The NFL combine is behind us and we haven’t officially started free agency yet so it’s a weird time for a mock draft as everything is about to change next week when teams start signing free agents.  However, there are moves taking place that will have an effect on the draft.  The Patriots cut Stefon Diggs, mostly for salary cap purposes, but his assault charges made the decision to release him that much easier.  The Chargers just signed C Tyler Biadasz after he was cut by the Commanders.  He’s not a star but he’s an upgrade at center for them and fills a major need.  The Bills traded for WR DJ Moore from Chicago, and he fills a massive hole at outside WR they have been trying to fill for years. And the late breaking trade that throws a new wrinkle into the first round is the Raiders trading DE Maxx Crosby to the Ravens for two first round picks, including the 14^th pick in this draft.  Things move quickly in free agency so we will have answers on guys like QB Malik Willis, WR Alec Pierce, and RBs Kenneth Walker III and Travis Etienne pretty early next week.  All of that will matter for my next mock draft. 

This mock draft was affected by the combine.  As much as NFL teams like to pretend the combine isn’t all that important, they don’t like the insinuation that 40 times and vertical jumps help them make decisions, it does.  Overall, it’s mostly true that guys don’t change their ranking, but there are always guys who move up (or maybe move down) with their workouts.  LB Sonny Styles looked like a cyborg during drills and while he plays a “non-premium” position like LB, he went from a mid-round one pick to a likely top five pick.  Safety Dillon Thieneman went from a fringe first rounder to potentially a top 12 guy.  Monroe Freeling went from a good-looking developmental LT to likely the first OT off the board.  These guys haven’t played football since the season ended but they aren’t ranked on most boards where they were before the combine.   Just a note, this mock draft will be completely irrelevant as of tomorrow when free agency starts, so just know, this is for short-term entertainment only.  It’s two rounds, let’s get started. 

1. Las Vegas Raiders (3-14): Fernando Mendoza     QB     Indiana

This pick isn’t changing.  The hiring of Klint Kubiak as their head coach only solidified this choice, he doesn’t take the job if he isn’t getting a new QB.  The Raiders are going to release Geno Smith, and my guess is they will look for a veteran backup QB to come in to help Mendoza’s transition, not as competition, but as an extra coach essentially.  Think along the lines of Marcus Mariota, Tyrod Taylor, or Teddy Bridgewater.  All those guys have been great locker room leaders and solid backups.   Mendoza’s skill set fits Kubiak’s offense really well and while he needs some help on the line in front of him, and he needs a few WRs, the Raiders have free agent money to spend and they would be wise to get him that help.  Kubiak’s offense will make the offensive line better simply because of the scheme but a couple of new bodies won’t hurt.  They just traded Maxx Crosby for two first-round picks so there’s more help on the way. 

2. New York Jets (3-14): Arvell Reese     Edge     Ohio St.

Reese is still my pick here and after the team traded DE Jermaine Johnson to Tennessee for DT T’Vondre Sweat, it only makes more sense.  Johnson was more of a 4-3 DE and the team is looking to go more 3-4 defense, so they swapped him for Sweat who is the prototype 3-4 NT.  Tennessee is making the opposite transition, so the trade works well for them too.  This means Will McDonald will be one OLB and now Reese can fill the other side.  It’s probably his best position.  Reese is 6’4 241 lbs. and he ran a 4.46 40-yard dash and on any other day that’s the headline.  Unfortunately for him, Sonny Styles worked out that day and made everyone else invisible.  Reese was a lock for the top five going into the combine so the fact he ran at all is worth some applause for him, he certainly didn’t have to do anything that day.  He will make the Jets defense better and make life easier on McDonald too. 

3. New York Giants (TRADE from Arizona):  Sonny Styles     LB     Ohio St.

The Cardinals have seven picks in this draft but they can pick up a late round pick in a small trade down with the Giants.  The Cardinals’ needs don’t match the value of the third pick; the Giants need to move ahead of the Titans to guarantee getting Styles.  John Harbaugh coached some incredible LBs in his time with the Ravens including Ray Lewis, CJ Mosley, and most recently Roquan Smith.  The Giants just released Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden is a free agent, they essentially have a blank slate at LB.  Styles redefined freak athlete at the combine and if you watch him at Ohio St., he’s not just an athlete, he’s an elite LB.  He’s only been a LB for a few years after moving from safety, but he has great instincts for it.  Under Harbaugh and DB Dennard Walker, he can reach his full potential.  The Giants’ defense was not very good last year and they were especially bad against the run, Styles won’t allow that to be true under his watch.  He can unlock a lot of the talent on that defense if he’s in the middle running it.  It won’t cost a lot for them to move up two spots to get ahead of the Titans and keep Robert Saleh from taking Styles and turning him into the next Fred Warner. 

4. Tennessee Titans (3-14): David Bailey     DE     Texas Tech

The Titans traded for Jermaine Johnson but that doesn’t solve their DE problem.  For one, Johnson has had two major injuries in his career (ACL and Achilles) and he’s going into his fifth-year option contract year.  Also, most of their edge rushers from last year are free agents who don’t fit Robert Saleh’s defense, so they won’t be bringing them back.  The one returning guy is Olu Oladejo who was their second round pick last year.  He was either injured or ineffective all last season, so they won’t be counting on him.  Bailey is a terror off the edge and Saleh builds his defenses around his defensive front.  Bailey is a better run defender than he gets credit for but he’s there to get to the QB, and he does that very well.  Bailey and Johnson on the outside with Jeffrey Simmons at DT is a strong start for Saleh’s defense in year one. 

5. Kansas City Chiefs (TRADE from Arizona): Jeremiah Love     RB     Notre Dame

The Chiefs traded CB Trent McDuffie to the Rams for three picks in this draft, including the 29^th overall pick in the first round, and pick next year.  They use some of that capital (not the extra first) to move up to this spot to get ahead of some teams that might want Love.  Love isn’t getting the hype he should be getting, and everyone needs to stop making the Ashton Jeanty comparison and saying he shouldn’t be a top five pick.  He’s a 6’0 212 lbs. RB who ran 4.36 in the 40 at the combine.  He does everything well on the field and he didn’t even have to carry the load at Notre Dame last season, so he hasn’t been overworked.  He’s an offensive gamechanger and the Chiefs are in desperate need of those.  Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt are free agents, and neither should be brought back.  Mahomes tore his ACL and they need someone to lean on while he gets healthy.  Love makes their offense dangerous in so many ways, and they can address other needs with the picks they got from the Rams.  The Cardinals trade down a second time to get even more draft capital. 

6. Cleveland Browns (5-12): Monroe Freeling     LT     Georgia

This feels insane considering he was barely considered a prospect back in October but here we are.  Freeling had an excellent end to his season looking like a legit LT for the last month of the regular season.  He’s 6’7 315 lbs., he has long arms, big hands, he ran the 40 in under five seconds (4.93) and looked like a top-tier athlete in the drills.  He also doesn’t turn 22 until this summer so he’s got room to improve.  He isn’t perfect as a prospect and he needs some development and refinement but, in this o-line draft class, he’s the best LT prospect and Browns need a LT.  They traded for Tytus Howard to be their RT but Freeling would immediately step in at LT for Todd Monken’s offense.  Monken hired George Warhop as his OL coach and Warhop is a 30-year coaching veteran who’s coached some great lineman.  That’s the type of guy who can get the best out of Freeling’s immense talent and potential. 

7. Washington Commanders (5-12): Rueben Bain Jr.     DE     Miami

The Commanders would probably take Jeremiah Love if he falls here but they have a desperate need at DE as their depth chart could be decimated in free agency.  Most of their guys they shouldn’t even want back and while they might re-sign a few, none of them should preclude them from taking Bain.  Yes, his arms are very short for a DE, he’s still a monster on the line.  He can play on the edge or move inside and be a menace either way in the pass rush.  He has a relentless motor and never stops coming for you.  He’s going to lose some battles because his short arms will cause him to lose in the leverage game but that won’t deter him.  The Commanders have some older guys who have been leaders and tone setters and they need someone to take that role, that’s Bain.  Dan Quinn needs his defense to be better and Bain makes them better. 

8. New Orleans Saints (6-11): Carnell Tate     WR     Ohio St.

Admittedly, Carnell Tate isn’t my favorite WR in this draft but he’s still a very good prospect and this would be a great spot for him.  I don’t see Tate as a WR1, and the Saints already have Chris Olave, so Tate doesn’t have to be one.  At the combine, there was some consternation over his 40 time (4.53).  That’s not a fast 40 time for a WR but there’s an old adage scouts try to remember about the combine, don’t count something twice.  If you know a guy is fast and he runs fast, don’t give him extra credit for it.  The same goes if you know a guy isn’t going to run fast, don’t ding him twice for it.  Tate is a 6’3 192 lbs. WR who wins with size, strength, and technique, he was never going to be a fast WR.  4.53 is fast enough given his physical profile and he’s a great complement to Olave.  If the Saints want QB Tyler Shough to continue to develop, they need to get him more WR help.  Devaughn Vele isn’t someone you want to count on as your WR2. 

