Hello everyone and welcome to the final mock draft of the 2023 NFL Draft season! This is truly an exciting, yet insanely stressful time in my life, as the NFL Draft is one of the things I truly look forward to every calendar year, and it's finally here!
As I'm sure most of you have figured out by now, absolutely no one knows what's going to happen in this draft. I understand that's how most drafts go, but this one feels so much more unpredictable than year's gone by, and it all seemed to start when rumors started circulating about the Texans possibly not being in for a quarterback at two.
All in all, I'd honestly be happy if I got like four or five picks right, and I wouldn't be too surprised if I got every pick wrong, that's where my head is at leading up to the draft.
Featured in this mock draft are four quarterbacks, two running backs, three wide receivers, three tight ends, five offensive tackles, three defensive tackles, five edge rushers, one linebacker, four corners, and one safety, making for a truly fun mock draft!
Without any further delay though, I, Logan Blackman, host of the Logan Blackman Show, am proud to present to you mock draft 4.0! Enjoy!
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Pictured: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky; Bryce Young, QB, Alabama; Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama
1. Carolina Panthers (via Chicago) - Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
As far as we know, at this point in time, Alabama's Bryce Young is the odds on favorite to be selected with the first overall pick. Obviously things can change from now until the start of the draft, but if you asked me at any point throughout this offseason who I thought the best quarterback in the draft was, I'd say it's the former Crimson Tide signal caller. Now, obviously in previous mock drafts, given the information I read up on, I had the Panthers actually selecting former Ohio State Buckeye CJ Stroud and to be honest, I felt pretty confident in that happening after CJ Stroud put on a nice little showing at the combine, and when new quarterback coach, Josh McCown, was caught talking with him about getting him a basketball court when he moved to Charlotte. Again, things can still change, but that now seems like McCown was more or less just 'playing the game' rather than actually letting the world know Stroud was going to be their pick with the first selection in the draft. Now, if this pick is ultimately Bryce Young, the Panthers moved Heaven and earth to get to this point, trading their number one receiver and a shit load of picks to get him, so he better be worth it, right? Like I alluded to before, to me, Bryce Young is the best overall quarterback in this class, and if he were just a few inches taller, he may be in the same discussion as Trevor Lawrence, Andrew Luck, and John Elway in regards to being a 'generational' talent at the quarterback position. Despite not having the most elite size, coming in at 5'10" 204 lbs. at the combine, Young can do so many different things with the ball that others in this class can't. I don't want to insinuate that he is, or will ever become, Patrick Mahomes, but both Young and Mahomes can do similar things with the football in their hands, mainly when they're forced to ad-lib outside of the pocket. The thing Young does better than everyone in his class is his ability to throw on the run. As far as accuracy goes, he may be just as accurate on the run than he is in the pocket, which is a truly great skill to have. Besides throwing the ball, Young is excellent when he tucks the ball down and runs. Though he didn't do it insanely often at Alabama, Young is not only quick in his cuts, but because of his size, or lack thereof, he's very smart on deciding when and where to take hits. Apart from his shoulder injury against Arkansas, which was more of a freak thing than anything, Young rarely took big hits while on the run. Even in the pocket, Young is not afraid to stand tall in the face of pressure and deliver a strike down the field but again, he's smart about it. Great athlete with a strong and accurate arm, Young is truly special when he gets things going. This past season at Alabama, the offense wouldn't work unless Bryce Young played the role of Superman, which is strange to say about an Alabama offense. Though he's smaller, Young has all the tools to be truly special at the next level. If Young truly is the apple of the Panthers eye, they've got themselves a truly special player at the position. I'm not concerned with Young's size in the slightest, as I think he's really smart when it comes to taking hits, coming both inside and outside of the pocket. Current Panthers GM, Scott Fitterer, was in Seattle when the Seahawks selected Russell Wilson in the third round, so I don't think size will be that big of an issue when it comes to the Panthers taking Young first overall. I think all quarterbacks are in play here, especially with Tepper's love for Levis and with Richardson being Reich's 'QB of choice,' but I just feel Young is the best option for the Panthers here with the first pick.
IF NOT THEN - Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida or Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
2. Houston Texans - Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama
The Texans are the wild card of all wild cards when it comes to the 2023 NFL Draft. Could they draft a quarterback? Could they draft a defensive player? Could they trade back? Literally everything is on the table for the Texans here with the second overall pick in the draft, and that's what makes the draft fun, but in the same breath it makes life very stressful for an over-thinker like myself. Like, I've run through almost every single possible outcome when it comes to this pick, and based on the reports that have been swirling around, I have come down to three players, and those players are the Will's, Anderson and Levis, and Tyree Wilson. Now, I don't want to completely rule out the possibility of CJ Stroud going here to Houston, but the combination of him sharing the same agent as Deshaun Watson and multiple reports saying he's falling down draft boards make it hard for me to envision him going to Houston here with the second pick. To me, the most logical thing the Texans could do is draft a quarterback. As much as you may like Davis Mills, he hasn't really done enough for me, up to this point, that suggests he should be the Texans longterm starter at quarterback. Has he done some good things? Sure, but if you're able to get one of the top quarterbacks in the draft, why not just do that? With that being said, Kentucky's Will Levis is the current betting favorite to go second overall, as he's got all the tools to be a truly special player in the NFL. Not to mention recent reports suggest Levis and GM Nick Caserio get along extremely well, but it just feels that at this point the Texans will be going towards the DeMeco Ryans way of doing things, which is building a team through the defensive line. Now, though I think Texas Tech's Tyree Wilson could very well be the pick here given his natural length and size, especially when you look at how the 49ers drafted defensive linemen in Ryans' time there. Look at players like Arik Armstead, DeForest Buckner, Nick Bosa, and Javon Kinlaw, all of them have caused a bunch of problems for opposing offenses since entering the league. Apart from being really talented, one thing all these players have in common is that they are extremely lengthy, with three of the four players mentioned above having an 80+" wingspan, Bosa came up just short with a 77" wingspan. Even Solomon Thomas, who was drafted third overall back in 2017, which was Ryans' first year in San Francisco, possessed just over a 79" wingspan. Length was, and is, extremely important to how the 49ers built their defensive line, a defensive line that saw them reach two NFC Championships and the Super Bowl back in 2020, but I just feel like that Alabama connection between Ryans and head coach Nick Saban could be enough to push Will Anderson Jr. to the top of their draft board. So, that's who I have going here to Houston, Alabama's Will Anderson Jr.. During his time at Alabama, Widely considered one of the cleanest prospects in the draft, Anderson was one of the more disruptive, and dominant, edge rushers in recent memory, leading the nation in sacks and finishing with the third most first place votes in the 2021 Heisman ceremony. Though his numbers weren't as insane as what they were the season before, Anderson still put up double digit sacks, and even registered a pick-six this past season for the Crimson Tide. Over the past two seasons, Anderson registered a combined 124 pressures, which is a staggering 49 more than the next closest in college football. Anderson's tireless work rate and athleticism make him a nightmare for opposing offenses and could be a real culture changer for the Texans organization. Plus, Anderson compares decently to Bosa in regards to size, so it's not like this wouldn't be a traditional Niners pick as well if Anderson were to go here at two.
IF NOT THEN - Will Levis, QB, Kentucky or Tyree Wilson, DL/EDGE, Texas Tech
3. Arizona Cardinals - Tyree Wilson, DL/EDGE, Texas Tech
In a perfect world, I'm sure the Arizona Cardinals would love to trade back from the third overall selection. Ever since the combine people have been talking about how the Cardinals would love to secure more picks by trading back with a team that could use a potential quarterback of the future, but given the current landscape of things, and based off some rumors I've seen, I don't know how likely a trade back for Arizona really is. Again, I'm sure they'd love to find a desperate quarterback needy team to trade up with them, but outside of the Indianapolis Colts at four, who are the other teams who would consider trading up for a quarterback? The most logical team, at least to me, is the Las Vegas Raiders, who currently hold the seventh pick in the draft. With Josh McDaniels at the helm, I'm sure he'd love to go up and grab a potential quarterback of the future, someone that could sit and learn behind his former Patriot protégé Jimmy Garoppolo, but who knows, maybe he believes Garoppolo can be the guy that leads the Raiders back to the playoffs. He's a decent enough quarterback and familiar with the system, so maybe he just wants to stick it out with him and another former Patriot in the form of Brian Hoyer. Not to mention the Raiders have recently been linked with the top two corners in the draft, in the form of Devon Witherspoon and Christian Gonzalez, so maybe those are really the top guys of the Raiders board, and not a quarterback. The next logical team would be the Tennessee Titans, who have reportedly 'lost hope' in last year's third round selection, Malik Willis. New GM Ryan Carthon is apparently desperate to add a new quarterback to the roster, as the only other quarterback currently on the roster, Ryan Tannehill, turns 35 in July. The main problem with the Titans in this situation is that the team only has six picks in the draft, and aren't in a position to throw future picks at a team in order to move up from 11 to three. This is not like when the 49ers traded from 12 to three to get Trey Lance, the Titans have cut and/or traded a lot of key pieces on the roster and, as things stand, will probably not be making a playoff push this year, or even next year. The Niners were victims to the injury bug, the Titans just weren't very good, and should be worse going into next season, especially if a team does in fact pull off a trade for Derrick Henry. So as of right now, I feel the Cardinals are more or less stuck here at three, which shouldn't be seen as a bad thing, as they can get a guy who sits atop, or near atop, their draft board. Now, recent reports have suggested that the Cardinals 'love' Illinois' Devon Witherspoon and Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr., with even Kyler Murray suggesting the team move for Johnson in the draft, whether that's via trade back or just taking him here at three. Though I think those are two decent options, my gut tells me the Cardinals will move for one of the top edge rushers in the draft, especially with JJ Watt retiring and Zach Allen signing with the Broncos this offseason. To me, the decision will ultimately come down to Tyree Wilson or Will Anderson, and with the former being taken with the second overall pick, I think the Cardinals would run up to the podium and select Texas Tech's Tyree Wilson here with the third overall pick. Wilson's ridiculous 86" wingspan has become the stuff of legends around draft circles. His length is just inane, with his wingspan making him an absolute nightmare, helping him set an edge in the run game while also creating separation in the pass game. An absolute freak coming off the edge, Wilson's 6'6" 271 lbs. frame is something the Cardinals could really use to liven up their defensive line that is now without the likes of Zach Allen and JJ Watt. His frame mixed with his athleticism and explosiveness makes him a very fun defender to watch, and a pain to play against. Despite missing the final three games of the season, Wilson still managed to register seven sacks and 14 tackles for loss. He's the ultimate disruptor and would be an excellent addition to the Cardinals defensive line. Now, there are some reports suggesting that he's got somewhat of a foot issue, but if you take a look at the Cardinals draft last year, that shouldn't really be much of an issue for them. Wilson has all the tools to be an absolute game wrecker at the next level. He's the ultimate disruptor and would be an excellent addition to the Cardinals defensive line. He could be an excellent replacement for either the aforementioned Zach Allen or JJ Watt along the defensive line.
