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(Editor’s Note: This mock draft was completed directly before the 2nd round began. If there are names on the draft which have already been selected, that is why.)
Round 3:
65. Cleveland Browns - Dalvin Tomlinson DT, Alabama
Cleveland needs a long-term successor to 2018 free agent Desmond Bryant.
66. San Francisco 49ers - Ahkello Weatherspoon CB, Colorado
Jimmie Ward will be moving to free safety.
67. San Francisco 49ers (via CHI) - David Sharpe OT, Florida
S.F. needs an upgrade at Trent Brown at RT.
68. Jacksonville Jaguars - Nathan Peterman QB, Pittsburgh
The Jags have yet to pick up Blake Bortles’ 5th-year option.
69. Los Angeles Rams - Taylor Moton OT/OG, Western Michigan
The Rams need competition for former first round bust Greg Robinson at RT.
70. New York Jets - Pat Elflein OC, Ohio State
The Jets would like to get Ahkello Weatherspoon here, but also need to replace Nick Mangold.
71. Los Angeles Chargers - Tarell Basham DE, Ohio
The Chargers would like Dalvin Tomlinson, also need a DE for their new 4-man front since Melvin Ingram will likely play SLB.
72. New England Patriots (via CAR) - Carl Lawson DE/OLB, Auburn
N.E. will likely take a D-lineman or LB and have shown interest in Tarell Basham, Derek Rivers, Carl Lawson, and DeMarcus Walker.
73. Cincinnati Bengals - Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
Cincy loves to collect CB’s, and Darqueze Dennard has been a bust so far.
74. Baltimore Ravens (via PHI) - Derek Rivers DE/OLB, Youngstown State
The Ravens should go edge-rusher or O-line here.
75. Buffalo Bills - Duke Riley OLB, LSU
Zach Brown signed with Washington.
76. New Orleans Saints - Carlos Henderson WR, Louisiana Tech
N.O. traded Brandin Cooks to N.E.
77. Arizona Cardinals - Nico Siragusa OG, San Diego State
Arizona should take an OG, DE, or WR to replace Evan Mathis, Calais Campbell, and Michael Floyd.
78. Baltimore Ravens - Ethan Pocic OC/OG, LSU
Jeremy Zuttah was traded to the 49ers.
79. Minnesota Vikings - Julie'n Davenport OT, Bucknell
The Vikings would love to get Duke Riley to replace Chad Greenway, and also need to upgrade their O-line and add more weapons for Sam Bradford.
80. Indianapolis Colts - Marlon Mack RB, South Florida
Indy need a long-term successor to Frank Gore.
81. Washington Redskins - Ryan Anderson OLB, Alabama
The Skins likely would have taken Jarrad Davis had Johnathan Allen not fallen into their laps, and could take Zach Cunningham in the 2nd round.
82. Denver Broncos - Gerald Everett TE, South Alabama
Denver will likely take a RB or TE here.
83. Tennessee Titans - Jake Butt TE, Michigan
Tennessee would like to get Duke Riley or Dalvin Tomlinson, but also need a TE to replace Anthony Fasano.
84. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - D'Onta Foreman RB, Texas
T.B. would love to get Marlon Mack here as disappointing Doug Martin is suspended for PED’s.
85. Detroit Lions - Adam Shaheen TE, Ashland
Rumor has it that the Lions are looking for competition for Eric Ebron.
86. Minnesota Vikings (via MIA) - Montravius Adams DT, Auburn
Sharrif Floyd’s knee injury could be career threatening.
87. New York Giants - Larry Ogunjobi DT, Charlotte
The Giants need to replace Jonathan Hankins.
88. Oakland Raiders - Carroll Phillips OLB, Illinois
After filling needs in the secondary and D-line, LB remains Oakland’s biggest need.
89. Houston Texans - Nazair Jones DT, North Carolina
Houston would love for an OT or TE to fall here, they also need to replace Vince Wilfork.
90. Seattle Seahawks - Justin Evans S, Texas A&M
Kam Chancellor is a 2018 free agent.
91. Buffalo Bills (via K.C.) - Antonio Garcia OT/OG, Troy
Buffalo has a big hole at RT.
92. Dallas Cowboys - JuJu Smith-Schuster WR, USC
JuJu Smith-Schuster is great value to add a weapon for Dak Prescott, but Dallas could double-up on the D-line or at CB with Jalen Myrick or DeMarcus Walker.
