After a busy free agency period in March, the 2018 NFL offseason calendar turned over in April, now with the first rounds of the NFL draft two weeks away, in Arlington, Texas. The winless Cleveland Browns will have multiple first-round picks, the first overall and the fourth, with a chance to draft their quarterback of the future and hopefully strike gold (Cleveland has not had a consistent, fortified starting QB since 1999). The spotlight for this draft is on a plethora of college quarterbacks, and just where exactly they will end up: USC quarterback Sam Darnold, UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen, Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen, Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, and Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson.
But there is still plenty of talent at other positions that NFL teams will aim for. Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb, Notre Dame guard Quentin Nelson, and Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick are some of the names that will definitely hear their names called on draft night.
With that in mind, here are my first- round predictions for the 2018 NFL Draft:
1.Browns- QB Sam Darnold(USC)
2.Giants- RB Saquon Barkley
3.Jets- QB Josh Allen(Wyoming)
4.Browns – DE Bradley Chubb (NC State)
5.Broncos- QB Josh Rosen(UCLA)
6.Colts- G Quentin Nelson (Notre Dame)
7.Buccaneers- DB Minkah Fitzpatrick(Alabama)
8.Bears-WR Calvin Ridley(Alabama)
9.49ers- LB Tremaine Edwards (Virginia Tech)
10.Raiders- CB Denzel Ward (Ohio State)
11.Dolphins- LB Roquan Smith(Georgia)
12.Bengals- S Derwin James (Florida State)
13. Redskins-DT Da’Ron Payne(Alabama)
14.Packers- OT Mike McGlinchey (Notre Dame)
15.Cardinals- QB Baker Mayfield(Oklahoma)
16.Ravens- WR Christian Kirk (Texas A&M)
17.Chargers- CB Mike Hughes (Central Florida)
18.Seahawks- RB Derrius Guice(LSU)
19.Cowboys- DE Harold Landry (Boston College)
20.Lions- DT Vita Vea(Washington)
21.Bills- QB Lamar Jackson(Louisville)
22.Bills- WR Courtland Sutton(SMU)
23.Patriots (via trade with Rams)- LB Leighton Vander Esch (Boise State)
24.Panthers- G Isaiah Wynn(Georgia)
25.Titans- DT Taven Bryan(Florida)
26.Falcons- DT Maurice Hurst(Michigan)
27.Saints- LB Rashaan Evans(Alabama)
28.Steelers- OT Kolton Miller(UCLA)
29.Jaguars- CB Josh Jackson(Iowa)
30.Vikings- G Will Hernandez (Texas El-Paso)
31.Patriots- OT Connor Williams(Texas)
32.Eagles- RB Sony Michel or RB Nick Chubb(Georgia)