9. Arizona Cardinals (TRADE from Kansas City): Spencer Fano     OT     Utah

This scenario would be a big win for the Cardinals, trade down twice, accrue some extra draft capital (maybe even some in 2027), and still end up with a starting RT.  Fano isn’t a flashy player or pick but he’s a guy you draft, stick him at RT, and you’re good for the next decade.  He also brings some versatility as teams have started to look at him as maybe a guard or even a center.  He can start at RT immediately and upgrade that spot for their new QB, whoever that is.  Fano is a smooth mover and a good run blocker, and he makes the offensive line a lot better as the bookend to LT Paris Johnson.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-11): Caleb Downs     S     Ohio St. 

The Bengals need playmakers on their defense that is sorely lacking in that department, and it really doesn’t matter where they play, they need them everywhere.  Geno Stone is a free agent that they very well could re-sign, and Jordan Battle had a solid season but you can’t pass up a talent like Downs if he’s available.  A lot of teams play a three-safety look, and the Bengals could do that if the bring back Stone.  Downs is the human eraser on defense, he can take on WRs, TEs, or RBs.  He’s such a smart and instinctive safety that he can change your entire defense.  The team needs DE help for sure with Trey Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai as free agents, but the best edge rushers are off the board.  Taking the best player available when it’s a gamechanger like Downs is never a bad idea.  Take the talent and figure out how to play him in your defense. 

11. Miami Dolphins (7-10): Mansoor Delane     CB     LSU

From just about every measurement we have, and every eyeball test we can use, Mansoor Delane is about as average of a CB from a physical and athletic standpoint as you can get.  However, from a coverage standpoint, he’s elite.  The guy is like glue on the field, sticking to every man he covers no matter how you want him to line up.  At LSU, he played a lot of man coverage and was excellent.  That was after three years of playing a lot of zone coverage at Virginia Tech and being excellent there too.  Dolphins’ new head coach Jeff Hafley coached the secondary and he uses a lot of disguised coverage so Delane can do anything and everything Hafley wants him to do.  Also, the Dolphins top CB right now is either Storm Duck or JuJu Brents, they need Delane. 

12. Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1): Avieon Terrell     CB     Clemson

The Cowboys have always marched to the beat of their own drummer and while Terrell hasn’t been a popular name this high in mock drafts, he did have a solid combine.  He has solid length for a smaller CB and while he didn’t test at the combine, his on-field drills were great.  Terrell is smooth and athletic and new Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker is a secondary coach by trade.  DaRon Bland is coming off some foot issues and Shavon Revel Jr. returned late last year from an ACL tear in college, so the CB position has some questions.  Terrell could play inside or outside and gives Parker some options.  He also has the bloodlines of a starting NFL CB given his brother AJ is a starter for the Falcons, that can’t hurt. 

13. Los Angels Rams (from Atlanta): Makai Lemon     WR     USC

The Rams are certainly going all in to win another Super Bowl while Matthew Stafford is still upright.  RT is certainly a possibility given Rob Havenstein’s retirement, but Warren McClendon Jr. stepped in late last season and seemed to be just fine.  The team made their all-in move trading multiple picks for CB Trent McDuffie to fill a major need.  Devante Adams is still getting it done even at 33 and Puka Nacua is one of the best WRs in football.  However, after that, this team doesn’t have much at WR.  They play a lot of three TE sets and while people think it’s Sean McVay doing something different, it may be because he doesn’t have a third WR he likes (no matter how much they paid Tutu Atwell).  Lemon would be a major upgrade over Atwell (who’s free agent) and Jordan Whittington.  Lemon is a beast in the slot, and he can play outside too.  He’s better in contested catch situations than you would think given his lack of size.  He’s a good route runner and could play right away in this offense. 

14. Las Vegas Raiders (from Baltimore): Francis Mauigoa     OL     Miami

The Raiders get this pick in the Maxx Crosby deal and things could not have fallen better for them.  Mauigoa is one of the better offensive linemen in the draft.  He played RT at Miami and it’s completely possible he ends up starting there for the Raiders.  They have DJ Glaze who had a solid rookie season two years ago and then looked lost last season.  The offensive scheme and the coaching were pretty bad last year so it’s not all on Glaze.  Klint Kubiak’s offense will be much better for the offensive line.  If Kubiak thinks Glaze can handle the RT position than Mauigoa could be an elite guard and with the healthy return of LT Kolten Miller and G/C Jackson Powers-Johnson, the Raiders would be on their way to fixing the line in a real way.  Mauigoa gives them options and the ability to play their best five guys up front.  He is a big man with incredible power in his game but he’s also athletic and talented enough to play in Kubiak’s more movement based zone-blocking scheme. 

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9): Caleb Banks     DL     Florida

This is one I haven’t seen in any mock draft because almost everyone is giving the Bucs either a LB to replace Lavonta David or an edge rusher, that’s what I did before.  If you take a closer look at that three-man defensive front; DE Logan Hall is a free agent, DE Calijah Kancey has had some injury issues, and NT Vita Vea is 31.  They need to replenish the talent up front and Caleb Banks is a major step in the right direction.  He can handle being one of the ends but also gives them the size to step in to give Vea a breather.  Banks missed most of last season, but he looked healthy at the combine and the Senior Bowl and he’s 6’6 330 lbs. and moves like he’s 290.  He wouldn’t be a traditional edge rusher for them, but he would give them some pressure from his spot.  There are a lot of edge rushers and LBs in this draft, they should just take the best talent here and I think it’s Banks. 

16. New York Jets (from Indianapolis): Olaivavega Ioane     OG     Penn St.

I’ve had the Jets taking a DT here before and that was because they traded Quinnen Williams and were running a 4-3 defense.  Now the team looks to be moving to more of a 3-4 look (one less DT needed) and they traded for NT T’Vondre Sweat to fill a huge need.  Both of their starting OGs are free agents; John Simpson and Alijah Vera-Tucker.  Simpson is about to be 29 and Vera-Tucker has a problem staying healthy.  They have invested heavily at OT in the first round of back-to-back drafts, now taking Ioane would be a wise investment.  He’s a potential future Pro Bowler and would lock down an OG spot for years.  Instead of spending on two free agents, they could save some money and get a top-tier player in the draft. 

17. Detroit Lions (9-8): Kadyn Proctor     OT     Alabama

The Lions offensive line was an issue last year with Taylor Decker being banged up and the interior of the line struggling.  They traded RB David Montgomery to get some draft capital and got Juice Scruggs in that deal.  Scruggs has a chance to be the starting center but there’s another potential hole.  Decker is 32 and they are moving on from him, he asked to be released.  It seems like the team may have wanted him to take a pay cut and he said no.  That leaves a gaping hole at LT and while I’m not a big Proctor fan, he would fill that hole and then some.  Proctor is a good athlete for a man his size, he was 6’6 352 lbs. at the combine, that was down about 13 lbs. from his Alabama playing weight.  He’s athletic but can be a bit heavy footed. Him losing weight showed he recognizes he needs to be lighter, that’s a good sign for teams evaluating him.  His power would do well in the Lions blocking scheme and Lions’ o-line coach Hank Fraley is one of the best in the league. 

18. Minnesota Vikings (9-8): Dillon Thieneman     S      Oregon

We say it every year, S Harrison Smith is (insert current age, 37 this time), he can’t play forever.  He seems to enjoy proving us wrong but this year he’s also a free agent.  Father Time is undefeated so eventually Smith will be gone.  The Vikings like to run three safety sets and Thieneman would give them a versatile piece in the back end.  He started this process as a fringe first-round pick but more likely a second-round pick, then the combine happened.  Thieneman proved to be an elite athlete and erased any concerns about his ability to match up with NFL talent.  He’s a 6’0 201 lbs. safety who ran 4.35 in the 40, had a 41-inch vertical, and a 10’5” broad jump, those are elite numbers.  He seems like a worthy successor to Harrison Smith. 

