Mock drafts can feel futile because of the unpredictable chaos that inevitably reigns when you have 32 individually cunning and ambitious organizations competing in real time. With that in mind, I sought to create something as adaptable as each GM’s gameplan has to be (at least close right? ).

Below, I’ve made my most educated pick predictions, based on team need, prospect profiles, team history and divisional outlook, among other factors. I’ve also listed other strong positional considerations (in parentheses, after my actual prediction). The more question marks, the more likely/tempting I think that alternate pick is. Consider this somewhat of a draft strategy roadmap for each team. As always, look out for the bolded hyperlinks to fun/dangerous rabbit holes below. Let’s help these teams get RIGHT!!

I included three projected trades (LAC-MIN; NYJ-DEN; ARI-NO).

1. Chicago Bears – Caleb Williams, QB USC (WR?) This could give Chicago the potential for something I can’t remember them ever having: an explosive offense with a cache of weapons and a creative playmaker at the controls. Da Bears are still the only franchise to never have a quarterback exceed either 4,000 yards passing or 30 passing TD’s; I say that streak ends with this pick. Justin Fields showed promise, but it makes too much sense to start over with a rookie QB contract rather than paying Fields 3x more.

2. Washington Commanders – Jayden Daniels, QB LSU (DB? OT??) The last two Heisman winners go 1 and 2. Opting not to take a second-straight UNC QB, the team in the DMV decides to embrace the mobile QB trend and take Jayden Daniels. Daniels ranked tops in CFB in passing grade on throws over 20+ yards and adds an element of mobility and downfield passing that could make for an easy fit for Kingsbury’s spread air-raid offense (think Baker Mayfield, Pat Mahomes and Kyler Murray’s skillsets). Is this pick the reason he reneged on the Raiders?

3. New England Patriots – Drake Maye, QB UNC (OT? WR??) I wanted to give them MHJ so bad after they lost out on Calvin Ridley (almost as bad as when you need to give an ashy friend some lotion). Per Cynthia Frelund of NFL .com: sixth-round rookie receiver, Demario Douglas led the team in receiving with just 561 yards, while veteran running back, Ezekiel Elliot had the most receptions at 51”. Yeah… y’all need some help. Here’s what new HC, Jerod Mayo said that convinced me otherwise: “We’re gonna draft the best player for a position that’s very important, you put the pieces together”. Robert Kraft: “One way or another, I’d like to see us get a top-rate, young quarterback”. Maye would be in a good situation to restore some excitement and learn from a somewhat similar type of player in Jacoby Brissett.

4. Arizona Cardinals – Marvin Harrison Jr., WR Ohio State (Edge?) This rebuilds the offense with a blue-chip, CeeDee Lamb-type talent who could serve to maximize Kyler’s impact. K1 has a career QB Rating that is more than 11 points lower when NOT targeting D-Hop, hence Michael Wilson should not be your WR1. Can they resist the beck and call of the Vikings who want to trade up for a QB? Teams usually try to avoid paying the tab on three 1st-rounders in one year, so I’ve got them sticking and picking for now.

5. Minnesota Vikings – J.J. McCarthy, QB Michigan (OG? Edge??) PROJECTED TRADE UP FROM 11 WITH THE CHARGERS. Their two 1st round picks (11 and 23) could add up to the value of the 4th overall pick. Trade up with the Bolts to take this guy, who I’m calling a more athletic Mac Jones… No, no, he’s a distributor. I’m still slightly suspicious that the McCarthy rumors were all smokescreen, and that there’s a chance they go up and get purple durag legend, Penix Jr. (Ah-Jay-Arruh).

6. New York Giants – Rome Odunze, WR UW (CB? QB??) The team who they call ‘big blue’ will take to the skies as a big play passing game with Daniel Jones after SaQuads’ exit. Brian Daboll saw this evolution happen with Josh Allen when Stefon Diggs came to Buffalo. Even if he doesn’t take the next step, Drew Lock provides competition for Vanilla Vick and a good litmus test (given the right firepower). This is a physical, tackle-breaking jump-ball artist to uplift the offense and compliment the shifty Wan’Dale Robinson, and the blazing fast Jalin Hyatt. Before the National Championship game, Michael Penix Jr. had thrown 21 passes to Rome Odunze when UW’s in-game win probability (per FPI) was under 50% this year. Those passes are 19-for-21 for 333 yards. WOW. Time to end this trend.

