MOCK NFL DRAFTS
| Pick | Team | Pos | Player | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
#1 |
|
QB |
||
| Queue the Jack Donaghy “This is boring, I’m bored now,” gif. The top pick being anybody other than Williams would be a shock. Lock it in. Even in April’s silly season, it feels ludicrous to slot in anybody but the Trojan gunslinger. | ||||
#2 |
|
QB |
||
| It’s been rumored that NFL execs have a love of McCarthy that trumps that of which he’s receiving from the draft community. There’s been whispers that McCarthy’s college coach, Jim Harbaugh, is telling anybody who’s anybody that his former signal caller is “the best player he’s ever coached,” in a quasi-manipulative effort to get McCarthy selected top five, and thus, allowing Harbaugh to land one of the draft’s premier playmakers. The paranoia in early April knows no bounds. | ||||
#3 |
|
QB |
||
| The Vikings trading up for their quarterback of the future has become the conjecture of the season. After losing Kirk Cousins via free agency, the Vikings finagled a second first round selection from the Texans, a move that signals their desire to jump into the top five to take on of the top-tier quarterbacks. Trade Details: New England receives picks 11 and 23 from Minnesota in exchange for pick three and a 2025 fourth round pick. | ||||
#4 |
|
WR |
||
| There’s been chatter lately, that some in the NFL brass view Nabers as a more superior prospect than Marvin Harrison Jr. Smokescreen or not, Nabers has established himself as a legitimate blue-chipper in his own right and looks like the next in a long list of former LSU Tigers, turned star NFL wide receivers. | ||||
#5 |
|
WR |
||
| Pennies from heaven. Harbaugh’s covert tactics work, uniting the former Wolverine with the former Buckeye. | ||||
#6 |
|
QB |
||
| Daniels flew to North Jersey last week for a top-30 visit with the G-Men, confirming speculation that some individuals within the organization have given up hope that Daniel Jones is their long-term quarterback – a realization that has been written in the stars for a while. | ||||
#7 |
|
OT |
||
| I would love nothing more than for this to be a wild card, but Tennessee taking the top left tackle in the draft, and maybe the top left tackle prospect in several years, just makes too much sense. | ||||
#8 |
|
WR |
||
| Conventional thought suggests that this should be the place the first defensive player comes off the board, but rumor has it, Atlanta isn’t quite done stacking up playmakers. | ||||
|
|
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#9 |
|
TE |
||
| The Bears are feeling good about the state of their rebuild and are still swelled with cap space – making acquiring the deal-hungry Higgins, a feasible option. With all three of the top receivers off the board, the Bears grab Tee Higgins from Cincinnati, creating in a single offseason, one of the most formidable wide receiver corps in football. The Bengals get the premier tight end in the draft and the final blue-chip pass catcher available. Trade Details: Chicago receives pick 18 and Tee Higgins in exchange for pick nine, a 2025 second round pick and a 2025 fourth round pick. | ||||
#10 |
|
CB |
||
| Back-to-back receiver deals! The Jets are signaling that they are in “win now” mode. With all the top playmakers off the board, the Jets make a move for Brandon Aiyuk in lieu of addressing their offensive line concerns. Aiyuk has been publicly seeking a trade for months now and here he gets his wish. In return, the already stellar San Francisco defense gets the draft’s top defensive player. Trade Details: San Francisco receives pick 10, pick 111 and a 2025 second round pick in exchange for pick 31 and Brandon Aiyuk. | ||||
#11 |
|
QB |
||
| Penix wowed attendees at Washington’s Pro Day recently, creating a swirl of speculation that he is formally back in the Round One conversation. With their trade down, the Patriots hedged their swing for Penix with the addition of a second starting-caliber player later in the first. | ||||
#12 |
|
QB |
||
| With just Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci in the quarterback room, the Broncos need another passer. With five quarterbacks already off the board and their hand forced, they draft Nix at pick 12. | ||||
#13 |
|
OT |
||
| Here we have the rumor mill working at its best. Reports out of Dallas suggest that the Cowboys and Dak Prescott have been unable to agree on a long-term contract extension, making the 30-year-old signal caller available for trade. Las Vegas has emerged as the frontrunner for Dak, should he be moved, and since this mock is all about giving credence to even the most farfetched of possibilities, this one goes through. Trade Details: Dallas receives pick 13, pick 44, a 2025 first round pick, a 2025 third round pick and Gardner Minshew in exchange for Dak Prescott | ||||
#14 |
|
OT |
||
| It has yet to be confirmed, but long-time Saints right tackle Ryan Ramczyk apparently is unable to continue his career due to a myriad of injury-related concerns, making his medical-induced retirement forthcoming. With the struggling Trevor Penning occupying the other flank, the Saints get their needed upgrade at the tackle position with their selection of Fuaga. | ||||
#15 |
|
CB |
||
