Ahhh– 2026… The first (and only other) back-to-back title attempt by the Seattle Seahawks since the prime “Legion of Boom” days. No need to harken back, or whatever ya’ll do, since the Hawks are forging a new trail in history!

The title defense is but one storyline, as it will be fascinating to see how each of the 31 other clubs adjust, prune and reload their teams in the upcoming NFL draft. Let’s take a second to remind ourselves that the NFL is a copycat league, but not a hive-mind. There will be players taken shockingly higher or lower than Mel Kiper told us they would. Did you see what the Bengals did?!

I had a cool twist that I was excited for months to reveal in my final mock draft… I had a feeling that the plateauing Cinci Bengals could be in a position to take a big swing with a blockbuster trade involving the New York Giants. They just need a new vibe in that building. That happened, just not the way that I thought it would.

Then, five days before the draft, they swung for a nose tackle instead. Well… ok.

Mock drafts can feel as, or more futile than a March Madness bracket… the only difference here is that each successive pick is based on results of the previous picks before it. It’s like a long, winding corridor of dominoes. Each organization is operating as a self-serving agent of chaos to the very foundation of this hypothetical chain reaction. With that in mind, I sought to create something as adaptable as each GM’s gameplan has to be. This year’s draft seems to be as unpredictable and combustible as ever, with factors such as NIL and a lack of elite prospects proving to be silent influencers in the shape of this list of NFL prospects.

You’ll see draft pick predictions for each team, followed by a list of 1-3 (4 in special cases) 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.

I didn’t include any projected trades this time around, but there could be plenty. Dallas and New York (J) could swap 12 and 16, respectively. Arizona and Buffalo could easily trade 25 and 34 (2nd). Minnesota and Pittsburgh could collaborate to move 18 and 21, respectively. With such an unpredictable and even draft class, I just decided to handle it straight-up this year. Trades could return next year.

Let’s get into it…

1. Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza, QB (EDGE?) A player they’ve absolutely had their eyes on for a while now. Lock it in. Even if there were pass rushers worthy of this spot, the Raiders will not be reconstructing the new roster just chasing the exact same style it was built to last time out. Geno Smith and Pete Carroll are gone, but new Coach Klint Kubiak carries on the Seattle sentiments in the city of sin. Mendoza piloted the 16-0 Indiana team that won a shocking national title while never trailing in the CFP. As for individual accolades, the young passer won the Heisman for his outstanding season before earning the CFPNC-OPOY against a team that denied him as a walk-on. His size, accuracy, toughness and determination should make him an intriguing potential franchise guy to pair with Kubiak. Raiders minority owner and galvanizing force, Tom Brady is on record as being a fan of his. In some of the interviews and appearances I’ve seen, Mendoza cites pocket movement as his biggest area that needs improvement moving forward… good, because this offensive line was BRUTAL last season. While the team that came from Oak-Town fielded a bottom-8 scoring defense, the offense came in last in both yards and scoring in 2025, so that takes precedent. They might even go QB at 1, use Crosby to get back into the 1st round to get an EDGE to expedite the transition to a 3-4 formation or a CB to make all rushers’ jobs easier. Advance the reign of Egon Durben.

2. New York Jets – Arvell Reese, EDGE / LB (DB?) The Jets need an EDGE and an off-ball LB…why not kill two birds with one Manhattan Schist stone? A splash player with speed who allows Aaron Glenn to get creative with his formations. This was, after all, the first team to record zero INT’s over the course of a season. Is it embarrassing that it happened with a former defensive back as head coach? The answer is yes. Trading DE/EDGE Jermaine Johnson for NT T’Vondre Sweat reinforced their push to a 3-4 defensive scheme. After recording the lowest total of sacks in the AFC last year (26), they could acquire the Swiss Army Knife in Reese to pick up the bookend on outside rusher to pair with McDonald IV. End these depressing stats… Bailey here? They pick the 20-year-old who brings versatility and better run defense than Bailey. Emphasis on that last sentence, especially with WMIV looking like a pass rush specialist himself. This kid is a ball of clay… he isn’t even close to the player he could be! He’s the choice, and I’m not accepting any alternatives. The Jets can easily leverage their three 1st-Rounds picks in 2027 to find a franchise QB if their free agent attempts this year fizzle out.

3. Arizona Cardinals – Francis Mauigoa, OT (HB? S?? EDGE????) Bain or Bailey after they managed the 3rd-lowest sack total (30) in 2025???? Only if they cut Baron Browning? That might not be too taxing of a transaction. This team feels like it has always had stars on the D-line and little else (besides the incomparable Larry Fitzgerald). This would be a departure from all of that. What about Darius Robinson? What about Jordan Burch? Coaches and front offices have to rely on development in some spots. Mauigoa is a bully on the right edge of the offense, with measurements comparable to All-World Detroit RT, Penei Sewell. If nothing else, he is a player that can help set the (nasty) tone in the desert. Wilkinson’s signing at RT doesn’t preclude them from taking a tackle high. Could slide Wilkinson inside to guard, as he did when he played for the red birds on a 1-year stint in 2023. Square that offense away while you have an offensive coach. If Reese is here, that might change things. I think I’d go him, with plans to create a hybrid position for his skill set.

4. Tennessee Titans – Sonny Styles, LB (HB?? EDGE????) This is where things get very, very interesting. Love?? To lift Cam Ward and the offense. Bain Jr.???? To diversify and prestige the pass rush. Styles gives Saleh his Warner! Calvin Johnson type measurable at linebacker is wild! A Fred Warner / Azeez Al-Shaair / Nick Emmanwori comp? Since Tenekee spent on offense in FA (Robinson/Bellinger/OL) to assure the continued improvement of Cam Ward, it frees them up to take a dynamic defender here. The very uniquely suited Styles, and the ferocious Bain are available and likely considerations.

5. New York Giants – Jeremiyah Love, HB (MLB? WR??? CB????) It feels like a receiver, even with Nabers’ injury status, would be outside of the bounds of a first, Harbaugh-led salvo (especially even higher than they took ‘Leek). There hasn’t been a running back taken in the top 5 since Saquon Barkley in 2018. Joe Schoen must attain poetic justice and get a player that can transform the offense into a truly balanced threat. Love’s explosive run rate (~20%) and 10-yard split (1.49s) place him in company with backs like Chris Johnson, Jahmyr Gibbs and Jonathan Taylor (according to the McShay Show podcast). He’s tough, elusive and creative, chat. The Big Blue offense would have a very talented array of young stars with this move. Let’s remember that the 2000’s G-Men thrived with the three-headed rushing attack of “Earth, Wind and Fire” that were personified by Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw and Derrick Ward. That could be revitalized in the team up of Cam Skattebo, Love and either of Tyrone Tracey/Devin Singletary. Ward was the 3rd fiddle, but even he rushed for 1K at one point! So did Tracey, in his rookie year, but that could also make him a young and valuable trade chip. They can scoop another highly regarded collegiate player with the 10th pick.

6. Cleveland Browns – Caleb Downs, S (OT??? WR????) I don’t believe in taking Freeling at 6… he has rare athleticism but is incredibly raw. “Georgia’s passing game was heavily built on play action and screens, which allowed Freeling to partake in just 95 true pass sets all season. That ranked just barely among the top 200 tackles in the country”. Cleveland also (reportedly) passed on Tetairoa McMillan last year because of (in part) his decision not to take part in most pre-draft testing, as well as a 4.53 40 time. That’s the same time that Carnell Tate ran this year. Sure, you could say T-Mac’s success could change their whole philosophy, but the counterargument is Marvin Harrison Jr. in Arizona. There doesn’t seem to be a sure-thing, elite WR or OT prospect here. BPA has Cleveland taking the #1 or #2 player in the draft. A dynamic chess piece that can help fortify the seam, strengthen against the outside run and force offenses into pass situations against the generational Myles Garrett sounds like a great idea to me. It’s another form of supporting the offense… as seen by the (admittedly generational) Seahawks title team this year. They can use their second 1st (24th overall) to trade up for another elite prospect at OT or WR (2nd?) or EDGE (3rd?). Bringing back Hickman and taking an EDGE might complete this defense in a way that could stick it to Jim Schwartz. Here they take a unicorn of a safety who can play in the box and even function as a slot/LB, à la Emmanwori in Seattle? He could displace either Myles Harden or Quincy Williams in different scenarios. Mayhem ensues…

7. Washington Commanders – David Bailey, EDGE (CB? WR???) Dan Quinn has been around some great pass rushers: DeMarcus Lawrence, Micah Parsons, Dwight Freeney, Vic Beasley (*ahem*), Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett to name a few. The Washington Football Team was bottom-10 in pressure rate last year (24th, with a 32.5% mark). Von Miller led the team in sacks last year, so they went out and got Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson. A premier rusher also has the chance to drop to them here at 7, and the defense will be all the better for it in a potential switch to more 3-4 alignments (seems like all the rage these days) under new DC, Daronte Jones. Charles Omenihu and Deatrich Wise Jr. can slide inside as DE’s to compliment Daron Payne, Jer’Zhan Newton, Tim Settle and Javon Kinlaw. Jones’ pressure-heavy scheme could lead to WAS prioritizing upgrades/insurance at corner as well. David Bailey is a destructive unit who harbors an explosive first step. Brian Burns comp? Is D.C. going to get baited into trading up with the Cards to make this happen?! I wouldn’t. Go get a top receiver, to support Jayden Daniels and Scary Terry in the 2nd.

8. New Orleans Saints – Carnell Tate, WR (CB? EDGE???) I think Alvin Kamara is retiring, ya’ll. Don’t quote me. Nola used a rare contract mechanism to convert a bulk of his contract to a signing bonus. Drafting another WR across from Chris Olave on day 2 would give this offense explosive capability. Don’t look now, but the Saints also have a refreshed, young and talented offensive line and a promising young OROY QB. Full speed ahead! NOLA opts against defense to continuing building an airborne arsenal for Tyler Shough and Kellen Moore to express themselves with. Don’t let it all be on Etienne (no… go back! It’s ay-chan!). The selection is TATE! The dude from Ohio State who may very well go at 6 or 8. Here, the Saint get the gift of an agile, long-limbed WR1 who can challenge deep. He had an 86% contested catch rate in his final season on an ADOT of 14.6 yards. He can also pose as an adequate blocker for the ground game. I’ve seen comps for him in the realm of Olave/Pickens/Ridley. Even though Cam Jordan is gone, if Delane were here, they’d consider adding him to the group of Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley.

9. Kansas City Chiefs – Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE / DL (OL? CB/S?? TE???) The first team since the Jamarcus Russell-led Raiders (16 years ago) to post three consecutive games of 170 yards or less… that’s why Ken Walker () is in town (10 runs of 20+ yards; compared to the Chiefs’ combined 1 from the running back room). They could also take Kelce’s heir apparent if they feel good about Kenyon Sadiq. Need another guard to feel like you have strong depth… maybe one who has also played a little tackle??? Fano as an underrated option here??? This is HUGE as recent KC teams are not used to picking anywhere close to this high. Take a guy who has the potential to be special. Bain led the nation with 83 pressures but is doubted due to shorter than ideal arm length. Are we asking the right question, detective? That’s an iRobot line for ya. Melvin Ingram comp? KC knows that name well. Make life easier on an expectedly young set of DB’s as KC starts over in the defensive backfield. They are usually good at finding hidden gems at CB later in the draft. It feels like edge rusher is a shallower pool than both the corners and wideouts this year. This guy can also kick inside to rush in different alignments, giving this front a lot of flexibility with all of their recent draft picks on the edge. Khyris Tonga was a nice signing, but this would allow a lot of versatility in term of down and distance (and some nastiness to the defensive front). They also have a second 1st-Rounder, the 29th overall pick.

10. New York Giants (via CIN) – Mansoor Delane, CB (WR?) With the security of another top 10 pick (5, earlier), the New York Football Giants can take a major swing on offense and still get an impact defender. Flott is gone and they tried to deal for Trent McDuffie before the former Chief was sent to LA. They need cover men to actually make use of their insane depth at pass rusher. How about a technician with the lowest catch rate allowed? A press man-coverage specialist who is compared to Quinyon Mitchell. Oh, the guy can also defend the run. Now just imagine if the Bengals had traded this pick to get into position to take Jeremiyah Love. Marcus Freeman, when discussing Love’s receiving ability, boldly proclaimed that, “I think he could be an elite wide receiver”. It could’ve made the Cincinnati offense multi-dimensional. I don’t understand the Bengals… but I’ll keep watching. If they win a ring, I’ll have egg on my face.

11. Miami Dolphins – Makai Lemon, WR (CB/S?? OG???) With a lot of draft capital and tons of needs, the ‘Fins can really just let the draft fall to them. Did you know that nobody on the current Miami Dolphins roster is making more than $7.8M . They enlist an intelligent, route-oriented slot-receiver who has received Amon-Ra St. Brown / Golden Tate comps. Yall say he was acting “strange” at the combine; I say some people communicate in mannerisms different than what your upbringing exposed you to that goes for us all. Despite that, he’s a DAWG who can take a dump-off pass for a chunk gain. He was the 2025 Biletnikoff Award winner, named the nation’s top wide receiver. Give the young, talented & developing, but unproven QB (Malik Willis) a target who can get open quickly and closer to the middle of the field. Spencer Fano as all-time swing OL??? Don’t give up on Jonah Savaiinaea (or his name) quite yet! But do give him so good competition later in the draft. They can use their second 1st-Rounder (30th overall) to address a need on the other side of the ball. Willis needs help to not just absolutely drown out there with a team of Costco hospitality members. Okay, that was harsh… but the Dolphins’ constant tear downs and rebuilds need to be studied. The Miami brain trust (that are former Packers Lieutenants) need a show of force behind Willis at this point. Where is the hope for some point-scoring potential? Remember when they put up 70 on the Denver Broncos?

12. Dallas Cowboys – Jermod McCoy, CB (EDGE?? OT???) It feels like they need a corner and an EDGE in their two 1st’s. Use this to trade UP for an EDGE?? They were in on Maxx Crosby… they’d love if Bain slid to this slot. His teammate, Mesidor (as well as T.J. Parker) could be considered if they have J.M. medically flagged, but Dallas would be in better position with their next pick. This dude could either face a precipitous fall in the draft due to medical (Will Johnson from last year?) or, if teams are comfortable, could go top five? A corner who could’ve slid due to bad 40-yard dash testing… due to injury recovery… but dusted all outstanding doubts by recording a 4.38. It was then flagged that he could need another surgery. This, after he missed the entire ‘25 season with a torn ACL. McCoy is a big, physical cover man with closing speed. He’s an absolute ball hawk, but he may need recovery time. New DC, Christian Parker was quoted as saying, “We still want to be fast and aggressive, but I will say, there’s a premium on instincts, there’s a premium on the brain,” Parker said of his ideal Cowboys defenders. “At different spots, they have to handle a different mental workload in terms of where their eyes have to be. You want guys to be able to process those things quickly”. Jermod’s scouting report on NFL Draft Buzz describes him as “instinctive”, with “exceptional football IQ”. Trevon Diggs is gone, and Jermod McCoy is the type of risky player that Jerrah hasn’t been afraid to take before (Parsons also sat out his final year of college play, Jaylon Smith missed his entire rookie year). If it hits, Cobie Durant could man the slot, DaRon Bland can play dime (along with Jalen Thompson) and outside, while McCoy takes the other outside position. Young dudes, Shavon Revel Jr. and Caelen Carson get more time to develop (Durant on a 1-year contract) and fill in where necessary. SRJ, in particular may have a window near the beginning of the season to earn season-long PT. You also have experienced vets such as Derion Kendrick and Corey Ballentine as reserves. McCoy, however, when in the swing of things again, has great potential on a defense that may often be dragged into shootouts by Dak Prescott. The ‘Boys will draft a tackle at some point. They also hold the 20th overall pick!