7. Tennessee Titans – Joe Alt, OT Notre Dame (DT? Edge??) This regime is taking a turn toward a new-age offense in going from Vrabel to Callahan, but they must address the worst-graded offensive line in the league last year. I mean damn, I would’ve assumed it was either the Panthers or Commanders. Tennessee has a bunch of tackle-ish offensive tackles, so take a prospect who is an agile pass protector and recorded one of the best combines of any OT ever. Give Will Levis time and see what he can do with Ridley, Hopkins and Burks.

8. Atlanta Falcons – Dallas Turner, Edge AL (WR? DT?? QB???) New HC, Raheem Morris knows the value of a good QB after seeing the stability Stafford has brought to the LA Rams’ offense. Penix Jr. is sack avoidant, and a rhythm passer: a good fit for a top-5 O-line from 2023 . You can either double-dip and have a rook learn from Captain Kirk, or free yourself up to take the edge that you’ve needed every single year to make this defense better. Take an explosive athlete (one who was compared to Brian Burns by NFL .com), who ran a scorching 4.47 40-yard dash, here at pass rusher. From AtlantaFalcons .com (opinions of the media team, not the front office): “The Falcons did not have a single player record more than 6.5 sacks last season, and the two players who reached that number — Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree — are unsigned free agents.”

9. Chicago Bears – Laiatu Latu, Edge UCLA (S? WR??) I could see them trading back here if another team wants to take advantage of one of the top-3 wideout falling. The Chi should take one in the 2nd themselves and go edge here to bookend an improved defense from a year ago. Latu is a technician who owns the highest pass-rush win-rate over the last 9 years, topping both Bosa bros. He had a neck injury that he didn’t get cleared at UW from but is a high-grade pass rusher who can improve on his run defending. Nabers?? MAYBE. You don’t want Caleb to get too pass happy yet… right?!

10. Denver Broncos – Malik Nabers, WR LSU (DT? Edge?? QB???) PROJECTED TRADE UP FROM 12 WITH THE JETS. Is Bowers a fit? Receiver is a better contract value, and they move ahead of the hated Bolts to get their man. Remember when the Sean Payton-led Broncos traded up in the 2018 draft to take Marcus Davenport instead of Lamar Jackson?? We know that he loves dynamic playmakers (Sproles, Bush, Kamara). You can always draft one of the later round QB’s, like Nix or Penix to compete with Stidham and Wilson 0.5. People can hate on Russell all they want, but one hard fact is that both Sutton and Jeudy have one 1K yard season between 10 combined seasons for both. This gives them an explosive option who is potentially as versatile as Deebo Samuel, to keep defenses honest. Nix (A QB who’s completion percentage that led the FBS) would be interesting as a rhythm passer…

11. Los Angeles Chargers – JC Latham, OT AL (DT? CB?? WR???) PROJECTED TRADE DOWN FROM 5 WITH THE VIKINGS. I’m forecasting a trade down with Minnesota here (Despite the Joe Alt rumors), as JCL would be a great pick at 11 as one of the best run-blocking offensive tackles in the draft. Former Ravens Director of College Scouting (now Chargers GM, Joe Hortiz) and Former Stanford/49ers/Wolverines HC (now Chargers HC, Jim Harbaugh) will draft a tone-setting tough guy and build an elite line in SoCal. Latham is a 340-lb. mauler who is a beautiful fit at RT.

12. New York Jets – Brock Bowers, TE UGA (LB? DB?? WR???) PROJECTED TRADE DOWN FROM 10 WITH THE BRONCOS. They remade their line and allowed AVT to move back inside. Time to surround Rodgers with more playmakers. B.B. was the first TE ever to win the John Mackey Award twice and is a dynamic talent at the position. Is he a smaller Kittle? I keep going back and forth between he and Nabors. The Jets are in beautiful position to hold a bidding war at 10 between inter-division rivals Raiders and Broncos (and Chargers if they move down!) to move up for Penix, Fuaga or Nabers.

