Who says it’s to early for a mock draft. The Fantasy playoffs are beginning for some, but for others, their seasons are over. The off-season is a dead spot in normal re-draft leagues as the draft doesn’t occur until August. In dynasty leagues, the off-season is the most important part for some teams as they get to build their team through the rookie draft. Some players prefer to stay away from the rookie draft and use their picks on players who can make an immediate impact. Others like to tear their team down and acquire as many picks as possible so they can build a young foundation.
Now that the top half of the draft order is set and teams are officially eliminated from fantasy playoff contention, it is time to look ahead at the upcoming draft class. It’s never to early to look at NFL mock drafts so why not a fantasy rookie mock draft.
The landing spots used for the rookie came from a personal mock draft. These are current projections and will most likely be vastly different by the time the draft rolls around. The League format used is a Superflex format. The Mock draft was done at PFF using their mock draft simulator.
1.01- Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State- 12th Overall, Dallas Cowboys: In a draft class that is loaded at the running back position, Ashton Jeanty leads the way.
The 2024 Heisman finalist has put up 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns this season in just 13 games. Those are video game numbers but when watching Jeanty play it is easy to understand why he is putting up those numbers. He has elite contact balance as he breaks tackles at an absurd rate, and he has fantastic vision and patience as well. He even offers upside as a receiving back despite the down numbers this season in that category. He is as close to a complete back as there is, and is a lock to go in the first round.
The Cowboys are in dire need of a game-changing running back as teams have no fear of their current run game. It has been hard to find a mock draft that doesn’t have the Boise State star winding up in Dallas thus far. Jeanty is a perfect fit in Dallas,, and if he lands there, he should be a lock for the 1.01 in rookie drafts.
1.02- Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona- 4th Overall, Carolina Panthers: A few weeks ago it appeared the Panthers would take a QB, but the resurgence of Bryce Young has caused that talk to fade away. Now without a need for a QB, the Panthers need to help their young QB and there is no better way to do that than with Tet McMillan.
At 6’5, 212 pounds, T Mac is a unique blend of size and athleticism as he can go up and make contested catches, but he is great after the catch as well. The comparison has been hard to find as not many players move the way he does with his size, but Nico Collins seems to be the closest thing there is.
Regardless, McMillan will be the Panthers WR 1 right away and head coach Dave Canales has been excellent when it comes to getting his best players the ball. Last year in Tampa Bay he fed Mike Evans with targets and this year Diontae Johnson was having a great season before his trade. McMillan will see plenty of targets in Carolina and with an improved Bryce Young, the sky is the limit for T Mac.
1.03- Omarion Hampton, RB, UNC- 28th Overall, Minnesota Vikings: Aaron Jones has been great for the Vikings this season, but he is getting older and is a pending free agent. Even if he is brought back the Vikings could still use their RB of the future. Omarion Hampton is a quick and physical back, who hits the hole quick, and runs through contact.
First-round RBs in the NFL don’t come around as often as they used to, so when they are taken this early, it is clear the league thinks they are special. Hampton would be the Vikings future at the position, and he would set up for immediate success in an elite offense. With Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison on the outside, teams can’t stack the box to stop the run. Despite the fact there are players drafted earlier than Hampton still on the board here, the value that elite 3-down RBs bring in fantasy is too good to pass up here.
With the fifth-year option that comes with being a first-rounder, Hampton would be locked in as the Vikings starting RB for at least five years.
1.04- Luther Burden, WR, Missouri- 20th Overall, Washington Commanders: Landing spots for Luther Burden were hard to find for many reasons, but if he lands with Jayden Daniels and the Commanders, he should be an elite fantasy asset for years to come. Entering the season he was viewed by many as the WR 1 in the class, but due to a great season from Tet McMillan, and a weird season for Burden due to the offense, he has slipped a bit. He is still viewed as a top 3 WR in the class, but based off recent mock drafts, he isn’t a top 10 lock anymore.
Burden profiles as a slot reciever to start his career as that is where he spends most of his time, but he has the athletic ability to become an outside receiver. He received a lot of comps to Malik Nabers over the summer due to his ability to make plays after the catch and the big-play threat he offers. He doesn’t have great size and that is why teams will prefer T Mac, but his pure receiver skills are just as good if not better. He will begin his career as the number two receiver in Washington behind Terry McLaurin, but over time he should transition into the number one option for Jayden Daniels.
