NFL fans are quickly falling into two different categories after Week 10: Those who still have a glimmer of playoff hope, and those who are already looking forward to the offseason.
The Cleveland Browns are the only team left without a win thanks to the San Francisco 49ers scoring their first victory of the season, which came at the expense of the New York Giants, who join the three-horse race for the No. 1 overall pick.
With 10 weeks of the regular season now in the books, let’s take a crack at projecting the first four rounds of the 2018 NFL draft, using the latest updated order.
1. Cleveland Browns | Josh Rosen | QB | UCLA
An apparent failed attempt to trade for A.J. McCarron proves the Browns aren’t sold on rookie second-rounder DeShone Kizer. If they go QB at the top of next year’s draft, Rosen makes the most sense right now.
2. San Francisco 49ers | Saquon Barkley | RB | Penn State
Trading for Jimmy Garoppolo should free the 49ers up to take the best available player here, and that’s Barkley. Don’t let the box scores fool you, Barkley is still an elite prospect who will be more productive when he’s not facing stacked boxes with a weak offensive line.
3. New York Giants | Sam Darnold | QB | USC
It looks like the Eli Manning era could be ending sooner than later, and if the Giants end up with a top-five pick, they should take the opportunity to swing away on a potential franchise quarterback to replace him. Darnold’s play has been a roller-coaster this season, but his upside is limitless.
4. Indianapolis Colts | Bradley Chubb | EDGE | North Carolina State
This team desperately needs a difference-maker off the edge, and they can’t wait around to see if Tarell Basham becomes that guy. Chubb is the most destructive defender in the country, racking up more than 40 tackles for loss and 18 sacks over the past two seasons.
5. Cincinnati Bengals | Quenton Nelson | G | Notre Dame
It may seem high for an interior lineman, but Nelson is the rare exception to such a rule. The anchor for one of the nation’s most dominant rushing attacks, Nelson would be an immediate boost for a Bengals team that desperately needs to improve in this area.
6. Los Angeles Chargers | Minkah Fitzpatrick | DB | Alabama
The Bolts are still looking for a player who can replace the impact they lost when Eric Weddle left, and Fitzpatrick would be a perfect fit. The Crimson Tide’s leader on the back end has the versatility and athleticism to line up anywhere in the secondary and make big plays.
7. Denver Broncos | Orlando Brown | OT | Oklahoma
Last year’s first-round pick, Garret Bolles, looks like a potential stud at left tackle, but the other side still needs improvement in a big way. Much like his dad before him, Brown is a massive force who should have a long, successful career at right tackle.
8. Cleveland Browns (from HOU) | Derwin James | S | Florida State
When you’re as bad as the Browns have been, you have to just keep adding as much pure talent as possible, and they have a plethora of picks with which they can take as many shots as possible. James is a ridiculous athlete and a much more polished defender than Jabrill Peppers.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Harold Landry | EDGE | Boston College
No team in the NFL is more starved for pass-rushers than the Bucs, who had just eight sacks over the first nine weeks of the season. Landry was last year’s FBS sack king, and continues to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks despite commanding an offensive coordinator’s full attention.
10. Chicago Bears | Denzel Ward | CB | Ohio State
This secondary needs help at both levels, but finding a true shutdown corner should be the top priority. Ward is still growing into his frame and physical tools, but he’s got tons of upside and the athleticism to become a big-time playmaker at the next level.
