Jason McIntyre's Mock Draft 8.0: Whom will San Francisco nab at No. 3?
By Jason McIntyre
FOX Sports Betting Analyst
With free agency all but finished, it’s time for Mock Draft 8.0.
We’re less than a month away from the draft, and as teams' draft boards take shape, we see some new names enter the first round. There’s still a great mystery at No. 3 – which quarterback will San Francisco take? – and the Falcons are playing their intentions very close to the vest in a pick that could shape the top 10.
With that, let's jump into my latest Mock Draft:
1. Jacksonville Jaguars – Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson (Previous rank: 1)
2020 season stats: 3,153 passing yards, 24 passing TDs, 69.2 completion percentage
The Jags got him some nice weapons in free agency, and Jacksonville could be a .500 or better team this season.
2. New York Jets – Zach Wilson, QB, BYU (2)
2020 season stats: 3,692 passing yards, 33 passing TDs, 73.5 completion percentage
The "Mormon Mahomes" is a thing, and the biggest Jets story now is what they can get in return for Sam Darnold.
3. San Francisco 49ers (via Miami) – Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State (9)
2020 season stats: 2,100 passing yards, 22 passing TDs, 70.2 completion percentage
Their rookie QB will sit behind Jimmy Garoppolo for a year, and it feels like that’ll be Fields or Trey Lance. For now, I’ll go with Fields, who ran a 4.43 40-yard dash this week.
4. Atlanta Falcons – Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon (3)
Could the Falcons kick former first-round pick Jake Matthews – who only once in his career graded out as a top-10 left tackle – to right tackle and make Sewell the anchor for the final years of Matt Ryan's career?
5. Cincinnati Bengals – Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU (6)
2020 season stats: N/A (opted out of the season)
2019 season stats: 84 receptions, 1,780 receiving yards, 20 receiving TDs
A.J. Green left the Bengals, and Chase played in 2019 with Joe Burrow. This feels too easy.
6. Miami Dolphins – Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida (5)
2020 season stats: 43 receptions, 770 receiving yards, 12 receiving TDs
No, it’s not a need, with Mike Gesicki’s numbers improving each season. Does Miami simplify the offense for Tua Tagovailoa? Two-tight-end sets certainly do that. Miami trading from No. 3 to No. 12 but then back up to No. 6 means the Dolphins want somebody. Is it Pitts or another receiver for Tua?
7. Detroit Lions – Kwity Paye, Edge, Michigan (4)
2020 season stats: 2 sacks, 16 total tackles
I can’t see a receiver here unless it’s Chase, even though it’s a need. Paye joins a very strong defensive front that features Trey Flowers, Romeo Okwara and Michael Brockers.
8. Carolina Panthers – Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State (8)
2020 season stats: N/A (one exhibition game played)
2019 season stats: 2,786 passing yards, 28 passing TDs, 66.9 completion percentage; 1,100 rushing yards, 6.5 yards per carry, 14 rushing TDs
The DeShaun Watson situation remains murky. Lance started only 17 games, and he won’t turn 21 until the first week in September.
9. Denver Broncos – Patrick Surtain, CB, Alabama (12)
2020 season stats: 35 total tackles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT, 1 TD
Back surgery for Caleb Farley has vaulted Surtain to CB1 status in this draft.
10. Dallas Cowboys – Rashawn Slater, OL, Northwestern (10)
No change.
11. New York Giants – Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame (17)
2020 season stats: 1.5 sacks, 55 total tackles, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumbles recovered, 3 passes defended
The Giants quietly have crushed free agency. They improved the secondary and defensive line, and Owusu-Koramoah can play all over in Patrick Graham’s defense.
12. Philadelphia Eagles – Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina (21)
2020 season stats: 2 INTs, 6 passes defended, 16 total tackles
The Eagles did nothing in free agency to address their cornerback issues. I can’t see another small WR in the first round after the Eagles took Jalen Reagor last year.
13. LA Chargers – Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC (13)
No change. The Chargers are poised for a playoff spot in the AFC if they can protect Justin Herbert. Can Vera-Tucker play left tackle? We’ll find out.
14. Minnesota Vikings – Christian Darrisaw, OL, Virginia Tech (24)
Having no second-round picks puts even more pressure on the Vikings to land an impact player here, specifically to fill the void left by Riley Reiff. The Vikings will be playing musical chairs to find a new left tackle.
15. New England Patriots – Mac Jones, QB, Alabama (15)
2020 season stats: 4,500 passing yards, 41 passing TDs, 77.4 completion percentage
No change. The hype and desperation for a QB outweigh the reality: Only 17 college starts and played for by far the most loaded team in the country. Do all Jones' traits look incredible in Alabama because of the supporting cast?
16. Arizona Cardinals – DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama (16)
2020 season stats: 117 receptions, 1,856 receiving yards, 23 receiving TDs
No change. Huge need at cornerback with Patrick Peterson departing, but they can’t pass up another receiver here to help Kyler Murray.
17. Las Vegas Raiders – Teven Jenkins, OL, Oklahoma State (25)
Jon Gruden’s offensive line absorbed heavy losses, and even though this feels early for Jenkins, don’t the Raiders reach every year anyway?
