24 of the first round spots are now locked. Eight more to be decided.

Once again, I’m not doing trades in this mock, with one exception. With the Chicago Bears holding the first overall pick, a decision has to be made about Justin Fields. Since I’m not trading picks here, I am mocking a trade of Fields to the Atlanta Falcons. I don’t think the Bears will get the #8 pick, as Mel Kiper suggests, so I gave them Atlanta’s second rounder.

I did two full rounds for this mock. Let’s go:

ROUND ONE

1. CHICAGO BEARS (from Carolina)- Caleb William, QB, USC: Bears get their new franchise QB.

2. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS- Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina: Commanders get a new face of the franchise.

3. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- Marvin Harrison Jr, WR, Ohio State: Patriots ‘settle’ for the best player in the draft.

4. ARIZONA CARDINALS- Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama: Cardinals biggest issues are on defense.

5. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia: Chargers take the best TE prospect since Kyle Pitts.

6. NEW YORK GIANTS- Malik Nabers, WR, LSU: Giants need more reliable pass catchers.

7. TENNESSEE TITANS- Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame: Titans continue to rebuild their offensive line.

8. ATLANTA FALCONS- Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA: Falcons land perhaps the most dynamic pass rusher in the draft.

9. CHICAGO BEARS- Rome Odunze, WR, Washington: Bears give their new QB another top notch weapon.

10. NEW YORK JETS- Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State: Jets have to strengthen their offensive line.

11. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama: Vikings continue to rebuild their defense.

12. DENVER BRONCOS- Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU: Broncos move on from Russ and draft his replacement.

13. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS- Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama: Raiders take another stab at corner.

14. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS- Jer’Zhan Newton, IDL, Illinois: Saints add the best interior defensive lineman in the draft.

15. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State: Colts add a top notch pass rusher.

16. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State: Seahawks add a pass rusher to their defense.

17. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa: Jaguars opt to upgrade their secondary.

18. CINCINNATI BENGALS- Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State: Bengals draft a possible replacement for Tee Higgins.

19. LOS ANGELES RAMS- JC Latham, OT, Alabama: Rams continue to rebuild their offensive line.

20. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson: Steelers add to their secondary.

21. MIAMI DOLPHINS- Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State: Dolphins opt to upgrade their offensive line.

22. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami-FL: Eagles need fresh blood in their secondary.

23. HOUSTON TEXANS (from Cleveland)- Troy Fautanu, IOL, Washington: Texans add the best interior offensive lineman in the draft.

24. DALLAS COWBOYS- Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia: Cowboys pass defense needs work.

25. GREEN BAY PACKERS- Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia: Packers need new blood on the offensive line.

26. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU: Buccaneers work on their offensive line.

27. ARIZONA CARDINALS (from Houston)- Leonard Taylor, IDL, Miami-FL: Cardinals stay on the defensive side of the ball.

28. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Brian Thomas Jr, WR, LSU: The Chiefs’ need at wide receiver is glaring.

29. BUFFALO BILLS- Kalen King, CB, Penn State: Bills opt to upgrade the secondary.

30. DETROIT LIONS- Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas: Lions could use another pass catcher.

31. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS- Graham Barton, IOL, Duke: 49ers biggest weakness is interior offensive line.

32. BALTIMORE RAVENS- Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo: Ravens go with a corner.

ROUND TWO

33. CAROLINA PANTHERS- Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon: Panthers need to give Bryce Young better weapons.

34. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- JJ McCarthy, QB, Michigan: Patriots nab their new QB.

35. ARIZONA CARDINALS- Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina

36. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS- Jeremiah Trotter, LB, Clemson

37. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota

38. TENNESSEE TITANS- Sedrick Van Pran, IOL, Georgia

39. NEW YORK GIANTS- Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia

40. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (from Chicago)- Brandon Dorlus, EDGE, Oregon

41. GREEN BAY PACKERS (from NY Jets)- Cooper Beebe, IOL, Kansas State

42. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Chris Braswell, EDGE, Alabama

43. CHICAGO BEARS (from Atlanta)- Jackson Powers-Johnson, IOL, Oregon: Bears get a new center with the pick they acquired for Fields.

44. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS- Michael Penix Jr, QB, Washington: Raiders need an upgrade at QB.

45. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (from Denver)- Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma

46. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona

47. NEW YORK GIANTS (from Seattle)- Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas

48. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Bralen Trice, EDGE, Washington

49. CINCINNATI BENGALS- Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

50. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (from New Orleans)- Zach Frazier, IOL, West Virginia: Eagles get a replacement for the retiring Jason Kelce.

51. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- T’Vondre Sweat, IDL, Texas

52. LOS ANGELES RAMS- TJ Tampa, CB, Iowa State

53. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Jaylan Ford, LB, Texas

54. CLEVELAND BROWNS- Patrick Paul, OT, Houston: Browns ended the season with two backups at tackle.

55. MIAMI DOLPHINS- Byron Murphy II, IDL, Texas

56. DALLAS COWBOYS- Michael Hall Jr, IDL, Ohio State

57. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Beau Brade, S, Maryland

58. GREEN BAY PACKERS- Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M

59. HOUSTON TEXANS- Ruke Orhorhoro, IDL, Clemson

60. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Kris Jenkins, IDL, Michigan

61. BUFFALO BILLS- Cedric Gray, LB, North Carolina

62. DETROIT LIONS- Ennis Rakestraw Jr, CB, Missouri

63. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS- Caelen Carson, CB, Wake Forest

64. BALTIMORE RAVENS- Trey Benson, RB, Florida State

Cleveland at Houston

Miami at Kansas City

Pittsburgh at Buffalo

Green Bay at Dallas

Los Angeles Rams at Detroit

Philadelphia at Tampa Bay

SUPER BOWL PICK

San Francisco over Buffalo

I didn’t want to pick total chalk, though I do think Baltimore is the best team in the league, they have a tougher path. I think Buffalo & Cleveland are real threats to the Ravens. The 49ers, on the other hand, have no threats in the NFC. Book San Fran in the Super Bowl.

The NFL regular season is over and since my Chicago Bears aren’t in the playoffs, it’s the first day of mock draft season for me!

The top 18 picks are locked, 19-32 the order is subject to change. I will not be doing any hypothetical trades until after the Super Bowl, so all these picks are who I think these teams will take at that spot.

Here we go:

1. CHICAGO BEARS (via Carolina)- Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina: Ultimately, I think Chicago trades this pick, but if they stay it has to be a QB. I think Maye will be more to their liking than Caleb Williams.

2. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS- Caleb Williams, QB, USC: New owner, new coach & new face of the franchise in DC.

3. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- Marvin Harrison Jr, WR, Ohio State: Patriots need a QB, desperately, but they’re going to have to move up to get one worth a top 5 pick. Here they just take the best player in the draft, and another position of need.

4. ARIZONA CARDINALS- Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama: Cardinals could go many directions here, but fixing the defense has to be a top priority.

5. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia: Chargers & Bowers seem like a perfect fit. Best TE prospect since Kyle Pitts.

6. NEW YORK GIANTS- Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame: Giants may be in the QB market, they may go WR here too, but I think Alt is too good to pass up.

7. TENNESSEE TITANS- Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State: WR is a possibility & Bowers would be a perfect fit, but Fashanu is a dominant left tackle.

8. ATLANTA FALCONS- Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama: Full disclaimer here: This mock involves no speculative trades, except one. The Bears having the first pick requires a trade, either the pick or QB Justin Fields. In this exercise, Fields lands in Atlanta. So, instead of taking a QB, Atlanta goes defense.

9. CHICAGO BEARS- Malik Nabers, WR, LSU: Bears have a number one WR, but they need more for whoever is under center.

10. NEW YORK JETS- JC Latham, OT, Alabama: Aaron Rodgers will return so the Jets desperately need to improve his protection.

11. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama: I believe Kirk Cousins will return to Minnesota, making defense the top priority.

12. DENVER BRONCOS- Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU: I think Denver moves on from Russell Wilson, they’ll start over with the Heisman Trophy winner.

13. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS- Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa: Raiders need a QB, but I don’t see them doing it here.

14. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS- Jer’Zhan Newton, DL, Illinois: Saints take the top interior defensive lineman in the draft.

15. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State: WR is a possibility, but I think the Colts will go defense.

16. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA: Injury red flags will push him further down the board than his talent warrants.

17. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson: WR or OT are possible if Jags go offense, but I think they’ll go defense.

18. CINCINNATI BENGALS- Rome Odunze, WR, Washington: Bengals get a steal and a replacement for Tee Higgins.

19. GREEN BAY PACKERS- Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State: Packers get a long term replacement at left tackle.

20. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State: Bucs get younger on their pass rush.

21. ARIZONA CARDINALS (from Houston)- Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State: Cardinals get their WR with their second first rounder.

22. LOS ANGELES RAMS- Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State: Rams replace Jalen Ramsey.

23. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Leonard Taylor, DL, Miami-FL: Going interior defensive line feels like a Steelers kind of pick.

24. MIAMI DOLPHINS- Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia: I feel like Miami has to go offensive line here, can never go wrong with a Georgia Bulldog.

25. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami-FL: Eagles take the best safety in the draft,

26. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Brian Thomas Jr, WR, LSU: Chiefs need for wide receivers is one of the most obvious in all of football.

27. HOUSTON TEXANS (from Cleveland)- Troy Fautanu, IOL, Washington: Texans take the top interior offensive lineman in the draft.

28. DETROIT LIONS- Kalen King, CB, Penn State: Detroit needs to vastly improve their pass defense.

29. BUFFALO BILLS- Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU: Bills opt to upgrade the offensive line.

30. DALLAS COWBOYS- Jeremiah Trotter Jr, LB, Clemson: Cowboys take the top off ball linebacker in the draft.

31. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS- Graham Barton, OT, Duke: Niners get maybe the most versatile offensive lineman in the draft.

32. BALTIMORE RAVENS- T’Vondre Sweat, DL, Texas: Ravens land the best run stuffer in the draft.

I’m doing something a bit different than traditional power rankings, which fluctuate week to week and don’t really accurately reflect the actual power structure of the league.

In my system, I’m not ranking teams 1-32, rather I’m placing them in tiers. Teams can, and probably will move from one tier to another, both up and down, through the season, but this is how I see them right now.

THE FRONT RUNNERS

IN PURSUIT

DARK HORSES

KEEP AN EYE ON

FRAUDS

VERY, VERY DARK HORSES

PLAYING FOR DRAFT POSITION

*SPECIAL EXTRA*

Coaches Most likely to be fired before season’s end:

1. Ron Rivera, Washington

2. Brandon Staley, LA Chargers

3. Josh McDaniels, Las Vegas

4. Matt Eberflus, Chicago

5. Mike McCarthy, Dallas

AFC EAST

11-6

10-7

9-8

6-11

AFC NORTH

13-4

10-7

8-9

7-10

AFC SOUTH

10-7

7-10

5-12

4-13

AFC WEST

12-5

9-8

8-9

6-11

Playoff Teams

AFC PLAYOFFS

Chiefs over Dolphins

Ravens over Jets

Bills over Jaguars

Bengals over Bills

Chiefs over Ravens

Bengals over Chiefs

AFC CHAMPIONS

NFC EAST

13-4

10-7

8-9

6-11

NFC NORTH

10-7

9-8

8-9

7-10

NFC SOUTH

9-8

7-10

6-11

5-12

NFC WEST

12-5

10-7

4-13

1-16

PLAYOFF TEAMS

NFC PLAYOFFS

Seahawks over Bears

49ers over Lions

Giants over Saints

Eagles over Giants

Seahawks over 49ers

Eagles over Seahawks

AFC CHAMPIONS

SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS

The dust has settled on the 2023 NFL Draft. It’s been a week, and I’ve finally had the time to analyze each team’s draft haul. I’ll go division by division, ranking the teams’ draft classes and grading them. At the end I’ll offer my ten favorite draft classes and my ten least favorite.

AFC EAST

Miami only had four picks but they made the most of them. Every one of these guys could have an eventual impact.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M- Pure speed to add to an already super fast offensive skill position group.

MY GRADE: B

I like what Buffalo did here. Kincaid is the best pass catching tight end in the class. I had a first round grade on Torrence, going to the Bills, in fact. Would have liked to seen a running back and secondary help before the seventh round.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Dorian Williams, LB, Tulane- I’m a big fan of fast, athletic linebackers. Williams was one of my favorite players in the draft.

MY GRADE: B

The Jets gave one of their second round picks and did a first round pick swap with Green Bay to acquire Aaron Rodgers. That factors into their grade. Because of the pick swap they missed out on the top offensive tackles, then I felt they reached on McDonald. Found some good day three value.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Joe Tippman, OC, Wisconsin- Tippman should be a steady fixture in the middle of the Jets’ offensive line for years to come.

MY GRADE: B-

New England had their typical reaches and gambles on questionable character, tempered by stellar selections in the first two rounds. Picked a kicker AND a punter, only the lack of a long snapper kept them from the unholy trifecta.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon- Call it luck, calling it patiently playing the board to perfection. Gonzalez should have been a top ten pick.

MY GRADE: C-

AFC NORTH

Pittsburgh put on a master class of drafting. Moving up ahead of the Jets for the last first round worthy offensive tackle was a smart and relatively cheap move. Joey Porter Jr was a no brainer to kick off the second round, I had him as a possible Steelers’ pick in the first. Really good draft throughout.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia- I honestly believe Washington could become the best tight end in this class.

MY GRADE: A+

Baltimore has been a consistently good drafting team for years, ‘23 was no exception. Flowers is the perfect weapon for Lamar Jackson. Simpson is a thumper that will pair well with Roquan Smith. Kelly was a steal in the fifth.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Andrew Vorhees, OG, USC- Vorhees deserved to go higher than the seventh round, despite tearing his ACL at the Combine. He’s a beast that will anchor the offensive line from ‘24 on.

MY GRADE: A

For not having any picks until the third round, Cleveland landed a stellar class. All their picks should contribute immediately, except Thompson-Robinson, who is a nice developmental QB behind Deshaun Watson.

FAVORITE PICK: Luke Wypler, OC, Ohio State- Landing a potential starting center in the sixth round is the definition of steal.

GRADE: A-

Cincinnati ranks last in their division for this draft class only because the other three teams did so well. They bolstered their secondary and pass rush and found a successor to Joe Mixon. I question using two picks on wide receivers when that is arguably their strongest position group.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Chase Brown, RB, Illinois- Do not be surprised if Brown supplants Mixon as the lead back before season’s end.

MY GRADE: B+

AFC SOUTH

Absolutely stellar draft class for Indianapolis. Starting with making the right decision at QB, straight through the seventh round. It’s hard to find a weakness in this class.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida- I was convinced that Indy was being too conservative in their pursuit of a franchise QB, and also that they’d choose the wrong one. They didn’t. Richardson is a perfect QB for Shane Steichen’s offense.

MY GRADE: A+

Tennessee made the right choice in the first round, then made the move to land their QB in the second. Found some good value after that.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland- I had a second round grade on him. He could develop into a plus starter to pair with Skoronski.

MY GRADE: A-

Houston played an exorbitant price to land Will Anderson, but they had plenty of draft capital to burn. They now have the new faces of their franchise on both sides of the ball.

MY FAVORITE PICK: CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State- Despite the pre-draft smoke, the Texans stayed at #2 and took the right QB. I had Stroud as the top QB in the class.

MY GRADE: B+

Even with a plethora of picks, Jacksonville landed a rather unimpressive class. Harrison felt like a reactionary pick after the Cam Robinson suspension. Their entire draft felt like a bunch of reaches.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M- I had a second round grade on him and had him ranked as the number three safety.

MY GRADE: C-

AFC WEST

Las Vegas had a solid draft, landing good value throughout. O’Connell could be a perfect backup for Jimmy G.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Jakorian Bennett, CB, Maryland- I think Bennett can become an above average starting cornerback.

MY GRADE: B

Denver didn’t have a pick until the third round because of the Russell Wilson and Sean Payton acquisitions. They then traded into the back of the second for a wide receiver, their deepest position group. Found decent value with their limited picks.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Riley Moss, CB, Iowa- Moss has a chance to become a stellar cornerback in Denver.

MY GRADE: C+

As the defending champions, Kansas City didn’t have any pressing needs. They could afford to reach and gamble. They were more conservative, though. Not a bad draft class, just a little underwhelming.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Wanya Morris, OT, Oklahoma- Morris could develop into a long term starter on the offensive line.

GRADE: C+

Did the Chargers only scout TCU games? Not a terrible draft class, but didn’t help them close the gap with the Chiefs.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State- Another fast, athletic linebacker and one of my favorite players.

