What a wild first round. It was pretty much chalk until Atlanta flipped the draft on its head.
I hit the following picks:
1. Caleb Williams, Bears
2. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
3. Drake Maye, Patriots
4. Marvin Harrison Jr, Cardinals
6. Malik Nabers, Giants
9. Rome Odunze, Bears
I predicted the following player/team matches, but not at the exact pick:
JJ McCarthy, Vikings
Quinyon Mitchell, Eagles
Brian Thomas Jr, Jaguars
Now, let’s have some instant reaction and grades:
GRADE: A+ The near consensus best QB in the last 4 years. A no brainer.GRADE: A The only knock I can make on this pick is his slight frame and his playing style. Things will have to change if he’s to survive in the NFL.GRADE: B- Huge upside. Patriots had offers for this pick that I probably would have taken, given the lack of talent on this roster.GRADE: A+ Whether they had trade offers or not, Arizona played it smart and stayed put for the best player in the draft.GRADE: A The best offensive tackle in the draft. I think a trade down would have helped the Chargers more, but perhaps there were no offers.GRADE: A+ After Maye was gone, QB was off the table for the Giants. So, they get Daniel Jones a true #1 WR.GRADE: C- Tackle was a position of need, this just felt a bit high for Latham, I think there were better tackles on the board.GRADE: F This isn’t a reflection of the player, I love Penix, but what the hell are the Falcons doing? They just paid Kirk Cousins 100 million and then blindsided him with this pick. GRADE: A Edge was the bigger need, and the Bears had their pick of the best in the draft, but this is how to build around your new franchise QB.GRADE: A Credit where it’s due, the Vikings called the Giants bluff and didn’t make a major move up for McCarthy, they did get a little antsy by moving up one spot.GRADE: A+ Jets did great to get Minnesota to swap spots and then took a long term franchise left tackle.GRADE: D Major reach and I’m not sure I understand the trade for Zach Wilson anymore.GRADE: B+ Easily the best player available, even if it wasn’t at a position of need.GRADE: A+ One of my favorite players in the draft and a major position of need for the Saints.GRADE: C I guess the Colts are good with his medicals, and Latu is probably the most polished edge rusher in the class, I just feel CB was a bigger need.GRADE: A He’ll be the engine that drives this Seahawks defense.GRADE: C+ This would be a steal if not for the price the Vikings paid to moveup to this spot.GRADE: B+ The Bengals have been searching for answers on the offensive line for years. Is Mims finally the answer?GRADE: A Sean McVay might not have liked it, but the Rams made a very good pick here.GRADE: B+ Fautanu gives the Steelers an inside/outside versatile offensive lineman.GRADE: B Edge was a need, but I think offensive line was a bigger need.GRADE: A+ A fast & physical corner, something the Eagles desperately needed, and they didn’t need to move up for him.GRADE: B The Jaguars moved down and still got the WR I mocked to them. Defense was a bigger need, though.GRADE: A+ I had the Lions moving up for a corner in my final mock. They did, but landed an even better one.GRADE: C- It fills a position of need, but I didn’t have a first round grade on Morgan and there were better tackles available.GRADE: A All the edge rushers worth this pick were gone, so the Bucs did a smart pivot to interior offensive line.GRADE: C- Personally, I think Johnny Newton would have been the better pick here.GRADE: B- I worry that Worthy is just all speed, but if anyone can find a way to make it work it’s Andy Reid and the Chiefs.GRADE: A The Cowboys might have preferred Barton after trading down, but Guyton is a damn good consolation prize.GRADE: B Best corner on the board fills a need for the Ravens.GRADE: D I like Pearsall, but I had a late second/early third round grade on him.GRADE: C Nothing against the player, just not sure the Panthers, who have many, many needs, needed to move up and secure a fifth year option on him.
We’re finally here. Draft Day! Hopes are renewed for every fanbase. I’ve done four months of mock drafts, and what follows is my best guess as to how the first round will go.
Before we begin, I’d like to make a few points and clarify some thoughts that went into making the selections I did:
The first three picks are about as solid as can be. The Chicago Bears are taking Caleb Williams. The WashingtonCommanders are taking a QB, either Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye, and the New England Patriots will likely take the one Washington doesn’t.
Picks 4-6 are where the intrigue lies in the top ten.The Arizona Cardinals at #4 could take perhaps the best overall player in the draft or trade down with a QB needy team or a team that covets MHJ. The Los Angeles Chargers at #5 have similar options, depending on what Arizona does. Meanwhile, the New York Giants at #6 could shock almost everyone by trading up for a QB or taking one at #6 if they’re still on the board.
The Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos & Las Vegas Raiders are the teams outside the top ten to watch as far as trading up for a QB goes. The Vikings are the favorites because they have more draft capital to offer in a trade and their odds increase if Arizona stays at #4 because the Chargers won’t trade with a division rival to let them get their franchise QB.
Speaking of the Denver Broncos, there’s been a major change in my final mock. Previously I’ve had them taking the fifth QB with their pick at #12, because they have the worst QB situation outside of Chicago, Washington & New England and they don’t pick again until the third round. I figured they had to be desperate. I’ve changed my mind, I think Sean Payton might be willing to gamble on a less heralded prospect while building up other parts of his roster. NOTE- I made this change before Denver traded for Zach Wilson, which only reinforced my belief that the Broncos will not go QB in the first round.
I’m not an NFL insider. I do not have access to any special information, any trades I project are purely speculative. Such is the case with the PhiladelphiaEagles moving up for Quinyon Mitchell. I like the fit of team & player and Philly will have to move up from #22 to get him. Howie Roseman has proven to be aggressive to get the guys he wants.
