2018 NFL Mock Draft

Last update: Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017. Major changes.
Next update: Occasionally. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

The order of this 2018 NFL Mock Draft is based on the real 2018 NFL Draft Order.

NFL Draft Recent Links:
2024 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 3/26): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5
Other 2024 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (3/25)
Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (3/23)
(More links to previous NFL mock drafts at the bottom of this page)


    *** 2018 NFL MOCK DRAFT (2 rounds) updated Oct. 5. This mock draft will be updated occasionally. Check out old versions of this 2018 NFL Mock Draft in the archived mock section. Follow @walterfootball for NFL Draft updates. ***
  1. Cleveland Browns: Sam Darnold, QB, USC
    Last week, I had the Browns trading down with the Giants, who moved up for Sam Darnold. Now, I’m wondering if Cleveland just doesn’t take him. DeShone Kizer showed promise during the preseason, but he hasn’t shown any signs that he can be a viable NFL quarterback. Despite getting good protection, Kizer has made lots of mistakes and has held on to the ball too long in the pocket. He was only a second-round pick, anyway, and we saw the Panthers give up on Jimmy Clausen, another second-rounder, after one year when they selected Cam Newton first overall.

    Sam Darnold took the Pac-12 by storm last year, but hasn’t lived up to the hype this season. Much of that is his worse supporting cast. Through five games, Darnold has been sacked more times than he was last year. He still has the talent to be the No. 1 overall pick, and he could win over the Browns and their new coaching staff next spring.

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    Pick change; previously Saquan Barkley, RB


  2. San Francisco 49ers: Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
    A quarterback would make sense for the 49ers if they didn’t stand a good chance of obtaining Kirk Cousins. There’s a decent shot it happens next offseason, so I’m going to avoid giving them a signal-caller for now.

    Saquan Barkley is the other candidate to go No. 1 overall. If the Browns pass on him, the 49ers will definitely consider taking him. Carlos Hyde is having a great year thus far, but he’s an impending free agent, and San Francisco could deem him too injury-prone to sign to a big contract.

    Saquon Barkley ran a 4.33 at the Penn State pro day in March and happens to be an even better prospect than Ezekiel Elliott. It’s quite possible that he could be the first-overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

    Pick change; previously Arden Key, RB

  3. New York Giants: Trey Adams, OT, Washington
    It’s no secret that the Giants need to improve their offensive line. Neither tackle has fared well this season, to put it nicely, and New York has to do what it can to find a franchise left tackle. Ereck Flowers has struggled at the position, but could be better at right tackle or even at guard.

    Trey Adams, who, according to Charlie Campbell in the NFL Draft Hot Press, has been receiving high first-round marks, makes sense at No. 3 overall.

    Pick change; previously Sam Darnold, QB



  4. Los Angeles Chargers: Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
    I think it’s entirely possible that the Chargers use this pick on their quarterback of the future. Philip Rivers has hinted at retirement, and the Chargers may decide that if they want to keep trying this ridiculous Los Angeles experiment – the team really should be in Portland, San Antonio or Oklahoma City – they’ll need to generate some excitement by obtaining a local quarterbacking product. Josh Rosen makes sense for that reason.

    Rosen was once the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, but he’s been passed by Sam Darnold, and maybe even Lamar Jackson. NFL coaches and owners are wary of the sort of things Rosen has discussed to the media, and his open views could hurt him. Scouts have told us that his teammates don’t like him either, so that’s a major strike against him. And for the cherry on top, even if his high school coach criticized him. However, Rosen’s epic comeback against Texas A&M almost certainly has helped repair his draft stock a bit.

    Pick change; previously Derwin James, S

  5. Cincinnati Bengals: Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame
    Don’t completely blame Andy Dalton for the team’s struggles thus far. This is the first time in his career that he’s playing behind an offensive line that doesn’t happen to be packed with talent. In fact, Cincinnati’s blocking is probably worse than Seattle’s. Both tackles stink, so the Bengals need to address this position early in the 2018 NFL Draft.