MY GRADE: C

NFC EAST

The praise of Howie Roseman and Philadelphia is warranted, in my opinion. This was a great draft class. This is one of the few teams that could take a gamble on Carter, and a perfect landing spot for him. Every pick, save for McKee, will play a role in ‘23.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia- Philly got themselves a clone of Haason Reddick at the end of the first. Smith was a top fifteen talent.

MY GRADE: A+

Giants had a good draft. Days one and two were stellar, Gray was great value at the end of the fifth. They took a couple flyers in the seventh.

MY FAVORITE PICK: John Michael Schmitz, OC, Minnesota- Plug and play center that will anchor the Giants’ offensive line for a decade.

MY GRADE: A-

Dallas reached throughout this draft. They got good players, but left better ones on the board.

MY FAVORITE PICK: DeMarvion Overshown, LB, Texas- Have I mentioned that I love fast, athletic linebackers? One of my favorite players in the draft.

MY GRADE: B-

Washington’s ownership is in flux and this draft reflects that. They reached a bunch and didn’t seem to have a coherent plan.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Ricky Stromberg, OC, Arkansas- It was a slight reach, but Stromberg is a decent center and should anchor their offensive line.

MY GRADE: C-

NFC NORTH

The Bears rebuilding is in full swing and it appears smart and evident. Fixed their biggest weakness on offense, strengthened their biggest weakness on defense. Grabbed some real gems on day three.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee- With apologies to Roschon Johnson, protecting Justin Fields was the most important thing that needed to happen. Wright does that.

MY GRADE: A

Detroit made two big reaches in the first round, though both are great players. Day two was solid. Day three was a couple of dart throws.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Brian Branch, S, Alabama- Best safety in the class, should have been a first rounder.

MY GRADE: B

Green Bay landed several very good players, but not addressing the secondary until the seventh round and ignoring the offensive line entirely is questionable.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State- Reed was one of my favorite day two receivers.

MY GRADE: B-

Minnesota’s Achilles heel last year was defense, they addressed that with reaches. The offense, however, should be top level.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Jordan Addison, WR, USC- He’ll pair with Justin Jefferson to form a deadly receiver combo.

MY GRADE: C

NFC SOUTH

New Orleans had an overall solid draft. Nothing flashy, but solid value throughout.

MY FAVORITE PICJ: AT Perry, WR, Wake Forest- I had a third/fourth round grade on Perry.

MY GRADE: B+

Tampa Bay did a nice job in jump starting their post- Brady reboot.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Cody Mauch, OT, North Dakota State- He might have to kick inside to guard, but Mauch is a mauler on the offensive line.

MY GRADE: B+

Carolina paid a hefty price, but they landed their franchise QB. Not a bad class with limited picks.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama- Size concerns aside, Young was the top QB in this class.

MY GRADE: B-

Atlanta drafted like a team on the precipice of a title, not one that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2017. Bijan Robinson is a great player and the best RB prospect since Saquon Barkley, but running back in the first is a luxury pick, a luxury I’m not sure the Falcons can afford.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah- I had a late first/ early second round grade on him.

MY GRADE: C-

NFC WEST

Even without the windfall they gathered from Houston to move back, this was a good haul. Arizona deftly played the board in the first and got the guy they wanted. Strong picks throughout.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn- I had a late third/early fourth round grade on him.

MY GRADE: A

Seattle had another solid draft after last year’s stellar class. Double dipping at running back with Kenneth Walker III entering his second year was a head scratcher.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Derick Hall, EDGE, Auburn- One of my favorite day two edge rushers.

MY GRADE: B+

The Rams had a boatload of picks, 10 on day three. They were basically throwing darts at the board, some hit, others did not.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, CB, TCU- Smaller corner, but one of my favorites. Tenacious competitor.

MY GRADE: C

San Francisco didn’t have a pick until the end of the third round and used their second pick on a kicker. They couldn’t make up for that even with a day three home run. They didn’t hit one.

MY FAVORITE PICK: Ji’Ayir Brown, S, Penn State- One of the best safeties in the class. Unfortunately, this was the Niners’ last great pick.

