Written BY Chris Burke at SI.com
Free agency shook up the list of draft needs, both for teams who made a splash signing big-ticket players and those who lost starters in the past week.
The clock is ticking—just 43 days (and counting) remain until the Titans go on the clock in Chicago. How does Round 1 shape up as we hit the midpoint of March?
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1LAREMY TUNSILOT, Ole Miss
The Titans may find ample reasons to pass on Tunsil here, but a slight uptick in performance by Taylor Lewan is not one of them. A team needs two stalwart tackles, now more than ever, and Tunsil could be a generational talent. Plus, here is what Mike Mularkey said at the combine about Lewan when asked if the 2014 first-rounder could go to right tackle: “I think Taylor can play in a lot of places. He’s a very good football player. I could see that, if that was ever a scenario that came up.” Sounds like Tennessee might already be planning a move.
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2JALEN RAMSEYCB/S, Florida State
The Browns landing Colin Kaepernick wouldn’t necessarily rule them out of drafting a QB, but it would scream rather loudly that they do not plan to do so at pick No. 2. Not having a quarterback can shift a team’s draft board out of desperation, but the strength at the top of this class is on defense. Ramsey can be a legitimate game-changer.
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3JOEY BOSADE, Ohio State
DeForest Buckner had been the choice here of late, but I never really loved the idea. Why? Because it was going mostly off fit, as opposed to taking the best player (at least as I have them ranked). When a franchise is sitting in the top five, the goal should be to maximize talent and then scheme around it. Forget about a 3-4 or 4-3 front here—just get Bosa on the field and let him chase the quarterback.
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4MYLES JACKLB, UCLA
With Bosa off the board, this pick boils down to three main options: Myles Jack, Ezekiel Elliott or trade down with a team that wants a quarterback. The Cowboys might be tempted by Elliott but letting DeMarco Murray walk and then getting 1,000 yards out of Darren McFadden helped back the theory that their O-line—not their starting RB—is the real star. Even with Rolando McClain returning, the Cowboys could find room to let Jack’s versatility shine.
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