Ward is the top quarterback in the draft, and quarterbacks go
first. I’m still not sure the Titans are going to be the
team to take him, but I’m confident he’ll be selected
with this pick. At this point, Tennessee didn’t add any
meaningful quarterbacks in free agency, and currently relying
on Will Levis. Ward could immediately start for the Titans, and
he’d be their quarterback of the future.
Previous Pick: Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
1.02 Cleveland Browns - Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
Carter is the best pass rusher in this class, and there’s
a chance he turns into a generational pass rusher. The Browns
gave Myles Garrett a massive contract to stay in Cleveland, and
adding Carter would give them one of the best one-two punches
in the league. These two are the type of pass rushing duos that
can change games, and this would be an elite duo for Cleveland
to build their defense around.
Previous Pick: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
1.03 New York Giants - Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
Hunter is a unicorn because of his ability to play both sides
of the ball at a high level. Most reports have suggested that
NFL teams aren’t going to allow that, but the Colorado star
continues to suggest he’ll play full snaps both sides in
the pros.
The Giants need help at cornerback, and that’s where he’ll
likely spend the majority of his snaps. New York could use Hunter
across from Malik Nabers on offense, which would also make an
elite duo. Regardless of where he plays, he’s going to help
this roster from early in his career.
Previous Pick: Cam Ward, QB, Miami (FL)
1.04 New England Patriots - Will Campbell, OT, LSU
Campbell was seen as the top offensive tackle throughout the
entire draft process before he measured a short wingspan at the
NFL Combine. New England needs to protect Drake Maye, and Campbell
makes sense for several reasons. He’s arguably the most
talented tackle in this class, and that’s likely where he
starts his career. If he can’t stay at tackle, he has elite
guard potential, and the Patriots need help along the interior
of their line anyway.
Jacksonville is one of the most difficult spots to predict. Hunter
or Campbell would be elite options here, but they’re both
off the board. I did consider Tetairoa McMillan, but it feels
a bit high for him. Instead, they take the best defensive tackle
in the class. Graham is an NFL-ready player who consistently found
success against high-level competition in college. He’s
one of the safer options on the board, and he comes with elite
upside as well.
Previous Pick: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
1.06 Las Vegas Raiders - Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Sanders is a polarizing prospect for several reasons. People
who love him will love this pick. People who hate him will say
it’s terrible. The truth is he’s going to be drafted
in the top 10 regardless of how anyone feels about him. Las Vegas
has Pete Carroll as their head coach, and he can handle big personalities.
They’re also in dire need of a quarterback after dealing
with below-average signal callers for several years. Las Vegas
recently traded for Geno Smith, but they are still in a position
to take their quarterback of the future.
Previous Pick: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
1.07 New York Jets - Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
The Jets drafted Olu Fashanu over Brock Bowers last season, and
I’m not sure it was the right choice. Once again, they’re
going to have to make the choice between an elite playmaker at
tight end or an offensive tackle. Bowers’ success should
be enough to shift their focus to another matchup nightmare. Warren
can change the game for New York, and he’d be an elite playmaker
to pair with Garrett Wilson.
The Panthers are in dire need of pass rushers, and they’ll
have their pick of anyone besides Abdul Carter. Walker is undersized,
but he comes with elite pass rush potential. He also is a plus
defender in coverage. He’s a player who has the potential
to change the game with his ability to get to the quarterback,
and that’s the number one trait Carolina needs at the moment.
Previous Pick: Jalon Walker, Edge, Georgia
1.09 New Orleans Saints - Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
New Orleans has a massive hole at cornerback, and they’re
in desperate need of help in the secondary. Johnson is seen as
the best true cornerback in the draft, and he has the potential
to be a shadow option throughout his career. The Saints would
be thrilled with getting their pick of cornerbacks at this point
in the draft.
Previous Pick: Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
1.10 Chicago Bears - Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
The Bears are clearly focused on rebuilding their offensive line,
and that’s what they’re going to attack in this draft.
They traded for improvements on the inside, and they have Darnell
Wright at right tackle. Membou looked elite at the NFL Combine,
and his stock is on the rise. He has the potential to take over
as the long-term left tackle, solidifying this starting line for
years to come.
