Cover photo taken from NBC Sports.
The NFL offseason’s Christmas is finally upon us. Tonight, 31 young men will have their dreams come true as their names are called and they become professional football players. The first round of the NFL Draft is truly a magical night that everyone in football lives for. One of the best parts of the Draft is how unpredictable it is, yet we spend all offseason debating mock drafts and prospect rankings. So, for the second consecutive year, I am throwing out my own mock. This will be wildly wrong (which is part of the fun), but this is how I think each and every team picking tonight will go about their selections.
1 – 
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
The Panthers have been fixated on Bryce Young since they traded up to the #1 spot back on March 10th. This is clearly the guy they made the move for, and I don’t blame them whatsoever. I think Young is the best player in this class, and it might not be particularly close. While I understand the concerns about his size, his play speaks for itself. He had an unbelievable two year run at Alabama, and anything he lacks in his physical appearance is made up for by his immense poise and playmaking ability. Some of the things he did in Tuscaloosa made my eyeballs fall out of my head. While C.J. Stroud might be the better all around QB prospect on paper, Bryce Young is certainly the better talent, and I have been buying into his hype for a very long time. Clearly Carolina has as well. They may have lost their WR1, but they get the star QB that they’ve desired for years and continue their rebuild with one of the most exciting prospects in recent memory.
2 – 
Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech
It is becoming increasingly obvious that the Texans are going to pass on a QB (likely C.J. Stroud) with this pick and opt to go with an edge rusher. While I understand the principle of that with DeMeco Ryans looking for a star pass rusher to build around, I think it’s a pretty ludicrous move. Houston has a golden opportunity to pair Stroud with a top WR prospect with the 12th overall selection, including but not limited to his college teammate Jaxon Smith-Njigba. I would go that route 100 times out of 100. But the Texans are not going to. Still, they’re getting a fantastic prospect in Tyree Wilson, who has risen up draft boards all offseason long, and for good reason. He’s a physical freak of nature coming off the edge with all of the tools to be a premier pass rusher in this league. His athleticism and physical tools speak for themselves, and I think he can flourish under the tutelage of someone like DeMeco Ryans in this system. Again, it’s not the pick I’d make, but it appears that this is all but written in stone.
3 – 
Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama
Will Anderson is this year’s Kayvon Thibodeaux. Both of them were the consensus top overall player in their class for a while, then got reduced to being the top edge rusher in their class before being supplanted by an “athletic freak” who gets taken before them. Tyree Wilson is getting all the hype in the world, and for good reason, but please don’t forget about this guy. Anderson was the top edge rusher in college football for two years in a row and had people seriously considering giving him the Heisman. In fact, I think he should have won the award back in 2021. That’s how dominant he is off the edge. He just might be the best player in this class, so the Cardinals should consider this as highway robbery at 3. They have a lot of holes to fill, and with Kyler Murray’s injury likely sidelining him for the season, I think they will be picking first overall next year. Locking up a franchise pass rusher is a great way to start a rebuild, and it doesn’t get much better than this.
4 – 
C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
The Colts should be thanking their lucky stars that the Texans are seemingly passing on a quarterback. To have C.J. Stroud fall to them without having to make any trades or lose any additional assets is by far the best-case scenario. This is a team that has been trying to find its franchise QB since Andrew Luck retired, and they get to snag arguably the best overall QB prospect in the draft. Stroud has everything he needs to be a great signal caller in the NFL; his size, arm, poise, pocket awareness, and playmaking ability took a massive leap last year, and I think that he’ll only get better as he continues to develop as a pro. The Colts also have some solid weapons to surround him, which is more than Houston can say. This is probably the best fit for C.J., and I hope for his sake that this is where he ends up going.
5 – 
Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
The Seahawks could go a lot of different ways with this pick, including trading down, which I would not be opposed to. But, it makes perfect sense to stay put and grab a top prospect, especially to help bolster a defense that had some very bad moments last year. I think snagging perhaps the top corner in the draft is a great move to pair him alongside Tariq Woolen and help build a potential Legion of Boom 2.0. Witherspoon is a physical ballhawk that has shot up the drat boards, and for good reason. He is very physical and versatile in the defensive backfield, and I think he can be a great fit in Seattle with the style of defense that they play.
