Mock Draft Picks

If Bryce Young was not a massive outlier in terms of overall size, he'd be a slam-dunk prospect like Trevor Lawrence or Joe Burrow. While his entire career will be laced with concerns over his build, he has the ability to lead an offense and make every throw on the field with pinpoint accuracy and touch. Carolina traded a ton of assets to move up and grab Frank Reich his franchise QB, and they've taken the best player in college football for the previous two years in Bryce Young.

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Rumors abound that, with Young off the board, the Texans will pivot to the best non-QB on the board if they cannot trade down. In this scenario, they stay at two and take the best player in the draft in Will Anderson. New head coach DeMeco Ryans lands a dominant edge rusher, similar in overall impact like Nick Bosa was to his defense in San Francisco. Anderson is a blue-chip pass-rusher and run-defender at a position of high value, and Ryans will build the next great Texans defense around him.

The Raiders pay a bounty to move up and select CJ Stroud, who is perhaps the highest-floor QB in this draft. He functions well within the pocket, has above-average arm strength, and his accuracy and touch are very good as well. While not the best outside of structure, he demonstrated some ability to be mobile in the college football playoffs. He has the luxury to sit behind Jimmy Garoppolo and learn from the vet, although sooner rather than later Stroud will take over as hopefully the next franchise QB for the Raiders.

Colts GM Chris Ballard has long felt the pressure to resolve the QB position, and takes the guy with the highest ceiling of any player in the draft. Richardson's size, arm strength, speed, and overall athleticism allow coaches to dream on his ceiling, which some have compared to Josh Allen. While considered by many to be raw, Indy will be set at QB for the next fifteen years if they can develop the still 20 year old Richardson into the franchise guy some believe him to be.

Tyree Wilson feels like a typical Seattle Seahawk pick; a raw athlete with incredible upside who needs development. Given his size and raw strength, he has the positional versatility to kick inside if needed and play 3-technique. He has made massive strides in his playing ability over the last few years, going from looking lost on film to at least having some idea of how to play the game. If Pete Carroll can continue that development, Wilson's ceiling is the best edge rusher from this class.

Devon Witherspoon fits the Lions, both from a need standpoint and an attitude standpoint. He sets the tone when it comes to tackling, and his ball skills and timing in pass defense have improved immensely over his career at Illinois. He'll be an immediate impact starter with versatility to play nickel, and will slide into the role Jeff Okudah should've played for Detroit before being traded.

Christian Gonzalez has an argument for the most athletic player in this draft. He has top-end length, speed, and improved ball skills to be a top-flight outside corner in this league. While his play strengh can be improved, he has the tools to be a number one, lockdown corner. Arizona can use almost any position as they venture into a reset, and Gonzalez is a good start.

Numerous rumors indicate that Nolan Smith will go higher than expected, and even in the top 10. He blends a combination of speed and athleticism to win, both as a rusher and run defender. He is undersized and needs work on his technique, but he was an incredible leader for Georgia, and his high character points to success at the next level.

No one has had such a tumultuous offseason like Jalen Carter. From projected number one pick to off-the-field issues, to being overweight and underperforming at his pro day, Carter has been through the highs and lows of the draft process. His fall ends here, as Matt Eberflus receives the engine of his defense, and is tasked with allowing Carter to have a strong envrionment so he can be the game wrecker he was in college.

The Texans simply cannot go into next season with no hope at QB. They have put themselves in this position, and therefore wind up with Will Levis to give their fans some hope at QB. He has protoypical size, mobility, and arm strength for the position, but he is soon to be 24 years old. The Texans also leapfrog division rival Tennessee to draft him, so Houston has to hope his injuries and loss of talent from the OL and WR rooms at Kentuky last year were the reasons for the fall off in play.

The Titans will kick the can down the road at finding a Ryan Tannehill replacement, and instead draft arguably the most versatile and highest floor OL in the draft in Skoronski. In theory, he has experience at all five OL positions, and while arm length is a concern for him to stick at tackle, he has an easy path to being a Pro Bowl-caliber guard, given his technique, strength and athleticism.

Fresh off a Super Bowl appearance, the Eagles do what they do best and fortify the trenches. Paris Johnson Jr. can start at either guard or tackle spot right away, although their plan for him would be to start him on the interior until next year when Lane Johnson steps away. Once he does, Johnson can be a long-term solution at right tackle, and the Eagles won't skip a beat with having the best offensive line in football.

Van Ness just feels like your typical Packers pick. A Big Ten kid with an incredibly high ceiling as an EDGE due to strength, flexibility, and motor. He has added upside due to his lack of experience and a little raw ability to his game, as he does not have the most refined pass rush plan. The Packers can put him opposite of Rashan Gary and form a lethal duo coming off the edge, or kick Van Ness inside for better matchups on 3rd and long against a guard.

Flowers has skyrocketed draft boards as the process has gone on. While he lacks in overall size, he is electric at all levels of the field, and has a knack for getting yards after the catch. If the Patriots want to fully evaluate Mac Jones' future with the team, they would do well to get him weapons, outside of Juju Smith-Schuster, and Flowers can be counted on to contribute immediately using his speed and elusivity.

As the future home to nearly 40 year old Aaron Rodgers, the Jets need to protect him as well as they can, given that he is the key to their Super Bowl aspirations. Broderick Jones has a high ceiling and the athleticism to fit most offensive systems. If he can overcome his inexperience and inconsistent technique, the Jets will have a long-term starter of high quality on their hands.