IF NOT THEN - Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State or Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama
4. Indianapolis Colts - Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
This pick will upset a lot of people out there, and I'm pretty confident that most of those people will be Indianapolis Colts fans. Going into the offseason, one thing was abundantly clear, the Indianapolis Colts were going to come out of the 2023 first round with a quarterback, whether that was via trade up or just staying here at four. Now, with those reports coming out, many people originally expected the Colts to move for someone like CJ Stroud, or combine hero Anthony Richardson, especially since the latter has been working out with current Colts starter Gardner Minshew this offseason. Hell, some people, including myself, originally thought the Colts were going to try to trade up to number one to draft Alabama's Bryce Young, especially after Colts owner Jim Irsay was bigging up the former Crimson Tide football player at a press conference earlier this offseason. Who really knows if there was actually any real concrete love or interest for Young when Irsay said that, or if he was just playing the game that is the NFL Draft, one thing is for sure, that most Colts fans out there did not want to see Kentucky's Will Levis come off the board here with the fourth overall pick, especially since he very well could be the second quarterback taken in the draft. If you took a poll leading up to the draft, I'm fairly confident that you'd find that most people out there view Ohio State's CJ Stroud as the next best quarterback after Bryce Young. Hell, some people out there even view Stroud as the best quarterback in the draft. Like, if you watched the film from the previous season, it's clear that Stroud was the better quarterback between himself and Levis, so why would Levis be considered the favorite, let alone be in consideration, for this pick if Stroud is, as most people would suggest, the better quarterback? Well, a few factors come into play with that. The most recent thing that has popped up is Stroud's S2 cognition test score, which saw him score an 18%, whereas Levis scored an impressive 93%. Now, who actually knows if these are the real numbers, or if this is just stuff getting out there in hopes that Stroud falls to a specific team in the draft, but as one unnamed NFL executive stated that, "Stroud scored 18. That is like red alert, red alert, you can't take a guy like that. That is why I have Stroud as a bust. That in conjunction with the fact, name one Ohio State quarterback that's ever done it in the league." Whether the score is truly accurate or not, Stroud could fall in the draft. Another big area is that Levis has more 'tools' in his arsenal than Stroud does. Now, that could divide some opinions as Stroud is way more accurate than Levis at this point in time, but Levis is bigger, has a stronger arm, is objectively more athletic, or at least he utilizes his athleticism more, and he played at Kentucky, where Stroud played for Ohio State. I hate when people chose to scout the helmet rather than the player, but as that unnamed exec said, people could be scared off by Stroud being an Ohio State product. Do I think Levis put his best foot forward this season? No, I don't, but when you compare the supporting casts, it's not really close. When a team is drafting really high, that usually means that they're not very good, and if someone played with college football's most elite receiving core over the past two seasons, some may be concerned that he 'can't' do it with a lesser supporting cast. I'm not at all saying that's how I view it, like, at all, but teams could very well be scared off by that. Objectively speaking, Levis' weapons, offensive line, and team's offensive game plan were far weaker than Stroud's, and given that he played through multiple injuries, and had some flashes of potential, teams could very well be higher on Levis than Stroud. As someone who watched every game Will Levis played last year, I can 100% say that based off film, Stroud is the better quarterback. Now, if you're trying to project five years into the future, Levis could be the better option. I know that may not be everyone's cup of tea, but Levis is the more 'toolsy' quarterback. New head coach Shane Steichen has stated numerous times that his offensive game plan will be throw to score, run to win. With Levis' arm strength and athletic ability, he could be perfect for Steichen's offense in Indianapolis. A backfield with him and a hopefully rejuvenated Jonathan Taylor would be really fun to see. Levis might not be there yet, but I think he'll be a nice quarterback at the next level. I don't think he's Josh Allen, but Levis has everything physically in place to be a stud at the next level.
IF NOT THEN - Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida or CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State
5. Seattle Seahawks (via Denver) - Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia
This is a pick in the draft that I'm very much torn on. On one hand, I would love to see the Seattle Seahawks select my guy, Anthony Richardson, here with the fifth overall pick. Compared to all the other quarterbacks in this draft, I would say that Richardson, though he may have the lowest floor, has the highest ceiling in the draft, given his size, arm talent, and athleticism. Not to mention the fact that he's still only 20-years old, you could have a potential game changer on offense if you're the Seahawks. That being said, despite reports saying that Richardson and the Seahawks brass had a very good meeting at the Combine, I think the main focus for the Seahawks this offseason is improving their defensive line, which is something that has been brought up multiple times throughout the whole offseason process. When you look at the rest of the division, it's clear to see why, seeing players like Arik Armstead, Nick Bosa, DeForest Buckner, Aaron Donald, Leonard Floyd, Javon Kinlaw, Von Miller, among others line up against you must make you want to retool your defensive line in at least some capacity. Now, I've seen several conflicting reports surrounding the Seahawks pick, with some suggesting that the league expects the Seahawks to target Georgia's Jalen Carter with this pick, whereas others say that they're not sure. As I sit here right now typing this, I can honestly say that I completely understand where these reports are coming from, this whole situation surrounding the Georgia defensive tackle is tough to maneuver around. On one hand, you have arguably the best overall player in the draft, regardless of position, available to take here with the fifth selection, and after going over how much you need to improve the defensive line, you would think this would make all the sense in the world, right? It should be one of those 'spring up to the podium type picks,' right? Well, yeah, normally it would be. But given how this offseason has gone for the former two time national champion, you can see why there'd be some hesitation. Whether it's surrounding the car accident which led to the untimely deaths of Chandler Louise LeCroy and teammate Devin Alex Willock, or, to a lesser extent, him being overweight and considered out of shape at his pro day, people have started to question Carter's 'love for football,' which is understandable to a degree. But when you take a look at Pete Carroll's draft history in his time in Seattle, he's never really shied away from character or off the field issues, he just wants the best players to play for him, and that's what Carter would bring to the Seahawks. Again, Carter has widely been considered as one of, if not the top player in this draft class, which is not something that is usually said about defensive tackles. Even on a Georgia defensive line that boasted the likes of Travon Walker, Jordan Davis, and Devonte Wyatt, many considered Carter to be the most gifted out of that group which again, shows truly how talented of a player he is. Being the main cog in Georgia's defensive machine, Carter's relentless work rate and speed on passing downs makes him damn near impossible to stop. Mixing that with his natural athleticism makes it even harder to stay in front of him, as he has the fluidity to dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge around opposing offensive linemen. He may not have the production, yet, but the talent is clearly there, which should translate into him becoming an even bigger threat at the next level. Where he's, arguably, the most dominant is against the run, as his aforementioned speed and athleticism allows him to split blockers and get to the backfield sometimes even before the back gets the ball. Georgia has built a nice little team based around a stifling defense, and even if you look at last year's team, many out there believe Carter has been the most naturally talented player that Kirby Smart and co. have produced over the recent years. Though many teams have their reservations about Carter, I'm sure Seahawks fans and the organization alike would love to see Carter join the squad, hopefully helping improve their defensive line.
IF NOT THEN - Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida or Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama
6. Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles) - Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
Though the Lions could take a quarterback as a 'luxury piece,' I think they should definitely take the best defensive player available if they fell to them here with the sixth overall pick, which is exactly what happened here. Before I get to the player, for the Lions, with quarterback seemingly out of the question at this point, the Lions should definitely turn their attention to the defensive side of the ball, especially since the Lions boasted the worst defense in the league, by some margin, giving up, on average, 392.4 yards per game. To me, and seemingly everyone else out there, the main positions in question on the defensive side of the ball are going to be corner and defensive tackle, and with the top defensive linemen already off the board, the Lions can run up to the podium and select the best corner on their board. Though it's a tight battle for the top corner in the draft, I'm going to give the edge in the Illinois man, in the form of Devon Witherspoon. When you look at the Lions as a whole from a season ago, you're pretty much looking at two different teams, one being the offense and the other being the defense. I understand that that's how fans and teams alike pretty much view things, but it feels like last year the defense was trying to help the opposing teams win the game, especially when it comes to throwing the football, giving up a whopping 245.8 yards per game. Then when you look at the fact that both Mike Hughes and Amani Oruwariye left in free agency and that former third overall pick, Jeff Okuadah, was recently traded to the Atlanta Falcons, corner could very well be the Lions number one need, and I'm hoping adding someone like Witherspoon would help improve this porous unit. To me, Witherspoon just feels like a Detroit Lion. Though he may not be the most physically imposing corner out there, standing at 5'11" and weighing in at 181 lbs., Witherspoon may be the best on ball defender in this entire draft. Per PFF, 560 of the 738 defensive snaps Witherspoon played this past fall came with a man coverage call. With the Raiders playing a lot of man coverage, Witherspoon would fit right into their secondary. Dude doesn't back down from any challenge. He's very instinctive and has a real nose for the football, while also not being afraid of hitting bigger players on the offensive side of the ball. Again, per PFF, Witherspoon was targeted 63 times, yet allowed just 22 catches for 206 yards with three interceptions and 14 pass breakups, not to mention he didn’t allow a single touchdown all season. With current Lions defensive coordinator, Aaron Glenn, being considered a 'smaller' corner when he played in the NFL, I'm sure he'd love to add someone who has the fire that Witherspoon has. Dude has the mentality of someone twice his size, and is physical enough to compete with someone, again, who is twice his size. I think he could be the perfect corner for Dan Campbell.
IF NOT THEN - Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia or Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama
7. Las Vegas Raiders - Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
This may be considered somewhat of a surprise pick, as many people out there, including myself, have thought the Las Vegas Raiders would be moving for a potential quarterback of the future here with their first pick in the draft. Though that is certainly a possibility, I'm not as sold on the idea as I was back when I had them trading up with the Cardinals to select Florida's Anthony Richardson in mock draft 2.0. Many could point to the fact that the Raiders went out and signed former Josh McDaniel pupil Jimmy Garoppolo from San Francisco this offseason, getting a guy that is more familiar with his system and style of offense than someone who was with the organization before hand, i.e. Derek Carr. To me, this is a fairly similar situation to when the 49ers traded up from 12 to three to select North Dakota State's Trey Lance. Sure, Garoppolo is a fine quarterback that won't really get you into any trouble, but he's not the franchise guy people thought he was when he was first traded to San Francisco. So them officially signing Jimmy Garoppolo did not put me off sending a quarterback to Vegas. Like, Josh McDaniels even came out and essentially stated that the Raiders will, at some point in the draft, look to add another young arm to the quarterback room, I'm just not sold on it being here with the seventh overall pick, so I have the Raiders going in a little bit of a different direction. When you look at the silver and black from last season, one thing kind of stands out, and that is their horrible play on the defensive side of the ball. Last season, the Raiders ranked in the bottom five in total defense and passing defense, while also ranking in the bottom 10 in points allowed per game. In a division with the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and a hopefully improved Russell Wilson, the Raiders will certainly want to improve their defense if they want to compete with the three other teams in their division. Though they went out and signed former Minnesota Viking Duke Shelley, improvements are still needed in the secondary, namely at corner. So, with this pick, I have the Raiders taking a corner, this in the form of Oregon's Christian Gonzalez. At the combine, coming in at 6'1" 197 lbs., Gonzalez posted an impressive 4.38 in the 40 along with a 41.5" vertical and an 11'1" broad jump, all near the top for corners at the combine. His impressive performance, mixed with his on field production has seen him become, arguably, the top corner in the class. At his size, Gonzalez has all the length teams are looking for in today's NFL. Coupling that with the fact that he may be the most lockdown corner in the draft and you may have something special on your hands. His size allows him to guard any receiver and his speed and ball tracking abilities rarely sees him get beat deep. Against his former team, Gonzalez registered two interceptions, with one of them close to being returned for a touchdown, and even broke a tackle on the run back. The following game, instead of gobbling up a ton of interceptions, he showed off his tackling abilities, leading the Ducks in total and solo tackles in a losing effort against Atlanta. Traits, traits, traits. Fluid, fast, and hungry, Gonzalez has everything you want in a corner. If the Raiders don't go quarterback here, Gonzalez should definitely be within consideration. The Raiders desperately need to improve on defense, and adding someone like Gonzalez would be a good place to start.
IF NOT THEN - CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State or Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
8. Atlanta Falcons - Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
Now, I've toyed with the idea of sending former Texas running back Bijan Robinson to the Atlanta Falcons in the draft for a while now, but have never really had the courage to actually pull the trigger. Well, as we edge closer and closer to the 2023 NFL Draft, it seems like this scenario could actually play out, so we're finally sending Robinson to the Falcons here with the eighth overall pick. Pretty unsurprisingly, I have been pretty bullish on trying to figure out where Robinson would go in the draft. The talent is undeniable, but the league's value of the running back position has diminished so much in recent years that having Robinson go anywhere near the top 10 when the draft process started seemed highly unlikely. But like I said, the fact of the matter is that Robinson has all the talent in the world to not only be an elite running back at the next level, but an overall game changer that could significantly improve the Atlanta Falcons offense moving forward. Now, though the idea of Robinson going to Atlanta seems fun, there's got to be some actual reasoning behind the pick rather than just talking about how talented he is. When you look at how the Falcons have drafted in recent years, mainly since Terry Fontenot took over as GM in 2021, their main focus has been on getting highly skilled position players with premium picks on the offensive side of the ball. In Fontenot's first draft as Falcons GM, the team selected Florida tight end Kyle Pitts. Now, did the Falcons necessarily have a massive need at tight end? Not necessarily, but the talent was just too much to pass up, as Pitts was seen as an absolute game changer who was seen as a generational talent at the position. In 2022, the Falcons went on to select former USC wide receiver Drake London with the eighth overall pick. London, a former basketball player, had all the tools to be an elite downfield weapon for the Falcons, with an innate ability to high point the ball and make the acrobatic catches out wide. Both Pitts and London were seen as excellent athletes at their positions, and though they both may not have been necessarily the biggest needs on the roster, as edge rusher was arguably a bigger issue in both drafts, the Falcons drafted them in order to try and improve their offense under a new offensive minded head coach. Coming from a Tennessee Titans team that did most of their work in the run game, I'm sure that offensive minded coach would love someone like Robinson toting the rock down in Atlanta. Yes, I am aware that Cordarrelle Patterson has been really productive since becoming a full time running back, and 2022 fifth round selection Tyler Allgeier rushed for just over 1,000 yards this past season, but neither of them are Bijan Robinson. Possessing the best traits from both Patterson and Allgeier, Robinson is a very good combination of size, speed, and patience. Great in-between the tackles and special in the passing game, Robinson would give the Falcons offense another gear, taking a lot of pressure off of 2022 third round selection Desmond Ridder, who is expected to be the Falcons starter going into next season. With young cornerstones potentially in place on offense, the Falcons can potentially take hold of a very wide open NFC South, which is back in familiar territory as the worst division in football. Given the current value of the running back position, some may be skeptical about this pick, but given Fontenot's first round draft history, and the perceived 'gold jacket' potential of Robinson, this pick makes sense for the Falcons, fitting in with exactly what Arthur Smith wants to do on offense.
