Live 2018 NFL Draft Blog

My Thoughts on the 2018 NFL Draft – Live on Draft Day!

What is this? I’ll be posting my thoughts on the 2018 NFL Draft here. That will include everything from the actual picks, to the TV personalities, to the commercials, etc. Anything goes. This page will be updated every five minutes or so, so I hope you join me for the 2018 NFL Draft!

By the way, I’ll be posting live 2018 NFL Draft Grades for individual picks. Overall 2018 NFL Draft Grades will be posted all day Sunday. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Also, you can discuss the 2018 NFL Draft in the Draft Day page, or post a comment below. The Draft Day page will have comments from Charlie Campbell and me, announced picks and the top remaining players available on our Big Board.

6:12: Might as well start this now! I thought I’d post two props I’m betting on. I’m 3-1 over the past two seasons in betting props, losing only with “Corey Davis Over 17.5 +120.”

This year, I like:

Under 5.5 quarterbacks in first round -200
Calvin Ridley Under 19.5 -140

Both of these are on BetUS. I don’t see Mason Rudolph or Kyle Lauletta making it into the opening frame. Meanwhile, Calvin Ridley seems set to fall into the 20s or 30s.

6:16: Ugh, I hate this stupid red carpet thing. They did this last year, and I criticized it then…

Why the hell does NFL Network think football fans want to watch this? Let’s do one final mock draft instead from Mike Mayock. That would generate greater viewership for sure.

Seriously. Why not have mock drafts at this hour? Or dueling mock drafts like ESPN? Or just duels? I’d rather watch two prospects fight it out with swords than this nonsense.

6:17: Connor Williams is a nicer person than me. If people bullied me as a kid, and I grew up to be that big, I’d seek some revenge. Mind you, I wouldn’t go around and beat them up; instead, I’d work on a revenge board in my basement as I smeared lipstick on my face.

6:18: Is there a reason these NFL prospects are wearing large headphones around their neck? Is this a fashion thing, or are they required to have these things for some reason? I’d rather go with small earbuds, by the way. I never found headphones to be comfortable.

6:21: I hate these cookie-cutter questions. “How do you feel?” “Are you excited?” If I were a prospect, I’d just troll them with a reply like, “Meh, couldn’t care less.” I imagine this is what Jay Cutler would’ve said if there was a red carpet prior to the 2006 NFL Draft.

6:22: Oh, and why do people make such a big deal about shoes? Who cares, really? Do you know how long I’ve been wearing the same sneakers? My parents bought me a pair in 2010, just before I moved into my current home, and I still wear them! Sure, my feet tend to get wet if it rains, but I think that’s OK.

6:23: I’ve gotten this question every year: “Will you be doing this live blog tomorrow for Rounds 2-3?” I will not be, unfortunately. I’d love to, but the Day 2 picks come in so quickly that I wouldn’t be able to write anything. I will have my Live NFL Draft Grades posted as the picks come in, however, so you can read my thoughts then.

6:25: If you haven’t seen it, our 2018 NFL Mock Draft is posted. The final version is up, and there are three projected trades!

6:28: With that in mind, I don’t think anyone’s mock is going to do too well today. I think Roger Goodell issued a gag order on the Browns, and it could be that fake Baker Mayfield news was leaked intentionally. I don’t know. Maybe it’s just the conspiracy theorist in me coming out, but I’m just saying, don’t be surprised if Mayfield isn’t the top pick!

6:30: On a related note, I found this tweet hilarious:

I hope Dorsey only told Hue that he was picking Mayfield and told everyone else something else so that he knows for sure Hue is a leaky sieve.

6:32: JuJu Smith-Schuster wearing a Pizza Hut suit. Amazing. Except, Pizza Hut kind of sucks. It used to be great, so I don’t know what happened. They changed their recipe, or something, and now it tastes like cardboard.

6:34: (I reserve the right to change my mind if Pizza Hut becomes an official sponsor of this Web site.)

6:38: In all honesty, do people actually eat at these big-chain pizza stores? I’ve never not lived in a place with small pizza shops, and I’ve always loved those more. Their product is better because they want it more.

6:39: This Roger guy looks way too old to be drafted. #JustSaying

6:41: Just talked to Charlie Campbell. He’s in my camp of not being completely sold on Mayfield to the Browns. We’ve both mocked him there, but this Goodell gag order could be real.

6:43: Speaking of Charlie, just got some NFL Draft news from him that I’ll be posting soon.

6:49: Posted in the NFL Hot Press: The Bills are aiming to trade into the 4-7 range after determining that the Giants were asking for too much.

6:51: I’m not one to know anything about fashion, but I’ll say this: I’m a fan of any dude who doesn’t wear a tie. I hate ties. They are ugly, uncomfortable and stupid. Plus, I can’t tie a tie to save my life. I personally don’t think it’s possible.

6:57: Josh Allen about to walk the red carpet. I wonder if he’ll get any boos. I also wonder if he’ll fall in the draft. No teams have said they’re going to have him fall on their boards, but saying something and actually pulling the trigger on a selection are two different things.

6:59: Ugh, do we really have an hour to go? Can’t they just start this already? Do we really need another hour of this red-carpet nonsense?

7:04: The parents need to get more creative as well. “I’m so proud of my son. It’s been such a long journey. I love him, and we made it.” As a parent, I’d say, “This idiot did the dumbest thing ever last night, and he’s going to be grounded when he comes home!”

7:07: Oh wow, Denzel Ward is named after Denzel Washington. When I was updating my mock draft last night, I was so tired that I wrote “Denzel Washington” by accident. What a crazy coincidence (not really.)

7:13: Saquon Barkley just had a kid? Holy hell. I’m 35, and I feel like I’m barely prepared to be a dad. I couldn’t even imagine being a father in my early 20s. I was way too much of an idiot back then, and I still kind of am.

7:15: So glad Vita Vea has agreed to shorten his name. There’s no way in hell I’d ever type that more than once. I’d have a permanent notepad file open to copy-paste.

7:18: Speaking of being old, I was helping my fiancee move something two nights ago, and I severely damaged my back. It hurts like a**holes under my left shoulder blade. I had the same issue a year ago at my sister-in-law’s wedding, and it was painful whenever I breathed. I have no point to this story; I just wanted to share my misery. My recommendation: Don’t get old.

7:20: JUST START THE DAMN DRAFT ALREADY, COME ON!

7:23: I wasn’t really paying attention, did Josh Rosen say he only needs balls in his life? Not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course.

7:24: I wish Sam Darnold went back to school. His 2017 season was such a downer after his great freshman year. He was a lock to go first after 2016.

7:27: Is the red-carpet thing over yet? Seems like it’s winding down. I don’t know why it has to be 90 minutes. Can’t they just do the whole thing in like five or 10 minutes?

7:32: If anyone’s wondering, I’m watching NFL Network. I’m done with ESPN and their nonsense. Chris Berman and Tom Jackson were the only reasons I watched, and they’ve both retired.

7:34: Truth about what David Shaw just said. If you’re a kid, don’t say anything controversial on social media, ever. If you become big, it’ll come back to haunt you if you do.

7:35: Steve Mariucci: “ISN’T THIS GREAT GUYS!? SO GLAD TO BE HERE! AREN’T YOU ALL EXCITED!?” Camera pans to Troy Aikman, who looks like he doesn’t want to be there.

7:37: Billy Marshall from Cat Scratch Reader summing it up perfectly: “Troy Aikman saying a whole lotta something that means absolutely nothing.”

7:39: Oh, look, Mike Mayock talking about Leighton Vander Esch’s medical issues. Can’t wait to see all the angry tweets directed at him.

7:41: I hate these Verizon commercials with the guy from Silicon Valley. He’s great on the show, but sucks in the ads. Also, they took the wrong girl from the horse commercial. The one who was always scowling was the better-looking one.

7:42: I’ve said it before, but if I were Shaquem Griffin, I’d wear a hook on my hand like a certain Peter Pan villain. How scared would opposing teams be of a player with a hook on his hand? I feel like Griffin would be a first-round pick with a hook.

7:44: I think Twitter would break if one of the draft prospects knelt for the national anthem right now.

7:47: Ian Rapoport saying the Broncos will move up to No. 2. It almost has to be Sam Darnold.

7:50: “David Gettleman is a big-bodied guy.” – Mike Mayock. Wow, way to call the Giants’ general manager fat!

7:51: Given all this drama, I think I speak for everyone in saying that I hope the Browns never draft first again. I can’t take it. And it’s so unnecessary. Just tell us the f***ing pick!

