NFL Mock Draft 7.1: Round 2 of the seven-round mock NFL Draft
Picks 41-44
41. Oakland Raiders: DE Sam Hubbard, Ohio State
The Raiders could use another edge rusher to pair with Khalil Mack. They had trouble generating pressure on opposing teams last season and at this point, Sam Hubbard is a steal. While Hubbard wasn’t always productive at Ohio State, he has excellent athleticism and movement skills that were on display at the Combine. Hubbard should do a lot to take pressure off Mack and that could improve the Raiders defense under Jon Gruden.
42. Miami Dolphins: QB Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State
After missing out on a quality quarterback in the first round and reaching for a defensive lineman, the Dolphins will have a decision to make here. They could try to upgrade another position on offense like tight end and target Hayden Hurst. Or, they could grab one of the best remaining quarterbacks in the draft.
Mason Rudolph is considered by some to be a potential first round pick. Rudolph has a good arm, but after playing in a Big 12 offense, he is raw for the next level. Rudolph needs to work on reading the field, as the type of spread offense he ran at Oklahoma State is a lot different than pro-style offenses in the NFL. Additionally, his accuracy and ball placement need work. So right now, Rudolph is a strong-armed quarterback who needs time to develop.
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The Dolphins won’t mind that too much. They already have Ryan Tannehill and while he missed last season and the team may not fully trust him, he can hold down the fort until Rudolph is ready. If the Dolphins want a potential starting quarterback, this will be just about their last chance to land one.
43. New England Patriots (via SF): RB Nick Chubb, Georgia
The Patriots could stand to add some youth at running back. The team lost Dion Lewis to free agency, and while they retained Rex Burkhead, the team still needs a true power back for their offense. Jeremy Hill was added to a one year deal, but it remains to be seen whether or not that will work out.
Chubb was once considered to be a potential top 15 talent early in his career at Georgia. However, a bad knee injury that took time to recover from has downgraded him a bit. Still, Chubb looks like a great between the tackles runner with strength. He also is in the process of regaining some of the burst he had before his injury. He may never be the same athlete that he was pre-injury, but he is still one of the best running backs in the draft and should be a quality starter in the NFL.
44. Washington Redskins: RB Ronald Jones, USC
In this scenario, the Redskins are lucky to get one of the second-round running backs to fall into their lap. Ronald Jones had a great season for the USC Trojans in 2017. Jones totaled 1,550 yards and 19 touchdowns on just 261 carries and was a terrific weapon for Sam Darnold. He looked like a true lead back and is one of the better runners in this draft.
With the Redskins, Jones would be the natural backfield leader for the team. He would be a potential three-down back, though Chris Thompson would likely hold onto his passing back role. Still, having an early downs starter like Jones would do a lot to complete the running back group for the Redskins, a group that would likely feature Jones and Thompson as the main backs with Samaje Perine being worked in. That would do a lot to help the team’s offense out under Alex Smith’s leadership.