IF NOT THEN - Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon or Tyree Wilson, DL/EDGE, Texas Tech
9. Chicago Bears (via Carolina) - Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
This is a very interesting spot for the Chicago Bears, as they could potentially get a potential generational talent here at ninth overall. With all the stuff surrounding Georgia's Jalen Carter, many sources from around the league say that he could potentially find his way to Chicago here in the first round, which I'm sure many Bears fans would be thrilled about. Hell, you trade back eight spots and are still in conversations about getting the guy you could've taken at one? That is some real 'Draft Day' stuff right there. Now, though there is a possibility of that happening, I would say that I think it's pretty unlikely that he falls this far. Would I like to see it happen? Sure, as a friend to many Bears fans out there, I would love to see their team finally get a dub in some sort of department, whether that be on the field or off it. If that happens, I'd honestly be over the moon, but again, I just don't feel Carter will realistically slide past the Lions at six. So, with Carter kind of out of the picture, the Bears could realistically still stick on the defensive side of the ball. Like, given what head coach Matt Eberflus looks for in his defensive players, I could really see someone like Iowa's Lukas Van Ness going here at ninth overall. Sure he didn't start at Iowa this past season, but his potential and his positional versatility could be big for a guy like Eberflus. When you read up on some of the reports surrounding who GM Ryan Poles is looking for in players, Van Ness seems to check those boxes. Again, though it'd be cool to see an Iowa player go in the top 10, I think the position most Bears fans out there are wanting is an offensive tackle, and there are some decent ones atop the draft board. One name that has been garnering a whole lot of attention recently is Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr.. It feels like days ago people in the media were discussing who the best offensive tackle in the draft was. Now, come draft week, we're sitting here discussing whether or not Johnson could be taken as high as third overall to Arizona. That really feels like it came out of nowhere, but given Johnson's size and athleticism it's not hard to see why. Though I think there's a chance he could be taken by Arizona, as many reports suggest offensive line is a pretty big area of concern for them, I think it's safe to assume that Arizona passes on Johnson in favor of one of the pass rushers, in this case selecting Alabama's Will Anderson Jr.. Now, if Arizona doesn't end up taking Johnson, I would say that the next logical spot for him would be to Chicago here at nine, so, that's where we have him going. Though some may see Northwestern's Peter Skoronski as the best offensive line prospect, or even rank Tennessee's Darnell Wright or Georgia's Broderick Jones as the best tackle, Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr. has everything you could possibly look for as a tackle prospect at the next level. A former five star recruit, Johnson started his career off at Ohio State as a guard, before moving to tackle and making the position his own this past season. At 6'6" 313 lbs., Johnson has the prototypical size for what a lot of teams will be looking for in a left tackle. A natural and fluid mover, Johnson can keep up with almost anyone coming off the edge, setting a nice wall up in both the pass and run game. This past season, per ESPN, Johnson allowed just two sacks and 10 pressures, which is again, an area the Bears will definitely be looking to improve upon this coming season. He's quick against the pass and stout against the run, and I feel his build mixed with his tenacity will push him towards the top of draft boards, in regards to the tackle position. At the combine, speaking about Justin Fields, Johnson stated that, "it would be an honor to be back with him again," so why not reunite them in the Windy City? Strong, quick, and powerful, I'm sure the Bears could use someone like that. If he's available, I'm sure the Bears would rush up to the podium to make him the new blind side protector of their franchise quarterback.
IF NOT THEN - Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia or Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
10. Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans) - Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia
Thanks to the New Orleans Saints, the Philadelphia Eagles, for the second straight year, are proud holders of not one, but two first round picks. After losing the Super Bowl in not so fun fashion, getting two first round picks for your troubles makes it somewhat better, right? Maybe not initially, but hey, if you ace these picks, you could have a couple players that lead you back to the promised land and who knows? Maybe you actually win it this time. All that being said, though they didn't win the Super Bowl, it's still a pretty fun time to be an Eagles fan. You've got yourself a talented quarterback, really good receivers, a good, but cringey, coach, and a strong defense. Though there are positives going into this season, it's not without some problems. Those problems include losing a few key players as well as two coordinators this past offseason, with Shane Steichen and Jonathan Gannon taking head coaching jobs in Indianapolis and Arizona respectively. As for the players, sure they brought back the likes of James Bradberry, Brandon Graham, and Fletcher Cox, but they also lost the likes of Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and Javon Hargrave, who both got decent paydays to play elsewhere next season, so there are some holes to fill on the defensive side of the ball. I'll mention this a little later as well, but throughout his tenure as GM of the Philadelphia Eagles, Howie Roseman has seemingly always prioritized the trenches in regards to high value draft picks. Since first booming GM in 2010, the Eagles have spent seven first round draft picks on either the offensive line or defensive line. Another thing Roseman has done throughout his time in Philly is get players who could eventually replace aging starters, just going back to last year where the Eagles drafted Jordan Davis and Cam Jurgens to eventually replace the likes of Fletcher Cox and Jason Kelce. I think the Eagles could do something similar here, by selecting an edge rusher that could potentially replace longtime Eagles Brandon Graham, who was Roseman's first pick as GM back in 2010. With Graham just turning 35, and with him being on a one-year deal, now would be a good time to find a potential replacement. With Georgia's Nolan Smith currently blazing up draft boards, I think he'd be a very solid selection here by the Eagles with the 10th overall pick. Much like a bunch of Georgia players before him, Smith is an absolute freak of an athlete. Standing at 6'2" and weighing in at 238 lbs., Smith absolutely destroyed the combine, posting a 41.5" vertical, a 10'8" broad jump, and an insanely impressive 4.39 in the 40. The thing with his 40, it didn't even look like he was ever at full speed, it just looked so effortless for him, which is truly scary. Now, I don't think there will be a lot of times Smith is running 40 yards in a straight line in a football game, but that effortless athleticism will definitely see him vault up draft boards, and it definitely shows on film. Though he may be slightly undersized, Smith's natural athleticism and bend allows him to blow past the best blockers at the college level. He's almost like a blur to offensive linemen, as there aren't a lot of edge rushers that possess that kind of speed at the collegiate level. Now, because of his size, if he doesn't blow past you, he can get held up to a certain extent, but I fully expect him to bulk up at the next level to be able to shrug off opposing offensive linemen. Twitchy and athletic, Smith would be a perfect fit in the Eagles defense. I'm sure Eagles fans would love to partner Smith with the likes of Haason Reddick, that'd make for a truly deadly pairing. I'd love to see Nolan Smith a part of the Eagles defense.
IF NOT THEN - Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State or Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia
11. Tennessee Titans - CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State
This may not be the first player you think of when narrowing down the possible first round selection for the Tennessee Titans, but I definitely think this is on the cards. When you look at the Titans roster, one thing is clear, this team, outside of star running back Derrick Henry, has no true hitters on the offensive side of the ball. Like, I could make a pretty solid argument that, outside of maybe the Denver Broncos, the Tennessee Titans had the most unwatchable offense from this past season. No consistency from any aspect of the offense. Whether that be the offensive line, wide receivers, or most importantly, quarterback, this offense was dreadful. This past season, the Titans ranked in the bottom five in yards per game and in points per game. The Titans were so bad on offense this past season that the only other team that finished in the bottom five in both categories was the division rival Texans, who finished with a 3-13-1 record, truly abysmal. This is exactly why they made the decision to fire offensive coordinator Todd Downing back in January. Though Downing did a pretty horrific job at navigating the offense, it wasn't like he had a bunch of options to choose from. Again, outside of Derrick Henry, the Titans had no other 'go to' players on offense, which was only amplified by the fact that they traded star wide receiver, AJ Brown, to the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2022 NFL Draft. Though I like former Arkansas receiver Treylon Burks, as far as this year is concerned, that was an insanely lopsided trade, which is exactly why the Titans fired GM Jon Robinson mid-way through the season. This past season, the Titans ranked in the bottom four in receiving yards by wide receivers this past season, with Robert Woods leading the way with just 527 yards. Along with receiver, the Titans struggled mightily from the quarterback position. After Ryan Tannehill went down with a season ending injury, the Titans turned to 2022 third round selection Malik Willis to try and steady the ship. As someone who really liked Malik Willis coming out of college, knowing how raw he was, the dude really struggled, never really looking comfortable in, or outside, the pocket for the Titans when given the opportunity. Apparently the Titans thought the same, as they threw in NFL journeyman Josh Dobbs to try and lead a playoff push, which is insanely sad. How this team was anywhere near the playoffs is beyond me, even more so with Dobbs leading the way. When you're looking at the Titans quarterback depth chart, you have a soon to be 35-year old Ryan Tannehill and a second year quarterback in Malik Willis that I don't feel the Titans have the most faith in. When listening to head coach Mike Vrabel this offseason, about the quarterback position, he said that though he 'expects' Tannehill to be their starter next season, he also stated that won't 'commit to anyone being on the roster.' This leads me to believe the Titans, with new GM Ran Carthon, will be looking to add another quarterback in the draft, especially if the right one falls to them. Well, in this scenario one did, so I have the Titans selecting former Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud here with the 11th pick in the draft. The closer we get to the draft, the less shocking this feels, right? Now, there is still a very good chance that Stroud goes somewhere in the top 10, maybe even top two, but if the recent reports are to be believed, Stroud could really be in play for the Titans here at 11. At the combine, apart from Richardson, Stroud arguably looked the best out of the other top quarterback prospects in this draft. Though he didn't partake in the workout portion of the combine, Stroud put forth one of the best throwing portions of the combine in recent memory, showing off terrific ball placement on all short, intermediate, and deep throws, really wowing everyone in attendance. Though I believe any quarterback worth their salt can look good throwing on air, Stroud looked head and shoulders better than every other quarterback that threw at the combine. Though his combine performance was impressive, Stroud put forth two excellent seasons while quarterbacking the Ohio State Buckeyes, even going as far to say that he had been the best player in college football over those two seasons, which saw him become a two-time Heisman finalist. Though I don't think, at their respective peaks, he was better than Bryce Young, one thing I can say about Stroud is that he was the most accurate quarterback in college football over those years. One could even say he's one of the more accurate quarterbacks in recent college football memory, being a point guard in every sense of the word at the quarterback position. Stroud can place a ball anywhere on the field, and is able to do it on the run as well as in the pocket, which is important in today's NFL. Though he has the ability to throw on the run, he doesn't run the ball past the line of scrimmage that often. When you look at his rushing stats, you would think this dude can't move for shit, but the thing is that he can, he just chooses not to. The only time we saw Stroud run the ball was against Northwestern, in a game that essentially had hurricane force winds, kind of forcing his hand in a sense. We did see it in spurts in the semi-final game against Georgia, but I kind of want to see Stroud utilize his feet more at the next level. It may be a comfort thing if anything, because he can look flustered at times when he's on the move, and has looked rattled when the pocket somewhat collapses around him. If you give him time he'll dice up the opposition, but I do get somewhat nervous when pressure gets thrown on him. All that being said, I do think this is insanely low for CJ Stroud, who is my number two quarterback in this draft behind Bryce Young. But whether that be his laid back nature, his 'coachability,' or his S2 cognition test score, Stroud seems to be falling down the draft board, but I'm sure Mike Vrabel and co. would be just fine with that. Stroud would give the Titans a true franchise quarterback, hopefully being better than the last few they've tried taking in the draft.