Another team that has shown the willingness to be aggressive to get their guy is the Detroit Lions, which is why I projected them to move up to get a CB that I believe they like.
I think at least five QBs will go in the first round and there’s a good possibility of six, depending on how desperate a team is. Somebody is going to trade into the back end of the first round for one, and I think it could be the Las Vegas Raiders, who picked up some extra capital in a trade down earlier in the round that they could use tofacilitate this trade with the Baltimore Ravens.
The Los Angeles Chargers will be the busiest team during the first round, orchestrating two moves down the board. First, from fifth to eleventh, then, from 23rd (a pick acquired in their first move) to 31st.
I used Pro Football Network’s mock draft tool for this mock, now let the real drafting begin:
Photo Credit- Jason Parkhurst/ USA Today
A new era begins for the Chicago Bears.
Photo Credit- Vasha Hunt/ Associated Press
Ultimately, I believe new Washington Commanders OC, Kliff Kingsbury, will prefer Daniels’ skill set over Drake Maye.
Photo Credit- Nell Redmond/ USA Today
The New England Patriots will be happy with either Maye or Jayden Daniels.
Photo Credit- Harry How/ Getty Images
The draft truly begins now. The Arizona Cardinals have options, but the opportunity to add a generational talent is too good to pass up.
Photo Credit- Patrick Breen/ The Republic/ USA Today
I’m convinced that the Minnesota Vikings stockpiled assets to make a move for a QB.
Photo Credit- Matt Pendleton/ USA Today
There’s some buzz about the New York Giants grabbing a QB, but I think they’ll get themselves a #1 WR instead.
Photo Credit- Thearon W Henderson/ Getty Images
The Tennessee Titans will land the best offensive tackle.
Photo Credit- Gary Cosby Jr/ USA Today
The AtlantaFalcons will have their pick of defensive players, it should be Turner.
So, I’m pretty close to having my final mock draft locked down. I’m pretty settled on what the top ten will look like, and barring any seismic shifts in the next 10 days, what you see here is what my final mock will look like, at least in the top ten.
I’ve done some mock trades, which are always tough. I’m not privy to insider information, so calling a major trade out of the blue like Daniel Jeremiah did last year with the Houston-Arizona trade would be a minor miracle. That being said, I think the trades I did mock make sense. We’ll see how it plays out.
I used Pro Football Network’s mock draft tool to complete this:
The Chicago Bears are taking Williams, end of discussion. This was etched in stone the minute they traded Justin Fields.
Confidence Level- Stone cold lock. 100% certainty.The Washington Commanders will take a QB, the only question is which one. So far, nothing has dissuaded me from the belief it will be the Heisman Trophy winner.
Confidence Level- High, it’s either Daniels or Maye.If I was running the New England Patriots, I’d take the haul some team will throw at them, add more talent and think about a QB down the road. They won’t, though.
Confidence level- High, if Washington goes with Maye, I can actually envision this pick being JJ McCarthy.The Arizona Cardinals like to wheel & deal during the draft, and they’ll be tempted by the offers. I just think the chance to draft a generational talent like MHJ is too good to pass on.
Confidence level- Fairly high, there will be some huge offers thrown their way.*TRADE* Of the teams outside the top ten that are in the QB market, the Minnesota Vikings are the best positioned to make the move up to get one.
Confidence level- A little better than moderate. I’m confident Minnesota will make the move, but who their trade partner will be is more of a mystery. IF, they can somehow get to #3, this could be Drake Maye.If one of those four QBs is somehow still on the board, maybe the New York Giants move on from Daniel Jones. If the first five picks play out as I expect, they’ll get Jones something he’s never had; a true #1 receiver.
Confidence level- High. Barring a QB still being available, this pick will be a WR & I think it’ll be Nabers over Rome Odunze.The Tennessee Titans are another team that could be a trade back candidate, but not if those 4 QBs go before this pick. I don’t see a scenario where they’d pass on the top OT without receiving a monster haul and nobody is giving them that unless it’s for a QB.
Confidence Level- High, if they pick at #7, it’ll be Alt.The Atlanta Falcons are in a similar position to Tennessee. If they stay at #8, they’re getting their top choice of defensive players.
Confidence Level- High, it’s just a matter of who they have as their top graded defensive player.The Bears pick at #1 is a lock, but this pick is far less certain. If the top three receivers are off the board, I think they’ll look to trade back since they only have four picks in this entire draft.
Confidence Level- Fairly high, if Odunze or Nabers are there, they’ll take them.The New York Jets added two offensive tackles this offseason, so I think they’ll target another weapon for Aaron Rodgers.
Confidence Level- Moderate, one of their new offensive tackles is only signed for one year, so it’s not out the question that they go OT.Once MHJ goes off the board, the Los Angeles Chargers should be open for business with the #5 pick.
Confidence Level- Moderate, WR is a bigger need, but this is a deep class and they can add one later with the extra pick they acquired to make this move.The Denver Broncos are in a tough spot. They desperately need a QB, but they’re not in a very good position. Minnesota can outbid them to move up and they don’t pick again until the third round.
Confidence Level- Moderate, this is quite high for Nix, but desperate times call for desperate measures.*TRADE* The Philadelphia Eagles secondary was abysmal at the end of the 2023 season. The return of Chauncey Gardner–Johnson helps, but more is needed. Mitchell has the type of game Philly should covet enough to part with a second rounder to move up,
Confidence Level- Slightly less than moderate, Mitchell and the Eagles are a great match, but will Philly make the move to get him?The New Orleans Saints badly need an offensive tackle, Fashanu was once projected as a top five pick, so I think he might be the choice.
Confidence Level- A little more than moderate, my confidence that the Saints go offensive tackle is very high, just not sure who they’ll have graded higher.*TRADE* I think the Miami Dolphins should have a healthy interest in Fautanu, who could kick inside to guard to replace Robert Hunt.
Confidence Level– Fair to moderate, because it involves a trade. The Dolphins-Fautanu match is good, but they’ll have to get ahead of Seattle to land him.The Seattle Seahawks and Fautanu are a great match, but they get jumped by Miami for him. Latu is a great talent with a scary medical history. If Seattle isn’t comfortable with that I could see one of the defensive tackles here.
Confidence Level- Poor, this is one pick I’m not even remotely convinced of. If Fautanu was available, my confidence level would be moderate to high. The Jacksonville Jaguars have bigger needs on the defensive side, but the loss of Calvin Ridley also stings.
Confidence Level- Moderate to high, Thomas is a great prospect and maximizing Trevor Lawrence’s potential is of the utmost importance.I think the Cincinnati Bengals would love to replace Jonah Williams with Fuaga.
Confidence Level- Moderate, I have little doubt Cincy would pounce on Fuaga, I’m just not convinced he lasts this long.I love the idea of the Los Angeles Rams drafting Murphy to fill the void left by Aaron Donald’s retirement, not that any one player could ever fill that void.
Confidence Level- Moderate, the player-team match is nearly perfect, the question is whether he’ll be available here.The Pittsburgh Steelers going offensive line here makes the most sense, the only variable is who they have graded higher.
Confidence Level- Moderate, this will be an offensive lineman but who? I can also see them going with center Jackson Powers-Johnson.I think the Indianapolis Colts might be eyeing Brock Bowers or one of the top two corners at #15. When they’re all off the board, they make a move down, possibly targeting the next tier of corners or a WR. Verse being available here is too good to pass up.
Confidence Level- Slightly better than poor, once Bowers, Arnold and Mitchell are gone, all bets are off on the Colts pick.The Las Vegas Raiders taking an offensive tackle is highly probable, even at their original draft position. They land an extra second rounder which will come in handy later.
Confidence Level- Fair to moderate, because it involves a trade. It makes total sense for the Raiders, especially considering what’s to come later.*TRADE* The Detroit Lions seize an opportunity to move up a grab a complimentary pass rusher for Aiden Hutchinson.
Confidence Level– Fair, it involves a trade which drives down the confidence, and there’s a the very real possibility that Detroit could target a corner.The Dallas Cowboys need a tackle and a center for their offensive line, they get the best center prospect in years.
Confidence Level- Moderate, the fit is perfect, but dependent on JPJ’s availability. He might not make it past Pittsburgh or Miami.The Green Bay Packers need help in their secondary, DeJean can play corner or safety.
Confidence Level- Moderate, we’re late enough in the first round to not feel as certain about any pick, but if DeJean is there I can’t imagine the Packers passing.With the top edge rushers off the board, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pivot to improving their secondary.
Confidence Level- Poor, not at all confident of this pick.The Cardinals use their second first round pick on a difference maker for their defensive line.
Confidence Level- Poor, I love the fit and I have little doubt the Cardinals would pounce, I just don’t think Newton will actually last to #27.After trading Stefon Diggs, the Buffalo Bills have a major need at receiver. Mitchell is the best one still on the board.
Confidence Level- Moderate, the Bills are more than likely going receiver here, and Mitchell should be available.After their second trade back of the first round, the Chargers take the speedy Worthy to try to rebuild their receiving corps.
Confidence Level- Slightly better than poor. This confidence level all hinges on whether LA makes the trade that nets them this pick in the first pace. A WR makes total sense, though.The Baltimore Ravens add a versatile interior lineman to their offensive line.
Confidence Level- Poor. I, admittedly, am pretty clueless as to Baltimore’s intentions with this pick.*TRADE* The Raiders use some of the draft capital acquired from an earlier trade down to jump into the back of the first round a get a fifth year option on their QB.
Confidence Level- Slightly better than poor. I like the idea of the Raiders drafting Penix, but will they actually move back into the first round to do it?The Kansas City Chiefs draft a replacement for L’Jarius Sneed.
Confidence Level- Fair. Feels like this pick will either be a corner or a WR.
TEAMS WITHOUT A FIRST ROUND PICK:
The Carolina Panthers have to do everything in their power to maximize Bryce Young’s potential. Adding a big bodied X receiver like Coleman is a start.
Confidence Level- Fair. I feel like the Panthers have to go receiver with their first pick, but who do they have graded higher?One thing the Houston Texans could still use is a disruptive presence on the interior of their defensive line.
Confidence Level- Fair. I think the Texans will target defense, specifically CB or IDL. The San Francisco 49ers are probably targeting an interior offensive lineman at #31, but Baltimore took Graham Barton the pick before, so they trade out of the first round and still land an instant upgrade for their offensive line.
Confidence Level- Slightly above poor, only because it involves a trade. I’m pretty confident that San Fran will target offensive line.The Cleveland Browns nearly had their season derailed by injuries along their offensive line. They need better depth and upgrades at most positions.
Confidence Level- Fair. It’s tough to predict how the board will play out this deep into day two, but Paul would be a good get for the Browns.
I just can’t help myself, another week, another mock draft. I decided to do two rounds this time so each team gets at least one pick.
