injured reserve, but the offensive line could use upgrades elsewhere. Trading the aging and declining Duane Brown for a third-round pick this year and a second-round pick next year was a great long-term move by Houston. In the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft, a left tackle who has a starting skill set for the NFL is West Georgia’s Desmond Harrison. Some guard upgrades to consider would also be Southeast Louisiana’s Maea Teuhema and Auburn’s Braden Smith.
Houston also needs help at tight end. C.J. Fiedorowicz has been plagued by multiple concussions the past few seasons, and his future is in doubt. Ryan Griffin and Stephen Anderson are just backup quality players. If South Carolina’s Hayden Hurst slid to the third round, he would be a great pick, but he will likely be gone. Some third-round options for Houston would be Stanford’s Dalton Schultz, Wisconsin’s Troy Fumagalli and Penn State’s Mike Gesicki.
While this year was sidetracked by injuries, the Texans are set up to be among the best teams in the AFC next year after getting Watson, Watt and Mercilus back. Houston has one of the best scouting departments in the NFL. Under Rick Smith, the Texans are the only team in the NFL not to blow a first-round pick over the last decade. Smith had a great scouting department, and with Smith taking a leave of absence, the Texans should turn to one of their college scouting directors in Jon Carr or Mike Martin as their next general manager. Both are great evaluators, and elevating one to general manager would be the best move the McNairs could make. A couple more good drafts led by Carr and Martin could put the Texans over the top to give Watson the support he needs to get the the Texans their first Lombardi Trophy.
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