IF NOT THEN - Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida or Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
12. Houston Texans (via Cleveland) - Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
With the reports coming out about the Texans possibly taking a defender instead of a quarterback with the second pick, this draft has become, and is looking, more and more unpredictable. Like, who in their right mind would've thought this scenario would play out when we first started making mock drafts? Not me. It seemed like through the entire offseason that the top two picks, in whatever order, would be Alabama's Bryce Young and Ohio State's CJ Stroud, but apparently, the Texans only have eyes for Bryce Young, and reportedly aren't necessarily sold on the other top quarterbacks in the draft, at least with the second overall pick. It felt like once those reports started coming out about them even thinking about taking either Will Anderson or Tyree Wilson, people have really started to belittle this year's quarterback class, which I guess seems to happen every single year, doesn't it? This whole thing started making people question everything they initially thought about this class, none more so than the aforementioned CJ Stroud, who went from a near guaranteed top two pick to now, widely being considered to fall completely out of the top 10. Hell, per Peter King, Stroud isn't a 'lock' to go within the first seven picks, which again, seemed insane a few weeks ago. This is just like 'Draft Day,' isn't it? Once one team says 'eh, we're not so sure about taking this player,' then the whole league starts to question said player, whether that be Bo Callahan or CJ Stroud. Now, this all could just be blown out of proportion, and maybe Stroud is still the guy atop the Texans draft board when their pick comes up later tonight. That's the fun yet stressful part of the NFL Draft, especially for losers like myself. Now, if the Texans do end up taking one of the defenders with the number two pick, that could start a mass panic of teams trying to trade up to the third overall pick. Though it could happen, I just have a hard time seeing it at this point in time, and I'm open to being wrong about that. Hell, according to Daniel Jeremiah's latest mock draft, the Texans could be one of the teams in talks to trade up to number three, so who knows. Now, I've weighed that option, and though it could happen, I'm going to just have them stay here at 12. This could make for an interesting selection by the Texans, who could either take a quarterback here, should one fall to them, or take one of the top receivers in the class. After all, they only really have a soon to be 31-year old Robert Woods, who is coming off of the worst season of his career, Nico Collins, and Noah Brown after trading Brandin Cooks to Dallas, so receiver, again, could definitely be on the cards. Though that's a realistic option, I think quarterback should still be atop the Texans board when we get here to the 12th pick, so that's where I have them going, selecting Florida's Anthony Richardson. Like I've said before, Anthony Richardson was on a different planet when it came to the workout portion of the 2023 combine. At the combine, Richardson absolutely stole the show. Coming in at 6'4" 244 lbs., Richardson posted a 40.5" vertical, a 10'9" broad jump, and an insane 4.43 in the 40 yard dash, with his vertical and broad jump numbers setting new combine records for the quarterback position. Though it didn't set a record, his 40 yard dash time ranks third all time for quarterbacks running at the combine. For a guy at his size, Richardson should not be able to move as well as he does. The dude is an absolute freak of nature and puts it all on display when he's on the football field. Though he's insanely raw, his talent is insane, as he has arguably the strongest arm in the draft. That being said he can be very erratic at times, which causes some throws to go awry. Just look at some of the throws he made in the game against Western Kentucky, or some of the runs he made against both LSU and Texas A&M, the dude exudes talent, but it's just a matter of if he can put it all together or not. For the Texans, if given the proper time, Richardson has all the tools to be a truly great quarterback at the next level. Who knows, maybe Richardson is more ready to play than people are giving him credit for, but the beauty of having someone like Davis Mills is that he is more than capable at starting multiple games and being a solid bridge quarterback for your true quarterback of the future. Again, if Richardson pans out, the Texans could have a truly special player on their hands, and I for one can't wait to see how he turns out. Everything is there, it's just for him to realize it.
IF NOT THEN - CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State or Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
13. Green Bay Packers (via New York) - Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
For the first time since 2002, could the Green Bay Packers really be selecting an offensive weapon with a first round selection? Even more so, could they really do it after trading, arguably, the greatest quarterback in franchise history, Aaron Rodgers, to the New York Jets? If they do, that would be one of the pettiest things I've seen in recent draft history, and I'm 100% here for it. As I just said, the Packers finally traded longtime quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the Jets in exchange for the 13th pick, 42nd pick, 207th pick, and a conditional second round pick that could turn into a first round pick should Rodgers play 65% of the Jets snaps this next season. Now, if you've heard me talk about this trade on the world famous Logan Blackman Show, you'd know how skeptical I was about the Jets giving up a first round pick for the 39-year quarterback, because from what the reports were originally saying, it sounded like the Packers wanted both the 13th pick and the 15th pick in the draft. To me, that was absolutely crazy to think about, especially since Rodgers is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career and stated on the Pat McAfee show that he was '90% retired' going into the offseason. I understand it's the Jets, but even they know not to give up their first round pick, let alone multiple first round picks, for a guy that was '90% retired.' I'll get more into the Jets side of things in a couple picks, but for now, we're about to be entering into the Jordan Love era in Green Bay. It's been a longtime coming, but we're finally going to be able to see what Love has to offer at the quarterback position for the Packers. Throughout his short three-year career, Love has only appeared in 10-games, starting just one, which was against the Kansas City Chiefs down in Arrowhead. Throughout those 10 games Love has flashed his potential, none more so than in the game against the Eagles this past season. Was the game pretty much over? Sure, but Love did look very solid against the leagues best defense, regardless of what the score was at the time. The Packers are finally ready to see who they've got at quarterback, and I think he could be a very good player at this level, but only time will tell. One way to help him out is to get a good core of weapons around him. Looking at the recent success of the Love's 2020 draft classmates Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, and Justin Herbert, all of them have a very solid group of weapons around them. In last year's draft, the Packers went after a couple wide receivers in the form of Christian Watkins (34) and Romeo Doubs (132), with both having verging success in their rookie seasons. Besides those two, the Packers are relatively thin at the wide receiver position, especially after Alan Lazard signed with the Jets and Randall Cobb, who'll be 33 in August, is still a pending free agent. The Packers will want to give Love every chance to succeed, and after jumping another potential receiver needy team in the Patriots, the door could be open for the Packers to take their first wide receiver since 2002. Tight end could be an option here as well, but given how deep this tight end class is the Packers could be better served to address that need later on. As for which receiver they could be targeting, I think Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba could be the perfect option for the Packers here at 13. On his day, Smith-Njigba is the best receiver in this draft, and was once upon a time considered to be a guaranteed top 10 pick. Though Smith-Njigba has widely been considered to be just a slot guy, with all but eight of his 95 catches in 2021 came from the slot, the dude can tear up anyone that guards him on the opposing defense. A fantastic route runner who gets to stop speed quickly, Smith-Njigba could probably get open in a phone booth, the dude's acceleration out of the break is friggin' nasty. This was on full display when he was Ohio State's number one option, on a team that featured Garrett Wilson, the 2022 NFL OROY, and Chris Olave. Along with being a polished route runner, Smith-Njigba is a hands catcher, which is very important, and can make defenders miss once the ball is in his hands. The other main issue that gets brought up with Smith-Njigba is that he couldn't stay on the field this past season, mainly due to a hamstring injury that he suffered in Ohio State's first game of the season against Notre Dame, appearing sparingly in just three games last season. The thing is, if he didn't get hurt this year, we would've seen the best version of Smith-Njigba, as he was expected to line up more on the outside this past season. Had the hamstring injury not happened, we again, may be talking about a potential top 10 pick in the draft. Smith-Njigba is widely considered to be the top receiver in the draft, and there wouldn't be any real questions about that had he not gotten injured. With the aforementioned Patriots doing their due diligence on wide receivers in this draft, the Packers could very well steal the guy the Patriots could be looking at at 14 by taking him here at 13. If the Packers want Love to succeed, they're going to have to get some more weapons for him on the outside. After trading Rodgers away, it feels like now, really more than ever before, that the Packers could take a receiver in the first round, bucking a two decade long trend. I'm sure Packers fans would be thrilled by this selection.
IF NOT THEN - Lukas Van Ness, DL/EDGE, Iowa or Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
14. New England Patriots - Lukas Van Ness, DL/EDGE, Iowa
Much like mock draft 1.0, I have gone back and forth a hundred times trying to figure out who the New England Patriots will take here with the 14th overall pick. Overall, this is just a strange time for the New England Patriots, as they are slowly, but surely, becoming the worst team in the AFC East, a phrase I thought I'd never utter when I was growing up. That's not just me being a hater, when you look at the rest of the division it's pretty clear to see. You already had the Bills and Dolphins, two playoff teams from the season just passed, along with a Jets team that is only going to continue to get better, especially if they get the quarterback position figured out. I can't say this enough, we may be entering a time where the Patriots could be the worst team in the division, isn't that exciting? Now, though it's fun to think like that, throughout my life I've learned to never 100% write off the Patriots, so when I'm saying all that, it's only writing them off about 90%, is that fair? Now, for the Patriots as a team, I don't really know what their plan is going into the season. Sure they brought Bill O'Brien back in from Alabama to help mend the relationship between Mac Jones and the organization, but from what it sounds like 2022 fourth round pick, Bailey Zappe, has a chance to take the job from the former first round draft pick. Like, the two highest scoring games the Patriots had last season came when Zappe, and not Jones, was the starter. Again, just weird times, so much so that I've seen some articles saying that Belichick could be on the 'hot seat' if the Patriots have another subpar season. Take that with a pinch of salt, but I'm sure Belichick and co. will certainly want to improve going into next season. When you look at the potential needs of the Patriots, there are a few that stand out, and those are wide receiver, offensive linemen, and corner. Starting with receiver, which is the position we had the Patriots addressing here in the last mock draft, selecting Boston College's Zay Flowers. I think there's a very good chance that Flowers goes to the Patriots here, as the Pats are surely looking to add more weapons on the offensive side of the ball. They already went out and signed JuJu Smith-Schuster this offseason to a three-year deal back on March 17th, so one would assume they'd be looking to add more, whether that'd be in the draft or via trade. Though again, I think there's a solid chance they go for someone like Flowers, knowing what I know about Belichick tells me he may instead opt to try and improve the offensive line, defensive line, or the secondary. With Marcus Cannon and Isaiah Wynn possibly going elsewhere, offensive tackle definitely makes sense here, but with Belichick being a defensive coordinator at heart, and seemingly always wanting to build his teams through the trenches, I wouldn't be surprised if they took Iowa's Lukas Van Ness here with the 14th pick in the draft. This just kind of feels like a Patriots pick, doesn't it? I could be wrong, but Van Ness looks like the type of guy that would definitely subscribe to the 'Patriot way.' Though he famously didn't start any games last season in Phil Parker's defense, Van Ness certainly made his presence known. Nicknamed 'Hercules,' Van Ness is an excellent bull rusher that uses his power to dominate the opposing offensive line, whether that's from the inside or the outside. His power is certainly something that can set him apart compared to some of the other rushers, as he uses it to his advantage in both the run and pass game, just overall causing problems for the opposition. He's raw, but he has the potential to be a truly awesome player at the next level. After testing well at the combine, there's a decent chance Van Ness could go even higher than this pick. If he's here though, with Belichick's connections to Iowa via Kirk Ferentz, I'm sure he'd love to take a guy like Lukas Van Ness. He's big, athletic, and versatile enough to play anywhere for the Patriots on defense, which I'm sure Belichick would love.