6 – 
Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
For a solid portion of this draft process, many people held the belief that Jalen Carter was the best player in this class. Some extraneous factors have seemingly hurt his stock, but there is no denying that he is one of the best prospects on the board that any team should feel delighted to add to their roster. In this case, the Lions, who desperately need help across the board on defense, but especially on the interior, scoop him up courtesy of their pick from the Rams in the Matthew Stafford trade to instantly create one of the best young defensive fronts in the NFL. The unit will still need some more help, but this is the best-case scenario at 6 for Detroit.
7 – 
Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
There are two facts to keep in mind here. The first is that the Raiders need a QB after letting go of Derek Carr. The second is that the Raiders are arguably the single worst drafting organization in the entire league. So it feels almost inevitable that they take a massive gamble on a QB prospect with a ton of questions that half of evaluators see as a total bust. I personally have zero faith in Will Levis. I would love to be proven wrong, but I have seen him play way too poorly at Kentucky to fall for any “physical traits” or “intangibles”. I believe what my eyes tell me, and my eyes do not like him at all. Placing Levis in an offense with Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams could bring out the best in him, but it’s just not the right move for the Raiders. Which is why I can 100% see them making it.
8 – 
Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
I really, REALLY do not think the Falcons should take a QB at 8. This team has so many holes that they could trigger someone’s trypophobia, and taking a QB won’t fix any of them. If they’re smart, they’ll take a tackle or an edge rusher to be the anchor of their rebuild and wait for 2024, where they could be picking first overall, to take their QB of the future. But the Falcons are the antithesis of smart, especially when it comes to drafting, so I say they are going to pick a QB, and it’s the biggest boom-or-bust prospect in the entire draft. Anthony Richardson has been one of the more polarizing prospects in recent memory with several people being enthralled by his raw talent and several others seeing him as a total bust. I’ve been toeing the line for a while, and I can’t say that I love him as a prospect. I think it’s a massive gamble for any team to pick him, especially if that team has absolutely nothing going for them like the Falcons. But if he pans out, then they can say that they proved everyone wrong while snagging their franchise QB.
9 – 
Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
I loved the Bears moving down to 9. They got plenty of extra draft capital and finally have their WR1 in D.J. Moore from Carolina. At 9, they sit in a golden position to grab a franchise left tackle to protect Justin Fields, who got absolutely hammered all year by pass rushers in 2022. I think Skoronski and Paris Johnson Jr. are pretty much tied atop the board at their position, but I can see Chicago opting to pick the hometown kid who is used to playing in their conditions. Skoronski is an absolute unit at 6’4″ 315 and will protect Fields for years to come.
10 – 
Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia
It’s not often that a team makes the Super Bowl and picks in the top 10, but the Eagles are doing just that courtesy of a trade with the Saints last year. This roster is one of the best in the league with the only real “holes” being at running back and linebacker, but I don’t think the Birds are going to fill those holes with this pick. There are virtually no prospects at those positions that will go this high. It makes more sense to pick someone to bolster an already solid group in Philly, such as a receiver or a corner, considering how deep those positions are in this draft. But I think the Eagles are going to continue plucking players out of Athens and add an athletic freak to their developing front seven. Last year, they took Jordan Davis to fill the middle and Nakobe Dean to develop into a field general behind him. Adding their old teammate Nolan Smith to haunt QBs off the edge just feels right. Smith is one of the more dynamic defenders in the draft with crazy speed and athleticism for an edge rusher. If he and his old Georgia teammates develop into stars, Philadelphia could boast one of the best defensive cores that this league has seen in a long time.
11 – 
Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
Simply put, the Titans are a mess. No one knows what is going on in Tennessee. We have no idea who will be lining up under center in the fall and it feels like Derrick Henry won’t be behind whoever that may be. Maybe they use Henry in a trade to move up or down in the first round and continue to build draft capital or find their next star QB. I’m not entirely opposed to that idea, but I think it makes logical sense to stay put and grab a franchise left tackle to help rebuild an offensive line that was simply embarrassing last year. As I said before, Paris Johnson Jr. is right at the top of his position group in this draft, and will be an immediate impact guy for a team that desperately needs their Taylor Lewan replacement to protect Malik Willis/Ryan Tannehill and help out Derrick Henry… maybe.
