2018 NFL Mock Draft

Last update: Wednesday, April 11, 2018. Major changes.
Next update: Occasionally. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

The order of this 2018 NFL Mock Draft is based on the real 2018 NFL Draft Order.

NFL Draft Recent Links:

2025 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 11/20): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2
Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (11/15)
2026 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 7/24): Round 1 /Picks 17-32
Other 2026 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (10/26)
(More links to previous NFL mock drafts at the bottom of this page)

archived mock section

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Cleveland Browns: Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
Saquon Barkley may have been a legitimate option for the top pick at one point, but recent trades will force the Browns into taking a quarterback first overall because they’ll almost certainly be able to obtain Barkley with the fourth-overall choice.

The Jets have traded up to No. 3 – go here for my NFL Trade Grades page to see what I’ve given the Jets and Colts – and it’s likely that the Bills, Broncos or Cardinals wil make a move to grab the second-overall selection from the Giants. It’s also possible that the Giants will just select Sam Darnold, their top-rated signal-caller. Thus, if the Browns want a specific quarterback, they can just get him here and then snag Barkley at No. 4.

The Browns have been linked to every quarterback not named Josh Rosen. Josh Allen has the biggest arm in this class, and he makes sense for Todd Haley’s offense. Darnold is also a strong option. I think it comes down to one of them, and I think I’d give Allen a slight edge right now, per recent reports.

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New York Giants: Sam Darnold, QB, USC
Eli Manning just turned 37, and he’s in obvious decline. Pat Shurmur has indicated that he wants to keep Manning on for one more year, but he’ll want his own franchise quarterback for 2019 and beyond.

I’ve had the Giants trading this selection in my previous four mock draft updates, but I now believe there’s a very good chance New York selects Darnold. Part of the reason is the Browns being linked to Josh Allen, meaning Darnold, the Giants’ top quarterback by a large margin, could easily be available.

Another reason is that this might be the Giants’ only shot to select a quarterback of the future without spending significant resources to trade up. It would make a ton of sense to obtain Manning’s successor in this situation.
New York Jets: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
The Jets will be looking for a new quarterback, and that is obvious in the wake of their trade to No. 3 overall (go here for my NFL Trade Grades.) Their preference could be Josh Allen, as Charlie Campbell pointed out in his Senior Bowl Rumor Mill. Allen, however, is off the board, but Josh Rosen and Baker Mayfield are available.

I’ve had Rosen slotted here, as he fits more of what general manager Mike Maccagnan has been looking for from his quarterbacks. However, recent reports have linked the Jets to Mayfield, and I have to wonder if New York is scared off by Rosen’s off-the-field concerns. Mayfield has those as well, but he loves football and seems to have a better chance of thriving in the NFL than Rosen for that reason.

Pick change; previously Josh Rosen, QB

Cleveland Browns: Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
As discussed earlier, the Browns will almost certainly be able to obtain Saquon Barkley at No. 4 overall. This is their dream, as they want to establish a strong running game with the best prospect at the position in a very long time. The obvious comparison for Barkley is Marshall Faulk. He’ll be more than just some running back, as he’ll be a big factor in the passing attack as well.
Denver Broncos: Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame
Case Keenum signing with the Broncos does not take them out of the quarterback sweepstakes. Take a look at the Bears. They brought in Mike Glennon with a big contract last offseason, yet they moved up for Mitchell Trubisky anyway. However, it does make it more likely that Denver could wait until 2019 or 2020 for their franchise signal-caller because it may have to move up to No. 2 to get whichever quarterback it wants.

This may seem a bit too early for a guard, but Quenton Nelson is the best player in this class behind Saquon Barkley. Besides, the Redskins used the fifth-overall selection on Brandon Scherff several years ago, and that panned out. Denver desperately needs to improve its blocking, and Nelson is the only prospect worth taking at No. 5.

Indianapolis Colts: Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C.State
The Colts are the winners of this draft. They’ll likely be in a position to select either Bradley Chubb or Quenton Nelson at No. 6 overall, and they’ll get one of them after picking up three second-round picks in the trade with the Jets. Crazy.

Indianapolis has some nice edge rushers in Jabaal Sheard and John Simon, but neither is the elite talent Chubb happens to be. Chubb steadily moved up my mock drafts during the season. At 6-4, 275, Chubb has a great blend of size and speed, and he’s been dominant this season. There’s some talk that Chubb is viewed as the top defensive prospect in NFL circles.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Derwin James, S, Florida State
There’s a ton of pressure on the Buccaneers to win this season, and for them to do so, they’ll need Jameis Winston to finally play up to his potential. He’ll be able to do that if properly protected, and Quenton Nelson is the top offensive lineman in this class by a mile. I believe he’ll be the pick if he’s available unless Saquon Barkley or Bradley Chubb slip by some miracle.

