17. Washington Redskins: Budda Baker, safety, Washington
Potentially the best pure cover safety in the class, Baker will surprise a ton of experts by going on Day 1. He can play single-high safety and has the ability to be used in man coverage as a corner. You simply can’t put a value on that. Team Baker up with Josh Norman, and the Skins’ secondary will be elite.
18. Tennessee Titans: Marlon Humphrey, cornerback, Alabama
Now that Tennessee has added a No. 1 receiver for Mariota, it goes defense with the team’s second first-round pick. Humphrey has not drawn a ton of buzz leading up to the draft, but he’s a high floor player who will be a starter in the NFL for the next decade. With Tennessee having moved on from Jason McCourty, this becomes a need. It adds a Day 1 starter in the form of this former Crimson Tide standout.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: David Njoku, tight end, Miami (F)
It’s all about continuing to give Jameis Winston talent to work with on offense. And under this scenario, all three potential first-round running backs are off the board. If it weren’t for Howard, Njoku would be the first tight end off the board here. He’s as athletic as they come and poses a tremendous mismatch against linebackers/safeties between the hashes. Njoku can also line up in the slot, providing mismatch in terms of physicality against corners. A perfect fit here.
20. Denver Broncos: Garett Bolles, offensive tackle, Utah
We considered Forrest Lamp from Western Kentucky here, but the offensive line class is considerably weaker than the guard class. That’s a clear indication John Elway and Co. will target the consensus No. 1 pass protecting tackle in the 2017 NFL Draft. Bolles could be a Day 1 starter at right tackle before moving over to the left side. It’s a necessity with young signal caller Paxton Lynch set to take over under center here soon.