    Mike McGlinchey would probably have been the top tackle chosen in the 2017 NFL Draft if he had declared (No. 7 overall to the Chargers?), but he announced that he would be returning to school.

    Pick change; previously Trey Adams, OT



  6. Indianapolis Colts: Arden Key, DE/OLB, LSU
    No team in the 3-5 range needed an edge rusher, so the Colts will happily scoop up Arden Key! Indianapolis has some nice outside linebackers in Jabaal Sheard and John Simon, but neither is the elite talent Key happens to be. This is just a great value pick for Indianapolis to improve its defense.

    Pick change; previously Mike McGlinchey, OT

  7. Chicago Bears: Derwin James, S, Florida State
    As we saw in the losses to the Falcons and Buccaneers, the Bears have some pretty severe safety problems. I like Austin Hooper, but there’s no way he should ever be scoring 88-yard touchdowns against anyone.

    Derwin James has missed some time in 2016 with a knee injury, but he’s a monstrous safety (6-3, 211) who happens to be a terrific athlete. He’s still projected to be a top-10 pick.

    Pick change; previously Christian Kirk, WR

  8. Miami Dolphins: Iman Marshall, CB, USC
    A quarterback will be debated here, but I think the Dolphins will continue to start Ryan Tannehill next year. They’ll focus on another position, and perhaps that’ll be cornerback. I’m not sure how long the Dolphins keep Byron Maxwell around, especially at his outrageous salary. Maxwell hasn’t performed well yet, so unless he improves his play, he’ll be gone next offseason.



  9. Arizona Cardinals: Connor Williams, OT, Texas
    A quarterback might be considered here, but I really think Bruce Arians might give it one more shot with Carson Palmer if he’s convinced he can appropriately protect his geriatric signal-caller. Doing so would involve spending a first-round pick on a tackle, and Connor Williams would replace Jared Veldheer. I can’t imagine Veldheer being on the roster next year.

    Connor Williams needs to improve his strength, but his length and athleticism could have him chosen in the top half of the opening round, and maybe even the top 10.

    Pick change; previously Josh Rosen, QB

  10. Baltimore Ravens: Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama
    It’s the best Alabama player available, right? That might just be Calvin Ridley, who would help Baltimore’s pedestrian receiving corps. Mike Wallace and Jeremy Maclin have both been inconsistent thus far, while Breshad Perriman has done nothing. The Ravens need to give Joe Flacco a No. 1 wideout.

    Pick change; previously Minkah Fitzpatrick, S



  11. Seattle Seahawks: Austin Bryant, DE, Clemson
    Cliff Avril will be a 32-year-old entering his contract season in 2018. The Seahawks may decide that if they can’t nab one of the top offensive tackles, they’ll pursue a potent edge rusher to replace Avril, whose production has fallen off a cliff this year.

    Austin Bryant has been a terror thus far, and he’s now firmly in top-15 discussion.

    Pick change; previously Connor Williams, OT

  12. Cleveland Browns: Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M
    The Browns will need to give Sam Darnold another receiver to throw to besides Corey Coleman, who has struggled to stay healthy thus far in his career. They can’t keep relying on the likes of Kenny Britt and his half-hearted routes.

    Christian Kirk just had an explosive game against Arkansas, and he could be the second receiver chosen in the top 15 of the 2018 NFL Draft.

    Pick change; previously Calvin Ridley, WR

  13. Dallas Cowboys: Mitch Hyatt, OT, Clemson
    Dallas’ offensive line has taken a big step backward this season, as the team now has holes at both left guard and right tackle. Well, as one former Cowboy great once said, they can kill stones with one bird by selecting a talented right tackle, as it would allow La’el Collins to move back inside.

  14. Jacksonville Jaguars: Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
    Blake Bortles has been an utter failure thus far, and there was speculation that they’d draft a quarterback to replace him. That didn’t happen, but it could next April. It’s a shame, as the Jaguars would be 3-1 right now with an OK quarterback and 4-0 with a good one.

    Lamar Jackson has some issues – ball placement is a big one – but scouts are ranking him favorably, and they believe he’ll be a top-10 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. For more, check out the new NFL Draft Rumor Mill for scouts’ thoughts on Jackson and the other quarterbacks.