7:53: I wish you could all see the local commercials we have here in Feasterville, Pa. Some car dealership is touting some shady-looking dude named Johnny O., who walks like the Penguin from Batman.

7:55: If anyone thinks this class of quarterbacks is good, wait until 2020 (or look now at my 2020 NFL Mock Draft.)

7:57: Darnold looks a bit disappointed after his agent finished speaking to him. Was he just told that Mayfield is the first pick? Or is he disappointed that he’ll be heading to Cleveland!?

8:00: Just took a final ninja piss. I don’t expect to move in the next four hours. The final pick of the first round last year, by the way, was at 12:03 a.m.

8:02: If the Browns don’t take Mayfield, here’s your last chance to look at the grade I gave in my Live NFL Draft Grades.

8:04: Ugh, come on, Nationwide. No kid says “I want to be a great person growing up.” It’s always, “I want to be a football player” or “I want to be rich.”

8:05: Sooooo weird to hear the NFL FOX music during the draft.

8:06: Roger Goodell’s ploy to bring up famous Cowboys on stage with him didn’t work! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

8:07: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8:08: The NFL Draft should just be in some small town with a population of 50 people so Goodell doesn’t get booed loudly anymore.

8:09: The Cleveland Browns are on the clock. I just got a sinking feeling that I won’t get any picks correct.

8:10: Trade alert: The Browns have traded the No. 1 pick to the Browns for the No. 4 pick.

8:12: Time’s ticking down, and no one in the Browns’ war room is doing anything. Do something!

8:13: Baker Mayfield just answered the phone on his Instagram account. It was a telemarketer. Womp womp.

8:15: What if the Browns run out of time? Can the Giants pick the player they didn’t want?

8:16: The pick is in!!!

With the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Browns select Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma

8:18: Guess it wasn’t a telemarketer. Oops!

8:19: Let’s see if the Broncos move up for Sam Darnold.

8:20: “Mayfield is thick in the chest.” – Mayock. When else can you call someone “thick in the chest” and get away with it?

8:21: I think Tyrod Taylor starts Week 1, but Mayfield is the starter by October.

8:22: The Giants’ pick is in. No trade!

With the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Giants select Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

8:24: OK, so I had the first two grades prepared ahead of time in my NFL Draft Grades. The other 30 are not, so I might be slow on comments at times. I apologize in advance.

8:25: I will say though that the Browns should be ashamed of themselves for not taking Barkley first. It’s crazy to pass on someone like that when a quarterback can easily be obtained at No. 4.

8:27: The Jets had Sam Darnold fall into their laps. It has to be Darnold… right…?

8:28: Wow, who is that in the Jets’ war room!? Holy hell.

With the No. 3 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Jets select Sam Darnold, QB, USC

8:31: Come on, Browns! Trade the pick! Do it!

8:33: Ugh, the Browns are going to screw this up and pick a player they won’t be able to re-sign in five years.

8:35: The Browns’ pick is in! They didn’t trade!

With the No. 4 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Browns select Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State

8:39: “If you had the Browns going Mayfield-Ward, you won the lottery.” – Rich Eisen. Umm… where are my winnings?

8:40: Seriously though, can I just say how happy I am that logic prevailed with at least No. 4? The Browns really couldn’t pay for both Myles Garrett and Bradley Chubb.

8:42: Denver’s pick is in. No trade either!

With the No. 5 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Broncos select Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State

With the No. 6 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Colts select Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame

8:49: Ugh, my first incorrect pick. This sucks. This is why mock drafting is so difficult. Now, the errors will cascade. The Buccaneers will pick Derwin James when they wanted Nelson all along. Boo, Colts, boo!

8:50: And boo on the Colts for picking so quickly. How can I make dumb comments when they make fast decisions like that!?

8:51: So much for Derwin James! The Bills are moving up.

8:52: Wow, the Bills didn’t give up No. 22 or their 2019 first-rounder. Great value!

With the No. 7 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Bills select Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming

8:57: Oh man. From a mock draft perspective, this is going great so far. Only one mistake. I’ll definitely take it!

8:58: The Bears are on the clock. I had them trading down as well. I hope they don’t take Tremaine Edmunds because I know the Dolphins love him.

8:59: Chicago’s pick is in. No trade.

