NFL Mock Draft: How would the draft look if the order was reversed?
![Commissioner of the National Football League Roger Goodell. New York Jets. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) Commissioner of the National Football League Roger Goodell. New York Jets. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/d78c0d6f420a362131e8a0ed9b6a122e8aa4e22cdedc709967f46d56efe1ca0d.jpg)
The next four teams were all also playoff teams. Most of them are stacked but should still pile on needs or talent where they see them.
55. WR. Oklahoma State. James Washington. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 5
The Steelers are a solid football team. They are stacked on both sides of the ball. Yes, the Ryan Shazier injury does force them to bolster their defense but their juggernaut offense is in jeopardy too.
Le’Veon Bell cannot be a workhorse forever. Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster are great but they won’t be able to keep everyone together for much longer. Washington can go downfield and catch passes. Brown can keep doing his thing.
Then JuJu and Washington can line up opposite and give Big Ben three wideouts downfield. If you give Big Ben that many options it’ll be one of the best passing offenses ever. That is scary.
Pittsburgh cannot go wrong here to keep the flash alive for a little longer. Washington brings an interesting dynamic.
Josh Allen . 6. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. QB . Wyoming. player. 15
Really this is the only scenario the Saints will go with a QB here. There is no need for them right now but can still look ahead to the future. The Saints bolstered their defense the last few drafts. Their skill set at WR can wait because Drew Brees can connect with anyone.
A big knock on Allen is whether or not he is ready to be a starter right now. Drew Brees is a great person to learn from. Allen passing in a dome can be beautiful. It might stink to see his cold weather ability go for nothing here but the New Orleans voodoo magic can kick in and help a kid from Wyoming make it big in the NFL. That is magic in itself.
The Saints can wait for their guy and that is exactly what Allen might have to do too. They do not waste a pick and will not get worse from this.
Alabama. player. 44. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. DT. 7 . Da'Ron Payne
The Falcons can easily crumble to irrelevancy and quickly. Even though I might still be upset about the Falcons blowing that Super Bowl against the Patriots, they need defense. Payne might not be the best DT in the draft but he will fit in with the Falcons who need him.
He can stay in the South and play eight games in the stadium where he just won the national title. Matt Ryan and Julio Jones might need help eventually but Payne is the guy to help the Falcons give up significantly fewer points.
Notre Dame. Pick Analysis. OG . Quenton Nelson . 8 . player. 35. Scouting Report
The Titans might be the worst team to ever win a playoff game. If not for an astronomical collapse by the Chiefs, the Titans would not have stood a chance. Despite the success, the Titans’ objective this draft should remain the same.
They need to protect Marcus Mariota. He does not need a ton of weapons to succeed, he needs space. Nelson would give him that. Nelson is still likely to go this high in the draft to someone else but the Titans are the next team to benefit from the order being reversed. Somehow they still need it.