13. Las Vegas Raiders – Taliese Fuaga, OT/OG Oregon State (CB? DT?? QB???) Fuaga as a big, physical, brawling RT (or even an OG) would be a very good fit with the Raiders mystique! They’d love to leap up and trade with the Titans to pair Antonio Pierce with his former QB at ASU… but he most likely will not be there. Is Penix (???) an option here? If they want to make sure he doesn’t land in Denver, they could trade up (Jets, is that you again?). Or even a former Michigan QB (like Raiders minority-owner, Tom Brady). They need OL bad…

14. New Orleans Saints – Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT PSU (DT? QB?? WR???) We’ve seen a fall from grace from some of their tackles. Peat is out, Ramczyk may not play, and Penning did not play consistently well last year. This guy has tools to help stabilize their line. Not the best run blocker but is a great pass protector. Go and get a QB later.

15. Indianapolis Colts – Terrion Arnold, CB AL (TE? OG?? WR???) “We have to get more explosive (plays) on offense,” Colts general manager Chris Ballard told reporters coming out of the 2023 season, “And we have to be able to eliminate the explosives on defense.” Go get an elite cover corner with the hope that you won’t pick this high in a while with AR back. La’Jarius Sneed was apparently of trade interest to the Colts (along with the entire AFC South, minus H-Town). Arnold is physical on the island as well and can bring the nastiness and physicality that Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor provide to the offense, even in the secondary. Do they trust Will Fries at RG?

16. Seattle Seahawks – Troy Fautanu, OT/OG UW (DB? MLB?? DT???) John Schneider said that offensive guards are being overvalued… so he goes and creates an OG! I heard line guru, Brandon Thorn describe Fautanu as this draft’s best possible guard. I think it’s quite possible/probable that Seattle trades down for this draft’s second-best possible guard (according to Thorn) in Graham Barton while picking up the 2nd-round pick that you don’t currently have. The Nick Harris signing may reveal that SEA is looking for zone blockers. New OL coach, Scott Huff coached him and Fautanu at UW, and prefers quick, athletic and versatile linemen. Troy Fautanu is one of the most unique prospects, and a perfect fit for Seattle. He is a violent, powerful OT who some expect to kick inside to OG (because he’s a little short for an OT) and be just as good because of his short area quickness. We need better IOL play, but he could also be insurance for Abe Lucas’ chronic knee problems and Charles Cross’ inconsistencies (). Seattle still has one of the top receiving corps in the league, so fix the leaks up front, and squeeze the last bit of Geno’s promise out, while building a stable cockpit for a possible transition to Howell to usher in the Mike Mac. era.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars – Byron Murphy II, DT UT (OL? Edge?? WR???) After firing Caldwell and hiring Nielsen at DC, they want to see a defensive unit that makes things easier on T. Law. BMII is powerful and disruptive against both the run and pass. This may even be too low for BMII, who is rated by some more highly than Jalen Carter. Gabe Davis doesn’t stop them from looking at a potential WR1. Everybody they have now is a WR2. I said what I said.

18. Cincinnati Bengals – Brian Thomas Jr., WR LSU (OL? DT?? CB???) How about another LSU boi?? BTJ is in the mold of Martavis Bryant, as a fast and large downfield threat who could ease the expected loss of Tee Higgins (especially in the red zone). DT may be an underrated need (no more DJ Reader), as they got no pass rush from that spot last year.

19. Los Angeles Rams – Jared Verse, Edge FSU (OT? DB?? DT???) Current edge starter, Michael Hoecht dropped into coverage more than any other OLB, but he is not a cover guy, being over 300 lbs. Get a more athletic man who can complement Byron Young on passing downs. Verse is a premium power rushing prospect who can bring some of the nastiness that you are missing with the generational Aaron Donald leaving. Was he tired of carrying, since the Rams had the 2nd lowest pass rush win rate in the league last season? You COULD try to upgrade everywhere EXCEPT at DT, hoping to create a cushy landing spot if AD… say… decided to come back for a playoff run! They may even end up trading up for one of the top pass-rushers.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Amarius Mims, OT UGA (Edge? CB?? WR???) Guyton first? A big and athletic OT prospect who could play on both sides. Mims is considered a RT (never played on the left at UGA) but said that he takes practice snaps there and is completely comfortable on the left as well. Oh, say less my G: Broderick Jones wants to eventually move back to the left side, so we’re gucci . We might even be gucc-boots.

21. Miami Dolphins – Graham Barton, C/OG/OL Duke (WR? Edge?? DT???) Tua had a league-low average of 2.1 seconds between the snap and throwing the ball or pressure among all starters. They ended 2023 on a scoring cold-streak especially in KC for the 4th coldest playoff game ever. This would give Miami a lot of versatility to mix and match the 5 best on their line. They can also give new DC, Anthony Weaver, a penetrator up front (like he had in Baltimore) if either of the top two DT’s are left.

22. Philadelphia Eagles – Quinyon Mitchell, CB Toledo (DE/DT? OG?? OT???) They allowed the highest passing yards per game totals, allowed the most passing yards and passing TD’s in the league on 3rd downs, then got bullied against Tampa in the wild card round. Bring fear back to Philly and go defense to bolster the Fangio addition. A fluid moving corner with very good ball skills at the catch point and toughness in the run game. Mitchell blazed a 4.33 40-yard dash at the combine, which may cause the Eagles to have to trade up to secure his services.

23. Los Angeles Chargers now (HOU, MIN trade) – Jer’Zhan Newton, DT ILL (OT? CB?? WR???) PART OF THE TRADE PACKAGE DOWN FROM 5 WITH THE VIKINGS. Can play the run and the pass especially to give Jim Harbaugh and Jesse Minter a bully up front to match the beasts on the outside. The man who goes by Johnny with his friends said that people only call him by his birth name if he’s in trouble… well you’re in trouble with me homie, for not using the name with that beautiful, slightly swooping apostrophe! Only legends have apostrophes in their names This completes a prestiging of the trenches to kick off the new regime. It may be that no team needs a DT more. A receiving threat is still a distinct possibility here.

24. Dallas Cowboys – Tyler Guyton, OT Oklahoma (C/OG? DE?? WR???) This pick would allow Tyler Smith to stay at LG, as Jerry wants it. Guyton is a blindside blocker with plenty of size, athleticism and a strong anchor. Let’s keep the confusion rolling, going from a left side of Tyron Smith and Tyler Smith to Tyler Guyton and Tyler Smith! Are Xavier Worthy or Xavier Legette worthy??? Center is in serious consideration if JPJ is here. Maybe get another weapon on the perimeter to lessen the grave reliance on Lamb. Trade for Tee Higgins to untrack the talk of your tired approach to team-building?

25. Green Bay Packers – Cooper DeJean, DB Iowa (DE? LB?? OG???) Barton as a potential upgrade, and at least great insurance in the inside? I’ve stopped mocking linemen to Green Bay, as they always seem to promote some 4th round pick who plays well. New DC, Jeff Hafley prefers single-high safety looks in the backend, so a rangy center fielder at FS is attractive here as they transition to a 4-3 scheme. The Pack also had a tough time defending TE’s in the playoffs, so a backend defender factors in from that vantage point. DeJean can be a centerfielder, or swap with Xavier McKinney and be in the box. If Jaire’s young understudies on the outside fall short, he can play there too!

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Chop Robinson, Edge PSU (OT? TE?? CB???) A blazing fast edge rusher would give the Bucs a chance to have a young, interesting and remade defense next year. He may be moving up the charts after running a 4.49 40-yard dash in Indy, tantalizing with potential that didn’t always lead to production. They may go with whichever position has the better value of edge and corner here. Does the recent signing of Randy Gregory sway the scale towards a corner like Nate Wiggins???

27. New Orleans Saints – Michael Penix Jr., QB UW (OG? WR?? Edge??) PROJECTED TRADE UP FROM 45 WITH THE CARDINALS. Look, I know what I said about the Cardinals up top, ok? I’m not sorry! Ossenfort did get the chills when watching Dallas Turner’s workout in Indianapolis…. But the value at that position is gone at this point. This could be a trade down spot for teams looking to secure a 1st-round, 5th-year option with Nix or Penix Jr. That, of course, would allow ‘Zona to drop back and grab pass rush (Braswell, Trice or Kneeland) and corner help (McKinstry, Wiggins or Lassiter) in the 2nd. Here, the Saints brass have to feel the heat underneath their seats… go up and get your guy, because it ain’t Carr. MPJ is an aggressive, downfield thrower who may get a little skittish with pressure. Second-best passer in this class when forced beyond his 1st read, with an 86.2 PFF grade, behind only Caleb Williams’ 1st place 90.6 grade. I say he goes higher than this, but finding the dance partner will be the trick.

28. Buffalo Bills – Adonai Mitchell, WR UT (OL? DB?? Edge???) Mitchell is a prototypical WR1 with size and route-running ability. Davis and Diggs both left Allen’s side, and the Bills are being forced to get younger in both sides of the ball. They couldn’t get to Mahomes at all in the playoffs, so you also have to find edge help… Trade up for someone like BTJ, as Von hinted at? Remember what I said about the Jags’ WR’s? I’ll do you one worse: this team has a bunch of WR3’s…

29. Detroit Lions – Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB MIS (OG? WR?? Edge???) Next step is to strengthen the D! No Diddy, but that is the theme of the weekend for this year’s host team. Hutch had the most pressures in the league, time to maximize him as an engine like Santa Clara does with Bosa, and how Cleveland has just now figured out with Garrett. Badly need a Bonafide corner to play across from Carlton Davis after seeing Stafford torch both sides of the pass defense in Detroit, then Sutton got roasted in SF. Rumor is that they badly wanted ‘Spoon in the 2023 draft, when Seattle took him in a surprise move one pick before he could become a Lion. This is a somewhat similar player, with energy, physicality and range defining his game.

30. Baltimore Ravens – Darius Robinson, DL MIS (OT? S??? WR????) Robinson can play inside and out on the D-line, making the front seven fierce and multiple with this selection. It wasn’t until the 4th quarter in the AFC Championship that a WR not named Flowers recorded a catch . Love the addition of Derrick Henry to round off this offense and continue to climb. Any big body wideouts that make sense here as a compliment to Bateman and Flowers? (Coleman maybe, but there are great options in round 2).

31. San Francisco 49ers – Jordan Morgan, OT Arizona (TE? DB?? WR???) Morgan has to answer questions (ones that popped at the Senior Bowl) about how he can handle speed rushers. He is an athletic, pass protecting tackle, but should he move inside to OG? Seeing as how Colton McKivitz gave up the most sacks of all RT’s in the league (9), I think they’ll roll the dice. Need more receiving threats as your playmakers age (or demand trades). Does that put Worthy (and his fastest recorded 40-yard dash in combine history) in play??? At the end of the day, if you are the Niners, you haven’t had a strong RT prospect since McGlinchey left; Morgan can even try to potentially replace Trent Williams down the line. This would also keep him away from the team that just ended your dreams…

32. Kansas City Chiefs – Keon Coleman, WR FSU (Edge? CB?? OT???) Kansas City led the league in dropped passes. Even worse, only one Chiefs WR had more than 460 yards receiving and none crossed 1K yards. IN A MAHOMES-LED OFFENSE!! A player who can high point the ball on contested catches, and is not a burner, but is reminiscent of D-Hop with the hands and Mike Evan’s with the size. In their quest for the first-ever 3-peat, this team has questions. Will Omenihu play this year after tearing his ACL in the AFC ‘ship? Does Hollywood Brown free them up to take a tackle like Patrick Paul??? Sneed was the type of guy you usually want to keep in a young seconday. That’s also what I thought about Marcus Peters and Charvarious Ward tho.

Teams Without 1st-Round Picks

Carolina Panthers: DT, LB, HB, WR!
They shored up a hemorrhaging interior of the offensive line. Now go find an explosive receiver to let the Carolina offense breathe… people were walking up on ‘em all year.

Cleveland Browns: OG, DB, LB, DT!
The Browns are in position to simply add depth, competition and insurance at a number of positions. Watson is the key to the 2024 season.

Houston Texans: S, LB, CB, OG!
These guys are loading up. They addressed DT, but could MLB still be an option? They could use someone who can play the run and the pass in the middle, especially after Baltimore rolled up 229 on the ground against them to send the Texans to Cancun.

An additional 32 prospects to consider:

Nate Wiggins, CB Clemson
Kool-Aid Mckinstry, CB AL
Xavier Worthy, WR TEX
Jackson Powers-Johnson, C Oregon
Xavier Legette, WR S. Carolina
Bralen Trice, Edge UW
Edgerrin Cooper, LB TAM
Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB Clemson
Javion Cohen, OG MIA
Ruke Orhorhoro, DE/DT Clemson
Kamari Lassiter, CB GA
Bo Nix, QB OR
Michael Hall Jr., DT OSU
Kris Jenkins, DT UM
Patrick Paul, OT Houston
T’Vondre Sweat, NT TEX
Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE TEX
Devontez Walker, WR UNC
Troy Franklin, WR Oregon
Zach Frazier, IOL WVU
Ladd McConkey, WR UGA
Junior Colson, MLB UM
Chris Braswell, Edge AL
Payton Wilson, LB NCS
Marshawn Kneeland, Edge WM
Malachi Corley, WR WK
Johnny Wilson, WR FSU
Cooper Beebe, OG KSU
Tyler Nubin, S MIN
Kamren Kinchens, S MIA
Roman Wilson, WR UM
Trey Benson, HB FSU