19. Carolina Panthers (8-9): CJ Allen     LB     Georgia

The Panthers are still trying to build out a defense worthy of their defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, the LB spot has not been up to the task.  Christian Rozeboom was the stopgap ILB last year and now he’s a free agent leaving Trevin Wallace as the only real player left.  Wallace missed several games last year so he’s not a sure thing.  CJ Allen is a monster run stuffing LB with more skills than he gets credit for but most importantly, he’s a tone-setter.  This defense has lacked a leader and difference maker at LB for a few years.  GM Dan Morgan was once one of those LBs and this franchise has had more than a few; Sam Mills, Morgan, Luke Kuechley, and Shaq Thompson to name a few.  Allen would fill the role and raise the level of this defense. 

20. Dallas Cowboys (from Green Bay): Akeem Mesidor     DE     Miami

If the Cowboys see this mock draft as possible, they may want to move up a few spots because having Thieneman and Allen go the two picks before them would be excruciating.  Safety and LB are two areas of need but then again so is edge rusher.  Mesidor is an interesting prospect because he played college football for seven years and he’ll be a 25-year-old on draft night, in April.  He had a huge breakout year for the Hurricanes this season as the “other guy” opposite Rueben Bain Jr.  Except he was more than the “other guy”.  He was awesome and he’s got great pass rush moves and technique.  You would hope after playing in college for so long that would be the case and it is.  He’s a guy who shouldn’t take long to adjust to the league and could make an immediate impact.  The Cowboys are always trying to compete so they don’t want a developmental guy, they want a guy who can play right now.  Mesidor could step in an be a part of the pass rush rotational immediately. 

21. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7): Jordyn Tyson     WR     Arizona St.

The Steelers are the first real spot where QB Ty Simpson is a possibility, but I don’t think they pull the trigger.  They may regret not taking Jaxson Dart last year, but they still regret the Kenny Pickett pick a few years ago.  Here there is too much value with Tyson still on the board.  Tyson has legitimate WR1 potential and the only reason he’s still available is that he’s had injury issues almost every season in college.  Regardless of who ends up being their QB, having Tyson as the WR2 with DK Metcalf would make their job easier.  Tyson is a dynamic playmaker and if he can stay healthy, the sky is the limit for him. 

22. San Francisco 49ers (TRADE from LAC): Omar Cooper Jr.     WR     Indiana

The Chargers trade down and pick up some extra picks, and the 49ers feel the need to get ahead of a few teams that might want WRs.  Cooper is a rising prospect and it’s a little strange to have him above Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion, but Cooper is a YAC monster and that fits Kyle Shanahan’s offense very well.  He has steadily climbed the draft board and the 49ers make a move to secure him before teams like Philly and Cleveland can steal him.  WR is the team’s biggest need and while they might sign a free agent or two (and they should) it wouldn’t preclude them from drafting Cooper.  Their WR group right now is Ricky Pearsall and that’s about it.

23. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6): Jermod McCoy     CB     Tennessee

This pick would almost be unfair if McCoy can return to his pre-injury form.  In 2024 McCoy was awesome at Tennessee before tearing his ACL in January 2025 and then missing the entire 2025 season.  He should be 100% healthy for this season but no one has seen him perform so there could be some rust to knock off.  The Eagles desperately need another outside CB so they can keep Cooper DeJean at nickel and having Quinyon Mitchell and McCoy outside with DeJean inside would be incredible.  McCoy only lasts this long in the draft due to the injury unknown because he didn’t work out at the combine even though he said he was completely healthy.  He has the talent to be a top 10 level pick and if he reaches it, the Eagles have the best CB group in the NFL. 

24. Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville): Denzel Boston      WR     Washington

After taking LT Monroe Freeling earlier the Browns have an opportunity to address their next biggest need (besides QB).  WR is a major issue outside of Jerry Jeudy and they need a true ball winner outside.  Boston is a big, physical WR at 6’4 215 lbs. and he can go up and get the ball.  He’s everything they need to complement Jeudy and they can still hope Isaiah Bond can be a good deep threat.  Ty Simpson is a consideration here, but I think Todd Monken and front office kick the QB can down the road to the 2027 draft.  They will see what they have with Shedeur Sanders in Monken’s offense and don’t be surprised when Deshaun Watson gets a chance and maybe even Dillon Gabiel if they don’t trade him away.

25. Chicago Bears (11-6): Caleb Lomu     OT     Utah

The Bears are making moves this off season, with the trade of WR DJ Moore to the Bills for more draft capital, to replacing C Drew Dalman after his surprise retirement with Garrett Bradbury from the Patriots.  This team is looking to compete and the one thing that could derail that is their LT spot.  Braxton Jones had a bad year and he’s a free agent they won’t re-sign, Theo Benedet never looked like he should be the starter at LT, and the guy they were hoping to count on was Ozzy Trapilo, but he tore his patellar tendon and that’s not good.  Trapilo is going to miss at least most of next season and even if he returns, he wasn’t a sure thing at LT.  Lomu is a young player but he has massive upside at LT.  Playing next to a veteran like Joe Thuney would be a blessing for a guy who’s still learning.  Lomu has all the talent to be a top-tier LT, it just may take some time.  For now, he would be a solid starter and with all this team has put into building their offensive line, they can’t let LT be a weak spot.   

26. Buffalo Bills (12-6): Kayden McDonald     DT     Ohio St.

The Bills filled their biggest need with a trade for WR DJ Moore and that means they can get on fixing their defense.  New head coach Joe Brady hired Jim Leonhard to be his defensive coordinator and the team is looking to move to more of a 3-4 attacking defense.  One thing they do not have on the roster is a legitimate NT.  DT Deone Walker was very good last year and while he’s a huge man, he’s too tall and plays to upright to be a run-stuffing NT.  Kayden McDonald is 6’3 330 lbs. and is a prototypical NT type of player.  He stops the run inside like a brick wall and would be a perfect fit. 

27. New England Patriots (TRADE from LAC): Kenyon Sadiq     TE     Oregon

The Chargers started the draft with only five picks but here they trade down a second time and pick up more draft picks.  The Patriots have 11 picks to start this draft and no reason not to use some of that capital to move up for Sadiq if he falls this far.  They will need to move ahead of Denver for sure if they want Sadiq.  The Patriots still have Hunter Henry at TE, but he’ll turn 32 next season, and Austin Hooper is a free agent.  OC Josh McDaniels has had plenty of success with two TE offenses and Henry and Sadiq would be quite a pair.  They need to address WR too after cutting Stefon Diggs, but Sadiq could fill a similar role as a slot target which is where Diggs was doing most of his work by the end of the season.  A big outside WR would be nice but with Tate, Tyson, and Boston off the board, they can wait until a later round to find a big WR if they don’t trade for one or sign one in free agency. 

28. Houston Texans (12-5): Blake Miller     OT     Clemson

This pick may come down to a choice between Clemson tackles; RT Blake Miller or DT Peter Woods.  Miller didn’t have the disappointing season Woods had, and Miller fills a pretty big need for the Texans.  They just traded Tytus Howard to the Browns and while he mostly played LG for them, he was also their RT when Trent Brown was out.  If the team goes into next season with Trent Brown as their starter at RT, they are setting up their offensive to fail.  They have been trying to fix their offensive line for few years now and drafting Miller to be the RT would be a step in the right direction.  Miller is 6’7 with long arms and good athleticism.  He would fit the scheme, upgrade the RT spot, and stabilize the group overall. 

29. Kansas City Chiefs (from LA Rams): Emmanuel McNeil-Warren     S     Toledo

The Chiefs are undergoing some changes in their secondary after trading Trent McDuffie and having Jaylen Watson and Bryan Cook as free agents.  With McDuffie gone I think they prioritize re-signing Watson and that might mean Cook gets away.  McNeil-Warren is a top-level safety prospect who could step into Steve Spagnuolo’s defense and wreak havoc.  He’s a big, long safety with deep coverage ability and the ability to come up in run support. 

30. Denver Broncos (14-3): Keldric Faulk     DL     Auburn

The Broncos have an elite defense and most of them return next season with two notable exceptions: DE John Franklin-Myers and LB Alex Singleton.  Franklin-Myers will probably get a deal the Broncos can’t afford to match so it’s a good thing there is a solid option to replace him here.  He is a big, physical DE in their 3-4 defense and that is probably the best place for Keldric Faulk to play.  Franklin-Myers has been a better pass rusher than anyone expected at that spot and that isn’t Faulk’s strong suit, but he can match the physicality and Faulk is a monster in the run game.  The Brocos are the one team that can probably withstand losing a little bit of their pass rush especially since traditionally 3-4 DEs are not known for their pass rushing.  Faulk is a big man at 6’6 270 lbs. and he’s just 20 years old so he’s still got some growing to do.  Once he matures into his body, he’s going to be a powerful presence up front. 