13. Los Angeles Rams – Jordyn Tyson, WR (QB? TE?? CB??? OT????) I ORIGINALLY had Fano here, with conviction!!!! Ultimately, the squeeze of an all-in season, along with us all witnessing a short-armed OT get absolutely wrecked and embarrassed by the Seahawks, and topped with a side of mismatch fit in run scheme made the pick eat away at me every day. I finally changed it. Pairing the Rams with Jordyn Tyson is mighty, mighty enticing… to combat the massive deal that Puca will get (and was accelerated by JSN’s deal), as well as the eventual decline of Davante Adams (they already tried to trade him)? Apparently, they tried to go get Tetairoa McMillan last year, even after signing Adams. They pursued A.J. Brown this offseason, in some capacity. Tyson is a versatile and quicker-than-fast route artist who can highpoint and create RAC with his tenacity. He draws comps to Terry McLaurin / Jaxon Smith-Njigba / Stefon Diggs. He does have injury question surrounding him, after missing time each of the last three years. He could compliment Puka and DA well. There’s also this from SumerSports (via TheRams .com): “Tyson’s route tree at ASU was diverse, as he ran eight different routes at least 7% of the time”. Los Angeles is not used to picking this high, and I’m mad that Atlanta helped it happen… here’s why I’m mad, and why I’d pick something other than WR: Fratt Stafford won MVP with the current collection of players at his disposal. There are some young WR’s and TE’s on the rise. The biggest reason, however, is that it could be both serendipitous and fortuitous, especially right after Havenstein retired. Warren McClendon filled in well at times… but there is this, according to A-To-Z Sports: “From Week 16 to the NFC Conference Championship Game, McClendon averaged 23 “true passing sets” against teams the Rams couldn’t hide him from. He allowed 17 of his 24 pressures during this stretch and both of his sacks. When the competition picked up and the Rams couldn’t hide him as much, McClendon’s production skyrocketed. His 17 pressures allowed during that stretch were among the highest figures of any OT in the NFL, and his 1-on-1 sack total (three) and 1-on-1 pressure total (13) were both among the highest marks in the NFL, tying Bobby Hart in sacks allowed and narrowly beating out Josh Fryar’s 16 pressures. Additionally, his 3-second time to pressure was the fourth-quickest in the league among tackles with over 150 pass blocks in that stretch, just behind Pittsburgh’s Dylan Cook and New England’s Will Campbell (including that awful Super Bowl performance).” The entire Rams offensive line are in contract years… except for LT, Alaric Jackson, who has two more years. I know they want to win now, but think about the future of this offense. LA’s two guards are both going into contract years. The Fano pick would allow LAR to fear no o-line injury in an all-in year. Even so, I HAD to RECONSIDER (I read some liter…ature on the subject), as Tyson could be the best wideout in this draft, and seems to have McVay-specific qualities (like route-running precision, toughness, contested-catch ability and size). He even LOOKS like a half black version of Cooper Kupp! Look up my boy and tell me I’m lyin’.
14. Baltimore Ravens – Spencer Fano, OL (DT? TE?? WR???) I know Vega Ioane is the popular pick here. If this were the John Harbaugh-fronted Ravens then that would easily have been the pick. A lot of Baltimore fans have Ioane on their wish lists, but he doesn’t seem as perfect of a match for new OC Declan Doyle’s wide zone run scheme experience. After all this, the 14 spot isn’t Vegas or Vega. There’s a good shot that the Ravens take whoever the Rams don’t take between Tyson and Fano. Sadiq or Tyson as elite weapons? Could go after a lineman with this kind of sentiment from the coach. New HC Jesse Minter saw Jim Harbaugh and team invest the #5 overall pick in Joe Alt, before injuries derailed the LA Bolts’ season. Andrew Vorhees is currently set to compete to start at one guard spot (scary)… but Baltimore let Faalele walk, who earned a higher PFF grade than Vorhees (two more pressures and one more sack, on 42 more snaps). Meanwhile, 2024 UDFA, Corey Bullock is penciled in as an entrant in the starting center role… former starter, Tyler Linderbaum (via The Lounge Podcast before last season) called Bullock “physical, tough – and he’s a smart guy, too. So, if anything happens, I’m totally comfortable with him going in at that position and playing at a high level”. If he can’t, B-More signed two vets to stabilize the position with competition. Fano is a try-hard fluid mover who could see his skillset blossom in a wide zone offensive attack. Can he improve his play strength. He scored the lowest allowed pressure rate in the draft. He’s been talked about as an elite possible conversion to the center position. We may need to hold a few horses before relegating him inside. He also has the ability to act as an outside zone RT. Fano, ultimately, can transition to guard or center to buttress the offense with his movement skills and tenacity. He could add an element of speed to the second level on duo blocks, while extending running lanes for the dynamic duo of Jackson and Henry. I’m no PI, but I believe this was in relation to friction with Todd Monken. Look at the difference now. Zay Flowers does need some help on the outside, but that can come later.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Akheem Mesidor, EDGE (S? LB?? OG/C???) Akheem Mesidor is an older prospect, but that matters little, as this regime is in win-now mode. He is explosive and instinctive as an outside EDGE. The D-Line is (hopefully) healthy and now reinforced with a couple of vets. This pick would create a strong rotation in front of a young (but talented) secondary. GM, Jason Licht when discussing (at the NFL Combine) what the team is emphasizing for the coming season: “You have to pressure the quarterback in order to have success, so whether that is a D-tackle or outside linebacker in our case, even inside linebacker,” said Licht. “I would say our front seven will be something that we need to focus on”. Get this defense some teeth so that Todd Bowles has no excuse but to succeed as a defensive scheme expert on the hot seat. A top shelf running mate for Alex Anzalone was also alluded to and has to be a thought here. AA is the Will/Mo linebacker (usually a coverage specialist), and Tampa needs a Mike backer (a thumper) to step up. Lavonte David is a Tampa legend, as one of just 3 men over the last 30 years to record 1,000+ tackles, 40+ sacks and 35+ takeaways. The other two are Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher. Do they find the next one here? C.J. Allen??? Remember when these dudes came into Lumen and took the eventual Super Bowl champions to OT and came out victorious in a nail-biting barn-burner? It was the only team who Seattle did not beat in the 2025 season.

16. New York Jets – Olaivavega Ioane, OG (QB? DB??? WR????) *See 2nd overall pick for additional needs* The Jets hold the most high-value draft capital in the league. This isn’t the first time. Can they spend it right? After taking a supreme pass rusher (Reese) early, NY can use their second 1st-Rounder (16th overall) on an offensive piece to aid Geno: possibly either an OG or WR. The green team in Gotham had the 6th-most drops from wideouts, while being targeted the 7th-fewest amount of times none had more than 400 yards through the air. Cooper Jr. had just 5 drops in three collegiate seasons, so he is a contender here. If that aforementioned power trio is gone, they could choose to wait and attack in the 2nd. Then the Jets would have clear runway for a player like Ioane to beef the blocking unit. Vega Ioane is an absolute finisher of a mauling guard who hails from Graham, WA. New OC, Frank Reich, ran inside run concepts (inside zone and duo) as ~62% of his rush attempts on the last two years that he was a play caller. League average is ~45%. A gap player like Ioane could be a great fit here. Tippman (66 PFF grade) could move back to center to utilize his mobility on duo blocks (think Jason Kelce in the designation and ability to climb to the second level), making Josh Myers (53 PFF grade and 3rd most in both pressures allowed and penalties charged with among centers) a depth piece on the inside. I mean, PFF isn’t everything… but J.M.’s grade from them registered as the 2nd-worst for any C in pro football. It would be an impressive commitment to the trenches that would echo back to Glenn’s experience in Detroit. They can acquire a receiving threat on day 2 (two 2nd-rounders and a 3rd) and even flip a late round pick for an established player. Avieon Terrell as a final piece in the slot for the defense??? Could the Cowboys be a target trade-up partner (12th overall) to aid the Jets in securing on of the top triumvirate of wideouts in this class?

17. Detroit Lions – Kadyn Proctor, OT (DT? EDGE??? LB????) The Motor City lost its OT2 (Taylor Decker) and OT3 (Dan Skipper). Larry Borom was signed as a solid option to start, but adding a player with big upside here could solidify the outside blocking in a way that already exists for the interior of the offensive line. Legendary Detroit swing tackle, the previously discussed Skipper, is now on staff to help develop a 6th lineman (be it Borom or a draft pick). Proctor is a big and power-centric gap scheme-friendly OT with surprising agility. Gap scheme is exactly what the D(2roit) likes to do on O. Oh, and he can do this. Proctor never had a full and healthy spring in college and dealt with three coaching changes. An NFL staff could feel like there’s more juice that makes it worth the squeeze to start the back half of the round. With only one (or two, depending on how you view Fano) true OT off the board so far, The Lions get their pick of styles in this scenario. Faulk or Parker, to truly load the D-line with potential???? D-Hutch had 16 sacks and is a perennial DPOY candidate at this point. No other edge rusher on the Detroit roster had more than 3 sacks last season, bruh. Fans may be uneasy about the secondary, as they have 4 CB’s that are free agents after the season and 2 safeties who could face long roads back from injury this year. Good thing they signed Chuck Clark, Christian Izien and Roger McCreary to fortify… The starting corners are good, and they are some young (cheap) and promising prospects at both safety and slot defender. Avonte Maddox, Thomas Harper and Ennis Rakestraw are wild cards. The Lions are in good shape with depth and interchangeability.

18. Minnesota Vikings – Dillon Thieneman, S (WR? LB??) This team feels like it lacks depth everywhere on the roster… it was also the worst team in the league at drafting defensive value (the lowest in PFF’s “Approximate Value over expectation” (AVoe) stat) over the last four years. A trade back to pick up extra ammo feels feasible in a pivotal year for Kevin O’Connell, Kyler Murray and team. Downs is the dream replacement for the possibly retiring Harrison Smith. No chance he is available at all. Let’s hit a line drive with your interim GM. Here I have them selecting the movable piece that is Dillon Thieneman. Because of the above challenges in the area of drafting for Brian Flores’ defense, a member of the secondary who can make others better and erase mistakes might hold true value (that transcends positional value). This is a player that is used to taking on multiple roles, which could go far in a defense where even safeties have lined up at the nose position. Now, would the Vikes rather have McNeil-Warren and his size, range and physicality to compliment Joshua Metellus for two-high disguising? Either would be Flores’ answer to Nick Emmanwori in Seattle, Antoine Winfield Jr. in Tampa and Kyle Hamilton in Baltimore that allows him to get creative as a versatile safety / slot / box defender. Frees up Flo’ to mix things up with both D.T. and B.M.J. and his exotic blitzes. Which, if any, does Minny consider good enough to overcome this stat. (via The Viking Age): “Not since 2014 has a safety who was selected with the No. 18 pick or later in the first round in the NFL Draft gone on to earn at least one Pro Bowl selection in their pro career. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, who was drafted with the 21st overall pick in 2014 by the Green Bay Packers, is the last safety to accomplish this”. That’s not a joke (but it could easily be), look it up. If the Jonathan Greenard trade rumors come to fruition, Keldric Faulk could slot in here nicely as a moveable piece to rush the passer from the outside and as a down DE. Colton Hood is a sneaky pick for them here; all three of the starting corners are 28+. Christian Wilkins to reunite with Brian Flores? As Dolphins coach, the former New England lieutenant called Wilkins, “the face of what we want to be about”. Only if he agrees not to kiss any teammates doe… Switch with CLE at 24 (who may want Freeling or Cooper Jr. before CAR and DAL)?! Just before division rival, and fellow safety-needy Bears? Thieneman is someone to help in the chess matches with Caleb Williams, Jordan Love and Jared Goff. The presence of teams like the Panthers and Chargers could convince them just to stick and pick their guy.

19. Carolina Panthers – Kenyon Sadiq, TE (CB?? OT???) A team that felt like it took a big step in the right direction last year… they hit on some picks and made it to the playoffs. The question remains: Is QB, Bryce Young still the guy? Tight End, Kenyon Sadiq to further strengthen the arsenal and isolate the answer? He holds similar allure as the freaky Vernon Davis did back in the Niners’ Harbaugh heyday. I had Freeling here for the longest time, based on BPA. I was going back and forth, and this kid may or may not have convinced me about the fit and to tip over the edge of the fence I was sitting on. My COUNTERARGUMENT is that offensive tackle is the smart long-term choice. All four of the OT’s currently on the roster could be gone next year (Ekwonu due to expiring contract right after a serious injury, Walker due to uncertain fit as a FA signing, Moton due to age, Forsythe due to ineffectiveness). I have respect for all former Seahawks, but you cannot go into a hopeful season being one injury away from starting Stone Forsythe — respectfully. Bryce Young cannot be under pressure this year. In addition, through week 7 of this past season, 5th-Round rookie Mitchell Evans was PFF’s highest-graded first year player in the league. Having said that, he hasn’t yet proven to be a game-breaker. Sadiq can go top 20 with his threat of speed and route acumen. Can be an effort blocker despite his smaller size at the position? That’s a maybe and a passion project. One thing we did see, is that Sadiq put Abdul Carter on his back during the Big 10 Championship in ‘24. He’s lined up out wide, in the slot, as an in-line TE, as an H-back, wildcat QB, and as a tailback. Freeling has uncanny athleticism, but can he add strength to deal with the power of NFL defensive linemen? I still think that if Jonathon Brooks can make a recovery to the levels of being a featured part of the offense, he could benefit from a turn towards more zone running than all of the gap mauling that Carolina has an aptitude for. For a team that is paying for a good offensive line in some parts, getting more cost-controlled rookie contracts in place could be very beneficial. Call it a smart leverage and future-planning play. There is something to be said for not ruining and demotivating the unique angles of an injured player and a 1-year prove-it contract tackle on the cheap, however. See how back and forth this convo is?! Ultimately, if Canales and Dan Morgan (both former Seattle guys) are thinking more urgently short term to give B.Y. one more shot to show what he’s got, then Sadiq might be the pick. Survival is a helluva motivator. Canales went on record to say: “We’re changing things in our offense to fit Bryce, and we’re trying to bring players that will complement what Bryce does. It was something that Dan and I had talked about throughout really the last two years – Bryce’s ability to perform in critical situations and in high-stakes situations. And feeling our responsibility to build a team that puts itself in those high-stakes moments where he can perform and come through”. AND ALSO, this quote from Morgan about a home run threat at WR: “I do think that’s something that we are missing on our offense a little bit—is where we can just get the ball out to a guy and he can take a 5-yard catch and take it the distance, or make a few guys miss and come up with a big play”. Sadiq is the fastest tight end (4.39 second 40) ever recorded. It felt like a positive year for the senior-year QB, Young, but that may be a case of mistaking team success for individual credentials. Despite the good vibes, the truth is that Young ranked 27th in QB Rating (86.5) last season, tied with Spencer Rattler and five spots below the slightly over-hated Justin Fields .

