It’s finally the best day of the year! Did you watch Draft Day last night in preparation? I sure did! There is truly nothing better than finally getting answers to how your favorite team plans on winning their next Lombardi Trophy. In this mock draft, I will attempt to predict what each team does in this year’s draft. I am not saying what I think SHOULD happen, simply what I believe WILL happen. The reports are that this year is going to be extremely unpredictable, as 6 quarterbacks could be selected in the first round. Teams have been setting up smokescreens for months, attempted to hide their strategy and lead other teams down the wrong path. There is an immense amount of talent on the board, and the back half of the round should see plenty of names that even the most well-connected reporters could not predict. In the past, my mock drafts have been fairly accurate, even beating ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. once, but this year might be too unpredictable for me to submit this with full confidence. So, with that being said, take the below with a grain of salt, and enjoy the draft!
1. Chicago Bears
The Pick: QB Caleb Williams, USC
For the second year in a row, the Bears have the 1st overall pick. This time, however, I expect them to keep it. With his departure to Pittsburgh in the offseason, the Justin Fields era in Chicago has come to an end. It’s a time most Bears fans would like to forget, as the team went a dismal 10-28 in his tenure. They can’t afford to miss on this pick.
Caleb Williams is widely accepted as the best QB in this class, and he certainly has the raw athletic ability to back it up. He may struggle at first as he sometimes takes unnecessary risks to extend plays, but once he learns how to be patient, his talent will shine through.
2. Washington Commanders
The Pick: QB Drake Maye, UNC
The Commanders are doing a great job hiding their feelings on this pick. They even had Maye, Jayden Daniels, JJ McCarthy, and Michael Penix Jr all take their pre-draft visit together. If one QB feels right here, though, it's Maye. Kliff Kingsbury is the new OC in Washington, and while he was forced to veer from his classic Air Raid offense with a dual-threat QB in Kyler Murray, I expect him to return to his roots and try and find a guy who can really sling it. Drake Maye ran a similar style offense at UNC, is not afraid of the deep ball, and has quite a canon. The Commanders have a pretty solid receiving corps, so expect big things if Maye can successfully stretch the field with them.
3. New England Patriots
The Pick: QB JJ McCarthy, Michigan
Well, that was quite the offseason. Not only is Belichick out of the organization, but ties appear to be officially severed between him and owner Robert Kraft. It’s a new regime in Foxborough, and they need to start with a bang. They’ll get offers for this pick, but they need a quarterback desperately, and I think it would take a massive deal to get them to budge. Instead, they get their franchise QB.
JJ McCarthy is the guy the Patriots locker room needs right now. He is the best leader of every quarterback in this draft and has already shown he can pull a program out of the mud and back to a champion. Patriots fans will see a little bit of Brady in McCarthy, both in their motivation in the pursuit of perfection and their approach to the game: no unnecessary risks, take the free yards if you get them, don’t turn the ball over, make the big plays when you need to. Whether McCarthy comes even close to the success of Brady’s career remains to be seen, but he’ll certainly try to.
TRADE: Arizona Cardinals Trade R1P4 to the Minnesota Vikings for R1P11, a 2025 1st Round pick, and a 2025 3rd Round Pick.
4. Minnesota Vikings
The Pick: QB Jayden Daniels, LSU
Let’s start with the trade. Minnesota is desperate to fill their hole at QB after Kirk Cousins left this offseason, and they are determined to find his successor in this draft. Once they see Jayden Daniels slide, they’ll have no choice but to offer this deal. The Giants, Broncos, and Raiders have all also been linked to passers, so they’ll need to pay a handsome price. The 49ers traded three 1st Round picks to the Dolphins in 2021 to move up from 12th to 3rd, and that was months before the draft with no bidding war. This will be the price and the Vikings will pay.
I like Jayden Daniels, and he has a lot of intangibles scouts love, most notably his deep ball accuracy. There’s a reason he won a Heisman, you don’t just stumble into an award like that. However, he is undersized and he panics under pressure. His pinpoint accuracy also drops from 70.5% on his first read to 46.3% on secondary and tertiary reads (per The Ringer). That’s a huge problem in the NFL and one that will need to be addressed. He’s more of a project than most figure him to be, and I think that’ll show.