Previous Pick: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
1.11 San Francisco 49ers - Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
This is a massive jump from my last mock draft for Harmon (1.24),
but it’s essentially a “needs” pick. The 49ers
need help on the interior of their defensive line. He’s
a player who can control the line of scrimmage and dominate in
the run game. Harmon does boast some pass rush upside from the
interior also. This is the type of player San Francisco has developed
in the past, making him a great option for them here.
Previous Pick: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
1.12 Dallas Cowboys - Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
This is the pick that everyone is projecting. Jeanty is one of
the best running back prospects in recent memory. The Cowboys
need drastic help in their backfield, and this is a match made
in heaven. Jeanty would take this offense to the next level, and
he could be enough [with the return of Dak Prescott] to get Dallas
back to their winning ways.
Previous Pick: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
1.13 Miami Dolphins - Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
The Dolphins have several free agents on the defensive side of
the ball, and it looks like they’re going to have to replace
Jevon Holland. Starks is an NFL-ready player who boasts tremendous
range. He can immediately start for Miami and turn into a leader
of the defense.
Previous Pick: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
1.14 Indianapolis Colts - Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Tyler Warren has been mocked to Indianapolis quite a bit this
offseason, but it’s unlikely he falls this far. Instead,
they can shift to a more traditional tight end in Loveland. Indianapolis
still needs to improve at the position, and Loveland can immediately
act as a security blanket for Richardson. He can help the Colts
offense in multiple ways, and he’ll take a lot of pressure
off of their young quarterback.
Previous Pick: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
1.15 Atlanta Falcons - Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
The Falcons are a team that needs help with their pass rush every
season, and they continually opt to draft other positions. Once
again, they need pass rush help, and they get it here. Williams
isn’t seen as the most NFL-ready prospect, but he comes
with elite upside. He has the ability to take games over on the
defensive side of the ball, and that’s something Atlanta
has lacked in the past.
Previous Pick: Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
1.16 Arizona Cardinals - Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
Arizona has a few different positions they can take here, but
I’m going with the flashy pick. Marvin Harrison Jr. looked
outstanding as a rookie, but the Cardinals could use someone to
take the top off of opposing defenses. Golden and Harrison could
be a dangerous combination for years to come, and they wouldn’t
truly need to focus on the position again for quite some time.
The Bengals could go a few ways with this pick, but they’re
going to put points up on offense regardless of who’s there.
Instead, they need to focus more on their defense. That was their
downfall last season, and they need to add a pass rusher. Stewart
didn’t have much college production, but he had one of the
best performances of anyone at the NFL Combine. He’s the
type of high-upside player that can change the trajectory of an
entire defense in the future.
The Seahawks recently released Tyler Lockett, and DK Metcalf
has been traded to the Steelers. Jaxon Smith-Njigba has proven
that he can be the focal point of an offense, and it’s going
to be interesting to see how Cooper Kupp pairs with him. McMillan
is generally viewed the best wide receiver in this class, and
he would pair well with JSN. Regardless of the Kupp signing, Seattle
needs a major player on the outside, and that’s where McMillan
does his best work.
Previous Pick: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
1.19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
The Bucs re-signed Chris Godwin, shoring up their receiving group
for the time being. They need help rushing the passer, and Pearce
is immensely talented. He isn’t falling this far because
of that talent but rather because of character question marks.
If those check out, this becomes a steal for Tampa Bay.
Previous Pick: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
1.20 Denver Broncos - Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
The Broncos aren’t in dire need of a running back, but
this would add another dimension to their offense. They clearly
hit with Bo Nix, and the team outperformed expectations last season.
They did all of that without high-end production from their backfield.
Hampton looked elite at the NFL Combine, and he could find himself
drafted in the first round. He’d be able to take pressure
off of Nix, and he could work as a three-down back.
Previous Pick: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
I highly considered Jaxson Dart here because he’ll likely
work his way into the first round when it’s all said and
done. At this point, I’m opting for Barron. He’s a
player who is starting to move up draft boards, and he has the
potential to turn into an outstanding cornerback. He’d be
a great option opposite Joey Porter Jr. . for the future in this
defense, as I don’t expect Darius Slay to be the long-term
answer.