12 – Jordan Addison, WR, USC
Houston is sitting pretty with two top 12 picks courtesy of the Browns being the incompetent organization they are. After securing their franchise edge rusher instead of grabbing a top QB, it makes sense for them to take a top offensive weapon to help out whichever signal caller they take in 2024. While I don’t think Jordan Addison is the top WR in this class, I can certainly see him being the first one off the board. A lot of folks have him as WR1 due to his lightning quick play and route-running. Moreover, Addison has a repertoire with USC QB Caleb Williams, who the Texans will surely be vying for in next year’s draft, so this feels like a forward-thinking move that prepares them for the future. Again, this isn’t the direction I’d go in, but I don’t hate it for Houston.
13 – 
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
I could talk about Jaxon Smith-Njigba for hours. Days even. Not only do I believe that he’s by far the best WR in this class, I think he might be the best player in the class. A hamstring injury suffered on just his second catch of the 2022 season (with me in attendance, of course) derailed what could have been a legendary campaign after an otherworldly year in 2021. Considering that we haven’t really seen JSN play since the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2022, a lot of people have forgotten about how truly special this kid is. Just to put this in perspective, every single player who shared the WR room with him at Ohio State said that he is the best receiver they’ve ever seen. That’s a room that includes guys like Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jameson Williams, and Marvin Harrison Jr. And they’re probably right in terms of WRs at the college level. JSN is an incredibly polished route runner with surefire hands and a catch radius that exceeds his build accompanied by a surprising burst after the catch. He will be any QB’s best friend, especially if that QB is entering a starting role and needs all the help he can get. And that makes the Packers the single best fit for him. Aaron Rodgers is finally gone and the Jordan Love era has officially begun. I have extremely high hopes for him, and this is a pick that not only helps him out, but bolsters the entire offense. All of a sudden, Green Bay will have one of the best young WR groups in the league with JSN alongside Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this pick could be the difference between the Packers making or missing the playoffs. Regardless of that, this is the only pick they can make, and if they pass on JSN, they should consider it to be a catastrophic failure.
14 – 
Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson
The Patriots can go a lot of different ways here. The roster badly needs help in a lot of different spots, especially on the offensive side. I don’t see Bill Belichick opting for a receiver with the top options off the board, and this feels too high for them to reach for a running back. So the most logical play is to snag a great edge rusher to help a front seven that needs a boost. Myles Murphy is an experienced player with the athleticism that is severely lacking in New England’s defensive line. I see this is a very good value pick for the Patriots to immediately fill a position of need.
15 – 
Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
The Jets finally acquired Aaron Rodgers and now sit in a position where they can go one of two ways. They can grab a pass-catcher to replace Elijah Moore and go alongside Garrett Wilson to help boost the offense. Or, they can add a key piece to a wonky offensive line that has had a lot of injury woes at the tackle position. With a 39 year old QB entering the fray and the top two WR prospects off the board, the latter makes a lot more sense. They need to protect Rodgers at all costs, and taking the pro-ready Wright is a great way to do that. His 6’5″ 330 frame makes him an absolute rock on the edge, and if Mekhi Becton figures it out, the Jets could have one of the best young tackle duos in the league protecting a veteran QB that desperately needs to stay upright.
16 – 
Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
We are in a weird spot. When are we not in a weird spot? There has been speculation about trading back and acquiring some draft capital to prepare for the 2024 draft and potentially bringing Caleb Williams home to DC. While I don’t hate that idea, I think I would rather stay put and lock up a top prospect at one of two major positions of need: tackle or corner. At this spot with the board shaping up the way it is, I think corner is the right move, and I think Christian Gonzalez is a steal at 16. Many people have him as CB1, and it’s easy to see why. He’s incredibly long with fantastic playmaking ability and blazing speed. He will instantly fill a massive gap as an outside corner to help Kendall Fuller as he operates in the slot and help improve the secondary in a major way.
