The NFL draft is just around the corner and with all the phases of free agency in the rearview, the final big wave of acquisitions will come via the draft.
This is a mock draft with no trades. I think that it is highly likely that trades do occur on draft night, I just will not be factoring those into this since it is too difficult to predict how heavily teams view certain draft slots.
Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams QB USC This one is not really rocket science, Caleb has been the consensus number one overall pick for about 2 1/2 years now. He was totally dominant in his time at USC and he showed frequent flashes of game-breaking potential. Williams' ability to sense pressure and avoid it while keeping his eyes downfield is probably the best part of his game. Player comp: Russell Wilson, Josh Allen
Washington Commanders: Drake Maye QB UNC Many people recently have had the commanders opting for reigning Heisman trophy winner Jayden Daniels in this slot. That said, I still believe that most teams have Williams and Maye graded as 1a and 1b in this class. With his 6'4" frame, accuracy from the pocket, and ability to extend plays with his legs, I believe that he is the no brainer pick for the Commanders. Player comp: Aaron Rodgers, Justin Herbert
New England Patriots: Jayden Daniels QB LSU Last year at LSU, Jayden Daniels had one of the greatest statistical seasons we have ever seen. He threw for 3,812 yards and had a 40/4 pass td/int ratio. Oh and he also ran for 1,134 yards and 10 more tds. That is about 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns. Numbers like that alone warrant a top selection. If you watched zero tape on Jayden Daniels and saw a stat sheet like that against SEC defenses, you would know he is worth the pick. Player comp: Lamar Jackson, Justin Fields
Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr. WR OSU I do not believe much argument needs to be made here. The cardinals top receiver right now is Michael Wilson, who showed some promise in his rookie season, but is clearly not an alpha. MHJ is the very definition of an alpha. He has a huge frame, soft hands, great speed, quick feet and crazy hops. He is an instant number one on almost any team. Harrison is one of the best wide receiver prospects of the last decade. The Cardinals would be adding a superstar in Marvin Harrison Jr. Player comp: Davante Adams, Mike Evans
Los Angeles Chargers: Malik Nabers WR LSU This would make two LSU players and two wide receivers in the top 5. Nabers is clearly a special talent that would be the first pass catcher off the board in nearly any draft. He just so happens to be behind Marvin Harrison in this one. Nabers in incredibly quick and he utilizes his fantastic feet to get himself into a lot of open space. With his combination of size and speed he is a massive big play threat. Player comp: Ja'marr Chase, Amari Cooper
New York Giants: Rome Odunze WR Washington Alright well putting Odunze here now makes 3 quarterbacks and 3 Wide receivers in the top 6. This would be the first time that has ever happened. But it makes perfect sense. The giants have holes all over the place. However they just made a huge addition on the defensive line in Brian Burns. Because of that, and the fact that all the top tier QBs are off the board, it makes practical sense to go add a stud receiver. Odunze is an absolute burner. His speed allows him to get past cornerbacks in press coverage and his length allows him to win 50/50 balls or reel in ridiculous sideline grabs. The New York Giants desperately need more offensive firepower with Saquon gone, and I believe that Odunze helps towards filling that need. Player comp: Justin Jefferson Odell Beckham Jr.
Tennesee Titans: Joe Alt OT ND While this pick may not be as sexy as the first 6, Alt is an incredible talent and has the potential to be a true lynchpin on an NFL line. There is a saying that games in the NFL are won and lost in the trenches, and if that is the case, then the Tennessee Titans ceiling gets a lot higher with the addition of Alt. He is an absolute behemoth of a human, standing at 6 foot 9 and weighing in at 321 lbs. But what makes him so incredible is his smooth feet. He moves laterally extremely well and he has exceptional body coordination for someone of that size. Player Comp: Tristan Wirfs, Orlando Brown
Atlanta Falcons: Dallas Turner EDGE Alabama With the accumulation of skill position after skill position player inside the top ten, and the addition of shiny new QB Kirk Cousins, the Falcons are looking for ways to bolster that defense. They have two studs in the secondary already in Jessie Bates and A.J. Terrell, and therefore, they could use a real difference maker on the defensive front. This class of edge rushers is a particularly difficult one to grade out because all the different play styles. This year it seems much more about scheme fit than in the past.... except with Dallas Turner. Turner is an unbelievable athlete. He is not undersized in any way being 6'3" and 250 lbs, but he runs an incredible 4.46 40 and has a 41 inch vertical. This is the level of athlete that the Falcons know will find success no matter what situation he is put in.
Chicago Bears: Jared Verse EDGE FSU After Williams at number 1, the Bears could make zero more selections and walk away feeling like they won the draft. However, they don't have zero more picks. They get another top ten addition. Chicago has a very young and talented secondary headlined by star cornerback Jaylon Johnson. Then on the offensive end, they boast a receiving staff including D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and Cole Kmet. It wouldn't make much sense to add to any of those position groups, and with first round offensive tackle Darnell Wright looking like the real deal, the Bears have no need to go after another offensive lineman. Instead I think they look for edge rushers here. They no longer have Robert Quinn or Khalil Mack on the line and in order to win in the NFL, you need to pressure the quarterback. I think that this pick is between two players. Jared Verse, and Laiatu Latu. I think that both are great players, and I personally believe that Latu will be better in the league, but I also believe that Verse is more of a fit for the Bears defense. Verse plays with tenacity and intelligence. He plans his routes to the quarterbacks well, but he executes them ferociously. Player comp: Khalil Mack, Maxx Crosby
New York Jets: Taliese Fuaga OT Oregon State This pick was simple for me. The New York Jets have seemingly all the pieces in place except for the line. That is as long as Arron Rodgers is still Aaron Rodgers, but that is a different discussion. The Jets need desperately to focus on protecting their Hall of Fame Quarterback who played 8 seconds last season. An easy way to do that is to grab a top tackle in the draft. I think that either Fashanu from Penn State or Fuaga would be a great pick here, however, I think that . Player Comp: Brandon Scherff Christian Darrisaw
Minnesota Vikings: JJ McCarthy QB Michigan
Denver Broncos: Brock Bowers TE UGA
Las Vegas Raiders: Olumuyiwa Fashanu OT PSU
New Orleans Saints: JC Latham OT Alabama
Indianapolis Colts: Brian Thomas Jr. WR LSU
Seattle Seahawks: Troy Fautanu OT Washington
Jacksonville Jaguars: Terrion Arnold CB Alabama
Cincinnati Bengals: Byron Murphy II DL Texas
Los Angeles Rams: Laiatu Latu EDGE UCLA
Pittsburgh Steelers: Graham Barton OT Duke
Miami Dolphins: Quinyon Mitchell CB Toledo
Philadelphia Eagles: Cooper DeJean CB Iowa
Minnesota Vikings: Jer'Zhan Newton DL Illinois
Dallas Cowboys: Amarius Mims OT UGA
Green Bay Packers: Kool-aid McKinstry CB Alabama
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Chop Robinson EDGE PSU
Arizona Cardinals: Jackson Powers-Johnson IOL Oregon
Buffalo Bills: Adonai Mitchell WR Texas
Detroit Lions: Nate Wiggins CB Clemson
Baltimore Ravens: Tyler Guyton OT OU
San Francisco 49ers: Jordan Morgan OT Arizona
Kansas City Chiefs: Ladd McConkey WR UGA
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