Matt Miller Projects Notre Dame To Get Five NFL Draft Selections
Bleacher Report NFL Draft Expert Matt Miller released a seven-round mock draft on Monday morning.
Props to you Mr. Miller as that sounds like a nightmare.
2018 NFL Mock Draft: Matt Miller's Post-Super Bowl Predictions
Notre Dame was well represented as Miller projected five players to be taken by NFL teams in April.
Offensive lineman Quenton Nelson was the highest projection and that should come as no surprise to anyone that’s watched the New Jersey native play over the last three seasons.
Miller has the Chicago Bears taking Nelson with the 8th pick, which would mean Harry Hiestand would go about four months between coaching the 6-foot-5, 330-pounder.
Miller on Nelson:
“Oh, man. The Bears land a difference-maker in Quenton Nelson, as he follows his former college offensive line coach to Chicago from Notre Dame. And while guard might seem like a boring pick and not a huge need, teams will gladly make a spot on the starting lineup for this monster.
Nelson is a violent, brutal blocker, but he's also a fluid athlete with the movement skills to pull, trap and keep pace with speedy pass-rushers on the interior. Nelson isn't like anyone else in the NFL currently. He's meaner than Zack Martin and more athletic than Brandon Scherff. Plug him in at left guard, though, and the entire Bears offensive line is suddenly better.
Adding Nelson means less work for Cody Whitehair at center and for Kyle Long at right guard. The balance and power in the middle of the line also means a better life for Mitchell Trubisky and Jordan Howard. So while this isn't the most exciting pick on paper, it's one Bears fans would embrace in due time.”
Nelson’s sidekick Mike McGlinchey was the next off the board at No. 29 as Miller has the Jacksonville Jaguars taking the 6-foot-8, 315-pounder.
McGlinchey could end up at either tackle spot in the NFL and going to a team coming off an AFC Championship Game appearance is never a bad thing.
Miller on McGlinchey:
“Like the Buffalo Bills at picks No. 21 and 22, the Jacksonville Jaguars played themselves out of filling the team's biggest need. Outside of reaching for a quarterback, Tom Coughlin and Dave Caldwell must look to other values and focus on improving other areas of the roster instead of selecting a passer to challenge and/or replace Blake Bortles.
Looking at the board, Mike McGlinchey stands out as a Coughlin/Caldwell-type pick given his production at a major college and his high character off the field. You'll notice the Jaguars rarely use early picks on small-school players and value well-coached college players. McGlinchey fits the bill as the team's type and fills a need as a plug-and-play right tackle.
Fans will no doubt want a quarterback here, but with Bortles under contract for 2018, the Jaguars can wait to draft a passer but shouldn't wait long to add a potential quarterback of the future.”
Running back Josh Adams comes off the board for Miller in the 4th round with the 116th overall selection to the Seattle Seahawks.
It’s an interesting landing spot for Adams as the Seahawks have gone through about 200 running backs in the last few years and can’t seem to find one that can stay healthy or produce consistently.
Adams would fit the scheme and would definitely benefit from sharing the load with another back or two.
It would also be interesting to see CJ Prosise and Adams end up on the same team together as Adams replaced Prosise as a true freshman in 2015.
Tight end Durham Smythe is one of the hottest names at his position after a big week at the Reese’s Senior Bowl, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him move up even higher.
Miller has the Belton (Texas) native projected as a 7th round pick going to the New York Giants with the 194th overall selection.
Smythe caught three passes for 48 yards and a touchdown in the Senior Bowl, but it was his practice reps that caught the eye of scouts.
Receiver Equanimeous St. Brown rounds out the Notre Dame picks as Miller has him going to the Cincinnati Bengals with the 223rd pick overall.
I’m not sure St. Brown is there at this point in April. He didn’t have the best year in 2017, but the 6-foot-5, 200-pounder is going to test really well in a combine environment, and I imagine that’s going to boost his draft stock.
As a Bengals fan, I’m not mad about this as St. Brown across from AJ Green and Tyler Boyd would be an exciting combination.