Being paired with a great QB from the jump will only help Burden get off to a hot start in his NFL career.
1.05- Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado- 1st Overall, Las Vegas Raiders: QBs that are taken first overall are not supposed to last until the fifth pick, but due to the immense talent of the high-end skill players in this draft the QBs fell. There is a lot to like about Shedeur Sanders game as he is an accurate passer who can use his legs when needed and isn’t afraid to make any throw. He doesn’t have the rocket arm that other QBs may have, or the elite athleticism, but he is the most pro-ready QB in this class due to his accuracy and all-around skill set.
Sanders would join a Raiders team that has arguably the best tight end in football despite being a rookie in Brock Bowers, a go-to reliable receiver in Jakboi Meyers, and a deep threat in Tre Tucker. Vegas will likely add another receiver to the team but Sanders will have talent around him from the start. He doesn’t have the same fantasy upside as Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson, but he has a chance to have a C.J. Stroud Esq rookie season for fantasy as both players have similar archetypes. If he is anything close to Stroud this is a homerun pick and even if he isn’t, the pick will be worth it as he should have a safe floor.
1.06- Cam Ward, QB, Miami- 2nd Overall, New York Giants: Sanders has the safer floor but Cam Ward has more upside as a fantasy QB. He is a pure gunslinger who isn’t afraid to push the ball downfield or take off and run. The Giants have needed a franchise QB for a long time and Ward has a chance to be the answer. His playstyle will create some massive fantasy performances but some poor ones as well as he is prone to turnovers.
The Giants already have a star at receiver with rookie sensation Malik Nabers, but they need to add more. Ward may need to sit a year to develop and that is what gives Sanders the leg up in the rookie draft, but the upside that he possesses for fantasy if he puts it all together is tantalizing and worth the gamble in the middle of the first round.
1.07- Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama- 7th Overall, New York Jets: If Jalen Milroe was guaranteed to start in year one he may be the 1.03 in this draft, but in this scenario, he would be the Jets backup for at least one season. As far as physical traits go he has them all. He has a cannon for an arm, he has great speed, he is strong, and he is a physical freak for the position.
The downside is the inconsistency that Milroe has displayed thus far. Every time it appeared he was taking off and cementing himself as a bonafide first-round pick, he would take a step back and have a poor performance that would consist of missed throws and turnovers.
He will likely be a first-rounder due to the physical tools he possesses, but it may take a while for it all to click if it does. There is a chance that Milroe is Justin Fields for fantasy as he is great when he plays, but for NFL purposes he is too inconsistent to be a full-time starter. The upside is worth the risk here with Milroe as he can break fantasy if he can put it all together.
1.08- TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio St.- 53rd Overall, Los Angeles Chargers: As long as the Chargers draft a running back somewhat early, that player will be a first-round pick in rookie drafts. It is obvious they want to be a run-first team, but the problem is they don’t have an RB of the future to lead them. That changes with TreVeyon Henderson, the explosive back from Ohio State.
No one in the NFL knows Henderson better than Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. He played against him multiple times while coaching at Michigan and is well aware of his talent. Henderson is an explosive back who hits the hole with burst and is a threat to go the distance whenever he has the ball. He isn’tcurrently a dynamic receiver out of the backfield, but the Chargers don’t throw to their backs much so that isn’t an issue. While Henderson likely won’t be the only back receiving touches in LA, he would be the lead back on a run first offense and that is perfect for fantasy.
1.09- Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa- 40th Overall, Cleveland Browns: Nick Chubb is a free agent this off-season and while the Browns may bring him back, it is clear that he unfortunately isn’t the same player that he once was. With the regression from Chubb, Cleveland needs a running back of the future and Kaleb Johnson is the perfect fit. At the moment he profiles mainly as a first and second down back as he is not refined as a reciever, but he is a powerful runner who is hard to take down on first contact.