While there is a slight dropoff after the top two corners in this draft, Washington still gets a day one, starting level player in Porter. He has great size and speed, and profiles well as an outside corner. His size allows him to play press in coverage, and while not a finished product, his technqiue and footwork improved greatly this year, suggesting that he is not a finished product.

Darnell Wright is amongst the easiest prospects to project in this draft. He is an excellent pass protector, who dominates power rushers with his size and punch. He shut down the likes of Will Anderson and Jalen Carter during their matchups. He's proven he can handle himself against the best in pass protection, and while he needs work in certain outside zone schemes in the run game, he should dominate in a power run scheme. The Steelers nab a steal at this point in the draft.

Kancey is one of the most polarizing prospects in the draft. His film demonstrates that he can be a 3 technique that penetrates well and wins in a variety of ways. But he measured in at the combine at 281lbs, meaning he likely played in the 270s. He also has short arms, which limits his scheme usage and role he can play. Luckily, he has the luxury to be a rotational piece on Detroit's deep group of pass rushers as he adjusts to the pro game.

Outside of Tristan Wirfs, there is not a tackle on the Tampa Bay roster that is recognizable by name. Anton Harrison played the blind side in college, so Tampa can slot him in at LT and keep Wirfs at RT, where he is the best in the game. He has great size and is a solid pass blocker, although he needs help with hand placement if he is to truly develop into a high level starting tackle at the next level.

At this point in the draft, JSN is an easy choice and a steal for the Seahawks. He would make Seattle have the best WR room in the league. He wins with quickness and change of direction from the slot to get open in the short and intermediate areas of the field. With Lockett and Metcalf around him, he will get single coverage in favorable matchups, allowing him to perform well early.

One of the reasons the Chargers collapsed in the playoffs last year vs the Jaguars was due to their inability to run the ball in the second half to chew time off the clock. Enter Bijan Robinson. He is a top 5 player in this class, easily, and along with Austin Ekeler, helps create the most dynamic running back duo in the NFL. While Bijan can do it all, his main focus will be to pick up yardage on the ground, while Ekeler has the load taken off of him to work more in the receiving game.

While the Ravens added Odell Beckham Jr. at WR, he cannot be the only move they make this offseason to get Lamar Jackson help. Quentin Johnston is one of the tallest receivers in this class, and he will enter a situation where he does not have to carry the pressure of being a number one WR early on. Between him, Odell, Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews, this Todd Monken passing offense will have enough weapons to rely more heavily on the passing game.

The Vikings are ultimately going to take the best defender available to them for new defensive coordinator Brian Flores, since their defense was a disaster last year. Deonte Banks is a big-bodied corner with great instincts and athleticism, although he does come with injury concerns and technique that will need developing. He also answered concerns about his speed at the combine, running a 4.35 40 yard dash.

Branch may not be the most glamorous pick in the first round, but his versatiliy can prove valuable to a team like the Jaguars who are interested in making a deep playoff run next year. He is able to play numerous roles, such as a deep free safety, strong safety in the box, nickel corner, and as a box linebacker as well. His ability to play multiple positions demonstrates a high football IQ, even if he is held back slightly by not being the best in man coverage.

The Giants need to invest in their offense, especially in Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones, if they want to avoid regression next year. Since they cannot find appropriate value in a big-bodied receiver, they draft a big-bodied guard in O'Cyrus Torrence. He plays as big on film as his measurements say. He is incredibly strong and can bowl over people in the run game, as well as provide a strong anchor in pass protection.

While this pick seems predictable and boring, it is the best value for the Cowboys given their loss of Dalton Schultz. Mayer is a well-rounded TE who can be a reliable blocker and a solid set of hands who could give Dak Prescott a short and intermediate threat. Often compared to Jason Witten for his style of catching the ball ten yards down the field and stumbing forward until he is tackled, Cowboys fans would learn to love him in the same manner.

Addison's stock has fallen drastically due to concerns over his slim stature and speed, but the Bills need a threat opposite of Stefon Diggs, and Addison is the best target on the board. For all of his deficiencies, Addison is a Biletnikoff Award winner and has incredibly smooth route running abilities. The hope is, with Stefon Diggs doubled, Addison will use his route-running to get open without getting jammed up at the line of scrimmage.

The Bengals have filled the TE spot with stopgaps in recent years, and aim to find a long-term answer with Darnell Washington. A true dual-threat TE, he excels as a blocker and when targeted in the receiving game. His combine performance demonstrated his athleticism, which makes for an intriguing ceiling now that he is away from the Georgia offense, where he was often the TE2 to Brock Bowers.

Myles Murphy appears to be the EDGE in this draft who is most likely to produce as an above-average starter for ten years. He is a model for consistency and production, although he lacks the ability to take over a game in the same way as Will Anderson or Jalen Carter, and lacks the physical upside and explosion of a Tyree Wilson. Picking so late in the first round, the Saints are happy to replace Marcus Davenport with a steady, reliable and productive EDGE player.

The Eagles use their second 1st round pick to fortify their other trenches, taking scheme-versatile Bresee. He does have a lack of experience, some of which is due to injury, and his pad level can be better. However, he is intelligent and reacts quickly to what he sees, and has the frame to play inside or outside. He will be part of the deep rotation that Philly seems to enjoy on their DL, as they try to run it back to the Super Bowl with what makes them great: their talent and depth on both lines.

The Chiefs are not one to fear drafting a large, heavy-weighted offensive lineman, as they committed draft picks to big-bodied tackle in Orlando Brown, who served his purpose to them for a few years and won Super Bowl rings. While Jones may need to drop weight to play tackle, he will likely line up as the RT for the Chiefs, tasked with using his massive frame and sneaky mobility to keep Patrick Mahomes upright.