| The DeJean-to-Indy connection is gaining steam. DeJean has been medically cleared from his late-season injury and looked everything like the athlete he’s been billed to be at his private Pro Day last week. The Colts were one of the most frequent users of zone coverage last season, making the former Hawkeye a more natural fit over the more man-coverage friendly prospects of Terrion Arnold and Nate Wiggins. | ||||
#16 |
|
OT |
||
| The Seahawks have a glaring need in the interior offensive line and the versatile Barton could be the ideal fit. The former Blue Devil projects as a guard at the pro level but spent time in college at both left tackle and center. | ||||
|
|
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#17 |
|
DL |
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| The more I watch Newton the more I like him. He might not be a dynamo in the run game from the start but adding him to a third-down pass rush package that already features Josh Allen, Travon Walker and Arik Armstead would make for a terrifying foursome. | ||||
#18 |
|
DE |
||
| Chicago ending Thursday night with Williams, Latu AND Tee Higgins will make Bears fans everywhere optimally excited for 2024. As I’ve repeatedly mentioned, Latu’s talent is undeniable – he’s the best pass rusher in this class - it’s his medical history that will give teams pause and drop him down/remove him from some boards. | ||||
#19 |
|
DE |
||
| The Rams are very much in BPA territory with this pick as they have needs all around. As I’ve previously speculated, I think they are a team primed to jump up in the draft, but with the top quarterbacks all gone, they stand pat and draft an impact player at a high impact position. In no way is Verse a fully formed NFL pass rusher, but he does have what it takes to be an immediate starter. Much like George Karlaftis a few years ago, with Verse, I think it is fair to expect a lot of hustle, but little production, for the first year or two, before he’s able to put it all together. | ||||
#20 |
|
C |
||
| Members of the local Pittsburgh sports media are convinced that the Steelers’ selection here will be an offensive lineman. While one of the remaining tackles too would be in play, it’s just too much of a Steelers thing to take the top center available and immediately label him as a “future 10-year starter” and “soon-to-be Pro Bowler.” No pressure kid. | ||||
#21 |
|
OT |
||
| Like the Steelers one pick ahead, Miami seemingly has all but zeroed-in on an offensive lineman with their top pick. Latham likely will begin his pro career at guard but he has enough to his game to make him a potential replacement at tackle in 2025, should Terron Armstead retire and/or should Austin Jackson leave via free agency. | ||||
#22 |
|
OT |
||
| There’s lots of noise coming out of Philly about the Eagles coveting yet another former Georgia Bulldog. Mims offers the Eagles a lot of the things they like – A) he went to Georgia and B) he is a raw herculean offensive tackle with great athleticism. Mims is a developmental prospect but one that should be the heir apparent to future Hall-of-Famer Lane Johnson, should Johnson make the expected decision to call it a career in the next year or two. | ||||
#23 |
|
WR |
||
| The Patriots use their second first rounder to bolster a receiving group that is currently without a legitimate number-one option. | ||||
#24 |
|
C |
||
| It’s not unlike Dallas to surprise a few people with a their first-round selections. In recent history, the Cowboys “over drafted” offensive linemen like Travis Frederick and Tyler Smith at the backend of round one, before each proved out to be an elite player at their position. | ||||
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|
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#25 |
|
OT |
||
| Fashanu’s run blocking needs work, but his pass protection is quite possibly the best in the class by anybody whose last name is not Alt. Fashanu should be a natural replacement for the similarly skilled David Bakhtiari, who the team released early in the offseason. | ||||
#26 |
|
LB |
||
| Dallas to Dallas. Can guys wear their first names on their jersey’s? The Cowboys, now flush with draft capital, jump back into Round One to make a luxury selection. Turner is the rawest of the first-round pass rushers, but has the highest ceiling. In Dallas, he can develop behind the 31-year-old DeMarcus Lawrence for a time before stepping into a full-time role. Trade Details: Tampa Bay acquires pick 44 and pick 87 from Dallas in exchange for pick 26. | ||||
#27 |
|
CB |
||
| Great value or a CB-needy team. | ||||
#28 |
|
WR |
||
| Can this pick be anything but a wide receiver? | ||||
#29 |
|
CB |
||
| More great CB value at the end of Round One. | ||||
#30 |
|
DL |
||
| Tempted by another first round wide receiver, the Ravens, as usual, make the smart choice, avoid drafting for need, taking the best player available with great value at the end of round one. | ||||
#31 |
|
OT |
||
| With their receiver needs secured, the Jets can plan for their long-term future across the offensive line. Guyton is an athletic freak who most assuredly has his best football in front of him. He’ll provide depth as a swing tackle behind Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses before stepping into a full-time role in 2025 or later. | ||||
#32 |
|
WR |
||
| With Rashee Rice’s legal troubles, an already bereft receiving corps for the defending champs needs a boost. McConkey will be a tremendous fit in this offense. | ||||