MOCK NFL DRAFTS
| Pick | Team | Pos | Player | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
#1 |
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QB |
||
| I’m still not sold that this will be the pick for the Panthers on draft night, but there’s reason to believe that this may end up being the case. The betting odds on Bryce Young going first overall has recently increased, and he’s now the favorite by a good amount. We saw the books get it right with Travon Walker last year, and Carolina certainly wouldn’t be disappointed walking out of the draft with the former Heisman winner who dominated the SEC. | ||||
#2 |
|
QB |
||
| There’s been some buzz lately that the Texans may pass up on a quarterback this year, but I don’t think that’s going to be the case. The only reason that they’d do that is to tank for Caleb Williams or Drake Maye in next year’s class, but that’s far from a guarantee and Stroud may end up being a better prospect than one or both of them anyways. Houston won’t overthink this pick and will get the new leader for their franchise with this selection. | ||||
#3 |
|
QB |
||
| Tampa Bay makes a bold move. The way their team is set up currently, they’re destined to be below average for years. So, with the help of trading with the Cardinals, they’ll take a leap of faith on Anthony Richardson, who is widely regarded as a boom-or-bust prospect in this year’s class. He has the physical tools to become one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but his raw processing and low college production makes him a risky option for any team brave enough to take him. This pick will either prevent them from a multi-year rebuild or set their progress back multiple years in the post-Brady era in Tampa Bay. | ||||
#4 |
|
LB |
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| Indianapolis won’t get a quarterback they want with this pick, so they’ll trade back with the Falcons and acquire more picks. Atlanta is in desperate need of a spark on their defense, and Will Anderson Jr. seems like just the guy to do that. He has an elite combination of size and speed as an edge rusher, and his historic production in the notoriously-difficult SEC makes him as close to a “can’t-miss” prospect as anyone can be. | ||||
#5 |
|
LB |
||
| Seattle will probably be hoping for Will Anderson Jr. at this pick, but with him already off the board, they’ll go for Tyree Wilson instead. Scouts and fans alike are enamored with his arm length and play strength, and he has gained a lot of momentum as a possible top-ten pick over the past couple of months. He would come in on day one and instantly fill a big position of need for the Seahawks, who have done a great job of building their roster through the draft over the past couple of seasons. | ||||
#6 |
|
CB |
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| I’m still convinced that Joey Porter Jr. is the best cornerback prospect in this class and will be the first taken on draft night. Arm length is one of the most important physical measurables for a defensive back, and Porter’s 34" arms would be among the longest in the entire league. He did great against some very tough competition in his time at Penn State, and the Lions will need the extra help in the secondary after recently trading former third-overall pick Jeff Okudah to the Atlanta Falcons. | ||||
#7 |
|
QB |
||
| Will Levis seems to be the weakest of the “big four” quarterback prospects in the draft this year, but some team will still take him with a high pick. The Raiders are prime great candidates for that. They don’t have any promising young QB’s on the roster for next season, and they seem to be planning on starting Jimmy Garoppolo for Week 1. He’s a fine bridge quarterback, but his ceiling is limited and he certainly isn’t the future of their franchise. By making this pick, they could simultaneously be solid in the AFC and be setting themselves up for the future by allowing Levis to learn behind the veteran for a year or two. | ||||
#8 |
|
OT |
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| Bernhard Raimann was dismal in his limited action for the Colts last season, and while not all hope is lost for him after a bad rookie campaign, it’s clear they will need more help on the offensive line. They’ll miss out on a quarterback after trading back, so they’ll instead go for arguably the top O-line prospect in Peter Skoronski with this pick and go for a quarterback in the later rounds like Hendon Hooker or Tanner McKee. The Colts will be getting one of the most technically refined and safe players in the draft with this move, even if his arm length limits him to an interior role in the NFL. | ||||
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#9 |
|
OT |
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| I’ve been an advocate for this pairing since Chicago traded the first-overall pick to Carolina last month. It just makes too much sense. Pick nine seems like the perfect spot to take Johnson, and there’s a good chance that he’ll be available here. The Bears also have a big need at the position after boasting one of the NFL’s worst offensive lines in 2022. Johnson will be a big help in keeping Justin Fields healthy for years to come, and they even have a little experience playing together back at Ohio State to put icing on the cake. | ||||
#10 |
|
WR |
||
| Houston knows that Tennessee will be in the market for a wide receiver at Pick 11, so they make a trade with the Eagles to jump them before that can happen. They’ll take Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who already has a proven connection with QB C.J. Stroud. Reuniting them in the NFL will be a big boost in helping both of them develop as players, and the Texans may be walking out of the draft with an offensive duo that will dominate the league for years to come. | ||||
