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Bradley Ylitalo’s Scouting Notebook: Two Round PPR Mock

Bradley Ylitalo Posted On December 23, 2017
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We’ve reached week 16 of the NFL season and to put it frankly, I’m “over the moon” excited. Sure, the fact that my Vikings have clinched the NFC North doesn’t hurt, but for whoever you root for, the last few weeks should be extremely entertaining. With playoff hopes and legacies hanging in the balance, we should see the true stars rise to the top of their games.

As fun as it is to be in the most exciting time of the year for football fans, it’s also a great time to take an updated look at some rookie mock drafts. So enough talk, let’s dive into a two-round PPR mock.

Round One

1) Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

It’s not often we feel a definite drop off after the first selection of rookie drafts, but most drafts don’t have a talent like Barkley. No slight intended to the likes of Derrius Guice and Calvin Ridley, but Barkley is a talent you take at 1.01 no matter what. A complete back who should be a top ten back from year one, the first pick has rarely been this valuable.

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2) Derrius Guice, RB, LSU

Some might have some qualms with two running backs going before a receiver, especially in PPR formats, but I really am that confident in Guice’s skillset. An unbelievable talent as a pure runner, don’t be surprised if his year one numbers rival those of Leonard Fournette’s rookie campaign.

3) Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama

Lots of people point out the fact that Ridley will turn 24 years old during his rookie season, and the bottom line is; there’s no disputing that fact. But look past the age concerns and you have yourself a mid-first round prospect who’s a perfect PPR fit. Ridley effortlessly spins corners to the ground with his quick cuts and blinding speed, he should be a great contributor early in his career.

4) Deon Cain, WR, Clemson

Splitting up Cain and Courtland Sutton was one of the toughest decisions I had to make forming this mock, but at the end of the day, I went with the prospect closer to a sure thing. Cain in every way is a legitimate NFL level talent who should make his mark in the league fairly early on. If you feel like swinging for the fences, Sutton may be the pass-catcher for you, but I’ll give Cain the slight edge with his overall better all-around game.

5) Courtland Sutton, WR, Southern Methodist

Almost highway robbery at this point in a PPR mock, this just shows you how strong the top five really is. I think we’ve all heard how Sutton will have to become more polished in his route running and work on his hands a bit, but his combination of frame and athleticism are impossible to not get excited about. I’d feel good about getting Sutton with the fifth pick.

6) Ronald Jones II, RB, USC

Still, at least somewhat flying under the radar of the dynasty community, Ronald Jones is a prospect you absolutely need to know about. An amazing athlete that is sure to drop some jaws at the combine, if you can get RoJo with the sixth pick you’re getting one hell of a haul.

7) Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M

Going from the top half of round one to the bottom half, I’m much less confident in these prospects producing right away. So, don’t feel too bad about missing the playoffs – you should get your payoff come draft time. On to Christian Kirk. While he’s not a worry-free prospect, his athleticism and route running abilities far outweigh my worries about his hands.

8) Damien Harris, RB, Alabama

He may not even be the most well-known back on the Crimson Tide roster, but Damien Harris has some definite, eye-catching traits. Put together a back with a nice frame, great straight line speed, and solid strength, you have yourself a potential year one starter.

9) Simmie Cobbs, WR, Indiana

The Simmie Cobbs hype has certainly cooled down (if it ever got going), but his 6’4 frame and ability after the catch make him a prospect to keep an eye on. Add in extremely strong hands and legit route running ability, and you can see why he’s a late first round target.

10) Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis

The “apple of fans eyes” in recent weeks, Anthony Miller has put on a show, game in and game out during his red-shirt Senior season at Memphis. An athlete first and foremost who plays the game with a palpable love for the game, fans can’t help but fall in love with him.

11) Michael Gallup, WR, Colorado State

One of my favorite prospects in the entire 2018 class, Gallup has everything he needs to become a special player at the next level. Everything from hands to route running to straight line speed, even run blocking, the Ram is a tantalizing talent.

12) Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA

Deciding where to place QBs is almost always a challenge, but I feel like Rosen fits nicely here as the last pick of the first round. A player who checks nearly every box when evaluating signal callers, Rosen is the safest QB in the class. With good weapons around him, he could see immediate success.

