NFL Mock Draft 7.6: Round 7 of the 2018 NFL Draft

Picks 231-234

227. Miami Dolphins (via SF): WR Darren Carrington, Utah

The Miami Dolphins signed two free agent wide receivers, Danny Amendola and Albert Wilson, but their receiving core still looks rather underwhelming. A seventh-round pick won’t fix that on its own, but by picking Darren Carrington, the team gets a well-equipped wide receiver with loads of potential in the NFL. Off-field concerns push Carrington down this far, but if the Dolphins’ culture change can help get him on the right track, he could vastly outplay his draft status.

228. Oakland Raiders: DL Lowell Lotulelei, Utah

The Oakland Raiders re-signed stout nose tackle Justin Ellis in free agency, but they may still want to reinforce the middle of the line in the NFL Draft. Having not done so yet in this mock draft, the Raiders opt to change that with this pick. Utah’s Lowell Lotulelei is the selection. At 6-foot-2, 320, Lotulelei isn’t a nose tackle, but he has the twitch and the power to be a very productive defensive tackle in a rotation. The brunt of concerns surrounding Lotulelei stem from his effort, or lack thereof, but if the Raiders can coach him up, he could be a steal.

229. Miami Dolphins: TE Cam Serigne, Wake Forest

The Miami Dolphins are incredibly thin at the position of tight end. Their starter is former preseason darling A.J. Derby, just so you know what kind of situation they’re in.

With all the other holes on this team’s roster, drafting a tight end wasn’t feasible until this point in the NFL Draft. Unfortunately, now most other options are gone, and the remaining ones don’t bring much, in terms of immediate production potential, which is what the Dolphins need.

Ultimately, Wake Forest’s Cam Serigne is the pick because of his consistent production. Over four years as a starter at Wake Forest, Serigne logged 2,075 yards and 21 touchdowns on 175 receptions. Serigne, standing at 6-foot-3, 250, isn’t the biggest tight end, and he has room to improve as a blocker, but he can do solid work in the middle. For the Dolphins, who need a pass catching tight end to help keep their offense afloat, Serigne is the right call.

230. Jacksonville Jaguars (via CIN): S Jeremy Reaves, South Alabama

In the playoffs, it was clear that the Jacksonville Jaguars’ vaunted defense had a true weakness: It’s safety core.

Tashaun Gipson and Barry Church played admirably last season as the team’s starting safeties, but neither player is of the same caliber as the rest of the unit, and behind them, there is little depth to speak of. The team remedied this only partly by signing veteran Don Carey in free agency, and at this pick in the NFL Draft, they can take another step toward solving the problem by drafting Jeremy Reaves.

Reaves, 5-foot-11, 200, was the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year in the Sun Belt Conference. In twelve games, he logged 104 total tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three interceptions, eight pass deflections, and three forced fumbles. It was the best year of a very productive career for Reaves, and through that stat hounding, Reaves displayed a number of enticing traits, from his unrelenting game speed and range, to his solid tackling technique.

For the Jaguars’ aging safety group, Reaves would provide an influx of youth. He’s a talented player with great potential, and in the Jaguars defense, surrounded by playmakers, he could soon take up a role as a rotational playmaker himself.