#11 |
|
DL |
||
| Carter’s draft slide will end with the Lions trading up for him in this scenario. They’ve been in the market for a premier defensive tackle all off-season, and they’ll be in prime position to trade up with the Titans, who don’t need an interior defensive lineman after extending Jeffery Simmons earlier this off-season. They have plenty of draft picks to make this happen, and two early defensive picks could be enough to solidify Detroit’s defense as the most improved in the NFL next season. | ||||
#12 |
|
CB |
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| It surprised me that the Eagles kept both Darius Slay and James Bradberry this off-season, but I think they’ll still be squarely in the market for another cornerback in the draft. Both of those veterans are good, but it seems likely that one or both of them will be off this team in a year or two. Many teams and scouts consider Christian Gonzalez the top cornerback in this year’s class, and I’d be surprised to see him slide past the Eagles if they find themselves in a scenario like this. | ||||
#13 |
|
OT |
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| No news has broken on the Aaron Rodgers front at the time of writing this, but I’m going to work under the assumption that the Jets will have this pick on draft night. There’s been a mini-run on offensive tackles so far, and New York will continue that by selecting Broderick Jones out of Georgia. He’s impressive as a run blocker and has shown some promising traits in pass protection, and although Mekhi Becton is still on the roster, the Jets would still be well suited shoring up the offensive line for 2023, which is probably their biggest position of need. | ||||
#14 |
|
CB |
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| Devon Witherspoon just feels like a Patriot to me. They’ve traditionally been fine with rolling out undersized cornerbacks, and he plays with the intensity and competitive nature that the team loves. He also has proven to be one of, if not the best cornerbacks in the class in man and press coverage, and I think that he would be a perfect fit for the Bill Belichick mold in New England. | ||||
#15 |
|
DE |
||
| Myles Murphy reminds me a lot of Rashan Gary, who the Packers took in the first round back in 2019. They did a good job of refining his technique to pair with his elite physical traits, and I think that they could look to do the same thing with Myles Murphy. He’s been dropping on the board for many draft analysts, but he still has terrific potential and could go higher than people think on draft night. | ||||
#16 |
|
CB |
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| There’s usually a few surprises in the first round every year, and this would be one of them. Cam Smith’s draft stock just a few months ago seemed to have him as a mid-first round pick, but since then, he’s fallen to the second or even third round in many mocks. I think that he’s a candidate to go higher than many expect on draft night, and with Porter, Gonzalez, and Witherspoon already off the board at this point, Washington will be willing to take a chance on Smith to fill a major position of need for them. | ||||
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#17 |
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DT |
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| Bresee is starting to become a bit underrated if you ask me. It wasn’t uncommon to see him go in the top ten or even top five in mock drafts a couple of months ago, but he has since fallen down draft boards. He is a riskier pick coming off of a down year that was caused by a torn ACL, but his elite upside is still there. He’s a fast and fluid player that plays with an interesting mix of size and speed, and some of the concerns about his health were put to rest after his impressive showing at the NFL Combine. Pittsburgh’s defensive staff is among the best in the league and could turn Bresee into one of the best defensive tackles in football if he can stay healthy. | ||||
#18 |
|
WR |
||
| This will end up being a solid draft for the Titans. They’ll trade back to accumulate more draft picks, and they’ll still end up filling a major position of need. It remains to be seen if Treylon Burks will work out for the Titans, and drafting Quentin Johnston here in the first round may help take some of the pressure off of Burks in the passing game next season. | ||||
#19 |
|
LB |
||
| Arizona is going to get a haul of players and picks from the Buccaneers as part of the package for the third-overall pick, and just to top things off, they’ll get one of the best edge defenders in the draft with Nolan Smith. He’s been getting a lot of hype after logging a 4.39 second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and while there are some concerns about his size and health, he’s done enough in his time at Georgia and in the pre-draft process to get taken in the middle of the first round. | ||||
#20 |
|
DL |
||
| Some fans may not be a fan of Seattle doubling up on defensive line in the first round, but I think it’s a great idea. They have young talent all over the field, but one of the only positions that they’re missing a difference-maker at is defensive line. Calijah Kancey is a great fit for them. He’s been drawing comparisons to Aaron Donald after having similar testing results at the combine, and his aptitude in pass rushing paired with his underrated play strength will help to bolster a sub-par Seattle defensive line. | ||||
#22 |
|
WR |
||