18. Miami Dolphins – Gregory Rousseau, Edge, Miami (14)
2020 season stats: N/A (opted out of the season)
2019 season stats: 15.5 sacks, 54 total tackles, 2 fumbles forced, 1 fumble recovered
Will Tua be upset if the Dolphins don’t draft either of his former receivers? Rousseau joins Emmanuel Ogbah on a defensive line that needs to generate pressure.
19. Washington Football Team – Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama (18)
2020 season stats: 28 receptions, 591 receiving yards, 4 receiving TDs (played four games before suffering an injury, returned briefly during national championship)
2019 season stats: 33 receptions, 560 receiving yards, 6 receiving TDs
Upgraded at receiver with Curtis Samuel in free agency, but Waddle gives Washington three excellent young receivers, which might make the team attractive for a QB next offseason.
20. Chicago Bears – Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida (unranked)
2020 season stats: 70 receptions, 984 receiving yards, 10 receiving TDs
Yes, the Bears could wait and draft a receiver, but the anemic offense must improve dramatically. Toney, lined up alongside Allen Robinson and emerging Darnell Mooney, should result in an uptick.
21. Indianapolis Colts – Jaelan Phillips, DE, Miami (21)
2020 season stats: 8 sacks, 1 INT, 3 passes defended, 45 total tackles
The Colts losing Denico Autry in free agency was a big setback for a good defensive front. Phillips, a UCLA transfer, can have an immediate impact.
22. Tennessee Titans – Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota (19)
2020 season stats: 36 receptions, 472 receiving yards, 2 receiving TDs
They did bolster the defensive line with Bud Dupree and Denico Autry and even added Janoris Jenkins to a terrible secondary. To replace Corey Davis, the Titans go receiver.
23. NY Jets – Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech (11)
2020 season stats: N/A (opted out of the season)
2019 season stats: 4 INTs, 1 TD, 20 total tackles
It’s unclear how far Farley will fall. Back surgeries are dangerous. He’s expected to be ready for training camp. The Jets get a steal.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers – Najee Harris, RB, Alabama (unranked)
2020 season stats: 251 rushing attempts, 1,466 rushing yards, 26 rushing TDs, 43 receptions, 425 receiving yards, 4 receiving TDs
Steelers have a need at OL and maybe could use another pass-rusher, but the running game was bleak, and it appears James Conner will not return. A Harris-Snell-McFarland-Ballage quartet gives them depth.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars – Azezz Ojulari, Edge, Georgia (23)
2020 stats: 8.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 2 passes defended, 27 total tackles
Adding a third edge rusher from SEC country would help a defense that made a couple of nice moves in free agency.
26. Cleveland Browns – Jayson Oweh, Edge, Penn State (26)
2020 season stats: 1 pass defended, 38 total tackles
2019 season stats: 5.0 sacks, 2.0 fumbles forced, 21 total tackles
No change. The analytics-based front office will love Oweh, who tests off the charts. The fan base might be reluctant to endorse a pass-rusher who had zero sacks last year.
27. Baltimore Ravens – Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa (28)
2020 season stats: 4 sacks, 54 total tackles, 2 fumbles forced, 1 fumble recovered, 2 passes defended
The Ravens suffered free-agent losses to prepare for Lamar Jackson’s big payday, and Collins can try to patch a few holes because he’s such a versatile defender.
28. New Orleans Saints – Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU (unranked)
2020 season stats: 2 INT, 9 passes defended, 30 tackles
Malcolm Jenkins has had a fantastic career, but he’s 33. Moehrig can toggle between covering slot receivers, playing in the box and on tight ends.
29. Green Bay Packers – Landon Dickerson, C, Alabama (unranked)
Starting center Corey Linsley leaving in free agency is a massive loss that needs to be addressed.
30. Buffalo Bills – Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama (20)
2020 season stats: 6 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 3 passes defended, 27 total tackles
The weakness of the defense is the front, and Barmore adds depth to a leaky defense that was 17th against the run last season.
31. Kansas City Chiefs – Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern (unranked)
2020 season stats: 4 passes defended, 19 tackles
The Chiefs have taken one cornerback in the past three drafts, though they eventually moved safety L’Jarius Sneed to CB. It’s time to spend a high pick on a position of need.
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Asante Samuel Jr, CB, Florida State (unranked)
2020 season stats: 3 INT, 6 passes defended, 22 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovered
Son of the former NFL star, Samuel is only 5-foot-10 and might be ideally suited for the slot. The Bucs have a luxury pick after Tom Brady readjusted his contract, which let Tampa Bay retain every free agent it needed to retain.
Jason McIntyre is a FOX Sports gambling analyst, and he also writes about the NFL and NBA Draft. He joined FS1 in 2016 and has appeared on every show on the network. In 2017, McIntyre began producing gambling content on the NFL, college football and NBA for FOX Sports. He had a gambling podcast for FOX, "Coming Up Winners," in 2018 and 2019. Before arriving at FOX, he created the website The Big Lead, which he sold in 2010.
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