Round Two

1) Sam Darnold, QB, USC

As I anticipate to be through my remaining mocks, Darnold and Rosen, in no particular order, should go with back-to-back picks. Far from being similar prospects, ranking them in any order is splitting hairs. At this juncture, Rosen gets the slight edge, but don’t ever forget Darnold may have the slightly higher ceiling. A player who you should target right around the round one-round two turn, Darnold could be a steal with his level of mechanics, pocket presence, and accuracy.

2) Bryce Love, RB, Stanford

Love’s size will be a scary concern for NFL teams, but watch him and focus on his strengths and you’ll come away thoroughly impressed. With patience, vision, and straight line speed to finish those long runs, Love could be another in a long line of impact rookie backs.

3) James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State

A lot of you might be screaming in your mind: “why is James Washington so low?” To answer, in short, there are two concerns about the Cowboy’s game. For one, he’s coming from a Big 12 offense that hardly resembles what he’ll need to adjust to in the NFL. Secondly, his height at 6’0 isn’t a concern in itself, but factor in that he makes most of his plays on deep routes where he needs to win with the ball in the air, and you may have yourself a problem. We all know about his glowing talents that he has showcased in four great seasons in Stillwater, and here’s to hoping Washington can make a successful transition.

4) Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State

Penny may not ever wow you with amazing athleticism or world-class strength, but he has enough tools to make his mark and then some in the NFL. Blessed with terrific patience, vision, and agility, don’t be surprised if the Aztec finds himself seeing significant carries in year one.

5) Dante Pettis, WR, Washington

A terrific athlete with even better open field ability, Dante Pettis is overflowing with big-play potential. His hands are especially worrisome, but if the Huskie can come even close to league average at catching the ball, he could become a bonafide star.

6) Sony Michel, RB, Georgia

Especially in PPR formatting, I highly recommend valuing Michel over Nick Chubb. The 5’11 bundle of straight line speed and acceleration has shown himself to be a player NFL teams will use from year one. As I have mentioned before, his strength may end up holding him back, but don’t dare sleep on the “lighting” of the Georgia backfield.

7) Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia

Now the “thunder”. Chubb’s patience behind the line of scrimmage and power to burst through defenders has me very encouraged about his future. I’m far from sold on him being an athlete capable of breaking off long runs, but Chubb should see solid production if he can get the necessary opportunity.

8) Mark Walton, RB, Miami (FL)

Mark Walton just screams PPR monster. The Hurricane back may not offer tremendous potential as a classic runner, but his pass-catching ability along with his short area quickness has me immensely enthusiastic about his future as a receiving back. And who knows? With Walton’s vision and technique as a runner, maybe he surprises us all and ends up being a lead, three-down back.

9) Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State

If this is the first time you’ve ever heard of the Jackrabbit star, don’t feel bad. Goedert’s athleticism at 260 pounds is truly the stuff of legends, and we can expect this kid to tear up the combine. Tight ends can take a long time to develop and Goedert may as well, but once he’s ready, he’ll be downright scary to go up against.

10) D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland

Moore is one crafty kid. From the little nuances in his breaks to the way he can change speeds mid-route, I have no doubt he’ll be able to create separation in the NFL. Capable of making some magic with the ball in his hands, don’t be surprised if Moore ends up ranking much higher when we near the draft.

11) Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma

My TE1 until I laid my eyes on Dallas Goedert, Mark Andrews is certainly worth a look at the end of round two. A 6’5 body with sure hands and good route running ability who can eat up yardage after the catch, we could see Andrews develop into a quality fantasy contributor pretty rapidly.

12) Auden Tate, WR, Florida State

Tate, while undoubtedly raw, has some traits you can’t help but drool over. Standing at 6’5 with an incredible vertical leap, the Seminole could turn into one of the better red zone targets in the league. I want to see more from him as a route runner, but he’s certainly worth a shot just before the third round.

Well, that wraps up this week’s edition of “Bradley Ylitalo’s Scouting Notebook”, please leave a comment or question below. Feel free to shoot me a question on Twitter (@NFL_Drafthub), I’m always happy to interact with football fans. Be on the lookout for next week’s poll as to which fan question we will cover!

See you next time!

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Bradley Ylitalo
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