There's only three football games left to decide the fate of the 2017 NFL season, but we still have more than three months to debate the 2018 NFL Draft.
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How does the board shake out as we head into the AFC and NFC Title Games?
Here's a look:
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1. Cleveland: Sam Darnold, QB – USC
Cleveland can't waste more time waiting to develop a quarterback, they have to use their first pick this year on one of the guys at the top. Sam Darnold has yet to say anything about NOT wanting to play for the Browns, while Josh Rosen has talked about "fit" versus being a higher pick. Rosen might be talking about the Browns — we don't know for sure — but Cleveland will have time to figure that out. For now, the Browns go with the USC QB.
COMPARE: Sam Darnold to any player
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2. NY Giants: Josh Rosen, QB — UCLA
That leaves Rosen to take over the reigns in New York. If Eli Manning is truly out, Rosen could be the day one starter. If Manning is back with the Giants, Rosen could take some time to develop.
COMPARE: Josh Rosen to any player
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3. Indianapolis: Bradley Chubb, DE — NC State
The QB run at Nos. 1 and 2 leaves the actual best player in the draft — NC State's Bradley Chubb — to fall to the Colts at No. 3.
COMPARE: Bradley Chubb to any player
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4. Cleveland (via HOU): Saquon Barkley, RB — Penn State
Cleveland uses its second pick in the top 5 on an impact player in Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, who should flourish behind an expensive offensive line.
COMPARE: Saquon Barkley to any player
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5. Denver: Baker Mayfield, QB — Oklahoma
Mayfield to Denver is based on reports that the Broncos requested to coach Mayfield at the Senior Bowl. The Broncos clearly want to get a better look at the quarterback — stay tuned.
COMPARE: Baker Mayfield to any player
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6. NY Jets: Josh Allen, QB — Wyoming
With the sixth pick in the draft the fourth quarterback is off the board as Josh Allen goes from Wyoming to New York to try to correct the quarterback issues the Jets have had over the past decade.
COMPARE: Josh Allen to any player
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7. Tampa Bay: Minkah FitzPatrick, DB — Alabama
Tampa Bay benefits from the run on quarterbacks and grabs a top-5 player in the draft, Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick.
COMPARE: Minkah FitzPatrick to any player
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8. Chicago: Connor Williams, OT — Texas
The Bears landed their QB of the future, Mitch Trubisky, last year in the draft. Now it's time to protect him.
COMPARE: Connor Williams to any player
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9. San Francisco: Calvin Ridley, WR — Alabama
San Francisco also added its future QB, Jimmy Garoppolo, via trade with the Patriots. With the ninth pick they add a dangerous wide receiver to the offense.
COMPARE: Calvin Ridley to any player
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10. Oakland: Roquan Smith, LB — Georgia
Roquan Smith just feels like a linebacker Jon Gruden can't wait to coach up in his return to the NFL.
COMPARE: Roquan Smith to any player
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11. Miami: Quenton Nelson, OG — Notre Dame
Miami is a piece or two away from a really solid offensive line, and Quenton Nelson will help the team prepare for Ryan Tannehill's return.
COMPARE: Quenton Nelson to any player
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12. Cincinnati: Orlando Brown, OT — Oklahoma
The Bengals lost some pieces from their offensive line in free agency last year, and adding Orlando Brown will help build the unit once again.
COMPARE: Orlando Brown to any player
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13. Washington: Derwin James, DB — Florida State
James has been mocked all over the place, but early teens still feels like good value for a player who was once thought of as a likely top-10 pick.
COMPARE: Derwin James to any player
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14. Green Bay: Tremaine Edmunds, EDGE — Virginia Tech
Edmunds is rocketing up draft boards and is expected to be a combine monster. The Packers need all kinds of help as they look to correct many issues from last year's defense.
COMPARE: Tremaine Edmunds to any player
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15. Arizona: Courtland Sutton, WR — SMU
Arizona would love to get their hands on a QB and will potentially trade up in the draft, but the team also needs to start looking for Larry Fitzgerald's eventual replacement.