MY GRADE: D+

MY TOP TEN DRAFT CLASSES

1. Indianapolis Colts

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

3. Philadelphia Eagles

4. Chicago Bears

5. Arizona Cardinals

6. Baltimore Ravens

7. New York Giants

8. Tennessee Titans

9. Cleveland Browns

10. Houston Texans

MY BOTTOM TEN DRAFT CLASSES

32. San Francisco 49ers

31. Washington Commanders

30. New England Patriots

29. Jacksonville Jaguars

28. Atlanta Falcons

27. Los Angeles Rams

26. Minnesota Vikings

25. Los Angeles Chargers

24. Kansas City Chiefs

23. Denver Broncos

Rough first round for my predictions. I correctly called 23 of the 31 players selected, but only 2 were exactly correct (Bryce Young #1 to Carolina & Tyree Wilson #7 to Las Vegas), I also called Will Anderson correctly to Houston, but not at the right pick.

Some quick winners and losers from round one:

WINNERS

• HOUSTON TEXANS- paid a price but got their franchise QB, and my number one QB, and the face of their defense & my top overall player in CJ Stroud & Will Anderson, respectively.
• PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Somehow they came out of the first round with Jalen Carter AND Nolan Smith and it only cost them next year’s fourth rounder.
• BIJAN ROBINSON- After much debate about the value of running backs, Robinson became the highest selected RB since Saquon Barkley.
• NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- Even after trading back a few spots, they landed one of the two best corners and a top ten talent in Christian Gonzalez.

LOSERS

• DETROIT LIONS- Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell are solid players, but neither plays a premier position and they both felt like major reaches.
• NEW YORK JETS- It seemed inconsequential R the time, but the first round pick swap involved in the Aaron Rodgers trade cost them a shot at a premier offensive tackle.
• WILL LEVIS- I had him mocked at #4, nearly everyone had him top fifteen and nobody had him falling out of round one. Yet, he’ll still be waiting for his name to be called on day two.
• TIGHT ENDS- The best TE class in years saw only Dalton Kincaid go in the first round, despite several teams having a clear need.

Now on to my day two mock draft:

ROUND TWO

ROUND THREE

This was bound to happen. I’ve revised my final mock draft hours before the actual draft starts. The reason being is that I’ve gotten strong indications that Tennessee will move up to #3 if Houston passes on CJ Stroud, which I strongly believe will happen.

This will be the mock i grade myself upon. Here we go:

***FINAL EDITION ***

This is version 4 of the final edition. I’m publishing now hoping nothing happens in the next 3 days.

I want to make a couple points before getting into the mock.

QUARTERBACKS

• There was a time I thought the QBs would go 1-4. Not anymore. Unless Houston at #2 or Arizona at #3 move back (and I think only one of them may be able to) I only see 2 going in the top 5.
• Bryce Young going #1 is the only guarantee of this draft.
• I do not think Will Levis is QB2, but I think Colts GM, Chris Ballard does. I think the Colts have been locked on Levis since the offseason began.
• My personal order of QBs is Stroud, Young, Richardson, Levis. Some see Levis as another Josh Allen: great tools & measurables without the college production, that blossoms in the NFL. I see him as more of a Mitch Trubisky: never quite makes it over the hump.
• I think a team will move up from the early second round to the late first for Hendon Hooker.

WILDCARDS

• Jalen Carter is a top 2 or 3 talent, there’s arguments to be made that he’s the best player in the draft. But, there’s red flags. Will talent trump those concerns? If Carter makes it past #5, that throws the whole first round off kilter (as far as my mock goes).
• Bijan Robinson is also a top 5 talent, but running back is not a premium position. If some team takes him in the top ten, that will also throw things off.
• What happens with Lamar Jackson? Does Baltimore move on? If so, that will cause total chaos.

Mocking the NFL Draft isn’t an exact science. It’s all about making an educated guess. NFL front offices always have differing opinions on some players than professional analysts, pundits and amateurs like myself.

Players will go higher and lower than anybody could predict. It’s always a wild ride and one I thoroughly enjoy.

Anyway, here’s my best guess:

#1

BRYCE YOUNG, QB, ALABAMA

Size concerns aside, Young is the most polished QB in this class.

#2

WILL ANDERSON, EDGE, ALABAMA

Anderson is, arguably, the best overall prospect in the draft.

#3

TYREE WILSON, EDGE, TEXAS TECH

Wilson has ideal size, length and bend for an NFL edge rusher.

#4

WILL LEVIS, QB, KENTUCKY

Levis has prototypical measurables for an NFL QB, and a cannon for a right arm.

#5

JALEN CARTER, IDL, GEORGIA

Red flags aside, Carter has too much talent to fall very far.

#6

CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ, CB, OREGON

Gonzalez has ideal size, speed and athleticism to be a top corner in the NFL.

#7

DEVON WITHERSPOON, CB, ILLINOIS

Witherspoon and Gonzalez are interchangeable as the top corner in the draft.

#8

NOLAN SMITH, EDGE, GEORGIA

Smith is the most athletic edge rusher in this class.

#9

Projected trade with Chicago

PARIS JOHNSON JR, OT, OHIO STATE

Johnson is the best pure tackle in the draft.

#10

Projected trade with Philadelphia

ANTHONY RICHARDSON, QB, FLORIDA

Richardson is raw, but has the most upside of any QB in this class.

#11

CJ STROUD, QB, OHIO STATE

Something that we can’t see on tape is driving Stroud down the board.

#12

JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA, WR, OHIO STATE

Despite an injury marred 2022 season, Smith-Njigba is the best receiver in this class.

#13

LUKAS VAN NESS, EDGE, IOWA

Van Ness is a bit raw, but a physical specimen with major upside.

#14

JOEY PORTER JR, CB, PENN STATE

Porter is a tough, physical corner with an excellent pedigree.

#15

PETER SKORONSKI, OT, NORTHWESTERN

Skoronski may end up kicking inside to guard, but he’s the most polished offensive lineman in the draft.

#16

Projected trade with Washington

BIJAN ROBINSON, RB, TEXAS

Robinson is the best RB prospect since Saquon Barkley, and a top five talent in this draft.

#17

Projected trade with Pittsburgh

BRODERICK JONES, OT, GEORGIA

Jones is a bit raw, but has tremendous upside as an offensive tackle.

#18

MYLES MURPHY, EDGE, CLEMSON

Murphy is an extremely talented edge rusher who may be more scheme dependent than those that went before him.

#19

Projected trade with Tampa Bay

JORDAN ADDISON, WR, USC

Addison is a well rounded, highly productive wide receiver.

#20

Projected trade with Seattle

CALIJAH KANCEY, IDL, PITTSBURGH

Kancey is undersized for a defensive tackle, but he’s very quick and tenacious, much like another Pittsburgh alum, Aaron Donald.

#21

Projected trade with LA Chargers

DEONTE BANKS, CB, MARYLAND

Banks is a smart, fast and fearless cornerback.

#22

ZAY FLOWERS, WR, BOSTON COLLEGE

Flowers is a small, but explosive WR with tremendous RAC ability.

#23

Projected trade with Minnesota

DARNELL WRIGHT, OT, TENNESSEE

Wright is the best pure right tackle in the draft. Will Anderson called him his toughest collegiate opponent.

#24

BRIAN BRANCH, S, ALABAMA

Branch is easily the top safety in the draft. Has the versatility to play nickel.

#25

O’CYRUS TORRENCE, IOL, FLORIDA

Torrence is, arguably, the top interior offensive lineman in the draft.

#26

MICHAEL MAYER, TE, NOTRE DAME

Mayer is an excellent pass catching TE with great size.

#27

QUENTIN JOHNSTON, WR, TCU

One of the bigger receivers in the class, Johnston has great contested catch ability.

#28

DARNELL WASHINGTON, TE, GEORGIA

For my money, Washington is the most electric TE in the draft.

#29

BRYAN BRESEE, IDL, CLEMSON

Bresee has the size and speed to be a very good defensive lineman in the NFL. His troubling injury history pushes him down the board.

#30

Projected trade with Philadelphia

HENDON HOOKER, QB, TENNESSEE

Hooker is older, and recovering from a torn ACL, but the talent is obvious. Some team will move up to get that extra year of team control.

#31

JALIN HYATT, WR, TENNESSEE

Hyatt has blazing speed, should contribute right away with room to grow into a more complete receiver.

All seven rounds. Every pick, 1-259. No trades.

ROUND ONE

ROUND TWO

ROUND THREE

ROUND FOUR

ROUND FIVE

ROUND SIX

ROUND SEVEN