I heard some of the teams were having technical difficulties in the NFL’s test draft today. YIKES. A bunch of very devoted executives with jobs on the line, and career-altering decisions to make under a time crunch… I’m sure they’ll be fine. I didn’t write a detailed and polished story for each team like I did in previous years, but my take on where players will be drafted this week with my disjointed field (quarantine) notes is below. I’ve recklessly predicted three trades. Come and @ me:

1. Bengals – Joe Burrow QB (Ohio kid with a prolific college season. Grew up near CIN. Haven’t heard anything about him growing up a Bengals fan) Joe doesn’t wanna go, but he will. He exudes confidence that he’ll bring to Ohio. A lil too much sauce?
2. ‘skins – Chase Young DE (Tempted to trade down for more picks since top 10 in sacks) a monster piece in transition to a 4-3 under Rivera and Del Rio. He’s got DPOY potential while being compared favorably to Myles Garrett and the Bosa bros. coming out. Leverage for a Ryan Kerrigan restructure? Trent Williams fetches a 2nd to address the big need at OT?
3. Chargers – Tua Tagovailoa QB (Trade DET) Brian Bulaga at right tackle. Tua a lefty QB. Glitz to win LA while Rams are down. Anthony Lynn hot seat more than Brian Flores, so incentivized to be bold. Joey Bosa & Melvin Ingram free agents next year. They give up at least a 2nd and possibly more to move up: Win now/soon roster. Tua is a killer who forced out the charismatic Jalen Hurts. Can’t wait for the 30 for 30 on how he avoided the Bengals.
4. Giants – Jedrick Wills Jr. OT (Joe Judge goes for elite pass protection as Pats relied on protection). Judge worked under Saban. Adds malice to the mix of Saquon Barkley & Daniel Jones.
5. Dolphins – Isaiah Simmons LB (Cam) Brian Flores strikes me as the kind of guy that has a belief in a reward for his hard work (of coaching not to tank) instead of engaging in a bidding war with all of his collected draft picks. Simmons would provide leadership and culture with former teammate Christian Wilkins. Versatile & multiple. Flores’ calling card. Improves the pass rush, can cover TE, and provide a possible answer to the threat of the mobile QB’s in the AFC (Lamar, Mahomes, Watson, Allen, Mayfield, Burrow, Tua??). Can cover for the need at Safety for a bit as well? Alternatives at LB not as good as for the QB’s. Pats leaked that they loved Herbert… why?? Mind games to get the Dolphins to take him here instead of a blue-chip player.
6. Lions – Jeff Okudah CB (Trade LAC) Lions know what they’re doing in interviewing all the QB’s. Bucky Brooks says Okudah is reminiscent of reigning DPOY, Stephon Gilmore. Matt Patricia will not be embarrassed by Slay or the bottom ranked pass D again. Okudah shuts things down. I’ve heard a nice idea floated that the Lions get a starting caliber CB in the trade with the Chargers. If they can swing that, Detroit drafts the best DT that the Panthers are hoping falls to them and leave Okudah for Carolina.
7. Panthers – Derrick Brown DT (Tepper: patience) 4-3 switch under Rhule and Phil Snow. This boy is a problem in the middle.
8. Cardinals – Tristan Wirfs OT (position flexibility) Cards could use T or G? Arizona’s offensive scheme is predicated on speed and athleticism. Wirfs is that. Good pass pro.
9. Falcons – K’Lavon Chaisson DE (Trade JAX) Bruce Irvin type. Quinn’s last stand? Goes out his way, with good pass rush if so. Former Seahawks D-Coordinator who takes pride and knows pressure is the key. Jump ahead of Jets, giving up a 2nd for him. Would they go up this high for Henderson??
10. Browns – Andrew Thomas OT (Technical and competitive) Need more grit over flash in CLE. Either side. Elite run blocker (give Baker time and support, he will dice teams up). One more year of this team being together (Safeties, Kareem Hunt & DL FA’s). Maximize it!
11. Jets – Mekhi Becton OT (When your leader and QB is seeing these:  that’s a problem) Huge upside and a bully mentality who “love intimidating guys”. Allows them to get saved by the (Le’Veon) Bell. Lamb?? Draft WR depth. Becton, McGovern, Van Roten and Fant would provide a new core. Let Becton go and get Darnold’s man card back.