IF NOT THEN - Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College or Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
15. New York Jets (via Green Bay) - Peter Skoronski, iOL/OT, Northwestern
The Jets did it, they finally did it. After a long, and weird, offseason, the New York Jets finally secured the services of longtime Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Like we mentioned before with the first pick, this trade did come at a cost, with the Jets giving up the 13th pick, 42nd pick, 207th pick, and a conditional second round pick that could turn into a first round pick should Rodgers play 65% of the Jets snaps this next season. Though I think that's quite a bit for a 39-year old quarterback who was '90% retired' and coming off one of his worst statical years that saw him, and his team, miss the playoffs, this gives the Jets, and their fans, something they haven't had in a long time, and that's hope. And it's not like the Jets gave up this year's first round pick and didn't get anything, besides Rodgers, in return, they were able to secure the 15th overall pick in the draft, basically just swapping 2023 first round picks with the Packers, who could take a player that the division rival Patriots could want at 14, which I'm sure the Jets were perfectly fine with. Now, I could look like a complete idiot here, if I don't already, but as a Bills fan, I'm not sitting here really shivering in my timbers or anything, I still think the Bills are the best team in the AFC East. Though Rodgers is a massive upgrade on former second overall pick Zach Wilson, who did beat the Bills last season, I still think the Bills are the top dogs in the division, and I will continue to think so until I'm proven otherwise. But again, Jets fans haven't had a franchise quarterback since Joe Namath, so over the top projections are in order, I'll let them have their moment, at least for now. All that being said, again, the Jets have a 39-year old quarterback under center for them, he's not the same youthful spirit that he was in the past, you've got to get him some help on the offensive side of the ball. Now, the Jets do already have a decent group of weapons surrounding Rodgers, namely two really good rookies in Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson, not to mention Rodgers' former Packers teammate Allen Lazard, so one would think the Jets would look to improve the offensive line, right? I mean, I could be wrong, but I think the Jets could still use some improvements along the line of scrimmage, and with the tackles coming off the board a little later than expected, the Jets have the possibility of potentially taking the number one guy on their board. Again, I could be wrong, but I'm sure the Jets would love to add someone like Northwestern's Peter Skoronski here with the 15th pick in the draft. Much like the last Northwestern tackle selected in the first round, Skoronski may not possess the size, or length, a lot of teams are looking for in offensive tackles, but I don't think there's any doubt he could be a beast at tackle, or even guard, in the NFL. Getting the starting job as a freshman, Skoronski had his best season to date this past time around, allowing just one sack in 882 snaps. That's pretty damn impressive. Powerful at the point of attack, with quickness to boot, Skoronski would be an excellent pick up here at 15 by the Jets, who reportedly view the Northwestern product as a tackle. That being said, he would be a great option at either guard or tackle for the Jets, giving Rodgers much more time to work within the pocket.
IF NOT THEN - Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee or Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
16. Washington Commanders - Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
Like I've stated with a few other teams in this mock draft, not much has changed from the last one to now, as I have the Commanders selecting the same player here with the 16th pick in the draft. Though they were only a few games outside of the playoff spots, the Commanders still have a decent amount of needs on their roster. The first one on most fans' minds, I would imagine, is the quarterback position. After cutting Carson Wentz and letting Taylor Heinicke go to Atlanta, the Commanders currently sit with NFL journeymen in Jacoby Brissett and Jake Fromm, along with 2022 fifth round pick Sam Howell. As much as I like some of those guys, I don't know if the Commanders will commit to any of them long term, which is why they are linked with current Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has recently asked for a trade out of Baltimore via Twitter. As someone who likes Sam Howell, and wants to see him get a chance as a starter, I would definitely advise a move for Lamar Jackson, especially with longtime Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy, coming in as the new OC. Apart from quarterback though, I've seen people send the Commanders a few other positions, namely tight end, offensive line, and corner. Though tight end could be an option, I think the Commanders two biggest needs going into this offseason lie on the offensive line and in the secondary. With the Commanders lacking a true number one shutdown corner, that's certainly going to be an option, but with the top top corners already off the board, the Commanders should look to add one of the top offensive line prospects in this draft. With Georgia's Broderick Jones available, I think it'd be wise for the Commanders to go that direction come draft time. So far this offseason, the Commanders have shown some commitment to improving the offensive line, bringing in one of Bieniemy's former players, in Andrew Wylie, and former Giants center Nick Gates. With some reports suggesting former second round pick Sam Cosmi be either benched or moved inside to guard, the need for a dominant tackle could be priority number one going into the draft. According to some recent reports I've seen, the number one tackle on the Commanders board very well may be Tennessee's Darnell Wright, so they take him here with the 16th overall pick. If you've followed recent reports following the combine, an offensive linemen that has been on the rise is the aforementioned Darnell Wright. Acing every test thrown his way, Wright has put forth a very solid offseason leading to the draft. After putting forth a very solid season this last time out at Tennessee, Wright has gone on to have very good showings at the Senior Bowl and at the combine. I for one am happy though that his performances last season have started to get a little more recognition recently, as while blocking for Hendon Hooker, in 507 pass blocking snaps, Wright gave up an insanely impressive one sack, with his best performance coming against Alabama, and mainly this mock drafts fifth overall pick, Will Anderson Jr.. His performance against Anderson was so impressive that the Alabama edge rusher even went as far to say that Wright was 'the best' tackle he faced throughout his college career. That's some very high praise. At 6'6" 335 lbs., Wright has the prototypical size teams are looking for in tackles. Though he's that big, Wright moves extremely well, as his foot speed and aforementioned size allow him to be a calm blocker in the pass game. Against the run, Wright is able to just overpower opponents, and when he gets ahold of you it's pretty much over. Another thing that's key with Wright is that he doesn't back down from anybody, looking for contact in any way he can. Though that can cause some problems since he sometimes absorbs the contact first, his power, again, allows him to make up for that. Wright is a very good tackle prospect who could end up going sooner than this pick. If he's coached right, the Commanders really could come away with the best tackle in the draft.
IF NOT THEN - Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State or Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
17. Pittsburgh Steelers - Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
As a neutral, something I've heard a lot of Steelers fans say over the past couple years is that they need to finally address the offensive line, in at least some capacity. Over the past couple seasons, the Steelers have had somewhat of a patch work offensive line since the mass exodus of linemen during the 2021 offseason, which saw the likes of Matt Feiler, Alejandro Villanueva, Daniel DeCastro, and Maurkice Pouncey all leaving the Steelers organization. Apart from bringing former Chicago Bear James Daniels, the Steelers have done a pretty bad job at retooling their offensive line, which is why a lot of Steelers fans were upset after they selected Alabama running back Najee Harris with the 24th pick in the 2021 draft. It wasn't that they didn't like Harris, that was irrelevant, it was more of a factor of who the hell is going to block for him? Again, James Daniels has been a nice addition, especially since he didn't allow a single sack this past season. But apart from Daniels, the Steelers offensive line is nothing special, especially at the tackle position. As of right now, the Steelers have two tackles on the active roster. Granted, they're both starters, but both of them can, and should be improved upon going into next season. In last year's draft, the Steelers selected Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett with the 20th overall pick in the draft, wouldn't that feel like a nice vote of confidence? Getting an offensive linemen drafted for you, and Najee, with the team's first pick in the draft? It'd certainly hype me up. I think the Steelers have something in Pickett, and I think it'd be wise to build a nice little wall in front of him, and someone like Georgia's Broderick Jones would be a very solid place to start. He may not be the biggest tackle, standing at 6'4" and weighing 311 lbs., but the dude is as muscular as they come, and uses his strength to absolutely dominate oncoming defenders with relative ease. Even when he does get beat, he uses his length and speed to recover, allowing zero, zero, sacks this past season, as Georgia won their second straight National Championship. That being said, though he didn't allow a sack, one could be obligated to say that he is more of a 'project piece' than the other top tackles in this class, as he can be very aggressive at times, which can cause him to be a little erratic. But if the Steelers can coach him up right, they may end up getting the best tackle in this class. At only 21-years old, his best football is definitely in front of him.
IF NOT THEN - Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee or Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
18. Detroit Lions - Calijah Kancey, DL, Pitt
Like we said before, to me, the Detroit Lions first two picks in the draft, in some order, should come on the defensive side of the ball, and mainly come along the defensive line or in the secondary. When your defense is giving up, on average, 392.4 yards per game and 25.1 points per game, the defense should definitely be the number one area of concern. After taking Illinois' Devon Witherspoon with the first pick, the Lions can now turn their attention to the trenches, trying to find someone to add to a defensive line that already features the likes of Aidan Hutchinson, last year's second overall pick, and Alim McNeill, who put forth a very solid season this past time out as the Lions run stopping nose tackle. When you look across the line, you could either add another edge rusher to partner Hutchinson, or, and I feel this is more likely, look to add a speedy three-tech to get after the passer. Having someone like McNeill would open up a lot of rush lanes for a speedy three-tech, and in this draft, there are no three-techs faster than Pittsburgh's Calijah Kancey. This pick really makes all the sense in the world to me. Heavily compared to another former Pitt Panther in Aaron Donald, Kancey wowed some people at the combine. Not only did he come in an inch taller than what he was listed in college, but he came through big with a 4.67 time in the 40 yard dash, which is a combine record for defensive tackles. Could you guess who held the record before Kancey? It was the aforementioned Aaron Donald, of course, who ran a 4.68 in the 40. Though they do hold some weight, I think the comparisons to Donald are a little unfair to Kancey, as though he could become a great player in the NFL, it's not the most likely outcome that he becomes as great as Aaron Donald. Of course that's not slight on Kancey, it's just showing how great of a player Donald has been throughout his NFL career. Being an undersized defensive tackle from Pitt will cause people to compare though, right? Regardless of the Donald comparisons, Kancey is a very disruptive defensive tackle. Again, though he's only 6'1" 281 lbs., Kancey's speed is an insane mismatch for most interior offensive linemen. Along with his impressive speed, Kancey always puts forth great effort, as the dude is an absolute menace on the inside when it comes to getting after the quarterback. The dude was still insanely productive while at Pitt, putting up 13.5 sacks across the past two seasons, which is the most out of all defensive tackles in college football over that same time period. With a 17.1% pressure rate last season, Kancey is arguably the best interior pass rusher in this class, which could see him even go higher than this pick come draft night. He may be small, but the dude can ball, and I'm sure the Lions would be perfectly happy if he was available here at 18. His speed and relentless pressure is exactly what the Lions could use on the defensive line. By adding Witherspoon and Kancey, the Lions could see a pretty big turnaround on the defensive side of the ball.
IF NOT THEN - Lukas Van Ness, DL/EDGE, Iowa or Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
19. Kansas City Chiefs (via Tampa Bay) - Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
This would be the absolute worst case scenario for the NFL. The Kansas City Chiefs, the reigning Super Bowl champions, with the best quarterback in the NFL, are able to trade up in the draft and get, arguably, the best receiver in the class? Again, that doesn't seem too fair does it? Well, to be honest, as someone who despises the Kansas City Chiefs, I cannot stop thinking about this pick actually becoming reality. Though they are the defending Super Bowl champs, when you look at the current state of the Chiefs roster, they do have a decent amount of holes, namely in the trenches, along the offensive and defensive lines. When you look at the offensive side of the ball, the Chiefs will be without their starting tackle pairing from a season ago, with both Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie both leaving in free agency, with Brown signing for less money than what he was originally offered in Kansas City, to move the conference rival Bengals, and Wylie following former offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy, to the nation's capital to play for the Commanders. That being said, the Chiefs did go out and sign former Jaguar second round pick Jawaan Taylor to a four-year $80 million contract this offseason, and if reports are to be believed, the Chiefs have faith in either Darian Kinnard and/or Lucas Niang to take over at right tackle. We'll see if that's actually the move once the season starts, but that's at least what I've seen up to this point. As for the defensive side of the ball, the Chiefs are going to be without the likes of Frank Clark and Carlos Dunlap, with the former in Clark being released back in early March, so edge rusher could definitely be on the cards here as well, especially since the Chiefs aren't really sport for choice at that position at this point in time. All that being said though, I just can't shake the idea that Boston College's Zay Flowers will somehow, someway, wind up in Kansas City. Much like edge rusher, the Chiefs lost a few key pieces at wide receiver from a season ago, with Mecole Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster both heading to the AFC East this offseason to sign for the Jets and Patriots. Now Flowers, who is primarily a slot guy but can easily play on the outside when asked, put up very solid numbers in his time at Boston College, going for a career high in receptions, yards, and touchdowns this past season in a team that finished with three wins. Flowers' ability to get open is what truly sets him apart in this class, and is why the Patriots should look at him. He's very shifty from the point of attack and once he loses you, you don't come back. Just last season alone, per PFF, Flowers registered 503 yards after the catch, which is pretty damn impressive. Not only that, but Flowers, per ESPN, also forced 25 missed tackles, which ranked third in the nation for wide receivers this past season. Flowers may not be the biggest receiver in this class, standing only 5'10" and weighing 172 lbs., but the dude can absolutely dominate the wide receiver position with his route running and elusiveness. This past week it was reported that Flowers was down in Texas working out with Patrick Mahomes, and though it could mean absolutely nothing, I'm sure Mahomes would love to have a guy like Zay Flowers running routes for him in Kansas City. With the draft being held in KC, I'm sure the place would absolutely explode if the Chiefs made a move to draft one of the top receivers in the draft. I hate that this is a possibility, but I really like the fit, which makes me feel like this could happen.