5. Los Angeles Chargers
The Pick: TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
Here’s the first surprise of the draft. With the top 4 QBs off the board, nobody offered a good enough trade for the Chargers to budge. LA lost their starting running back and both wide receivers in the offseason, but still have franchise QB Justin Herbert in his prime. Now, they need to quickly retool the offense or they risk wasting valuable years of Herbert’s youth. Obviously, one of the big 3 receivers is enticing here, but Jim Harbaugh has shown time and time again that his offense does not need big-time receivers. Throughout his career, Harbaugh has leaned on the ground game and physical tight ends who can block just as well as they can catch. Bowers is that guy.
If Jim Harbaugh could build his perfect TE in a lab, it would be Bowers. He’s fluid in route running, has great hands, solid speed, and is not afraid to block. This kid is the real deal, no doubt. There are a ton of gifted receivers in this class, but Bowers is a generational tight end prospect. Harbaugh’s input will prevail.
6. New York Giants
The Pick: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
This is the best-case scenario for the Giants, as they get arguably the best overall prospect in the draft. Whether Giants fans like it or not, Daniel Jones is under a pretty lucrative contract for another 3 seasons, and they need to at least try and capitalize on that contract. The rumors are the Giants are set on taking a QB in Round 1, but I think that’s a smokescreen to get the Vikings/Broncos/Raiders to trade with the Cardinals, another team that needs a receiver. In this mock, that plan works out and the Giants get DJ a new weapon. What’s done is done, you can’t waste a $160 million contract by not giving the guy some help on offense and instead looking to find his successor.
Marvin Harrison Sr caught 114 TD passes from Peyton Manning across his Hall of Fame career, and his son has all the talent to be just as good. He is poised, athletic, quick, fast, and has a tremendous feel for his routes. He is as elite of a receiving prospect as I can remember seeing, and would go even higher in drafts that weren’t so QB top-heavy.
7. Tennessee Titans
The Pick: OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame
If you’ve been a loyal patron of The Saloon, you know how much I love offensive linemen. Alt is no exception. Football is won in the trenches, and the Titans are going to need to protect Will Levis way better if they stand a chance this season. Levis was pressured on 45% of drop backs last season. That’s not ideal. Alt started 4 years at Notre Dame and was only called for 2 holding penalties and only allowed 2 QB pressures. That’s insane. He’ll form a formidable wall on the left side of the line with my favorite offensive lineman of last year’s draft, Peter Skoronski. For my money, Alt is the best prospect in this draft class. Slam dunk here for Tennessee.
8. Atlanta Falcons
The Pick: EDGE Dallas Turner, Alabama
The Falcons certainly addressed their offense this offseason by adding Kirk Cousins in the backfield. The new-look team will be able to score plenty, but this is a defense that has been without an elite edge rusher in a very long time. A good pass rusher has emerged as the 3rd most valuable player on the field after the QB and left tackle. Not having one in this league puts too much pressure on your secondary to make plays. Turner is explosive, has a plethora of pass-rush moves, and has been a consistent contributor for 3 years under the greatest college football coach of all time. He’s a stud. The Falcons should run this one up.
Trade: Chicago Bears trade R1P9 to the Las Vegas Raiders for R1P13, R3P77, and R6P208
9. Las Vegas Raiders
The Pick: QB Michael Penix Jr, Washington
The Bears only have 4 picks and a lot of holes, so they’re happy to snag up another pick in the top 80. The Raiders need to jump the Broncos to get their guy, and I really think Penix is him. This kid wants to win, and he’ll do whatever he can to do it. He played the National Championship Game with a bad ankle and injured ribs, barely able to get off the turf after every play, but he did. And even down 21 late in the 4th, he was still out there pushing through his injuries. I recommend reading his whole essay in the Players’ Tribune addressing his injury concerns, but all you need are the last 2 lines: “So I have no problem taking all the MRI’s and X-rays you ask of me. Truth is, it’s an EKG that will tell you everything you need to know about me.” He can stand and deliver perfect deep throws with impeccable touch, but also can scramble and get solid rush yards if the play breaks down. He’s very underrated, and I actually like him better than Maye and Daniels. Remember the name.
10. New York Jets
The Pick: WR Rome Odunze, Washington
If I’m the GM of the Jets, this is an offensive tackle. But alas, I am not. Look, I get wanting to keep Rodgers happy and give him the weapons Green Bay never would, but a healthy Rodgers is more valuable than a happy Rodgers. The Jets need help on their offensive line, badly, but if any of the top 3 receivers are here, they’ll jump on them.