12. Raiders – Jerry Jeudy WR (Neck & neck tie goes to the speedy SEC route runner). The dominant WR1 who attacks downfield that they thought they had in AB. Let’s them give Carr one last true chance to shine. Can picture Jon Gruden saying his name gleefully in his thick accent of which I have no idea where it’s from. Anybody? Let me know in the comments section. Gruden may pack up and go directly to bed after this pick. Follow this up with Jalen Hurts later and Gruden will have the offense he always dreamed of.
13. 49ers – CeeDee Lamb WR (Playmaker. Questions about the system won’t matter since Kyle Shanahan has a system) This would be a catch and run offense with Deebo Samuel. Gave up depth on D by trading DeForest Buckner to boost offense. Kyle ain’t satisfied.
14. Dolphins – Justin Herbert QB (Trade  TB) Dolphins trade up ahead of DEN, JAX & DAL. Can you imagine?? Him and Simmons!! Mobile, reads the field. They don’t panic, and maybe get Jalen Hurts or Cam if it doesn’t work out. Still have Rosen for last chance. Much cheaper to move up here, giving up a 3rd and maybe late rounder.
15. Broncos – Henry Ruggs III WR (Trade up with CLE for a top-2 WR?) Jets may be trying to smoke screen and bait them to come up. Defense should be improved with health and the addition of Jurrell (ayyy) Casey. You’ve got to find out immediately if big-armed Lock is the guy. Give him every chance. This QB carousel of pain has gone on too long. Ruggs can take top off defense and open things up for everyone. Unlike Will Fuller, he doesn’t drop very often. Sutton is the muscle, Ruggs makes this offense vertical. Will consider J.J., but he’s more unique in his skillset than Jefferson.
16. Jaguars – C.J. Henderson CB (Trade ATL) Andrew Thomas would’ve been nice… Tanking/rebuilding and want to acquire multiple assets? Get a 2nd moving down, and another 1st for Yannick. Trading Fournette too? Is this all ammo for Trevor Lawrence next year? D.J. Hayden to shine again in the slot as they rebuild their defense.
17. Cowboys – Justin Jefferson WR (Lost a chain-moving TE) Reliable compliment to Amari and can throw blocks for Zeke. Jarvis Landry-style impact. The ghost of Aldon Smith let’s them try to maximize their offense.
18. Buccaneers – Josh Jones OT (Trade MIA) Run blocker who is raw and needs dev. in pass pro. Compete with Joe Haeg (who can also play OG) at RT and can learn to be a LT to take over for Donovan Smith down the line. Trade up with Jags for one of the top 4? The Bucs are all in on harnessing the championship drive of Tom Brady. Pass rush help later – Idk if you can trust JPP and Shaq to replicate last year. Get more pressure to make the young secondary’s job easier… Could easily be Kinlaw??
19. Raiders – Trevon Diggs CB (Nevin Lawson great in the slot). Eli Apple didn’t work out. Swagger and confidence as Stefon’s brother helps him make an impression and get taken in the 1st… that and his upside learning the position as a former wide receiver.
20. Jaguars – Yetur Gross-Matos DE (Get an OT later to let Cam Robinson slide To OG). Get ready for the “Replace Yannick with Yetur” T-shirts. This dude has a powerful and positive mental makeup.
21. Eagles – Patrick Queen LB (Mims or Higgins? Get a WR later) Got big play Slay (w/ a chip) & add a heat-seeker of a leader in the midway to revitalize Jim Schwartz’s once proud defense. Consider Murray, but Queen is more of a true MLB which fits this team. He has room to grow and learn as a 1-yr starter at LSU. Surprised he lasted this long.
22. Vikings – Javon Kinlaw DT (Higgins?) Not sure if he lasts, but if he does, MIN races to get a steal and re-up on the pass rush after losing a lot this offseason (Linval Joseph & Everson Griffen). Medical flags on his knees for risk of arthritis scare me, but his talent is undeniable. They can shift to power football, utilize their two very good TE’s and get wideout later. Prime candidate to trade for Trent Williams.
