Mock Draft 1.0
Mocking is part of all the fun when it comes to draft season. Who is going to go where. Which player best fits which team. We analyze what teams are giving top 30 visits to certain players and try to connect all the dots. We have that fun all draft season long. The real answer is we don’t know. Until draft day. You can’t account for trades, and you know some of them are going to happen. So we do the best we can do with the information they are given.
After releasing our Day 1 rankings yesterday, we put that to the test to see where some of those players fell in the mock draft process. Myself, John and Richie took turns in selecting for different teams. As we continue to unveil our rankings, we will follow up with a second and third mock draft, with the latter releasing a mere hours before the first round of the draft. Some interesting picks in this group, but this is obviously bound to change in the weeks to come. For the sake of sanity, this is a *no trades* mock draft.
Mock Draft 1.0
Tennessee Titans (Rich) Cam Ward (QB) - this is an easy selection. The Titans have all but told you what they’re doing after cancelling their meeting with Shedeur Sanders.
Cleveland Browns (Joe) Travis Hunter (WR/CB) – A top two player on my board, Hunter gives the Browns a much needed alpha receiver and a physical cornerback to pair with Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome on the inside, giving Cleveland one of the best secondaries in the entire league.
New York Giants (John) Abdul Carter (EDGE) – This really is the first pick in where we had to think. But John ultimately decided that with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston on the roster, that the Giants go for BPA here. They would prefer Hunter as he fits more immediate needs, but Carter gives the Giants quite possibly one of the top three pass rushes in the entire NFL. Number one player on our board.
New England Patriots (Rich) Will Campbell (OT) – With Hunter gone, this is an easy pick for the Patriots. Armand Membou tested better than maybe anyone this year, but the tape says Campbell is the best lineman in this draft. The Pats may think about Jeanty here, but they NEED to protect Drake Maye. New England had the worst offensive line in the league last year.
Jacksonville Jaguars (Joe) Mason Graham (DT) – The Jaguars have a new regime. And with James Gladstone at the helm, they join the Rams as being another team that doesn’t do Top 30 visits. So it is very hard to determine where they might go. But by reading the tea leaves, it seems they may upgrade the defensive line. Graham is the best pure defensive tackle in this class. A pure disruptor. Putting him in the middle of Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen, and with another year of Maason Smith (who had a great end to his rookie campaign) this group could take a leap in 2025.
Las Vegas Raiders (John) Ashton Jeanty (RB) – John struggled with this pick. It was mainly between Jeanty and McMillan. The reason for Jeanty is simple. He’s a more complete prospect. While both players can transform offenses, Jeanty has the ability (much like a Saquon Barkley) to put a team on his back. Pete Carroll gets his new version of Marshawn Lynch.
New York Jets (Rich) Armand Membou (OT) – Another tough decision here. But the Jets have spent the last 3 drafts selecting offensive lineman in the first or second round (Olu Fashanu, Joe Tippmann, Alijah Vera-Tucker). By selecting Membou here and moving Fashanu to left tackle, this Jets offensive line can literally grow together. What made the Lions so imposing over the past couple of years was that their offensive line was masterful. The Jets are trying to replicate that here.
Carolina Panthers (Joe) Tetairoa McMillan (WR) – I went back and forth with this pick. This will definitely change by the time the draft comes as I think Jalon Walker will honestly end up being the guy here. But being able to draft Tet here is too good to pass up. Bryce Young got some offensive line help last season, and we saw an improvement. Now he needs an alpha receiver. Xavier Legette is a nice piece, but I think McMillan gives the Panthers something they haven’t had in a receiver since Steve Smith.
New Orleans Saints (John) Shedeur Sanders (QB) – If Sanders gets past the Giants at 3, this is the most likely landing spot with the Raiders giving Geno Smith an extension this off-season after acquiring him. Sanders is probably the most polished quarterback in this draft. I don’t think any of these quarterbacks are worth a selection in the Top 10, but we know that isn’t happening. Sanders has a strong arm with some excellent pocket awareness. He can start Day 1 (but he won’t). Kellen Moore starts his tenure off with his QB of the future.
Chicago Bears (Rich) Tyler Warren (TE) – This is a riches pick. Yes, the Bears have Cole Kmet. They also chose not to re-sign Keenan Allen, so another pass catcher is needed. But Warren isn’t just a pass catcher. He is a complete tight end that mimics the likes of George Kittle. He can catch, block, run or do whatever else you ask him to do. Putting him in a Ben Johnson seems like a cheat code.
San Francisco 49ers (Joe) Jahdae Barron (CB) – Might be the most physical corner in the draft. Loved his tape. The 49ers have a hole after letting Charvarius Ward go this past off-season, and the secondary is becoming more and more of a liability. Barron provides instant stability to the secondary and gives them a number one corner in the making.
Dallas Cowboys (John) Shemar Stewart (EDGE) – From a talent perspective, Stewart has everything. He’s a fierce pass rusher who has one goal in mind every time the ball is snapped. The tape, for me, was a little mixed to be drafted this high. But the athleticism is the key here. With DeMarcus Lawrence moving on to Seattle and Tet McMillan gone in this scenario, I can see EDGE being a place to go. I think Mike Green is a possibility here as well. The Cowboys have also met with Matthew Golden – so a pairing with Ceedee Lamb isn’t something out of the realm either.
Miami Dolphins (Rich) Jalon Walker (EDGE) – The Walker slide ends here. A lot of people like Jalon Walker. I am one of them. He offers a very similar set of traits to Travon Walker (last name not pun intended). But Walker has more speed and will end up getting to the QB a little quicker while Travon has a better run stuffing ability. When’s the last time the Dolphins had an elite pass rusher? The other thought process here is offensive tackle as Terron Armstead did retire.
Indianapolis Colts (Joe) Jihaad Campbell (LB) – I love Campbell’s tape. I have him as a Top 10 overall prospect in this class. Zaire Franklin is a beast, but the Colts need a demon on this defense. Campbell can provide that. Other guys they’ve drafted previously on the defense haven’t worked out exactly the way they’ve wanted (Kwity Paye and Juju Brents come to mind) but I think with Tyler Warren gone, this is the next best thing for Indy.
Atlanta Falcons (John) Will Johnson (CB) – Perfect landing spot for Johnson with a defensive minded head coach. To be on the other side of AJ Terrell to start your career is not a bad place to be. The Falcons have gone offense, offense, and offense in the past three years in the first round. Its time to address the other side of the ball.
Arizona Cardinals (Rich) Luther Burden (WR) – This is a bit of a surprise pick with Arizona taking Marvin Harrison Jr last year, but giving the Cards a combo of Harrison and Burden is embarrassingly fun. Burden is a stud, and having him work the middle of the field and making people miss will be the perfect compliment to Marvin Harrison Jr.
Cincinnati Bengals (Joe) Mike Green (EDGE) – I love the kid. Love the spot. Love the pick. The Bengals do not need offensive help. At all. With that being fortified, the best defensive prospect available here is probably Green. He stole the show at the Senior Bowl, and when you watch the Marshall tape, he stands out all the time. With a question mark still surrounding Trey Hendrickson, it seems like a no brainer pick.
Seattle Seahawks (John) Mykel Williams (EDGE) – This would make five edges in the first 18 selections. Williams is a Georgia product, so that should speak for himself. He has a good frame and great body control, and gives Seattle another piece on the defense for Mike McDonald.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Rich) James Pearce Jr. (EDGE) – Three EDGES in a row here. But Pearce probably has the best athletic ability of any EDGE in this class not named Abdul Carter. He’s had some concerns in college, but the athletic ability and tape is undeniable. Putting Pearce in a Todd Bowles defensive scheme seems unfair (and that’s because it is).
Denver Broncos (Joe) Colston Loveland (TE) – You may ask why the Broncos would draft Loveland when they signed Evan Engram? That was a one year deal folks. Loveland is a athletic specimen and will be able to do anything that Sean Payton wants. He’s not the type of Tight End Tyler Warren is, but he’s got excellent hands and runs clean, crisp routes. Think about a more refined Julius Thomas for the Broncos in this spot to pair with Bo Nix.