Previous Pick: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
1.22 Los Angeles Chargers - Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
The Chargers need help along their defensive line. Nolen is a
big-bodied defensive tackle who can stop the run at a high level.
He also boasts the upside to become a good pass rusher up the
middle. He isn’t as NFL-ready as some of the other prospects
in this draft, but he’s a player that Los Angeles can mold
into who they want him to be.
Previous Pick: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
1.23 Green Bay Packers - Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
Teams can never have too many offensive linemen. We saw that
in the playoffs last season when Green Bay was dealing with injuries,
and it may have cost them the game. Banks is an outstanding pass
protector, and he’ll help keep Jordan Love stay healthy.
More importantly, he has the versatility to train across positions
with the ability to play either tackle position or kick inside
to guard. It would give Green Bay more options and depth on their
line.
Previous Pick: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
1.24 Minnesota Vikings - Grey Zabel, iOL, North Dakota State
The Vikings are in need of a solid left guard, and Zabel is an
interesting option here. He’s an athletic offensive lineman,
who can play multiple positions. He has experience at both tackle
and guard. The NFL is a league where these types of players come
with a ton of value, and Zabel could find himself a first-round
pick.
Previous Pick: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
1.25 Houston Texans - Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
Houston added Christian Kirk and a couple of other wide receivers
in free agency, but they could still use another. Stefon Diggs
left, and Tank Dell’s recovery is far from easy or certain.
Burden is an elite YAC player, and his game is expected to transition
well to the NFL. He looked great at the Combine, and he’ll
add another dimension to the Texans’ offense.
Previous Pick: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
1.26 Los Angeles Rams - Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
The Rams are going to need to keep Matthew Stafford clean if
they want to continue being a high-powered offense, meaning they’ll
need help at offensive tackle. Simmons could easily be selected
drastically earlier than this based on talent, but there are concerns
about his health. If Los Angeles is willing to overlook those,
he’ll make an outstanding pick this late in the draft.
Baltimore needs help at both offensive tackle and guard in this
draft. The four obvious first round offensive tackles are off
the board, and it’s unlikely they reach for that position
here. Instead, they can take the best guard in the draft in Booker.
He can immediately help this offensive line, although Grey Zabel
is an interesting option here because of his versatility.
Previous Pick: Tyler Booker, iOL, Alabama
1.28 Detroit Lions - Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
The Lions struggled with injuries to their edge rushers last
season, and it showed they need more depth. Green performed extremely
well at his time in Marshall, flashing tremendous upside. He looked
outstanding at the Senior Bowl, and it boosted his stock. Although
he fell a bit here, he’ll be in an elite spot across from
Aidan Hutchinson.
Previous Pick: Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College
1.29 Washington Commanders - Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Egbuka may not be the best fit for Washington here, but he’s
consistently found success at Ohio State. He never had to be their
best receiver with several other elite options on the team, and
that’ll be the case once again. He has the potential to
become an outstanding player, but he’ll only need to start
his career as a complimentary piece.
The Bills need help in their secondary, and it’s likely
the most pressing matter for their roster. Hairston ran the fastest
40-yard dash at the Combine, and it’s drastically helped
his stock. Speed kills in the NFL, and he can immediately help
this defense.
Previous Pick: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
1.31 Kansas City Chiefs - Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
This essentially comes down to whether you believe Kansas City
feels more comfortable taking Conerly or Grey Zabel [hoping he
can play tackle]. The Chiefs need major help on the offensive
line, specifically at tackle, as they struggled to keep Patrick
Mahomes clean during the Super Bowl. Conerly performed well at
the NFL Combine, and he’s a solid option late in the first
round.
Previous Pick: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
1.32 Philadelphia Eagles - Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
Emmanwori looked elite at the NFL Combine, and it helped his
stock drastically. He’s a versatile player who has the potential
to the type of safety Philadelphia wants him to be. This is also
a position of need for them, making it a perfect match late in
the first round.
Previous Pick: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
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