2018 NFL Mock Draft: The final one before the draft gets underway

The countdown to the 2018 NFL Draft is upon us. Who will the Bills take at 12? Will they trade up? Who is awful at mock drafts? Everything answered here.

FINALLY!

The 2018 NFL Draft is here.

This draft process has been unique to say the least. Rarely does a team have multiple first-round picks, let alone three teams (Cleveland, Buffalo, New England).

This class offers a wealth of potential franchise quarterbacks that have sparked heated debate. There are also plenty of playmakers on both sides of the ball. Many believe there are prospects that are considered can’t miss (Barkley, Nelson, Chubb), while other feel there will be guys that will be taken too high (Allen, Mayfield).

Let me take a second and implore you to not put stock into some people’s mocks. There are three things to look for in order to find a realistic mock draft:

1) There must be trades- The NFL draft averages 5-6 draft day trades in the first round over the last 5 seasons. Reading a mock that has no trades is pointless (Looking at Mel Kiper).

2) Is the pick filling a team need- Just because the sixth best player in the draft has fallen to pick 12, doesn’t mean that player will be chosen. People that select Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Bills while there are two quarterbacks still on the board are not using their heads. We already have a Minkah Fitzpatrick in Micah Hyde. (Looking at Daniel Jeremiah/Bucky Brooks).

3) Back-to-Back position picks- If a team takes a WR top 5 the year before, they will not take another WR in the first round. Could it happen? Yes. Will it happen? GOD NO!

(Fun Fact: Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, “Draft Experts”, each had 4/32 correct picks in last year’s draft. That’s a staggering 12.5% accuracy!  Good work guys!)

Mock 7.0 is here and the experience has been fun. Fellow writer Stephen McCarthy and myself have alternating picks in Round 1. Cleveland is on the clock…