93. Green Bay Packers - Desmond King CB/S, Iowa
After filling needs at RB and O-line, G.B. will add to the secondary or rotational depth at edge-rusher with this pick.
94. Pittsburgh Steelers - Cameron Sutton CB/S, Tennessee
The Steelers would love for one of the top TE prospect to fall here, and could still take Jordan Leggett. Another position they would consider is defensive line with DeMarcus Walker still on the board.
With the players available the Steelers will likely use this deep secondary draft to double-up on their coverage. They’ll consider Jourdan Lewis, Jalen Myrick, and Shaquil Griffin, all of whom were brought in for a pre-draft visit, but the versatile Cam Sutton is the better prospect.
Tennessee’s Cam Sutton was one of the Steelers first reported draft interviews way back at the Senior Bowl, where he shined at both cornerback and safety. A fractured ankle at the beginning of his senior season robbed Sutton of what should have been a first round trajectory. His average size at 5-foot-11, 188 pounds also pushes him down the draft boards in a deep cornerback class loaded with other prospects who a greater size/speed combo. He excels in man coverage, something the Steelers sorely need, and would be a boost in the return game, allowing the Steelers to remove Antonio Brown from punt return duties once and for all. In addition to being interviewed at the Senior Bowl as well as the combine, Mike Tomlin and DC Keith Butler were on hand at his pro day.
95. Seattle Seahawks (via ATL) - Roderick Johnson OT, Florida State
Seattle has to spend a draft pick on O-line help at some point.
96. New England Patriots - DeMarcus Walker DE/DT, FSU
Belichick loves versatile D-linemen.
97. Miami Dolphins comp pick - Dorian Johnson OG/OT, Pittsburgh
Miami needs an OG now that Laremy Tunsil will shift to LT.
98. Carolina Panthers comp pick - Malachi Dupre WR, LSU
Carolina needs a WR to replace Tedd Ginn.
99. Philadelphia Eagles (BAL comp pick) - Alex Anzalone LB, Florida
Phill will take a LB or a RB here.
100. Tennessee Titans (via L.A. Rams) comp pick - ArDarius Stewart WR, Alabama
Tennesee’s deep roster means that they can double-dip at WR.
101. Denver Broncos comp pick - Samaje Perine RB, Oklahoma
Denver have shown interest in several RB’s projected to go in this range.
102. Seattle Seahawks comp pick - Jourdan Lewis CB, Michigan
Seattle could double-up at CB even if they don’t trade Richard Sherman.
103. N.O. Saints (from N.E. via CLE ) comp pick - Kendell Beckwith ILB, LSU
LB is the biggest need left for the Saints.
104. Kansas City Chiefs comp pick - Elijah Lee LB, Kansas State
34 year old Derrick Johnson is coming back from a second ruptured Achilles tendon.
105. Pittsburgh Steelers comp pick - Joshua Dobbs QB, Tennessee
Cam Sutton wasn’t the only player to get Mike Tomlin’s interest at the Tennessee pro day. Josh Dobbs is drawing Dak Prescott comparisons. The 6-foot-3, 216 pounds Dobbs has a solid arm, great mobility with a 4.64 40 time, high intelligence, and very high character. In Jon Gruden’s ESPN series “Gruden’s QB Camp, the former head coach turned TV analyst stated that Dobbs has that “it” factor. Coming from a spread offense Dobbs is not pro-ready and will need to sit and learn.
After passing on Dak Prescott in the 4th round of the 2016 draft and kicking themselves for doing so, when the team was high on Prescott heading into the draft, the Steelers will likely take Dobbs here if he’s available.
Pittsburgh may also give consideration to Brad Kaaya, who was taken out to dinner by the Steelers front office as well as being brought in for a pre-draft interview, although he doesn’t have the upside that Dobbs brings.
Other players to gain consideration by the Steelers are a TE like Jordan Leggett(a little too much like Jesse James), a RB like James Conner and Wayne Gallman(too early for either), a DT like Carlos Watkins, or T.J. Watt’s teammate Vince Beigel. All of whom the Steelers have shown interest in one form or another.
106. Seattle Seahawks comp pick - Grover Stewart NT, Albany State
Ahtyba Rubin doesn’t provide much pass-rush.
107. New York Jets comp pick - Jalen Myrick CB, Minnesota
Darrelle Revis was released and Morris Claiborne is on a 1-yr deal.