Johnson is the definiton of a bell-cow back as he can handle a heavy workload and he gets better as the game goes on. He wares opposing players down with his physical running style and it should translate perfectly at the next level. The Browns have lacked a running game this season and in the AFC North it is imperative that they have one. Johnson is a perfect fit for any NFL team and it wouldn’t be a shocker at all to see him in the first round. If that’s the case he will go much higher in rookie drafts.
1.10- Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio St- 22nd Overall, Denver Broncos: The rapid development of Bo Nix has been one of the biggest surprises in the NFL this season. He still has his rookie momenets but he is playing far above expectations and has made it clear he is the franchise QB in Denver. To enhance the success of Nix, the Broncos need to continue adding talent around him and Emeka Egbuka is a perfect fit.
He is the definiton of a rock solid, reliable receiever. He has great hands, he can play any receiver spot, and work any spot on the field. He profiles as a slot reciever but he is more than that. He is a willing blocker, a sharp route runner, he is just a refined prospect who can come in and make an immediate impact. The Broncos roster is full of big physical recievers and field stretchers, but they lack a reliable target in the short to intermediate range of the field and Egbuka would solve that issue.
This pick feels very similar to Ladd McConkey going to the Chargers last season as he has been extremly productive as a rookie while winning at all levels.
1.11- Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio St.- 54th Overall, Denver Broncos: The Broncos continue to add around Bo Nix and this time they grab one of the most explosive backs in the draft. Quinshon Judkins likely won’t be available at pick 54 but in this scenario he was and he lands in a spot where he can instantly take control of the backfield. He is an explosive runner and a good reciever out of the backfield as he has great hands for the position.
While there are notable differences in the two, Judkins has a lot of similarties to Alvin Kamara, a former Sean Payton draft pick. Kamara was a much more polished reciever coming out of school and didn’t have the same juice as Judkins, but the two have similarities in the contact balance and patience that they play with. Kamara exploded onto the scene as a rookie playing under Payton and it is easy to see the same happen for Judkins in this scenario. This would be a perfect landing spot for fantasy purposes as there is a clear path to a heavy workload.
1.12- Tyler Warren, TE, Penn St.- 14th Overall, Indianapolis Colts: The Colts need to continue to help Anthony Richardson and adding a do it all tight end is just what they need. Tyler Warren has improved his draft stock as much as any player this season. He has played all over the field as he has lined up at tight end, running back, full back and even quarterback. He has been the engine for Penn State this season and he is seemingly a lock for the first round.
Anthony Richardson would fall in love with Warren as he would provide a safety net, but also big play ability everytime he touches the ball. The Colts receiving core is good but they lack a reliable tight end. Warren is not only reliable but he offers high end upside due to his athleticism. He is not the next coming of Brock Bowers, but he is a do it all tight end and one who could make a fantays impact right away.
2.01- Drew Allar, QB, Penn St.- 6th Overall, Tennessee Titans: At the momement Drew Allar is not going to be a first round pick, but steam has been picking up lately regarding his draft stock. He has all the traits teams look for as he has a rocket arm, good mobility, aquick release, and a strong frame at 6’5, 238 pounds. Despite all of the tools and traits, he is a question mark to even enter the draft as he has not been able to put any of it together conistently. Teams often bet on traits and that is why Allar is projected as a top six pick in this mock.
Despite the early draft slot, he still finds himself at the beginning of round two because he almost certaintly will sit for at least one season to develop. Michael Penix Jr. was drafted eigth overall last year and was a second round pick in most rookie drafts and this feels like it has potential to be similar situation. Allar has a chance to be a great player if he puts it all together, but that may take some time and that is why he is here in the second round.
2.02- Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado- 3rd Overall, New England Patriots: Proceed with caution when seeing Travis Hunter in the second round as this is not likely. He is here in the second round as there is no clarity on what position he plans on playing in the NFL. There is a chance he is a full-time reciever and if that is the case then he will be gone in the first three picks.
If Hunter commits to playing cornerback full-time with packages on offense, he becomes a risky pick in the first round. He has been adamant that he wants to play both positions full-time in the NFL and if anyone is going to do that it’s him, but it just seems unlikely given the tool football puts on your body. The player is great and he will be great wherever he plays, but until there is clarity, he can’t be a first round pick.
