Cole Kmet Goes To Familiar Teams In Latest Mock Draft Carousel
Another week of mock drafts brought up two familiar popular thoughts regarding former Notre Dame tight end Cole Kmet’s NFL destination.
Kmet has frequently been linked to the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears in the pre-draft process. The Colts have a short-term quarterback solution in Philip Rivers, but a dearth of pass catchers. Their play-making tight end, Eric Ebron, departed in free agency The Bears, meanwhile, had a combined 44 catches for 395 yards from their five tight ends. Adding 33-year-old Jimmy Graham is a stopgap move.
Once again, Kmet popped up as a mock selection for each team.
Draftwire’s Luke Easterling slotted him in the second round at No. 43 overall to the Bears, which is their first pick of the draft, in his seven-round mock released Saturday. Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer made him the Colts’ selection at No. 44 in his seven-round mock, released Monday. In both, he was Notre Dame’s first player drafted.
“The Colts need to also find Rivers an athletic mismatch-creating tight end to complement what Jack Doyle does inline for them,” Iyer wrote. “Kmet [6-6, 262 pounds] is still developing as a run blocker, but his size, speed, quickness and hands make him a top-flight receiver for the position.”
Based on recent draft trends, it would be a surprise if Kmet was not picked in the first two rounds. The last time a draft went two rounds without at least one tight end selection was 1987. The 2020 crop is considered weak overall, though, and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler predicts that 32-year streak will end. He has Kmet going No. 66 to the Washington Redskins in the third round.
Brugler is also higher on Claypool than most, mocking him as the first Notre Dame player selected, at No. 63 to the Kansas City Chiefs near the end of the second round.
All told, Brugler had six Notre Dame players in his seven-round mock ($): defensive end Julian Okwara (third round, No. 79, New York Jets), cornerback Troy Pride Jr. (No. 130, fourth round, New Orleans Saints), defensive end Khalid Kareem (No. 132, fourth round, Minnesota Vikings) and safety Alohi Gilman (No. 201, sixth round, San Francisco 49ers).
Elsewhere, Easterling and Iyer both had Okwara as the next Notre Dame player picked after Kmet and in the second round. Okwara was the No. 57 pick for the Los Angeles Rams and the No. 54 pick for the Bills, respectively.
“The Bills need some younger depth to help them get to the quarterback with Shaq Lawson gone,” Iyer wrote. “Okwara [6-4, 252 pounds] is a flexible, explosive pass rusher with great finishing burst to the quarterback.”
Both analysts also predicted that Notre Dame would have a seventh selection, safety Jalen Elliott, in the final round. Iyer mocked him to San Francisco at No. 245 and Easterling put him at No. 229 to Washington.
The rest of Easterling’s mock had Claypool at No. 98 (third round, New England Patriots), Pride at No. 122 (fourth round, Colts), Kareem at 137 (fourth round, Jacksonville Jaguars) and Gilman at 165 (fifth round, Jaguars).
Iyer tabbed Claypool at No. 65 (third round, Cincinnati Bengals), Pride at No. 82, (third round, Dallas Cowboys), Kareem at No. 93 (third round, Tennessee Titans) and Gilman at No. 204 (sixth round, Patriots).
The Cowboys have been linked to Pride with their need for secondary help after starting cornerback Byron Jones left as a free agent.
All three analysts had at least one Notre Dame player in the second round. CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson, in a two-round mock draft released Monday, did not have an Irish player picked.
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