SML Group Mock Draft
by Qbstud | 4 years ago | 0 Comments
WHAT’S UP SML 2x champion QBstud here. What I’ve got for you today is a little group project some of us have put together for your deadtime enjoyment. Our task, was to have a group-mock draft along with rankings and analysis. Why a group you ask? I originally reached out, because any individual mock draft is generally going to have biases or agendas clouding their judgement. I figured, with a group, we could eliminate those things as much as possible, and give us the perspectives we need to at the very least have a very entertaining piece. Big shoutout to Meats, MB, Coop, and Royce on helping with this project.
Director’s note: a change to the SML membership has occurred since this list was made, but that’s ok, because the order will likely change regardless. This was still a fun exercise, I know we all enjoyed it, and we hope you do too.
1. Prime – Colts (avg rank: 17.4; MB rank: 20)
Though there have been rumors that this pick could go another way, I don’t think anyone actually believes those rumors. While it could be fun for Prime to try another team for a season or two, the opportunity to play as your favorite team is too tough to pass up when you have to play for an entire year.
2. Meats – Cardinals (avg rank: 5.6; Meats rank: 3)
This one’s pretty easy. Escape artist young QB, and perhaps the best uer LB in madden history in Isaiah Simmons. I've been looking for a good user LB since I joined the SML and itll be nice to start with one in Madden 21. This AZ team has a lot of young talent.
3. ZZ – Chiefs (avg rank: 1.2; QB rank: 1)
After going the majority of the M20 cycle without a bonafide franchise QB following the retirement of Drew Brees, ZZ will not let that happen again as he picks up the best QB you can have. The chiefs are absolutely riddled with speed on offense, and even have a few pieces on the defensive side of the ball. The question will be, can ZZ take this team to a dominant level, and will he be able to manage the cap and the roster over the course of a season? He’ll be in great position to make some noise in M21 and will certainly be a team to watch.
4. NYT – Ravens (avg rank: 1.8; Coop rank: 2)
The Ravens are arguably a top 2 team to start with for M21. If they are still here at pick #4, this would be a steal for NYT. NYT may not have any Simbardy trophies to this point, but I could see him snagging one if he gets this team. Lamar, Hollywood, and that stout defense should lead to a lot of wins. Rookie MLB Patrick Queen will surely be NYT’s top choice for his user with 89 speed. Keys for success will be replacing some of the older players on that defensive front 7. All 3 big boys on the DL are 30 or older. He does have a solid secondary he won’t have worry about for a few seasons.
5. Mike – Chargers (avg rank: 6.6; Royce rank: 11)
I know Mike will be missing Drew Lock but at least he gets to face him twice a year. The Chargers have a solid offense that does not have too many holes, especially with the addition of Justin Herbert. On the defensive side, he will have Joey Bosa, Derwin James, and Nassir Adderley to build around, and it won’t be necessary for a couple of seasons.
6. Woods - 49ers (avg rank: 4.6; MB rank: 4)
Woods absolutely loves running backs and starting with a stable of R.Mostert, T.Coleman, and J.McKinnon would probably make him excited. With this pick, Woods also starts with a defensive line that should remind him of his Browns team from M20. N.Bosa, A.Armstead, and D.Ford should be wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks for years to come. I’m sure he would like a little more speed at MLB, but Fred Warner should be more than serviceable until Woods can acquire an upgrade through the draft or free agency.
7. Royce – Panthers (avg rank: 23.6; Royce rank: 26)
This is an easy pick for me. The Panthers are my favorite team and when you have an offense of CMC, Robby Anderson, DJ Moore, and Curtis Samuel, it doesn’t matter who is throwing the ball. The defense is where they need some help bunt with their rookie class and some time, their defense will be a force to be reckoned with.
8. Dumpahontas – Washington Football Team (avg rank: 14; QB rank: 10)
If the SML did a fantasy draft, I’m fairly confident Dump’s team would look JUST like this. The WFT has all the pieces that made his Jags team great: A fantastic young #1 WR, a young QB to develop, young absolutely bonkers pass rushers, athletic LBs, and a secondary you can work with. The piece that most people forget about is Troy Apke, who is the fastest Safety (also with 85 COD) in the game. Dump often users the safety we he needs to develop them, and he has the prime candidate on this squad.
