Let Freedom Ring Blog

Tonight, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will make Jameis Winston the first pick in the NFL’s annual Entry Draft. Ten minutes after that pick is officially announced by Commissioner Roger Goodell, Marcus Mariota will become the second pick. The only mystery left about that pick is who will make that pick.

It’s time to dispense with some of the stupidity that’s been masquerading as draft reporting. Gossip columnists like Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio have been talking up the possibility of Philadelphia Head Coach Chip Reid trading up to obtain the Titans’ first round pick. I suspect Florio’s done this hoping that those stories will drive extra views on his blog. If he actually thinks this has a chance of happening, then Mr. Florio needs to be ignored like he just signed a contract with National Enquirer.

Here’s my prediction. Marcus Mariota will be drafted by either the Titans, Jets or Chargers. The Titans won’t trade the second pick in the draft to Cleveland or Philadelphia because the players available at the twelfth, nineteenth or twentieth picks aren’t elite talents. They’re the types of players that likely will be available in the second or third round.

Another rumor that will finally get squashed is whether the Vikings will trade Adrian Peterson to Arizona or the Dallas Cowboys. There’s no question that those teams would love handing the ball off to Adrian. Similarly, there’s no question that it doesn’t make sense to trade a handful of high draft picks to the Vikings when this year’s class of running backs is deep and talented. The Vikings haven’t said no to trading Adrian because they’re still open to letting a team blow them away with an offer. Anything short of that, though, and they’ll politely refuse.

Here’s my prediction for the first half of tonight’s first round:

1. Tampa — Jameis Winston, QB, FSU
2. Tennessee Titans — Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
3. Jacksonville — Dante Fowler, OLB, Florida
4. Oakland — Leonard Williams, DT/DE, USC
5. Washington — Vic Beasley DE, Clemson
6. NY Jets — Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
7. Chicago — Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
8. Atlanta — Bud Dupree, DE, Kentucky
9. NY Giants — Brandon Scherff, OG, Iowa
10. St. Louis — Davante Parker, WR, Louisville
11. Vikings — Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
12. Cleveland — Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
13. New Orleans — Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida
14. Miami — Ereck Flowers, LT, Miami
15. San Francisco — La’el Collins, LSU
16. Houston — Malcom Brown, NT, Texas

UPDATE: Scott Wright’s final mock draft is up. I like Scott’s picks for the Vikings: Trae Waynes with the 11th overall pick, Shaq Thompson in the 2nd round & TCU Linebacker Paul Dawson in the third round.UPDATE: Scott Wright’s final mock draft is up. I like Scott’s picks for the Vikings: Trae Waynes with the 11th overall pick, Shaq Thompson in the 2nd round & TCU Linebacker Paul Dawson in the third round.

UPDATE II: La’el Collins’ stock is dropping faster than Shane Ray’s is. He might not bet picked until the late third or early fourth round. At this point, Ray might get picked as early as 15th overall.

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