The difference between Odunze and Nabers is slim, and the choice between them will come down to preference. Jets WR Garrett Wilson and Nabers are similar in size and play style, so I think they’d prefer the bigger bodied Odunze to compliment Wilson’s play.
11. Arizona Cardinals
The Pick: WR Malik Nabers, LSU
If Arizona stays at 4, they’re almost certain to draft Marvin Harrison Jr, but why not pick up another 1st Round pick and still get a stud wideout? The Cards have arguably the worst receiving room in the entire league. Nabers adds an explosive playmaker that just always seems to rip one off at the right time. He will quickly develop into Kyler Murray’s favorite target. Sky's the limit for him.
TRADE: The Denver Broncos trade R1P12 to the Cincinnati Bengals for R1P18, R3P80, and a 2025 4th Round Pick.
12. Cincinnati Bengals
The Pick: OT JC Latham, Alabama
It was just reported that WR Tee Higgins and DE Trey Hendrickson have both requested trades from the Bengals. Not ideal, but that’s going to have to take a backseat in Round 1, as Cincy has to protect franchise QB Joe Burrow. No more excuses. Trent Brown is a solid addition on the right side of the line, but he’s 31 and only on a one year deal. The Bengals have been linked to Latham, but they’ll need to trade up to get him. He’s got great size, incredible footwork, and is ruthless in his blocking. They’ll figure it out with the trade request, but first, they have to keep Burrow healthy.
13. Chicago Bears
The Pick: OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State
Did Fields fail, or did Chicaho fail to protect him? Between 2021-2023, no quarterback was sacked more often than Fields (135 times). That’s bad. Even the most talented quarterbacks would struggle to make plays under that much pressure. Ryan Poles can’t let that happen to his new golden boy, Caleb Williams. Say it with me! This game is won in the trenches. Fashanu is big, powerful, and will start right away at left tackle. He also happens to be Williams’ former high school teammate. Sometimes it’s just written in the stars.
14. New Orleans Saints
The Pick: OT Troy Fautanu, Washington
According to Daniel Jeremiah, the Saints have been actively pursuing a trade up, presumably for an offensive lineman. If the draft shakes out as I think it may, they won’t have to do so. Fautanu is more athletic than his big frame would suggest, as he tested very well at the combine. He could slot in at left tackle but also has the ability to kick in at guard if need be. The Saints lucked out not having to give up extra draft capital for him.
15. Indianapolis Colts
The Pick: CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama
The Colts need a lockdown corner to anchor their secondary, and Arnold is the guy for the job. Nick Saban has always maintained he will be honest about his players in his recommendations to teams, and he has a pretty good track record of being right. This year, Saban has had nothing but great things to say about Arnold, who is a relentless lockdown cornerback with a knack for finding the ball. He had 5 interceptions and 13 PBUs last season at Bama, and the Colts will hope he can replicate this success.
16. Seattle Seahawks
The Pick: DT Byron Murphy II, Texas
New head coach Mike MacDonald will certainly be focused on the defensive side of the ball to begin his tenure. While the Seahawks have crushed it in the 1st Round recently with defensive backs, they have a pretty big hole on the defensive line. MacDonald loves to put pressure on the QB, and that starts with an explosive player in the interior of the line. Murphy is the kind of talent that could easily sneak his way into the top 10. He is explosive off the snap, quick to react, and has a high motor that just never gives up. He’s going to get along very well with his new coach.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Pick: CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
The Jags have yet to find their next lockdown corner after Jalen Ramsey. They thought they found their guy with the 9th overall pick in CJ Henderson in 2020, but he fizzled out and is now on the Texans. Jacksonville needs to find a guy they can trust so they can let Josh Allen and Trayvon Walker loose up front. Mitchell is a guy who has shot up draft boards and apparently is a favorite of many teams. He may need time to adjust to better competition, but he’s a hell of a player.
18. Denver Broncos
The Pick: QB Bo Nix, Oregon
The Broncos will try their best to move up for one of the top 5 QBs, but if they can’t, look for them to move back and take Nix. They won’t want to take him at 12, and probably would want to move back even further than 18, but they are highly motivated to find a gunslinger in the 1st, so they are fine reaching a bit. Nix is a natural athlete who has had great success in college. He is already 24, which is a concern, but he has a strong arm and makes big plays. Sean Payton will love this kid, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they have him higher on their draft boards.