IF NOT THEN - Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee (stay put) or Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU (stay put)
20. Seattle Seahawks - Myles Murphy, DL/EDGE, Clemson
After taking Georgia's Jalen Carter with their first pick, the Seahawks double back down on the defensive side of the ball and take Clemson's Myles Murphy. Like I stated before with the Carter pick, head coach Pete Carroll has talked about the Seahawks needing to be more dynamic up front more than a few times this offseason, and again, when you look at the recent success the Rams and 49ers have had, it's pretty easy to see why that'd be a top priority. Now, I could really see the Seahawks selecting a quarterback here, or even at number five. Sure, at face value, Geno signed a nice little three-year deal, but it's really just a one-year deal, which could open the door for a younger quarterback to take over, depending on how Geno does this upcoming season. Players like Anthony Richardson and Hendon Hooker have been widely linked to the organization, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if either of them were taken with one of the Seahawks two first round selections. Hell, maybe the Seahawks even try to get a weapon for Geno here with this pick, I mean, Tyler Lockett will be turning 31 in December and isn't getting any younger, maybe they want to find some sort of succession plan there. Though those are two very possible outcomes, I'm going to revert back to what I said earlier, Pete Carroll and co. have stressed the importance of strengthening the defensive line because again, looking at the success from some of the other teams within the division, you win in the trenches. So again, with Carter going fifth overall, we're going to have them double down and take Clemson's Myles Murphy here at pick 20. Murphy has all the physical traits you're looking for in a versatile defensive lineman. At 6'5" 268 lbs., Murphy has the ability to get after the quarterback from both the inside and the outside. What makes him truly standout vs some of the other edge rushers in this class is his burst, as he is quick to make contact with the opposing offensive linemen. His natural size mixed with his length allows him to gain separation from those trying to block him. All that going along with a tireless work rate makes him a very intriguing prospect for the Seahawks, should he fall to them in the draft. His versatility to play anywhere along the defense line, whether in a four point stance or standing up, makes him very useful for the Seahawks, who could play him either at linebacker or defensive end in their 3-4 front. Murphy may not have had the leap many were expecting of him this past season, but like Texas Tech's Tyree Wilson, Murphy has all the physical attributes to be a real menace at the next level. For the Seahawks who again, want to improve their defensive line, adding players like Jalen Carter and Myles Murphy would be excellent places to start. The Seahawks just got a whole lot more athletic along the defensive line.
IF NOT THEN - Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee or Calijah Kancey, DL, Pitt
21. Los Angeles Chargers - Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
We've played this game more than once during this mock draft cycle, as once again we have Utah's Dalton Kincaid heading to Los Angeles with the Bolts first pick. After blowing a 27-point halftime lead on the road against the Jaguars, losing the game 31-30 in one of the weirdest, yet strangely predictable things I've seen in quite some time, some people were surprised to see head coach Brandon Staley keep his job. Now, I don't necessarily think Staley is a bad coach, and I wasn't too surprised to see him keep his job, but I wouldn't have been that surprised had he been fired, does that make sense? Instead of Staley, the Chargers fired their offensive coordinator and their pass game coordinator, hoping that would bring out the best in an offense that truly should be one of the tops in the league, especially with Justin Herbert pulling the strings. Former Cowboys Kellen Moore and Doug Nussmeier were brought in to breathe new life to the Chargers offense, and for their sake I hope they can accomplish that. As for player personnel the Chargers will have some tough decisions to make, with a lot of attention turning to star wide receiver Keenan Allen, who's name has been brought up recently as a potential 'cap casualty,' which could be the fate of a lot of star players from around the league. Even with Keenan only playing 10 games last season due to injury, Herbert still managed to put up 4,739 yards, with six different players registering over 500 receiving yards. With Keenan not getting any younger, a lot of people may assume that the Chargers will move for a wide receiver here. Though I like the idea, I think the Chargers may move for another receiving position, moving instead for one of the top tight ends in the class. While in Dallas, Moore liked to use Dalton Schultz in a lot of different ways, and after having to watch Travis Kelce dip his nuts in your face twice a year since 2013, tight end may be atop the Chargers list in this draft. Though there will be discussions about who's the best in the class, I think Utah's Dalton Kincaid would provide the Chargers a lot of versatility from the position. Arguably the best natural receiver in this tight end class, Kincaid only ranked behind Georgia's Brock Bowers in regards to yards for tight ends last season, while also registering eight touchdowns. Whether he was along the line of scrimmage or in the slot, which is where he lined up most of the time, Kincaid was a real threat in Utah's passing game, utilizing his size and his ability to really stretch the field to tear apart opposing defenses. He also has an innate ability to make people miss after the catch, using his explosiveness to cut up field after a crossing route, blowing past linebackers past the line of scrimmage, breaking tackles like George Kittle in the open field. Though more than capable, he may not be a complete bulldozing blocker, yet, but his receiving abilities could push him atop tight end boards across the league. He would be very fun to watch in the Chargers offense.
IF NOT THEN - Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame or Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
22. Baltimore Ravens - Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
Apart from the whole Aaron Rodgers- Jets saga, the biggest quarterback story this offseason has been the ongoing feud between Lamar Jackson and the Ravens organization. For whatever reason, the Baltimore Ravens can never seem to get a deal done with star quarterback Lamar Jackson, placing a non-exclusive franchise tag on the former unanimous NFL MVP. By all accounts, Lamar should be getting paid with the best of them, but for whatever reason, again, he and the Ravens just can't seem to come to an agreement, which could see the former MVP playing somewhere else next season, despite reports saying that no team in the NFL is not in for Jackson. If I'm the Ravens, I want Lamar as my starting quarterback, as I think it'd be stupid for them to consider other options given what he's done throughout his time in Baltimore. Now, with Lamar in mind, the Ravens could definitely go in the direction of wide receiver here with their first round selection, especially after trading away his former number one receiver, Marquis Brown, to Arizona during the '22 draft. Though they were somehow able to secure a first round pick for his services, which was used to select Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum, they didn't really do a whole lot to replace him, until this offseason. Back in early April, the Baltimore Ravens were able to acquire the services of one Odell Beckham Jr., signing him to a one-year $18 million contract. Though Odell hasn't played in an NFL game since Super Bowl LVI, that does give Lamar a legit number one option on the outside, at least for this year. Lord knows what happens beyond this year but for now I think some Ravens fans would be content if they passed on a receiver here in the first round. Instead, I think the Ravens could look to the defensive side of the ball, namely in the secondary, as there were a few games last year, the Dolphins one in-particular, that the Ravens lost because the defense couldn't stop anything. In that aforementioned game against the Dolphins, the Ravens were up 35-14 going into the fourth quarter, only to lose the game 42-38 by giving up four touchdowns in said quarter. Again, there have been a few other games where the Ravens secondary has been found out, which is why they've ranked in the bottom 10 in pass defense across the past two seasons. To hopefully help rectify this, I'm going to have the Ravens take Mississippi State corner, Emmanuel Forbes, here with the 22nd pick in the draft. He may not have the prototypical size some teams are looking for, standing at 6'0" and weighing 166 lbs., but Forbes is an elite ball tracker and is elite in off coverage. While at Mississippi State, Forbes, like Josh from 'Drake and Josh,' was a ball magnet, bringing in a whopping 14 interceptions across a three-year college career, finishing joint second nationally with six this past season, including three pick-sixes. He's very instinctual, has the speed to track with any receiver, and again, just has a nose for the football. He may not be the most polished tackler, but Forbes may be the best cover corner in this draft, which would be very beneficial for the Baltimore Ravens.
IF NOT THEN - Jordan Addison, WR, USC or Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
23. Minnesota Vikings - Jordan Addison, WR, USC
The Minnesota Vikings could really be one of the teams to watch when the draft rolls around, as they are widely considered to be one of the teams in for one of the top quarterbacks in this draft. Now, when you think of the Minnesota Vikings, quarterback is probably not the first thing you think of when you try to come up with ways this team can improve going into next season. I say probably, I'd argue most out there would definitely not rank quarterback among the Vikings biggest needs. That being said though, Kirk Cousins is entering the final year of his contract in Minnesota, not to mention he'll be turning 35-years old in August, so maybe quarterback wouldn't be the biggest surprise at this point in the offseason, especially when you take into consideration that GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O'Connell could really be looking to find 'their guy.' Who really knows at this point? As I've learned throughout this draft process in particular is that absolutely no one knows what's going to happen when the commissioner steps up to the podium, no one. So hell, maybe the Vikings are really one of the teams in talks over trading away a massive amount of picks in order to move up for one of the top quarterbacks, nothing would surprise me at this point. Now, if the Vikings don't decide to move for a potential quarterback of the future, there are a couple other areas Vikings fans may point to as positions of need, and those are wide receiver and cornerback. Starting with the latter, this is arguably most Vikings fans number one need going into this offseason, especially since the organization pretty much cleared out the entire secondary this offseason, allowing Patrick Peterson and Duke Shelley to leave in free agency, while also cutting fan favorite Cameron Dantzler back on March 10th. That's three starters from last year's secondary gone, and though it can be hard to lose three players in one offseason, I'd imagine some Vikings fans out there would feel better with nobody in the secondary than see Cameron Dantzler trot out there again. Jokes aside, the Vikings did go out and sign former Cardinals second round pick Byron Murphy this offseason, which is already a massive upgrade for Minnesota. Some people also seem to forget that the Vikings did address the secondary early on in last year's draft as well, taking Lewis Cine (32) and Andrew Booth Jr. (42) with their first two picks. So though I think it'll definitely be on the cards, I think, depending on who's available, the Vikings could look in another direction. With the Vikings the early favorites to come out on top in a fairly weak NFC North, the Vikings could potentially look to strengthen a strength by adding to the receiving core. As of right now, the Vikings have, arguably, the current best receiver in the NFL in the form of Justin Jefferson, who is fresh off a campaign where he was named the NFL's offensive player of the year. Unsurprisingly, the Vikings activated his fifth year option, keeping him with the organization for at least another year. I say at least because the fact of the matter is that Jefferson is going to want to get paid paid, and though I think he'll be with the Vikings for a longtime, there's a chance he goes somewhere else. So, outside of Jefferson, who else do the Vikings have? Well, after cutting Adam Thielen back in March, the Vikings only real option out wide, outside of Jefferson, is KJ Osborn. Now, I know Vikings fans like Osborn, but I'm sure the organization would love to add another receiver to replace the outgoing Thielen. So, with this pick, rather than quarterback or corner, I'm going to have the Vikings select USC's Jordan Addison here with the 23rd pick in the draft. Now, Addison may not be the most physically imposing wide receiver in this class, at 6'0" 175 lbs., but the dude is a truly elite wide receiver that can make a quarterbacks life a thousand times easier. Able to line up both on the outside and in the slot, Addison may have not had the same monstrous season he had during his last season in Pittsburgh, but he was still dangerous. A smooth as hell route runner, Addison gets open with relative ease, and is able to maintain said separation due to his speed and quick bursts. Again, he's not the biggest, so he sometimes struggles in 50/50 situations, but he's so smooth out the break, so you don't really see him in a whole lot of those situations. Compared to former Viking receiver Stefon Diggs, I think Addison would be an excellent addition to the Vikings receiving core. A trio of him, Jefferson, and Osborn would be really fun to watch.