At this point, as we’re counting down the days until draft night, there are a few things I’m certain of:
The Bears are taking Caleb Williams #1
The Commanders will take a QB.
The Vikings are the team to watch to trade into the top ten for a QB.
The Falcons will be the first team to draft a defensive player.
The Broncos have to draft a QB.
The Bills will take a WR.
The 49ers will go offensive line.
I used NFL Mock Draft Database to do this mock:
FIRST ROUND
Etched in stone. Caleb Williams is a Chicago Bear.The Washington Commanders will take a QB, it’s up for debate which one. My money is on the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.The New England Patriots need an infusion of talent everywhere & they should seriously consider all offers that will come their way for this pick. Conventional wisdom says they’ll draft their, hopefully, franchise QB.The Arizona Cardinals will listen to, and consider all offers for this pick. In the end, the allure of a generational WR is too great to pass up. TRADE- Once Harrison is off the board, the Minnesota Vikings have the inside track to move up and get their franchise QB.If one of those four QBs makes it past #5, the New York Giants may consider moving on from Daniel Jones. With them all off the board, NY gives Jones something he’s never had, a true #1 receiver.TRADE- The New York Jets moving up for a WR is a scenario I’ve contemplated before. It’s unlikely they’ll be able to get MHJ, but landing a receiver that’s drawn comparisons to a favorite of Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, is a good secondary target.The Atlanta Falcons will calmly watch the maneuvering around them, secure in the knowledge that their top choice of defensive players will be theirs.TRADE- When Tennessee trades back to let the Jets get Odunze, the New Orleans Saints see their chance to move up and grab the best offensive tackle in the draft.The Tennessee Titans’ gamble to move back three spots and still land Alt almost pays off. Fuaga, though, is an absolute mauler and a decent consolation prize.The Los Angeles Chargers lost Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Gerald Everett & Austin Ekeler this offseason. They need targets for Justin Herbert. After accepting the haul from Minnesota to move down, they take one of the few truly generational talents in this draft.The Denver Broncos desperately need a QB. Unfortunately, for them, they don’t have the ammo to outbid Minnesota to move up. This is much higher than most are projecting Nix to go, but desperate times call for desperate measures.TRADE- The Philadelphia Eagles jump up the board to grab a corner whose physical, lock down style of play should appeal to them.I think the Chicago Bears are targeting Odunze at #9, but the Jets jumped ahead of them. As a result, the Bears will trade back a few spots, gaining a second round pick, and landing an edge to pair with Montez Sweat.There’s two players I think the Indianapolis Colts could covet, Brock Bowers & Quinyon Mitchell, but they miss out on both by staying at #15. Many draft analysts have Arnold as CB1.TRADE- The Pittsburgh Steelers see a chance to jump up and grab a premier offensive tackle, giving their line two young bookends.The Jacksonville Jaguars need to work on their defense, but they can’t pass up on drafting a replacement for Calvin Ridley.The Cincinnati Bengals are one team that I can see making a play for Brock Bowers, and you can never count them out on an offensive lineman, but I think they’ll opt for a disruptive presence on their defensive line.With their first first round pick since 2016, I had the Los Angeles Rams focusing on edge rushers until Aaron Donald announced his retirement. Here, the land another undersized but very athletic defensive tackle to replace a legend.The Seattle Seahawks can go in several directions. Defensive tackle, edge rusher, offensive line. After moving down the board, they settle on Fautanu, who probably moves inside to guard.I think the Miami Dolphins will probably target Fautanu to replace Robert Hunt, but Seattle snatched him up with the previous pick. Miami needs a tackle, too.The Las Vegas Raiders gain an extra day two pick to move down nine spots and land an offensive tackle who was probably on their radar at #13.TRADE- When medical concerns start pushing Latu down the board, the Arizona Cardinals orchestrate a move up to nab the talented edge rusher.The Dallas Cowboys lost both their starting left tackle & their starting center this offseason. They land the best center prospect in years.The Green Bay Packers need help at corner & safety, the versatile DeJean can play both.The Tampa Bay Buccaneers tab the athletic ‘Chop’ to replace Shaq Barrett.The Los Angeles Chargers orchestrate their second trade down of the first round. They move back from #23, which they acquired from Minnesota, and upgrade their secondary.After losing Gabe Davis in free agency and inexplicably trading Stefon Diggs, the Buffalo Bills need to find receivers for Josh Allen. Mitchell is the most well rounded WR still on the board.The most glaring need for the Detroit Lions has been their secondary. Enter Nate Wiggins.The Baltimore Ravens hope Guyton can step into the void left behind when they traded away Morgan Moses.The San Francisco 49ers need to upgrade the interior of their offensive line. Barton is the best interior lineman in the draft, with the versatility to play center or either guard.The Kansas City Chiefs brought in Hollywood Brown to be a deep threat for Patrick Mahomes, now they draft McConkey to be his ‘do everything’ receiver.
SECOND ROUND
The Carolina Panthers have to make this draft all about helping Bryce Young achieve his full potential. They give him the fastest player in the draft.As I stated earlier, the Patriots are bereft of talent at all levels. Rakestraw is the best player available and corner is always a need.The Cardinals stay on the defensive side on the ball, beefing up the defensive line.The Commanders get Jayden Daniels a personal protector.Chargers get Herbert another receiver.Titans will pair Lassiter with the newly acquired L’Jarius Sneed to form a strong corner tandem.Panthers get Young a new center.Commanders traded away their top two edge rushers last season.Packers get a possible replacement for David Bakhtiari.The Houston Texans add an interior presence to their defensive line.The Falcons will have a set of big WRs after adding Coleman to go with Drake London.Raiders get their QB.The Bears use the pick acquired from New Orleans to give Caleb Williams another weapon.The Colts get Anthony Richardson another target.The Giants grab Melton because you can never have too many corners.The Jaguars defense needs help at all levels, they start with the secondary.The Bengals missed out on Brock Bowers in the first, they grab a TE here.The Eagles addressed their secondary in the first round. They take the top off ball linebacker in the draft here.The Steelers add a YAC monster to their receiving corps.Rams add an edge rusher to their revamped defensive line.Raiders get a new running mate for Davante Adams with the pick acquired from Philadelphia.The Cleveland Browns use their first pick on an off ball linebacker.The Dolphins draft some insurance in case their top two edge rushers are unavailable to start the season.The Cowboys need a new RB, the Texas product fits the Jerry Jones mold.The Buccaneers beef up the interior of their offensive line.Packers add a linebacker to their defense.If Sainristil can lock down the corner opposite Derek Stingley, the Texans defense could be elite.The Bills add the top safety in the draft.The Lions get an edge rusher to pair with Aiden Hutchinson.The Ravens get Lamar Jackson another target.The 49ers continue to rebuild their offensive line.The Chiefs bring in Orhorhoro to learn from the best in the business, Chris Jones.
That was my goal with this mock. I wanted to make it as chaotic as possible, whilst also staying realistic. I hope I accomplished that.
One month to go until Draft Night. I used Pro Football Network’s mock draft tool, as well as NFL Mock Draft Database’s mock draft tool to do this mock.
Let the chaos begin!
I could have gone with total chaos and made this pick anything other than this, but I also wanted realism. Williams to Chicago is pretty much etched in stone.This pick isn’t completely etched in stone yet, but the engraver has at least carved QUARTERBACK. I think it’ll be Daniels.TRADE WITH NEW ENGLAND
In reality, as well as fantasy, the draft truly starts here. Will New England stay put & draft a QB, or will they take a haul from another QB needy team. Minnesota has the most to offer and I don’t think they’ll settle for QB4.
TRADE WITH ARIZONA
Here we go! I can actually see the Jets doing this. Going all in to maximize the time they have with Aaron Rodgers.
Back to the boring, sorry. Seriously, though, Alt is a massive talent, pun intended, and a perfect fit for what Harbaugh wants to do.This might be a little bit of a surprise, but I think there’s some realism too. The Giants should, and probably are considering moving on from Daniel Jones. I tried to find a way for Tennessee to trade out of this spot, in keeping with my chaos theme, but I didn’t find any viable options.Turner to Atlanta is one of my more concrete projections. Unless someone makes a move in front of them, I’m fairly certain this will be the pick.Odunze is one of four players that I think Chicago will take if he’s there at nine. The other three being Alt, Turner & Malik Nabers.TRADE WITH NEW YORK JETS.
I have Arizona trading out of a chance to draft MHJ, so I don’t think they’ll target a WR here, even with Nabers available.
TRADE WITH MINNESOTA.
New England is a team in the beginning stages of a massive rebuild. They have needs everywhere, that’s why I think they may be open to trading out of number three.
This should throw the draft on its head. Denver has Jarrett Stidham as its QB1 and no draft capital to move up. They don’t have a second rounder, so barring a trade for someone like Daniel Jones, they have to pull the trigger on a pretty big reach for Nix.I thought about having Las Vegas follow Denver’s lead and overdraft a QB here, but I think this is a new Raiders regime & honestly, Gardner Minshew is a decent QB to roll the dice with.TRADE WITH NEW ORLEANS.
If Bowers falls into range, it would make perfect sense for Cincinnati to make this move.
This is one of the boring picks, but I like the fit with Mitchell and Indianapolis.TRADE WITH SEATTLE.
Miami lost a lot of talent in free agency, making a move up for a talented and versatile offensive lineman makes sense.
TRADE WITH JACKSONVILLE.
Dallas lost its starting left tackle and center in free agency, I think a move up to get the best center prospect in years makes sense.
TRADE WITH CINCINNATI.
With the top three offensive tackles off the board, I can see New Orleans adding some draft capital to move down.
Another boring pick, but Latu to the Rams makes a lot of sense. I could see them targeting a replacement for Aaron Donald here as well.Pittsburgh could use another receiver for their new look QB room, but offensive line feels more like a Steelers move.TRADE WITH MIAMI.
Seattle moves down and drafts a defensive lineman to make their defensive engine hum.
Philadelphia stands pat and lets a top notch corner prospect fall to them. Boring.TRADE WITH NEW ENGLAND.
Detroit makes a bold move up to grab a pass rusher to partner with Aiden Hutchinson.
TRADE WITH DALLAS.
Jacksonville moves down and drafts a replacement for Calvin Ridley.
Another boring pick. DeJean to Green Bay has been a very consistent projection for me.Back to back boring picks. Tampa Bay replaces Shaq Barrett.After passing on receivers with their first pick, Arizona nabs one here.Buffalo adding the speedy Worthy to replace Gabe Davis has been a consistent projection for me.TRADE WITH DETROIT.
How’s this for chaos? Six QBs in the first round. I just don’t see New England leaving this draft without one and after adding major draft capital with their trade out of three, they can afford to reach on Penix and get that fifth year option.
Baltimore adding a big bodied receiver to complement Zay Flowers makes a ton of sense.San Francisco adding talent to their offensive line is the prudent play.After trading L’Jarius Sneed, Kansas City could target a corner here.