19. Los Angeles Rams
The Pick: EDGE Laiatu Latu, UCLA
This is the Rams first 1st Round pick since selecting Jared Goff in 2016. That’s insane. This team has more holes than it has had in quite some time, so it’s anyone’s guess who they could target with this pick. Latu is a guy people have really been loving recently. He’s tough, tenacious, and just always seems to find the backfield. The Rams’ pass rush is dreadful, especially with the retirement of Aaron Donald, so this fills a massive need right away. Latu will start immediately in LA.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pick: OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
It wouldn’t surprise me if this was a corner after the Steelers used their 1st Round pick last year on a tackle, but they just invested in Russell Wilson as their next QB and need to take proper steps to protect him. Fuaga’s got a strong and quick punch in pass protection, but is also great in run blocking. Some may see his size and kick him to guard, but he’ll be successful anywhere on the line. Give Wilson time in the pocket and good things will happen. Corners can be found later on.
21. Miami Dolphins
The Pick: DT Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois
Losing Christian Wilkins on the interior hurts for the Dolphins. Especially in a draft year where defensive tackle is not very deep. I think they’d probably like to go in a different direction here, but this draft board might force their hand. The Dolphins will face Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers twice this year, they simply have to generate strong pressure in the interior. Newton is powerful and can get his body low to beat interior offensive linemen. He has a knack for wreaking havoc in opposing backfields, and Miami will love his high motor.
22. Philadelphia Eagles
The Pick: C Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
It seems the chatter is all about the Eagles going CB here, and with Cooper DeJean on the board, it was tempting to make that pick. But the Eagles have a hole at center after Jason Kelce’s retirement. Kelce will go down as probably the greatest center of all time, and the Eagles had the luxury of not having to worry about that position for 12 years. I think they’ll try and fill that gap immediately with another high IQ center in Powers-Johnson. JPJ has everything you want in a center, with the ability to knock one rusher off course and immediately turn to the next. He won the Rimington Trophy last year as the nation’s best center, but will have big shoes to fill in Philly.
23. Minnesota Vikings
The Pick: CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
Minnesota scored their franchise QB earlier in this draft, so now they turn their attention to defense. Corner is a big area of need for them, so they scoop up arguably the most athletic defensive back in the draft in DeJean. This kid can flat-out ball, as he is sticky in coverage, stout against the run, and can line up almost anywhere in the secondary. Versatility in the defensive backfield is so valuable these days, and Cooper can deliver on that. He also returned punts at Iowa, so look for him to be an option on special teams as well. He’s a special talent, and
24. Dallas Cowboys
The Pick: OL Graham Barton, Duke
Jerry Jones loves a flashy pick. Is that Barton? Nope. But he is an absolute necessity here. The Cowboys used to rely on their offensive line, which, at one point, was the best in football. Not so much anymore, as injuries and old age have ravaged the line, making them more susceptible to a strong pass rush and less aggressive on the ground. I think Jones will want to get back to winning in the trenches, and Graham Barton can arguably play all 5 positions on the line. His versatility catapults him to the 1st Round.
Trade: Green Bay Packers trade R1P25 to the Detroit Lions for R1P29 and R3P73
25. Detroit Lions
The Pick: EDGE Jared Verse, Florida State
The Packers certainly hoped to see some better options at corner and offensive line here, but they missed the run and instead opt to trade back. The Lions hit a home run with Aidan Hutchinson, who looks to be a star in the making in Detroit. Now, they need to make sure he has someone opposite him to take the pressure off. Jared Verse can be that guy. He totaled 18 sacks over the last 2 seasons at Florida State, and some experts say he has a shot at going in the top 20. He slips here, for no other reason than positional need, and the Lions leap up for him. Dan Campbell is going to have fun with this pass rush next season.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Pick: EDGE Chop Robinson, Penn State
Tampa Bay is quietly a very good team. Baker Mayfield seemingly revitalized his career with the Bucs, posting the best numbers of his career last season. The offense should be ok, but the defense and pass rush could use some help. Robinson is a stud edge rusher from Penn State. He’ll fit in nicely next to Joe Tyron and give the Bucs some explosiveness off the snap.
