Draft day is 18 days away, and so I will be releasing content every 6 days with a final mock draft of the first round being posted a couple of hours before the actual draft begins so make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out!
One quick thing I want to mention is that I am treating this mock draft as if Aaron Rodgers will be going to the Jets and Lamar Jackson stays with the Ravens. These predictions could be wrong the second after I post this mock draft, but for this mock draft Lamar and Rodgers are on Ravens and Jets respectively.
Now let’s get to the first round of the draft…
Note: some players I have getting draft aren’t included in my draft guide but I have watched some of their tape and understand what they bring to the table as a player.
MOCK DRAFT #1:
1st Pick - Carolina Panthers
PANTHERS SELECT: CJ STROUD - Ohio State
Ever since Cam Newton fell off in 2019, the Panthers have spent the last 4 seasons clawing for a franchise QB. Trading up to #1 overall gives them the opportunity to “get their guy” who will hopefully be the face of their franchise for the next 10 years. The only thing now is that whatever the Panthers do, they can’t get the pick wrong because of the massive amount of draft capital they have given up. CJ Stroud is an incredible prospect that in my eyes, is the safest QB prospect. That factor alone is what makes me think the Panthers will take Stroud.
2nd Pick - Houston Texans
TEXANS SELECT: BRYCE YOUNG - Alabama
Texans have rumored to be “huge fans” of Bryce Young per Daniel Jeremiah and are willing to look past his size concerns and hopefully draft their franchise QB. Young has a lot of great traits and was the best college QB in this class. Young is an NFL ready player and should hit the ground running. Longevity is the concern.
3rd Pick - TRADE: Arizona Cardinals —> Indianapolis Colts
COLTS SELECT: ANTHONY RICHARDSON - Florida
I think a lot of teams will be calling the Arizona Cardinals in order to jump in front of the Colts and take a QB before the they do. However, I don’t think the Colts let this happen. The Colts have had 6 different QBs start their season over the past 6 years! The Colts have been desperate for a QB ever since Andrew Luck left and I don’t think the Colts will let anyone steal a QB from them. Anthony Richardson has all of the traits needed to be the best QB in the league. His athleticism, arm strength, and running abilities are all generational and the Colts will have to develop him in order for Richardson to put it all together.
4th Pick - Arizona Cardinals
CARDINALS SELECT: WILL ANDERSON JR. - Alabama
The Cardinals pick up some draft capital after trading back and are still able to pick the best defensive player in the draft. The Cardinals last year were bottom 10 in sacks and now that JJ Watt retired, the Cardinals are in desperate need for an edge rusher. Will Anderson has the ability to have a 10+ sack season as a rookie and will be a dynamic edge rusher for the next decade.
5th Pick - Seattle Seahawks
SEAHAWKS SELECT: TYREE WILSON - Texas Tech
The Seahawks were 3rd worst against the run last year and are in need of strengthening their defensive line. Tyree Wilson will need developing but has the abilities to be an All-Pro level player. Wilson’s speed, strength, and athleticism for his size is remarkable and will provide a spark to this Seahawks defense.
6th Pick - Detroit Lions
LIONS SELECT: JALEN CARTER - Georgia
The Lions, similarly to the Seahawks, were 4th worst against the run last year. After drafting Aidan Hutchison 2nd overall last year, the Lions need someone to clog up the middle of their defensive line. Carter who was regarded as the best player in this draft, has had some issues off the field and was out of shape at his pro day to the point where he couldn’t even finish it. However, Carter has the strength, athleticism, and technique to dominate in the NFL.
7th Pick - Las Vegas Raiders
RAIDERS SELECT: WILL LEVIS - Kentucky
The Raiders signed Jimmy Garoppolo to a 3 year 72,000,000 dollar deal over the offseason. However, I think Garoppolo is a bridge QB for the Raiders because Josh McDaniels spent time with him in New England and doesn’t have to teach him the system. Levis is a raw QB with a great arm and possess elite level athleticism. Levis will need developing in order to function in the NFL and sitting behind a veteran QB who knows the system well would be a great thing for him.