TEAMS WITHOUT A FIRST ROUND PICK:
Carolina needs to improve the supporting cast around Bryce Young.Houston can’t pass up a talent like Lassiter, who could pair with Derek Stingley to form a formidable corner duo.Honestly, Payton Wilson just sounds like a Cleveland Brown.
The first week of free agency frenzy did not disappoint. There was some major moves, some big surprises and, finally, some clarity about what will happen at the top of the draft.
Barring any trades involving first round picks, this should be my last mock draft of wave three. I’ll do wave four in April, including a full seven round mock.
I used Pro Football Network’s mock draft tool to do this mock:
The Chicago Bears traded Justin Fields to Pittsburgh, locking them into a QB with this pick. Williams HAS to be that QB.When the Washington Commanders traded Sam Howell to Seattle, it signaled their intent to draft a QB. The only question remaining is which QB? My money is on the Heisman Trophy winner.
*TRADE*
Minnesota acquires the 3rd pick from New England in exchange for a package including the 11th and 23rd overall selections.
The Minnesota Vikings lost Kirk Cousins in free agency and added Sam Darnold. By deftly acquiring Houston’s first rounder, they’ve given themselves the ammo to move up for a QB.The Arizona Cardinals gladly watch QBs go 1-2-3, knowing they can draft a generational WR twenty years after drafting another in Larry Fitzgerald.The Los Angeles Chargers lost Keenan Allen, Mike Williams & Gerald Everett this week. There’s a severe shortage of pass catchers in LA for Justin Herbert.The New York Giants filled a lot of holes this week, except at wide receiver.
*TRADE*
Denver acquires the 7th overall pick from Tennessee in exchange for a package including the 12th overall selection.
The Denver Broncos released Russell Wilson and did nothing to replace him. With their division rival, Las Vegas, lurking, they have to pull the trigger on a move up the board.The Atlanta Falcons landed the big prize of free agency, QB Kirk Cousins, and they also acquired WRs Darnell Mooney & Rondale Moore. The offense is set, time to address their defense.
*TRADE*
Cincinnati acquires the 9th overall pick from Chicago in exchange for a package including the 18th overall selection.
The Cincinnati Bengals seize the opportunity to move up and grab the top OT in the draft to fill the void left by Jonah Williams.The New York Jets added tackles Tyron Smith & Morgan Moses this week, but that shouldn’t preclude them from adding Fuaga, who they can kick inside to guard to strengthen the protection for Aaron Rodgers even more.The New England Patriots have many needs, so they’ll take the extra first rounder to move out of the three spot, even if it means missing out on a QB.The Tennessee Titans gladly take some extra draft capital to move down five spots where they still land a franchise OT.
*TRADE*
Philadelphia acquires the 13th overall pick from Las Vegas in exchange for a package including the 22nd overall selection.
The Philadelphia Eagles have draft capital to burn and a need to get younger and more physical in their secondary.The New Orleans Saints have needs on both their offensive & defensive lines, offense holds more value here.The Indianapolis Colts stop the slide of the best TE prospect since Kyle Pitts.The Seattle Seahawks add another productive piece to their defensive line after re-signing Leonard Williams.
*TRADE*
Jacksonville trades the 17th overall selection to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a package including the 19th overall pick.
The Los Angeles Rams jump ahead of Chicago to keep a premium edge rusher in LA.The Chicago Bears only have four picks in this draft, so they’ll easily slide down from ninth to add more and still land an edge rusher to pair with Montez Sweat.The Jacksonville Jaguars move down a couple spots, adding draft capital and still landing the CB they likely would have taken at #17.The Pittsburgh Steelers have a long tradition of great centers, they add another for Russell Wilson and/or Justin Fields.The Miami Dolphins draft a replacement for Robert Hunt.The Las Vegas Raiders move down the board, adding draft capital, and select the best OT still on the board.The New England Patriots added this pick in an earlier trade. They use it on offense after spending their first pick on defense.The Dallas Cowboys find a replacement for Tyron Smith.The Green Bay Packers add a versatile defensive back to their secondary.The Tampa Bay Buccaneers draft a replacement for Shaq Barrett.The Arizona Cardinals go defense after using their first pick on offense.The Buffalo Bills replace Gabe Davis with the fastest receiver in the class.The Detroit Lions have few weaknesses, secondary is one, even after acquiring Carlton Davis.The Baltimore Ravens add a big bodied receiver to pair with the smaller & shiftier Zay Flowers.The San Francisco 49ers need to upgrade their offensive line, especially the interior.
*TRADE*
New England acquires the 32nd overall pick from Kansas City in exchange for a package including the 34th overall selection.
The New England Patriots move back into the first round to pick for the third time and get that all important fifth year option on a rookie QB.
TEAMS WITHOUT A FIRST ROUND PICK:
The Carolina Panthers added WR Diontae Johnson but they still need to give Bryce Young more help.The Kansas City Chiefs added Marquise Brown but that shouldn’t preclude them from drafting another WR after trading out of the first round.The Houston Texans have a fearsome edge rushing tandem in Will Anderson & Danielle Hunter, now they add the best run stuffer in the draft.The Cleveland Browns give Deshaun Watson another target to go with Amari Cooper & David Njoku.
On the eve of free agency frenzy, I’m putting out a 3 round mock. To do this I made a couple assumptions, vis-a-vis the QB situation for some teams. Here’s how I see it shaking out, for now:
1. Minnesota will re-sign Kirk Cousins
2. Tampa Bay will re-sign Baker Mayfield
3. Denver has announced that they will release Russell Wilson, who will ultimately sign with Atlanta
4. Pittsburgh will trade for Justin Fields
With these moves, I look at the following teams as QB needy:
New England
Denver
Las Vegas
Washington
Chicago
There are other teams that could look to draft a future successor, but these are the ones that I don’t think make it past day two of the draft without adding a QB.