27. Arizona Cardinals
The Pick: CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
After snagging Nabers to get some serious help at receiver, Arizona looks to defense, where cornerback is a big need. Robinson going a pick before there really hurts, as I’m sure the Cards would love to improve their pass rush, but unfortunately there’s a bit of a gap before the next solid edge guy. The Cardinals allowed the 3rd most passing touchdowns in the league last season, and they’re going to need a lot of help to cover the likes of Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, and DK Metcalf, all of whom they play twice a year. McKinstry has fallen in draft prep, with some citing his effort at times, but there’s no denying the talent is there. Head coach Jonathan Gannon is a former defensive backs coach, so if there is anyone who can squeeze the full potential out of Kool-Aid, it’s him.
28. Buffalo Bills
The Pick: WR Brian Thomas Jr, LSU
This pick has to be a receiver, right? After losing Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis this offseason, the Bills have no choice but to spend high draft capital on a wideout. Josh Allen is the 2nd best quarterback in the league and is still in his prime. Buffalo needs to fully invest in getting him weapons. If the draft shakes out like this and the Bills don’t need to trade up for Thomas, it’ll be a miracle. Many have Thomas going in the first half of the draft. I expect he’ll slide, again, not because of him, but because of the market. Thomas is a complete package at receiver: great route runner, makes contest catches, and has big play ability. He is the perfect fit for what the Bills want to do. Home run here.
29. Green Bay Packers
The Pick: LB Junior Colson, Michigan
Is this the sexiest pick? Nope. But the Packers need a middle linebacker and there just aren’t that many good ones in this class. Green Bay also needs offensive line and cornerback help, but they can find those in later rounds, especially with the pick they got from Detroit.
With Colson, the Packers get their middle linebacker and captain on the defense for years to come. Michigan runs as close to an NFL defense as you can find in college, so Colson is ready to make the next step immediately. He is quietly garnering interest as a fringe 1st Round pick, and I think it happens here with Green Bay. Colson is the best linebacker in the draft, and he’ll make an impact right away.
30. Baltimore Ravens
The Pick: OT Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma
I flirted with CB Mike Sainristil here, but ultimately I decided the Ravens need help on the offensive line more than anything else. With the offseason signing of Derrick Henry and keeping Lamar Jackson healthy still the priority in Baltimore, the offensive line is going to determine how successful this team really is. Ronnie Stanley’s health is always a concern and Morgan Moses was traded this past offseason. Guyton is a massive lineman at 6’8” 322lbs and he is elite in pass protection. Lamar sometimes rushes himself in the playoffs, thinking he needs to get the ball out or scramble earlier than he really has to. I think getting a guy like Guyton can help give him more time to stand deliver, and could be the difference maker for a team right on the edge of a Lombardi.
31. San Francisco 49ers
The Pick: CB Mike Sainristil, Michigan
Taylor Swift robbed the 49ers of a Super Bowl this season. Just a fact. But the talent is still here on this roster and Kyle Shanahan & Co. are poised to make another deep run. San Francisco has 3 big draft needs: wide receiver, offensive tackle, and cornerback. While I wouldn’t be surprised if they go in either other direction, they’ve needed cornerback depth for years and have barely gotten by when injuries have popped up. This pick could be Nate Wiggins, who is a tremendous cornerback prospect, but I think it actually ends up being Sainristil. The converted wide receiver was the leader of the defense at Michigan and has experience playing in an NFL style defense. His versatility in the secondary will give him the slight edge over Wiggins, as he can play almost anywhere. He figures to slide in at nickel in most packages, but he may soon be the best nickel corner in the league.
32. Kansas City Chiefs
The Pick: WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas
The Chiefs are in dynasty mode, and they’ve gotten really lucky in recent drafts with the amount of talent still on the board at the end of the 1st Round. The lucky streak continues, as Adonai Mitchell gives the Chiefs a solid receiver to help out with their subpar group. Rashee Rice is in legal trouble after a hit and run earlier this month and Travis Kelce is soon to be 35 years old. Kansas City needs to act quickly to get Mahomes some talent to spread the ball out to. Adonai Mitchell is 6’4”, can make contested catches, and ran a 4.34 40 yard dash at the combine. This kid is a playmaker. He’ll soon become Mahomes’ new favorite target.
Comments