31. Los Angeles Chargers (TRADE from NE): Emmanuel Pregnon     OG     Oregon

The Chargers came into the draft with five picks; they move down twice to pick up some extra picks and then end up with a nice fit in an area of extreme need.  GM Joe Hortiz came from the Baltimore Ravens organization, and they built their team on drafting well and having a lot of picks.  This team needs interior offensive line help even after signing C Tyler Biadasz as a free agent.  Pregnon fills a major hole, and he should fit well in Mike McDaniel’s offense.  He can be a gap or inside zone blocker in the run game and decimate opponents.  Pregnon had a great season at Oregon and then showed great explosion at the combine in the vert and broad jump, plus he looked very smooth in the drills.  Between Biadasz and Pregnon the Chargers would be two thirds of the way to fixing the interior of their offensive line. 

32. Miami Dolphins (TRADE from Seattle): Ty Simpson     QB     Alabama

The Seahawks only have four picks in this draft and a Super Bowl winning team needs to find some cheap labor as this roster can get expensive fast.  Here they trade down to Miami’s second round pick (43 overall) and maybe pick up a late third rounder pick (Miami has three third round picks) or maybe a fourth.  If the Dolphins don’t get Malik Willis, and I think his price will keep them out of the bidding, they need an alternative to just turning it over to Quinn Ewers.  Simpson is a solid prospect without a lot of playing time in college but he would fit a Bobby Slowik offense pretty well.  He’s a good processor and has the physical tools to be a starter.  Miami moves up to get ahead of teams like the Jets and Browns who might like Simpson and to get the chance at a fifth-year option on a QB contract down the road. 

2^nd Round

33. New York Jets: Jacob Rodriguez     LB     Texas Tech

The Jets are likely to lose Quincy Williams in free agency and that leaves Jamien Sherwood as their only ILB.  Rodriguez is going to go higher than where he’s currently projected.  He’s a tackling machine and they need him.

34. Arizona: Cashius Howell     Edge     Texas A&M

The Cardinals need some more edge pressure to help out Josh Sweat.  Howell only falls to the second round because he’s a smaller edge rusher with short arms.  His production is fantastic, but he is going to be a limited player in the NFL.

35. Tennessee: Colton Hood     CB     Tennessee

The Titans might cut L’Jarius Snead, and they have several free agents at CB.  Hood is a young player with serious upside, and it would be a quick move for him from Knoxville. 

36. Las Vegas: KC Concepcion     WR     Texas A&M

Concepcion falls a little bit because of his concentration drops, he needs to work on that.  However, he’s a deadly playmaker with the ball in his hands and he would give Fernando Mendoza an elite YAC player.  He will be dangerous in Klint Kubiak’s offense.  

37. New York Giants: Gennings Dunker     OL     Iowa

I believe the Giants will re-sign RT Jermaine Eluemunor, however, they still need a RG and Eluemunor is 31.  Dunker projects best as an OG but his arms weren’t as short at the combine as some thought they might be so he could get a shot at RT if a team needs him. 

38. Houston: Peter Woods     DT      Clemson

With the 28^th pick I had the Texans picking Blake Miller over Woods and it looks like smart move as Woods is here ten picks later.  Woods would be a natural successor to Sheldon Rankins who will be 32 and is a free agent.  He’s a smaller, penetrating DT who fits the Texans defense quite well.

39. Cleveland: Max Iheanachor     OT     Arizona St.

The Browns traded for Tytus Howard to be their RT but after drafting Monroe Freeling in round one it might be wise to put the veteran Howard at his best position, LG, to help the rookie.  Taking Iheanachor here would mean having two rookie OTs but if they get a veteran RG, it just might work.  Iheanachor is a massive man who is way more athletic than he should be. 

40. Kansas City: Eli Stowers     TE     Vanderbilt

The likelihood is that Travis Kelce is coming back for one more year but he’s just not the weapon he once was in the passing game.  Stowers is exactly that, a weapon.  He showed elite athleticism at the combine and he’s a deadly pass catcher.  This team needs weapons and I like Stowers more than the WRs left on the board.

41. Cincinnati: Christen Miller     DT     Georgia

The Bengals may have gotten the best defensive player in this draft earlier but none of it matters if teams can run all over them.  Free agent TJ Slaton was supposed to solve that issue last year, he didn’t.  Miller is 6’4 330 lbs. and he specializes in destroying the run game.  The Bengals are going to keep drafting defensive linemen until they find a good one.

42. New Orleans: Gabe Jacas     DE     Illinois

The Saints edge group is old and has plenty of free agents.  Jacas is a rocked up edge player who can put his hand down or rush from a two-point stance.  He’s tough as nails and would pair nicely with Chase Young off the edge. 

43. Seattle (TRADE from Miami): Lee Hunter      DT     Texas Tech

Seattle’s defensive line uses depth and rotations to keep everyone fresh.  That would be a perfect scenario for Hunter because less is more for him when it comes to snaps.  Leonard Williams will be 32 this year and Jarran Reed turns 34 at the end of the year, the defensive line could use some young blood.

44. New York Jets: Germie Bernard     WR     Alabama

The Jets have Garrett Wilson and AD Mitchell at WR and both of those guys can be major playmakers but they can also be free lancers.  Bernard is a technician who is exactly where he’s supposed to be, when he’s supposed to be there.  The Jets will again have a new QB this year, whoever it is will appreciate Bernard’s approach.

45. Baltimore: Chase Bisontis     OG     Texas A&M

The Ravens made a major play to put their team over the top with the Maxx Crosby trade but that won’t fix their offensive line issues.  I’m not sure how Crosby affects their ability to re-sign C Tyler Linderbaum but they need interior offensive line help either way.  Assuming Linderbaum is back, they take Bisontis to take one of the guard spots.  If Linderbaum leaves, this could be a center like Connor Lew, Jake Slaughter, or Sam Hecht. 

46. Tampa Bay: R Mason Thomas     Edge     Oklahoma

Haason Reddick didn’t do much for the Bucs last year and they need an edge rusher who can get to the QB.  Thomas is undersized and not great against the run but he’s a blur off the edge and he’ll get to the QB.  Lining him up off the edge of a guy like Caleb Banks would make life very difficult for opposing offenses.

47. Indianapolis: TJ Parker     DE     Clemson

The Colts have a number of free agent DEs and they like more traditional 4-3 DEs and that is exactly what Parker is.  He falls this far after a tough year at Clemson but he’s a talented player and the Colts would be lucky to get him to pair with Laiatu Latu.   

48. Atlanta: Derrick Moore     Edge     Michigan

Atlanta traded their first round pick this season to get James Pierce last year and drafting him and Jalon Walker worked to fix their pass rush issues.  Then Pierce went off his rocker this off season during a dispute with his girlfriend and did some disturbing things.  His future is very much up in air.  Couple that with Kaden Ellis, Arnold Ebikite, and Leonard Floyd being free agents and they have to go edge rusher again.  Moore is a good pass rush prospect and would be a nice complement to Walker. 

49. Minnesota: Jake Golday     LB     Cincinnati

Brian Flores likes his LBs to be versatile and that describes Golday exactly.  He might be the next version of Andrew Van Ginkle who turns 30 this year.  Golday can play some ILB, where they need some help, but also kick out to the outside spot when needed.  Just another chess piece on the board for Flores.

50. Detroit: Dani Dennis-Sutton     DE     Penn St.

The Lions need to find a DE who can actually be on the field for them and while Dennis-Sutton’s production at Penn St. wasn’t great, he’s a player to watch.  His combine testing numbers were great and his 6’6 256 lbs. frame has room to grow.  He would be a nice edge setter opposite Aidan Hutchinson.

51. Carolina: Dominique Orange     DT     Iowa St.

“Big Citrus”, as he’s known, is a behemoth run-stuffing NT who is the immovable object in the middle of a defense.  The Panthers play A’Shawn Robinson there now but he’s on the wrong side of 30 and they don’t have a lot of depth up front.  They need someone to do the dirty work to keep Derrick Brown free to dominate.  Orange excels at the dirty work. 

52. Green Bay: Connor Lew     C     Auburn

The Packers are nothing if not patient with their offensive line prospects.  Lew is coming off a torn ACL and may not be ready for the start of the season.  They have Elgton Jenkins coming off a leg fracture at center and his back up is Seah Rhyan, who’s a free agent.  Jenkins never wanted to be a center, he’s 31, and he’s going into the last year of his contract.  Lew is a high upside pick who could be their starting center for a decade if they give him time to heal. 

53. Pittsburgh: Chris Johnson     CB     San Diego St

The Steelers are likely to move Jalen Ramsey to safety full-time so even if they re-sign James Pierre at CB, they still need more help opposite Joey Porter Jr.  Johnson is a smooth cover guy on film who looked like an average athlete, then he went to the combine.  His athletic testing was impressive, and this may be too low for him, he’s climbing up the board. 

54. Philadelphia: Malachi Lawrence     Edge     UCF

As much as Howie Roseman likes taking Georgia defenders, he’s not afraid to take a chance on a guy with great athleticism and length from a smaller school.  UCF is a Big 12 team now, but they still aren’t an NFL factory.  Lawrence has all the makings of an elite pass rusher and even if Roseman can pull off re-signing Jaelen Phillips, this team loses all its depth at edge.

55. Los Angeles Chargers: LT Overton     DE     Alabama

The Chargers re-signed Khalil Mack and they would like to bring back Odafe Oweh but that may be difficult.  DE Da’Shawn Hand is one of their big men up front and he’s also a free agent.  Overton can fill that role of 3-4 DE better than any of the edge rushers left on the board here. 

56. Jacksonville: Brandon Cisse     CB     South Carolina

The Jaguars are going to do everything they can to re-sign LB Devin Lloyd, but it probably means they can’t get both CBs Montaric Brown and Greg Newsome II back.  Travis Hunter can fill one CB spot, and he should, but they need more help outside.  Cisse was a fringe first rounder early in the process and he’s the same guy now but players like Aveion Terrell, Colton Hood, and Chris Johnson seem to be moving ahead of him.  He can still be a starter in the NFL, he’s just not as likely to go in round one.  The Jaguars will be happy to take him here.

57. Chicago: Zion Young     DE     Missouri

I think the Bears re-sign at least a couple of safeties and there is depth there in this draft.  Dennis Allen’s type of DEs don’t grow on trees but Young fits the bill.  He’s big, long and plays with power on the edge.  He can be everything Dayo Odeyingbo wasn’t for them this year. 

58. San Francisco: Max Klare     TE     Ohio St.

The 49ers lost George Kittle to a torn Achilles during a playoff game and he’s unlikely to play next season.  Jake Tonges is a restricted free agent who also hurt his foot in another playoff game.  The TE position is vital to the offense so taking Max Klare would be a wise decision.  Kittle isn’t getting any younger, and his injury is not easy to come back from, Klare could be the future of the position.

59. Houston: De’Angelo Ponds     CB     Indiana

Houston has great CBs in Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter, but they don’t have much depth behind them.  Jalen Pitre is the nickel and he’s very good, but Ponds would give them depth outside.  Ponds is an undersized CB, but he plays with the toughness and grit the Texans like and he would fit into their defense quite nicely. 

60. Chicago: Anthony Hill Jr.     LB     Texas

The Bears cut LB Tremaine Edmunds when they couldn’t find a trade partner for him.  That leaves them pretty thin at linebacker and Hill is a day-one starter in the NFL.  He’s got the size and speed you want, and he does almost everything well.  His coverage skills need refinement but he’s such a great player, he’ll figure it out. 

61. Los Angeles Rams: Keith Abney II     CB     Arizona St.

The Rams got McDuffie in a trade for one outside CB spot, but Cobie Durant is a free agent and that leaves Emmanuel Forbes starting opposite McDuffie.  The Rams could use another option and Abney has starter qualities; he just needs to play with more discipline. 

62. Denver: Jadarian Price     RB     Notre Dame

RJ Harvey is a nice running back but he’s not a guy you want taking the bulk of the carries, he needs a partner.  With JK Dobbins a free agent who has injury issues, getting a good young RB would be smart.  Price played behind Jeremiah Love at Notre Dame but he’s an excellent RB.  He has the size and skills to be the lead guy in Denver.

63. New England: Chris Bell     WR     Louisville

This is a long-term play.  Bell tore his ACL in late November so there’s no guarantee he plays this season.  If the Patriots can’t make a trade for a real WR1 or sign someone they have to look for a guy who can be a true WR1.  Bell has that ability, they will just have to wait to see it.  Mack Hollins is only signed for one more season and the team has to hope to get more out of Kyle Williams in year two.  Bell can rehab and then in 2027 he becomes the X receiver, giving Drake Maye a real threat down the field.

64. Seattle: Chris Brazzell II     WR     Tennessee

The Seahawks traded for Rasheed Shahid during the season to be their deep threat and he did it well, now he’s a free agent who will likely get paid.  Brazzell gives the team another deep threat who can do some other things in the passing game and can open things up for JSN.            

I’ve been trying for a while to write this mock draft but every time I did there was another coaching hire and it changes things when that happens.  With 10 head coaching changes there has been massive staff turnover.  There will be over twenty new offensive play callers and somewhere in the mid-teens on the defensive side. The Shanahan/McVay offensive style continues to dominate on offense as Mike LaFleur and Klink Kubiak got head coaching jobs in Arizona and Las Vegas.  The Mike Macdonald Seahawks/Ravens defense becomes more sought after watching the Seahawks in the Super Bowl.  Macdonald was hired in Seattle to counter the Shanahan/McVay duo in the NFC West and he did it all the way to a Super Bowl title.

The Raiders have the number one pick and while they had to wait until after the Super Bowl to name their coach, it didn’t change a thing at #1 overall. This team could have hired a triple option coach, and they still would be taking Fernando Mendoza first.  He might be the least “Raider-like” player in history (he’s so clean he squeaks when he walks) but they need a little less crazy in their lives. 

After that this draft gets weird.  The best players are S Caleb Downs, RB Jeremiah Love, and LB Arvell Reese, by most accounts.  The Jets pick second and desperately need a QB but there isn’t one to take here, you can thank Oregon and their NIL for Dante Moore deciding to skip being a Jet (literally no one blames him).  There are also not a lot of guys teams are going to be willing to trade up for.  I’ve been racking my brain trying to find a trade partner for Arizona at three and it’s nearly impossible (I said nearly). 

Teams are going to have to decide if positional value is going to matter at the top of the draft or not.  Do they want an elite RB (Love) or a good by not great OT (Spencer Fano), an awesome safety (Downs) or a solid CB (Mansoor Delane or Jermod McCoy).  McCoy and WR Jordan Tyson have elite skills, but they are both injury risk players.  I have the guys I like better than others as always and some guys I like less than others.  It’s going to be an interesting draft and if you pick somewhere outside of the top 20, good luck, it gets a bit bleak after that.  The NFL combine is this next week and that’s probably going to make a difference considering there is so little consensus about this draft.  Let’s get to it.   

1. Las Vegas Raiders (3-14): Fernando Mendoza     QB     Indiana

The Pete Carroll experiment was a disaster, and the Raiders are starting over once again with a new coaching staff.  Klint Kubiak is the exact opposite of Carroll, a first-time head coach, he’s under 40, he’s an offensive mind and he’s from the Shanahan coaching tree.  He was fantastic in Seattle and helped Sam Darnold win a Super Bowl.  The Shanahan offense is built for a guy like Mendoza and Kubiak did wonders with an underachieving offensive line in Seattle, he needs to work the same magic on the line in Las Vegas. 

The team needs a new QB and a new leader and luckily for them Mendoza is a great fit for both.  He isn’t a prospect like Caleb Williams or Drake Maye but he’s a good QB.  His comp is somewhere around Jared Goff (hey, he was the 1^st pick too).  Goff isn’t an overwhelming talent but give him good talent like he has in Detroit and he wins.  Contrary to popular belief, the Raiders do have some very talented offensive players.  RB Ashton Jeanty had a rough rookie year, but anyone would behind that line.  TE Brock Bowers was injured most of the season but that’s the only thing that slows him down.  Give Jeanty some blocking and get Bowers healthy, and you have two high-level playmakers to start with.  Mendoza is the kind of player who will distribute the ball to his best guys. If the Raiders upgrade the line and get a WR or two, Kubiak could have this offense upgraded in a hurry.    

2. New York Jets (3-14): Arvell Reese     LB/Edge     Ohio St.

Dante Moore really screws this up for the Jets, they need a QB but there just isn’t one here.  Reese is a very good prospect, and he would help this defense tremendously.  The team is looking to pivot on defense, they traded DT Quinnen Williams and CB Sauce Gardner, their two best defensive players and more than likely they will let LB Quincy Williams (Quinnen’s brother) walk in free agency.  That will leave a hole at LB and Quincy was their best blitzer.  Reese is a bit thin to be a full-time edge rusher, but he would fill in as the LB/Edge rusher spot quite well.  The team kept Aaron Glenn after a terrible first year as head coach, but he fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks during the season and then fired most of the rest of the staff a few weeks after the season.  It’s a bad sign when the guy you hired as head coach a year ago has to fire almost the entire staff he built after one year.  The fact he hired Frank Reich as the offensive coordinator is not a great sign.  The good news is that Reese is so versatile that whomever they replace Glenn with after next season (it feels inevitable) will be able to use Reese on their defense.    

