STRONG ARM TACTICS
Giants, Jets will be among those to grab quarterbacks early
THE Giants resist trades with the Broncos and Bills and nab Eli Manning’s successor and the Jets bring Baker Mayfield to Broadway in the Serby Mock Draft 4.0, picks 1-25.
1. BROWNS QB Josh Allen, Wyoming
GM John Dorsey is seduced by a right arm that can whistle missiles through any Lake Erie wind even while he sits behind Tyrod Taylor in 2018.
2. GIANTS QB Sam Darnold, USC
Steve Tisch is conferenced into the war room from Hollywood: “What are our scouts telling us about his table manners?” GM Dave Gettleman tells the media: “Ain’t no guarantee he’ll be a Hall of Famer now. But I’ll tell ya this: Kid’s got the intangibles and a nice ahm.” He’ll sit behind Eli Manning for as long as it takes for Pat Shurmur and Mike Shula to develop him.
3. JETS QB Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
Woody Johnson calls into the war room during a fish-and-chips snack with the Queen to tell GM Mike Maccagnan: “Listen, I don’t care if this guy eats with his hands, this is Backpage Broadway Baker, touchdown maker. ... Is it too late to raise ticket prices?” Maccagnan, asked about Christian Hackenberg, says: “Christian is making progress. At the end of the day, knowing what he knows now about being an understudy, he can be a patience coach for Baker.” (Eye rolls behind Maccagnan.) Blame Brian Costello if this isn’t the pick.
4. BROWNS DE Bradley Chubb, N.C. State
The draft’s best pass rusher to bookend Myles Garrett is Ben Roethlisberger’s worst nightmare.
5. BRONCOS QB Josh Rosen, UCLA
John Elway grabs the draft’s best pure passer and quarterback of the future, once Chosen Rosen is ready to supplant Case Keenum.
6. COLTS RB Saquon Barkley, Penn State
Frank Gore left for Miami, so Andrew Luck gets a bigger version of Marshall Faulk to ease his transition back to the field.
7. BUCCANEERS S Derwin James, Florida State
An athletic freak who will make a far bigger impact than Chris Conte.
8. BEARS G Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame
Mean, merciless Monster of the Midway replaces Josh Sitton and helps Mitchell Trubisky keep Aaron Rodgers off the field.
9. 49ERS CB Denzel Ward, Ohio State
Richard Sherman hopes to return from his ruptured Achilles tendon in training camp, so the draft’s best cover corner offers GM John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan some cover.
10. RAIDERS: CB/S Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama
Jon Gruden needs a grinder in the secondary, and DB coach Derrick Ansley coached this versatile thoroughbred franchise for Nick Saban.
11. DOLPHINS DT Vita Vea, Washington
Ndamukong Suh’s departure left a giant hole that only someone 6-foot-5, 340 pounds can fill.
12. BILLS QB Lamar Jackson, Louisville
Bill Polian isn’t running the draft. Coach Sean McDermott’s desperation for a quarterback of the future has him reaching for a successor to AJ McCarron.
13. REDSKINS NT Da’Ron Payne, Alabama
Jay Gruden plants him next to former Crimson Tide teammate Jonathan Allen to cope with Eze- kiel Elliott and Jay Ajayi.
14. PACKERS LB Tremaine Edmunds, Va. Tech
A versatile, 6-foot-5, 253-pound freak who can juice the Packers pass rush.
15. CARDINALS OT Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame
When your quarterback is Sam Bradford, you better get yourself a tight tackle.
16. RAVENS DE Marcus Davenport, UTSA
Ozzie Newsome can’t resist this raw, 6-foot-6, 264-pound edge rusher, with Terrell Suggs turning 36 in October.
17. CHARGERS LB Roquan Smith, Georgia
Gus Bradley needs a speedy sidekick alongside Denzel Perry- man to shore up the run defense.
18. SEAHAWKS CB Josh Jackson, Iowa Pete Carroll gets his big corner
to replace Richard Sherman.
19. COWBOYS WR Calvin Ridley, Alabama
Dez Bryant is in decline, so Jerry Jones delights the Texas draft crowd by getting Dak Prescott his future No. 1 receiver/deep threat.
20. LIONS DE/LB Harold Landry, Boston College
A toy for Matt Patricia and help chasing Aaron Rodgers for Ziggy Ansah.
21. BENGALS G Isaiah Wynn, Georgia
A plug-and-play technician next to LT Cordy Glenn would make RB Joe Mixon dangerous.
22. BILLS WR D.J. Moore, Maryland
A 6-foot, 210-pounder with 4.42 speed would complement Kelvin Benjamin nicely.
23. RAMS LB Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State
A 6-foot-4, 240-pound replacement for Alec Ogletree ... unless this pick belongs to the Giants following an Odell Beckham Jr. trade.
24. PANTHERS CB Jaire Alexander, Louisville
James Bradberry needs a bookend after Bashaud Breeland failed his physical.
25. TITANS C James Daniels, Iowa
An upgrade over Ben Jones for QB Marcus Mariota.