17 – 
Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
The Steelers like taking hometown kids. The Steelers like defense. The Steelers don’t have a much better option at 17 than Joey Porter Jr. Not only did his father play for Pittsburgh, but Porter Jr. is a Penn State prospect who will instantly fit in with the Steelers’ defensive philosophy of beating offenses up. He’s very long and has a ton of range and versatility with the playmaking ability that this secondary has lacked for years now. I wouldn’t hate seeing the Steelers invest in the offensive line, but this feels like the best value pick and by far the best fit.
18 – Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
As I said with their first pick, the Lions need all the help hey can get on defense. After shoring up the interior with Jalen Carter, they sit at 18 in a great spot to help the defensive backfield and replace the recently-traded Jeff Okudah. Deonte Banks is a great prospect that has very quickly risen up draft boards due to his size and speed. Adding him to a secondary that has been rebuilt with newcomers like Cam Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley, and C.J. Gardner Johnson instantly helps Detroit’s defense become a much stronger unit than they were a year ago, greatly improving their playoff chances.
19 – 
Brian Branch, S, Alabama
The Buccaneers have seemingly fallen off a cliff. After the departure of Tom Brady, the roster suddenly has tons of holes to address. They have a myriad of options in this spot, and I had a hard time deciding which direction to go in. I decided to have them just pick the best player available, since it addresses a position of need. Brian Branch is a fantastic player in the defensive backfield with the athleticism and smarts to make plays all over the field. He would be a tremendous complement to Antoine Winfield Jr. and help out a Tampa secondary that got gashed all season last year.
20 – O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida
After filling their first position of need at 5 with a corner, it makes sense for the Seahawks to help out their offensive interior and snag perhaps the best guard in the draft. Torrence is a huge, physical blocker at 6’5″ 330 with a ton of raw power that Seattle could use in a big way. Adding him to a ragtag offensive line will instantly help both the passing and running games.
21 – 
Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
This may feel like a very strange pick, but I think it’s a great one for the Chargers. A lot of people would like to see them take a WR, and I think that’s a very logical way to go with some solid options on the board. But adding the best pass-catching tight end in the draft instantly adds another foil to this very interesting offense. Kincaid catches everything that comes his way and has very good burst and route running for someone at his position. This is just as good as picking a WR and gives a potentially lethal weapon to Justin Herbert to go alongside Austin Ekeler, Mike Williams, and Keenan Allen.
22 – 
Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa
Baltimore still has a lot of questions to answer this offseason, particularly regarding some guy named Lamar Jackson. They won’t have those questions answered by draft night, but they sit in an interesting spot to fill one of several needs. I can see them taking any number of players at several positions such as receiver, corner, or safety. With the recent acquisition of Odell Beckham Jr., I think their best route is actually to opt for a pass rusher. For all intents and purposes, this is a steal for the Ravens. Van Ness is one of the more intriguing edge rushers in the draft with his incredible technique and motor. In Baltimore, he can develop into a premiere pass-rusher and create a vaunted rushing group that features Odafe Oweh and Roquan Smith.
23 – 
Calijah Kancey, DT, Pitt
Like their fellow purple and gold team picking before them, the Vikings have a lot of options at 23. I’ve heard plenty of rumors about a potential move up involving Dalvin Cook with their sights on a corner, receiver, or even a QB. I wouldn’t be opposed to that whatsoever, but it’s difficult to project a trade of that magnitude. So, I’ll keep Minnesota at 23 and give them a fantastic talent to help their defensive interior and pass rush as a whole. Kancey is a remarkably athletic player with a relentless pass-rushing motor who will immediately boost a defensive line that severely lacks in that department. The Vikes will still have plenty of work to do to help out the rest of the defense, but this is a great place to start.
24 – 
Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
The Jaguars seem to be leaning towards a defensive back in this spot. With most of the top offensive line prospects off the board by this point, I think that makes a ton of sense. But, with most of the best corners also off the board, it’s anyone’s guess as to who the Jags will scoop up. I think Emmanuel Forbes is a good fit for them with his long frame and innate playmaking ability. His size is definitely a concern at a mere 180 pounds, but he makes up for it with his ballhawking nature. I think he’d provide a nice presence to Jacksonville’s developing secondary.
