Mock Draft 2.0 (and final)

They are never accurate so I went hard with some trades.

Have at it

1) CHI: Caleb Williams – QB/USC

Signed, sealed, delivered over a month ago when Bears new security blanket-receiver showed up to dap Williams at his Pro Day. General Manager Ryan Poles has put together as good of a situation for a rookie as I can remember.

2) WAS: Jayden Daniels – QB/LSU

Getting the ball out with a clean and quick release while having the backup option of taking off with Lamar-caliber athletic ability fits best with the new Kingsbury scheme. From average Pac-12 starter to a Heisman Trophy winning SEC quarterback to the number two overall pick in a matter of three years shows Daniels’ ability to progress and move forward.

3) NE: Drake Maye – QB/North Carolina

“The Packer Way” (written by Patriots new General Manager Eliot Wolf’s father) has two first-steps to building the culture: “Identify what needs to be fixed” (trade Mac Jones) and “Hire the best before anyone else does” (AKA not trading out). Maye needs work and this NE roster is as bad as it gets, thus they can afford to pay Maye to hold Jacoby Brissett’s clipboard for 2024.

4) ARI: Marvin Harrison Jr. – WR/Ohio State

The phones will be ringing but unless the Giants come up with the right offer, I don’t see them looking past the assurance of grabbing their number one receiver. This franchise is fully committed to Kyler Murray and getting a credible number one threat on the outside is near-mandatory.

*TRADE*

LAC trades #5 and #105 (4) // MIN trades #11 and #23

5) MIN: JJ McCarthy – QB/Michigan

The Vikings will not have a ton of leverage here but there also won’t be much competition for this trade up. They get their younger/faster/cheaper version of Kirk Cousins and LAC drops into the areas of round one where they can feed off the depth of the class for areas of their roster that need help.

*TRADE*

NYG trades #6 // CHI trades #9 and 2025 2nd

6) CHI: Malik Nabers – WR/LSU

CHI puts one more move on paper to make this the best possible situation for a new rookie quarterback by giving him another explosive option that is cost-controlled for five years. NYG gets out of 6 in an effort to stockpile their 2025 arsenal after missing out on the four quarterbacks from this class (and they’re not done yet).

7) TEN: Rome Odunze – WR/Washington

The first surprise of draft night as they had their pick of the litter at tackle but the depth of the group in this class along with the team running out of Treylon Burks-hope (along with a trade up later in round 1) lands them a future number one to grow with Will Levis. Odunze will slide right into the DeAndre Hopkins role in 2025 when they’re ready to compete (if not sooner of Hopkins has suitors in-season).

8) ATL: Dallas Turner – ED/Alabama

Defensive-minded Raheem Morris gets the new shiny toy and first defensive player taken in the draft, an incredibly gifted edge defender that immediately changes the personality up front. Turner can do it all and Morris wants more than just a pure pass rusher in his scheme.

*TRADE*

NYG trades #9 // LAC trades #11 and #110 (4)

9) LAC: Joe Alt – OT/Notre Dame

The risk of potentially losing out on OT1 still nets what LAC wanted at #5 overall, the top tackle on their board that does not need to be rushed into action right away as Alt transitions to the right side. NYG gladly moves back two more spots to pick up even more ammunition for next year’s pursuit of a quarterback while still getting what they want with this first rounder.

10) NYJ: Brock Bowers – TE/Georgia

They are rolling the dice with the oldest pair of starting tackles in the league and while the long-term play would be grabbing a tackle, they simply build off the “All In” approach by getting the top yard-after-catch threat in the class. Bowers is an offensive weapon that can create production and points without too much reliance on the offensive line.

11) NYG: Brian Thomas Jr. – WR/LSU

After two trade downs, NYG does miss out on the top three receivers, but they pick up a big and fast downfield threat with the same or similar ceiling while also picking valuable future assets in the 2025 Draft. All of the talk surrounding the top three has actually created a sense of an underrated and overlooked prospect that can be NYG’s top pass catcher by the end of the year.

12) DEN: Bo Nix – QB/Oregon

There isn’t a scarier quarterback depth chart in the league and with the price being too steep for DEN to move up with a near-empty wallet, Sean Payton gets his big-handed experienced shot caller to revive the franchise in year two. While the all-time leader in NCAA starts under center should be ready week one, there are a couple of holdover options to carry the torch for a month if needed.

13) LV: Terrion Arnold – CB/Alabama

There is a breath of fresh life in Las Vegas after Antonio Pierce was retained and new General Manager Tom Telesco makes his way across the division, and they chase after stopping Patrick Mahomes rather than chasing points. The long-term solution at quarterback isn’t here yet, but the signing of Wilkins and drafting of Arnold immediately give the defense a different feel.

14) NO: Olumuyiwa Fashanu – OT/Penn State

This offense is in trouble with a lack of stability at not one, but both tackle spots and this is not a rebuilding era for a franchise paying veteran Derek Carr to play quarterback. Fashanu is a week one starter at left tackle, and it creates a potential move of Trevor Penning to guard (similar to what the team did with another former first round tackle Andrus Peat).

15) IND: Quinyon Mitchell – CB/Toledo

General Manager Chris Ballard values the freakish tools as much as anyone and he chases after high-value positions especially when there is a need such as this one IND has at corner. Mitchell may be overlooked by some because of where he went to college but he is easily the most talented corner in this draft.

