Todd McShay Thinks Denzel Ward is the best pick for the Denver Broncos
By Andrew Wade
Todd McShay picks Ohio State Cornerback Denzel Ward for the Denver Broncos in his recently released ‘Grade: A’ 2018 Mock Draft…
In ESPN NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay’s recently released ‘Grade: A’ 2018 Mock Draft he picks the first 100 picks of the draft as if he were the general manager of each team.
The catch is that this mock draft isn’t what he thinks each team will do. Rather, it’s what he thinks each team should do to receive an “A” grade after the draft’s conclusion.
The value of a non-predictive mock draft
In the grand scheme of things, it’s not. This exercise provides fans a glimpse at what a draft expert believes would be the ideal draft. It doesn’t take into account what the team is actually looking to do.
The real value comes from providing a basis for fans to understand what the team needs are and what the draft priorities should be. This takes out any team bias or draft tendencies that typically come into play.
For example, McShay believes the Browns should select running back Saquon Barkley at four. Although a popular pick by many analysts, this ignores the new regime’s tendencies. John Dorsey, general manager of the Browns, has never selected a running back in the first round.
In this version of a mock draft, the tendency for teams to jump at quarterbacks early is not in consideration. Only two quarterbacks are selected in the top ten, neither of which is named Josh Allen.
So who did McShay have Denver selecting in each round?