3. Miami Dolphins (TRADE from Arizona): David Bailey     Edge     Texas Tech

I’m calling a major trade here for a guy I really like to go to a team I really don’t.  The Dolphins have a new GM and a new head coach and the GM has already started cleaning house on the roster.  The team traded OLB Jaelen Phillips before the trade deadline (that was not the new GM’s call) and the Jon-Eric Sullivan (the new GM) already cut the oft-injured Bradley Chubb, so this team has hardly any real pass rush.  Chop Robinson needs a partner on the other side of the defense and David Bailey is that guy.  He’s an elite edge rusher who is a bit undersized to be a true DE, so he fits better in a 3-4 defense.  New head coach Jeff Hafley won’t run a pure 3-4 because he’s more likely to mix up his fronts, but Bailey works either way.  Hafley will want to get to the QB since his secondary is abysmal and he won’t have enough draft capital or cap space to fix it in one year.  I’m a huge Bailey fan and he’s going to be a menace off the edge so this one hurts but it’s a swing for a true difference maker on defense and Miami could use one.

4. Tennessee Titans (3-14): Rueben Bain Jr.     DE     Miami

The Titans will be happy with any one of the top three edge rushers (Reese, Bailey, or Bain) and here they get the last one left.  Bain has short arms, if you want to play the drinking game where you take a drink every time someone mentions Bains short arms, you’ll be dead by the end of March.  Yes, he doesn’t have ideal length, but his motor never stops running.  He will fight with every ounce of his being on every play, and this defense could use some more of that.  Robert Saleh likes tough, hard-nosed DEs and Bain would be lucky to play for a defensive mind like Saleh.  The Titans are still building up this roster, and the defense needs a playmaker who isn’t Jeffrey Simmons and Bain can be that guy.  Having Bain lining up on the outside of Simmons almost feels unfair to any offensive line they are going up against.  It’s going to feel like a long day playing against those guys. 

5. New York Giants (4-13): Caleb Downs     SS     Ohio St. 

The Giants made a major play to make John Harbaugh their head coach after he was let go by the Ravens.  Harbaugh has already started putting his imprint on this team and one of his big coaching moves was to hire Dennard Walker as his DC.  Walker was on Harbaugh’s Baltimore staff but was passed over for the DC job when Harbaugh promoted Zach Orr instead of him.  Walker moved on to be Tennessee’s DC and while the defense wasn’t great, it was more his personnel than Walker.  That’s where Downs comes in.  The Ravens were known for using a three-safety look with Kyle Hamilton being the guy they moved around.  Downs isn’t the same player as Hamilton but he’s a pretty versatile piece to the defensive puzzle himself.  Downs can come up and play the run, a skill this defense desperately needs, or he can cover deep.  He could really unlock this defense for Walker and with Tyler Nubin and Jevon Holland already at safety, he’s the perfect guy to complete the three-safety look.    

6. Cleveland Browns (5-12): Francis Mauigoa     OL     Miami

The Browns finally settled on Todd Monken as head coach after freeing Kevin Stefanski from his personal Groundhog Day of hell and managed to piss off DC Jim Schwartz to the point that he quit.  Leave it to the Browns to hire a solid offensive coach just to lose their incredible defensive coach.  This team has two first round picks after trading with Jacksonville last year and that’s good because they need a new QB, a WR1, and at least four new offensive linemen (depending on where you stand on Dawand Jones).  The problem is they will have to wait on a QB because there isn’t one worth taking here.  They could take Jordan Tyson or Carnell Lake at WR but Tyson comes with injury issues and I’m not sure Lake is a true WR1.  The offensive line is in need of a complete overhaul.  Mauigoa played RT at Miami and while he could stick there, he might be a guard.  Either way, he’s a major upgrade for a Browns team that has a lot of nothing at offensive line. 

7. Kansas City Chiefs (TRADE from Washington): Jeremiah Love     RB     Notre Dame

This is a nightmare scenario for the rest of the league as far as I’m concerned.  The Chiefs earned a top ten pick for the first time since 2013 when they drafted Eric Fisher first overall (they had to trade up to draft Patrick Mahomes).  They could go in a few directions, but they are one of the few teams that could justify taking a RB this high.  In this case they move a little draft capital around and move up from nine to seven to get ahead of New Orleans to get their guy.  Once Mahomes recovers from his ACL surgery, they expect to be right back up at the top of the AFC.  A lot of things went wrong this year, and they need to fix a few things but one thing that was bad was the running game.  If they want Mahomes to age gracefully, they should get him one of the best RB prospects of the last decade.  Love is excellent and he is multi-talented.  He’s a fantastic runner and a great receiver out of the backfield.  He would be a major upgrade over Isaiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt (who’s a free agent).  They could look at WRs Carnell Lake, Makai Lemon, or Jordan Tyson but Love is the better player.  They need to upgrade at WR for sure, Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy are not great, but Love opens up so many parts of the offense.  They are bringing back Eric Bieniemy as OC, and he would love to have Love as his new toy on offense. 

8. New Orleans Saints (6-11): Caleb Banks     DT     Florida

The Saints defensive line is Bryan Bresee and a bunch of old guys.  Bresee is long and lean for a DT and Caleb Banks would be an excellent partner inside for him.  He’s 6’6 334 lbs. and while he’s coming off a mostly lost year due to an injury, he looked healthy and dominant at the Senior Bowl.  The Saints have to start restocking this team with young players, especially on defense, and Banks has as high of an upside as anyone in this draft.  It seems like Tyler Shough will be the QB moving forward and they need to get him some help, so WR Carnell Tate is a possibility here, as is RB Jeremiah Love if the Chiefs don’t snake them, but GM Mickey Loomis likes to take linemen early and Banks is a great upside pick. 

9. Washington Commanders (TRADE from Kansas City): Carnell Tate     WR     Ohio St.   

The Commanders have Von Miller, Jacob Martin, Deatrich Wise, Drake Jackson, and Preston Smith all set to be free agent edge rushers for them.  That leaves Dorace Armstrong feeling pretty lonely on a defensive line that didn’t get a lot of pressure even with these guys.  They may have to consider bringing back some of these guys unless they really like TJ Parker or Keldric Faulk.  While Carnell Tate isn’t my favorite WR in this draft, he’s a better overall prospect than Parker or Faulk and he would do wonders for Jayden Daniels.  Deebo Samual and Noah Brown are both free agents, so this team is very thin at WR after Terry McLaurin, and he was hurt most of last season.  This calculus changes if the Commanders are the team that ends up with Brandon Aiyuk from San Francisco. 

10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-11): Jermod McCoy     CB     Tennessee

I could give the Bengals TJ Parker, the DE out of Clemson, but this team has drafted Myles Murphy, Joseph Ossai, and Shemar Stewart over the last several years and drafting another athletic pass rusher without great college production just seems mean.  Trey Hendrickson should move on, and they should re-sign Ossai (he wasn’t bad last season) and then role with those three up front. The secondary could use some new blood.  Cam Taylor-Britt is a free agent and while Dax Hill and DJ Turner held up at CB this team needs some depth.  McCoy missed the 2025 season, but he was excellent in 2024.  He’s a bit of a gamble but he has CB1 skills and could really improve this defense overall.  If he could be an outside CB, it would allow Dax Hill to move around the secondary more.  The Bengals have to address their defense, and McCoy is the biggest upside pick they could make here. 

11. Arizona Cardinals (TRADE from Miami): Spencer Fano     OT     Utah

This would be the perfect way for this to fall for the Cardinals.  If they can pick up some draft capital from a team like Miami, drop down in the draft, and still get a guy like Fano, that’s the best-case scenario.  Mike LaFluer is coming in as the new head coach and while this team has no idea who their QB is going to be (it’s highly likely Kyler Murray is out the door) they do know a new QB will need some help up front.  Jonah Willliams has been the starting RT for the past two seasons when healthy and he wasn’t healthy often enough and he wasn’t good even when he was.  Fano played RT at Utah and did so quite well.  He may not have ideal length for an OT but he’s plenty good and he’s a day-one starter.  Arizona can find a stop-gap QB for a year, build out this offense for LaFluer and then look to find their QB in 2027 when the QB class looks a lot stronger.   

12. Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1): Keldric Faulk     DE     Auburn

The Cowboys lose almost as many edge rushers as the Commanders with Dante Fowler Jr., Sam Williams, Jadaveon Clowney, and Payton Turner are all scheduled to be free agents.  That leaves Donovan Ezeiruaku on one side and no one on the other.  Ezeiruaku showed some flashes but he’s a very undersized pass rusher and they need bodies.  Faulk is the exact opposite of Ezeiruaku, he’s a mammoth DE who shuts down the run like a brick wall but isn’t the most explosive edge rusher.  He’s exactly what they need as a run stopper and the likelihood is the Cowboys will try to bring back at least one of their edge guys (I’m guessing Williams) and Faulk would complement him nicely so Ezeiruaku can be the designated pass rusher.  It’s not a flashy pick but the Cowboys have been pretty consistent attacking the trenches with their first-round picks and they have done well with it.  Faulk would be a solid addition. 

13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta): Kenyon Sadiq     TE     Oregon

The Rams like to run three TE sets and there’s a running joke that they will take Sadiq and run four TE sets.  Well, here’s the truth, Tyler Higbee is a free agent this off season and is 33 years old and Nick Vannett will also be a 33-year-old free agent.  Vannett is just depth and the Rams still have three TEs with Tyler Ferguson, Davis Allen, and Colby Parkinson, but Parkinson is only signed through 2026.  Sadiq is a talented player who’s still young and may need some time to adjust.  Taking a shot on an athlete like Sadiq who could do some fun things as a rookie while he adjusts to the NFL; that’s a worthwhile choice.  You could say the Rams should take a RT to replace Rob Havenstein, but Warren McClendon III filled in for the injured Havenstein at the end of this season and looked fine.  They also could use help at CB, but this team rarely invests heavily at the position, it’s been a while since they traded for Jalen Ramsey and that was the last big move they made there.

14. Baltimore Ravens (8-9): Olaivavega Ioane     OG     Penn St. 

The Ravens are traditionally a team that looks for the best value in round one and Ioane is arguably the best player available and just so happens to fill a need for this team.  RG Daniel Faalele is a free agent as is C Tyler Linderbaum.  They absolutely want to bring Linderbaum back and there’s no reason to spend money to keep Faalele.  He wasn’t all that good last season and Ioane would be an upgrade.  They need to upgrade at the guard spots if they want to get their offensive back on track, Faalele and Andrew Voorhies were the starters last season and they struggled.  The Ravens will certainly entertain defensive linemen, edge rushers, and corners because they usually do, but Ioane is a better value here than the guys left at those spots.  

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9):  Sonny Styles     LB     Ohio St.

The Buccaneers went 8-9 but couldn’t pull off winning the terrible NFC South, losing the three-way tiebreaker to the Panthers.  Somehow, Todd Bowles survives as the head coach but he’s replacing some staff, including his OC.  The offense should be better if they just get healthy and if they can re-sign Mike Evans to a reasonable contract.  The defense needs more help.  Lavonte David is 36 and is a free agent, it feels like retirement is coming for him.  That would leave a gaping hole in the middle of the defense and Sonny Styles is the perfect guy to fill it.  Styles was a safety to begin with at Ohio St. but eventually grew into a LB body.  He still has elite speed and athleticism for the position and he’s a great replacement for the future Hall of Famer David. 

16. New York Jets (from Indianapolis):  Kayden McDonald     DT     Ohio St.

This could be the spot for QB Ty Simpson, but I don’t think GM Darren Mougey is going to take a QB in the middle of round one for his lame duck coach.  The Jets have three first-round picks in 2027 and it’s a better QB draft.  Here they take Kayden McDonald to replace Quinnen Williams who they traded to Dallas mid-season.  McDonald is a force in the run game, and he’s used to eating up blocks to free up Arvell Reese, the Jets earlier pick in this mock draft.  McDonald is going to climb draft boards a bit because he brings an elite skill every team needs at DT, he stuffs the run.  The Jets defense needs an overhaul, and this first round gives them two big pieces to get it started. 

17. Detroit Lions (9-8): Mansoor Delane    CB     LSU

The Lions have a few areas they have to worry about, the interior of the offensive line had some issues this season, LT Taylor Decker had injury issues and he’s aging (they can also save a lot of money cutting him), and their edge rushers after Aidan Hutchinson are all free agents (Marcus Davenport, Al-Quadin Muhammad, and Josh Pascal).  Given all that, Mansoor Delane is the best prospect here and fills a need too.  CB Terrion Arnold is coming off an injury and was struggling before the injury, Ennis Rakestraw has missed both his seasons with injury, and Amik Robertson and Avonte Maddux are both free agents.  DJ Reed needs some help at CB and Delane is the guy.  He’s not big and he’s not an elite athlete but he’s an excellent coverage player and fits the defense quite well. If Delane goes to the combine and puts on a great athletic performance he will move up the draft boards but I suspect he’s going to test like an average athlete and that is going to leave him right in the middle of the first round.  If there was a LT worth taking I would but I’m not a believer in Kadyn Proctor and the rest of the position is just a bunch of guys you have to hope become legit NFL LTs. 

18. Minnesota Vikings (9-8): Makai Lemon     WR     USC

JJ McCarthy started to show some signs of life towards the end of the season and while that won’t stop the team from finding a veteran QB who can push him, they would be wise to also keep the offense stacked to give him a chance to succeed.  WR Jalen Nailor is a free agent and WR Jordan Addison is going into the last year of his contract.  Addison has had some off-the-field issues (he seems to get arrested in the off season a lot, this year’s charges were dropped) and drafting a WR wouldn’t be the worst idea.  Lemon was a dangerous playmaker at USC this last season.  He’s undersized but he plays with a speed and precision you have to love.  Whoever the QB is, having a playmaker like Lemon is always helpful. He would be an easy Nailor replacement this season and give the team the option of letting Addison walk (or trading him) instead of paying him. 

19. Carolina Panthers (8-9): CJ Allen     LB     Georgia

There is always that one team who drafts a guy higher than the consensus and while Allen is considered a fringe first-rounder, 19^th overall would be a bit shocking.  That is unless you consider that the Panthers’ GM is former star LB Dan Morgan.  The Panthers have had some impressive LBs in their history including Sam Mills in the early years, Morgan himself, and recently elected Hall of Famer Luke Kuechley.  They have been wandering in the woods at LB for a few years and really only have Trevin Wallace returning at the position.  If they really want the defense to get better, they need a guy to quarterback the defense and that’s Allen.  He’s a run-stuffing demon who isn’t awesome in coverage, but he’ll be fine.  He could really help this defense take a step forward as a leader on the field. 

20. Dallas Cowboys (from Green Bay): Kadyn Proctor     OT    Alabama

I could certainly see the Cowboys taking another edge rusher or a DT here considering they still have needs there but they have never shied away from first round offensive linemen, they actually seem to prefer them.  Proctor has some issues, he’s not technically sound and he’s not consistent with his effort but he’s 6’7 360 lbs. and he’s an excellent athlete.  The Cowboys could move on from Terrace Steele at RT and Proctor gives them options.  Tyler Guyton is their LT but he’s still young and unproven and he played RT in college.  I’m not a fan of Proctor as a LT but he may be better than Guyton, who has struggled at times.  Either way, they can work with both and figure out who is better at RT and LT.  It may turn out that LG Tyler Smith is better than either at LT and Proctor ends up at OG.  Like I said, Proctor gives them options. 

21. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7):  KC Concepcion     WR     Texas A&M

You could convince me the Steelers are drafting a CB or safety if there was a good one still here.  The best available ones aren’t going to help like Concepcion.  WR Denzell Boston might be a higher rated WR on some boards but he’s too much like DK Metcalf and they need to diversify their WR group.  Concepcion is a small speed demon who can run routes from any position and knows how to get open.  He’s a playmaker with the ball in his hands and he’s instantly the WR2 here and could end up with more targets than Metcalf because of his skill set.  This is also the first spot where I think Ty Simpson is a real possibility.  It all comes down to what Mike McCarthy wants at QB.  If Aaron Rodgers is coming back for one last ride with this aging roster, than getting him as much help at WR as possible is a smart move.  If Rodgers retires, then the Simpson pick becomes a much more likely scenario.  They can talk all they want about how much they like Will Howard but I’ll believe it when I see it. 

22. New England Patriots (TRADE from LAC):  Ahkeem Mesidor     Edge     Miami

This would be a move for the Patriots to come up and get a real pass rusher on the edge because Mesidor might be the last one who isn’t strictly a pass rush specialist.  Most of the rest of the group are smaller guys who aren’t great against the run and if Mike Vrabel is going to bring back K’Lavon Chaisson he already has that guy.  There is the issue of Mesidor’s age and injury history, he’ll be 25 on draft night and he spent seven years in college because of all of his injuries.  He had a great 2025 season at Miami, but he might be a one-contract player.  The Patriots have extra draft capital and moving up to get a guy who can contribute immediately seems feasible.  Mesidor gives them options with an aging Harold Landry and he plays with the toughness and grit Vrabel will love.  The Chargers trade out of this spot because they lack draft picks and they need to restock the interior of their offensive line, they can afford to drop down to 31 and still do that while getting an extra pick or two.    

23. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6): Brandon Cisse     CB     South Carolina

I nearly gave the Eagles QB Ty Simpson just to give their fans something to cheer about, but I think they are keeping Jalen Hurts.  They are changing offensive coordinators again and it’s an even numbered year so this one should be good (although picking 32-year-old Sean Mannion who’s been coaching two years is going to test that theory).  On defense, Howie Roseman is likely to do everything he can to re-sign Jaelen Phillips on the edge because they don’t have much depth there, they had to bring Brandon Graham out of retirement to finish the season.  The biggest issue for them was outside CB where they kept having to move Cooper DeJean to fill the hole because Kelee Ringo, Jakorian Bennett, and everyone else they tried just couldn’t cut it.  They need someone who allows them to leave DeJean in his best spot as Vic Fangio’s favorite chess piece.  Cisse isn’t the biggest name but he’s a good man cover corner, and he has more size than Aveion Terrell, who is probably the other possibility here.  Cisse can start opposite Quinyon Mitchell and allow DeJean to stay at nickel where Fangio can unleash him where he needs him. 

24. Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville): Jordan Tyson     WR     Arizona St.

This would be a dream scenario for the Browns, get a starting offensive lineman at six overall and still end up with Jordan Tyson in this draft.  Tyson is the boom or bust pick of the WRs which is why he falls here.  On the good side, he’s the one guy who has legitimate WR1 potential in the WR class. The bad side is his injury history.  Three years in college and he never played a full season without an injury.  No one can doubt Tyson’s talent, he’s an excellent player and a true playmaker but the best ability is availability, and he hasn’t shown that yet.  The Browns won’t care at 24^th overall, they would sprint this card into the Commissioner at the draft.  Pairing Tyson with Jerry Jeudy and TE Harold Fannin would be a solid foundation to a passing game for the QB they draft in 2027. 

25. Chicago Bears (11-6): TJ Parker      DE     Clemson

The Bears need to get some pass rush off the edge from someone other than Montez Sweat.  Dayo Odeyingbo was a flop as a free agent, Austin Booker missed about half the season, and they have no one else at DE.  Parker didn’t have a good year at Clemson but then again, no one had a good year at Clemson.  He did go down to the Senior Bowl and reminded scouts why he was a popular pick for the top five of this draft before the 2025 season.  Parker is a big, powerful rusher off the edge with good bend and can close. His size and power make him a good fit for what Dennis Allen wants from his edge guys and if the Bears draft Parker, I’ll take him as the starter opposite Sweat over anybody else they have. 

26. Buffalo Bills (12-5): Denzel Boston     WR     Washington

The Bills made the second round of the playoffs but then lost and decided to fire head coach Sean McDermott and give GM Brandon Beane a promotion, a curious decision to say the least.  Beane hasn’t exactly been awesome at the draft, but McDermott took the fall for multiple playoff failures.  Beane promoted OC Joe Brady to head coach and now he needs to fix the roster he built. They need interior offensive line help, that can come later.  They are losing a number of good defensive lineman, that’s a possibility here.  However, the biggest miss has been at WR.  Khalil Shakir was a nice find later in the draft a few years ago but Keon Coleman hasn’t been good enough and their free agent signings haven’t worked out. 

Denzell Boston is a legitimate outside power receiver who would give Josh Allen a downfield threat to complement Shakir.  Boston is the contested catch WR they were hoping Coleman would be but just hasn’t been.  He has speed and power and would open up the offense in ways they have been searching for with guys like Coleman, Gabe Davis, Josh Palmer, and even Brandin Cooks. 

27.  San Francisco 49ers (12-5): Gennings Dunker     OG     Iowa

The 49ers are going to have some issues at WR if they don’t bring back some of their free agents, so WR is a distinct possibility here.  However, there isn’t great value unless they love Chris Bell or Elijah Suratt or maybe Chris Brazzell.  They also need help on the interior of the offensive line and Dunker is going to be a great OG.  He played RT at Iowa, but he profiles as an NFL guard.  At 6’5 315 lbs. he has great size and he brings elite strength and power.  He’s well-versed in the zone blocking scheme San Francisco runs and he could step in at LG immediately.  The 49ers drafted his former teammate Connor Colby late last year and he gave them some decent play early this season when they were banged up.  Dunker is the upgraded version of Colby and could be a mainstay on this line for a decade.  Everything the 49ers do is predicated on good o-line play and it’s about time they invested some higher draft capital in the interior of that line. 

28. Houston Texans (12-5): Monroe Freeling     OT     Georgia

Freeling was not on the early lists of top prospects because he’s still a young guy with only one year of starting experience and he wasn’t good to start the year.  His season started off like he was a first-year starter but his last month he was much more impressive.  Someone is going to take a chance on a guy who’s 6’7 315 lbs. and has the type of length and athleticism this guy shows.  The Texans need offensive line help and Freeling gives them options at OT with an ability to play either side.  He would also allow them to move Tytus Howard to guard permanently and that would really help them out.  It’s probably a toss-up between Freeling and Caleb Lomu from Utah but I think Freeling is going to show off his athleticism at the combine and that will help him stand out. 

29. Los Angeles Rams (12-5): Ty Simpson     QB     Alabama

The Rams have a good roster and most of their free agents are aging guys like RT Rob Havenstein and TE Tyler Higbee who they already have younger replacements for.  They are going to continue to try to win as long as Matt Stafford is willing to play QB so there’s no rebuild or reset happening yet.  They made a trade last year to pick up an extra first round pick in this draft, that was the earlier pick where they took TE Kenyon Sadiq.  This is their pick and here they take their QB of the future Ty Simpson.  Their backup Jimmy Garappolo will be a 35-year-old free agent this off season and there is no reason to believe Stetson Bennett can be their eventual replacement for Stafford.  Simpson needs some time to develop since he wasn’t a long-term starter in college, so this is the perfect setup for him.  McVay can develop him behind Stafford for a year or two (Stafford is 38).

30. Denver Broncos (14-3): Emmanuel McNeil-Warren     S     Toledo

The Broncos don’t have a lot of holes which is why they were in the AFC Championship game this last season.  They do have a few free agents who could leave like DE John Franklin-Myers, LB Alex Singleton, and RB JK Dobbins but there aren’t a lot of great options here for replacing those guys.  Another area that could use some reinforcements is the secondary.  S PJ Locke and nickelback Ja’Quan McMillian are both free agents.  Getting a guy like McNeil-Warren for the safety spot would allow them to use Jahdae Barron more freely and gives them depth behind their starters.  McNeil-Warren is a big safety out of Toledo so he’s coming from a small school, but he’s got the size and athleticism to compete at the NFL level.  Toledo has been putting guys in the league lately and he’s the next one. 

31. Los Angeles Chargers (TRADE from New England): Caleb Lomu     OT     Utah

The Chargers have to fix the interior of the offensive line and while Lomu is technically an OT, they might as well try the best player available on the line and see if it works.  Lomu would also be a nice insurance policy considering how often they seem to have injury issues at OT.  They can give him a chance to step in at either left or right guard and see what works. He played LT at Utah so if he’s more comfortable on the left side, he can play next to Rashawn Slater and learn from an elite player, assuming Slater is healthy.  Lomu is only a third-year sophomore, so he still has plenty of growing to do and he needs to get stronger.  He’s a good athlete so he’ll fit right in with Slater and RT Joe Alt, that would just leave the other two inside positions to fill in.  I don’t think Lomu will be the only offensive lineman drafted by the Chargers.

32. Seattle Seahawks (14-3): Colton Hood     CB     Tennessee

While Seattle fans might call for another first-round guard to replace Anthony Bradford, their favorite whipping boy, this team won the Super Bowl because of the defense.  That defense has three guys from the secondary; CB Josh Jobe, CB Riq Woolen, and safety Coby Bryant, who are all free agents.  It feels like Woolen’s time in Seattle is probably over and Jobe might get a decent contract from someone else.  They need to be sure to keep the quality of the secondary up and Colton Hood would be a strong addition at CB.  Hood might even go higher than this if his testing numbers at the combine are good.  He had a solid week at the Senior Bowl with a few tough moments but he’s still young and has good size and good coverage skills.  He could be an upgrade over Jobe from a talent standpoint and much more consistent than Woolen.