16) SEA: Troy Fautanu – OT/Washington

One of the most visited/requested offensive linemen in the draft with credible week one inside-out versatility gets reunited with his college offensive coordinator. Fautanu has a lot of fans around the league but SEA gets the week one starter at guard and a solid hedge at either tackle spot of Abraham Lucas/Charles Cross do not take steps forward.

17) JAX: Byron Murphy – DT/Texas

The best combination of pop and power despite a less-than-ideal frame will be a much needed-complement to the young freaks they have on the outside and new oversized tackle Arik Armestead to give them a high-ceiling foursome. Murphy is a unique player and General Manager Trent Baalke loves to take chances like this.

18) CIN: Jared Verse – DT/Florida State

A sneaky candidate to be one of the surprise-fallers of the first round, Verse (who could go top ten) won’t get by a CIN despite a strong room. They truly draft for future and there may be one, possibly even two vacant defensive end spots before 2026. Myles Murphy in 2023 and Jared Verse in 2024 appears to be an embarrassment of riches but the value is too good to pass on and I am still waiting for someone to show me a team that had “too many pass rushers”.

19) LAR: Adonai Mitchell – WR/Texas

Someone is going to take a chance on the big and explosive receiver that has arguably the most natural ball skills and fluidity of all the receivers in this stacked class, even if the effort switch runs hot and cold. Mitchell does not need to be a yard-after-catch machine with Kupp and Nacua in the fold, but what he can do is complement their skill sets to give Matthew Stafford something a little extra in what could be his final season.

20) PIT: JC Latham – OT/Alabama

Two straight years of offensive tackle in round one may seem like a stretch and while I do not think it is their first choice, this is the guy that makes the most sense even if they want to try him at guard initially. Latham is going to feed into the classic Steeler-way of doing things built on power and domination at the point of attack.

21) MIA: Jer’Zhan Newton – DT/Illinois

There are a couple of questions that surround Newton’s health and durability long term, but we are also talking about the defensive tackle that was on the field more than every other defensive lineman in this draft class over the past two years. This is the answer to the void left by Christian Wilkins leaving for LV.

22) PHI: Nate Wiggins – CB / Clemson

Wiggins can absolutely fly but what gets overlooked in his game is the ability to find and locate the football with excellent balance and precision, giving him an even more explosive feel to his game. PHI will look past the lack of size and power because of how well he can move and what he could potentially be to number one receivers.

*TRADE*

LAC trades #23 and #69 (3) / SF trades #31 and WR Brandon Aiyuk

23) SF: Taliese Fuaga – OT/Oregon State

Aiyuk is the one player I feel will be traded over the course of draft weekend. The team uses him as leverage to trade up and get a week one starting right tackle that fits in well with how SF wants to play up front while also finishing with an extra third round pick and cleaner salary cap. If Shanahan had to pick one guy at receiver to keep around long term, I think he goes Samuel over Aiyuk.

24) DAL: Graham Barton – OG/Duke

Tyron Smith out, Tyler Smith to left guard, former college tackle drafted to play inside (who realistically can project both center and guard). Repeat draft weekend situation that has worked multiple times in recent years.

25) GB: Cooper DeJean – CB/Iowa

Second straight year of bringing in a versatile first round defender from Iowa to create multiple options for that side of the ball, except this time around it is for the back end to complete a nice revival for the spine the defense.

*TRADE*

TB trades #26 and OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka // TEN trades #38 (2) and 2025 1st

26) TEN: Tyler Guyton – OT/Oklahoma

Tennessee needs to walk out of this draft with a new starting left tackle after that position alone allowed 88 pressures in 2023. Hiring Offensive Line Coach Bill Callahan usually means a first round lineman is incoming even if it means giving up the 2025 first. Tampa Bay trades out of round one and rids themselves of a former first round edge defender while eyeing his replacement in round two and picking up a valuable future chip.

27) ARI: Laiatu Latu – ED/UCLA

By far the most refined pass rusher in the class will see a fall in the first round because a lack of top end physical traits and a past neck injury. He shouldn’t fall too far, however, especially for a team in need of more production up front.

28) BUF: Kool-Aid McKinstry – CB/Alabama

A lot of talk surrounding BUF and their need for another receiver as they lost Gabe Davis and Stefon Diggs. Equally glaring is the lack of quality they have at outside corner and when it comes to value of what is available, McKinstry gets the nod as he can be what TreDavious White once was for this team.

29) DET: Jackson Powers-Johnson – OG/Oregon

The interior of this line needs help and they can figure out where Powers-Johnson works best initially, although I lean toward guard right now. They’ve had recent success finding maulers and looking past positional value in round one and this will be no different.

30) BAL: Amarius Mims – OT/Georgia

One of the most intriguing and interesting prospects in the class. At this time last year, Olu Fashanu could have come out after just nine starts but opted to return to school. Mims, with just eight career starts, left for the league and will need some extra time. That said, if Mims hits just 80% of his ceiling he will be a Pro-Bowler.

31) LAC: Mike Sainristil – CB/Michigan

The surprise first rounder gets reunited with Harbaugh to fill in the nickel role right away but do not sleep on his ability to shift outside, giving LAC options with Asante Samuel Jr. Sainristil, a former receiver, is the kind of reliable and familiar face Harbaugh will want around.

32) KC: Ladd McConkey – WR/Georgia

McConkey is not an automatic first rounder but I can assure you if he gets linked up with a situation like this, his production and week to week impact will be near-automatic. This is the safe bet the KC offense can use in a receiver room full of questions.