8th Pick - Atlanta Falcons
FALCONS SELECT: CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ - Oregon
The Falcons were bottom 7 in passing yards allowed per game last year and allowed the 5th most passing touchdowns. Christian Gonzalez is a great prospect that doesn’t have any major flaws in his game. Gonzalez will be a great pair with AJ Terrell and Atlanta’s secondary will be filled with dynamic young talent.
9th Pick - Chicago Bears
BEARS SELECT: NOLAN SMITH - Georgia
After getting DJ Moore via Carolina, I think the Bears try and boost their defense. The Bears were dead last in sacks last year and the Bears defense as a whole was abysmal. The Bears sack leader last year was a rookie safety with 4! Nolan Smith was one of the stars of the Combine and posted a 9.20 RAS score. Running a 4.39 second 40-yard dash as a defensive end is ridiculous. Smith has great bend, is a force in the run game, and has a diverse portfolio of pass rush moves. Smith will become a star player on this Chicago defense.
10th Pick - Philadelphia Eagles
EAGLES SELECT: BRIAN BRANCH - Alabama
CJ Gardner Johnson was one of the top priorities for the Eagles but after failing to sign him, a massive hole lies in the Eagles secondary. The Eagles safeties are the worst positional group on their loaded roster by a large margin as it is “headlined” by Reed Blankenship, K’Von Wallace, and Andre Chachere. You could make the case it’s the worst positional group in the entire NFL. Branch provides the versatility to be a slot corner, stuff the run while playing in the box, and guard over the top in deep zone coverage. Branch is a bit undersized but the Eagles don’t care about size “cough cough Devonta Smith cough cough.”
11th pick - Tennessee Titans
TITANS SELECT: JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA - Ohio State
After trading away superstar wide receiver AJ Brown to the Eagles during last year’s draft, the Titans ignored replacing the massive loss and as a result they paid the price. The Titan’s wide receiver core had the 4th least amount of yards and the 2nd least amount of touchdowns by any receiving core in the NFL last year. Jaxon Smith-Njigba will help solve the problem. Smith-Njigba has the route running abilities, concentration at the catch point, and decent enough speed to be a major receiving threat for the Titans.
12th pick - Houston Texans
TEXANS SELECT: CALIJAH KANCEY - Pittsburg
Very simple pick, the Texans gave up the most rushing yards last year. Thomas Booker, Maliek Collins, Kurt Hinish, Roy Lopez, and Sheldon Rankins are the defensive tackles for the Houston Texans. They need a run stopper but also a pass rusher as the Texans ranked in the bottom 10 in sacks last year. Calijah Kancey will provide this for the Texans. Kancey ran an insanely fast 4.67 40-yard dash and posted a 9.69 RAS score. Kancey plays with incredible speed, twitch, and burst which allow him to constantly slide around blockers and blow up plays behind the line of scrimmage. He would be a perfect fit for the DeMeco Ryans defense.
13th pick - New York Jets
JETS SELECT: MYLES MURPHY - Clemson
With Aaron Rodgers and his “recruits” on their way, I think the Jets should help boost this already potent defense. Defensive end is a little bit weak for the Jets as they have solid, not elite level, edge rushers in Carl Lawson and Jermaine Johnson. Myles Murphy could provide an extra punch for this great defense with his great combination of size, speed, and strength. Coach Robert Saleh would love to get his hands on Murphy and develop him.
14th pick - New England Patriots
PATRIOTS SELECT: BRODERICK JONES - Georgia
Offensive line is a major issue for the New England Patriots and they have to be able to protect their immobile quarterback, Mac Jones. Trent Brown and Isaiah Wynn both missed 8 games last year and neither of them looked good when they did play. Broderick Jones is young, strong, and bullies defenders as a left tackle. He will need some developing so sitting behind either tackle would be beneficial. Why not replace older Georgia alumni with a new one?