20. Dallas Cowboys (via GB) – C.J. Allen, ILB (S? OT?? EDGE???) *see pick 12 for additional needs* The ‘Boys will keep in mind that after this pick, they won’t be on the clock again until the tail end of Round 3 (92 overall). That, plus the fact that Jerry Jones does WTF he wants, could spell a reach here. The 2nd Off-ball linebacker out the box? A cerebral run stopper who (apparently) called plays and on-field adjustments himself at Georgia (according to Brett Kollmann). That just might be mighty appealing to a team who seemingly suffered communication breakdowns too often on defense in 2025. For all of his overt allure, DeMarvion Overshown has shown up to play 19 of a possible 51 games since he was drafted in 2023. Donovan Ezeiruaku was 2nd among rookie EDGE players in run stop EPA, which is a great thing. He didn’t get much sack production, however. After trading Parsons, striking out on Crosby and trading for Gary, they’ll take another swing at some point (speed specialist to complement Gary and Eze, who seem to excel against the run?). Keldric Faulk as an excellent run defender? That might be a smarter decision, as he can provide support to both the EDGE position as well as DE as a hybrid DL. Does a trade for Jonathan Greenard come into play here? There are other avenues to solve the LB hole in the middle. Former rival and free agent, Bobby Okereke? Grizzled legend and free agent, Bobby Wagner? Texas boi, Jordyn Brooks (who’s currently on an aggressively rebuilding Miami team)? AFTER the draft. This pick is paired with 12th overall and the pair are weighted more heavily in this draft… in this case, they double down on defense, likely motivated to show that they can build a formidable stop unit on the heels of the much-maligned Micah Parsons trade. Jerry is still calling his ass Michael .

21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Monroe Freeling, OT (LB? CB??? WR???? OG????) The 2026 NFL Draft host has been slowly transitioning to a wide-zone rushing attack, and here takes a gifted athlete at OT. Ultimately, he could be a top-10-15 pick! With 12 picks in this year’s draft (most of any team), Pittsburgh could even make a bold trade upwards to make this a reality. The Steelers pounce on draft value here. He scored 9.99 out of a possible 10.0 RAS (relative athletic score), which ranks No. 2 out of 1,519 offensive tackles dating back to 1987.  Can the hire of McCarthy and the trade for a route technician like Michael Pittman at wideout be enough to convince A-Rod to take one more crack at it in the Steel City? Rodgers is more in control of his narrative being Pittsburgh, instead of an underwhelming 3-stop merry-go-round of constantly learning new systems, new teammates, new stakeholders, new restaurants and media engagements??? Speaking of control… During the season, one of his most memorable quotes was, “Well, when there’s film sessions, everybody shows up. And, when I check to route, do the right route. Like… Jonnu and I weren’t on the same page”. In another interview, when asked about offensive improvement he said: “D.K. and I have been getting on the same page… which: uh, which helps”. Jonnu is now gone gone. When asked on another occasion to dissect the Steelers’ offensive performance, Rodgers offered up the following: “Teams are playing Cover 2,” … “When you’re playing Cover 2, there’s not gonna be a ton of big shots down the field. Until we get them in one-high, it’s gonna be precision passing and short of the sticks. If you’re playing Cover 2, there’s not gonna be a lot of shots open down the boundary. We’re just trying to be efficient.” Seahawk fans know that Metcalf’s game is not predicated on efficiency, but explosive potential. The ‘Burg didn’t hire Mike McCarthy just to turn around and take some little-known CB project with raw talents… this is win now with a possible Cam Heyward and A-Rod swan song. Big Mike is tasked with fixing the offense to give this thing another go. Broderick Jones is the weak link on a solid young Steelers OL. From A-Aron at the end of the season when discussing 2nd-year center, Zach Frazier, and the Pittsburgh offensive line: “I don’t think there’s a better center in the league”, Rodgers plainly stated. He goes on to say that “he’s got a great running mate. The right side, that’s got to excite Steelers fans when you’ve got three young guys at center, right guard, right tackle who have played so well all season”. Him leaving out the left side is not a mistake; it’s a mandate to leadership… Those in question are a 7th-Rounder who was solid in a small sample size at guard, and a former 1st-Rounder at LT who hasn’t lived up to expectations. Khan cited the OG, Spencer Anderson, when discussing a possible parting of ways with Isaac Seumalo (who signed in ‘Zona this offseason). Then there’s Broderick Jones, who hasn’t ever truly emerged. He allowed 6 sacks on only 632 snaps. For comparison, on the right side, Troy Fautanu allowed 2, while playing 1,031 snaps. On top of all of this, Jones had to get fusion surgery on his neck. Dylan Cook also played well, an undrafted tackle who is a strong and intriguing backup. Either move him or Jones to the right to see what they can do behind Fautanu (who has battled injuries), then move Jack Driscoll inside to backup right guard. Give Rodgers time to be precise and replace one former Bulldog OT with another. Freeling has the potential to be excellent and gives PIT a plethora of options. B. Jones could even move to left guard if Anderson or Hoffman don’t work out. Interestingly, Georgia’s was the only Pro Day that McCarthy attended . Cooper Jr. to go all in with A-Rod???? He needs precise route runners… Write this down: Garrett Nussmeier’s father (Doug, for those who remember the name) worked under Mike McCarthy in Dallas. Taylen Green would be fun, contrasting competition to pit against Will Howard when Rodgers leaves.

22. Los Angeles Chargers – Chase Bisontis, OG (EDGE? DT??? CB????) Harbaugh’s M.O. since he landed in the City of Angels has been to build that line. Salyer, Becton and Zion are all gone. Strange and Penning come with points to prove as highly drafted linemen whose teams moved on from them (although Strange has shown flashes). Slater, Biadasz and Alt are all coming back from injury. Take a guard with potential to fortify the wall. Here’s Jim Harbaugh discussing new offensive coordinator, Mike McDaniels: “If you’re gonna make a better candle, make a lightbulb. That analogy makes sense to me when I think of the many meetings that we’ve had, and Mike talking about offensive football”. Time to plug this bad boy in and power a switch to the west coast wide zone. Can Justin Herbert see the route progressions illuminated clearly? Bisontis has a Cooper Beebe comp. and is adept in pass protection. There is smoke around Q. Johnston’s name… Brazzell II would be interesting, but if they can use ammo in a potential draft day trade of Q-John, they might be able to secure a gamechanger out wide. Orande Gadsden III had an impressive late stretch of games, so his emergence could factor into the idea that the Bolts don’t need to panic if they believe that J. Herbo is a rising tide that could lift all boats. Do they need a penetrating DT to kick either of sophomore Jamaree Caldwell or (the infamous) Teair Tart to nose (in relief of the run-stuffing Tomlinson), while spelled by Eboigbe? Peter Woods’ arm length, especially in a 3-4 formation, might expel that fantasy for now… but Keldric Faulk might’ve been a very nice luxury pick if guard weren’t in such dire straits. Emmanuel Pregnon as a backup option if the Bills leap them for a guard?

23. Philadelphia Eagles – Omar Cooper Jr., WR (S? DT?? OT??? EDGE????) A blocker for the slumping Stay-Calm Barkley? No, Philly goes out and gets a young guy who was a slot receiver this past year… YAC is a strength for him. Cooper forced a missed tackle on 39% of his catches (sixth most in the FBS). Get rid of A.J. Brown’s whiny ass, feature Smitty and Hitch Boi (Wicks), while picking up another wideout to attack the soft middle. Can Jalen Hurts make music again with an array of weapons to prove that he deserves the bag? I thought Sadiq, but they brought back THREE TE’s INCLUDING Dallas Goedert! Saquon had the 2nd-most carries of 0 or negative yardage in 2025, with 68. That was only three behind Jeanty… they were in a tier by themselves, because nobody else had more than 58 (CMC). Will be watching Riq “the Freak” closely in this defense.

24. Cleveland Browns (via JAX) – Blake Miller, OT (WR??) *see pick 6 for additional list of needs* Their once proud line has fallen into a state of near disrepair… I mean, they could look for R2 moves, but that’s getting dangerous. In this reality, they nab one of the disparate wideout options past the draft’s opening frame. Take this year to build infrastructure about the quarterback… because what do you mean Joe Flacco left and morphed into a Pro Bowler?! Build the offensive framework up so that you can properly evaluate, let these boys shine and get one of the two young gunners traded! According to Peter Schrager: “Browns HC Todd Monken notes that Shedeur Sanders has been in the building a bunch the last few months, working out; Dillon Gabriel, as far as he’s aware, has not”. Get a player to support the evaluation of the quarterback position. This and the 6th pick go together in this puzzle. Cleveland may even trade up to get a high-caliber OT. DO THEY TAKE AVIEON TERRELL HERE IF THEY TAKE A RECEIVER EARLY??? If they go Downs up top, is this Concepcion as a catch-and-run specialist? Or Brazzell II as an explosive downfield target? Blake Mill joins the panoply of outside protectors in Round 1.

25. Chicago Bears – Keldric Faulk, DE (HB? S??? OG????) Ben Johnson would be licking his chops to somehow move up and add the type of weapon like Love to provide a little more consistency to the offense. Would he do the same for Jadarian Price? A player like Zion Young who can add to the pass rush and also help against the run (Chi-town was bottom-5, ranking 4th-worst, allowing 5.0 ypc)? Faulk is a kid who led all SEC defensive linemen in run tackles (72) over the last two seasons, and can shift inside on passing downs. EMW??? Make a solid ass move, for a team that could be opening against the Dark Side defense in Seattle. ESPN’s SackSEER model holds him in pretty high regard.

26. Buffalo Bills – Emmanuel Pregnon, OG (HB?? DB??? LB/OLB????) NO SECOND ROUND PICK!!! EMW is a sizeable strong safety type, adept at creating turnovers. Mark Schlereth criticized the O-Line at the beginning of December, saying: “I think Buffalo is fraudulent. I think, defensively, they’re very average. Then, offensively, it’s just on Josh Allen… just go out and be Superman. Then I am watching them bust protections, bust run blocking assignments, not knowing who to block. You know, if a safety is entering the box, not know if you’re gonna push to that safety; do ya turn him over to the wide receiver?”. He goes on to say, “it’s like they were cluele—, like they had never seen this stuff. And that, to me, is like elementary stuff”. M.S. finished with: “I was thoroughly unimpressed with the Buffalo Bills”. How about we solve that by getting a high-IQ and nasty tone-setter? Rare to get those two sides from the same lineman? Pregnon is an experienced four-year starter across three different schools, who gave up just 5 pressures in his final season and 3 sacks in his entire COLLEGE CAREER. He’s Bisontis among the Bison would’ve been nice. Get more of a gap-scheme guard in Pregnon, who shines in zone blocking (3rd-highest grade in this category by any lineman in the draft). He’s the best run blocker of the top 5 guards (top 3 in that attribute in the class?) and allowed a lower pressure rate than the highly touted Ioane. Also, Bradley Chubb could be washed…? Howell as a speed fit? Per Bleacher Report, “In 2025, the Buffalo Bills allowed the fifth-most rushing yards, third-most yards per carry and the second-most rushing touchdowns”. Shore that up later in the draft and stop Schlereth from making a mockery of your offense.

27. San Francisco 49ers – Caleb Lomu, OT (EDGE?? DT??? OG????) What will they do after getting straight punked by Seattle on multiple levels? If they are scared of Seattle’s DT tandem, get a guard???? Burford had the highest-pressure rate of any LG to play a qualifying amount of snaps in the league last year!!!! At the risk of sounding like a disillusioned baddie, it’s too bad the good ones are all gone. As mentioned in the Philadelphia blurb, Christian McCaffrey had the 3rd-most carries for 0 or negative in the league. If they need a big-time playmaking WR like Mike Evans to keep up with Puka Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wouldn’t it make sense to get the protection right in order to foster an efficient offense? A C, OG or RT could all make sense. Santa Clara was also bottom 3 in sacks but are hoping for better health from the pass rushers. Lomu has similar measurable to Seattle RT, Abe Lucas, but is an absolute athlete on the left. he could be the heir to Trent Williams’ reign.

28.Houston Texans: – Peter Woods, DT (LB? HB?? OG??? DB????) A smallish run defender who may be best utilized in a 4-3. Energy, athleticism and a dogged mentality are traits that he brings to the table. Some have questioned his consistency which could be concentrated and weaponized on a loaded Houston D-line that would utilize a rotation of players. This defense rivaled the Seahawks for most dominant unit all year. A corner as nice ass depth???? Do they trade back to allow some team to trade in?

29. Kansas City Chiefs (via LAR) – Denzel Boston, WR (CB? OG?? TE??? DT????) *see 9th overall for additional needs* Boston is an ideal X-receiver and a former UW Husky. Appropriately enough, his comp. is fellow former Dawg, Rome Odunze. Are KC Concepcion or Chris Brazzell II better fits?? Does a top pass rusher fall to them here if they end up with Caleb Downs early?? Pair this with 9th pick. Boston adds extra support for Patrick Mahomes and the KC offense to get back to who he is and who they are. If Justin Fields has to start off the season while Mahomes recovers, then the Chiefs will feel good about the pieces they placed around the signal caller position.

30. Miami Dolphins – T.J. Parker, EDGE (CB???) *see 11th overall for additional list of needs* Offense with the early pick to put SOMETHING in Willis’ cupboard! And I’m not talking about a damn Indian. Come back late in the round to take an impact defender. According to PFF: “Each of their five defensive backs who played more than 110 snaps last season earned PFF overall grades below 60.0”. For all of the hand-wringing I’ve seen over the CB situation in my dalliances on Dolphins twitter, a pairing of Jermod McCoy at 11 or Colton Hood here with a healthy () Juju Brents would bring some juice to the Miami secondary. If they follow their Packer roots, they may prioritize edge to create a supportive environment of competition on the outside. Will South Beach see the return of Rasul Douglas to free them up to take an impact hog here? As bare as the roster looks, Miami can legit address all of their glaring needs in the first three rounds… they have TWO 1st-Round picks, a 2nd and FOUR 3rd-Rounders! The biggest dead cap hit in history ($99.2M for Tua Tagovailoa, surpassing Russell Wilson’s $85M while leaving Denver) necessitates the reliance on young players and 1-year vet contracts.