9. Gramazins – Cowboys (avg rank: 8.6; Coop rank: 5)
Gramz will sometimes not take ‘DEM BOYZ in every league, but I can’t see him passing them up here at the 9th pick. His favorite team, the Cowboys, are a perfect team to start a franchise with again in M21. Zeke will still be a beast behind that great OL, rookie CeeDee Lamb only adds to the offensive weapons, but can Dak take him to a Super Bowl? It took 8 full season of M20 before Gram went all in on a QB and kicked Dak to the curb. This could be Gramz redemption Madden where he once again ends up in the playoffs consistently.
10. Future- Saints (avg rank: 16; Royce rank: 12)
Me and Future have this bond that can’t be broken and now we are finally back in a division together. Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara make a strong case for best HB/WR combo in the NFL. Only worry on offense is replacing Drew Brees, but you can expect 2 seasons out of him. Their defensive side of the ball is getting older and that could be a big downside with the Saints. Future will need to focus on key defensive positions early in the first couple drafts.
11. Spooky – Seahawks (avg rank: 9.4; MB rank: 11)
It’s no secret that Spooky likes to air it out to a big fast wide receiver whose name starts with “M”. Well it only makes sense that he transitions from McLean to Metcalf. DK Metcalf should be dominant from the start. With his size and 95 speed, I fully expect Spooky to lead the league in receiving with him from day 1. Add Russell Wilson and Tyler Lockett to the mix and you have a dangerous passing game, which is right in Spooky’s wheelhouse. The Seahawks also have an exciting defense with the addition of Jamal Adams.
12. Noleoverlord – Buccaneers (avg rank: 7; Meats rank: 14)
Our 3rd repeat owner in the first 12 picks, the Bucs fan Nole will grab his much improved hometown team here. Much has been made about Tom Brady and Gronk joining the Bucs, but this team is much more than 2 old guys on offense. They have perhaps the best receiving corp, they have one of the fastest users in Devin White, and they have young defensive talent at almost every spot. A good value at the spot, we had teh Bucs ranked 7th, and Nole grabs them at 12. Will he be able to find another Angelo French-esque star?
13. Lawyerkiller – Falcons (avg rank: 22.6; QB rank: 24)
With Lawyer being from the Atlanta area the Falcons are his team, but that isn’t the only reason the Falcons are slotted here. The Falcons actually match-up with last year’s Packers really well on Offense, as they have an aging very talented QB, an absolute stud #1 with a younger core behind him (Falcons edge here). The Falcons also have Gurley now, and one of the fastest LB cores in Madden with a young secondary. All these reasons, plus the opportunity to join the other owners in the NFCS makes the Falcons a strong pick here for Lawyer
14. Tiny – Titans (avg rank: 19.2; Coop rank: 24)
Here it is again, summer is winding down, NFL football is on the way, and the crickets are chirping loudly…. That’s right, Tiny snags his favorite team once again. Henry will get the rock often with Tiny leading the way. While the Titans are a solid team all around, they don’t have many great playmakers outside of Henry & Byard on the roster. Will the fandom keep Tiny from moving on from Tanny at QB or will the mediocrity continue on through another Madden cycle? I’m listening for the crickets to give me the answers.
15. Raider – Raiders (avg rank: 11; Royce rank: 24)
Like this year, Raider will be heading back to the Raiders, but not to Oakland. He will get to play in a fancy new, fan-less, stadium in Las Vegas. I still don’t think Carr is the answer at QB but with young starts like Jacobs and Ruggs, Carr shouldn’t have too much to do. Their defense could use a little help, especially at CB, but for the most part, they have a solid core. With the addition of Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkowski, Raider will have 2 solid users on day 1.