With the No. 8 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Bears select Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia

9:02: Man, the Bears are not predictable. I can’t ever get a read on what they’re going to do, and I don’t know of anyone who does either.

9:03: I have the 49ers taking Minkah Fitzpatrick, so I’m rooting for that. Don’t disappoint me, John Lynch!

With the No. 9 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the 49ers select Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame

9:08: Boo, John Lynch for ruining my mock draft, boooo!!!

9:09: Arizona is on the clock!!! The Raiders wanted McGlinchey, so it makes sense for them to move down.

9:12: The Cardinals gave up just third- and fifth-rounders. Pretty, pretty good.

With the No. 10 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Cardinals select Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA

9:15: From Kenny Ortiz my co-host on the podcast: “This will be the third time Sam Bradford is starting for a team that has traded up to draft a quarterback in the first round.” Wow.

9:17: Man, the Dolphins have to be thrilled that Edmunds is available. And hopefully I don’t look dumb for saying that.

With the No. 11 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Dolphins select Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama

9:22: The Buccaneers traded back, and they’re still able to get Derwin James? Crazy!

9:23: Never mind about James…

With the No. 12 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Buccaneers select Vita Vea, NT Washington

9:28: My fiancee just walked into the room and saw Vea’s full name. “Holy s**t.”

9:29: Vea’s a great player, but a two-down guy at No. 12? Meh.

9:30: The Redskins really wanted Vea, and now that pick is ruined, too. Like I said, mock drafts are super difficult!

With the No. 13 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Redskins select Da’Ron Payne, NT, Alabama

9:33: Derwin James and Tremaine Edmunds fell into the Packers’ lap, and they’ve traded down with the Saints!? WHAT?!?!?!?!

9:34: Please, Saints, please pick Lamar Jackson please please please please pleasr.

9:35: The Packers just picked up the Saints’ 2019 first-round pick. This has to be a quarterback.

9:36: If the Saints surrendered a first-round pick for a non-quarterback…

With the No. 14 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Saints select Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA

9:42: I don’t even…

9:43: THE 2019 NFL DRAFT IS LOADED WITH DEFENSIVE LINE TALENT! YOU DON’T HAVE TO USE TWO FIRST-ROUND PICKS ON A DEFENSIVE LINEMAN!!! WHAT THE F**K SAINTS!?!?!?

9:44: I give up. Seriously. If teams do stupid s**t like this, the NFL Draft will always be impossible to predict.

With the No. 15 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Raiders select Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA

9:49: Bills move up! Tremaine Edmunds?

With the No. 16 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Bills select Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech

9:53: How in hell is Derwin James still available? Clean up the incompetent teams’ mess, Chargers!

9:55: Troy Aikman on TV. “I like this prospect. I like that prospect. I like all the prospects.”

With the No. 17 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Chargers select Derwin James, S, Florida State

9:59: The Packers have moved back up! Joshua Jackson?

10:00: By the way, I’ll win my Ridley prop if he’s not taken in the next two choices, so that’s something I’m monitoring.

10:02: Seattle got a much-needed third.

With the No. 18 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Packers select Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville

10:08: This is mayhem. Great job by the NFL moving the draft around.

10:09: Man, if the Cowboys draft a non-receiver, the fans will be very disappointed.

10:10: I’ve never known how to feel about Jerry Jones, but I have to say that I’m a huge fan that he’s milking the clock. A slower draft is a better draft.

With the No. 19 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Cowboys select Leighton Vander Esch, LB

10:14: Despite our report about Vander Esch’s medical issues, I hope he’ll be OK, and that he’ll have a great career.

10:15: Wow, the Raiders just traded their third-round pick for Martavis Bryant…? What the hell has Bryant done in the NFL to deserve that?

10:16: A third-rounder for Bryant…? He hasn’t caught more than 50 passes in a season yet!

10:19: Oh no… Lions… no…

With the No. 20 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Lions select Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas

10:21: The Bengals were going to take Ragnow, so thanks for ruining my mock, Lions!

10:22: On the bright side, I nailed the Ridley prop. Oh yeah! Gonna buy lots of cool stuff with that $50!

With the No. 21 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Bengals select Billy Price, C, Ohio State

10:27: The Titans have traded up! I’m wondering if this is for either Harold Landry or Rashaan Evans. The latter is the final first-round linebacker available, so he might make the most sense.

