I know, I know, I swore I wouldn’t do another mock draft before free agency, barring a trade. Well, the news of Jalen Carter’s implication in the death of a teammate and Georgia football staffer has sent ripples through the draft just like a trade would.

How will it affect his draft status? Hard to say, for sure, because we still have nearly 2 months until draft day. He could ultimately reclaim his previous status as one of the top two non quarterbacks in this class.

For now, I think it drops him completely out of the top ten. There’s too much talent there for him to fall completely out of the first round, but that could also change.

With that being said, let’s get to it.

*TRADE*

Seattle trades picks #5, 20 & 37 to Chicago for pick #1

1. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- Bryce Young, QB, Alabama: The first surprise of the draft. Seattle has Geno Smith, maybe, but Pete Carroll has made it clear he’s looking at these QBs. They have one thing the other suitors don’t, an extra first this year. That should sway Chicago.

There’s been a lot of talk about Young’s size, or lack there of, but Seattle has vast experience with a smaller QB (Russell Wilson). All of Young’s intangibles will outweigh his smaller physical stature.

2. HOUSTON TEXANS- CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State: Houston has an extra first this year, as well, but they’re unwilling to part with it to move up one spot, especially when Stroud is a pretty good consolation prize.

3. ARIZONA CARDINALS: Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama: Cardinals explore trading back, but with Anderson still on the board, they hold at 3. Anderson may be the one ‘can’t miss’ prospect in this class.

4. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- Will Levis, QB, Kentucky: Colts GM Chris Ballard has said the Colts are fine not trading up for a QB, that may be a smoke screen or it may be because Levis has been their guy and they figure he’ll still be on the board.

5. CHICAGO BEARS- Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech: Trading with Seattle is enticing for Chicago a couple reasons. One is the extra first rounder in this draft and the other is staying in the top five.

It’s really starting to look like Wilson is their guy, he fits their 4-3 scheme better than Will Anderson, and with Jalen Carter’s fall down the board, he might not be on the board if they go any further down.

*TRADE*

Carolina trades picks #9 & 61 to Detroit for pick #6.

6. CAROLINA PANTHERS- Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida: Carolina can’t wait any longer, they need to get their QB. Richardson is the biggest project of the possible first round QBs, but he may have the highest ceiling.

7. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS- Paris Johnson Jr, OT, Ohio State: Raiders will probably get their QB in free agency or via a trade, here they’ll strengthen his protection.

8. ATLANTA FALCONS- Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson: I’m convinced Atlanta will go defense here. They could have their pick of corners, but opt instead for an edge rusher.

9. DETROIT LIONS- Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois: Detroit happily pounces on the top corner on the board.

*TRADE*

NY Jets trade picks #13, 74 & 145 to Philadelphia for pick #10.

10. NEW YORK JETS- Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern: Jets leapfrog Tennessee to grab the top OT on the board.

11. TENNESSEE TITANS- Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU: With Skoronski off the board, Tennessee pivots to WR.

12. HOUSTON TEXANS- Jordan Addison, WR, USC: Houston gets their new QB a number one WR to grow with.

13. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon: Philadelphia adds a couple more picks and then snags a replacement for James Bradberry.

14. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- Joey Porter Jr, CB, Penn State: WR is a huge need, but I feel like Belichick will go defense here.

15. GREEN BAY PACKERS- Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame: First, Aaron Rodgers will be the Packers QB in 2023. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get him some help, the top TE in the class would do that.

*TRADE*

Detroit trades picks #18 & 154 to Washington for pick #16.

16. DETROIT LIONS- Jalen Carter, IDL, Georgia: Detroit moves up and stops Carter’s fall. Red flags aside, Carter is a massive talent.

17. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia: Pittsburgh builds up the protection for Kenny Pickett.

*TRADE*

Jacksonville trades picks #24 & 88 to Washington for pick #18.

18. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Brian Branch, S, Alabama: Jacksonville moves up to secure the top safety in the class.

*TRADE*

Philadelphia trades picks #30 & 74 to Tampa Bay for pick #19.

19. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas: Philly keeps wheeling and dealing, leapfrogging several teams to grab the best RB prospect since Saquon Barkley. Robinson could take this Eagles offense to a whole other level, scary.

20. CHICAGO BEARS- Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State: The city of Chicago rejoices as GM Ryan Poles turns the number one pick into Tyree Wilson & a true number one receiver and one that Justin Fields is quite familiar with.

*TRADE*

NY Giants trade picks #25 & 100 to LA Chargers for pick #21.

21. NEW YORK GIANTS- Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee: Giants jump ahead of Baltimore to snag the speedster from Tennessee to bolster one of the worst receiving corps in the NFL.

22. BALTIMORE RAVENS- Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College: Baltimore will ultimately sign Lamar Jackson to an extension, now they get him another weapon.

23. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa: I’d be surprised if Minnesota doesn’t go defense with this pick.

24. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS- Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia: After trading down twice, Washington lands what was once considered the top corner in the class.

25. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah: Chargers drop down a few spots and add a stud TE for Justin Herbert.

26. DALLAS COWBOYS- Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas: Pairing Sanders with Micah Parsons would give Dallas’ opponents’ nightmares.

27. BUFFALO BILLS- O’Cyrus Torrence, IOL, Florida: Bills grab the top interior lineman in the class.

28. CINCINNATI BENGALS- Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina: For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, like Cincinnati, pass defense is paramount in the AFC.

29. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS- Bryan Bresee, IDL, Clemson: Personally, I’m shocked Bresee is still on the board, but New Orleans should be perfectly happy about it.

30. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia: So many directions Tampa could go, but with the GOAT gone, it’s time to get younger and cheaper everywhere.

31. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma: Super Bowl champion Kansas City drafts a replacement for the possibly departing Orlando Brown.

I said I wouldn’t do another first round mock until after free agency frenzy, barring any trades beforehand, but I never said I wouldn’t do any mocks at all. I love mock draft season, I can’t get enough. For this one, I picked six teams and did full seven round mocks for each.

I picked these six because 1 is my team, the other 5 are teams I have friends that root for. It must be noted that I did each team’s mock separately, so there may be the same players listed for different teams.

I decided to include trades mainly because I’m pretty certain my Chicago Bears are going to trade out of the first overall pick, so I might as well do trades for everyone. I used Pro Football Focus’s mock draft machine because their trades are the most realistic.

Without further ado:

CHICAGO BEARS

Rd1, Pick9- Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech

Rd2, Pick46- John Michael Schmitz, IOL, Minnesota

Rd2, Pick54- Siaki Ika, IDL, Baylor

Rd2, Pick61- Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa

Rd3, Pick64- Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee

Rd3, Pick90- Cody Mauch, OT, North Dakota State

Rd4, Pick103- Kei’Trel Clark, CB, Louisville

Rd4, Pick117- Keondre Coburn, IDL, Texas

Rd4, Pick134- Andrew Vorhees, IOL, USC

Rd5, Pick137- Chase Brown, RB, Illinois

Rd5, Pick150- Rakim Jarrett, WR, Maryland

Rd5, Pick176- Connor Galvin, OT, Baylor

Rd7, Pick 220- Zack Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion

A lot went on here. I had Bears GM Ryan Poles wheeling & dealing. A quick recap of the trades:

Traded the #1 overall pick to Indianapolis for the #4 & #35 in this draft, PLUS Indy’s first & second rounders in 2024.

Traded the #4 pick to Carolina for #9 & #61 this year AND Carolina’s ‘24 first rounder.

Traded pick #35 to New England for picks #46, 76 & 117.

Traded pick #76 to Dallas for picks #90 & 176 this year AND Dallas’ 2024 fourth rounder.

So, double trade down in the first round? It’s possible, but unlikely. It’s good to think big in mock drafts though. Bears add 2 ‘24 firsts and get an edge (Wilson) that’s a better schematic fit than Will Anderson may be.

I was also able to add a day one starting center (Schmitz), a good rotational piece to the defensive line (Ika), a possible starting LB (Campbell), a speedy WR with a ton of potential (Hyatt), offensive line depth & a replacement for David Montgomery (Brown), should Monty leave in free agency.

Overall, I’m pretty pleased with this Bears mock. PFF gave this an A grade.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Rd1, Pick 17- Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia

Rd2, Pick32- Mazi Smith, IDL, Michigan

Rd2, Pick49- Garrett Williams, CB, Syracuse

Rd4, Pick 108- Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee

Rd4, Pick120- Ji’Ayir Brown, S, Penn State

Rd7, Pick236- Carlton Martial, LB, Troy

Rd7, Pick243- TJ Bass, OT, Oregon

I had the Steelers making one trade, sending pick #80 to Denver for pick #108 & Denver’s 2024 third & fourth rounders.

This is the first mock I’ve run where Pittsburgh doesn’t go defense in the first round. Jones should help protect Kenny Pickett, while Tillman will give him 3 high end receiver targets. Smith & Williams should be immediate contributors on defense.

PFF gave this Steelers mock draft an A- grade.

NEW YORK GIANTS

Rd1, Pick25- Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College

Rd2, Pick57- Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson

Rd3, Pick93- Kendre Miller, RB, TCU

Rd3, Pick100- Jaquelin Roy, IDL, LSU

Rd4, Pick128- Trey Palmer, WR, Nebraska

Rd5, Pick162- Trey Dean III, S, Florida

Rd6, Pick209- Clayton Tune, QB, Houston

Rd6, Pick218- Darrell Luter Jr, CB, South Alabama

Rd7, Pick 242- Richard Gouraige, OT, Florida

Rd7, Pick245- Brenton Strange, TE, Penn State

Rd7, Pick254- Daniel Scott, S, California

Giants made one trade in this mock, sending pick #89 to Carolina for pick #93 and Carolina’s 2024 fifth rounder.

Flowers & Simpson should be immediate contributors and key pieces of the Giants’ future. Miller is a nice insurance policy in case Saquon Barkley leaves. NY will almost certainly pay QB Daniel Jones, and they’ll most certainly regret it. Taking flyers on late round QBs is never a bad idea.

PFF gave this mock an A- grade.

DALLAS COWBOYS

Rd1, Pick26- Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

Rd2, Pick60- Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson

Rd3, Pick90- JL Skinner, S, Boise State

Rd4, Pick129- Byron Young, IDL, Alabama

Rd5, Pick163- Luke Haggard, OT, Indiana

Rd5, Pick170- Emil Ekiyor Jr, IOL, Alabama

Rd5, Pick176- Luke Schoonmaker, TE, Michigan

Rd6, Pick212- Dee Winters, LB, TCU

Rd7, Pick246- Jalen Wayne, WR, South Alabama

The Cowboys trade pick #58 to Cincinnati for pick #60 AND Cincy’s fourth rounders in 2024 & 2025.

PFF didn’t like the Robinson pick as much as I did. Positional value and need, I guess. But, with Ezekiel Elliot nowhere near his prime, and Tony Pollard recovering from injury (assuming either remains with the team), I think Jerry Jones would love to add a stud RB from Texas.

PFF also didn’t like my Schoonmaker pick, but it’s up in the air if Dalton Schultz returns. I could have targeted a WR earlier than with their last pick, I suppose.

PFF gave this a B+ grade.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Rd1, Pick13- Calijah Kancey, IDL, Pittsburgh

Rd1, Pick30- Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

Rd2, Pick43- Tuli Tuipuloto, EDGE, USC

Rd2, Pick62- Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson

Rd3, Pick94- Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee

Rd7, Pick221- Caleb Murphy, IOL, Indiana

Rd7, Pick250- Brandon Hill, S, Pittsburgh

Eagles traded pick #10 to the New York Jets for picks #13 & 43.

Philly is coming off a Super Bowl appearance and has no glaring needs, so I traded down from 10, at 13 I still wasn’t crazy about any of the players in that range and I looked to trade down again, but I couldn’t find a good match. Kancey could help replace Javon Hargraves and/or Brandon Graham if they leave.

PFF, once again, didn’t like the selection of Robinson, but I just think of how dangerous this Eagles offense would be with his addition, a huge upgrade over Miles Sanders & Boston Scott.

Philly is in a perfect position to take a chance on Hooker, whose skill set is closer to Jalen Hurts than Gardner Minshew is.

PFF grades this Eagles mock draft a B.

MIAMI DOLPHINS

Rd2, Pick52- John Michael Schmitz, IOL, Minnesota

Rd3, Pick77- Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia

Rd3, Pick84- DeMarvion Overshown, LB, Texas

Rd6, Pick198- Ryan Hayes, OT, Michigan

Rd7, Pick240- Habakkuk Baldonado, EDGE, Pittsburgh

Miami only has five picks total, and doesn’t make their first selection until the end of the second round. Still, I think I did well for the Dolphins.

Schmitz, Ringo & Overshown should be immediate contributors and long term pieces. Hayes is good OL depth & you can never have too many pass rushers.

PFF gave this Dolphins mock a B+ grade.

That’s it, for now. If you’re reading this and would like to see seven round projections for any other team, please let me know. I’ll be happy to go down the mock draft rabbit hole, again.

The 2022 NFL season is in the books. Congratulations to Andy Reid & the Kansas City Chiefs on winning their second Super Bowl in 4 years.

Mock drafts before free agency are purely speculation, I’m not going to add to that speculation by trying to predict who goes where, I’m basing needs on what they currently are.

Barring any trades, this will be my only first round mock until after free agency frenzy.

Let’s kick this pig!

*TRADE*

Indianapolis receives the #1 overall pick. Chicago receives #4 & #35 this year & Indy’s first & second round picks in 2024.

1. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- Bryce Young, QB, Alabama: Colts pay a steep price to move up 3 spots, but they’re going to have to to get their guy, because there’s plenty of competition. With the hiring of Shane Steichen as head coach, I believe Young is their guy.

2. HOUSTON TEXANS- CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State: Davis Mills hasn’t been terrible, but new head coach, Demeco Ryans is going to want to build around his guy, that guy should be Stroud.

3. ARIZONA CARDINALS- Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama: Cardinals don’t have a head coach, yet, but Anderson should be firmly on their radar, regardless.

4. CHICAGO BEARS- Jalen Carter, IDL, Georgia: An absolute win for Da’ Bears. They get a tremendous haul from Indy and still land the guy they’re probably targeting at #1. Anderson & Carter are the premier defensive players in this draft, but the 3 tech is the key to Eberflus’ defense. Mission accomplished.

*TRADE*

Carolina receives #5 pick. Seattle receives #9 & #39 this year plus Carolina’s second rounder in 2024.

5. CAROLINA PANTHERS- Will Levis, QB, Kentucky: Frank Reich isn’t going to make the same mistake he made in Indy, he won’t roll with veteran also rans at QB. Sitting at #9, they will have to move up to thwart other QB needy teams, but they can’t afford not to.

6. DETROIT LIONS- Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois: Jared Goff was good enough that Detroit shouldn’t be looking for a QB, instead they should be looking defense to take that next step and make the playoffs in ‘24.

7. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS- Paris Johnson Jr, OT, Ohio State: Raiders will reportedly release Derek Carr, so they’re firmly in the QB market, but I think they’ll land a veteran through free agency or a trade. Protection for their new QB becomes their priority.

8. ATLANTA FALCONS- Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech: I think Atlanta will give Desmond Ridder a chance to take over the QB job in ‘23. They may think about receiver or O-line here, but the value pick is pass rusher.

9. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- Calijah Kancey, IDL, Pittsburgh: Seattle trades down to add some picks and makes the first real surprise pick of this mock. Kancey has been shooting up draft boards since the end of the season.

10. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas: Philly will lose some guys in free agency, including, possibly their top two RBs. This might seem high for RB, but Robinson is a top ten talent in this class. Imagine the Eagles offense with a bell cow RB.

11. TENNESSEE TITANS- Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern: I think Tennessee will move on from Ryan Tannehill at QB, Malik Willis has tons of potential so I don’t think they’ll draft one, even though he’s not quite ready to be the starter. Here, they shore up the offensive line.

12. HOUSTON TEXANS- Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU: Houston got their new franchise QB earlier, now they get him a number one WR.

*TRADE*

Tampa Bay receives pick #13. NY Jets receive picks #19, 50 & 155 this year & Tampa’s third rounder in ‘24.

13. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida: The GOAT’s retirement leaves Tampa at a crossroads. They have an expensive, aging roster and no successor at QB. It’s time to hit the reset button. They can’t afford to wait too long on Richardson, who is raw but has exciting potential.

14. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa: Receiver might be a bigger need, especially if Jakobi Myers leaves, but I feel Belichick will prioritize defense and let’s face it, Lukas Van Ness sounds like a Patriot.

*TRADE*

LA Chargers receive pick #15. Green Bay receives picks #21 & 124 this year & LA’s second rounder in 2024.

15. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- Jordan Addison, WR, USC: Rumor is Keenan Allen may be a cap casualty, here the Chargers move up to replace him.

16. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS- Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia: Washington can go in many directions with this pick, I don’t think they’ll be in the QB market, though. Offensive line or defensive back is my thinking, Jones is the top player, at either, still on the board.

17. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon: Been mocking cornerbacks to Pittsburgh pretty consistently, at this point in time it’s Gonzalez.

18. DETROIT LIONS- Bryan Bresee, IDL, Clemson: I’ve seen some mock drafts where Detroit takes Bresee with their first pick, getting him here is a steal.

19. NEW YORK JETS- Brian Branch, S, Alabama: When the Jets were on the clock at #13, I was leaning towards Branch until Tampa called. Jets add picks and still get him.

20. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson: Much like Detroit, Seattle gets a guy many are mocking to them with their first pick with their second. That’s a win.

21. GREEN BAY PACKERS- Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State: As a Chicago Bears fan my strategy for mocking Green Bay is ‘what would tick me off the most’? This is it.

22. BALTIMORE RAVENS- Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College: Baltimore needs to get better, more reliable receivers for Lamar Jackson. Flowers could be dynamic.

23. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Joey Porter Jr, CB, Penn State: Minnesota should be singularly focused on pass defense this offseason.

24. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland: Jacksonville could go in several directions, the value is at corner.

25. NEW YORK GIANTS- Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah: Giants need pass catchers, including a go to tight end.

26. DALLAS COWBOYS- Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame: Dallas may lose Dalton Schultz in free agency, Dak Prescott needs more weapons.

27. BUFFALO BILLS- Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma: Improving Josh Allen’s protection is never a bad idea.

28. CINCINNATI BENGALS- Andre Carter II, EDGE, Army: Cincy adds a top notch athlete to its pass rush.

29. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS- Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford: New Orleans has been in cap purgatory for years, they need to reset the clock with a rookie QB.

30. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M: Pretty much best player available & he’ll help the Eagles secondary.

31. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Mazi Smith, IDL, Michigan: Super Bowl champs add a run stuffer to the defensive line.

Down to 4 teams left standing. 27 of the first round positions are set. For this mock, I’ll go 3 rounds w/ no projected trades.

ROUND ONE

1. CHICAGO BEARS- Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama: Fully expect Bears to trade down, but staying put they take the best overall player in the draft.

2. HOUSTON TEXANS- Bryce Young, QB, Alabama: Texans are in danger of being leapfrogged for the top QB, but they land him here.

3. ARIZONA CARDINALS- Jalen Carter, IDL, Georgia: Cardinals are a prime trade back candidate, but here they go with a disruptive force for their defensive line.

4. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State: Colts could move up ahead of Texans to get first crack at QB. I think the Levis talk is just smoke at this point.

5. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (from Denver)- Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson: Seahawks use the pick acquired for Russell Wilson to continue rebuilding the Legion of Boom.

6. DETROIT LIONS (from LA Rams)- Bryan Bresee, IDL, Clemson: Lions bolster their defensive line w/ the pick acquired for Matthew Stafford.

7. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS- Paris Johnson Jr, OT, Ohio State: I expect the Raiders to go the veteran route at QB, they use this pick to protect him.

8. ATLANTA FALCONS- Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech: I think the Falcons will give Desmond Ridder a full season at QB, they use this pick for defense.

9. CAROLINA PANTHERS- Will Levis, QB, Kentucky: I don’t think Carolina can stay at 9 & land a QB, but they do here.

10. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (from New Orleans)- Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon: James Bradberry could leave in free agency, Eagles draft a replacement.

11. TENNESSEE TITANS- Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU: Titans add the top WR in the draft.

12. HOUSTON TEXANS (from Cleveland)- Jordan Addison, WR, USC: Texans give their new QB a number 1 WR.

13. NEW YORK JETS- Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern: No matter who’s under center for the Jets, he needs better protection.

14. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia: Opting for a potential lock down corner feels like a Belichick move.

15. GREEN BAY PACKERS- Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame: Another reliable pass catcher for Aaron Rodgers, if he stays in Green Bay, of course.

16. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS- Joey Porter Jr, CB, Penn State: I think Washington will give Sam Howell a chance to solidify the QB position, they’ll bolster the pass defense here.

17. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina: Steelers could use a shut down corner.

18. DETROIT LIONS- Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida: Feels like a perfect spot for Richardson. Detroit can let him sit behind Goff for awhile until he’s ready.

19. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois: Witherspoon is quickly rising up draft boards, Tampa snatches him up.

20. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- Brian Branch, S, Alabama: Seattle uses their second first rounder to solidify the back end of their defense.

21. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State: Another weapon for Justin Herbert.

22. BALTIMORE RAVENS- Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah: Having to face Burrow & the Bengals twice a year means you can’t have enough defensive backs.

23. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia: Vikings pass rush could still use some help.

24. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Siaki Ika, IDL, Baylor: Jags strengthen their run defense.

25. NEW YORK GIANTS- Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson: Giants opt for the top defensive player on the board.

26. DALLAS COWBOYS- Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas: Cowboys need more offensive weapons. Robinson is the best RB prospect since Saquon Barkley.

27. BUFFALO BILLS- O’Cyrus Torrence, IOL, Florida: Bills address their offensive line.

28. CINCINNATI BENGALS- Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia: Joe Burrow still gets sacked too often.

29. DENVER BRONCOS (from San Francisco via Miami)- Isaiah Foskey, EDGE, Notre Dame: A replacement for Bradley Chubb.

30. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma: More protection for Patrick Mahomes.

31. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama: Miles Sanders & Boston Scott are both free agents.

ROUND TWO

32. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (from Chicago)- Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas

33. HOUSTON TEXANS- BJ Ojulari, EDGE, LSU

34. ARIZONA CARDINALS- Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State

35. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee

36. LOS ANGELES RAMS- Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State

37. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (from Denver)- Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa

38. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS- Andre Carter II, EDGE, Army

39. CAROLINA PANTHERS- Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina

40. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS- Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College

41. TENNESSEE TITANS- John Michael Schmitz, IOL, Minnesota

42. CLEVELAND BROWNS- Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU

43. NEW YORK JETS- Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M

44. ATLANTA FALCONS- Gervon Dexter, IDL, Florida

45. GREEN BAY PACKERS- Rashee Rice, WR, SMU

46. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon

47. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS- Henry To’oto’o, LB, Alabama

48. DETROIT LIONS- Derick Hall, EDGE, Auburn

49. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Tuli Tuipulotu, DL, USC

50. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA

51. MIAMI DOLPHINS- Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State

52. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford

53. CHICAGO BEARS (from Baltimore)- Cody Mauch, OT, North Dakota State

54. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia

55. DETROIT LIONS (from Minnesota)- Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah

56. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee

57. NEW YORK GIANTS- Garrett Williams, CB, Syracuse

58. DALLAS COWBOYS- Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa

59. BUFFALO BILLS- Jordan Battle, S, Alabama

60. CINCINNATI BENGALS- Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State

61. CAROLINA PANTHERS (from San Francisco)- Zach Harrison, EDGE, Ohio State

62. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Mazi Smith, IDL, Michigan

63. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Brandon Joseph, S, Notre Dame

ROUND THREE

64. CHICAGO BEARS- Andrew Vorhees, IOL, USC

65. HOUSTON TEXANS- Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland

66. ARIZONA CARDINALS- Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M

67. DENVER BRONCOS (from Indianapolis)- Eli Ricks, CB, Alabama

68. DENVER BRONCOS- Will McDonald IV, EDGE, Iowa State

69. LOS ANGELES RAMS- Matthew Bergeron, OT, Syracuse

70. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS- Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee

71. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS- Chris Smith II, S, Georgia

72. TENNESSEE TITANS- Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa

73. HOUSTON TEXANS (from Cleveland)- Jarrett Patterson, IOL, Notre Dame

74. NEW YORK JETS- Jaylon Jones, CB, Texas A&M

75. ATLANTA FALCONS- Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee

76. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (from Carolina)- Marvin Mims, WR, Oklahoma

77. MIAMI DOLPHINS (from New England)- Blake Freeland, OT, BYU

78. GREEN BAY PACKERS- JL Skinner, S, Boise State

79. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (from Washington)- DJ Turner, CB, Michigan

80. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Tyler Steen, OT, Alabama

81. DETROIT LIONS- Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, CB, TCU

82. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Xavier Hutchinson, WR, Iowa State

83. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- Kyu Blu Kelly, CB, Stanford

84. MIAMI DOLPHINS- Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State

85. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- Calijah Kancey, IDL, Pittsburgh

86. BALTIMORE RAVENS- Zach Evans, RB, Mississippi

87. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Sydney Brown, S, Illinois

88. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Luke Wypler, IOL, Ohio State

89. NEW YORK GIANTS- Parker Washington, WR, Penn State

90. DALLAS COWBOYS- Jaquelin Roy, IDL, LSU

91. BUFFALO BILLS- Zion Nelson, OT, Miami-Fl

92. CINCINNATI BENGALS- Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State

93. CAROLINA PANTHERS (from San Francisco)- Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State

94. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Adetomiwa Adebawore, EDGE, Northwestern

95. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Mike Morris, EDGE, Michigan

96. ARIZONA CARDINALS- Nathaniel Dell, WR, Houston

97. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS- Emil Ekiyor Jr, IOL, Alabama

98. CLEVELAND BROWNS- Rashad Torrence II, S, Florida

99. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS- Mekhi Garner, CB, LSU

100. NEW YORK GIANTS (from Kansas City)- Tank Bigsby, RB, Auburn

101. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS- Colby Wooden, IDL, Auburn

“Wishful Thinking Edition”

The top 23 positions are set, actually 24 but Miami forfeited their first rounder. I’ve projected a couple trades in this one, for QBs of course.

1. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (Projected trade w/Chicago)- Will Levis, QB, Kentucky: Indy seems the most likely team to move up to number one, and rumor has it they’re already enamored w/ Levis.

2. HOUSTON TEXANS- Bryce Young, QB, Alabama: Texans get jumped by a division rival, but Young is a pretty good consolation prize.

3. CAROLINA PANTHERS (Projected trade w/Arizona): CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State- Panthers are sitting at 9 w/ one team definitely in the market for a new QB & 3 more that could be in front of them. They can’t afford to wait.

4. CHICAGO BEARS (Projected trade w/ Indianapolis)- Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama: Best case scenario for the Bears, they add more draft capital moving down 3 spots & still land the guy they’d have taken at 1.

5. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (from Denver)- Jalen Carter, IDL, Georgia: The Russell Wilson trade gets more lopsided in favor of Seattle.

6. DETROIT LIONS (from LA Rams)- Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia: Detroit is a team on the rise, strengthening the pass defense could make them a playoff team.

7. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS- Paris Johnson Jr, OT, Ohio State: Raiders are in the QB market, but they’ll probably go the veteran free agent route. Strengthening the OL is the play here.

8. ATLANTA FALCONS- Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson: Falcons have got to get better defensively.

9. ARIZONA CARDINALS (Projected trade w/ Carolina)- Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech: Cardinals trade down, adding draft capital & finding a replacement for JJ Watt.

10. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (from New Orleans)- Joey Porter Jr, CB, Penn State: Eagles could lose James Bradberry in free agency, they draft a replacement.

11. TENNESSEE TITANS- Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU: Johnston & last year’s first rounder, Treylon Burks, would give Tennessee a young, formidable receiver duo.

12. HOUSTON TEXANS (from Cleveland)- Jordan Addison, WR, USC: Texans give their new QB a go to WR to grow with.

13. NEW YORK JETS- Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern: Regardless of who is behind center for the Jets next season, he’ll need better protection.

14. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon: Receiver might be a bigger need, but Belichick will prioritize defense.

15. GREEN BAY PACKERS- Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame: Adding another reliable pass catcher seems like a move to appease Rodgers.

16. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS- Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina: Bolstering the pass defense in a division w/ Philly & Dallas is a wise move.

17. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Bryan Bresee, IDL, Clemson: Steelers benefit from an inexplicable fall, Bresee is a top ten talent in this class.

18. DETROIT LIONS- Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida: With Jared Goff in the fold, the Lions can be patient w/ Richardson, who has all the tools but needs time to develop.

19. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois: Tampa needs to start revamping their defense, they start with a corner.

20. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- Brian Branch, S, Alabama: Branch could be the final piece in Seattle’s new legion of boom.

21. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia: Adding Jones could give Justin Herbert elite protection.

22. BALTIMORE RAVENS- Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State: Injuries marred his 2022 season, but JSN might be the best receiver in the class.

23. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah: Minnesota tried to improve their secondary in last year’s draft, they need to take another shot.

The order for the rest of the picks are subject to change.

24. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma: Jags might lose Jawaan Taylor in free agency, they draft a replacement.

25. NEW YORK GIANTS- Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee: Giants have one of the worst receiving corps in the NFL.

26. DALLAS COWBOYS- Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas: Tony Pollard is probably gone in free agency & Zeke is a shell of his former self.

27. CINCINNATI BENGALS- O’Cyrus Torrence, IOL, Florida: Cincy vastly upgraded the offensive line last offseason but it still needs work.

28. DENVER BRONCOS (from SF via Miami)- Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia: Denver drafts a replacement for Bradley Chubb.

29. BUFFALO BILLS- Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M: Bills have no glaring needs, safety might be one.

30. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Isaiah Foskey, EDGE, Notre Dame: Can never go wrong with a pass rusher.

31. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson: Eagles use their second first rounder to land the best off ball linebacker in the class.

The regular season is over, so now it’s mock draft season! The first 18 picks are set, 19 through 31 (Miami forfeited their first round pick) are still to be determined. Let’s dive right in.

1. CHICAGO BEARS- Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama: I fully expect Chicago to trade out of this spot for a monster haul, but if they stay put it’s between Anderson & Jalen Carter. I opted for Anderson because IDL are available in free agency.

2. HOUSTON TEXANS- Bryce Young, QB, Alabama: Texans have to go QB here, but they’ll have to fend off other suitors for Young.

3. ARIZONA CARDINALS- Jalen Carter, IDL, Georgia: Arizona is a potential trade target for QB needy teams, but staying put lands them a disruptive force on their defensive line.

4. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State: Colts cannot keep playing the veteran QB carousel. They may covet Young and move up, but staying at 4 lands them Stroud.

5. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (from Denver)- Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson: A gift from the Russell Wilson trade, Seattle continues rebuilding their defense.

6. DETROIT LIONS (from LA Rams)- Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia: Detroit is a team on the rise, need to strengthen the defense to take the next step.

7. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS- Will Levis, QB, Kentucky: Raiders have signaled they’re ready to move on from QB Derek Carr. Unless they trade up, Levis could be their target.

8. ATLANTA FALCONS- Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech: Falcons could go in many directions with this pick, including QB, but I have them bolstering their pass rush.

9. CAROLINA PANTHERS- Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida: I have to think Carolina has to take a QB here, Richardson is the only first round worthy one left.

10. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (from New Orleans)- Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon: Philly has very few holes to fill, LB may be one.

11. TENNESSEE TITANS- Paris Johnson Jr, OT, Ohio State: Titans take the top tackle in the draft.

12. HOUSTON TEXANS (from Cleveland)- Jordan Addison, WR, USC: Texans get their new QB a number one receiver.

13. NEW YORK JETS- Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern: Jets may move on from Zach Wilson, but they’ll do it with a veteran not through the draft. Here they’ll bolster his protection.

14. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon: Belichick knows he needs lockdown corners in a division with Buffalo & Miami.

15. GREEN BAY PACKERS- Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame: Will Aaron Rodgers return or retire? Who knows, but let’s add a reliable TE to the mix.

16. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS- Joey Porter, Jr, CB, Penn State: Commanders need a QB, but none worth this pick. Instead they’ll bolster the pass defense.

17. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina: I have the Steelers eyeing corners, Smith is the top one still on the board.

18. DETROIT LIONS- Bryan Bresee, IDL, Clemson: Lions go defense, again, with their second first rounder.

The order of the rest of the picks are subject to change.

19. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia: Brady’s future is uncertain, but QB isn’t really an option here. Revamping the pass rush is Tampa’s choice.

20. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- Brian Branch, S, Alabama: Love the pairing of player & team here.

21. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M: Jags could go several directions here, I have them opting to strengthen the back end of their defense.

22. NEW YORK GIANTS- Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State: Giants have to get a receiver.

23. BALTIMORE RAVENS- Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU: Ravens are one of the best drafting teams in the NFL, it helps when the board falls your way.

24. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson: Chargers address the weakest part of their defense.

25. DALLAS COWBOYS- Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas: Tony Pollard is a free agent. Zeke Elliot is not what he used to be & Robinson is a Texas guy, definitely feels like a Jerry Jones pick.

26. CINCINNATI BENGALS- Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia: Cincy improved their OL last offseason but it still needs work.

27. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah: Minnesota needs to keep improving the pass defense.

28. DENVER BRONCOS (from SF via Miami)- BJ Ojulari, EDGE, LSU: Broncos draft a replacement for Bradley Chubb.

29. BUFFALO BILLS- O’Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida: Not many needs for Buffalo, interior offensive line might be one.

30. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Isaiah Foskey, EDGE, Notre Dame: Chiefs go with a pass rusher.

31. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Eli Ricks, CB, Alabama: Eagles may need a replacement for James Bradberry.

AFC EAST

BUFFALO BILLS- Buffalo is loaded so they didn’t have many needs to address, but they did well. DB Kaiir Elam fills a need & RB James Cook can take this offense to a whole new level of awesome. Bonus points for adding the ‘Punt God’ Matt Araiza.

FAVORITE PICK: James Cook, RB, Georgia (Round 2, Pick #63)

GRADE: B+

MIAMI DOLPHINS- Fins didn’t have many picks because of the Tyreek Hill acquisition, so that has to factor into their grade. Adding a LB, Channing Tindall, from that historic Georgia defense is a plus move. Wasting one of only three picks, even a 7th rounder, on a likely practice squad QB is not.

FAVORITE PICK: Channing Tindall, LB, Georgia (Round 3, Pick #103)

GRADE: B-

NEW YORK JETS- Do the Jets actually have competent leadership? This draft was a flat out home run. They landed 3 potential All Pros in the first, and probable starters in the rest of their picks.

FAVORITE PICK: Jermaine Johnson, EDGE, Florida State (Round 1, Pick #26)

GRADE: A+

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- I never like to second guess Bill Belichick, but the Patriots do have a track record of bad drafting, actually. Their draft class is full of major reaches and gambles on character.

FAVORITE PICK: Andrew Stueber, OT, Michigan (Round 7, Pick #245)

GRADE: D

AFC NORTH

CINCINNATI BENGALS- Defending AFC Champs addressed most of their needs in free agency, so this was a fine draft. None of their picks really stands out as a can’t miss, future All Pro, but none stand out as complete overreaches either.

FAVORITE PICK: Jeffrey Gunter, LB, Coastal Carolina (Round 7, Pick #252)

GRADE: C

CLEVELAND BROWNS- Browns spent good deal of draft capital acquiring Deshaun Watson, so that should be taken into account. They found some good value picks throughout, but not finding a trade partner for Baker Mayfield drags their grade down a little.

FAVORITE PICK: Perrion Winfrey, IDL, Oklahoma (Round 4, Pick #108)

GRADE: B-

BALTIMORE RAVENS- No team in the NFL drafts as well as Baltimore does. They absolutely killed it by letting the board come to them. They hit home runs on their first 3 picks and there’s gems sprinkled throughout the rest of the class.

FAVORITE PICK: David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan (Round 2, Pick #45)

GRADE: A+

PITTSBURGH STEELERS- They landed their QB of the future and a replacement for JuJu Smith-Schuster. Time will tell if they picked the right QB, but for now it gets them an above average grade.

FAVORITE PICK: Calvin Austin III, WR, Memphis (Round 4, Pick #138)

GRADE: A-

AFC SOUTH

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- Colts did well for not having a first round pick, which they gave away for the now departed Carson Wentz, which does lower their grade a bit.

FAVORITE PICK: Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati (Round 2, Pick #53)

GRADE: B-

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- I think the Jags made a mistake by taking Travon Walker over Aidan Hutchinson, but they made up for that by making a deft move to select Devin Lloyd. The rest of their class is merely average.

FAVORITE PICK: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah (Round 1, Pick #27)

GRADE: B-

HOUSTON TEXANS: Their 2 first round picks were solid, but I felt they left better players at both positions on the board. Their entire draft class is filled with reaches.

FAVORITE PICK: Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor (Round 2, Pick #37)

GRADE: C

TENNESSEE TITANS- Having to part ways with AJ Brown lowers their grade a little, but the Titans made some solid selections, including landing a possible franchise QB in the third round.

FAVORITE PICK: Malik Willis, QB, Liberty (Round 3, Pick #86)

GRADE: A-

AFC WEST

DENVER BRONCOS- Broncos gave up their first rounder in the Russell Wilson acquisition, so that factors into their grade. Their draft class is rather uninspiring, but not overly disappointing.

FAVORITE PICK: Damarri Mathis, CB, Pittsburgh (Round 4, Pick #115)

GRADE: C+

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- Chargers did quite a bit to improve the defense during free agency, so their draft was just about bits and pieces. I mocked Zion Johnson to them, so that pick is plus. Decent, if not spectacular class.

FAVORITE PICK: Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M (Round 4, Pick #123)

GRADE: B

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- KC quietly had a pretty good draft. Both first rounders will contribute immediately to a suspect defense. They landed the closest thing to a replacement for Tyreek Hill as they could have hoped.

FAVORITE PICK: Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan (Round 2, Pick #54)

GRADE: A-

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS- Vegas didn’t make their first pick until the third round after acquiring Davante Adams, so that factors into their grade. Solid picks throughout.

FAVORITE PICK: Thayer Munford, IOL, Ohio State (Round 7, Pick #238)

GRADE: B

NFC EAST

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS- Washington reached a bit in the first round, but they found good value in later rounds. They landed a plan B to the inevitable Carson Wentz collapse.

FAVORITE PICK: Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina (Round 5, Pick #144)

GRADE: B-

DALLAS COWBOYS- The Cowboys had a slight reach in the first round, but found good value in later rounds. A solid draft class.

FAVORITE PICK: Jalen Torbert, WR, South Alabama (Round 3, Pick #88)

GRADE: A-

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Philly started the offseason with 3 first round picks. They flipped one to New Orleans for a first rounder next year, they flipped another to Tennessee for AJ Brown. That’s a win. They also made a deft move to get ahead of Baltimore to land Jordan Davis. Oh, and they got a first round talent in the third. Gang Green had a good weekend.

FAVORITE PICK: Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia (Round 3, Pick #83)

GRADE: A+

NEW YORK GIANTS- Their first round was perfect, then they started reaching a little. Still landed some solid talent throughout.

FAVORITE PICK- Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon (Round 1, Pick #5)

GRADE: A

NFC NORTH

CHICAGO BEARS- Bears entered the draft with six picks, they ended up with 11. They completely remade the weakest part of their defense, the secondary, with 2 instant starters. Only added 1 WR, and he’s a 25 year old project. They also better hope at least one of those late round offensive lineman hits.

FAVORITE PICK: Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington (Round 2, Pick #39)

GRADE: C

DETROIT LIONS- Hometown hero Aidan Hutchinson fell in their lap & they fleeced division rival Minnesota to snag perhaps the best WR in the class. Overall, a solid class.

FAVORITE PICK: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama (Round 1, Pick #12)

GRADE: A-

GREEN BAY PACKERS- The board didn’t fall their way in the first round, but they more than made up for that in later rounds. Really didn’t miss on a single pick.

FAVORITE PICK: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State (Round 2, Pick #34)

GRADE: A+

MINNESOTA VIKINGS- None of their picks jumps off the page as absolute slam dunks, add that to the fact they made not one, but 2 trades that greatly helped division rivals, and this was a subpar draft.

FAVORITE PICK- Brian Asamoah, LB, Oklahoma (Round 3, Pick #66)

GRADE: D+

NFC SOUTH

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Nothing spectacular, nothing terrible. A really average, solid draft class.

FAVORITE PICK- Zyon McCollum, CB, Sam Houston State (Round 5, Pick #157)

GRADE: C

ATLANTA FALCONS- I had Drake London as the third or fourth WR, Atlanta made him the first off the board. Didn’t really make any other mistakes and landed a potential starting QB in the third.

FAVORITE PICK: Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati (Round 3, Pick #74)

GRADE: B+

CAROLINA PANTHERS- With only one pick in the first three rounds, I thought it was a mistake not draft a QB in the first, or trade back for more picks. They were able to move into the end of the third a get a potential starting QB, however. Pretty solid class considering the draft capital they had.

FAVORITE PICK: Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss (Round 3, Pick #94)

GRADE: B+

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS- NO hit two home runs in the first round, the rest of the class was average, at best.

FAVORITE PICK: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State (Round 1, Pick #11)

GRADE: B-

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS- Niners didn’t have a first round pick because of acquiring Trey Lance in last year’s draft. The rest of their class is a bit underwhelming. Used the Mr. Irrelevant pick on another QB.

FAVORITE PICK: Tariq Castro-Fields, CB, Penn State (Round 6, Pick #221)

GRADE: C-

ARIZONA CARDINALS- Cards traded their first rounder to Baltimore to acquire Hollywood Brown, they didn’t wow with any of the rest of their picks.

FAVORITE PICK: Lecitus Smith, IOL, Virginia Tech (Round 6, Pick #215)

GRADE: C-

LOS ANGELES RAMS- Rams sat out this draft until the end of the third round. Found some decent value, but mostly average.

FAVORITE PICK: Derion Kendrick, CB, Georgia (Round 6, Pick #212)

GRADE: C-

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- Seahawks quietly had a great draft, except the lack of a QB. Solid value throughout that will look better with Baker Mayfield under center, perhaps.

FAVORITE PICK: Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State (Round 2, Pick #41)

GRADE: A-

WINNERS

NEW YORK JETS- Jets are killing it, do they actually have competent leadership?

BALTIMORE RAVENS- No organization drafts better. The board always seems to fall to them.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Howie Roseman is in the zone this year.