Pittsburgh Steelers (John) Omarion Hampton (RB) – Up to this point, this was the most surprising pick. With Jaxson Dart still on the board, the Steelers elect to take the Najee Harris replacement in all-around back Hampton. Hampton is an immediate Day 1 starter, and putting him in the same skill group as DK Metcalf, George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth is a good place to be. They just need a quarterback.
Los Angeles Chargers (Rich) Tyler Booker (IOL) – Booker is another guy who didn’t test well, but the tape tells a different story. Don’t overlook the fact that Booker thrived at Alabama and the SEC. He knows how to play, and has good technique.
Green Bay Packers (Joe) Malachi Starks (S) – The first safety on the board, this feels eerily similar to watching Kyle Hamilton fall for literally no apparent reason. Starks is a player. A damn good player in that. And the Packers secondary had a solid year led by Xavier McKinney. Pairing McKinney with Starks gives the Packers maybe the best safety duo in the entire league.
Minnesota Vikings (John) Matthew Golden (WR) – Another riches pick here. The Vikings don’t need Matthew Golden. But they want to give JJ McCarthy the best group around him to succeed. Imagine as a rookie QB you get to throw the ball to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Matthew Golden. Oh, and you also have TJ Hockenson and Aaron Jones. With the addition of Fries via free agency, I can actually see it as a possibility.
Houston Texans (Rich) Kelvin Banks (OT) – The fall of Kelvin Banks here finally ends. And he replaces someone who also fell during his draft day (Tunsil). Banks is a mammoth of a human, and when the Texans traded Tunsil it left a hole on the offensive line. They signed Cam Robinson for a season, but they need a long term replacement. Banks is it.
Los Angeles Rams (Joe) Jaxson Dart (QB) – Letting Dart fall to Sean McVay is probably malpractice, but here we are. I love this kid’s tape. And getting him to sit for a season behind Matthew Stafford is literally the perfect solution. It’s probably the best fit for Dart in this scenario, and I’d be really curious to see if the Rams pulled the trigger here if he was available.
Baltimore Ravens (John) Emeka Egbuka (WR) – Another year and another Ravens first round wide receiver. They hit on the last one! But Rashod Bateman probably isn’t long for this team, and who knows with Mark Andrews. Putting Zay Flowers and Egbuka in the same offense is criminal, as they are similar players. But the dynamics of this offense would increase ten fold.
Detroit Lions (Rich) Grey Zabel (IOL) – Extremely interesting prospect. The Lions don’t need offensive line, but it wasn’t as good as it was in 2023. When Jonah Jackson left, they really didn’t have a rock solid replacement. They can easily get that here with Zabel.
Washington Commanders (Joe) Donovan Ezeiruaku (EDGE) – This guy stands out when you watch the tape. Not a household name as he went to Boston College, but if he went to an SEC school he’s probably a top 10 selection. And the Commanders need an EDGE rusher above all else.
Buffalo Bills (John) Kenneth Grant (DT) – Big and beefy Kenneth Grant to help stop the run. Great value here for Buffalo as Grant has shockingly good quickness for his size and the ability to disrupt a play. I can also seem him in the Blue and White Bills uniform.
Kansas City Chiefs (Rich) Nick Emmanwori (S) – I disagreed with Rich here, as I would have gone offensive line (namely Josh Simmons of Donovan Jackson), but I understand the safety selection. The Chiefs have put a band aid on their safety spot for far too long, and they have an opportunity here to get probably their best safety player since Tyrann Mathieu.
Philadelphia Eagles (Joe) Walter Nolen (DT) – Its unfair. The fact that the Eagles can draft Walter Nolen to replace Milton Williams without moving an inch in this draft is insane. Some people have Nolen ranked higher than Mason Graham. I’m not there, but I understand it. The dude is a monster. Putting him next to Jalen Carter should literally scare teams. It would scare me.
Offensive Selections: 16
Defensive Selections: 16
Most Coveted Position: EDGE
Least Coveted: Center