16. Chris – Browns (avg rank: 4.8; MB rank: 3)
This pick was more about value than anything else. If the Browns fall this far in the draft, Chris has to be running to get his pick turned in. Young talent all over the field and plenty of cap space make this one of the top teams to start with. Chris likes to spread the ball pretty evenly on offense and the Browns have the weapons on offense for him to be extremely successful with that gameplan.
17. Field – Packers (avg rank: 17.2; Meats rank: 15)
I think the Packers are a good value pick here. Middle of the pack, and they defintely have a good team in terms of ratings. WRs leave a little to be desired but thats usually an easy Fix. Start the cycle with Aaron Rodgers and then move to Jordan Love. Field has shown hes not scared of taking a veteran team in the past and he'll do it again this season, moving back to the NFC and selecting the Packers. Next question is, can field get back in the playoffs after missing the playoffs for a whole cycle for the first time in his SML tenure?
18. QBstud – Broncos (avg rank: 15.4; QB rank: 12)
The Denver Broncos check off just about every box besides being the cowboys and having a stud OU alum. Two young superstar WRs, a young QB with a decent arm, two super talented HBs, a burner at TE; the offense is already set for the cycle. The defense has some work to do, but they do have pieces to make up for it in the present. Best safety tandem in the game, along with two monster pass rushers makes the D not as big a work-in-progress as you may think. Broncos are one of the few teams built to win now AND in the future. The Broncos are probably the least talented team in the AFCW, so a lot of it depends on if there is a true leader in the division.
19. Colt45 – Bengals (avg rank: 16.6; Coop rank: 16)
Colt struggled with injuries throughout M20, but he showed he can lead a team into the postseason when they stay on the field. The Bengals have a strong pass rush & rookie QB Joe Burrow to help turn this franchise around. Joe Mixon is a great back the offense has one of the fastest guys at WR in John Ross III. The big fault of the Bengals is the OL. He’ll need to address that to keep the offense rolling. The LB group for this team is also a weakness and will need to be addressed early. If Colt gets a team that stays healthy for most of M21, you better watch out.
20. Rowin – Bills (avg rank: 13.4; Royce rank: 10)
Some people are not as high on the Bills as I am but Rowin is getting great value with this pick, in my eyes. He has an overall young team. Under center is Josh Allen and with that 99 throw power, just send Diggs on a streak and it’s a wrap. Tremaine Edmunds is the big name on defense as that will be his user unless he goes with Micah Hyde. In other words, he will have a great user to cover while Ed Oliver disrupts opposing QBs.
21. PJ - Eagles (avg rank: 19.2; MB rank: 22)
PJ has managed to keep a dismal Lions squad hovering around the .500 mark in M20. He should be able to improve on that record with this Eagles squad. His Lions quarterback was never sacked less than 33 times in a season and I think the upgrade of the Eagles offensive line, combined with Carson Wentz should allow PJ to improve his offense significantly. The offseason acquisition of Darius Slay makes this defense much more appealing as well.
22. Twostep – Steelers (avg rank: 23.2; Meats rank: 30)
Twostep is a cowboys fan, and they'll be long gone by 22, but the Steelers are a similar team to the Cowboys. Good WRs, a good QB (to start), and solid defensive talent. The only holdbacks with this pick is that Twostep had a veteran team last cycle in the Rams and struggled mightily all cycle. He's never been scared, and he'll take the Steelers, tank for a QB, and make the playoffs 4 times next cycle.
23. Bluntburner – Vikings (avg rank: 26; QB rank: 29)
Blunt is a run-first owner, and he gets the only RB with Juke Box to start in Dalvin Cook. He also has plenty of tools on D, a #1 WR for now AND a young stud to develop for the future. Sometimes you have a perfect fit for owner/roster, and this is one of those. Expect Blunt to take a division or two at least based on how the NFCN is shaping out.