With that being said, let’s start the mock draft. I didn’t do any hypothetical trades, except having Pittsburgh swap their second rounder for Justin Fields.
I used Pro Football Network’s mock draft simulator for this:
ROUND ONE
1. CHICAGO BEARS- Caleb Williams, QB, USC: Bears seem destined to reset the QB clock with the most highly touted prospect in years.2. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS- Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU: Commanders opt for the Heisman Trophy winner as the new face of the franchise.3. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina: Patriots are moving on from Mac Jones.4. ARIZONA CARDINALS- Marvin Harrison Jr, WR, Ohio State: Perfect scenario for the Cardinals as the best overall player in the draft falls to them.5. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- Rome Odunze, WR, Washington: Chargers get younger at receiver with a player that shines at the combine.6. NEW YORK GIANTS- Malik Nabers, WR, LSU: Giants nab the latest in a long line of great LSU receivers.7. TENNESSEE TITANS- Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame: Titans make the massive Alt the first tackle off the board.8. ATLANTA FALCONS- Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo: Mitchell has been shooting up draft boards and the Falcons make him the first corner taken.9. CHICAGO BEARS- Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama: Bears miss out on the big three receivers, so they take the top edge rusher to pair with Montez Sweat.10. NEW YORK JETS- Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State: Jets need to shore up their pass protection and Fuaga has impressed at the Senior Bowl and the combine.11. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Jer’Zhan Newton, IDL, Illinois: If Cousins is back in the fold, the Vikings can focus on their defense.12. DENVER BRONCOS- JJ McCarthy, QB, Michigan: With the Broncos moving on from the disastrous Russell Wilson era, a new franchise QB is a must. 13. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS- Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State: Raiders take advantage of Fashanu slipping down the board a bit.14. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS- JC Latham, OT, Alabama: Saints and Latham have been one of my more consistent mock pairings.15. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia: Colts stop Bowers’ slide, a top ten talent but positional value pushes him down the board.16. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- Jackson Powers-Johnson, IOL, Oregon State: Seattle makes Powers-Johnson the highest drafted center since 1993.17. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama: Jaguars need help at all three levels of their defense, Arnold has lock down corner capabilities.18. CINCINNATI BENGALS- Byron Murphy II, IDL, Texas: Bengals add the super athletic, if a bit undersized, Murphy to their defensive line.19. LOS ANGELES RAMS- Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA: Rams stay in LA to add to their pass rush.20. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson: Wiggins to the Steelers has been a very consistent mock for me.21. MIAMI DOLPHINS- Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State: Dolphins probably won’t have either of their top two pass rushers when the season starts, Verse will help fill that void.22. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa: DeJean projects as either a corner or safety, the Eagles need both.23. HOUSTON TEXANS- Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State: Pairing Robinson with last year’s first rounder, Will Anderson, will give any QB facing the Texans nightmares.24. DALLAS COWBOYS- Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma: Cowboys find a successor to Tyron Smith.25. GREEN BAY PACKERS- Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia: Packers need an infusion of youth on their offensive line.26. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Graham Barton, IOL, Duke: Buccaneers opt to upgrade their offensive line.27. ARIZONA CARDINALS- Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama: Cardinals go to the defensive side of the ball with their second first rounder.28. BUFFALO BILLS- Brian Thomas Jr, WR, LSU: Bills find a running mate for Stefon Diggs.29. DETROIT LIONS- Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia: Pass coverage is one of the few weak spots on this Lions roster.30. BALTIMORE RAVENS- Leonard Taylor, IDL, Miami-Fl: Ravens add their defensive front.31. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS- Troy Fautanu, OT, Washington: Niners need upgrades all along their offensive line.32. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas: The Chiefs biggest need is obviously wide receiver.
SECOND ROUND
33. CAROLINA PANTHERS- Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State: Panthers use their first pick to get Bryce Young some help.
34. PATRIOTS– Ladd McKonkey, WR, Georgia
35. CARDINALS– Darius Robinson, EDGE, Missouri
36. COMMANDERS– Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona
37. CHARGERS– Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU
38. TITANS- Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
39. GIANTS– Christian Haynes, IOL, UConn
40. COMMANDERS– TJ Tampa, CB, Iowa State
41. PACKERS- Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota
42. VIKINGS– Trey Benson, RB, Florida State
43. FALCONS- Bralen Trice, EDGE, Washington
44. RAIDERS- Michael Penix Jr, QB, Washington
Raiders nab their QB.
45. SAINTS- T’Vondre Sweat, IDL, Texas
46. COLTS- Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon
47. GIANTS- Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Giants draft competition for Daniel Jones.
48. JAGUARS– Zach Frazier, IOL, West Virginia
49. BENGALS– Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas
50. EAGLES- Ennis Rakestraw Jr, CB, Missouri
51. BEARS- Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan
Pick acquired from Pittsburgh for Justin Fields.
52. RAMS- Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M
53. EAGLES– Payton Wilson, LB, NC State
54. CLEVELAND BROWNS- Ruke Orhorhoro, IDL, Clemson: Browns use their first pick on their defensive line.
Eight more seven round mock drafts for individual teams. This will complete all thirty two teams.
Once again, I’ve used Pro Football Network’s mock draft tool. Phase 3 of mock draft season will begin the week of March 11, and the start of free agency frenzy.