15th pick - Green Bay Packers
PACKERS SELECT: DAWAND JONES - Ohio State
The Packers right tackle is Yosh Nijman who was ranked the 54th best right tackle in the NFL last year by PFF. In order to help ease Jordan Love into the NFL the Packers have to help build around him and protect him. Dawand Jones is a massive, strong, and sneaky athletic right tackle who allowed 0 sacks last year at Ohio State. Jones will be a well needed boost to this Packers offensive line.
16th pick - Washington Commanders
COMMANDERS SELECT: DALTON KINCAID - Utah
Eric Bieniemy is the offensive coordinator for the Commanders and as the team tries to find their starting QB, why not make their eventual starter’s life a lot easier and surround them with incredible talent. Bieniemy called the system that led to Travis Kelce becoming arguably the best tight end of all time. Logan Thomas is no Travis Kelce, but Dalton Kincaid… is pretty reminiscent of Kelce. Kincaid is incredible at getting open. He uses speed, strength, and agility to constantly create separation from the defender. Kincaid is a scheme fit player that will blossom into a star under Bieniemy.
17th pick - Pittsburg Steelers
STEELERS SELECT: PARIS JOHNSON JR. - Ohio State
The Steelers offensive line has been horrific for the past 3 or so years. In order to protect Kenny Pickett, they will have to bolster the group. Paris Johnson Jr. was an incredible left tackle for Ohio State last year and will be a day 1 starter for the Steelers. Slam dunk pick and will fit in nicely at Pittsburg.
18th pick - Detroit Lions
LIONS SELECT: DEVON WITHERSPOON - Illinois
The Lions remain committed to fix their defense and they get a player in Witherspoon who embodies the Dan Campbell spirit of “bitting kneecaps.” Witherspoon is a physical, game-wrecking player who was a lock down corner last year. Lions are in need of a corner and Witherspoon is a great player who will add a massive spark right away to this Lions defense.
19th pick - TRADE: Tampa Bay Buccaneers —> Minnesota Vikings
VIKINGS SLECT: ANTON HARRISON - Oaklahoma
Offensive line is a major issue for the Vikings and they are willing to give up some capital so that they can pick up a star right tackle in order to help fix the issue. Anton Harrison is personally my favorite offensive tackle in this class due to his great hand technique, quick footwork, and great athleticism. Harrison will be a cornerstone piece to the Vikings as they continue to push for a Super Bowl.
20th pick - Seattle Seahawks
SEAHAWKS SELECT: PETER SKORONSKI - Northwestern
The interior offensive line for Seattle was pretty bad as Phil Haynes and Damien Lewis were major liabilities. Pete Carroll has always had a “pound the rock” philosophy, and so I expect them to build a great offensive line for, breakout rookie, Kenneth Walker. Peter Skoronski would be a day 1 starter for Seattle and could be a game-changer right away.
MIAMI DOLPHINS PICK: VOIDED
If you want to find out why read this article: https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/dolphins-lose-first-round-pick-owner-suspended-for-tom-brady-tampering
21st pick - Los Angeles Chargers
CHARGERS SELECT: ZAY FLOWERS - Boston College
Justin Herbert ranked 20th in aDOT (average depth of target) last year compared to Dak Prescott who ranked 7th. With Kellen Moore (Dak’s old offensive coordinator) coming to Los Angeles, the Chargers offense will use Herbert’s great arm and stretch the field more than they did last year with Joe Lombardi calling the offense. Zay Flowers gives them a vertical threat but also a crafty route runner that could work out of the slot and create constant separation. In addition, the Chargers can’t rely on Kennan Allen and Mike Williams to stay healthy.
22nd pick - Baltimore Ravens
RAVENS SELECT: JOEY PORTER JR. - Penn State
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree as Joey Porter Jr. would be playing on the same team that his father did for 13 years. The Ravens secondary gave up the 5th most passing yards last year and Marcus Peters is likely going to part ways with the Ravens and sign somewhere else. Joey Porter Jr. has rare length and abilities that could make him a lock down corner in the league for decades.