Nelson is off the board, however, so the Buccaneers can look to address their woeful secondary. Derwin James is the play-making safety the Buccaneers are missing, and he could take their defense to a new level. As Charlie Campbell reported, some teams have Derwin James rated ahead of Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Chicago Bears: Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech
I could see the Bears trading down with the Dolphins, Bills or Cardinals. Here’s a potential Bears-Patriots NFL Draft Trade. With the top three non-quarterback prospects off the board, there’s not an obvious choice at No. 8 overall. Several players make sense, but there’s not one prospect who sticks out as a potential great pick for Chicago.

In this scenario, I believe Tremaine Edmunds would be the choice. Edmunds fits the athletic profile of Ryan Pace’s early-round selections during his tenure with Chicago. Edmunds also fills a need in the wake of Jerrell Freeman’s release.
San Francisco 49ers: Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State
The 49ers had a big need for a cornerback entering the offseason. They signed Richard Sherman, but he’s a player in his 30s coming off a November Achilles tear. Even if he plays well this year, he’s not a long-term option. San Francisco has little else at the position (Ahkello Witherspoon) so I could see them using this selection on the 2018 NFL Draft’s top cornerback.

Oakland Raiders: Vita Vea, NT, Washington
The Raiders wanted to bring in Ndamukong Suh for a visit, but decided against it once they realized he was just going to use them for leverage. The take-away from this is that the Raiders are eager to use a big resource on bolstering the interior of the trenches. Obtaining Vita Vea would do that.

Vea is a freak athlete, as few man can do what he’s able to at his size. Called a “dancing bear” by Mike Mayock, Vea could sneak into the top 10.
Miami Dolphins: Minkah Fitzpatrick, S/CB, Alabama
I’ve had the Dolphins trading up for Baker Mayfield in the previous several updates, but it doesn’t seem as though they’re going to do that. Instead, they’ll have to focus on their atrocious defense, which has lots of issues.

One big problem for the Dolphins is that they can’t cover tight ends or pass-catching running backs. Better linebacker play will fix that, but they’ll have Raekwon McMillan coming back from injury. Still, Roquan Smith is an option. Minkah Fitzpatrick is one as well. Fitzpatrick will be able to match up against those tight ends and receiving backs to fix at least one fatal flaw of Miami’s defense.

Pick change; previously Baker Mayfield, QB
Buffalo Bills: Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
I don’t think it’ll happen, but it wouldn’t be the most surprising thing to see Josh Rosen fall to No. 12. NFL coaches and owners are wary of the sort of things Rosen has discussed to the media, and his open views could hurt him. Scouts have told us that his teammates don’t like him either, so that’s a major strike against him. And for the cherry on top, even if his high school coach criticized him. Rosen was prolific in some big games last year, so that could push him into the top five, but as Charlie Campbell reported, two NFL general managers have expressed major concern about Rosen.

Still, Rosen’s talent will ensure that he’ll be a likely top-10 pick. In this scenario, I believe the Bills will trade up for him. I don’t know where they’ll move up to, but Buffalo almost has to make a deal to obtain a potential franchise quarterback.

Pick change; previously Marcus Davenport, DE (NYG)
Washington Redskins: Da’Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
The Redskins looked completely helpless trying to stop Alfred Morris in a must-win game the week after Thanksgiving. They need to bolster their defensive front, and Da’Ron Payne happens to be one of the best players available.

Pick change; previously Minkah Fitzpatrick, S
Green Bay Packers: Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa
The Packers had a huge need at cornerback going into the offseason. And then the Damarious Randall trade happened. Now, Green Bay is even weaker at corner after dealing the top player at the position.

Joshua Jackson improved on his 4.56 40 from the combine, running a 4.42 recently. Pro Day Results are available via the link.

Pick change; previously Jaire Alexander, CB
Arizona Cardinals: Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
I’ve had the Cardinals taking a quarterback for quite some time now, but it’s clear that they’ll have to trade up, and I don’t know if they’ll have the resources to do so.

Speaking of which, I expect Arizona to go with the best player available, and that would arguably be Mike McGlinchey, whom Mike Mayock called the top tackle in this class. Gil Brandt recently said McGlinchey will be a top-10 pick, so he’s a steal at No. 15.

Baltimore Ravens: Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
Ozzie Newsome loves his Alabama players, and there happens to be a first-round prospect from that school who fills a huge need available at this juncture. Baltimore has major problems at receiver, so Calvin Ridley could potentially solve those issues.

Ridley, once projected to go in the top 10, has been projected as late as No. 29 in this mock draft. He tested extremely poorly at the combine. However, not all front offices are obsessed with metrics, and I recall many speculating that Clemson’s Mike Williams would fall as well last year because he tested poorly. If Williams and his 107 SPARQ score can be chosen No. 7 overall, Ridley and his 98.6 metric can be taken 16th.

Pick change; previously Da’Ron Payne, NT

Go to 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Picks 17-32

Sorry for cutting this into two halves; I’ve received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwidth.