With the All-Star bowl games wrapping up this past weekend, and the Super Bowl just a week away, draft season is ramping up. Here’s my first mock for this upcoming draft.
- Tennessee Titans – Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
The Titans have an interesting choice to make here. They’ll decide whether to take a QB, go with BPA, or potentially explore a trade-down. They go with the dynamic pass rusher here.
- Cleveland Browns – Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
The Browns have a similar decision to make. Do they go QB to try to answer their questionable situation, or go BPA in a win-now attempt? I think they choose the latter, Travis Hunter is the pick; he can help them out on either (or both) sides of the ball.
- New York Giants – Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
With a big hole at QB and the top 2 players in the draft off the board, the Giants go with Shedeur Sanders here. They’ve done a lot of homework on him throughout the season and into the offseason and the interest seems mutual.
- New England Patriots – Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
The board doesn’t fall in the Patriots’ favor here. The best two players in the draft are off the board, it’s too early for a much-needed Offensive Lineman, and there isn’t really anybody standing out on the board. So they try to get Drake Maye a WR1.
- Jacksonville Jaguars – Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
The Jaguars could go a lot of different directions here, but one of the Michigan defenders would make a lot of sense. They’ve had issues at CB, so they go with Will Johnson here despite the value not being the greatest.
- Las Vegas Raiders – Cam Ward, QB, Miami
The Raiders have a big hole at QB. One of the top 2 QBs makes it to them at 6. I think they’d prefer Shedeur Sanders due to Tom Brady’s connections to him, but he’s off the board so they opt for the next best QB.
- New York Jets – Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
The Jets’ DL depth took a big hit this past season and proved very costly for their season’s fate. Pairing Grant alongside Williams, Johnson, McDonald, and the other Jets Defensive Linemen creates one of the best position groups in the NFL.
- Carolina Panthers – Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
The Panthers need to add another young pass rusher after trading Brian Burns last offseason. They go with the high-upside pass rusher from Georgia.
- New Orleans Saints – Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
The Saints need to add more talent to their team. They could use help at DL, DB, or another offensive playmaker. Here they go with a player who can help both their run and pass games.
- Chicago Bears – Will Campbell, OL, LSU
Ben Johnson and the Lions started their success building through the Offensive Line. Caleb Williams had an issue taking sacks, and the run game was mediocre. Adding arguably the best Offensive Lineman in the draft who can plug in at OT or OG should help alleviate both issues.
- San Francisco 49ers – Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
The 49ers’ Defensive Line really struggled this season outside of Nick Bosa. They need to get more talented and cheaper. Adding Graham gives the 49ers defense another legitimate threat.
- Dallas Cowboys – Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
Jeanty is arguably the best player in the draft but positional value and lack of need might cause him to fall a bit. The Cowboys missed having their usual strong run game this past season. Adding Jeanty should give Dallas a top-run game again.
- Miami Dolphins – Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama
The Dolphins’ Guard play wasn’t good enough this past season, and several of their interior guys are set to hit free agency. Booker is the best true Guard in the draft and naturally will fill in at one of the spots and upgrade their Offensive Line.
- Indianapolis Colts – Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
The Colts’ defense really held them back this past season, specifically their play in the “Back 7”. They brought in Lou Anarumo who had similar issues in his defense with the Bengals. Both the Colts and Anarumo want to prevent this issue from happening again so they take a versatile Safety.
- Atlanta Falcons – Jalon Walker, Edge/LB, Georgia
The Falcons had a chance to draft the top pass rusher in last year’s draft, which many people expected them to do. Instead, they shocked a lot of people and drafted QB Michael Penix. This move is proving to pay off, but they still neglected to add to their pass rush last offseason which was detrimental this past season. Walker is undersized and inexperienced as an Edge rusher but has one of the highest pass-rushing upsides in the class.
- Arizona Cardinals – James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
Similar to the Falcons, the Cardinals had some big holes at Edge going into last offseason that they weren’t able to adequately fill going into the season. They had just one player across their entire defense eclipse 30 pressures, so they opted to go with the best Edge rusher remaining.
- Cincinnati Bengals – Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
I had mentioned the Bengals’ struggles on the back end in my pick for the Colts. The overall defensive play wasn’t near good enough. Emmanwori is a natural football player who can plug and play wherever he is needed to ensure the Bengals don’t repeat their defensive struggles.
- Seattle Seahawks – Kelvin Banks, OL, Texas
The Seahawks have a young, but underperforming Offensive Line. They have an LT in Charles Cross, but RT has been a question mark with Abe Lucas struggling to stay on the field and holes at both OG spots. Banks can fill in where he’s needed.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
Lavonte David is a Free Agent. Even if he’s back, the Bucs need someone alongside him and a long-term replacement. Campbell is arguably the top Off-Ball Linebacker in the draft.
- Denver Broncos – Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
The Broncos need more weapons for Bo Nix. Sean Payton has always loved his Flex TEs and Loveland fits that bill perfectly.
- Pittsburgh Steelers – Luther Burden, WR, Missouri
The Steelers lack receiving threats. George Pickens is good but can be unreliable. Calvin Austin filled his role well but is a #3 receiver at best. Burden should fill in and immediately upgrade the room.
- Los Angeles Chargers – Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Like the last two teams, the Chargers need more weapons. They have a young star in Ladd McConkey, but nobody is reliable outside of him. Harbaugh has been familiar with Egbuka since his time in Michigan.
- Green Bay Packers – Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina
The Packers have had issues with their CB play the last few years. They also love to draft defense in the 1st round. Revel is recovering from a Torn ACL currently but he’ll help alleviate the issues once he’s healthy.
- Minnesota Vikings – Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
The Vikings could use help on their Interior Defensive Line to beef up their run defense and pocket-pushing pass rusher.
- Houston Texans – Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
A similar story to the Vikings, the Texans need to beef up their interior. Harmon broke out this season being a dominant disruptor on Oregon’s Defensive Line.
- Los Angeles Rams – Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
The Rams could stand to improve their Offensive Line. Alaric Jackson is set to hit Free Agency and he might not be able to be retained. Conerly could provide immediate relief and a long-term answer.
- Baltimore Ravens – Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
Like the Rams, the Ravens have an impending free-agency LT that they might not be able to retain. Simmons is recovering from a Torn ACL, but once he gets healthy he can be the Ravens’ next LT.
- Detroit Lions – Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M
The Lions dealt with so many injuries on defense this past season which possibly cost them their season. They need another Edge alongside Hutchinson to strengthen their pass rush. Stewart is a big body athletic freak.
- Washington Commanders – Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
The Commanders need to get younger and more talented at Edge. Green is a dynamic pass rusher who showed out in the Senior Bowl.
- Buffalo Bills – Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State
The Bills’ lack of CB depth proved costly in their AFC Championship loss. Douglas is a Free Agent and getting up there in age, so the Bills have a hole at Boundary CB. Thomas is a tall and long CB who can replace Douglas if he’s not brought back.
- Philadelphia Eagles – Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
The Eagles love to draft Defensive Linemen in the First Round. Milton Williams is set to hit free agency and will command a big contract that the Eagles won’t be able to afford, so they’ll need to find his replacement. Like Williams, Nolen is a sub-300lb twitched-up pass rusher who should be able to replace him.
- Kansas City Chiefs – Armand Membou, OL, Missouri
The Chiefs have some key impending Free Agents, but likely none more notable than RG Trey Smith. Membou played RT in college but many project him to move inside and replace Smith.
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