31. New England Patriots – Zion Young, EDGE (S/DB? NT/DT??) I have a feeling that a trade back to the top of Round 2 is a strong possibility here. It’s the perfect storm; just THINK about it…!  Sitting one spot ahead of the Seahawks (who hold the last pick on Day 1), in a draft class considered to have a talent cliff in the middle of the 1st Round, and the unique situation of having a QB-needy division rival (the Jets) sitting as the first pick of Round 2… but, for the love of the game, and to put my patriots pick streak on the line… I’ll play along. They need more talent on the perimeter of the line, as they had Super Bowl trouble in getting enough heat on Darnold and containing the outside zone run. Pettiness with the pick if both Super Bowl teams need the same thing here? This pick feels like the most obvious need for NE, and luckily, there will be options aplenty at the position here. WE JUST HAVE TO CHOOSE WHICH ONE (A problem for me nailing the 4th-consecutive dot, but a beautiful thing for Vrabel’s defense)… The big consideration here is Young as a more adept run stopper vs. the more finesse Malachi Lawrence. Dre’Mont Jones and Joshua Farmer could factor more into the inside rotation this year, while Harold Landry III and Young rush off the edge. A couple of rookies from last year-round out a strong group in front of an ascending secondary. A stud TE would change the structure of the offense but give it more answers in pass protection and a more outside-focused (and Henderson-friendly) run game. Of new WR Romeo Doubs’ 21 career TD’s, 17 were red zone strikes. A.J. Brown is likely on the way as well. AVT calms any worries and splits up the two former rookies who got ran in the ‘ship. It’s now a very athletic left side of the line, to compliment the veteran maulers on the right. Go strengthen that defense. Young is one of the only Round 1(-ish) EDGE players to have multiple visits with the Pats. They can build depth across the roster, holding 11 total picks. TRADE DOWN TO ALLOW ARIZONA TO COME UP AHEAD OF NYJ FOR TY SIMPSON! Kayden McDonald would be a fun pick??
32. Seattle Seahawks – Chris Johnson, CB (EDGE?? NT??? HB????) “It’s no secret, with four picks, we’ll be looking to trade back”. Those are the words of Seahawks GM, John Schneider, three days before the draft’s opening ceremonies. I would ALSO NOT BE SHOCKED if they trade down to allow PITTSBURGH to come up for Ty Simpson… For all those groaning at that idea: BETTER THAN AZ OR LAR!!! I’ll assume they stick and pick a defensive back here. Colton Hood not going first might be an upset, but let’s take a look at the why’s. Johnson recorded a 16.7 passer rating allowed (mountain west), he’s 6’ and 190, missed tackle rate under 6% (effective, but not as physical as Hood). Snatched 4 INTs last year but gave up 2 TDs (both against Heisman contender, Diego Pavia). The early knock was that he didn’t look like a burner on tape. *checks 40 time…* good news: he made the 4.4 threshold for 1st-Round corners… 4.40! C.J. brings rare movement and transition skills, especially when diagnosing out of zone coverage. He allowed the 2nd-lowest catch rate among corners (only bested by Delane, who went 10th), and the lowest passer rating when targeted. Very good at diagnosing the offense while in zone coverage. This is a corner to replace Riq Woolen and free up Nick Emmanwori and Devon Witherspoon to move around! Many 12’s want a guard, like Emmanuel Pregnon here, to replace Anthony Bradford. I think they rely on continuity along the offensive line and the fires of playoff / Super Bowl football to temper the big guy in his last year of team contract control.

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Teams without 1st-Round Picks

Cincinnati Bengals – Trade into the 1st to grab a S? (TE? LB?? OG/OT??? CB????) The defense is fairly young and has time to get better… BUT, they broke the record for most fantasy points ever allowed to the TE position in a single season. EMW, if he falls? Could add LB (after housing 3 of the bottom 6 worst-graded (by PFF) off-ball LB’s in the league last year … Two were rookies): <https://www.cincyjungle.com/cincinnati-bengals-free-agency/188023/top-5-best-remaining-linebackers-nfl-free-agents-bobby-wagner>.

Denver Broncos – Trade into the 1st to grab an EDGE? (OL? CB?? DE/DT???)

Indianapolis Colts – Trade into the 1st to grab an OT? OR OG switch with TE if resign Braden Smith???
(DT? LB?? TE/WR??? FS????)

Atlanta Falcons – Trade into the 1st to grab a WR?  (OL? EDGE?? CB??? TE????) They traded their 12th overall pick to LAR to select a pass rusher who looked promising on the field, but whom now controversy surrounds off of it… do they take another, just in case, but to also give them a new, amorphous dimension as a 4-3 (utilizing Walker in a unique role)? <https://x.com/avy3n/status/2035882959996109169?s=46&t=x_w5IHvC_nE-qnK4BKBDVw>. Or stick to a 3-4 and get more DT depth?

Jacksonville Jaguars – Trade into the 1st to grab a S/CB?  (WR? EDGE?? DT??? OL????)

Green Bay Packers – LB if Quay leaves? EDGE?

Teams with TWO 1st-Rounders:

Browns: 6, 24
Jets: 2, 16
Giants: 5, 10
Chiefs: 9, 29
Dolphins: 11, 30
Cowboys: 12, 20

With a lot of division happening in our world today, the NFL Draft has finally arrived as an elusive vestige of hope and cooperation. Having that been said: ain’t a whole lot of cooperating going to be going on between division rivals at the 2025 college-to-NFL selection process, bet that!

Mock drafts can feel as, or more futile than a March Madness bracket… the only difference here is that each pick is based on results of the last picks. It’s like a long, swaying house of cards. Each organization is operating as a self-serving agent of chaos to the very foundation of this hypothetical house. With that in mind, I sought to create something as adaptable as each GM’s gameplan has to be (I do what I can ). This year’s draft seems to be as amorphous as ever, with factors such as NIL proving to be silent influencers in the shape of this list of NFL prospects.

This year, I admittedly spent less time searching for consensus and studying up on the opinions of others… I’m shooting from the hip, so GET DOWN! We’ll see how this goes. If it works, I will follow this course from now until eternity. If not? Well, then I’ll follow the methods of research and analytics that I have in the past! I just didn’t want to overthink on this go-round, which is hopefully what our favorite GM’s are doing in their draft rooms right now.

You’ll see draft pick predictions for each team, followed by a list of 1-3 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.

I included two projected trades (JAX-CHI and CAR-CLE). Drumroll please…

1. Tennessee Titans – Cam Ward, QB Miami (WR? EDGE??) Cam Ward is an aggressive and confident passer with a lot of physical tools. The former WSU Cougar should take the reins from the recently benched Will Levis in Nashville. As one of the great poets of our day (J. Cole) said (kinda), some quarterbacks make millions, some quarterbacks make memes. The new regime presses forward with THEIR guy as the signal caller. Oh, and Tyler Lockett will be there to bail a rookie out.

2. Cleveland Browns – Travis Hunter, WR/CB Colorado (EDGE? QB??) Welcome back to the first round, Cleveland Browns! They were last part of this dance 4 years ago, then traded an arsenal of 1sts for Deshaun Watson… Draft Hunter as a QB-helper / pass rush helper to have your cake and eat it too. My personal hunch is that Myles “Generational Talent” Garrett came back because he was down with the plan that Cleveland brass sold him on. He probably didn’t want to wait for a rookie QB to develop. The Brownies can take a developmental guy later to complete the maneuver. They resist the allure of another restart at QB by focusing on how Hunter benefits from elite cross training. He is especially tough and agile for a WR and has ball skills and route familiarity that many CB’s don’t always possess. I see wideout as his first home, but see some defensive packages being made available to him. He’s on a mission to prove his uniqueness.

3. New York Giants – Abdul Carter, EDGE Penn State (DT? CB?? QB???) This will absolutely load that Big Blue front, as the G-Men already have stars Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence in place. Carter could play off-ball on 1st downs or give way to Thibodeaux in those situations. He’s a true Micah parsons-lite who was also a Penn State #11. Remember when the boys in blue had names like Strahan, Tuck, Kiwanuka and Umenyiora working together to hunt down Super Bowl favorites? I still do have my eyes on these guys as potential players in the Shedeur Sanders sweepstakes. You’d think that the presence of vets like Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston could go a long way in mentoring Sanders and keeping him even-keel as a rook.

4. New England Patriots – Will Campbell, OT LSU (HB? WR?? DT???) Bad news: these guys have no playmakers and were in the running for worst offensive line in the league last year… Good news: Will Campbell is available to help with one of those! Does Will actually play guard due to his lack of arm length…? Not in this economy! A gruff pass protecting specialist for Drake Maye, and one who looked ready to storm the stage and slap the hell out of that arm length criticism.

5. Chicago Bears – Ashton Jeanty, HB Boise State (TRADE UP with JAX, FROM 10) (EDGE? OT??). In this scenario, Da Bears could stay at 10 and get one of the top 2-3 tackles? Instead, they go and get a game-breaking rushing guru and Heisman Trophy finalist to power their offense. A strong running game should lift some of the burden from Caleb Williams shoulders and pink-adorned fingers. Ben Johnson waited a year for this.

6. Las Vegas Raiders – Mason Graham, DL Michigan (WR? CB?? HB???) Jeanty was stolen right under their silver and black noses. Vegas lost a 3rd for Geno Smith but gained a 3rd from the Davante Adams trade. I could see the Raiders springing for a smash mouth power back like Omarion Hampton in the 2nd! Now, a topflight CB would take this defense to another level, but HC, Pete Carroll is also very good at finding diamond in the rough DB’s late in the draft who can shine. Carroll has a good shot at continuing to be a thorn in Jim Harbaugh’s side by landing one of two elite defenders from Harbaugh’s old team. Graham would line up with Maxx Crosby, Christian Wilkins and former 1st-round pick, Tyree Wilson to form a stout stop unit.

7. New York Jets – Tyler Warren, TE Penn State (S? OL?? EDGE???) I tried to give them a TE last year, and they threw it back in my face like a pestilent child. Warren is the type of player who can help on the ground as well as by air. Aaron Glenn’s Lions sold out to stop the run so that their pass rushing and coverage strengths would shine through. Time to reinforce the run on offense so that they can build a stable offense with easy answers for Fields. A. Glenn is also, apparently, the only one that has the huevos to give it to Rodgers straight like dat. For all those gang green fans dreaming of a Shedeur Sanders acquisition to battle Justin Fields… don’t forget about Jordan Travis waiting in the wings.

8. Cleveland Browns: Shedeur Sanders, QB Colorado (TRADE UP with CAR, From Round 2) (OT?? EDGE???) It’s got to be a QB with this type of move. Jimmy Haslem recently said that he wished he could have both Hunter and Sanders… maybe he wants to flex his money where his mouth is, like Jay-Z rapping that he would move the Nets to BK. Shedeur is an accurate distributer and has a built-in relationship with Trav. (who went #2 overall). Would this be pulling a Houston? The Texans took C.J. Stroud at 2 in 2024, then orchestrated quite the aggressive trade up for another top 5 selection, taking Will Anderson with a consecutive pick at 3. Time for Cleveland to rock.

9. New Orleans Saints – Will Johnson, CB Michigan (QB? EDGE?? WR???) NOLA selects a very good cover corner to help ease the losses of Lattimore and Adebo. Johnson is technically sound and has size. They got leapfrogged by Cleveland to take Shedeur, but new coaches, Kellen Moore (HC) and Brandon Staley (DC) know how important it is to control the pass game.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars – Tetairoa McMillan, WR Arizona (TRADE DOWN with CHI, FROM 5) (OL? CB?? EDGE???) Get a top wideout and your pass catching corps is revamped in two years! They already dealt Christian Kirk. Liam Coen saw how two stud WR’s helped to bouy an offense in Tampa. There’s also the fact that J-Ville was the worst pass defense in the league this past season. Will they get a coverage specialist to pair with their new DC? Especially that if Tet. falls.

11. San Francisco 49ers – Armand Membou, OT Missouri (LB? EDGE?? DT???) Trent Williams cannot play forever… can he? The Niners have a tough decision between a defensive tackle like Walter Nolen, and a future building block to protect the edges. Nolen would make a more immediate impact, but SF goes with the most blue-chip remaining talent on the board as they look to reload. I waffled here, but the memory of Javon Kinlaw and the impending Brock Purdy extension may help swing the decision towards an offensive trench player. Brandon Thorn, offensive line guru has praised his movement skills, which should mesh well with Kyle Shanahan’s offensive system.

12. Dallas Cowboys – Matthew Golden, WR Texas (DL?? DB??? HB????) Is this the year that the ‘Boys actually go all in? They did try to get Cooper Kupp! Is Hakeem Adenji going to play RG? They may fortify that position later in the draft, along with a guy to tote the rock. Omarion Hampton will make them really consider taking the 2nd back in the top 12. Matthew Golden is a guy that possesses both blazing speed along with sharp route running ability. He is a capable Robin to CeeDee Lamb’s Batman to bring back the high-flying Dallas offense for Skip Bayless’ ass.

13. Miami Dolphins – Jahdae Barron, DB Texas (OG? DT???) Miami received the third-highest percentage of contact behind the line of scrimmage for running backs entering Week 14, which makes them a true candidate to trade up to stop the slide of Membou. The ‘Fins instead go fishing for a Swiss army knife in the secondary, especially with the prospective exit of Jalen Ramsey. Defensive Coordinator, Anthony Weaver needs more cover men to execute his system of simulated pressures and mixed zones.

14. Indianapolis Colts – Colston Loveland, TE Michigan (LB? DT?? OG???) Loveland is a real threat in the passing game, which is where Indy needs help these days. This pick could set the offense up to be very successful… with Daniel Jones as the starting QB. It will give him a level of protection and weaponry that he never had at his disposal in the Big Apple. Anthony Richardson will just have to sit and learn until he gets his next opportunity. Linebacker is a consideration, but DC, Lou Anarumo could be motivated to try to trade for his former Bengals general in Germaine Pratt.

15. Atlanta Falcons – Mykel Williams, EDGE Georgia (S? WR?? CB???) Does he go even higher? Trice is coming off a major ACL injury, Judon is gone and Arnold Ebiketie has replacement-level sack production. All 45 of the Falcons’ combine interviews were with defensive players and the only coaches they sent were on the defensive side of the ball lol! Atlanta brings in the hometown hero who played through injury last year. When healthy, he should be able to show off his elite explosiveness off the edge. I don’t want to mock an edge rusher to the Falcons anymore ya’ll… I’m tired. Fix it.

16. Arizona Cardinals – Kelvin Banks, Jr., OL Texas (CB? DT?? WR???) Signing Josh Sweat might’ve salved the pass rush needs for now, which frees AZ up to make a pick that is *gasp* non-urgent (for the first time in a while). This is a double whammy for the Cards, as they steal a potentially perfect fit of need and talent from the division rival Seahawks. Banks can slide inside and solve issues at guard, while providing flexibility to man the tackle position if need be.

17. Cincinnati Bengals – Jalon Walker, LB Georgia (EDGE? DB?? OL???) They could take a defensive back to upgrade the defense a little, since everyone on offense is getting PAID. Or another lineman to make sure those investments have the runway to perform. With star pass rusher, Trey Hendrickson and star middle linebacker, Germaine Pratt both on the trade block, why not take a guy who can help pitch in on both front-end levels of the defense?

18. Seattle Seahawks – Kenneth Grant, DT Michigan (TE? CB?? OL???) After an offseason of major change, Seattle has the opportunity to reload with 5 selections in the first 92 picks of the NFL draft. Do they make a splash and trade up for a QB, or an OT/OG such as Kelvin Banks, Jr.? I’ve come to accept that John Schneider will not draft a (non-LT) offensive lineman in the 1st round… no matter how badly the roster needs it. It’s best player available approach here. Nick Emmanwori is tempting, as he could complete a ferocious 3-safety set, but something about the idea of a 1st round pick at DB as a part-time player doesn’t sit well. The 340 lb. Kenneth Grant has Michigan ties, can really move and could restock the DL (a position where a heavy rotation is a good thing). Go and get a speedster at wideout and a versatile guard with picks in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jihaad Campbell, LB Alabama (OL? HB?? EDGE???) The Bucs have a balanced overall roster but take a player who is scheme flexible. Campbell can fill in for the 14-year vet, Lavonte David in the middle, while also augmenting Tampa’s pass rush efforts. Let’s get Todd Bowles’ defense back to the appropriate levels of menacing. Baker can’t be baking everything out here, now. This is supposed to be a potluck, Cheryl.

20. Denver Broncos – Mike Green, EDGE Marshall (HB? DB?? WR???) Russell Wilson is still responsible for a $32M dead cap hit in 2025: The final year of dead cap. Denver will continue to load up on young talent while they feel their window of contention opening. Green gives this team more bite on defense. On offense, they have the best line in the league, but could take a tackle to groom for the future? …They also tried to get Kupp They should be able to find more offensive threats later in the draft.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Jaxson Dart, QB Ole Miss (WR? EDGE?? HB???) They almost traded for Christian Kirk, in-season? George Pickens could go to Green Bay?? DK Metcalf doesn’t have a quarterback because he thought the grass would be greener??? This offense is in major flux, and I’m not sure you should put all your eggs in the mystifying Aaron Rodgers basket. Dart is a late riser who has drawn the description of a possible white Jalen Hurts . Is that the same as Jack Harlow being a white(er) Drake? Is Dart an industry plant? Nah, ok. Jaxson Dart may go much higher.

22. Los Angeles Chargers – Walter Nolen, DT Ole Miss (TE? CB?? WR???) The prodigal son hath returned, HAHA… WOOHOO!! Mike Williams is back to help open up the offense for Justin Herbert, allowing the Bolts to get even tougher in the trenches. That is always an M.O. For Jim Harbaugh-coached teams. This makes it back-to-back Ole Miss players. Walter Nolan has the potential to develop into a game-wrecker, and this could even be too low for him.

23. Green Bay Packers – Shemar Stewart, EDGE Texas A&M (OL? DT?? CB???) Does the Pack trade up or trade this away for a bonafide WR1? Josh Jacobs called for an alpha in that room… and you don’t know how much longer J.J. will be dominant for. The time to make a big swing definitely feels at hand for this young and talented team. With both of the top wideout options gone at this point in the draft, the host team looks elsewhere. It may not be the biggest need ever, but this spot in the draft feels right to take a promising pass rusher… especially if the QB hunters couldn’t get much done when it mattered the most in the playoffs. Don’t let Ike Taylor anywhere near this man.

24. Minnesota Vikings – Malaki Starks, S Alabama (DL? OG?? CB???) Their pass-defense is a problem (28th out of 32 teams) and got torched in the playoffs by the Rams. Starks can eventually replace Harrison Smith, manning the slot in the meantime. This move would also allow Byron Murphy Jr. to play more outside when necessary. The Vikings have a bonafide star slide into their laps in this scenario; a star who can play center field, erasing routes in the middle of Brian Flores’ defense.

25.Houston Texans: – Tyler Booker, OG Alabama (WR? DT?? HB???) Anybody paying attention to what the Texans are doing!? They have built some pretty insane depth across their roster. Luxury pick incoming… one that could make Stroud’s job easier. Running back and MAYBE guard are the only positions on the roster where they don’t have enviable depth. Hampton at tailback is a really enticing thought… but getting Booker (a gap scheme savant) as new OC, Nick Caley switches things over to more gap concepts could be a match made in Houston!

26. Los Angeles Rams – Emeka Egbuka, WR Ohio State (LB? OT?? DT???) A star slot who would further stratify attention between he, Puka Nacua, and new addition, Davante Adams. Egbuka can hold down the slot, help with spacing, and is a willing blocker for Sean McVay’s scheming ways. Puka, Egbuka and Tutu would make this the all-name team. They may be highly tempted to take a developmental offensive tackle (Simmons) here as well.

27. Baltimore Ravens – Nick Emmanwori, S South Carolina (WR? OT?? DT???) Imagine a back end composed of Ar’Darius Washington, Kyle Hamilton and Emmanwori… they could line up all over and be as adept in the run game as they would be covering deep. B-More may have lost their prodigious DC in Mike Macdonald, but this is a team that hung its hat on having a physical defense much before Mikey Mac. came on the scene, and this pick will ensure that that tradition will live on. It will also ensure that the league’s 31st ranked pass defense (out of 32, mind you) is given reinforcements. Emmanwori is a big, fast safety who can even line up in the box.

28. Detroit Lions – Grey Zabel, OG/C North Dakota State (WR? EDGE???) Remember that their identity is to want to run the ball on offense to avoid the pass rush, and to stuff the run on defense to bring up obvious pass rushing situations. Funnily enough, they visited with Matthew Golden… maybe they still want wideouts. Zabel is a great value and depth pick, who can bring yet another layer of grit to the team.

29. Washington Commanders – Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE Boston College (OL? LB?? CB???) The capitol team will bring the pressure back with this pick. This team is loading up for a run over the next couple of years, and as their Super Bowl-winning division rivals in PA showed in this most recent playoff run: you can never have too large of a rotation on the defensive line.

30. Buffalo Bills – Omarion Hampton, HB North Carolina (WR? EDGE?? OT???) Let’s get our hands dirty. Let’s roll in the mud baby! It’s time to get tougher as a team and approach your yearly bouts with KC as a more ball-control offense. Hampton can shoulder a run game, while punishing defenders and keeping the Bills’ stop unit fresh. I think he’ll go higher, but I don’t yet see the opening… Bills Mafia will not complain if this beast of a ball carrier is available.

31. Kansas City Chiefs – Josh Simmons, OT Ohio State (TE? DB?? DT???) Will we see the return of Tyreek during the draft? I see the Chiefs licking their wounds after their 3-peat was spoiled by Philly and coming back with a commitment to the trenches. Simmons should add more security, compete for the job at LT, and keep games from looking like this each week.

32. Philadelphia Eagles – Jalen Milroe, QB Alabama (WR? TE?? DT???) Derrick Harmon was the original pick: another defensive tackle demon to add to their already nightmarish rotation… but where’s the fun in that??? Let’s shake s**t up and get them a polarizing and dynamic runner at the quarterback position. Milroe has the chance to sit and learn from a guy, in Jalen Hurts, who came into this league with people doubting his ability as a passer. Hurts’ work ethic helped him to develop, grow and thrive. We all know GM, Howie Roseman loves having extra QB’s as future assets as well!

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

Much like March Madness brackets, mock drafts are made to be broken. Can we make it more flexible? With that question in mind, I’ve made my most educated pick predictions, based on team need, prospect profiles, team history and divisional outlook, among other factors. I also listing other strong considerations (in parentheses, after my actual prediction). The more question marks, the more likely/tempting I think that alternative 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. LESGEDIT!!

