NFL Mock Draft - One and only edition - Philthy In Philadelphia.

There are few things in sports that I love, and hate so much simultaneously, as the NFL Draft. It's an amazing display of randomness for an event that is so crucial to the future (and present) of every single franchise. It's awesome to see these kids, who have worked so hard and come from so many different backgrounds, and some who have overcome so much adversity, to finally reach the big show. To watch them live out their dreams of walking across the stage to meet the commissioner, in front of the entire country and receive the first jersey of their pro-football journey. It's a lot of fun to try and project who your favorite team will select, will they draft based on need? Or will they stay true to their "board"?

But the flip side of this is the ugly side. The part where every so called "analyst" and pundit, every ex-player and "draft guru" gives their hot take as to who should go number one, what position is worth taking at the top, who might trade up, what college-aged kid is going to carry a franchise and which one is going to fail. Most of you I bet have never thought of it like this. Imagine yourself at 21 years old, you've spent your entire life training for this moment. You're entire last (at least) 5 months have been focused solely, toward this week. Now imagine, in one of your brief periods of time during the day where you aren't busy. You turn on your television, and there's the likes of Bill Polian, who hasn't been involved in an NFL team since you were in 8th grade. Or Mel Kiper, who's football background (or lack thereof) has remained unnoticed for decades. They're saying to the world that they think you aren't good enough to play at that level, or you shouldn't be taken with a high pick because of something they feel to be the truth without ever having spoken with you.

Now, take that exact moment, and multiply it out starting over 100 days prior to the draft. The NFL Draft, has become big business for the likes of Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, Mike Mayock and a dozen other goobers who have basically carved a career, literally almost out of nothing. In fact, I'd be remiss if I didn't actually salute Kiper here, the Godfather of the Draft jargon business. He took something, that most people had relatively no interest in, and in a matter of years, made himself a millionaire by mostly just sounding like he knew what he was talking about. Do you know how many, out of 32 first round selections last year, trades included, that Mel got right? Four. A whopping 13%. You mean to tell me this is the chief "expert" on the NFL Draft? A guy who got 13% of the picks right? That just proves my point. No one, not even Mel "bobcat hairpiece" Kiper, knows what the hell they're talking about when it comes to the NFL Draft. It's all guesswork. Which is fine, I can enjoy that also. In fact, that's the point of this article, to show you my shot in the dark First Round NFL Mock Draft. Just remember, any time you hear anyone, even yourself say that "x-player is a lock to go to x-team at x-pick!!!"... They're probably wrong.

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ROUND 1

PICK     TEAM                            PLAYER, POS., SCHOOL

1    Cleveland                                Sam Darnold, QB, USC

2    NY Giants                               Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming

3    NY Jets                                   Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma

4    Cleveland (via HOU)              Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

5    Denver                                    Bradley Chubb, EDGE, NC State

6    Indianapolis                            Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame

7    Tampa Bay                              Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State

8    Chicago                                   Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa

9    San Francisco                          Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia

10   Oakland                                  Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama

11   Miami                                     Vita Vea, DT, Washington

12   Buffalo (via CIN)                   Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA

13   Washington                            Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech

14   Green Bay                              Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama

15   Arizona                                   Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville

16   Baltimore                               Derwin James, S, Florida State

17   LA Chargers                           Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama

18   Seattle                                    Connor Williams, OT, Texas

19   Dallas                                     Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU

20   Detroit                                    Marcus Davenport, EDGE, UTSA

21   Cincinnati (via BUF)             Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame

22   Buffalo (via KC)                    Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M

23   New England (via LAR)        Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado

24   Carolina                                 Harold Landry, EDGE, Boston College

25   Tennessee                               Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State

26   Atlanta                                    Taven Bryan, DT, Florida

27   New Orleans                           Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina

28   Pittsburgh                               Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama

29   Jacksonville                            Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA

30   Minnesota                               Isaiah Wynn, OG, Georgia

31   New England                          Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State

32   Philadelphia                            Derrius Guice, RB, LSU