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'Instant Top 11' NFL draft analysis: 11, Trae Waynes

By Mark Craig

May 1, 2015 at 3:23AM

Yep, we got it all figured out. Minutes into the careers of the top 10 players in this year's NFL draft, we (I) will give my immediate, knee-jerk reaction and then think of a way to destroy any evidence of this blog post a year from now.

Here we go:

7:12: 1, Buccaneers: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State

Knee-jerk reaction: Don't like it. Too many character issues. Too immature. On the field, he had all those great comebacks. But usually he had to come back because he put his team in holes with bad decisions. Not saying he won't succeed. And, believe it or not, he didn't interview with me or do a private workout in my backyard. And I didn't make him take a psychological test or do a background check on him. This is a gut feeling. And this guy would scare me. But not nearly as much as it would if there wasn't a rookie salary cap.

7:20: 2, Titans: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

Knee-jerk reaction: He's better than any quarterback they have, so I like it. You can't win with the QBs, the Titans have. I would have preferred the loot that allegedly was being discussed before the pick: The 20th pick, a future No. 1, a No. 3 and multiple starters from Philadelphia. That sounds better than a QB who doesn't overwhelm me. But the bottom line is he's someone they can build around as opposed to what they have.

7:27: 3, Jaguars: Dante Fowler Jr. DE/OLB, Florida

Knee-jerk reaction: I like this pick, which is why I picked him in my mock over Leonard Williams, the more popular No. 3 selection. He's a playmaker who disrupts the backfield and plays hard and fast. Will he be great? Who knows. But I like him at No. 3 for a team that needs a difference-maker on defense. Or offense. Or anywhere, really.

7:34: 4, Raiders: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

Knee-jerk reaction: Well, I had Kevin White going here because he's bigger and faster than Cooper. I can't get out of my old-Raiders mentality. Oakland appears to be getting more competent on draft day. This is a solid pick of the receiver who is most ready to play right away. Good pick of a guy who not only had the good 40 time, but the production and tape to boot.

7:40: 5, Redskins: OT Brandon Scherff, Iowa

Knee-jerk reaction: The guy many thought was going to the Vikings went higher than anyone predicted. But that doesn't mean he was a reach. That just means all of us on the outside don't have all the information we think we need to make these calls. Scherff can play guard or tackle. He's a mauler and he can play and play well right away. Solid pick from a franchise that has been learning in recent years that glitzy moves don't pay off without decisions like this to make the team bigger and stronger.

7:47: 6, Jets: Leonard Williams, DT, Southern Cal

Knee-jerk: Wow. I didn't think the Jets would stay true to the whole best-player-on-the-board thing that everybody says they do and then don't. I had Williams sliding past the Jets to the Bears. The Jets don't have a need there, but Williams was too good to pass at No. 6. You have to admire them for that.

7:53: 7, Bears: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia

Knee-jerk reaction: Yeah, he's a talented receiver who's big with the whole catch radius and ball skills thing. But what about that horrible defense in Chicago. The Bears have ranked 31st in the league in points allowed in back-to-back years. They needed defense, defense and more defense. Don't like the pick. But won't say it's a total botching of the pick. The size of the Bears' top 2 wideouts are once again a matchup headache for teams that don't have two big corners.

8:00: 8, Falcons: Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson

Knee-jerk reaction: The Falcons needed a pass rusher and the best player on the board sure seemed to be this guy. So it looks like a good pick. The Falcons have the QB and the WRs. Now, they have a key piece to knock down the other teams' QBs and disrupt the rhythm with those QBs' WRs.

8:06: 9, Giants: Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami

Knee-jerk reaction: We all knew the Giants were going to address their offensive line with this pick. It's a wise decision when you have a top-10 pick and need help up front. This guy can play left tackle, but has the size and strength to play on the right side if needed. I had the Giants taking this guy. Some would say he went too high, but give the Giants credit for identifying the player they liked regardless of all the chatter.

8:13: Rams: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia

Knee-jerk reaction: I could regret this in 10 years, but I hate this pick. No way I'd take a running back coming off a torn ACL. No way. They say he's the next Adrian Peterson. So maybe that makes people less concerned about the knee. But there's only one AP. He ran for 2,097 yards the year after tearing an ACL. I wouldn't bet a 10th overall pick on Gurley being great after his injury. Not saying he won't do it. Just saying I wouldn't bet a No. 10 overall on it.

AND A BONUS KNEE-JERK …

8:19: Vikings: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State

Knee-jerk reaction: I had them taking DeVante Paker, but I like this pick. I like it even more after the Bears took Kevin White, the big West Virginia receiver, No. 7 overall. The Vikings need two big press corners to compete in the NFC North. This guy can start right away opposite Xavier Rhodes. And now Captain Munnerlyn can move inside to the No. 3 corner spot. Good pick.

That's it for the knee-jerk reactions. Enjoy the draft.

about the writer

Mark Craig

Sports reporter

Mark Craig has covered the NFL nearly every year since Brett Favre was a rookie back in 1991. A sports writer since 1987, he is covering his 30th NFL season out of 37 years with the Canton (Ohio) Repository (1987-99) and the Star Tribune (1999-present).