Round 1

1. Carolina Panthers – Bryce Young, QB (Stroud, QB?) While Will Levis and Anthony Richardson are the type of QB’s the Seahawks drooled over (see flirtation with Allen and Mahomes while they still had Wilson) when Panthers GM, Scott Fitterer was in the PNW front office — I see them taking more of a sure thing after already having made a huge gamble in trading up from the number nine spot. They were enamored enough with somebody in particular to jump the Raiders and Colts (Reich’s petty side is pleased about that last one… the team that fired him). People are tripping over the fact that Young is so small, but he led the FBS in passing yards while under pressure as well as touchdowns while under pressure over the last two years. He’s Poised, intelligent, accurate and a dual threat. Size does matter to an extent… but so does the motion of the ocean.
2. Houston Texans – C.J. Stroud, QB (Trade down for Wilson, Edge? Anderson Jr., Edge??) Cerebral pocket passer with a strong arm. They are taking a QB, c’mon man… the rumors are just a smokescreen to coax AZ and maybe SEA to move up and offer a package to get the player they want. The Texans find a franchise Quarterback to go along with the defense that DeMeco Ryans will build, and the quietly solid Oline they’ve been building in silence as well. They have more resources than Indy to go up and get the man they wanted, but for so long they held the top overall selection. I could see them not wanting to move up, just out of principle. This young man should be a pretty shiny consolation prize who will help the future look bright in Houston. Stroud has great physical tools, even if he prefers to operate in the pocket. That disastrous S2 test result does give me pause, ngl, but not enough to throw out the tape and accomplishments of a player who had the FBS’ highest percentage of “perfectly placed passes” over the last two years (according to PFF).
3. Arizona Cardinals – Will Anderson, Jr. Edge (Trade down for Witherspoon, CB? Trade down for Skoronski, OL?? Trade down for Wilson, Edge???) They released Markus Golden, Zach Allen is a free agent, and oh yeah…  J.J. Watt retired. All this after they let Chandler Jones go last offseason. Take a Von-like player to make sure QB’s can’t get comfortable and in a groove against this defense. Gannon can bookend WAJ and Cam Thomas as base ends, pushing Myjai Sanders to a standup OLB (in the mold of Philly’s Haason Reddick) to transition the Cards to a 4-3 defense. Was Gannon(dorf) hired to build a bully? Hahahaha… No. Not after that SB performance… Sorry, I had to get one off on a division rival right quick He does have the ammo to follow the Philly blueprint with an elite Edge talent. They can wait and take one of the highly regarded CB’s at the top of the 2nd round and retool this defense with new stars surrounding Budda Baker (oop).
4. Indianapolis Colts – Will Levis, QB (Witherspoon, CB? Richardson, QB??) Colts fans have got to be done with (and probably a little scarred from) vet QB signings. This will finally salve the wound of Andrew Luck with another guy with a cannon arm and ideal size. They need something to get excited about again at the game’s most important position and have been giving young William plenty of attention. Indy didn’t trade up to #1 for Bryce Young because they are haunted by the gifted nice-guy type lollllll. Levis was highly regarded but regressed a bit this past year after losing WR Wandale Robinson, as well as his former OC to the NFL. Owner, Jim Irsay, will have a say in this pick, but believe it or not, Gardner Minshew gives them the option to sit Levis in an apprenticeship for a bit.
5. Seattle Seahawks – Jalen Carter, DT (Witherspoon, CB? Richardson, QB??) The squad. Seattle could easily use this pick as bait to trade down (drop down to number 10 and get your Eagle on?) and acquire more draft assets. I HOPE they stick and pick a blue-chip talent. Everybody wants to give us an edge rusher, but we were tied for 7th in the league in sacks. On the flip side, we were gashed up the middle of our defense. The best player in this year’s draft just so happens to be a pocket crushing Defensive Tackle… According to Cynthia Frelund, Carter’s run-stopping metrics rate “in the top 15% in the past 8 seasons”: Are the stars aligned?? Pete Carroll excels at bringing the most out of “troubled” players. Marshawn Lynch, Percy Harvin, Frank Clark, Brandon Marshall, etc. The double-sided beauty of Geno’s breakout (led the league in completion percentage and among the leaders in passer rating and TDs) allows for the selection of an elite defender who can impact an opponent’s offensive gameplan in all phases. You ultimately take a player who is rated by some as the best prospect available in this year’s draft. Bar none. Him teaming up with Jarran Reed, Dre’Mont Jones and (hopefully a re-signed) Al Woods sounds like dinner for the D-line.
6. Detroit Lions – Devon Witherspoon, CB (Richardson, QB? Wilson, Edge??) Their offense was rollin’ at the end of the year, now they just need to stop people from throwing all over them right back. Get pressure off of Hutch’s shoulders by locking down the airways. They’ve already built something impressive with the signings of Cam Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley and CJGJ. Witherspoon can be the final piece as a fierce and physical corner with instincts who can play the run and allowed zero TD’s last year in coverage. He can play outside and allow Sutton and Ceedy Deuce to move all over the defensive formation, and they can all get on the field in big nickel (3 safeties) or dime looks (6 DB’s, 1 LB), which may become more and more common in the NFL. Let DC, Aaron Glenn soar. The temptation will absolutely be there with the QB out of Florida, Anthony Richardson, if he is still here. A-Rich is the most Dan Campbell Lion of all the quarterbacks in this year’s class.
7. Las Vegas – Anthony Richardson, QB (Johnson Jr., OT? Gonzalez, CB??) After all the scrutiny on the offensive line, Vegas was top 10 in PFF O-line grade… They could take a corner here, as J. Mickey D doesn’t have Belichick around to summon star DB’s out of the 5th round. What we are not going to forget is that Josh McDaniels is the one who drafted Tebow in the 1st round!! He may want to prove he was just a little bit ahead of the curve… just a little too early on the mobile QB trend that has taken the league by storm. To hedge your bets, you also sign James Garroppolo to afford a red shirt year to A-Rich, and you sign Brian Hoyer to camouflage your interest in A-Rich. Not only does he have impressive physical attributes, but he seems to be a very natural leader. He struggled against pressure but allowing him to sit with the promise of the continued construction of a strong offensive line could be an ideal situation.
8. Atlanta Falcons – Tyree Wilson, Edge (Smith-Njigba, WR? Gonzalez, CB??) The Falcons had the worst sack rate in the league, and the second least number of pressures… seems like they always have. They can take an elite Edge building block in Wilson, who can act as maybe the one true “elephant” defensive end on their roster. They may not need one if they move more to a 3-4, but they keep stating their desires to stay hybrid with what they are building. Signing David Onyemata, Eddie Goldman, Calais Campbell and Jessie Bates, and even trading for Jeff Okudah, all lets me know that Atlanta wants to build that defense with depth NOW. Add a guy who can be a major upgrade in leveling pressure against the offensive systems they face. He provides versatility for Ryan Nielson’s DC debut, something he had in New Orleans. The acquisitions of Jonnu Smith, Scotty Miller and Mack Hollins gives Ridder options without necessarily bringing in volume guys. This compliment to the two power forwards they have in London and Pitts, and this offense has potential to bloom with the emergence of Tyler Allgier and a top-5 offensive line.
9. Chicago Bears – Peter Skoronski, OT (PJJ, OT as better fit? Murphy, Edge??) This O-line still needs work, as Da Bears allowed the highest pressure rate (37.8%) on their QB’s drop backs last year; so, they decide to take the draft’s most pro-ready Tackle. Skoronski put up one of the most dominant pass-blocking seasons in recent memory, according to PFF. After adding an underrated D.J. Moore as WR1 to aid in the development of Justin Fields, you can make sure he’s protected with Skoronski paired with the signing of Nate Davis. Fields very nearly put up the most prolific rushing season in the history of the QB position. Not bad for an unproven young starter. The defense was bottom-5 in yards allowed and dead last in points allowed after trading Roquon Smith and Robert Quinn midseason. You’ve got Sanborn, Johnson, Gordon and Brisker as a good young core. This completes an offseason overhaul of Fields’ supporting cast, now use the ammo you got on the trade down to load up on defensive talent in the next couple of drafts.
10. Philadelphia Eagles – Myles Murphy, Edge (Bresee, DT? Nolan Smith, OLB??) They took a replacement for Fletcher Cox last year in Jordan Davis and could be tempted to repeat that formula with another popular prospect. Many are pointing out how similar combine star, Nolan Smith is to Haason Reddick, but I’m talking about how Myles Murphy could fill the Brandon Graham mold with inside/outside versatility on the D-Line and elite run-stopping ability. That’s why he’s perfect for Philly here: they love to bring pressure in waves, and BG + Barnett are free agents next year. Keep the good times rolling on defense, ESPECIALLY after they let Ndamukong Suh, Linval Joseph and Javon Hargrave walk. Philadelphia keeps getting younger on the defensive line. The arrival of new DC, Sean Desai may signal a heavier reliance on the 3-4 defensive formations. Sticking and picking here could allow the Eagles to take on someone who is a little more of a project at corner later with their second 1st-round pick (Kelee Ringo to Sean Desai’s school of DB’s anyone??).
11. Tennessee Titans – Paris Johnson Jr., OT (Addison, WR? Broderick Jones, OT??) The Titans cut Taylor Lewan and Ben Jones, saw Nate Davis walk and their O-line was graded by PFF as the worst in the league in the 2022 season WITH them!! Now that Trevor Lawrence is picking up steam in Duval, and the Colts and Texans are most likely acquiring young, hallowed QB’s via the draft, you want to be able to rush the passer. Arden Key helps. Since there is pass rush depth in this year’s draft, you could make an argument that they bypass the defense a bit moving forward to restock the O and build something that a QB will want to get traded to or sign to the year after. This is an unprecedented era of player empowerment after all folks! More teams (Jets, Broncos, Browns) are taking the Bucs approach of building up a roster that may attract a big name QB acquisition. PJJ is a strong run blocker who would provide size and athleticism to your front-line protection here in the first round. Paris (must be Italian) also didn’t allow even one sack last year. That’s something Tennessee could hang their collective hats on.
12. Houston Texans – Lukas Van Ness, Edge (Bresee, DT? Smith-Njigba, WR??) Here’s an impact inside/outside defender who will give the DeMeco-led defense some bite to go along with all their coverage specialists in the backend. Remember the Niners defense’s dominant blueprint that will most likely be loosely followed in H-Town. Also keep in mind that Houston fielded the 2nd worst run defense in league last year, this guy is a big edge. Apply pressure and let Stingley cover and Pitre dish damage over the middle. The Texans signed Noah Brown, Dalton Schultz and Bobby Trees in Free Agency so they can go best player available with this pick. They are hoping Metchie III can contribute in a major way this year. With the QB earlier and a defensive stud here, this turnaround could be the most iconic Houston moment since this video dropped. Oh yeah… there is the Astros too… (that’s an emoji from a Mariners fan).
13. Green Bay Packers – Michael Mayer, TE (Skoronski, OT? If he falls due to arm length…? grandson of a Packer HOF’er. Not happening, there is a run at that position early. Keion White, Edge??) No, don’t wipe your damn eyes, you read that name right, this man is a terror. He’ll go on a killing spree in his time in Wiscansin. The victims, slow-footed linebackers and skinny-ass safeties! Moving up two spots in the Rodgers trade eliminates two teams who could possibly let division rival Detroit jump Green Bay for its preferred Tight End… I can’t knock the hustle and gamesmanship. Now get Jordan Love comfortable with a formidable pass catcher who can act as a security blanket in the flats and seams after Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis walked. Mayer can also pitch in adequate blocking in the ground game. They may rely on the ground and pound this year, after the exodus of Cobb, Lazard, Mr. Discount double check and the aforementioned TE’s. Love did, however, have the highest passer rating (112.2) of any QB with at least 20 attempts. Did you know the Packers had a top-3 rated O-line last year? They could go pass rusher if Rashan Gary isn’t expected to be ready for the start of the season.
14. New England Patriots – Christian González, CB (Branch, S/Slot? Bresee, DT??) Glad to see that once BoB got hired back as OC he convinced the other Bill to stop going cheap at WR! You can do that when you have Brady. They got a quasi-WR1 in Juju who slides the rest of the NE receivers into more fitting roles, and Gesicki also adds to the receiving corps. These additions could have the required magic to either save us from, or enhance the quick game… which, if you haven’t heard: it sucks. Allow the return of the Mac for one more season with improved weaponry to see if he can be a difference maker, or even a legitimate game manager to compliment this opportunistic Defense (most defensive TDs by a team in the last 5 years). Branch if they are worried about Devin McCourty’s retirement? Jalen Mills can fill that role. Ultimately, they select a tall, fluid, long corner who could be next in an underrated and impressive line of corners in New England. This would allow you to move Jonathon Jones to FS or slot, keep Jack Jones outside (if he doesn’t get demoted after arguing with the emperor), and Marcus Jones in nickel and dime formations. This rookie will help us all to keep up with the Joneses…
15. New York Jets – Broderick Jones, OT (Simpson, MLB? Bresee, DT??) We know that Saleh comes from a coaching background of investing in the trenches. If you can keep this pick and still get your QB, protect him. With all the uncertainty at Offensive Tackle with Duane Brown (38 y/o), Mekhi Becton (48 total career snaps due to injury) and Max Mitchell (blood clots ended his rookie year), get someone who can act as insurance for us all: from having to see the Aaron Rodgers side eye  and condescending interviews all year about his teammates. Speaking of insurance: Hardman is an interesting choice as a WR3, and like the young OT mocked here, he’s also from Georgia, so you could call this scenario State Farm  Broderick Jones is an athletic OT who can learn behind Brown until he is ready, while ideally Becton comes back to start on the right side and give A-A-Ron no excuses as a substitute for padawan Zach Wilson. To get Mr. Rodgers in their neighborhood, I predicted they would sign Lazard to help in that regard. I’m a poet and didn’t even know it. Jets may have success asking Rodgers to do less, but this defense will keep Aaron from carin’. Ok, maybe I’ve gone too far… just be glad ya’ll didn’t sign Derek Carr…
16. Washington Commanders – Joey Porter Jr., CB (Smith, Edge? Mayer, TE??) Big, physical corner with wingspan. Fits the team identity and can help move Benjamin St-Juste or Kendall Fuller to nickel, creating a lot of secondary depth. Some of the coaching staff could have been contemporaries with his dad! They can act almost as uncles, demanding much from the younger Porter. They are going to see what they’ve got at QB in Sam Howell, signed a strong vet (Jacoby Brissett had a surprisingly high PFF mark for the 2022 NFL Season, filling in for Deshaun Watson) and reignite that elite defense with the return of Chase Young… Washington could be pulling the ol’ Houston Shuffle and angling for a top pick to draft a QB, with Howell playing the part of Davis Mills; trying to convince a rebuilding team that he has some upside for the future. They do all this to position themselves for Caleb Williams, the Heisman trophy winning USC QB who is also one of DC’s native sons. Guess what? I hope they freaking succeed ya’ll! If only because I want their damn uncle and aunty anthem to go viral. Left hand up // Who are we? // The Commanders!! Now you have it stuck in your head too
17. Pittsburgh Steelers – Deonte “Tae” Banks, CB (Smith, OLB? Wright, OT??) Cam Sutton is gone, time to reload. Banks can help Pittsburgh get back to its identity, helping this be a more physical and imposing defense. He is a corner with physicality, speed and ball production who loves press coverage and can learn from another man who used speed to excel, in Project Pat P. He don’t wanna be saved, because he could go even higher, as Banks was the top scoring corner at the combine in athleticism score. The Steelers also have the 32nd pick (top of the 2nd since the Dolphins cheated) and have the chance to add two impact defenders to their defense! Or pick up somebody like Dawand Jones or possibly even Darnell Wright… since the top 3 offensive tackles are gone here. I thought about Jordan Addison here… but that would be a luxury pick with all the young weapons they already have on offense.
18. Detroit Lions – Dalton Kincaid, TE (Simpson, MLB? Kancey, DT??) A top TE who will add to a young core could be a priority for Dan Campbell, especially after the 6-game suspension of WR, Jameson Williams. Kincaid is more of a receiver and Washington is the massive in-line blocker. Maybe they move down and take a better blocker, if that’s what they wanted in the now-departed T.J. Hockenson? You’d hope Romeo Okwara returns to form after a year removed from his ACL injury and freshly minted sophomores: Paschal, Hutchinson and Houston continue to develop. Picking one of the top 5 Defensive Tackles in this draft could lead to one helluva D-line rotation — which they could use since they got that butt torn apart on the ground by the Carolina Panthers in week 16. While Rodrigo is a great story, and Noah Sewell would be a great story, they need to acquire a force in the middle. Trenton Simpson could be a Parsons lite. He is tough, fast, and good against both the run and pass.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Darnell Wright, RT (Bijan Robinson, HB? Nolan Smith, Edge??) if this is Bowles’ last stand, he’ll want to go out with a return to pressure D, so an edge threat (like the versatile White or speedy Nolan Smith) is also possible here, especially after Shaq Barrett tore his Achilles in week 8. After hiring Dave Canalés from his post as Seattle’s QB’s Coach, you hope that Baker can take a Geno-step. They may even go after Hendon Hooker later (taking him here would be a small shock). Either way, they will need protection to evaluate the quarterback position. Tristan Wirfs will most likely move to LT, so getting a natural RT is a natural move and a big win here. Wright is YUGE and would also be tasked with helping to improve the league’s worst run game from last year. Now what if they address it more directly?? We are on BIJAN ROBINSON alert ladies and gents!! That would bring Baker’s Bucs closer to the biology of the now slight throwback Browns (’18 ok, we ain’t that old!!).
20. Seattle Seahawks – Jaxson Smith-Njigba, WR (Schmitz, C? Hooker, QB??). I finally changed this from having them draft a Center. We’ve needed an elite center since they up and traded Max Unger for Jimmy Graham. This regime doesn’t seem to value that position as much as others though, in all honesty. There is great WR value here, with none being taken so far. Seattle had hope for Dee Eskridge, and has hope for Dareke Young, but the highest levels of competition in this league don’t have time for hope. JSN is a slot weapon with elite change of direction ability who can create after the catch… as good as DK and Tyler are those are a few elements to their offense that Seattle needs badly. To Tyler we must give his flowers mannnn. He is in range to capture the #2 all-time marks for every major receiving statistic in Seahawks history. Little Tyler Lockett!! Think of Sidney Rice, Darrell Jackson, Bobby Engram, Joey Galloway, Doug Baldwin… To be only behind the Seattle GOAT: Steve Largent is quite the accomplishment for The Rocket himself. With all of the due gratitude and respect that he has earned as a Seattle legend… he will be 31 this season. It’s possible that Smith-Njigba was the best of the group between himself, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Marvin Harrison Jr. He didn’t play most of last year, but this is a kid that had 15 catches for 347 yards and 3 TD’s in the Rose Bowl 2 years ago!!

—MIAMI DOLPHINS VOIDED PICK—

(They Cheated)

