The best part of the NFL Draft is the time leading up to it. There is much speculation on who your team will draft and what surprises will be seen on Thursday night.
With the season not over yet, it is a bit early to pay attention to most NFL mock drafts. Looking at them this early is just entertainment for football fans whose teams are out of the playoffs. Nevertheless, I have put one together before the free agency period starts in March. Once teams sign free agents and solidify their rosters, another mock draft will be made to adapt to changes. Enjoy!
It is safe to assume the Titans will take a quarterback at number one overall. The question is which quarterback will it be? Cam Ward has had a great college career and is still only 22 years old. His experience is an edge over others.
It will be interesting to see where Sanders ends up. It is speculated that his father, Deion, wants the Raiders to draft him. If they were to do so, they would have to move up to the first or second overall pick. That is a hefty price to pay. If not, then the Browns will bring in the new Era of Cleveland football.
This is the worst-case scenario for the Giants. They have a massive need at quarterback, and the two best ones are now off the board. However, they do get Travis Hunter instead. Travis Hunter is a freak. He has first-round talent as a corner and as a wide receiver. Ideally, you would want him to play every snap on defense and sprinkle him into offensive plays to keep him fresh.
McMillan is massive. 6’5 and 212 pounds. Drake Maye played very well on a bad team this year. Giving him an enormous target will help him tremendously. McMillan will be WR1 immediately in this offense. He also offers New England multiple things they don’t have: an X receiver, a genuine red zone threat, and size.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are in shambles. This team has so many holes that they must draft the best player available in round one. Mason Graham has been disrupting running lanes and passing lanes for years. At 320 pounds, he will be a massive obstacle for offenses to try to navigate for the next ten years.
If the Raiders don’t move up to get a quarterback, they should draft defense with their first pick. Will Johnson is the second-best corner in the draft behind Travis Hunter. He can step in immediately and line up against opponents WR1 immediately.
Nobody knows what the future holds for the Jets. Is Aaron Rodgers playing another season? Do the Jets want him there another season? These questions will have to be answered soon. The Jets are too far back for a quarterback here, so taking the top safety in the class will be my selection here. Starks’s specialty is the ability to come up and make big plays against the running game.
Abdul Carter will most likely be a top 5 pick. In my mock, he drops to the Panthers at eight. If he falls to Carolina in the draft, they will sprint to the podium to make this selection. Carter could have 10-plus sacks as a rookie. He is that talented.
No offense to Bub Means and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, but this wide receiver room took a massive nose dive when Chris Olave went down. Ultimately, I think Burden will end up in the slot in the NFL, but he can be a great addition to the Saints.
Poor Caleb Williams. Whenever I see the Bears, it feels like he is either running for his life or on the ground. They have to address the offensive line in this draft. Campbell’s stock fell a bit, but this time last year, he was a top 5 pick, so they can bank on the potential.
If Banks didn’t have such long arms, he would have to kick in to guard in the NFL. His length will be able to keep him outside against the speed rushers.
Rico Dowdle had a solid year for the Cowboys. But he is not Ashton Jeanty. It is rare to see a running back go early in the draft. The position has not been valued the way it should. Jeanty is a problem for defenses. He has the potential to take every carry to the house.
The Miami Dolphins are in a weird spot. Tua can’t seem to stay healthy, and their star wide receiver said that he is “done.” Nobody knows their plan in the offseason, but adding a quality offensive lineman is necessary.
Tyler Warren would be a great addition to the Colts offense. They have had horrible tight end play, but Warren would be able to come in and play a massive role in the offense. Warren can block, which is a lost skill for above-average tight ends. His best comp is George Kittle.
If the Falcons keep drafting pass rushers, they have to hit on one of them eventually. Right? They acquired Matthew Judon last season, but he is 32 and not the same player he was years ago. Bringing in youth for Judon to mentor would be an excellent idea for Atlanta.
Membou has flown a little under the radar. He is a right tackle at Missouri with crazy upper-body strength. He has a chance to hear his name called early in the draft. He is a day-one starter at right tackle next season.
If the Bengals somehow find a way to pay Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, this pick will change. However, losing either one of those receivers would prompt Cincinnati to draft a wide receiver early.
Seattle gets extra pass-rush help here. Derick Hall had a great season, and Boye Mafe has great talent. Rotating pass rushers would be a huge deal for this Seattle defense.
If Josh Hayes is starting at outside corner, you have a problem. Tampa Bay’s secondary could not stay healthy this past year. Unfortunately, neither could Morrison. If Morrison plays an entire season this past year, he would be in the top 10 of this draft. If he can stay healthy, he will be a steal.
Loveland is a massive target in the passing game. Bo Nix would love to have him on his team. Loveland will not give you a ton of solid blocking reps in the run game, but his ability to get open and disrupt defenses makes him highly valued—his speed will pop off the tape.
Pittsburgh needs help next to George Pickens. Golden was short of 1000 yards and had nine touchdowns for the Longhorns. His production alone would be an upgrade to the Steelers wide receiver room.
Jim Harbaugh knows these Michigan guys pretty well. Grant is a great player but was overshadowed a bit by Mason Graham. He moves well for a guy that is 330 plus pounds. He will add consistency to the defensive line.
The argument that the Packers don’t necessarily need an edge is interesting about this selection. That is valid. However, all teams need to add more depth to the pass-rushing department.
Minnesota shot out of a canon this season and played incredible football until the last two games. Jerry Tillery isn’t an answer for them next to Harrison Phillips. Williams is a 327-pound man who will eliminate holes in the run game with Phillips. Good luck trying to run between the tackles.
Houston’s offensive line was terrible this year and affected the play of CJ Stroud. Solidifying the offensive line has to be a significant priority for the Texans this offseason.
Revel is an intriguing prospect. He comes from a small school, but his tape is excellent. There is a possibility that he could end up being the best corner in this draft. He has insane measurables at 6’3 and 194 pounds. It seems that taller, lengthy corners are a new trend in the NFL.
Baltimore may be one of the more complete teams in the NFL. I would love for them to add a big-body receiver in the draft, but there aren’t many options for them this late. Jack Sawyer is playing his best football right now at the right time. He would be a great piece to the Baltimore pass rush.
Detroit has had over 20 players on the IR this year. That is one of the craziest stats I have ever seen. The fact that they compete as well as they do is a testament to the coaching staff. Adding some extra interior pass rush would help with all the injuries on the defensive line.
This is a bit of a reach here for the Commanders. Ayomanor is 6’2 and 210 pounds and has strong hands to match. His production last year wasn’t what you want a first-round wide receiver to have, but he is so athletic.
Buffalo’s secondary has been bad this year. Adding any pieces to it will be an upgrade. I would also look to add safety help early in the draft to give Buffalo an overhaul of the back end of that defense.
Josh Sweat is a free agent at the end of this year. He is going to want a high-paying deal. Adding an edge rusher will be a big priority for Philadelphia to help with the salary cap.
Chris Jones just turned 30 years old. Adding some depth behind him will help him be able to sub out more players to extend his career a bit further. Stacking two big defensive tackles on goalline plays will also help in the red zone.
The NFL draft is the most exciting part of the football calendar; yes, you heard that right; it’s not the Super Bowl; it’s the draft because all 32 teams still have a chance. April is all about the future and promise rather than heartbreak and history.
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