The 2018 XFL Mock Draft - Defensive End

In anticipation of Vince McMahon bringing the fun back to football (more concussions, woohoo!), Lukewarm Jonah and I went back and forth to do an XFL Draft. Instead of breaking this down round by round, we are going to go by position groups. Last time we hit the offensive line, so this time we’ll hit up the big guys on the other side of the ball, starting with defensive ends.

Defensive Ends
Jonah: Mario Williams, BJ Dubose, Cam Johnson, Damontre Moore 

Joe: Jon Jones, Da’Quan Bowers, Bjoern Werner, Jackson Jeffcoat, Michael Sam, Drew Ott

Joe: There were two guys that I was bound and determined to get in this draft, and they are both defensive linemen. We’ll get to one today, and as a hint, the other one is tomorrow and is also a former UFC Champion. First off, I acquired the greatest fighter ever, Jon “Bones” Jones. Part of the reason I was able to snag Jones is that he is suspended from competition for the next couple years at least, so he’s going to need something to do in the meantime. Why not give football a try? He has two brothers that are in the NFL, and the dude is a freak of an athlete. Although he fights at 205, his walking around weight is probably close to 240, and with his frame, he should have no trouble adding another 15 pounds. Jon Jones may be an awful human being, but if anybody could adapt to the XFL with zero football experience, it’s him.

Bowers, Werner, and Jeffcoat all can be classified as super productive college players who were never able to make it in the NFL. Each was an All-American and Bowers was the Bronko Nagurski Award winner for best college football defensive player. 

Michael Sam could fit into that above group, but he is more known as becoming the first openly gay player on an NFL roster. Not only do I think he can be productive, but this is obviously just a very good thing for the league considering I have purposely acquired racists, alleged women beaters, and Jon Jones, I could use an actual good person on my team. Again, it’s not my preferred method of doing things, but it’s the XFL baby!

Finally, it was time for my obligatory Iowa Hawkeyes pick of Drew Ott who was so good in college but got hurt at the wrong time and wasn’t able to latch on to an NFL roster. I still 100% believe in the guy playing well if given the chance.

Jonah: You win football games on the lines, everyone knows that.  That’s why my defensive line is headlined by another number one overall pick in the NFL draft Mario Williams.  He’s 32, but could easily still play in the NFL if the money was right.  The guy is a star, what can I say about him?  He’s a multiple time Pro Bowler and All Pro, he would dominate any XFL offensive line besides my own.

BJ Dubose is a guy who I got to see play in preseason games for the Vikings and he looked good.  He just went to a team that was stacked with star defensive ends.  He was hurt in the 2016 offseason, but that’s almost 2 years ago.  Rick Spielman knows how to scout defensive lineman, so I’ll snatch up Dubose and watch him transform into Danielle Hunter.

Cam Johnson is another one of my no name but solid picks.  He’s a solid five year NFL vet who’s great at forcing fumbles.  Those are game changing plays, and he’s good at getting in the backfield and making tackles for loss as well as forcing fumbles.

Damontre Moore is only 25 but has five years experience in the NFL.  He was supposed to be a to 10 pick but ran a bad 40.  I don’t care about my defensive lineman’s 40 times.  He has a substance abuse strike in the NFL, but again who cares?  This is the XFL baby, substance abuse was rampant when football was cool right?  Moore is a real sleeper that could make a huge impact.

Joe: Mario Williams is a fun pick, and I really can’t say he’s too old since I drafted Reggie Bush as my running back, and they were the top two picks in the same draft. Two of your guys are so boring that you are calling them boring, so I don’t really need to comment on either one of them. But I do like the Damontre Moore pick. At worst case, he was a high motor guy in college that can use that hustle effectively in the XFL. But the one thing that seems to be missing are UFC Champions. What happens when your team gets in a fight, because we know for damn sure that the XFL is going to promote fights.

Jonah: Williams could still play in the NFL and be pretty good.  By boring I just mean not a household name like Mario Williams or Jon Jones.  Speaking of Jones, there’s no doubt he’s an athletic freak but I think a transition to football is difficult for anyone.  Also, you have to make sure he doesn’t go completely insane as he is fond of doing.  Michael Sam is probably your best pick as he should be playing in the NFL, but if the NFL wasn’t willing to accept an openly gay player how do you think the XFL fanbase and ownership is going to react?

Joe: The XFL is 100% going make all gay players wear a rainbow patch. It’s going to be SUPER offensive and Trumpies are going to love it. And my only real concern with Jon Jones is that he gets distracted and starts trying to snort the yard lines. Outside of that, he should be good to go.

That’s all for today. Join us next time for the defensive tackles where you can bet your ass that I picked up Brock Lesnar.

