As an educator, one of my favorite pastimes is reading different perspectives throughout history, and as a football fanatic the NFL Draft consumes my offseasons. Twitter allows me to combine both indulgences.
For 32 years, I have studied the prospects and watched the draft unfold on TV. I always mocked the entire first round and kept track of how many land in my projected spot.
[Related: Check out the results of last week’s Full 60 NFL Mock Draft and podcast here.]
In preparation for this year’s draft, I wrote 11 burning questions and polled Twitter fans for different viewpoints. It is not a scientific poll, but the results provide a small window into the collective hive of draftniks. I recorded the results to share with all of the readers on Fantrax.com. Enjoy!
1. Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome has not been successful drafting wide receivers. He has hired you as an outside consultant to grade the receiver prospects in the draft. Who would you recommend taking with the first pick?
Results
21% Calvin Ridley, Alabama
16% Courtland Sutton, SMU
38% D.J. Moore, Maryland
25% Draft another position
Total Votes: 160
2. It is NFL Draft week and less than five days away until kickoff. You are the GM of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. What would you do with the seventh pick in the NFL Draft?
Results
31% Trade down for more picks
16% CB Denzel Ward, OSU
35% OG Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame
18% RB Derrius Guice, LSU
Total Votes: 51
3. You are a scout in Jacksonville and have spent months analyzing the O-line prospects. Who would you recommend Tom Coughlin acquire with the 29th selection in the first round?
Results
50% Isaiah Wynn, Georgia
35% Will Hernandez, UTEP
10% James Daniels, Iowa
5% Frank Ragnow, Arkansas
Total Votes: 40
4. The Chicago Bears have spent millions upgrading their offense in free agency. It is time to invest on the other side of the ball in the draft. If you were the GM, who would you select?
Results
19% CB Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama
15% S Derwin James, FSU
23% LB Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech
43% LB Roquan Smith, Georgia
Total Votes: 62
5. The Green Bay Packers have two clear needs in the NFL Draft: offensive line and secondary. In a perfect world, who would you select with the 14th pick?
Results
19% S Derwin James, FSU
32% CB Denzel Ward, OSU
32% CB Minkah Fitzpatrick, AL
17% OT McGlinchey, Notre Dame
Total Votes: 77
6. You are the GM and work for Jerry Jones in Dallas. Who would you recommend drafting with the 19th selection in the first round?
Results
37% D.J. Moore, Maryland
19% Calvin Ridley, Alabama
37% Courtland Sutton, SMU
7% Other and identify below
Total Votes: 290
7. You are in a scouting department of a NFL personnel office, and your GM wants a report on the top-ranked satellite backs in the 2018 NFL Draft. Who do you recommend the organization target?
Results
19% Akrum Wadley, Iowa
21% Ito Smith, Southern Mississippi
16% Chase Edmonds, Fordham
44% Nyheim Hines, North Carolina State
Total Votes: 57
8. QB Lamar Jackson, one of the more exciting quarterback prospects in decades, will surely be drafted among the top 15 selections. Identity the NFL team likely to invest in the Heisman winner on Thursday?
Results
18% Buffalo Bills
48% Arizona Cardinals
8% Denver Broncos
26% New England Patriots
Total Votes: 208
9. The wide receiver class does not provide an elite game breaker, e.g. Randy Moss, Julio Jones or A.J. Green. Nevertheless, there is a lot of depth among the prospects. Many players project as slot receivers. Who is the receiver you are most interested in drafting to line up in the slot?
Results
7% Richie James, MTSU
21% DaeSean Hamilton, Penn State
18% Keke Coutee, Texas Tech
54% Christian Kirk, Texas A&M
Total Votes: 98
10. New Orleans had the best draft of any team last year: M. Lattimore, R. Ramczyk, M. Williams and A. Kamara. The Saints do not have a second-round pick this year and clearly have a need at tight end. Who would you select with the 27th pick in the draft?
Results
41% Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State
21% Mike Gesicki, Penn State (Fantrax 2018 Draft Profile)
11% Hayden Hurst, South Carolina (Fantrax 2018 Draft Profile)
27% Best player available
Total Votes: 56
11. The Denver Broncos have many holes to fill on the roster, and GM John Elway wants an outside source for another perspective. What advice would you give to the Broncos hall of famer with the fifth pick?
Results
34% Trade down for more picks
11% Trade up into the top 3
25% Draft OG Q. Nelson
30% Draft RB S. Barkley
Total Votes: 65