Here we go:
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
What I liked: Patriots need a new QB, but Marvin Harrison Jr is the best player in the draft, slam dunk pick.
What I didn’t like: Jaheim Bell is a very good player, but TE is not a pressing need in New England.
Synopsis: The end of the Belichick era was not entirely about the inability to replace Tom Brady, but also a track record of poor drafts. The new era is starting off right with MHJ.
NEW YORK JETS
What I liked: Jets really need to address their pass protection and Taliese Fuaga is one of my favorite tackles in the draft.
What I didn’t like: Total nitpicking, but the Jets might want to grab a new understudy for Aaron Rodgers.
Synopsis: This is a pretty strong draft for the Jets. If Rodgers returns to form, this should be a playoff team.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
What I liked: Hall of Famer Jerry Rice’s son, Brenden Rice, being drafted by the Niners is just a wonderful story.
What I didn’t like: I’ve tried nitpicking to find something I don’t like about this draft for San Francisco, but I honestly can’t find one.
Synopsis: The Niners biggest hurdle for 2024 is overcoming the curse of being the loser of the Super Bowl. This draft could help, addressing their two biggest weaknesses, the offensive line and secondary.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
What I liked: Targeting an edge rusher in the first round makes total sense for Seattle, and Dallas Turner falling to #16 is a dream scenario.
What I didn’t like: I’m not sure taking another corner as early as I have them taking DJ James is necessary.
Synopsis: The Seahawks might want to consider taking a QB to replace Geno Smith, they could have a chance at #16.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
What I liked: Adding Troy Franklin in the second round is great value and a terrific asset for their new franchise QB.
What I didn’t like: Nothing against Drake Maye, but I think Washington should swing for the fences if they’re moving on from Sam Howell and try to land Caleb Williams.
Synopsis: The Commanders draft will be judged on whether or not they landed their franchise QB.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
What I liked: Jer’Zhan Newton is tremendous value at #26.
What I didn’t like: Tampa Bay should probably target an edge rusher before Jordan Strachan at #244.
Synopsis: The Buccaneers have an aging roster and a need to get younger at just about every position.
TENNESSEE TITANS
What I liked: For my money, Olumuyiwa Fashanu is the best offensive tackle in the draft.
What I didn’t like: The Titans may want to address the secondary before Dwight McGlothern at #225.
Synopsis: Tennessee is in the early stages of a rebuild, they have needs everywhere.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
What I liked: Ennis Rakestraw Jr is a great value for the Steelers in the second round.
What I didn’t like: Barring a trade or major free agency signing, Pittsburgh should target a QB before Joe Milton at #197.
Synopsis: I think the Steelers will make a move to upgrade the QB position with a high end veteran, leaving them free to fill in other holes in the draft.
What I liked: Travis Kelce isn’t getting any younger, Ben Sinnott has some upside and can help lighten the load on the future HOFer.
What I didn’t like: I used the Chiefs first rounder on WR Adonai Mitchell but then didn’t address the position again.
Synopsis: Kansas City has won back to back championships for two reasons, Patrick Mahomes and great draft classes. They’ll land some gems in this draft too.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
What I liked: Raiders were able to get their new franchise QB, Jayden Daniels, without selling the farm.
What I didn’t like: In a great class of receivers, Vegas didn’t land one.
Synopsis: It’s a decent class for the Raiders, but probably doesn’t narrow the gap with Kansas City at all.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
What I liked: This is a good class for Minnesota, should go a long way in fixing their defense and filling other holes.
What I didn’t like: Depending on what happens with Kirk Cousins, the Vikings might want a better replacement than Sam Hartman.
Synopsis: Minnesota’s draft will be dictated by what happens with Cousins. If he walks, QB becomes the top priority.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
What I liked: T’Vondre Sweat is the best run stuffer in the draft and a good value at #45.
What I didn’t like: Would have liked to add a pass rusher for the Saints.
Synopsis: New Orleans has been in salary cap hell for years. They keep kicking the can down the road, but it’s time they start getting younger and cheaper. This draft is a start.
NEW YORK GIANTS
What I liked: I don’t see the Giants making a major splash at QB, but I do think they’ll do something. Michael Penix Jr is the type of move I expect.
What I didn’t like: I didn’t address the offensive line until Christian Jones at pick #184.
Synopsis: This is a strong class for the Giants, if Penix becomes the franchise QB this is an absolute home run of a draft.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
What I liked: Linebacker was a weak spot for the Eagles D, Payton Wilson & Tommy Eichenberg could both play significant roles.
What I didn’t like: Didn’t draft a center, but maybe they already have Jason Kelce’s replacement on the roster.
Synopsis: Philly’s collapse down the stretch was epic and inexplicable. This draft does well to address the secondary and linebacker corps, two of the biggest problem areas on defense.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
What I liked: The Dolphins need to bolster their offensive line, I used their first two picks to do that.
What I didn’t like: Miami lost their top two pass rushers to devastating injuries last season, how or when they return is a big question mark for 2024, yet I did nothing to address that in this draft.
Synopsis: At times, the Dolphins seemed like a legitimate contender in 2023, but injuries caught up with them. Building depth is key, but they simply lack the picks to do much.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
What I liked: This is a strong draft for the Chargers, Brock Bowers is an especially good fit.
What I didn’t like: Khalil Mack showed no signs of age in 2023, but Joey Bosa can’t seem to stay healthy. Another edge rusher would have been nice.
Synopsis: As stated before, this is a strong first draft for Jim Harbaugh. The addition of Bowers, Blake Corum and even Brenden Rice could make this offense unstoppable.
Nickels and Dimes 