COMPARE: Courtland Sutton to any player
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16. Baltimore: Denzel Ward, CB — Ohio State
Baltimore has plenty of holes to fill but it will be hard to pass on the potential Denzel Ward brings to the table.
COMPARE: Denzel Ward to any player
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17. LA Chargers: Lamar Jackson, QB — Louisville
Los Angeles is fine for now at quarterback, but Philip Rivers is nearing the end of his career. Drafting Lamar Jackson would allow the Chargers to give the QB time to grow as a passer and potentially take over for Rivers.
COMPARE: Lamar Jackson to any player
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18. Seattle: Josh Jackson, CB — Iowa
Seattle had injury issues in the defensive backfield in 2017, and their depth on the back end isn't what it once was. Jackson is a ball hawk and fits their scheme.
COMPARE: Josh Jackson to any player
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19. Dallas: Da'Ron Payne, DL — Alabama
Dallas could use a little more beef on the interior of its defensive line, and Payne is perfect for that role – and he's hot off of a stellar performance in the CFP.
COMPARE: Da'Ron Payne to any player
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20. Detroit: Arden Key, EDGE — LSU
Detroit could use another pass rusher, and Arden Key is a potential fit. He was sidelined with injuries part of 2017.
COMPARE: Arden Key to any player
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21. Buffalo: Harold Landry, EDGE — Boston College
Buffalo has back-to-back picks after a trade and uses the first to add a talented edge rusher in Boston College's Harold Landry.
COMPARE: Harold Landry to any player
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22. Buffalo (via KC): Mike McGlinchey, OT — Notre Dame
With their second pick in the first round the Bills address the other side of the line of scrimmage and add Notre Dame tackle Mike McGlinchey.
COMPARE: Mike McGlinchey to any player
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23. LA Rams: Rashaan Evans, LB — Alabama
The Rams were a pretty complete team in 2017 despite their early exit in the playoffs. Rashaan Evans is a big-time talent out of Alabama and could contribute right away for LA.
COMPARE: Rashaan Evans to any player
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24. Carolina: Christian Kirk, WR — Texas A&M
Carolina has a lack of speed at the wide receiver position. Christian Kirk does NOT lack for speed.
COMPARE: Christian Kirk to any player
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25. Tennessee: Sam Hubbard, EDGE — Ohio State
Tennessee could pair Sam Hubbard with Jurrell Casey to forma dominant pass-rushing duo.
COMPARE: Sam Hubbard to any player
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26. Atlanta: Isaiah Oliver, CB — Colorado
The Falcons are more in need of safety help than corner, but today's NFL defense needs plenty of D defensive backs, and Oliver is the best available.
COMPARE: Isaiah Oliver to any player
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27. New Orleans: Maurice Hurst, DL — Michigan
New Orleans will be on the lookout to draft a quarterback of the future, but unless they want to trade up, the likelihood of finding him at No. 27 is low. Mo Hurst can enter into the defensive line rotation immediately.
COMPARE: Maurice Hurst to any player
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28. Pittsburgh: Malik Jefferson, LB — Texas
Pittsburgh needs to find a replacement at linebacker after the unfortunate injury to Ryan Shazier.
COMPARE: Malik Jefferson to any player
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29. Jacksonville: Dallas Goedert, TE — South Dakota State
The Jaguars are in the AFC championship despite Blake Bortles' average play. A quarterback's best friend is a security blanket tight end, and Dallas Goedert is an athletic freak at the position.
COMPARE: Dallas Goedert to any player
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30. Philadelphia: Ronnie Harrison, DB — Alabama
Philly looked like a Super Bowl favorite before Carson Wentz's injury, and the fact that they're a game away without him proves the team is well-built around him. Without an obvious team need other than help on the offensive line (and a shortage of first-round talent at the position), the Eagles go defense with this pick.
COMPARE: Ronnie Harrison to any player
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31. New England: Derrius Guice, RB — LSU
The Patriots add a bruising running back to give them the dimension they had with LeGarrette Blount.
COMPARE: Derrius Guice to any player
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32. Minnesota: Vita Vea, DL — Washington
Minnesota can pick the best player available instead of go for team need, and adds yet another wrecking ball on the defensive line.
COMPARE: Vita Vea to any player
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