25 – 
Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
The Giants need a receiver worse than any other team in the league. With some of the top prospects off the board, they still have some interesting options at 25. I really like the fit of Quentin Johnston in their offense with his size and speed. There are plenty of concerns with his tape, which has led to his stock completely tanking since the end of the college football season, but his talent is undeniable. In New York, he won’t have to be a WR1 and can instead be a high-level threat on the outside as a foil to Darius Slayton. I can see him thriving in that role.
26 – 
Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina
The way I see it, the Cowboys can go three ways here. The first is making the flashy “Cowboys” pick, which is Bijan Robinson. The second is making the more solid “Cowboys” pick that we’ve come to expect in recent years, which would be an offensive or defensive lineman. The third is the seemingly logical pick, which would be a defensive back. I’m rocking with the third option, but that puts Dallas in a similar position as the Jaguars at 24. They have some options, but none of them are as good as they’d like. However, I think Cam Smith is a very good fit for this defense. He’s a tremendous playmaker with a great feel for anticipating throws coming his way, and pairing him with Trevon Diggs could make for perhaps the best ballhawking corner duo in the league.
27 – 
Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
We all know that Bijan Robinson is a top ten talent in this class. He’s one of the best running back prospects in recent years with his otherworldly athleticism and speed. He’s like a stronger Saquon Barkley when he came out of Penn State. His athletic ability and physical gifts make him one of the most coveted prospects on the board. The problem is that he doesn’t seem to fit anywhere until we get to the late first round. Maybe a team like Atlanta, Philadelphia, or New England can scoop him up, but it just wouldn’t make sense to me. It certainly makes sense at 27 for the Bills. They would love to add a star RB to the fold to help out Josh Allen and prevent him from running around as much as he does. Creating a three-headed monster of Allen, Robinson, and Stefon Diggs could provide this offense with the boost they need to get over the hump that has held them back in the postseason for so many years now. It almost feels to good to be true with the 27th overall selection.
28 – 
Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
This has felt telegraphed for a while now. It really feels like the only option here for Cincinnati. There aren’t any better offensive line or defensive back prospects on the board, and they get a huge lift at a position that really needs one. Mayer is a huge target that will eat up the middle of the field with his great hands while also clearing up outside lines as a fantastic run blocker on the edge. He is the best all-around tight end in this draft and seemingly a perfect fit in the Bengals offense, giving Joe Burrow another pass-catching threat while helping out the run game.
29 – 
Steve Avila, OG, TCU
The Saints entered this offseason with some of the worst draft capital in the league, but were able to snag a first from Denver (by way of Miami and San Francisco) when Sean Payton agreed to coach the Broncos. That works out great for them as they desperately need some help on the offensive interior to rebuild the line and protect their new QB Derek Carr. There are a lot of interesting guards in this draft, but I think Steve Avila is the best fit for New Orleans, as he can come in and be an impact starter on day one.
30 – Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
As I said above, the Eagles would like to leave this draft with a running back, but taking Bijan Robinson at 10 doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Instead, sitting back and waiting on Jahmyr Gibbs to fall to them at 30 is one of the best things they can ask for. Gibbs might not be the talent that Robinson is, but he is still incredibly dynamic with his lightning-quick speed and fantastic pass-catching ability. Pairing him up with Miles Sanders would make for a very intriguing RB duo in this already multi-faceted offense. He can act as a psuedo Alvin Kamara for the Birds on passing downs while providing a spark in the run game, which I think can make the offense even scarier. As if they need to be scarier than they already are.
31 – 
Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
The Super Bowl champs are in a pretty good spot with their roster, but there are two positions that I think need some help: receiver and edge rusher. While it might make more sense to opt for the latter here, I think the Chiefs are going to put their faith in George Karlaftis, who they spent a first rounder on just last year. So, they opt to take the best WR on the board who far too many people are sleeping on. Zay Flowers is a slick and twitchy slot receiver who will instantly fill the void left behind by Juju Smith-Schuster’s departure. In fact, he’ll improve that position from last year. He’s undersized, but we’ve seen Kansas City make monsters out of smaller receivers before by utilizing their strengths, especially when it comes to speed. Flowers is certainly not lacking in that department.
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