2.03- Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan- 21st Overall, Los Angeles Chargers: This pick feels like a no brainer as the Chargers need more weapons for Justin Herbert, and Jim Harbaugh coached Colston Loveland at Michigan so he knows what type of player he is.
Loveland is an elite athlete for the tight end positon and is a mathcup nightmare for linebackers and safeties due to his size and athletic combo. He isn’t a great blocker at the moment, but if anyone is gonna get him right as a blocker, it’s Harbaugh.
Will Dissly has had a great season a reciever with the Chargers this season and he has been mainly a blocker for his career, so imagine a true recieiving threat lined up at tight end. There isn’t much of a reason for Loveland to be available here other than the fact this draft class is loaded for fantasy purposes. This is a steal of pick given the upside he possesses and the lack of difference makers at the position in fantasy.
2.04- Dylan Sampson, RB, Tennessee- 59th Overall, Pittsburgh Steelers: Dylan Sampson doesn’t profile as a typical Steelers runningback as they usually have tough, physical runners who tire teams out, and he is home run theat with blazing speed. Despite the difference in play style, the talent is too good. He is one of the most explosive backs in the draft, and for a team that wants to pound the rock, having a big play threat is mandatory.
Both Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren are set to be free agents this off-season and that leaves a big hole in the backfield. The Steelers will likely bring one of them back, or at least bring in another back to pair with Sampson, but he should be a large piece of the offense regardless. If he is given enough touches, he has the ability be a fantasy star due to his speed. There are a lot of similarities to De’Von Achane as far as the physical tools and play style, and he has been a fantasy star throughout his first two years.
2.05- Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas- 27th Overall, Pittsburgh Steelers: Isaiah Bond profiles as a better NFL reciever than he does a fantasy procuer. He has elite speed that can really open up the offense for the Steelers, but he doesn’t have the profile of an alpha reciever who will demand a large target share.
This feels very similar to Xavier Worthy last year, not just because they are both fast recievers who went to Texas, but because it is hard to imagine fantasy consitency right away for Bond. He will be a player who offers week winning upside to due his big play ability, but he will almost certaintly have down weeks due to the lack of targets. After seeing how boom or bust (mainly bust) Worthy has been this year, Bond may fall in rookie drafts due to similarities. At the 2.05 the risk if absolutely worth the reward as the talent is great, but he may just need some time to become a legit fantasy contributor.
2.06- Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford- 38th Overall, Tennessee Titans: Teams that draft a QB early in the draft often end up taking a reciever high as well to pair them together. In this draft the Titans pair Drew Allar with Elic Ayomanor, a big bodied reciever who plays above the rim. He is only 6’2, but the play style makes him appear as 6’5. He has good speed that allows him to win downfield, and good hands that help him in contested catch situations.
The one downside is that Ayomanor is not a terrific seperator on shorter routes and is mainly a downfield threat. With some QB’s that would be an issue, but Allar has a cannon of an arm and he can allow Ayomanor to work downfield and play to his strengths. Calvin Ridley was paid to be the Titans number one reciever for the forseeable future, but they need more than just him. Ayomanor has the build of a boom or bust reciever as he relies heavily on his physical tools, but pairing him with a QB who has elite physical tools will only help him use his tools.
2.07- Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami- 48th Overall, Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals run an offense that involves getting the ball out quick to their recievers and allowing them to make plays, but the issue is they are full of deep threats. Marvin Harrison is a true X-reciever, but he has won mainly down the field so far in his rookie season. Michael Wilson is also big bodied reciever who wins downfield more than close to the line of scrimmage. Trey McBride is great over the middle of the field, but that’s about it.
Xavier Restrepo would give the Cardinals that short to intermediate route runner they badly need. He is the definiton of a pure slot reciever as he is a great route runer who wins off the line of scrimmage with qucikness and shiftiness. The one downside to Restrepo is his size as he is only 5’10, 198 pounds, so he will struggle with tight man-to-man coverage. Outside of his size and limited athleticism, he is an awesome reciever who just knows how to get open. He will make things easier for Kyler Murray and the entire Cardinals offense.
