Seahawks reporter Gregg Bell’s mock draft

Staff writer Gregg Bell projects the first round:

1. Los Angeles Rams: Jared Goff, QB, California: Traded half their new digs to get (what they hope is) their franchise QB for years.

2. Philadelphia Eagles: Carson Wentz, QB North Dakota State: Many believe he’s better than Goff. Will be first top-three pick from lower, FCS level since 1995 (Steve McNair).

3. San Diego Chargers: Laremy Tunsil, LT, Mississippi: The best player in the draft doesn’t always get picked first in this QB-dominated league.

4. Dallas Cowboys: Ezekiel Elliot, RB, Ohio State: Still doesn’t make up for letting NFL rushing champ DeMarco Murray leave last year.

 

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Myles Jack, LB, UCLA: Former Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley won’t let Bellevue High’s mending playmaker slip past.

6. Baltimore Ravens: Jalen Ramsey, FS, Florida State: Ravens know their identity — and the key to winning the AFC North — is defense.

7. San Francisco 49ers: Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame: Among their 1 million needs, blocking someone is No. 1. He’s the draft’s best pass blocker.

8. Cleveland Browns: Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State: Luck for Cleveland—finally! Trade with Eagles out of No. 2, still get top defender, a local favorite.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida: Another stroke of local fortune: Best cover corner stays home.

10. New York Giants: Leonard Floyd, OLB, Georgia: New coach Ben McAdoo needs offensive linemen but can’t resist a 6-foot-6 sack master.

 

11. Chicago Bears: DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon: Bears can’t believe draft’s most explosive defensive lineman is still here.

12. New Orleans: Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville: Saints were putrid in just about everything on defense in 2015. It starts up front.

13. Miami Dolphins: Noah Spence, DE, Eastern Kentucky: Miami needs pass rushers. Spence is the best in draft — but he failed two drug tests and left Ohio State.

14. Oakland Raiders: Andrew Billings, NT, Baylor: After adding LB Bruce Irvin from Seahawks, need D-line strength.

15. Tennessee Titans: Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State: Trade out of No. 1, still get a LT they need to keep QB Marcus Mariota from getting killed.

16. Detroit Lions: Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson: Zooming pass rusher to bookend breakout edge man Ziggy Ansah.

17. Atlanta Falcons: Darron Lee, OLB, Ohio State: Former Seahawks DC Dan Quinn needs LBs after missing out on old pal Irvin.

18. Indianapolis Colts: Reggie Ragland, ILB, Alabama: Colts need defense, especially inside, and get the draft’s best middle linebacker.

19. Buffalo Bills: Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State: Rex Ryan chooses a redshirt-sophomore ball hawk to revive his defense.

 

20. New York Jets: Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis: How much would you want to bring back Ryan Fitzpatrick at the most important position?

21. Washington Redskins: Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama: Need to get tougher on defense, so why not the best run stopper in the draft?

22. Houston Texans: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Mississippi: Or Baylor WR Corey Coleman. Anyone to catch the ball from new QB Brock Osweiler.

23. Minnesota Vikings: Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor: Stunning to see the anonymous WRs the Vikes employed in January’s playoff loss vs. Seahawks.

24. Cincinnati Bengals: Josh Doctson, WR, TCU: Drafts often have runs on certain positions. Andy Dalton gets a fellow Horned Frog to catch his throws.

25. Pittsburgh Steelers: William Jackson, CB, Houston: Steelers’ pass coverage so shaky even Ben Roethlisberger can’t overcome it.

 

26. Seahawks: Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Mississippi: Pete Carroll just knows he can get most out of another ultra-talented, yet-troubled project. Seattle needs D-tackles almost as much as O-linemen. Almost.

27. Green Bay Packers: Kenny Clark, DT, UCLA: Packers need to shore up middle of their defense. Another mini run on a position.

28. Kansas City Chiefs: Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson: Chiefs have a hole the size of Missouri at CB opposite 2015 rookie star Marcus Peters from UW.

29. Arizona Cardinals: Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State: Loaded on offense, not so much in their pass rush. So they go for speed off the edge.

30. Carolina Panthers: Le’Raven Clark, OT, Texas Tech: We all — especially Cam Newton — saw in the Super Bowl how shaky their OTs are.

31. Denver Broncos: Christian Hackenberg, QB, Penn State: Or do you think they will finally trade for Colin Kaepernick? Sam Bradford? Or is Mark Sanchez really the heir to Peyton Manning?

This story was originally published April 27, 2016 at 9:02 PM with the headline "Seahawks reporter Gregg Bell’s mock draft."