GREEN BAY PACKERS- They made up for their day one.

LOSERS

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- I really hate questioning Belichick, but their player rankings seem skewed.

NEW YORK GIANTS- Still good vibes from Day 1, but their Day 2 picks were reaches.

CHICAGO BEARS- Big reach in the third round.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Got fleeced by a division rival for the second day in a row.

QUARTERBACKS NOT NAMED KENNY PICKETT- Most landed in decent spots, but had to wait until the third round.

The first round is in the books and it was CRAAAAZY! Wow, the trades were off the hook. I still managed to correctly pick 28 of the 32 first rounders, including putting 7 on correct teams (Walker-Jaguars, Hutchinson-Lions, Sauce-Jets, Penning-Saints, Zion Johnson-Chargers, Elam-Bills & Jermaine Johnson-Jets)

Some quick winners & losers from Round One:

WINNER- Detroit Lions: First Jacksonville passed on Hutchinson, allowing the Lions to keep him in Michigan, then they fleeced Minnesota to move up and grab what would have been the top WR in the class, without question, had he been fully healthy.

LOSER- Houston Texans: Both their picks, Stingley & Green felt like reaches, with higher ranked players at both positions still on the board.

WINNER- New York Jets: Jets won the first round, hands down. They landed three instant impact players and the third, Jermaine Johnson, was an absolute steal.

LOSER- Carolina Panthers: Not being able to add any day two picks is a tough pill to swallow.

WINNER- New York Giants: Thibodeaux & Neal has to be a best case scenario for Big Blue.

LOSER- Green Bay Packers: Their picks weren’t bad, but not landing a player at a bigger position of need; WR, EDGE or OT, feels hollow. The board didn’t fall their way.

WINNER- Baltimore Ravens: Eagles jumped them for Jordan Davis, but Kyle Hamilton fell into their laps. They turned Hollywood Brown into another first rounder and landed a future Pro Bowl center.

LOSER- Arizona Cardinals: Way overpaid for Hollywood Brown, in comparison to what Philly paid for AJ Brown.

WINNER- Philadelphia Eagles: Jordan Davis is an absolute stud & they landed AJ Brown.

LOSER- New England Patriots: I don’t like to question Bill Belichick, but EVERYONE had a third round grade on Cole Strange.

WINNER- Jacksonville Jaguars: I question the wisdom of taking Walker over Hutchinson, but moving back into the first round for Devin Lloyd was brilliant.

LOSER- Minnesota Vikings: Got fleeced by Detroit, a division rival, inexcusable.

Now on to rounds 3&4. Some teams, including my Bears, will make their first picks. I expect more wheeling and dealing but I’m not even going to try to anticipate those moves. I’m just predicting the picks as they currently stand.

Here’s my rounds 2 & 3 mock draft:

ROUND TWO

#33 BUCCANEERS- Andrew Booth Jr, CB, Clemson: Bucs traded out of first round, use their first pick on best player available.

#34 VIKINGS- Perrion Winfrey, IDL, Oklahoma

#35 TITANS- Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia

#36 GIANTS- Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State

#37 TEXANS- Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State

#38 JETS- Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State

#39 BEARS- Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan: I truly believe, despite the WR run in round one, that Chicago will use their first pick on OL.

#40 SEAHAWKS- Malik Willis, QB, Liberty: Seahawks can’t pass on Willis at this spot.

#41 SEAHAWKS- David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan

#42 COLTS- Boye Mafe, EDGE, Minnesota: Colts take the top edge rusher on the board with their first pick.

#43 FALCONS- Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss: Falcons grab their QB of the future.

#44 BROWNS- Travis Jones, IDL, UConn: Best Player Available scenario for the Browns first pick.

#45 RAVENS- Drake Jackson, EDGE, USC

#46 LIONS- Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming

#47 COMMANDERS- Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn

#48 BEARS- Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati

#49 SAINTS- Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State

#50 CHIEFS- Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State

#51 EAGLES- Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington

#52 STEELERS- George Pickens, WR, Georgia

#53 PACKERS- Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor

#54 PATRIOTS- Christian Harris, LB, Alabama: Belichick adding a Saban product, of course.

#55 CARDINALS- Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA

#56 COWBOYS- Sean Rhyan, IOL, UCLA

#57 BILLS- Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State: A bell cow running back would take this offense to a new level of terrifying.

#58 FALCONS- Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State

#59 PACKERS- John Metchie III, WR, Alabama: Packers finally add a WR.

#60 BUCCANEERS- DeMarvin Leal, IDL, Texas A&M

#61 49ERS- Ed Ingram, IOL, LSU: Niners first pick comes on the offensive line.

#62 CHIEFS- Jalen Torbert, WR, South Alabama

#63 BENGALS- Phidarian Mathis, IDL, Alabama

#64 BRONCOS- Cameron Thomas, EDGE, San Diego State: Broncos first pick is an attempt to replace Von Miller.

ROUND THREE

#65 JAGUARS- Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan

#66 VIKINGS- Troy Andersen, LB, Montana State

#67 GIANTS- Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina: Giants didn’t pick up Daniel Jones’ fifth year option, this is plan B.

#68 TEXANS- Brandon Smith, LB, Penn State

#69 TITANS- Carson Strong, QB, Nevada: Titans look for a succession plan beyond Ryan Tannehill.

#70 JAGUARS- Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State

#71 BEARS- Nick Cross, S, Maryland

#72 SEAHAWKS- Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M

#73 COLTS- Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati: Colts grab a QB to groom behind Matt Ryan.

#74 FALCONS- Myjai Sanders, EDGE, Cincinnati

#75 BRONCOS- Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA

#76 RAVENS- Matthew Butler, IDL, Tennessee

#77 VIKINGS- Nik Bonitto, EDGE, Oklahoma

#78 BROWNS- Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin

#79 CHARGERS- Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina

#80 TEXANS- Romeo Doubs, WR, Nevada

#81 GIANTS- Coby Bryant, CB, Cincinnati

#82 FALCONS- Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota

#83 EAGLES- Kingsley Enagbare, EDGE, South Carolina

#84 STEELERS- David Bell, WR, Purdue

#85 PATRIOTS- Logan Hall, IDL, Houston

#86 RAIDERS- Nicholas Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State: Raiders first pick goes to strengthen the OL.

#87 CARDINALS- Rachaad White, RB, Arizona State

#88 COWBOYS- Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois

#89 BILLS- Sam Williams, EDGE, Ole Miss

#90 TITANS- Cameron Jurgens, IOL, Nebraska

#91 BUCCANEERS- Verone McKinley, S, Oregon

#92 PACKERS- Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State

#93 49ERS- Cam Taylor-Britt, CB, Nebraska

#94 PATRIOTS- Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson

#95 BENGALS- Zachary Carter, IDL, Florida

#96 BRONCOS- Brian Asamoah II, LB, Oklahoma

#97 LIONS- Kaleb Eleby, QB, Western Michigan: Lions nab a developmental back up for Jared Goff.

#98 COMMANDERS- Lecitus Smith, IOL, Virginia Tech

#99 BROWNS- Calvin Austin III, WR, Memphis

#100 CARDINALS- Matt Waletzko, OT, North Dakota

#101 JETS- Channing Tindall, LB, Georgia

#102 DOLPHINS- Jerome Ford, RB, Cincinnati: Fins first pick is the top RB on the board.