With the No. 22 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Titans select Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama

10:34: The Patriots are on the clock, and Kolton Miller is off the board. Will they take Lamar Jackson?

10:35: I actually don’t love any of the options for New England here. I’m willing to bet Bill Belichick is trying to trade down.

10:36: Did Troy Aikman really just suggest the Patriots could take Lamar Jackson to use him at other positions?

10:37: Man, the ninja pee didn’t work. I have to go. But I don’t want to miss anything! Anyone up for a 10-minute intermission?

With the No. 23 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Patriots select Isaiah Wynn, OT, Georgia

10:41: Not sure I agree with Wynn being a tackle, given that he has 32-inch arms, but I’m not going to pretend I know better than Bill Belichick.

10:42: Oh, who am I kidding? Yes, I am! The pick isn’t good!

10:44: Yes!!!

With the No. 24 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Panthers select D.J. Moore, WR, Maryand

10:48: I’d like to thank the Panthers for giving me a correct pick. Marty Hurney, you’re a friend, today.

10:49: Will the Ravens finally make a pick!? Dallas Goedert, Hayden Hurst and Calvin Ridley all make sense to me, but I wouldn’t count out Lamar Jackson.

10:50: I managed to go to the bathroom before the Panthers pick. Phew.

With the No. 25 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Ravens select Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina

10:55: I’m kicking myself for moving off Taven Bryan to the Falcons. I kept going back and forth between Detroit and Atlanta, and I knew I’d have it wrong all along.

10:56: Man, it’s going to be an awkward moment when Lamar Jackson has to fire his agent for this fall.

With the No. 26 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Falcons select Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama

11:01: True story: I was THIS close to mocking Ridley to the Falcons, since I couldn’t find a place for him in my mock. I wasn’t sure about the fit, so I searched “Calvin Ridley Falcons” on Twitter, and I saw so many people criticizing Mel Kiper’s projected Falcons’ pick of Ridley back in early March. So, I decided against it. Moral of the story? Don’t listen to idiots on Twitter!

11:02: Will the Seahawks finally pick? And will they make me look semi-intelligent for mocking Isaiah Oliver to them?

With the No. 27 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Seahawks select Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State

11:10: I know for a fact that people in the Steelers’ organization like Lamar Jackson a lot. But enough to take him now, when Ben Roethlisberger said he’ll play for three more years?

With the No. 28 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Steelers select Terrell Edmunds, S/LB, Virginia Tech

11:16: Man, I hope Ryan Shazier can return soon.

With the No. 29 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Jaguars select Taven Bryan, DT, Florida

11:21: I can’t believe there are only three picks left. We totally could’ve gotten away with a 10-minute bathroom intermission!

With the No. 30 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Vikings select Mike Hughes, CB, Central Florida

11:24: Sweet, another correct pick. Thanks, Rick Spielman!

11:25: Two picks left. All I ask is the Patriots select Justin Reid. Please, Belichick, forget about what’s best for your team. Think about my mock.

11:26: F**K YOU BELICHICK!!! YOU RUINED BOTH OF MY FINAL PICKS!!!

With the No. 31 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Patriots select Sony Michel, RB, Georgia

11:30: Bill Belichick, I’ve noticed, tends to double or triple up on players from one school. He’s done it before with Florida, Rutgers and Stanford. Now, he did it with Georgia. Does that mean he’s taking Trenton Thompson in Round 2?

11:31: With no picks after this until No. 130, the Eagles have to move down.

11:32: Ravens move up! For Lamar Jackson…???…????

11:33: If this is Jackson, it would be weird if the Ravens passed on him a few selections earlier. That doesn’t exactly show that they have much confidence in him, given that they were willing to let him fall to Pittsburgh.

With the No. 32 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Ravens select Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville

11:40: Wow, and just like that, it’s over. I feel like I can keep going. Bring on Round 2!

11:41: As I said earlier, I can’t do this tomorrow because the picks will come in too quickly. But I’ll continue to post my NFL Draft Grades here tomorrow and Saturday, and I’ll have my team grades throughout Sunday.

11:42: Thanks for reading this. Please tweet @nflcommish to make each pick longer so I can write more nonsense. Stay tuned tonight/tomorrow morning for my Round 2 and 3 Re-mock (as well as Charlie’s).

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