21. Los Angeles Chargers – Bryan Bresee, DT (Bijan Robinson, HB? Jordan Addison, WR?? Or another speed threat to help shift Herbert from Brees to Mahomes??) Originally, I had them taking one of the top offensive tackles. Pipkins was solid, but you could upgrade. Everybody talks about Herbert like he’s an elite level QB… I haven’t seen it yet He has the tools but go let him prove it in a clean cockpit where he can attack downfield maybe. The breakout season from Jamaree Salyer might change the equation!! They also need a monster interior defender to take heat off of a hopefully healthy Bosa and Mack. Them getting gashed on the ground is a running theme that played out again in their epic wild card nightmare… this defense BEEN supposed to be elite, so let’s get nastier and more physical up front. Did they learn from their playoff collapse that they need to know how to run the damn ball to close out a game?? SHEESH. That could lead to Bijan going here, especially with the impending possible exit, stage left of Mr. Ekeler. The ability to spite the Cowboys (new OC, Kellen Moore’s very recent ex) might not be so bad either. Eric Edholm has drawn a likeness between Robinson and Chargers god-among-men, LaDainian Tomlinson.
22. Baltimore Ravens – Cam Smith, CB (White, DL? Quentin Johnston, WR??) A versatile man-coverage guy could slide to most important need after the release of Marcus Peters at CB and the signings of Nelson Agholor and Odell Beckham Jr. at WR. This defense lost a bit of swagger over the last few years. If they hadn’t used significant capital on Wide Receiver, Lamar Jackson could be gone gone. OBJ came to save the day. In all likelihood, if this were to have gotten ugl(ier)y, ‘22 Pro Bowl QB, Snoop Huntley could’ve gotten the chance to benefit from what Lamar did not: a big, dynamic downfield threat who can command coverages in Quintin Johnston. He would be a good compliment to the smaller OBJ and Rashod Bateman.
23. Minnesota Vikings – Jordan Addison, WR (Kancey, DT?? Emmanuel Forbes, CB???) They let a limited offense, in the Giants, score 31 points and knock them out of the playoffs. Who in the entire HELL (it’s an adult blog) let Isaiah Hodgins go off for over 100 and a TD?? The Byron Murphy, Jr. addition makes for a promising defensive unit, as he adds flexibility to play outside or in the slot. There is also a highly graded DL as a framework from which to work from for new Vikings defensive boss, Brian Flores. Maybe you get another DT later if you don’t resign Dalvin Tomlinson. Addison is a route runner who can draw some attention away from JJ and Hock. Tae Banks did have the highest rate of press coverage among any of this year’s prospects. Flores loves to blitz and put his caravan of corners in man coverage! Those could also be the reasons he goes to the Steelers above, Flores’ most recent employer. Hooker a slight possibility? The player… grow up!
24. Jacksonville Jaguars – O’Cyrus Torrence, OG (Kancey, DT? Emmanuel Forbes, CB?? So they can focus more safety helps to the middle of the field?? Or maybe he can be a big slot). Some would argue that the Jags still need another threat over the middle for easy completions. Los Angeles suffocated them with aggressive zone defense early in the wild card round. Get a natural mauler, who can help you be more physical and force defenses to devote more resources to stopping your run game. Giving T-Law more peace of mind with his protection wouldn’t hurt either. Evan Engram being tagged stops this from being one of the top tier TE’s. They have their certified matchup nightmare… especially with Calvin Ridley coming into the fold next year. They also had the worst defense against TE’s in the league, so a FS/slot would work. You could probably find a few of those in the 2nd Round. They let Kelce single-handedly eliminate them in the postseason. I don’t think I’ll be seeing many J-Ville fans at Kelce Jam (yes, that is real and I’m literally going and geeked about it).
25. New York Giants – John Michael Schmitz, C (Branch, S/Slot? Cam Smith, CB??) Listen, I would love to draft a corner if I’m them, ever since they lost their top cover man, James Bradford to the hated rival Eagles… but whenever mocks would go out, analysts would always shout: John Michael “Jingleheimmer” Schmitz!!!!!! DADADADADADADADAAA!!! Ahem, excuse me. They did convince me though. New York also had the 3rd worst Oline by PFF grade… that’s before losing a Center in Feliciano who put up the 4th highest Pass Block Win Rate last year. You can probably get away with replacement-level receivers (Jones had 300 yards, 2 TDs and >114 QB Rating in the playoff upset of the Vikings) and invest in a leader of a young and talented line. Again, a cornerback addition could make sense, since Wink (the DC) loves to blitz every chance he gets!! Do you want a 2nd tier CB or a big and athletic man who is arguably the best Center in the draft? I considered a Linebacker for them before, since the Eagles ran it down their throats in the divisional round. Okereke will help. Ultimately, the G-Men got down big early (Eagles scored on 4 of their first 5 drives), and that took them outta their game… this could help avail the fortification of offensive efficiency and protect your heavy investments in DJ and Saquads.
26. Dallas Cowboys – Bijan Robinson, HB (Ika, DT? Drew Sanders (Arkansas), LB?? Washington, TE???) Dallas would love to draft Bijan and form an explosive backfield pairing of he and Tony Pollard. That sounds crucial, in order to carry more of the load with Dak not looking like the transcendent player some thought he could be (average QB Rating this season). You know who could be transcendent? Bijan and his dijon. A back who was name-dropped as the toughest and most impressive opponent by both of the ‘elite’ edge prospects (Anderson, Jr. & Wilson) in this year’s draft. The ‘boys are moving to a West Coast Offense under Mike McCarthy next year. This would be a commitment to a power run game. They could also take a player from Jerry’s alma mater who could mimic some of what Parsons can do, allowing him even more flexibility to move around. There would also be gamesmanship involved, as the archrival Eagles could fill a need at LB with that player, in Drew Sanders four picks later. Jerry does NOT want to see an Arkansas stud stopping his run game every year for a division nemesis. Won’t matter with a weapon like Bijan who can dominate on the ground and through the air.
27. Buffalo Bills – Zay Flowers, WR (Ika, DT? Simpson, MLB??) What do you do after a truly disappointing finish to a season that began with such high levels of optimism? Time to bring in new excitement and swagger. The Bills have been bottom-2 in YAC/Rec. both of the last two years… get this aggressive player who can work from the slot and bring his excellent quickness to the offense to alleviate Diggs’ workload a bit. The O-line looked rough against the Dolphins in the Wild Card Round… The offense couldn’t sustain drives against the Bengals a week later. Josh Allen needs some menacing weapons besides Diggs. Give Allen some layups (I think this is why they resigned old man Beasley midseason?) so he doesn’t always have to go deep for a big play. His recovery from a UCL injury, along with increasing emphasis on a strong ground game (sponsored by the law firm of Cook, Harris and Hines) should help the offense stabilize, but you need to take it higher to keep up with Cinci and KC. I originally had them selecting an OG here, but Torrence has moved up, and one of the multiversal McGoverns signed. If they somehow got Bijan Robinson, they’d be the evolved form of the Giants! Think about it…
28. Cincinnati Bengals – Jahmyr Gibbs, HB (Kancey, DT? Musgrave, TE??) The Bengals expect shootouts later in the year, but they already “allowed the lowest completion percentage (58.1) and passer rating (79.9) in the NFL in 2022, including playoffs”, per NFL Research… Cam Taylor-Britt burst onto the scene last year and balled out in the playoffs. He was one of the reasons Stefon was so mad. Adding one of the elite TE prospects here could be a scintillating upgrade on Hurst, and a possible answer to the conundrums that present themselves as you are faced with extending Burrow, Chase, Higgins and Boyd. You cannot become one-dimensional, however. Joe Mixon is mixed up in a whole lot of legal issues at the moment, so adding a back who can also star in the passing game is tantamount here. By the way, that was an all-time rivalry move to swipe Orlando Brown from KC. You could argue the Bengals are four deep on viable OT’s now, but the pure pettiness was worth it; especially after Burrow’s operation was held in check because of injuries to his Oline in the AFC Championship Game against the eventual NFL Champion Chiefs.
29. New Orleans Saints – Calijah Kancey, DT (Simpson, MLB? Darnell Washington, TE??) This was traded by Denver for HC Sean Payton. The losses of Shy Tuttle, David Onyemata and Marcus Devenport could cause the team to take a long, hard look at Kancey. The size issues that face Kancey could be mitigated in a 4-3, and they need a pass rushing presence alongside oversized run stuffers, Khalen Saunders and Nate Shepherd. I almost went with Washington, a huge, monster of a TE to form a cadre around Carr. The REAL selling point with him is that he specializes in enhancing the run game. This guy is getting talked about like he has the blocking potential of an extra offensive tackle! (he did have an elite short shuttle time, displaying quick change of direction skills). Btw, just a nugget for Denver fans: Taysom Hill went 7-2 at QB for the Saints… so there’s some hope of a functional offense in CO. Payton is the man who crafted a potent and often prolific offense down in the bayou even when short QB, Drew Brees’ arm strength was visibly waning. Russell has a chance to stabilize and be productive.
30. Philadelphia Eagles – Drew Sanders, LB (Ringo, CB? Branch, S/Slot??) I know, I KNOW, I teased it up above… but I don’t have the Eagles picking Ringo here… I backtracked in order to let Howie get petty on divisional rival, Jerry Jones with a star from his beloved Arkansas. There’s a lot of pettiness in this article, I’m just now starting to realize. Ya’ll going to need it to beat Petty Mahomes!! Add insurance (swear I’m not sponsored) here in case Nakobe Dean and Nicholas Morrow aren’t ready to take the next steps in the middle of this defense. Drew Sanders could help comprise a new, fast as lightning LB corps with Dean, while also having the ability to slide to the outside with his pass rushing prowess, and spell Haason Reddick. Ringo here (or one of the flock of late 1st and 2nd round CB’s we’ve all seen in all these mock drafts??) Seems like there’s depth there… again, this could be why you brought in Sean Desai. His presence could also mean the utilization of 3-safety looks (could possibly also mitigate the use of extra LB’s), so Brian Branch is absolutely in play if he has dropped due to positional value.
31. Kansas City Chiefs – Anton Harrison, OT (Hyatt, WR? Anudike-Uzomah, Edge??). I originally had them selecting an Edge player here to replace Frank Clark (he of 3rd most postseason sacks of all-time ) and rotate in with Mike Danna and George Karlaftis. This changes after signing a vet pass rusher in Charles Omenihu and seeing Orlando Brown defect to the bitter rival Bengals. The champs need someone who can play on the left and let Jawaan Taylor move to his natural position on the right. I will be in Kansas City for the draft to see for myself who the world champion duo of GM, Brett Veach and free-doodling Head Coach, Andy Reid select!

Teams Without 1st-Round Picks

Could Browns trade up for a DT/DL like Mazi Smith?
Could Broncos trade up for a QB like Hooker? Or a CB?? Or a DT???
Could Rams trade up for an OT? Or Edge like Nolan Smith??? They have SO many holes now, so probably not. They may seek to trade DOWN
Could Dolphins trade up for an OL like Dawand Jones? Or a TE like Darnell Washington??
Could Niners trade up for an OT like Darnell Wright?

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?

Then the actual GM’s and team officials come through and destroy everybody’s homogeneous expectations of what is going to happen! We laugh, we cry, and the drama gives us spinning alternate realities of what will happen to our heroes on the field. The optimism it brings is amazing. The newness, the start of fresh legacies, and the hope that this will be the guy who will put on for our city/team. We then snap back to reality later in the summer, and remember that “Oh yeah, we still have top talent on the roster – alpha dogs in their prime who are leading this team. How will they get along?!” I can’t explain that sequence, but it’s fun every year.

Below are my takes and analysis about the picks in the upcoming NFL Draft in N(C)ashville, and where I see our bright-eyed prospects landing. I’ve been going through iterations of this based on my study of team depth charts, feel for different team schemes and attitude, what I’m hearing about each prospect, and of course a dash of maniacal hunches. Your favorite analyst is a sheep (unless it’s me)….. forget what you heard.

1. Arizona Cardinals – Kyler Murray, QB

Don’t let this pick distract you from the fact that somewhere, there is a rogue hacker on the loose… scary times. We usually hear leaked stories about the #1 pick well ahead of the draft every year (last year being the exception). I think the Kyler connection is legit. Murray and new Cardinals Coach, Kliff Kingsbury share the same agent; as well as all of the talk of coach correctly foretelling of this selection. Arizona signed Suggs, hoping for one good year book-ending Chandler Jones in their switch back to a 3-4 defense. Kingsbury, an offensive specialist coach, wants to come in and turn this offense around to silence all the doubters and put some respec‘ on his name. The Cardinals did acquire J.R. Sweezy and Marcus Gilbert this offseason to make some attempt to fix a league-worst pass blocking offensive line, and a bottom 10 run blocking line. Not convinced that the problem was all on last year’s first round QB pick, Josh Rosen, but the time is now! Quinnen Williams is the smarter pick… but Kliff drips or drowns with his guy. What happens to young Rosen?? Read on…

2. New York Giants (TRADE w/ 49ers) – Dwayne Haskins, QB

The New York Giants tried to smokescreen us into thinking that they had no interest in Ohio State Quarterback, Dwayne Haskins. Stop it. I believe that the G-Men covet him as an heir to Eli Manning. The Giants have swung from one embarrassing pendulum swing (benching Manning, then un-benching him) to the next (not being able to let go of him and take a number of talented quarterbacks who emerged in the last few drafts). Getting a marquee name will be the greasing of the wheels of Eli’s exit, and this is the only way that they can assure themselves of getting Haskins. If you’re New York, this is how you justify trading away Odell Beckham Jr. If not the Giants, somebody else may make this happen, as the 49ers acquired Dee Ford and can benefit from trading back in this D-line heavy top 10. The Giants have to give up pick #6 as well as #17 to move up here.

3. New York Jets – Nick Bosa, DE

New look, who dis? The Jets gladly take the player that many people see as the top prospect. They’ve been missing bite on the edge since the days of John Abraham. This team will improve with new coaches in place, in a creatively scheming offensive head coach in Adam Gase (who I thought did more with less in Miami) and Gregg Williams leading a new, attacking 4-3 defense. Adding Le’Veon Bell, Kelechi Osemele, Jamison Crowder and C.J. Mosley were crucial moves. Aww, don’t do this to that man haha!

4. Oakland Raiders – Josh Allen, DE

The Raiders had a piss poor pass rush last season. If they had doubled their team sack total from last year (13), it would have still left them in dead last among NFL teams in sacks. Josh Allen has potentially dominant traits (as quite possibly the draft’s best pure pass rusher) and owns the speed that will complement the two DT’s with untapped potential that they took in last year’s draft. Arden Key will also benefit from having a wingman on his upcoming trip to Vegas. New GM, Mike Mayock, needs to knock this one out of the park, as he knows that he is the Infinity Gauntlet to Jon Gruden’s Thanos.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Quinnen Williams, DT

The Bucs end up landing the most impactful player in this draft. Williams is a versatile big man on the D-line who will fit well within new DC Todd Bowles’ hybrid 3-4 defense. I think Tampa may even leverage this pick into a one-way ticket out of town on the next thing smoking for longtime star, Gerald McCoy. It would be a money-saving move, as this pick makes him superfluous. Q-Will actually has the potential to be better than McCoy at a fraction of the price.

6. San Francisco 49ers (TRADE w/ Giants) – Devin White, LB

The Niners trade back, as Jimmy Garoppolo’s injury held a magnifying glass to the gaping holes on this roster. After Pat Willis and NaVorrow Bowman left, Reuben Foster was supposed to take the torch… but he only torched his career in the Yay. Take this year’s complete, stud linebacker who owns speed and versatility, and move new addition, Kwon Alexander outside. All of a sudden you have a gritty front seven with which to make a statement to the offensive units in the NFC West to cool it now.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars – Rashan Gary, DL

Rashan Gary is the Charmander to Calais Campbell’s Charizard. And don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about! Campbell played like a DPOY candidate two years ago, but is now a twelfth-year vet, and old enough for his play to fall off a cliff at any moment. Hoorah! Sacksonville lives on to give power to another questionable QB!! Just playin’… Foles is a Philly folk hero. The Jags get their right tackle later in the draft.

8. Atlanta Falcons (TRADE w/ Lions) – Ed Oliver, DT

This really could be Dan Quinn’s last stand in Atlanta. His credentials, as one of the architects of a legendary Seahawks defense have yet to transfer over from Seattle. A few key Falcons will be coming back from injury, but Quinn takes a big swing here by trading up and taking a disruptor (who has a similar profile to Rams dynamo, Aaron Donald) to place in the middle of his defense. This will provide more opportunities to some of their playmakers, while also acting as insurance for Grady Jarrett. Atlanta gives up a 3rd rounder and one of their two 4ths to swap 1st round picks with the lions and move up 6 spots in the top 15 (according to the old NFL draft trade value chart).

9. Cincinnati Bengals (TRADE w/ Bills) – Drew Lock, QB

Back-to-back trades! New Bengals coach, Zac Taylor learned the game from Sean McVay // Don’t cuss me out like a sailor, but Lock will make him go out his way! Excuse my bars…. but this is the start of a new era: refuse, ship my opinion to Mars? I dare ya. Can you really fault him, if he doesn’t want to roll with Dalton? The Marvin Lewis Bengals? The regular season games they won by really playing it safe, but Taylor wants to make sure all his guys are A1, cuz he’s got a lot at steak. Get at me. Rhymes aside, Cincy gives up a mid to late rounder to move up two spots in a 1st round pick swap………………………. let’s just hope the squad doesn’t play like dirt-brown pig slop. I’m not sorry.

10. Denver Broncos – Devin Bush, LB

So many directions that the Broncos could go here. They signed Ja’Wuan James to a big money contract at right tackle, and traded for Joe Flacco to man the QB position. I think they give Flacco the chance to show what he can do, and keep rebuilding the defense. Vic Fangio is a well respected defensive general, and many moons ago, ran that side of the ball for one Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh coached Devin Bush at Michigan and will be able to give Fangio the scoop on his abilities and potential. The Broncos choose to add a tone setter and tackling machine who would be perfect as an off-ball linebacker in between Von Miller and Bradley Chubb. They may consider a nose tackle (as my Broncos fan informant (friend) wants), but there is more depth there later in the draft than at the linebacker position.

11.Buffalo Bills (TRADE w/ Bengals) – T.J. Hockenson, TE

The Bills trade back, get a bit of value, and soften the blow and shock value of taking a tight end so high in the draft. Hockenson is getting comparisons to Rob Gronkowski, a well-known adversary for the Bills. While generational players like Gronk don’t come around very often, Hockenson can provide a safety valve for the erratic (quarterback) Josh Allen, as well as helping pave the way in the run game to support the offense. Taking the beastly wide receiver, D.K. Metcalf will be verrryyy tempting for the Bills after they were spurned then roasted by Antonio Brown (petty ex status), but they get a more well-rounded player that fits in with their current ecosystem. The Bills also signed about 12 (6) Mid-level to good O-linemen so that they would have draft flexibility.