IF NOT THEN - Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland or Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
24. Jacksonville Jaguars - Brian Branch, CB/S, Alabama
The Jacksonville Jaguars were a breath of fresh air this past season. As someone who absolutely despised the Doug Marrone era in Jacksonville, I can proudly say my 'hatred' has died down. They're just a very young and exciting team. Sure they screwed up the entire free agency market last year by giving average players ludicrous contracts, but hey, it paid off. Like, unless you're a fan of a rival team, how could you not root for the Jaguars last season. This team went from holding the number one overall pick in the draft two straight years to making it to the divisional round of the playoffs. Hell, Travon Walker, last year's first overall pick, was the first number one pick to play in the divisional round in 31-years, truly impressive stuff from the Jaguars brass. The thing that makes this team seem even more crazy is where they were as a team a year ago. Under Urban Meyer, the Jaguars were seen as an absolute laughing stock, with Meyer being touted as the worst coach in league history. To go from that, to hiring Doug Pederson, to making it to the divisional round is pretty damn impressive, especially when you look at their wild card match-up against the Chargers. From 27 down, at home, to winning 31-30 is insane. But again, like I mentioned a few picks earlier, it's the Chargers, so it wasn't all too surprising, was it? Now, though the Jaguars made massive strides this past season, they've still got room to improve. Like I said before, this team is young, but there are some holes on both sides of the ball that the team will need to fill before they can truly compete. Out of all the needs, the ones that stand out the most come along the offensive line, the secondary, and in getting after the passer. Starting with the offensive line, after letting 2019 second round pick Jawaan Taylor leave in free agency, there is a decently sized hole along the right side of the offensive line. Though some reports suggest that the Jaguars will entrust 2021 second round pick Walker Little to fill the shoes left by Taylor, I could see them look to address the offensive line here with this pick, especially with Cam Robinson potentially missing time due to a PED suspension. As for the secondary, the Jaguars ranked in the bottom five in passing yards allowed per game, and after cutting Shaquill Griffin back in early March, leaving a decent sized hole in the secondary. Though there may be better and more traditional corners available, I think the Jaguars could really fall in love with the positional versatility of Alabama's Brian Branch. Like I just said, Branch's versatility really separates him from the other true safeties in this class. Really, you could say he's a position-less player, or just an all around great piece in the secondary, as the dude could do a job for you at any of the key positions in the secondary. Playing as Nick Saban's 'STAR' role on defense, you'll see Branch line up in deep coverage as a safety, in the slot as a nickel, or along the line of scrimmage, either getting after the passer or making plays in the run game. In that 'STAR' role you cannot, by any means, be afraid of contact, and Branch certainly isn't, ranking in the top three for Alabama in regards to total tackles. Branch would certainly help fill the holes in the Jaguars secondary. Whether that's at corner, safety, or nickel, you can just line him up wherever and just let him make plays. I think Branch would be an excellent addition for the Jaguars secondary.
IF NOT THEN - Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma or Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
25. New York Giants - Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
The New York Giants really surprised people this past season. Not only by making the playoffs, which in itself was a minor miracle, but also having Daniel Jones look like a legit NFL quarterback. That was ultimately the goal when they hired former Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, but a lot of people were skeptical, and who can blame them, going into this season. Now, if you've listened to the Logan Blackman Show long enough, you would know that I've always tried to hold out a little bit of hope for the former Duke quarterback. I've always thought he has the tools to be a solid quarterback in the NFL, it was just a matter of if he could put it all together or not. Now, did I ever think he'd become a four year $160 million quarterback? No, not really. In my wildest dreams, I never thought 'Vanilla Vick' would be one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the league, but he did deserve to get paid, in some capacity, this offseason, especially when you look at the people he was throwing to. Out of all the playoff teams this past season, Jones arguably had the worst supporting cast. Yes he had a resurgent Saquon Barkley, but he didn't have a true number one option, or even a true number two option, that is until they traded for Isaiah Hodgins. Though Hodgins looked good in his limited time in New Jersey, the Giants still need to get Jones some weapons going into next season. That being said, I feel like unless the right guy is available for the team here in the first round, I think the Giants may look to address the receiving core a little bit later in the draft. Now I'm not saying too much later, I think they'd move for someone in the second round should they not do so in the first, which may end up upsetting some Giants fans out there. So, if receiver isn't the pick here in the first round, what other direction could they go? To me, outside of receiver, the next area the Giants should look to address lies in the secondary, and mainly at the cornerback position. If you look at the Giants current roster, they don't really have anyone in place that you'd feel 100% confident in long term. Like sure, former first round pick Adoree Jackson is fine, but he's on the final year of his deal. Same goes for Amani Oruwariye, who though was joint third in the NFL with six interceptions in 2021, registered zero in 14-games this last campaign. So yes, receiver may be the number one thing on Giants fans minds, but corner may be an even bigger need for the team long term, which is why I have them taking Maryland corner Deonte Banks here with the 25th pick in the draft. At 6'0" 197 lbs., Banks posted an impressive 4.35 in the 40 yard dash along with an insane 42" vertical and a 11'4" broad jump. His athleticism mixed with his ball playing skills, again, should make him a first round draft pick, if he wasn't already. A very physical corner, Banks is very good in press coverage, using his physicality to reroute receivers, making the quarterback's life a whole lot harder. Than, when the ball is in the air, he uses his, again, insane 42" vertical to out jump almost any receiver he's covering. Though he's got all the tools to be a top corner, I think what truly would make him work in the Lions defense is that he doesn't take any plays off, which is something I'm sure the Giants would love in a corner. I don't know if he'll be available, but Banks is all action all the time, and I think that mixed with all the traits I brought up earlier makes him a very intriguing prospect to look at if you're the New York Giants.
IF NOT THEN - Jordan Addison, WR, USC or Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State
26. Dallas Cowboys - Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
The Dallas Cowboys could go in a few different directions with their first round pick. In my last mock draft, we had the Cowboys taking Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders here with the 27th, or 26th, pick in the draft. With all the different connections between Sanders and the Cowboys organization, it made sense. The only problem was about a day later the Cowboys ended up re-signing 2018 first round draft pick Leighton Vander Esch, signing him to a two-year contract extension. What sucks the most is that as I was writing that mock draft, more and more reports were stating that the Cowboys and Vander Esch didn't really see eye to eye on a contract, and that a separation looked imminent. So, with Vander Esch looking like he was about to leave, I thought Sanders going to Dallas made all the sense in the world, turns out I was wrong. Who really knows though? Maybe the Cowboys do end up taking the former Razorback here with the 27th, or 26th, pick. I doubt it, but maybe. Instead of linebacker, I think it'd be wise for the Cowboys to look for another weapon on the offensive side of the ball. The two areas I'd look at the most are at running back and tight end. Now, if the Cowboys hadn't traded for Brandin Cooks, wide receiver would certainly be an option, but because of that I'm going to have them look in another direction. As for the running back position, similar to the Vander Esch situation, I saw a few reports stating that the Cowboys were looking to keep the Elliott-Pollard tandem going into this season. Sure, Zeke hasn't looked great in recent years, but using him as a short yardage back seemed like a possibility. Though it looked like a possibility at one point, it doesn't anymore, as the Cowboys released Zeke back on March 15th. With Elliott gone, I'm intrigued to see how the Cowboys address the running back position. Do they let Pollard be the lone back or will they look to add someone? Now, they could look at Alabama's Jahmyr Gibbs here, but given that he may play a similar-ish role to that of Tony Pollard, I think they may look in another direction. This, in turn, opens the door to tight end. This past offseason, 2018 fourth round pick Dalton Schultz left the team in free agency, signing a one-year deal with the Houston Texans. With Schultz gone, the Cowboys do have a decent hole at the tight end position. Maybe they trust last year's fourth round selection Jake Ferguson, but I'd imagine they'd look to add another tight end here in the draft. With Schultz ranking second on the team in receiving yards last year, I'm sure Dallas would love to add another pass catching tight end. Out of the top tight ends in this draft, none are arguably better pure pass catchers than Notre Dame's Michael Mayer. Now, there is a halfway decent chance Mayer goes a little sooner than this pick, but I just have a hard time imagining a lot of teams using a top 20 pick on a tight end, even if they are as talented as Mayer is. While at Notre Dame, Mayer received the nickname 'Baby Gronk' on account of his playing style, but also the fact he wore the number 87. Like Gronk, Mayer is a technician in the run game, using his physicality to drive back opponents with ease. He's also really good when catching the ball, even breaking Notre Dame's all-time career tight end receptions mark, beating the record by 40 in just three years. He also became the first Notre Dame tight end to receive a consensus All American nod since 1976, a truly special player while at Notre Dame. Great in both the run and pass game, Mayer uses his power to his advantage in both areas. He would be a very nice addition to the Cowboys offense.
IF NOT THEN - Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State or Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
27. Buffalo Bills - Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa
I'm going to be 100% honest with you, this is honestly just a gut feeling, I have nothing more to go off of then that. Yes, wide receiver will be atop of a lot of Bills fans list this offseason, but after the free agency period, another need has crept into the forefront of the team's biggest needs. This offseason, the Bills lost former 16th overall pick and starting middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to the Chicago Bears, signing a nice little four-year $72 million contract back on March 15th. For most of the season, I thought the Bills would have to decide whether to bring back either Edmunds or safety Jordan Poyer, with the Bills ultimately deciding to go with the younger option in Edmunds rather than resign Poyer. In reality, Poyer, who will turn 32 two days before the draft, was brought back on a cheap two-year deal to stay in Buffalo, reigniting his safety partnership with Micah Hyde, who missed most of last season with a neck injury. With Edmunds signing for that much to become a cog in the Bears improved defense, there was no way Edmunds was actually coming back to Buffalo. Though it's sad to see a talented player like Edmunds leave the team, I'm happy that he was able to get paid paid this offseason. That being said, him leaving has put the Bills in a pretty precarious position, leaving them without a true option at middle linebacker. In a recent press conference, Bills head coach, and newly appointed defensive coordinator, Sean McDermott took to the podium and said that Tyrel Dodson and last year's third round pick, Terrel Bernard, will have the opportunity to fight for the starting middle linebacker spot. Though I'm not going to completely rule out the possibility of those two starting, I do have a hard time believing the Bills are truly comfortable enough to go with those two as potential starters on defense. For that reason, I think the Bills will look to add someone to either compete for that starting job here in the first round. Yes, I'm sure it's not what a lot of Bills fans out there will want to hear, but the fact of the matter is that yes, this is a big time need, and when you look at Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott's draft history, they have continuously prioritized the defensive side of the ball, for better or for worse. Again, I know a lot of people would like to see a receiver or even an offensive linemen here with this pick, but with the Bills not drafting an offensive player in the first round since Josh Allen back in 2018, I think we are just going to follow the trend, for now, and pick a defender. For me, this pick truly comes down to either Arkansas' Drew Sanders or Iowa's Jack Campbell. Starting with Sanders, dude is an uber athletic linebacker that came into Arkansas as an edge rusher after transferring from Alabama. While at Arkansas, he was apart of a defense that lined up in a 4-2-5 formation, similar to what the Bills have run since McDermott has been in charge. Athletic, versatile, and two years younger than Campbell, Sanders would certainly be a nice pick by the Bills here at 27, or 28. That being said, I think Campbell feels more like a Buffalo Bill than Sanders does, and there's a couple reasons why. First off, he's a natural middle linebacker. Though Sanders is more athletic and versatile than Campbell, his versatility could hurt him in the fact that the Bills are looking for a true middle linebacker. Another reason is that Campbell is bigger than Sanders, standing at 6'5" and weighing in at 249 lbs., Campbell's size would certainly help fill the gap left by Tremaine Edmunds, who himself is also 6'5" 249 lbs.. Though he may not the same level of athlete, Campbell still tested well at the combine, which most former Iowa players do, registering a 37.5" vertical, a 10'8" broad jump, a 6.74 in the three-cone drill, and a 4.24 in the 10-yard shuttle, with the latter two placing him atop all linebackers at the combine. Along with testing well, Campbell put forth a couple excellent seasons playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes, ranking second in the nation in tackles in 2021, totaling up 140 tackles with 57 of them being solo efforts. Along with being a tough tackler, Campbell is also adept in the passing game, registering nine passes defended with five interceptions and a pick six, which he got in 2021. Consistent as they come, Campbell would be an excellent addition to the Buffalo Bills defense. After working with former Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly this offseason, who played for McDermott in Carolina, Campbell's stock likely only rose in the eyes of the Bills brass. His leadership, range, and again, consistency, would be excellent for the Bills moving forward, hopefully filling the hole left by Edmunds. As a Bills fan from Iowa, I'd be more than happy with this pick.