2.08- D.J. Giddens, RB, Kansas St.- 71st Overall, Las Vegas Raiders: Runningbacks flew off the board before the Raiders really had a chance to grab one, but D.J. Giddens is a good consolation prize. He isn’t the same explosive runner as some of the other backs in the class, but he is a poised runner with great patiecne and vision. He has the skill set of a three down back as he had strong hands for the positon and has grown as a pass blocker.
The Raiders have had one of the worst run games in the NFL this season and they need to improve if they want to improve as a team next year. Giddens won’t solve their issues in the run game, but he will make it better. He and recent breakout Sincere McCormick would form a solid duo for Vegas for the forseeable future, and Giddens would have a real shot at becoming an every down back in Vegas with the current RB room.
2.09- Kyren Lacy, WR, LSU- 69th Overall, Jacksonville Jaguars: Despite investing so much money and draft capital into recieving talent over the past few years, the Jaguars still need help. It appears that Christian Kirk will likely be released or traded and that will create a hole at slot reciever. To fill that need the Jags go with Kyren Lacy, the smooth route runner of out of LSU.
Lacy is a ready to go player who just needs to find some more consistency in his game. He knows how to create seperation and get open as well as anyone, but he doesn’t always show it. The highs are great for Lacy but the lack of overall production is what causes him to fall to the third round. In Jacksonville he will be able to absord targets right away as Kirk was a valuable piece of the offense due to his work over the middle of the field.
Lacy may not have a high ceiling for fantasy, but he would a chance to start right away in Jacksonville, and he profiles as a player who can make an immediate impact.
2.10- Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss- 60th Overall, Buffalo Bills: Tre Harris may not be the best serpator in the class, but he has some of the best hands to go along with an elite catch radius. The Bills have some nice players in Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir at reciever already, but they need to continue to add. Amari Cooper is a free agent and the Bills may not have the money to re-sign him so adding an impact reciever should be a top priority.
Harris would give the Bills another big play threat along with Coleman, and having two guys who can go up and make a play at any time would be fantastic for Josh Allen and the offense. Shakir and Dalton Kincaid work the middle of the field, but the bills have missed a true deep threat this season with the losses of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. The addition of Harris would bring back that element of a true depe ball threat.
He is one of the more puzzling receivers in this class as many people will not like his game, but he wins with size and strength and that allows him to be a red-zone threat as well as a big play guy. He won’t fit on every team but he is a perfect fit for the Bills.
2.11- Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa St.- 65th Overall, Las Vegas Raiders: Jayden Higgins may not be the quickest player, but he knows hwo to play to strengths, and in his case it is his size. He is 6’4, 215 pounds, and every bit of it shows up on tape. He has great hands that allow him to be a force on the outside, but he can also win in the slot despite his size. He knows how to use his size to his advantage in order to create serpation.
The Raiders need anther outside reciever on this roster and Higgins is the perfect fit. He would slot in as an immediate starter and he would give Vegas a legit readzone threat. Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers are great, but they can’t be the only reliable options. Tre Tucker has elite speed and can take the top off the defense, but he hasn’t been a go-to guy so far in his first two seasons. Higgins would be a perfect compliment to the current recieving core. He can move all over the field and win at all three levels.
2.12- Jalen Royals, WR, Utah St.- 74th Overall, Cincinatti Bengals: Jalen Royals is not Ja’Marr Chase by any means, but there are some similarities. He is able to take a screen to house as well as stretch the field vertically and win down the field. Chase is a much better route runner and overall play maker, but Royals has some similarities in his game.
There has been recent discussion about Tee Higgins returning to Cincinatti, but until he signs a contract to stay, it is expected that he leaves. If he does leave, the Bengals will need to add another reciever as the offense has under performed when Higgins is out of the lineup. Royals doesn’t offer the same skill set that Higgins brinsg to the table, but he brings a skill set that fits the Bengals offense.
They can use him down the field as deep threat as well as around the line of scrimmage on drag routes and screens. He is still limited in the routes he can run at the moment, but he is great the ones he can run. He would help the Bengals maintain the explosiveness they would lose from Higgins, just in a different way.
Read More NFL News From Stadium Rant Here: NFL News
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our newsletter here. Check out Stadium Rant Original shows on our Youtube channel and subscribe! Give our socials Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok a follow for more great content!