In case you missed it:

Quarterbacks
Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

Offensive Tackles

Offensive Guards

Center

2016 NFL Draft: Most Underrated Prospects

I've been busy with a variety of things lately, so I haven't produced any NFL draft related content, but I figured I should get something out before the first round happens tonight. I have some hot takes, as there are a lot of guys that I feel are greatly underrated in this draft. I will go position-by-position to show who are the most underrated prospects in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Quarterback: Cardale Jones

Had Cardale Jones come out last year after three games as a starting quarterback (and a National Title), he would have likely been a first round pick. He then proceeded to go undefeated as a starter this past season as well. Yes, he got benched because J.T. Barrett fits the scheme better, but it's not like he was having any monumental struggles, and he was never really given the opportunity to make adjustments. It seems like most people see three quarterbacks in the first round. Is there any reason Cardale Jones shouldn't be the fourth QB off the board? I mean, couldn't Cardale done at least as well as Paxton Lynch in Memphis? And, come to think of it, would North Dakota State lost anything by having Jones instead of Carson Wentz? I sure don't think so. All quarterbacks are risks, but Jones has the type of talent that makes that risk worth it.

Honorable mention to his total opposite, Vernon Adams Jr. who is small, quick, and super accurate on his throws. The guy just makes plays, and after a slow start at Oregon, he really put it together and was one of the best quarterbacks in college football by the end of the season. I know he's small, but he's worth taking a flyer on in the seventh round.

Running Back: Keith Marshall

Let's remember something about Keith Marshall. During his freshman year, there was no real difference seen between him and Todd Gurley. Now he has struggled with injuries since then and never really got things going, but his athleticism is still there, and I think he just needed an extra year to fully recover from his injuries. Although he's a different style back, he reminds me of Frank Gore as a guy who couldn't stay healthy in college, but if he does stay healthy in the pros, he's going to be one hell of a late round pick for somebody.

Honorable mention to Jordan Howard who runs through contact better than just about any back in this class. He absolutely crushed Iowa, which was sad for me but also super impressive to watch. He's big, fast, and strong. Indiana played to those strengths, so I'm not sure about the vision, but he has all of the physical tools to be successful.

Extra honorable mention to Daniel Lasco who was the best running back at the Shrine Game. I honestly didn't see much from him outside of that exhibition, but that has to count for something.

Wide Receiver: Tyler Boyd

Tyler Boyd just makes plays. He finds ways to get open, and he knows how to catch the football. Let's not make this any more complicated than it has to be. Boyd will be a good pro.

Honorable mention to Corey Coleman who is a damn freak. 

Yeah, I want that guy.

Tight End: Henry Krieger-Coble

Is this a homer pick? Hell yeah. Will it be my last? Hell no. Also, HKC had a nice ability to get open and he has good hands. He's not the most athletic guy, but I think he offers enough to be a solid #2 tight end.

Offensive Tackle: Joe Haeg

He played with Carson Wentz. I figure he must have done a good job of protecting him.

Offensive Guard: Jordan Walsh

He was really good for Iowa last year. This isn't just a homer pick. He could be a quality starter.

Center: Austin Blythe

Yes, just about everything that could go right did for Iowa so I have a soft spot for, like, everyone. Still, this is the type of guy that I like. He's undersized, which is worrisome with the rise of nose tackles, but he consistently played well against everybody that stepped in front of him, and although size may be a concern, he's worth taking a chance on.

Defensive End: Drew Ott

Okay, so not everything went well for Iowa, but let's not forget how great Drew Ott was before he got injured. This dude massacred Iowa's offensive line to the point where I thought Iowa would be garbage this year, and Kirk Ferentz could no longer turn under-recruited players into absolute studs. He's the best player Iowa has in this draft class, and he's going to make a team very happy. The dude eats raw eggs and offensive linemen for fun. He gonna get after it.

Defensive Tackle: Javon Hargrave

Hargrave was another guy who impressed at the Shrine Game, and I think he's going to be one of the standouts from a small school that surprises people.

Linebacker: Joe Schobert

Joe Schobert is one of those guys that just makes plays. He's not the most athletically gifted, but he makes up for it with his instincts. It's probably going to be stupid how far he falls, and he's going to make teams feel stupid when he has a 10-year career as a starting linebacker.

Honorable mention to Scooby Wright III who basically does the same stuff as Schobert. Like he had Heisman hype coming into this past season. People forget that. I didn't. Scooby has the skills to solve any offensive mystery.

And another honorable mention to Jaylon Smith. I'm not sure how toast that knee is, although some have compared his injuries to Marcus Lattimore which is...not ideal. Still, how far can you let a talent like this drop? I mean, he was seen at worst as a top-10 pick and maybe worthy of being in the top-5. If he's there in the third round, I'd have a really hard time passing on him when the guy has that much upside.

Final honorable mention to Eric Striker, because Oklahoma linebackers try to play the game like The Ultimate Warrior, so I ain't messing with that.