#103 CHIEFS- Jake Ferguson, TE, Wisconsin

#104 RAMS- Isaiah Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma: Rams bolster their pass rush with their first pick.

#105 49ERS- Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky

This is it. My final first round mock draft. Unlike last season, I’m not at all confident in any of these picks. Some I like more than others, but they’re all pure speculation.

It starts with the first pick, Jacksonville should be a lock right now, and others would fall in line after that, but I’m about 50/50 on what the Jaguars will do, and that throws everything else up in the air.

But this is it, I’m sticking with these picks through the first round. Here we go:

#1 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- Travon Walker, EDGE, Georgia: Walker isn’t who I think the Jags should take, but he’s the kind of pick GM Trent Baalke makes. Walker’s potential is through the roof, but there’s risk.

#2 DETROIT LIONS- Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan: Lions will sprint to the podium once Jacksonville passes on Hutchinson. His ceiling might not be as high as Walker’s, but his floor is much higher.

#3 HOUSTON TEXANS- Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon: Texans make it 3 edge rushers in a row to start the draft. There’s been speculation Thibodeaux could slip even further, but the talent is there and I don’t think Houston will pass him up.

#4 NEW YORK JETS- Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati: The Big Apple & ‘Sauce’ feels like a perfect fit, if the Jets agree they’ll have to take him here because he won’t last to #10.

#5 NEW YORK GIANTS- Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State: With the first 4 picks being defensive, the Giants have their pick of top tackles, I think Icky Ekwonu is their guy.

#6 CAROLINA PANTHERS- Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh: Ideally, Carolina trades down and adds picks (they don’t pick again until the fourth round), and they could still land Pickett. Panthers have to take a QB, unless they land Baker Mayfield, and Pickett is the most pro-ready.

#7 NEW YORK GIANTS- Derek Stingley Jr, CB, LSU: There’s been speculation about Stingley slipping out of the top ten, but many believe his talent is on par if not above Sauce Gardner, Giants won’t let him fall any further.

#8 ATLANTA FALCONS- Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State: With Calvin Ridley suspended for the season, barring appeal, Atlanta desperately needs pass catchers. Falcons opt for Wilson over Jameson Williams because of the latter’s injury concerns.

Side Note- I wouldn’t be surprised to see Atlanta trade back in to the end of the first round to grab a QB. I think Matt Corral would be their guy.

#9 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- Evan Neal, OT, Alabama: I think Seattle will land Baker Mayfield, eliminating the need for a QB. The first 8 picks go perfectly for the Seahawks & the top tackle on many draft boards falls into their laps.

#10 NEW YORK JETS- Jermaine Johnson, EDGE, Florida State: Jets have a ton of draft capital, they can give Zach Wilson help with later picks. Going defense with both their first rounders is acceptable with the talent involved.

#11 WASHINGTON COMMANDERS- Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama: Washington needs another receiver, either to pair with Terry McLaurin or to replace him. When healthy, Williams is arguably the top wide out in this class.

#12 MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame: Minnesota stops the slide of perhaps the best overall player in this draft. Positional value knocks Hamilton out of the top ten, but he could easily be a Pro Bowler as a rookie.

#13 HOUSTON TEXANS- Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State: This pick could be a target for QB needy teams, but if they stay put I like Houston to address offense after using their earlier pick on defense.

#14 BALTIMORE RAVENS- Jordan Davis, IDL, Georgia: Davis to Baltimore has been one of my more consistent picks. Depending on how earlier picks shake out, the Ravens may need to jump in front of Minnesota or hold off the Chargers to land him.

#15 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah: There’s been fierce debate on whether Philly would take a first round WR for the third year in a row, not with this pick. Lloyd is the best, most athletic linebacker in the class, and a leader to boot. He’ll spearhead Gang Green for years to come.

#16 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS- Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa: Despite the high price they paid to add a first rounder, I don’t believe New Orleans is targeting a QB. Their first priority is replacing Terron Armstead.

#17 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS- Zion Johnson, IOL, Boston College: Chargers vastly improved their defense during free agency, now they’ll address the offensive line with the top interior lineman in the class.

#18 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington: Eagles pass on WRs, for now, to add a corner to play opposite Darius Slay.

#19 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS- Drake London, WR, USC: With or without a healthy Michael Thomas, the Saints need another receiver. London isn’t getting the buzz of some others, but his talent and potential is just as good.

#20 PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Malik Willis, QB, Liberty: Pittsburgh has had past success with smaller school QBs with impressive physical tools (Ben Roethlisberger went to Miami-Ohio, in case you forgot.) The Steelers are a perfect landing spot for Willis, who can sit behind Mitch Trubisky until he’s ready.

Side Note- If the Steelers are truly targeting Willis, and he slips out of the top ten, watch for them to move up. I’d look at Houston with the thirteenth pick.

#21 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State: I’m torn between WR or CB for the Patriots, and Belichick could always throw us a curveball. Olave would give Mac Jones a dynamic top target that he lacked in an impressive rookie campaign.

#22 GREEN BAY PACKERS- Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas: With Olave going the pick ahead of them, and at least 3 teams that could take a WR before they pick again at #28, Green Bay can’t afford to wait. After trading Davante Adams, the Packers have to give Aaron Rodgers another target. I’m not fully convinced Burks is their guy, but he’s got plenty of potential.

#23 ARIZONA CARDINALS- George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue: Arizona could go several directions here, including a possible trade down, but getting a replacement for Chandler Jones is a good move.

#24 DALLAS COWBOYS- Daxton Hill, S, Michigan: Hill to Big D is another consistent pick for me, I do think the Cowboys could potentially go offensive line here, too.

#25 BUFFALO BILLS- Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida: Buffalo is a prime candidate to trade out of the first round. They’re a loaded team with few needs, I like the idea of them adding a top RB, but this isn’t the spot. Here they’ll take the top corner on the board.

#26 TENNESSEE TITANS- Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State: Titans have a need at WR, even if they pacify AJ Brown. Dotson may be a bit of a reach, here though. Tennessee is a dark horse candidate to take a first round QB.

#27 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Kenyon Green, IOL, Texas A&M: Bucs lost both starting guards from last season, one to retirement, the other to free agency. Green will start from day one.

#28 GREEN BAY PACKERS- Boye Mafe, EDGE, Minnesota: They got their WR earlier, this pick should come down to edge or offensive tackle. They’ll get a replacement for Za’Darius Smith and target OT in the second round.

#29 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Lewis Cine, S, Georgia: The Chiefs lost Tyreek Hill, but unless they reach they won’t replace him in the first round, instead they’ll get a replacement for Tyrann Mathieu.

#30 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Andrew Booth Jr, CB, Clemson: Taking back to back defensive backs in what is sure to be a pass happy AFC West is not a bad strategy for KC.

Side Note- KC is a prime candidate for a team trying to move back up into the first round for a QB (Atlanta?), having 2 first rounders makes them flexible.

#31 CINCINNATI BENGALS- Tyler Linderbaum, IOL, Iowa: Cincy improved their offensive line in free agency, but Linderbaum is too good to pass up.

#32 DETROIT LIONS- Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati: Lions may target a QB at #2, but if Hutchinson is available I think they’ll go that route and wait until here to grab one. Ridder, more than the other QBs is a proven winner.