24. KJ – Giants (avg rank: 25.4; Coop rank: 25)
KJ’s stlye is to play tough defense and be balanced and methodical on offense. I gave KJ this pick 100% for Saquon Barkley. I know KJ likes to run the ball. The best teams left on the board were the Dolphins (not again please!) and the Texans. I couldn’t see KJ picking a rival as a Titans fan. Barkley will be ton of fun for KJ if he lands here. The defense, however, will need a total rebuild. There are a few key players to build upon, but more help will be needed to get this team going in the right direction.
25. Pauly - Patriots (avg rank: 23; Royce rank: 25)
A hometown kid gets to play with his hometown team but he won’t have his hometown hero. Pauly loves his Patriots but they do need a lot of work. He has Newton but who knows if that is who he will start. Defensively, an old defense which will need a lot of help but I know Pauly wants to bro g his Patriots a Simbardi.
26. Figgs – Dolphins (avg rank: 18.2; MB rank: 15)
At this point in the draft, the choices are pretty limited. I think Figgs will be pretty excited to see the Dolphins on the board when it comes time for him to pick. This Dolphins team is actually sneaky good. Their overall ratings might not reflect it, but having Byron Jones and Xavien Howard as your starting corners to go with Raekwon McMillan and Jerome Baker as your middle linebackers, is already the start of a dominant defense. Now offensively they may take a little time to get on track, but the core of D.Parker, J.Howard/M.Brieda, and Tua is definitely something that you can build around.
27. Sunday – Texans (avg rank: 16.4; Meats rank: 23)
Sunday. Texans. Prime. Colts. Thats all you need to know here. The fact that such a young team with Deshaun Watson is still here at 27 is a testament to people not wanting to play Prime twice a season. Sunday isnt scared.
28. DanHe22 – Jaguars (avg rank: 21.4; QB rank: 13)
This may well be the steal of the draft. Dan is a teambuilder above all else, and the canvas to build on doesn’t get any better than the Jaguars here at pick 28. They have literally every young piece but a QB, since Minshew has a noodle for an arm. If this breaks his way I would expect him to have his team on-line and competing by end of season 2
29. Coop – Rams (avg rank: 28.2; Coop rank: 30)
Well, I guess I should just buy my Rams hat already. Here we are at pick 29 and the best teams available are the Rams or the Bears. (Again!) This pick was a toss up with so few options remaining. While the Rams do have some star power with AD & Ramsey on defense, they are aging at most positions on the roster. WRs and defense will be important to improve upon early. If not managed correctly, this team could be a sinking ship headed right for the nursing home in a few seasons. My skills will aslo need to improve. If not, I could fail again with a subpar team like the Rams. Only hoping for my SML best, 7-9, again year after year.
30. Cory (booted) – Bears (avg rank: 28; Royce rank: 28)
Between the Bears, Lions, and Jets, I figured Cory would want the better defense. While the bears do have Mitch Trubisky, and an overall, eh offense, they do have Cole Kmet who will be an animal all cycle. I’d expect him to get an XFactor by the end of the 2nd season. The defense however, is where the Bears shine. You will have a strong defense with some players that need replacing, but plenty of time to do it. Defense wins championships, and this Bears team is the definition of that.
31. MadBomber – Lions (avg rank: 31; MB rank: 31)
The biggest reason for this pick…….they aren’t the Jets. With the next to last pick, there isn’t really much reasoning for this pick other than they aren’t the Jets. However, there are also some things to look forward to here if you are MadBomber. Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones make up a dangerous receiving corps, especially when you add TJ Hockenson to the mix. D.Swift and K.Johnson will provide a solid 1-2 combination in the running game, similar to what we saw with R.Whitlock and B.Love in M20. M.Stafford also provides a more than capable starter at quarterback until a replacement can be found. But the crown jewel that is sure to excite Bomber the most…….J.Okudah. While he can’t get his favorite team (Browns), getting one of the top Buckeye rookies coming in will surely get him excited about the Lions.
32. Latinyank – Jets (avg rank: 32; QB rank: 32)
Although most may lament at being the last “pick” in team selection, this is the perfect year for that to happen to Latin, as he’d likely pick his favorite team even higher in the draft. The Jets are a long-term build, as they have one of the younger QBs in the league, and have compiled some draft capital with the Jamal Adams trade. With a burner #1 WR to take the top of defenses, expect Denzel Mims to grow into a young stud WR sooner rather than later. They may not have Adams anymore, but they still have a top flight front 7, so don’t’ expect any tears to be shed with this pick.
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|
QB |
Meats |
Coop |
Royce |
MB |
avg |
division |
|
|
1 |
AFCS |
AFCS |
AFCS |
AFCS |
AFCS |
1 |
AFCS |
|
|
2 |
NFCS |
NFCS |
NFCS |
NFCS |
NFCE |
2.2 |
NFCS |
|
|
3 |
NFCE |
NFCW |
NFCW |
NFCE |
NFCS |
3.6 |
NFCW |
|
|
4 |
NFCW |
NFCE |
NFCE |
NFCW |
NFCW |
3.8 |
NFCE |
|
|
5 |
AFCW |
AFCN |
AFCE |
AFCN |
AFCE |
6.4 |
AFCW |
|
|
6 |
AFCN |
NFCN |
NFCN |
AFCW |
NFCN |
6.4 |
AFCN |
|
|
7 |
NFCN |
AFCW |
AFCW |
NFCN |
AFCW |
6.4 |
NFCN |
|
|
8 |
AFCE |
AFCE |
AFCN |
AFCE |
AFCN |
6.8 |
AFCE |
| QB ranking | Royce | Meats | Coop | MB | AvgRank | Team | ||||||
| 1 | Chiefs | 1 | Chiefs | 1 | Ravens | 1 | Chiefs | 1 | Chiefs | 1.2 | Chiefs | |
| 2 | Ravens | 2 | Ravens | 2 | Chiefs | 2 | Ravens | 2 | Ravens | 1.8 | Ravens | |
| 3 | Bucs | 3 | Cardinals | 3 | Cardinals | 3 | 49ers | 3 | Browns | 4.6 | 49ers | |
| 4 | 49ers | 4 | Bucs | 4 | Browns | 4 | Browns | 4 | 49ers | 4.8 | Browns | |
| 5 | Chargers | 5 | Browns | 5 | Chargers | 5 | Cowboys | 5 | Chargers | 5.6 | Cardinals | |
| 6 | Raiders | 6 | 49ers | 6 | 49ers | 6 | Bucs | 6 | Cardinals | 6.6 | Chargers | |
| 7 | Cardinals | 7 | Seahawks | 7 | Raiders | 7 | Chargers | 7 | Raiders | 7 | Bucs | |
| 8 | Browns | 8 | Cowboys | 8 | Seahawks | 8 | WFT | 8 | Bucs | 8.6 | Cowboys | |
| 9 | Cowboys | 9 | Texans | 9 | Texans | 9 | Cardinals | 9 | Cowboys | 9.4 | Seahawks | |
| 10 | WFT | 10 | Bills | 10 | Bills | 10 | Seahawks | 10 | WFT | 11 | Raiders | |
| 11 | Seahawks | 11 | Chargers | 11 | Colts | 11 | Raiders | 11 | Seahawks | 13.4 | Bills | |
| 12 | Broncos | 12 | Saints | 12 | Cowboys | 12 | Saints | 12 | Broncos | 14 | WFT | |
| 13 | Jags | 13 | Steelers | 13 | Broncos | 13 | Colts | 13 | Jags | 15.4 | Broncos | |
| 14 | Bengals | 14 | Titans | 14 | Buccaneers | 14 | Packers | 14 | Bengals | 16 | Saints | |
| 15 | Dolphins | 15 | Packers | 15 | Packers | 15 | Bills | 15 | Dolphins | 16.4 | Texans | |
| 16 | Bills | 16 | Bengals | 16 | Eagles | 16 | Bengals | 16 | Bills | 16.6 | Bengals | |
| 17 | Titans | 17 | Broncos | 17 | Falcons | 17 | Eagles | 17 | Titans | 17.2 | Packers | |
| 18 | Pats | 18 | Vikings | 18 | Saints | 18 | Texans | 18 | Pats | 17.4 | Colts | |
| 19 | Saints | 19 | Eagles | 19 | Dolphins | 19 | Steelers | 19 | Saints | 18.2 | Dolphins | |
| 20 | Colts | 20 | Falcons | 20 | WFT | 20 | Panthers | 20 | Colts | 19.2 | Eagles | |
| 21 | Packers | 21 | Dolphins | 21 | Giants | 21 | Dolphins | 21 | Packers | 19.2 | Titans | |
| 22 | Eagles | 22 | WFT | 22 | Panthers | 22 | Falcons | 22 | Eagles | 21.4 | Jags | |
| 23 | Texans | 23 | Colts | 23 | Bengals | 23 | Broncos | 23 | Texans | 22.6 | Falcons | |
| 24 | Falcons | 24 | Raiders | 24 | Titans | 24 | Titans | 24 | Rams | 23 | Patriots | |
| 25 | Panthers | 25 | Patriots | 25 | Patriots | 25 | Giants | 25 | Panthers | 23.2 | Steelers | |
| 26 | Bears | 26 | Panthers | 26 | Jaguars | 26 | Jags | 26 | Steelers | 23.6 | Panthers | |
| 27 | Giants | 27 | Giants | 27 | Rams | 27 | Vikings | 27 | Giants | 25.4 | Giants | |
| 28 | Steelers | 28 | Bears | 28 | Vikings | 28 | Bears | 28 | Vikings | 26 | Vikings | |
| 29 | Vikings | 29 | Jaguars | 29 | Bears | 29 | Patriots | 29 | Bears | 28 | Bears | |
| 30 | Rams | 30 | Rams | 30 | Steelers | 30 | Rams | 30 | Falcons | 28.2 | Rams | |
| 31 | Lions | 31 | Lions | 31 | Lions | 31 | Lions | 31 | Lions | 31 | Lions | |
| 32 | Jets | 32 | Jets | 32 | Jets | 32 | Jets | 32 | Jets | 32 | Jets |
| Owner | Picker | Team | Differential | |
| 1 | Prime | MB | Colts | -16.4 |
| 2 | Meats | Meats | Cardinals | -3.6 |
| 3 | ZZ | QB | Chiefs | 1.8 |
| 4 | NYT | Coop | Ravens | 2.2 |
| 5 | Mike | Royce | Chargers | -0.6 |
| 6 | Woods | MB | 49ers | 1.4 |
| 7 | Royce | Royce | Panthers | -16.6 |
| 8 | Dump | QB | WFT | -6 |
| 9 | Gramz | Coop | Cowboys | 0.4 |
| 10 | Future | Royce | Saints | -6 |
| 11 | Spooky | MB | Seahawks | 1.6 |
| 12 | Nole | Meats | Bucs | 5 |
| 13 | Lawyer | QB | Falcons | -9.6 |
| 14 | Tiny | Coop | Titans | -5.2 |
| 15 | Raider | Royce | Raiders | 4 |
| 16 | Chris | MB | Browns | 11.2 |
| 17 | Field | Meats | Packers | -0.2 |
| 18 | QB | QB | Broncos | 2.6 |
| 19 | Colt | Coop | Bengals | 2.4 |
| 20 | Rowin | Royce | Bills | 6.6 |
| 21 | PJ | MB | Eagles | 1.8 |
| 22 | TTS | Meats | Steelers | -1.2 |
| 23 | Blunt | QB | Vikings | -3 |
| 24 | KJ | Coop | Giants | -1.4 |
| 25 | Pauly | Royce | Patriots | 2 |
| 26 | Figgs | MB | Dolphins | 7.8 |
| 27 | Sunday | Meats | Texans | 10.6 |
| 28 | Dan | QB | Jags | 6.6 |
| 29 | Coop | Coop | Rams | 0.8 |
| 30 | Cory | Royce | Bears | 2 |
| 31 | MB | MB | Lions | 0 |
| 32 | Latin | QB | Jets | 0 |