23. Patriots – Kenneth Murray LB (A banger who makes plays) trade back? Pats waiting for Andy Dalton if CIN can get Borrow on board with the future. Speed on the outside to replace Kyle Van Noy and compliment D’onta Hightower in the middle. Return of the boogeymen?
24. Saints – Brandon Aiyuk WR (McKinney for S insurance and slot play?) Quick-pass, open field YAC playmaker who could work underneath Emmanuel Sanders & Micheal Thomas. Utilize the Brees engine while you still can.
25. Vikings – A.J. Terrell (Consider Epenesa, but keep the number saved for Griffen) Zimmer keeps corners on deck from CIN to MIN and will have Terrell, Kristian Fulton, and Jaylon Johnson to consider here. Go with the strong and fast option who can play press.
26. Dolphins – Austin Jackson OT (slide Davis to G) A whole lot of character and potential. They also consider Xavier McKinney to top off the defense.
27. Seahawks – Terrell Lewis DE (Blacklock?) Epenesa? Lacks the explosion the Hawks look for. Lewis has that. He feels overlooked… what Hawks LOVE. Can play LEO and let Bruce Irvin rotate in and also play at linebacker. In the end, will most likely trade down to add more competition in the trenches, likely taking OT and DT with what is already two 2nds. Colts trade up for Tee Higgins or Jordan Love? If we can get a top 10 pass rush (Everson Griffen or Jadeveon Clowney + a high drafted DE, Irvin, L.J. Collier, Rasheem Green, Shaqueem Griffin, and Benson Mayowa) and stay healthy, we’re going to the Bowl. You heard it here first.
28. Ravens – Tee Higgins WR (Trade up for MLB to replace C.J. Mosley?) Give Lamar a weapon who can line up anywhere but will play on the outside. More prototypical WR1 than Hollywood Brown? Championship aspirations, so need more than 1 downfield weapon. A.J. Green smoothness. Take RB later.
29. Titans – Ross Blacklock DT (Jaylon Johnson??) Don’t mess with ANYTHING on offense so you can recapture that magic. Replaces Jurrell (ayyy!!) Casey, and this is where Jadeveon Clowney ends up. Menacing front 7 with tons of potential with Jeffrey Simmons and a solid LB crew. Get CB next.
30. Packers – A.J. Epenesa DE (Utilize his strength, should play DE instead of OLB) The Pack stop the slide of one of the more productive defensive players in CFB last year. Although Laviska Shenault (a Deebo Samuel type) or Jalen Reagor (slot maven) would be excellent weapons for LaFleur to get creative with, they may be able to wait on, or trade up for either/both in the second round. If they can make a plan to grab a WR in this deep class to become less reliant on Devante Adams, then I think Epenesa fills a more dire need after seeing Raheem Mostert explode all over the Packers defense in the NFC Championship game. I won’t be surprised if either WR is the selection here, but if they can get both, they are in striking distance of the ‘ship.
31. 49ers – Cesar Ruiz C/G (Best interior lineman in the draft) The prime trade back candidate. No 2nd, 3rd, or 4th. Resigning of Jimmie Ward made it a possibility that no safeties are drafted in the 1st this year. This could be where some team takes a wild chance on Jordan Love by trading up.
32. Chiefs – Jaylon Johnson CB (D’Andre Swift?) Kansas City doesn’t want teams to be picking on their corner to stay in the game. Get a physical guy. Mahomes’ firepower + a good secondary controlling the sky would be amazing to behold. Have to grab a bell cow RB like D’Andre Swift at some point to carry the offense in case Mahomes can’t go. That’s one of the items on a very short list of things that could stand in the way of the dawn of a new dynasty in K.C.

Players that could also go in the 1st round:

Noah Igbinoghene CB, DE Zack Baun LB/DE, Laviska Shenault Jr. WR, Jeff Gladney CB, Kristian Fulton CB, Ezra Cleveland OL, Xavier McKinney S, Grant Delpit S, Cole Kmet TE, Jordan Love QB, J.K. Dobbins RB, D’Andre Swift RB, Jonathan Taylor RB, Neville Gallimore DL, Jalen Reagor WR, Denzel Mims WR

Team needs that don’t have a 1st round pick:

Rams – OT, CB, LB

Bears – WR, OL, S?

Texans – LB, S, C/G?

Steelers – OT, WR, CB

Colts – WR, TE, Backup QB

Bills – OG, DE, Pass Catcher?