| I like Mike Williams, but he can’t seem to stay healthy for an entire season. I also think Keenan Allen still has something left in the tank, but he’s aging rapidly and won’t be good for much longer. They need more speed on their offense, and if they can get someone like Jordan Addison at this pick, they shouldn’t hesitate. He had a great track record of success in college and would bring another dimension to this Chargers’ offense for next season and beyond. | ||||
#23 |
|
DL |
||
| Some recent mock drafts have had Van Ness being taken with a top-ten pick, but I don’t think that’ll happen on draft night. He is getting a lot of buzz around him, but I don’t think it’ll propel him any higher than the mid-late first round. For the Ravens, that’s solid value. They need help on the edge, and Lukas Van Ness could be a great candidate for that with his intriguing physical traits and his versatility to play on the edge and interior. | ||||
#24 |
|
LB |
||
| A lot of people are overlooking this class of linebackers. Jack Campbell is very pro-ready and Drew Sanders shows a lot of potential, but I think the best of them is Clemson’s Trenton Simpson. There’s not much that he can’t do. He can play a traditional off-ball role, he’s more than capable in pass coverage, and he can blitz the quarterback with his elite speed. He stands at 6’3”/235 lbs and ran an official 4.43 40-yard dash at the combine, and his athletic profile alone should be enough for the Vikings to take him as the heir to Eric Kendricks in the middle of their defense. | ||||
#25 |
|
OT |
||
| Jacksonville has been stringing Cam Robinson along on the franchise tag for the last couple of seasons, but it’s time to acknowledge that they need more help at the tackle position. Robinson is set to remain on the team through 2024, so they should look to address the right tackle position in the draft. With the three top tackle prospects already off the board, that leaves Tennessee’s Darnell Wright as the top option for the Jaguars. He’s been a riser over the course of the off-season and would be a nice investment for the long-term health of Trevor Lawrence. | ||||
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#26 |
|
WR |
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| Mocking a wide receiver to the Giants at this pick has been popular so far in the draft process, and for good reason. They had a solid offense last year with some very bad weapons outside of Saquon Barkely. Their top receiver last season was Darius Slayton, who had just 724 yards on the year. It’s clear they need more help at the position, and Zay Flowers seems like a good fit to help with that. He’s lightning fast, he can shift like a human joystick, and he has a route-running prowess that will help elevate New York’s offense to the next level in 2023. | ||||
#27 |
|
TE |
||
| Mayer is as safe as a tight end prospect can get, and the Cowboys will be ecstatic if they can get him without trading up. They lost Dalton Schultz to the Texans in free agency this off-season, so a big investment at the position wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest. Expect him to come in and be a day-one impact player if he gets matched up with Dak Prescott in Dallas. | ||||
#28 |
|
RB |
||
| Dream-come true scenario for the Bills. They’ve had Robinson on their radar as one of ‘their guys’ for the entire draft process, and here, they’ll get him without having to trade up. Some GM’s are very against first-round running backs (hence why he fell), but he could be the missing piece for the Bills to get them over the hump in a hyper-competitive AFC. | ||||
#29 |
|
TE |
||
| Cincinnati has a void at the tight end position after losing veteran Hayden Hurst in free agency. There aren’t many big names left on the open market, so instead, they’ll turn to the draft to get their replacement. Dalton Kincaid has his fair share of concerns as a prospect, including his age and injury history, but he’s arguably the best receiving tight end in this class when healthy and could help the Bengals create one of the most dangerous pass-catching trios in the NFL. | ||||
#30 |
|
S |
||
| New Orleans has clearly been missing C. J. Gardner-Johnson since he left the team in free agency last off-season, and now they’ll get a viable replacement for him in Brian Branch out of Alabama. He played cornerback during his career with the Crimson Tide, but scouts seem to think that he’d be better suited at safety or relegated to the slot only. Either way, he brings a certain intensity and aggressive play style that will reinspire this otherwise underwhelming New Orleans defense. | ||||
#31 |
|
OG |
||
| Jason Kelce is coming back for another season, but it seems likely to be his last. After his retirement the team will likely bump Landon Dickerson in to fill the center position, and they’ll need some reinforcements at the guard position as a result. Fortunately for them, O’Cyrus Torrence falls to them at the back of the first round in this scenario. He’s been one of the most improved lineman in college football over the past couple of seasons, and he will be a great player at the NFL level if he stays on his current trajectory. | ||||
#32 |
|
DE |
||
| Kansas City was able to win the Super Bowl despite not having much talent at the edge position, but they shouldn’t bank on that being the case next year as well. They need to bring in more talent to get to opponent's quarterbacks, and they should look to use an early pick on addressing that. Enter Iowa State's Will McDonald IV. He dominated the Big 12 in his time at ISU, and while he's a bit undersized for the position, he brings elite speed and intriguing pass-rush traits that could make him one of their most productive defensive lineman within his first couple of seasons. | ||||