IF NOT THEN - Mazi Smith, DL, Michigan or Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina
28. Cincinnati Bengals - Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
As you may have figured out by now, the Cincinnati Bengals are a pretty good football team. Since picking Joe Burrow with the first overall pick in 2020, and Ja'Marr Chase with the fifth overall pick in 2021, the Bengals have made two appearances in the AFC Championship game, even making it to Super Bowl LVI, in which they lost to the Los Angeles Rams. Though they lost the game, the Bengals had a much better season than the Rams this past time out, finishing with a 12-4 record, as opposed to the Rams, who finished 5-12. Though the Bengals were coming off a Super Bowl appearance, they did need to make some improvements to their roster to make sure the aforementioned Joe Burrow stays alive for another season. During the 2021-22 season, Joe Burrow was sacked a whopping 70 times, 51 times in the regular season and 19 times in the postseason. To try and counteract that, the Bengals went out and signed the likes of Alex Cappa, Ted Karras, and La'el Collins, with the latter even stating that, 'your new bodyguard is in town, no one's touching you.' Though the regular season sack numbers did go down 10 from the previous season, it's still not good enough, which is why the Bengals went out and signed former Chiefs tackle Orlando Brown to a four-year $64 million contract this offseason. With Brown in, the futures of both Collins and Jonah Williams hanging in the balance, with Williams going as far to ask for a trade this offseason. With Williams asking for a trade, and Collins being out for most, if not all, of this season after tearing his ACL in week 16 last season, the potential for the Bengals drafting a tackle here is pretty good, in my opinion. That being said, there's another position out there that could help the Bengals in a multitude of ways this upcoming season, and that is tight end. This offseason, the Bengals lost tight end Hayden Hurts in free agency, and though they went out and signed former Minnesota Vikings Irv Smith Jr., I'm not confident that the Bengals are done adding to that position. Though this could be seen as a surprise pick, I could really see Cincinnati looking to someone like Oregon State's Luke Musgrave here in the back half of the first round. A well structured tight end, standing at 6'6" and weighing 253 lbs., Musgrave has the body type a lot of teams will be looking for in a tight end in the NFL. With that size, Musgrave is an excellent mover, able to pull away from the defenders guarding him, but when he does get caught, he can use his aforementioned size to either out muscle or out jump any defender covering him. Though he's got the tools you're looking for to excel in the receiving game, there are some out there not as high on Musgrave due to the fact that he totaled just 47 catches 633 yards and just two touchdowns across four years at Oregon State. Now, one would assume that his numbers this past season would've been vastly higher had he played more than two games, as in those games he totaled 11 catches for 169 yards and a touchdown, looking to shatter all his other career highs in receiving yards. Though again, the numbers aren't exactly there, but Musgrave's natural ability and tool set give him a high ceiling as a receiver, not to mention he's a more than willing blocker in the run game, which would definitely help a team like the Cincinnati Bengals, who use a healthy dose of run and pass in their offense. Again, Musgrave may not be the highest on your list of first round draft picks due to his proaction, but after a very solid offseason he's definitely thrown himself into the mix. His all around skill set and ceiling would make him a very intriguing option for the Bengals.
IF NOT THEN - Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama or Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
29. New Orleans Saints (via Denver from Miami from San Francisco) - Mazi Smith, DL, Michigan
The New Orleans Saints are in an interesting spot going into the draft, as a couple of months ago, they didn't possess a first round draft pick, so how did we get here? Well, for those of you who haven't been paying attention, the Denver Broncos traded their first round pick, which they got from the Dolphins in the Bradley Chubb trade, who got it from the 49ers in the Trey Lance trade, in order to acquire former Super Bowl winning coach Sean Payton, to hopefully right the ship on the offensive side of the ball. Who knows if that offense is even salvageable at this point, but hey, got to respect the effort. It's not too often coaches get traded for first round picks, especially one who didn't coach for the team who ended up receiving the pick the season prior. Like, I know of the Buccaneers trading for Gruden, and the Patriots famously trading for Belichick, but they didn't sit two years before getting dealt, which makes this trade even cooler. Congrats to the Saints though, big time move on their part. Now, as for the Saints as a whole, they're again in a weird spot. This is a team that has a decent amount of talent, but things just haven't gone their way in recent years. Now, in a weak conference and an even weaker division, the Saints have a chance to make the Playoffs for the first time since Sean Payton was actually their head coach. Though this team is always near the bottom of the league in regards to cap space, they still went out and made a pretty big move this offseason, signing longtime Raiders quarterback Derek Carr to a four-year contract back in early March. So, as of right now, the Saints have the best quarterback in the division, which is a pretty nice feeling to have. Looking at the rest of the division though and seeing Andy Dalton, Baker Mayfield, and Desmond Ridder, you would've been harder to sign the worst quarterback in the division. Again, this division stinks, and the Saints could potentially be the team that benefits the most from that. With that being said though, the Saints are not without their holes. Like we said, they're seemingly always in cap hell and they signed a quarterback to a nice little deal, so some players had to be let go. Key players like Marcus Davenport, David Onyemata, Kentavius Street, and Shy Tuttle all left in free agency, leaving some pretty big holes along the Saints defensive line. With three of the four players I mentioned above playing more on the inside, I could definitely see the Saints try to address those holes here in the first round. Now, per some reports I've been reading recently, Michigan's Mazi Smith has been making some noise recently around NFL circles, currently playing himself into the first round conversation. With the Saints in serious need of depth along the defensive line, I think Mazi Smith would make for an excellent addition for the Saints in the latter part of round one. Smith is a powerful player from the interior defensive line. Along with his power, dude also comes in as a very solid athlete, coming into the combine at 6'3" 323 lbs., Smith was ranked as the second best athlete from the defensive line position per the NFL's combine page. He may have not had the highest sack production while at Michigan, registering just one sack across three years, but for what he 'lacks' in regards to his pass rush he makes up for in dominating in the run game. As I said before, he's a big and powerful lineman, and he uses said size and power to really push back on opposing offensive lines. Overall, Smith just causes a bunch of problems for the offense. Powerful, explosive, and sneakily quick, Smith has all the traits you could look for in a defensive lineman. His ability to line up as a nose tackle or as a three tech could really help out the Saints. I think Smith would be an excellent addition to the Saints depleted defensive line.
IF NOT THEN - Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State or Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL/EDGE, Northwestern
30. Philadelphia Eagles - Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
The Philadelphia Eagles are poised to make another deep run into the playoffs again, aren't that? This team is just very good, simple as that, and that's even coming after the fact that they lost Javon Hargrave to the San Francisco 49ers this past offseason. Like, how often is it the case that one of the teams who just went to the friggin Super Bowl has multiple first round selections? And when I say that, I mean how many of those teams held a top 10 pick in the draft? It just doesn't make sense to me. Then after signing Jalen Hurts to a nice five-year $255 million contract extension this offseason, morale really hasn't been much higher than it is right now in Philly, has it? All that being said, though they're going to enter the season as the odds on favorites to win the NFC, again, they've still got some holes to fill on their roster. We already brought up losing Javon Hargrave, who signed a four-year $84 million contract with San Francisco back in March, but they also lost the likes of Andre Dillard, TJ Edwards, Marcus Epps, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Miles Sanders, Isaac Sueumalo, Kyzir White, and, most importantly, Gardner Minshew. So yeah, they're going to be the favorites in the NFC, but they aren't without their blemishes. Now, I do think there is a solid chance, either here or with the 10th pick, the Eagles look to address the offensive line. Like we said before, Isaac Sueumalo left the team this offseason, favoring to sign with the in-state Steelers, so I could really see them looking at someone like Paris Johnson Jr. or Peter Skoronski early on, as both of them could slot right into the empty guard spot and could potentially move over to right tackle once Lane Johnson ultimately retires. Again, I certainly think that's an option, but one position I keep coming back to is the running back position. I know the Eagles don't normally do this kind of thing, but hey, traditions were made to be broken. Like we said before, Miles Sanders, who posted a very impressive 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns last year, left in free agency, signing a four-year deal with the Carolina Panthers. According to multiple reports out there, the Eagles are looking to add a pass catching back to their ranks. Yes, Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott are capable pass catchers, and the recently signed Rashad Penny is a decent enough first option, but he can't stay healthy. So, ultimately, I'm going to send former Alabama running back, Jahmyr Gibbs, to the Eagles here with the 30th pick in the draft. An excellent pass catcher out of the backfield, Gibbs may be a better natural receiver than some of the actual receivers in this class. A natural hands catcher, Gibbs led the Crimson Tide in catches last season with 44. He also registered 444 yards receiving, averaging 10.1 yards per reception. Though a lot of the praise for Gibbs comes in the receiving game, and rightfully so, he's also a more than capable runner with the ball in his hands, showing off impressive speed and burst, being able to beat any defender around the edge once he gets to the outside. Now, he won't be moving piles or anything like that, but if you get him in the open field, he's as good as gone. For the Eagles, who liked to use multi-back sets, Gibbs' ability to line up both in the backfield and in the slot should allow the Eagles to utilize him in a multitude of different ways. There's a chance he goes sooner than this, but I think Jahmyr Gibbs would be the perfect back for the Eagles offense.
IF NOT THEN - Will McDonald IV, EDGE, Iowa State or Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL/EDGE, Northwestern
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (via Kansas City) - Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma
This is fun, isn't it? After a trade back with the Chiefs, the Buccaneers can get a guy that they could feel comfortable enough to take at 19. Now, a new era is being ushered in down in Tampa Bay this offseason. After toying with the idea after the 2021-22 season, Tom Brady officially announced his retirement from the NFL. After dominating for God knows how long the bane of a lot of people's existence, including mine, is finally done in the NFL, at least for now. Yeah, per sources, dude did fill out all the required retirement papers but it's Tom Brady, I wouldn't be all too surprised if he changed his mind, again, and decided to come back out of retirement and play for someone like the Dolphins. I'm not saying I think that would happen, all I'm saying is that I wouldn't be surprised. As for the current state of the Bucs, without Brady, their current quarterback depth chart reads as Baker Mayfield, who signed a one-year contract with the team back in March, and 2021 second round pick Kyle Trask. As someone who liked Kyle Trask, to a certain extent, coming out of college in 2021, I would definitely like to see him get an opportunity to be the Buccaneers starter. But with Baker coming in, one would imagine that the former number one overall pick would lead the Bucs out of the tunnel for their first game of the season. I'm really intrigued to see how either quarterback does this season, especially with Tampa firing their offensive coordinator, Byron Leftwich, shortly after the season ended. It'll be interesting to see how former Seahawks quarterback coach, and new offensive coordinator, Dave Canales, does in his new position but one thing is for sure, besides quarterbacks, there are a few needs on the offensive side of the ball for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, namely at running back and offensive line. Like I said in my last mock draft, I'd like to see 2022 third round pick Rachaad White get a chance to be the Buccaneers full time starter at running back, especially now with Leonard Fournette getting released. Though I like White, it would be insanely hard to pass on someone like Texas' Bijan Robinson, who is widely considered to be the undisputed best running back in this class. Compared to former second overall pick Saquaon Barkley, Robinson would add a whole new aspect to the Buccaneers offense, adding elite play both as a runner and as a receiver. Though it may be hard to pass on Robinson, the bigger need on the offense arguably lies along the offensive line, especially with left tackle Donovan Smith getting released back in March. Back in 2019, the Bucs made a very smart decision in drafting former Iowa Hawkeyes Tristan Wirfs with their first round pick, I think it'd be smart to move for a starting tackle in this year's draft as well, and given his age and athletic ceiling, I could really see them moving for someone like Oklahoma's Anton Harrison here with the 31st pick. A super young and athletic tackle, who just turned 21 back on February 2nd, Harrison played 1,002 total pass blocking snaps over his career at Oklahoma, allowing just four sacks across that time frame. For a team that has seen their starting quarterback sacked 92 times, in just the regular season, over the past two seasons, that's definitely someone they can get behind. Coined the most athletic tackle in the draft, Harrison plays every play through the whistle, with his tireless work rate being one of the main reasons why he's only given up four sacks throughout his career at Oklahoma. Though he plays hard, he'll need to make some improvements when it comes to run blocking, which is bound to happen when you play for a team as pass happy as Oklahoma. That is a reason why he may be taken later, but his athletic ceiling tells us that he should be able to develop into a solid run blocker if given the time. This kid has everything you're looking for when it comes to a potential franchise left tackle. Again, he'll need some time to fully develop, but I think this dude could be special at the next level and would hopefully keep pass rushers off of whoever the Buccaneers quarterback is for years to come. A tackle duo of Wirfs and Harrison could be pretty fun to see.
IF NOT THEN - Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee or Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia (stay put)
Positions Drafted
Quarterbacks - 4
Running Backs - 2
Wide Receiver - 3
Tight Ends - 3
Offensive Tackles - 5
Interior Offensive Line - 0
Interior Defensive Line - 3
EDGE Rushers - 5
Linebackers - 1
Cornerbacks - 4
Safeties - 1
Just Missed Out (20)
*alphabetical order by position
Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina
Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
Matthew Bergeron, OT, Syracuse
Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State
Steve Avila, iOL, TCU
Joe Tippmann, iOL, Wisconsin
O'Cyrus Torrence, iOL, Florida
Bryan Bresee, DL, Clemson
Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL/EDGE, Northwestern
Felix Anudike-Uzomah, EDGE, Kansas State
Will McDonald IV, EDGE, Iowa State
Keion White, DL/EDGE, Georgia Tech
Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas
Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State
Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
DJ Turner, CB, Michigan
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