12.Green Bay Packers – Jawaan Taylor, OL

My Packers source (buddy who may someday write an article for this very site), tells me that Bryan Bulaga cannot be trusted. Even if Bulaga stays healthy this season, the Pack may choose to let him go next offseason and bring new blood in to keep Mr. Discount Double Check upright. This is great value with the way offensive tackles are getting paid these days. The best tackle in the draft also provides the flexibility to move some pieces around, as his power can also translate well to the guard position. Taylor can be crammed in as the bedrock of Matt LaFleur’s supposedly high-flying offense.

13.Miami Dolphins – Christian Wilkins, DT

There is a rebuilding process going on in South Beach. Some of it is incredibly captivating, while some of it is just the natural mechanism of middling teams who need to break the cycle of mediocrity. Will GM, Chris Grier and team sit on their laurels, Tank for Tua and be content with mailing this season in until they can find their savior? There is work to be done. Wilkins is a multi-dimensional player who adds to the culture of the new regime. He is a character and a half, takes joy in playing football, and aids in the process of the Dolphins being in evaluation mode. Good trench players give those around them opportunities to show off their talents. I can also see an O-lineman going here for that very same reason, but Wilkins has an infectious leadership trait. I also predict that Kaepernick finally finds a backup job (with opportunity for advancement) in Miami.

14. Detroit Lions (TRADE w/ Falcons) – Montez Sweat, DE

The run on pass rushers early on lets the Lions drop back for better value in their pick. Montez Sweat can get to the quarterback, but also has the ability to drop into coverage… a coveted Patriot duality. Speaking of the Patriots, it already seems like, after one year, that Brian Flores was a better DC than Lions Head Coach, Matt Patricia. Patricia shows out by improving this defense this year. He got his hands on Trey Flowers and injects blazing speed off the edge with Montez Sweat. The Lions can get fast and furious in the Motor City to supplement their $100M QB.

15.Washington D.C. – Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, WR

The team in our nation’s capital may boast a squad on defense this year. The acquittal of Reuben Foster, and the acquisition of Landon Collins help. All three levels of the D are solid. Let’s give new quarterback, Case Keenum a fire-cracking playmaker right out of the gate. No quarterback??? While you’re pouting, Washington is flipping a 2nd round pick to Arizona for incumbent QB, Josh Rosen. This is a perfect situation, as Washington has a better line, receiving corps, and defense than the Cardinals. You can give him a year or two to prove he’s not a bust, and then BOOM! You either reinsert Alex Smith after his recovery or draft the miracle boy from Clemson.

16.Carolina Panthers – Andre Dillard, OT

Twas a sad sight to see toward the end of the season when quarterback, Cam Newton was clearly playing hurt and his abilities were significantly dampened. The highest priority needs to be in protecting his repaired shoulder, as he is the engine that propels this team forward. Let’s give him a chance to play with that same freedom and joy we saw in his MVP season. Andre Dillard is a straight-up, pure pass protector out of WSU. Give Cam the protection that allows him to be a big kid again, instead of a jaded, beleaguered old auntie.

17. San Francisco 49ers (TRADE w/ Giants) – Jonathan Abram, S

The Niners cap off their trade-back bounty, and also tie together their improved defense with the selection of this heavy hitting safety out of Mississippi State. The painful safety play by the bay stops here. Abram and Derwin James are the two most Legion of Boom type players I’ve seen come out in a while, and something tells me that Richard Sherman will appreciate that. Jonathan Abram does not lack in confidence, and that fire and mindset is something that you like to see.

18.Minnesota Vikings – Garrett Bradbury, OL

This may have been the most straight-forward pick to me… on paper, there aren’t very many holes on this roster. Taking Abram as a box safety would have made sense, but the Vikings select the draft’s best interior lineman. Bradbury allows the offense, and big money free agent quarterback prize to maximize their clear potential. Anthony Barr came home from the cold New York streets and professed his love to the Vikings… still a better love story than Twilight!

19. Tennessee Titans – D.K. Metcalf, WR

Tennessee is not the first team to contemplate it, but they are the squad that ends up sending out the distress signal to D.K. Metcalf. He is a physical marvel who gives Marcus Mariota (or Ryan Tannehill… They’ve morphed into different shades of the same person in my mind) his best chance to date to show that he shouldn’t be given up on quite yet. The Titans haven’t been able to get a steady performer (outside of Derrick Mason) for a long time. Remember Nate Washington? Kendall Wright? Eric Decker? Justin Hunter? Rishard Matthews? Tajae Sharpe? Metcalf has mad amounts of boom or bust potential, but he and Adam Humphries along with the tease of Corey Davis could provide some type of viable firepower. Taking a DT or nose tackle could also be a great move here and could unlock some of the potential in this defense (aiding Jurrell Casey, Rashaan Evans and Harold Landry). Gerald McCoy could be in play as a trade target.

20.Pittsburgh Steelers – Greedy Williams, CB

I don’t think the Steelers would have taken a wide receiver here, even if they were all still on the board. They had a bad breakup with Antonio Brown, and want to show that they good over here. JuJu (Smith-Schuster) is on that beat, and the team is hoping for steps upward by James Washington. Steven Nelson is not a starting quality corner, so Pittsburgh gets a little greedy in shoring up the island and takes the first CB of the draft.

21. Kansas City Chiefs (TRADE w/ Seahawks) – Nasir Adderley, S

The Chiefs trade up ahead of the Eagles to swoop on a rangy center-fielder. Many will be surprised by this, as the team signed Tyrann Mathieu in the offseason… but rumor has it that KC also pursued Earl Thomas III after already having signed Mathieu. Because of this, I think that they view the Honey Badger best utilized as a jackknife strong safety. Patrick Mahomes will get this team into shootouts, and having two dangerous safeties on the back end to curb the big shots would be a game changer. Additionally, the biggest competitive advantage in today’s game that we’ve seen teams try to replicate is to have an elite young quarterback on his rookie contract while you make bold moves to capitalize on the lack of having to pay a big money deal under center. Kansas City gets aggressive in trading a 3rd and a 5th round pick to the Seahawks to swap 1st rounders and move up 8 spots to maximize the impact of Mahomes.

22.Baltimore Ravens – Clellin Ferrell, DE/OLB

The Ravens have two glaring needs here: a weapon at wideout for Lamar Jackson, and some sort of pass rusher to compensate for the losses of Za’Darius Smith and Terrell Suggs. The top two receivers are off of the board, so the Ravens take Clellin Ferrell who can play the T-Sizzle role. ETIII is a walking legend, but he won’t cure all after the defensive exodus in Maryland. Though it is alarming that Baltimore doesn’t have a 2nd round pick with which to draft a wide receiver (they’ll have to address this later in the draft), they do still have two young tight ends so that the cupboard won’t be completely bare.

23.Houston Texans – Jonah Williams, OL

Ever since he lost Duane Brown as his bodyguard (left tackle), Deshaun Watson has been running for his life, and getting pounded into the ground. Let’s stop that. Let’s build a proper launchpad for him and let him be lethal like he was in his rookie season. Jonah Williams can play multiple spots on the line. Make the move. Watson will love him. They’ll also need to find a consistent running back threat at some point, but that can happen later in the draft.

24. Oakland Raiders – Byron Murphy, CB

After having taken an elite pass rusher at #4 to solidify their D-line, the Raiders complete their secondary, and give the pass rush some coverage help with Byron Murphy out of the University of Washington. Oakland uses the pick acquired in the Khalil Mack trade to select Murphy, who is Richard Sherman-esque in his length, and in that he is not known for his speed, but is a very instinctual player. Maybe this defense becomes respectable??? New defensive coordinator, Paul Guenther comes from Cincinnati where he is used to insane cornerback depth. Depending on Beast Mode‘s plans, Josh Jacobs also gets some thought here.

25. Philadelphia Eagles – Mack Wilson, LB

This was going to be Josh Jacobs on everybody’s board, but Philadelphia (and most teams) don’t like to be put in a box leading up to the draft; they traded for Jordan Howard at running back. Some may see the selection of Mack Wilson as a bit of a reach, as there is somewhat of a drop-off in talent after Devin White and Devin Bush at the linebacker position. This happens to be the weakness of the Eagles defense, however. Philly could go for best player available and take someone like Dexter Lawrence, but he would be a part of a rotation, with the signing of Malik Jackson, and the presence of Fletcher Cox. The talented but raw Wilson could conceivably sit behind LJ Fort for a bit, and eventually jump into the water and solidify the middle of this defense and be an every-down player. The Eagles have two 2nd round picks, and I don’t think that they dare wait to take a player that they really like. Philly’s D has depth everywhere but the linebacker corps.

26.Indianapolis Colts – Rock Ya-Sin, CB

Chris Ballard has been doing an astounding job filling this roster with tough-minded, grimy football players. This stands in start contrast to the paper-thin, shallow roster that was hanging off of the shoulders of Andrew Luck before Ballard took over. Rock Ya-Sin has a cool name, and just seems like the next in line of Ballard-type, physical, hard-working players. I almost put Brian Burns down here for similar reasons. A receiver also has to be in the conversation here, as I don’t think they’ve even maximized Luck’s abilities yet. Luck and reigning MVP, Patty Mahomes should be the new tops of the food chain (joining the primes of Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson) if Luck can get a bit more help. Luck is a nice guy, but I don’t think he’ll have a problem with sending more kids across the AFC to bed early!

27.Oakland Raiders – Noah Fant, TE

The Raiders are slowly starting to realize that they signed a maniac in Antonio Brown. That comes with definite pros as well as cons. With the first-round pick that they acquired from the Dallas Cowboy in trading away Amari Cooper, Oakland gets an elite, lightning fast receiving threat up the seam who may be able to maximize his talent and opportunities in the shadow of A.B. and his super Saiyan training. The Raiders get an upgrade on Jared Cook.

28. Los Angeles Chargers – Cody Ford, OL

The Chargers need to capitalize on the closing championship window that the final years of Philip Rivers’ career provides them (which is why I don’t think that they take a QB in round 1). After going 12-4, and executing an ingenious game plan to shut down the Ravens in the playoffs, LAC got made an example of by the New England Patriots. If I were the Chargers, this would either be Jerry Tillery or Cody Ford. Tillery addresses a flaw that was exposed by the Patriots, but Ford takes care of the only weak point on their O-line. This is the toughest decision in round 1, but it is dependent on how much they think current DT Brandon Mebane has left on his legs. In the end, the bolts take a guy who can step in and really bookend the offensive line so that Rivers and his playmakers can perfectly compliment this defense.

29.Seattle Seahawks (TRADE w/ Chiefs) – Jeffrey Simmons, DT

The Squad… Pete Carroll has intentionally supplemented all of the areas of need with competition, so that he’d have the flexibility to take the best player available at the time of his first draft pick. When that pick will be, I’m not sure of, as the Seahawks will undoubtedly trade back at least once since they currently only have 4 picks in this year’s draft. Poona Ford and Jarran Reed are a very potent combo on the interior D-line, but since Seattle PAID Russell Wilson they can’t keep everyone. Frank Clark has been budgeted for, but Jarran Reed may not get the big contract (in Seattle) he desires down the road. Jeffrey Simmons can redshirt this season and come in and prove all of the scouts right that named him as potentially one of the best players in this draft. The problem? He tore his ACL, and teams don’t have patience to wait and see on his recovery. Carroll and John Schneider do, and gamble on the best player available since the top 2 safeties are off the board. Alternately, if the Hawks trade Frank Clark (who can earn a contract in the neighborhood of $20MM per year), a new Jarran Reed contract may be more realistic, and this pick will be Brian Burns. Burns meets the short shuttle time and arm length requirements that the Seahawks usually have for their edge rushers. The receiver position does look sparse as well, but Seattle doesn’t usually take them high, and lead the league in rushing yards last year. But c’mon… nobody will predict the Hawks’ pick correctly… John Schneider will make sure of that!! I’m just glad this didn’t happen.

30.Green Bay Packers – Jerry Tillery, DT

The Packers are in position to take the best player available, and an heir to Mike Daniels. Tillery is a very large, athletic and misunderstood player. He also finished last season with Pro Football Focus’ top interior pass-rushing grade in college football. Some may question if football is really his passion… Green Bay has the luxury of taking swings while they have two first round picks. Brian Gutekunst takes this year to strengthen the trenches.

31. Los Angeles Rams – Dexter Lawrence, NT

Two big needs here…. with Roger Saffold and John Sullivan’s departures this past offseason (as well as Andrew Whitworth briefly considering retirement), a lot of analysts are mocking an offensive lineman to the Rams in this spot. That may still be the case, especially after LAR was shut all the way down in the Super Bowl this past February, but the Rams are confident in two 2nd year players to take on the mantle of the departed. They stick to the plan, and instead get a massive nose tackle who can replace Ndamukong Suh and keep Aaron Donald and his fellow pass rushers clean. Here’s to hoping that Godd Turley returns to dominant form after his knee injury limited his powers in the Super Bowl.

32. New England Patriots – N’Keal Harry, WR

One of the NFL’s all-time great offensive weapons just retired, Josh Gordon is banished, and we don’t know when/if he’ll be back, and 7/11 is gone. This happens all the time… Belichick isn’t sweating it, as he’s lost great players each year, and yet replaces them effortlessly. Geppetto (according to my Jets homie) is onto his next diabolical plan in his workshop. After signing Austin Seferian-Jenkins at TE, and Demaryius Thomas at WR, the Pats can actually go in any direction they want. Do they sign a young QB with a 5th year, 1st round option in his contract, to learn from and take over for Tom Brady? Very possible with Will Grier and Daniel Jones still on the board here. A team, like the Chargers, could also trade up to this spot for this very reason. In the end, the Patriots wish upon a star for a big redzone threat here so that they can maneuver with their two 2nd rounders for a QB they want. It’s a good thing the league stopped Jeffrey Simmons from sliding to the Pats here… that would be Kevin Durant going to the Warriors.

Notable names not taken in the 1st Round: Jachai Polite, Deionte Thompson, Taylor Rapp, Devin Singletary, DeAndre Baker, Chris Lindstrom, Dre’Mont Jones, Brian Burns, Josh Jacobs, AJ Brown, Greg Little, Kaleb McGary, Daniel Jones, Dalton Risner, Irv Smith Jr.

(NOTE): I believe we’ll see more trades up and down the draft order than what we are used to seeing… but I think they will end up being trades for players at the same positions listed for the particular team below.)

1.  Cleveland Browns – Sam Darnold, QB

• Usually, we know who is going #1 well in advance. So, are the Browns leaning towards Josh Allen? Don’t believe the lies. It can be easy to get lost in the pre-draft hype and rumor mill… but did we lose sight of the fact that Darnold was always the #1 QB prospect? I get that he has a surplus of tantalizing physical traits that remind some of Carson Wentz; but during the college football season, Allen was not often ranked even among the top 4 QB’s in the nation. C’mon… Cleveland is not taking Josh Allen… right? That would be the most Browns thing to ever happen… wait…

2.  Buffalo Bills (TRADE w/ Giants) – Josh Allen, QB

• They are close. Signing Kirk Cousins was a solid move, if overrated. Signing Sheldon Richardson was a solid move, and underrated. The Vikings’ D is elite, and will improve, while the offense just needs consistency. This is a Super Bowl contender, and I believe they will be in the NFC ‘Ship.

31.  New England Patriots – Isaiah Oliver, CB