23rd pick - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
BUCCANEERS SELECT: LUKAS VAN NESS - Iowa
As Kyle Trask and Baker Mayfield compete for the starting QB job in Tampa, why not trade back and pick up some future draft capital? Lukas Van Ness is an incredibly raw player and didn’t even start a game at Iowa his entire college career. However, Van Ness possess rare size, athleticism, and strength, so Tampa is comfortable with developing him for a couple of years as the team rebuilds.
24th pick - Jacksonville Jaguars
JAGUARS SELECT: DEONTE BANKS - Maryland
Another slam dunk pick: The Jaguars gave up the 6th most amount of passing yards last year and Deonte Banks will provide immediate help in the secondary. Banks scored a perfect 10.00 RAS score and ran a 4.36 second 40-yard dash at 6’1, 200lbs. Banks also has great technique and bullies receivers in press coverage. Great player going to a team that needs him badly.
25th pick - New York Giants
GAINTS SELECT: JORDAN ADDISON - USC
The Giants wide receiver room last year was a mess as Isaiah Hodgins became their top target. Kenny Golladay was cut and Richie James was signed by the Chiefs. Jordan Addison will be an instant spark for New York and will round out an under the radar offense that is filled with talent.
26th pick - TRADE: Dallas Cowboys —> Cincinnati Bengals
BENGALS SELECT: DARNELL WRIGHT - Tennessee
Worried that the Bills might take Darnell the pick after, the Bengals trade up and snag a great right tackle. La’el Collins was a massive disappointment last year for the Bengals and is now coming off an ACL tear. Darnell Wright will be a day 1 starter but has the ability to become a crucial part of this Bengals offense.
27th pick - Buffalo Bills
BILLS SELECT: BIJAN ROBINSON - Texas
The Bills signed Damian Harris and have a solid 2nd year running back in James Cook; however, Bijan Robinson would elevate this offense to a whole new level. Josh Allen dropping back 60 times a game during the playoffs isn’t working and I think the Bills shift to a more balanced, offensive approach. Not only will Bijan dominate in the run game and run for 1,000+ yards his rookie year, but also Bijan will contribute massively to the passing game.
28th pick - Dallas Cowboys
COWBOYS SELECT: MAZI SMITH - Michigan
The Cowboys have traded back a lot the past couple of years and by trading two fifth round picks for Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks, the Cowboys replenish their draft capital. Interior defensive line is the only concern left for the Cowboys and Mazi Smith would take this Cowboys defense to new heights. Mazi Smith is almost unblockable 1-on-1 because of his rare athleticism and incredible strength. A defensive line of Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawerence, Osa Odighizuwa, and Mazi Smith would be one of the best defensive lines in football.
29th pick - TRADE: New Orleans Saints —> Kansas City Chiefs
CHIEFS SELECT: QUENTIN JOHNSTON - TCU
The Chiefs see a big time player slipping down the board and decide to jump up a few picks in order to get a great playmaker in Quentin Johnston. The Chiefs’ receiving core is a bunch of small, speedsters like Kadarius Toney, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Skyy Moore. Johnston would become an immediate playmaker for the Chiefs because of his big frame and ability to stretch the field as well.
30th pick - Philadelphia Eagles
EAGLES SELECT: DARNELL WASHINGTON - Georgia
Maybe I’m reading into the tea leaves a little bit too much but the Eagles proposed a rule that would allow players to wear the number 0. Do you know who wears 0? Darnell Washington does. Also imagine 6’7, 270lbs, Darnell Washington standing behind Jalen Hurts and pushing him when the Eagles do their rugby QB sneak. Washington would fit in great and would be utilized perfectly in the Eagle’s spread and ground-and-pound offense. Darnell would be a game wrecker in Philly.
31st pick - New Orleans Saints
SAINTS SELECT: O’CYRUS TORRENCE - Florida
Last pick of the first round - The Saints, as much as their signings might suggest, are not in win-now mode. They need to rebuild this team and so they trade back and pick up some draft capital. The Saints also take one of the safest players in this draft who will make a substantial impact for the next decade. O’Cyrus Torrence is a big and physical guard who pummels defenders.
Here is the full mock draft so you can see all the picks at once:
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thought this might be of interest. https://twitter.com/SamHoppen/status/1648057820858777600?s=20