The 2017 NFL Draft barely isn’t even cool yet and the NFL is already getting ready to gear up for the 2018 draft.
Likewise some sadists have released their first 2018 mock drafts.
One of them is our friend Dan Kadar over at Mocking The Draft.
After the New York Giants waited until the fourth round to select Wayne Gallman and add to their stable of running backs, Dan decides to use the first round to give the Giants a potential difference maker.
22. New York Giants: Mike Weber, RB, Ohio State
Ezekiel Elliott’s replacement at Ohio State could be in for a monster redshirt sophomore season in Columbus.
Raptor’s Take: I’ll be honest, I was expecting a linebacker, offensive tackle, or a cornerback here. And based on Jerry Reese’s draft tendencies, I expect to spend most of my time in the coming year studying offensive linemen and defensive backs.
I haven’t watched much of Weber specifically. As just a red-shirt freshman he wasn’t really on my radar to study right away. He might not declare for the draft for another two years and a lot can happen between now and the end of the 2017 college season.
But, from what I’ve seen, he very well could be in for a monster season. Weber has decent size, listed at 5’10, 215 pounds, and he runs behind his pads and does not shy away from contact. My one qualm about him is that from what I’ve seen, balance seems to be an issue. For a player with a low center of gravity, he is taken down by shoestring tackles A LOT. It’s one thing for taller players like Brandon Jacobs to be susceptible to low tackles — Physics is what it is, and won’t be denied -- but it’s another thing for a sub-6 foot back.
But hey, he could improve that and get better at navigating the trash around the offensive line. This is just one (absurdly) early look, and a name we could keep an eye on. But we’ll probably forget as we speculate about the newest Giants.