    Pick change; previously Orlando Brown, OT

  15. New York Jets: Clayton Thorson, QB, Northwestern
    The Jets spent all of their efforts tanking this offseason, yet they’ve done so incorrectly. They won, which has hurt their chances of landing Sam Darnold. Perhaps they’ll consider committing to Josh McCown for the long term. He could be their quarterback for the next 12 years, even though he’ll be 50 by then.

    The other option is to go with Clayton Thorson. Many may not know the name yet, but according to Charlie Campbell, he’s been getting some first-round consideration. Read more in the NFL Hot Press.

    Pick change; previously Orlando Brown, OT

  16. New Orleans Saints: Da’Ron Payne, DT, Alabama
    I considered a quarterback when the Saints were selecting earlier in this mock, as the Saints could move on from Drew Brees this offseason. Brees is a free agent, and New Orleans could choose to start over from scratch. In this scenario, however, they keep Brees and once again attempt to improve their defense. The Saints need help all over, including someone to play next to Sheldon Rankins with Nick Fairley likely finished.

    Teams are extremely high on Da’Ron Payne, who does some freakish things for a player at his position.




  17. Go to 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Picks 17-32

    Sorry for cutting this into two halves; I’ve received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwidth.



Go to 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Round 2 | Go to 2018 NFL Mock Draft: Charlie Campbell







2024 NFL Mock Draft - March 26


NFL Power Rankings - Feb. 22


Fantasy Football Rankings - Feb. 19


NFL Picks - Feb. 12






NFL Draft Links:

My 2003 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/24): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3
2003 NFL Draft Grades (Re-graded 6/8/08)
My 2004 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/24): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3
2004 NFL Draft Prospects/ 2004 NFL Draft Grades (Re-graded 6/6/08)
My 2005 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/23): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3
2005 NFL Draft Prospects
2005 NFL Draft Grades (Re-graded 6/4/08)
My 2006 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3
2006 NFL Draft Prospects (UPDATED 4/28)
2006 NFL Draft Grades (Re-graded on 7/3)
My 2007 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3/ Round 4/ Round 5/ Round 6/ Round 7
Other 2007 Mock Drafts:April Fools
2007 NFL Draft Prospects (UPDATED 4/24)/Kenny Ortiz's Top 40 Prospects
2007 NFL Combine and Pro Day Results
2007 NFL Draft Grades
2008 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/26): Round 1 / Round 2/ Round 3/Round 4/Round 5/Round 6/Round 7
Alternative 2008 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/7): Round 1 /Round 2
2008 NFL Re-Draft - Round 3 (UPDATED 4/27)
2008 NFL Draft Prospects (UPDATED 8/5)
Other 2008 Mock Drafts: Matt McGuire (4/25)/ Craig Smith (4/22)/ Emmitt Smith (4/21)/ Matt McGuire Shocker (4/21)/ Matt McGuire Backwards (4/19)/ Forum Mock (4/15)/ April Fools (4/1)
2009 Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Round 1 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
Other 2009 Mock Drafts: Re-Draft (4/26) /Matt McGuire (4/25) /Reader Mock (4/25) /Hunter Ansley (4/24) /Backward Mock (4/19) /Emmitt Smith (4/16) /Celebrity Mock (4/9) /April Fools (4/1) /Experts (3/30) /KFFL (3/14)
2010 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/22): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2010 NFL Mock Re-Draft Day 3 (4/24): Round 4 (Walt's) / Round 4 (Matt's)
2010 NFL Mock Re-Draft Day 2 (4/23): Round 2 (Walt's) / Round 3 (Walt's) / Round 2 (Matt's) / Round 3 (Matt's)
Other 2010 Mock Drafts: Matt McGuire (4/22) /Backward Mock (4/20) /Emmitt Mock (4/17) /Celebrity Mock (4/8) /Experts (3/17) /Reader (4/13) /Consensus (2/25)
2011 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2011 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/30): Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 2 /Round 3
Other 2011 Mock Drafts: Free Agency (5/9) /Greg Cox (4/28) /Backward Mock (4/22) /Emmitt Mock (4/21) /Team Big Boards (4/21) /Celebrity Mock (4/13) /Experts (4/7) /Not Mock (4/6) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Greg Cox's 2012 Mock (2/22) /Matt McGuire (1/8)
2012 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/26): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2012 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2012 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/26) /Pick History (4/23) /Emmitt Mock (4/19) /Not Mock (4/19) /Backward Mock (4/17) /Celebrity (4/15) /Goals (4/10) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock (4/1) /Free Agent Mock (3/6) /Greg Cox (9/9)
2013 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2013 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/27): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2013 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/25) /GM Mock (4/21) /Charlie's Trade Mock (4/20) /Goals (4/19) /Rapid Reader Mock (4/18) /Emmitt Mock (4/14) /Not Mock (4/13) /Pick History (4/5) /Backward Mock (4/4) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/7) /Archived 2013 NFL Mock Drafts
2014 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATE 5/8): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2014 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 5/10): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2014 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (5/8) /Goals (5/3) /Not Mock (4/27) /Emmitt Mock (4/20) /Trades Mock (4/13) /Celebrity Mock (4/11) /Backward Mock (4/4) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/6) /Overreaction Mock (12/30)
2015 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/30): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2015 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 5/2): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2015 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/30) /Goals (4/25) /Not Mock (4/19) /Emmitt Mock (4/17) /Trades Mock (4/12) /Celebrity Mock (4/10) /Backward Mock (4/3) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Free Agent Mock (3/5) /Overreaction Mock (12/29)
2016 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2016 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/30): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2016 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/28) /Combo (5/8) /Goals (4/23) /Not Mock (4/22) /Emmitt Mock (4/17) /Trades Mock (4/16) /Celebrity Mock (4/10) /Backward Mock (4/7) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/6) /Overreaction Mock (1/4)
2017 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/27): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2017 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/29): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2017 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/27) /Combo (5/7) /Goals (4/22) /Not Mock (4/21) /Emmitt Mock (4/16) /Backward Mock (4/9) /Celebrity Mock (4/7) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/7) /Overreaction Mock (1/2)
2018 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/26): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2018 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2018 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/26) /Combo (5/6) /Goals (4/21) /Not Mock (4/20) /Emmitt Mock (4/15) /Trades Mock (4/13) /Backward Mock (4/8) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/11) /Senior Bowl (1/27)
2019 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2019 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/27): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2019 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/25) /Combo (5/5) /Goals (4/20) /Not Mock (4/18) /Witten Mock (4/14) /Trades Mock (4/12) /Emmitt Mock (4/7) /Backward Mock (4/5) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Free Agent Mock (3/10) /Senior Bowl Mock (1/26) /Video Mock (1/8) /Overreaction Mock (12/31)
2020 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/23): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2020 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2020 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/23) /Combo (5/3) /Goals (4/18) /Emmitt Mock (4/12) /Trades Mock (4/8) /Backward Mock (4/5) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Free Agent Mock (3/16) /Corey Long (3/13) /Senior Bowl Mock (1/27) /Overreaction Mock (12/30)
2021 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/29): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2021 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 5/1): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2021 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (5/17) /Goals (4/23) /Backward Mock (4/18) /Emmitt Mock (4/11) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Senior Bowl Mock (1/30) /Overreaction Mock (1/4)
2022 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2022 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/30): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2022 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/28) /Goals (4/22) /Backward Mock (4/20) /Emmitt Mock (4/15) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Senior Bowl Mock (2/5) /Overreaction Mock (1/10)
2023 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/27): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2023 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/29): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2023 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/27) /Backward Mock (4/19) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Senior Bowl Mock (2/4) /Overreaction Mock (1/9)
2024 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 3/26): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5
Other 2024 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (3/25)
Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (3/23)
2018 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2017 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2016 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2015 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2014 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2013 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2012 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2011 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2010 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2009 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2008 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2007 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2006 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2005 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2004 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2003 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2002 NFL Draft Re-Mock