NFL Draft Week 8: The Risers, The Fallers, and The Mock

It is time for a post-week 8 edition of Risers, Fallers, and…the Mock! In this edition, I will be going over some of the teams that we see rising and falling. And instead of using SB odds, this will be the first time I begin to use the actual standings to shape the mock draft. So let us dive in! 

The Risers:📈📈📈📈📈

Cincinnati Bengals: A team that was at the top of mock for many weeks and was once thought to be in a rebuild looks to be a favorite to make the playoffs! I know they just had a bad loss, but the Bengals’ offense is clicking on all cylinders with the addition of Chase and a healthy Burrow. Their defense is much better than projected. And now, we see them at the bottom of the draft order snagging a late-round steal. It will be interesting to see if they can continue this hot streak but needless to say, this is one of the hottest offenses in the league at the moment. 

Arizona Cardinals: This is an easy one right? They were the last undefeated team and one of the SB favorite as it sits now. This team is loaded on offense and their defense has matched their efforts. This team won’t have a ton of needs, depending on how free agency shakes up, which will leave them in a rare position to truly go BPA. It will be fun to see this offense continue to roll throughout the season and hopefully see them add more firepower to the defensive side of the ball in the offseason. 

Philadelphia Eagles: I know I know, this team isn’t great. So why are they a riser? Well in terms of draft stock, the Eagles are not only loaded with picks, but they are sitting with 3 top 15 picks as it stands now! The Eagles have some nice pieces to build around, but I do think they pull the trigger on a new QB at some point. With all their picks, they have the luxury of taking a QB while still adding talent to other areas of need. If the Eagles play this draft right, they could be a team to watch out for next season!

The Fallers: 📉📉📉📉📉

Kansas City Chiefs: This has been the buzz of the NFL world. The SB favorite hasn’t looked anywhere close to what we expected. The offense has made silly errors while the defense is one of the worst in the league. I am more optimistic for the rest of the season (probably the Chiefs fan in me), so I don’t envision them picking this high. But if they do, it will be important to add a difference-maker on the defensive side of the ball. 

Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks traded away their first-round pick in hopes to get a player that can help take them to the next level. With injuries playing a part, the Seahawks have been underwhelming and are hand-gifting the Jets a top 10 pick. This is another team I do not see finishing this bad once healthy, but as of now, the Jets are celebrating their trade. 

The Mock:(draft order from tankathon.com)

1. Detroit Lions- Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon
2. Houston Texans- Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
3. Philadelphia Eagles(via MIA)- Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
4. Jacksonville Jaguars- Evan Neal, OL, Alabama
5. New York Giants- Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
6. Washington FT- Carson Strong, QB, Nevada
7. New York Jets- Derek Stingley Jr, CB, LSU
8. Philadelphia Eagles- Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
9. Philadelphia Eagles(via IND)- Kenyon Green, OL, Texas A&M
10. New York Jets- Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson
11. New York Giants(via CHI)- Ikem Ekwonu, OL, NC State
12. Atlanta Falcons- DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M
13. Miami Dolphins(via SF)- Sean Rhyan, OL, UCLA
14. Minnesota Vikings- Kaair Elam, CB, Florida
15. New England Patriots- Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio St
16. Denver Broncos- Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan
17. Cleveland Browns- George Pickens, WR, Georgia
18. Kansas City Chiefs- Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
19. Carolina Panthers- Charles Cross, OL, Mississippi St
20. Los Angeles Chargers- Tyler Linderbau, OL, Iowa
21. Pittsburgh Steelers- Darian Kinnard, OL, Kentucky
22. Cincinnati Bengals- Trevor Penning, OL, Northern Iowa
23. New Orleans Saints- Chris Olave, WR, Ohio St
24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Drake Jackson, EDGE, USC
25. Buffalo Bills- Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
26. Oakland Raiders- Jaxon Kirkland, OL, Washington
27. Dallas Cowboys- George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue
28. Green Bay Packers- Zion Nelson, OL, Miami
29. Baltimore Ravens- Rasheed Walker, OL, Penn St
30. Detroit Lions(via LAR)- Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn St
31. Tennessee Titans- Jordan Davis, DL, Georgia
32. Arizona Cardinals- Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington