Big Jim is back with some Lockdown Draft picks just in time for the NFL Draft. I know you have all been waiting for this nugget of knowledge to find out if your pro team will improve or get saddled with Big Jim’s “BUST of the YEAR” award. I have talked with a few college coaches to get the inside scoop on who really puts in work and who is lazy, and believe me there are more than a few lazy first round prospects this year. I was going to speak with Charlie Strong to find out where he thought D’onta Foreman might end up but he was strangely unavailable over at the 40 Acres. I still see Foreman going high in the draft. The kid is an absolute beast with the rock in his hands and has once in a generation speed.

On the lesser side of college football in Texas, over at texas a&m college I tried to find out what coach Sumlin thought about his over hyped DE, Myles Garrett. As you can guess after the Johnny Who debacle Sumlin would just be happy if Garrett was still on an NFL roster in three years.

Now onto Big Jim’s Lockdown Draft Picks. While most of the talking heads like to throw out multiple rounds of picks when they really have no idea what is going to happen I will only focus on the most important players and what teams will be drafting them. And just so you can say you saw it here first I will also bring you a few of this years draft bust along with the “BUST of the YEAR” award winner. Lets get on with it.

1. Cleveland Browns select DE Solomon Thomas from Stanford. Thomas is a beast on the edge and can get to the quarterback as fast as anyone else in the draft class. He plays hard every play of the game and has a great presence off the field, too. Most draft junkies would love to put Myles Garrett in at number 1 but that would be a huge mistake. Garrett is lazy and doesn’t give full effort for three quarters of the game. The kid is riding a little bit of natural ability and will soon find out that the NFL is not the same talent vacuum that he was in at a&m.

2. San Francisco 49ers select QB Deshaun Watson from Clemson. While I personally see this as a draft bust the 49ers don’t really have a choice here. They have no quarterback and there is nothing on the trade block they can give up to get a QB who has any talent at all. Watson was fun to watch in college but I see him being another Johnny Fiction in the pro’s. He will try to run around only to find out that the game has changed and he is not nearly as fast as he was in college. When these big boys hit you it hurts a little more. San Francisco has been known for making bad decisions over the years and this will be the next regret they will be stuck with for the better part of a decade.

3. Chicago Bears select… It doesn’t matter. No one watches Da Bears and they have become a team for others to use as a tune up game for whoever they play the next week.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars select RB Leonard Fournette from LSU. This is a steal but a lucky one for Fournette. I say it’s a steal because Fournette is number one pick talent  but lucky for him Cleveland has no idea what to do with a number one pick and will keep him from ending up in the football wasteland. Fournette should have an instant impact on the field and will most likely end up with the rushing title and the rookie of the year award. This could be the pick that the Jags need to get them over the hump and in the Super Bowl talks for this year.

5. Tennessee Titans select RB D’onta Foreman from The University of Texas. This is the best pick of the draft and BIG JIM’S LOCKDOWN PICK of the DRAFT. Foreman makes the Titans an instant Division Winner and Super Bowl contender. This is a running back who can do it all. He can run around you, run past you and for sure run over you. No pass rushers want to see him blocking in the back field knowing they will soon be on the receiving end of a knock out block. Plus the kid can catch any ball thrown anywhere close to him. It will be Foreman and Fournette battling it out for Rookie of the year. Any kid who can rush for 2000+ yards against the hard nose defenses in the BIG 12 will do BIG things in the NFL.

6. NY Jets 7. Los Angeles Rams…….we can skip right on past these two and you should all appreciate that.

8. Carolina Panthers select Dalvin Cook from FSU. DRAFT BUST of the YEAR AWARD. The Panthers are looking for a top running back that will keep Cam Newton in the pocket and not defaulting to running back himself.  Cook is the one they will be betting the farm on to be that guy. I just don’t buy it. He did well in the ACC but that is the ACC. I don’t mean to be harsh but do they even play defense in the ACC. I haven’t seen it in the last few years. So the kid tossed up so decent numbers. Put him in the SEC West and I doubt you see him break 700 yards in any year. Plus the guy can’t catch a cold in a Wisconsin winter. This will be another Draft Bust on par with our little friend Johnny.

9. Cincinnati Bengals 10. Buffalo Bills… doesn’t really matter. Their careers are over before they begin.

11. New Orleans Saints select  S Jamal Adams from LSU. Talk about fast, this guy makes fast people look slow. It doesn’t matter where on the field the football is you will find him. He can be on the 20 yard line and the QB throws it to the 50 and he makes the interception. He has more talent than any other safety in this draft class and has the work ethic to match. He will shut down the long ball against any team out there from day one when he steps on the field. The Saints are getting him at a steal at number 11.

12. Cleveland Browns 13. Arizona Cardinals……. once again it doesn’t really matter. The only difference is you will freeze in Cleveland or burn up in the Arizona sun. Take your pick. At least when the regular season is over you get to go on vacation when you play for these two teams.

14. Philadelphia Eagles select RB Christian McCaffrey from Stanford. This will give the Eagles the missing piece they have needed for many years.Think of Vince Papale but with more talent and playing on offense. This kid is good and will be a versatile player and bring a lot to the team. The only question is can he take the big hits in the NFL. In his college days he often looked like a pinball bouncing around on the field on his way to the end zone. I am just a little concerned that those same bouncing hits will leave his helmet dislodge from his head. Other than that he should do great.

15. Indianapolis Colts select OLB J.T. Watt from Wisconsin. Think J.J. Watt but with more speed. This guy has it all on the defensive side of the ball and can bring the pain. He is as fast as a Ferrari and can hit like a Mack truck. This is a solid pick at number 15 and a sure defensive star for many years ahead.

16. Baltimore Ravens select CB Marshon Lattimore from The Ohio State. He was a top defensive back on one of the best teams in all of college football. He will do well at the next level and be a day one starter when the season starts. I don’t think its a stretch to say he could vie for Defensive Rookie of the year. He might remind the Ravens of when Ray Lewis was on the field.

There you have it friends. Big Jim gives  you the first half of the first round. Come back tomorrow for part two.

And, don’t forget we are only four short OU-Still-Sucks months away from kickoff time of NCAA Game Day and Big Jim’s Lockdown Picks of the Week. I will be here week one to bring you all the BIG winners and once again make you KING of the water cooler. Until then enjoy some beach time, go catch a few fish and have some good BBQ. I’ll see tomorrow,

Thanks again,

Big Jim