Cornerback: Kendall Fuller

An injury is the only reason he really fell. He was seen as the best cornerback in his family, and his brother was drafted in the middle of the first round. I mean, yeah, as a Bears fan, I am aware that the pick hasn't quite turned out all that well, but corners mature later than most other positions, so it's certainly not hopeless. Had he not gotten hurt, he would have easily been a first round pick, yet I haven't seen anybody with him higher than mid-second. Hell, if Kyle had only been a second round pick, Bears fans probably wouldn't be nearly as worried about him, so getting the more talented Fuller at that point should be a steal.

Honorable mention to Zack Sanchez who made a bunch of plays early on in 2014 and got on everyone's radar, and then fell off that radar. I mean, he was never as great as the hype, but he's also not not talented.

Safety: Karl Joseph

Karl Joseph gets interceptions and hits people hard enough for their grandma to be in pain. Karl Joseph is awesome, and I am super bummed that he is getting a lot of late hype and won't be there for the Bears in the second round. Love Karl Joseph, but more importantly, fear Karl Joseph.

Honorable mention to Jordan Lomax, because he's a Hawkeye, and I gots to represent. I mean, he could be a special teams player, maybe, possibly...sort of?

Kicker: Marshall Koehn

Koehn is able. I mean, even if he isn't a great kicker, that sort of marketing slogan is enough to justify using a pick on him. If teams could expand rosters to like 75 and have a kicker who specialized in 50+ yard field goals, he would have a great future in the NFL. Anything inside of that, and uh, it goes down quickly, although he may fare better with the longer distance extra points than he did with the super close college ones. Still, Koehn is able.

And that wraps things up. The draft starts tonight. I can't wait to see how the Bears screw it up.

Overreacting to Iowa's Win Over Illinois State

I'm not gonna lie, I was super low on Iowa coming into the season. I felt like the question marks that Iowa had were huge concerns that seemed to be downplayed. The offensive tackles were reportedly the hottest, stinkiest garbage that has ever been allowed to play college football. The guards weren't all that fantastic last year, so Iowa likely had their worst offensive line since Kirk Ferentz's first season. On top of that, they needed to replace both defensive tackles, and it's not like they were overflowing with amazing talent at linebacker. I liked the secondary, I liked Tevaun Smith, I was excited for CJ Beathard, and I figured the running backs couldn't be any worse.

So when Iowa took on last year's National Championship Runner-Up (don't worry about what level), Illinois State, I was shocked by how good Iowa looked. They ended up winning the game 31-14, but had Iowa kept in the starters, they probably would have scored once or twice more, and there's a good chance that Illinois State wouldn't have scored at all. It was an impressive performance all-around.

So of course I have done a 180 and am now all-in on Iowa this year. Is this irrational? Of course it is, but I can totally justify it. The tackles, whch were my biggest concern had no issues with Illiniois State's pass rush. Some of those guys were big recruits before transferring out to a smaller school? Does that mean they likely weren't all that good? Yes, but they at east have impressive physical attributes, and Iowa's tackles withstood that, which is more than I expected. I honestly expected a bloodbath in every game, but I am happy to say that I was very wrong.

The offense truly shocked me with how good they looked. Beathard definitely didn't disappoint as he made smart decisions and carved up a defense that was overmatched. The running backs were the true shining stars as LeShun Daniels tore it up on the ground, and Jordan Canzeri tore it up as a receiver. The offensive line took care of business in the running and passing games, which means the only mild concern so far is that the tight ends were a total non-factor, but that's being pretty nitpicky about things.

And defensively, the defensive line shined the brightest as Drew Ott was a monster and Jaleel Johnson showed that he is more than ready to make an impact as a starter. The secondary played very well, as Greg Mabin was making plays in both the running and passing games, while Desmond King is one of the best corners in the conference. And Josey Jewell led a solid effort from the linebackers as he was able to diagnose plays and attack the runners. Illinois State has some legitimate threats on offense, and Iowa absolutely overwhelmed them on that side of the ball.

And it's not like Iowa's schedule is all that difficult. To demonstrate how soft it is, let's just do a quick power rankings of Iowa's opponents from how they looked in week one.

1. Northwestern
2. Illinois
3. Maryland
4. Iowa State
5. Minnesota
6. Pitt
7. Indiana
8. Nebraska
9. Wisconsin
10. Texas State
11. Purdue

Yeah, that is seriously their schedule. I mean, judging by how these teams looked in week one, this might be the easiest schedule in the nation. I'm not sure what is most laughable about this, Northwestern at 1, Illinois at 2, or Iowa State at 4, but that's a pretty accurate portrayal of how these teams performed in their first game. It's not like Iowa couldn't beat any of these teams.

Every year, I go into the Iowa football season with way too much optimism, always seeing how things could break right. I inevitably end up disappointed. But this year, I was skeptical going into the year, so maybe this is the year that they shock me and the rest of the world and actually put together a great season.

Either that, or I just waited one week to get my hopes way too high only to see Iowa shit the bed against Iowa State.