I paused my YouTubeTV subscription for a couple of months because I really haven’t used it since the 2024 draft and now, I find myself with some time. I’m working on some thoughts on the Iowa football team but there’s a lot of questions on the new offense and almost zero questions on the defense so I’m still working on it. Instead, I’m going for a way-too-soon mock draft for next year’s NFL draft. There is no clear-cut top player, the QB group is a work in progress, and the top prospect might be a guy that teams aren’t sure whether he’s a CB or a WR. This is a fool’s errand but I find it fun.
Unlike most dumb mock drafts at this time of year, I’m not using some betting site’s odds for the Super Bowl to determine the draft order. I simply made a list of the teams by how good I think they will be. The teams I think are going to struggle are teams with QB questions, teams with young QBs, teams with major roster holes, and teams that are usually bad. Some teams fall into more than one of these categories. This is simply a fun exercise and I haven’t watched a lot of film of some of these prospects so, don’t take it too seriously.
1. Las Vegas Raiders: Carson Beck QB Georgia
If you’re looking for a team that could be pretty bad next year, the team with Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew at QB, an unproven head coach, a very questionable offensive coordinator, a lot of turnover on the offensive line, and a pretty suspect defensive backfield is a solid place to start. Beck looks the part of a top QB prospect, he’s 6’4 220 lbs. and he’ll be a multi-year starter in the SEC. He’s the best bet to be the breakout QB prospect this season and Raiders will be hunting for a future star. Pairing him with his old reliable buddy Brock Bowers would be make a nice transition to the pros.
2. Washington Commanders: Will Campbell OT LSU
Another reuniting of former teammates as Campbell was Jayden Daniels LT at LSU and he would fill a huge need on the Commanders offensive line. If Daniels survives the season behind Washington’s current group, more power to him. However, I’m certain he would embrace Campbell’s presence covering his blindside. Campbell could end up the top pick in the draft if no QB breaks through and one of the teams that recently took a QB ends up with the first pick. Campbell is big, athletic, and technically sound and he’s a pretty safe bet to be a really good LT in the NFL if his development continues.
3. Carolina Panthers: James Pearce Jr. Edge Tennessee
If Bryce Young fails again, a QB becomes a real possibility. If Ikem Ekwonu fails at LT, a LT becomes a possibility. If Diontae Johnson leaves in free agency, they may have to take a WR I the first round again after trading up for Xavier Legette this year. Even if all of those things happen it’s still possible, they take an edge rusher since they traded Brian Burns and the don’t have a long-term plan at the position. Pearce is still a bit of a projection but he has the size, speed, and skill you look for in a top pass rush prospect and if he has a big year at Tennessee, he could end up the #1 overall pick in this draft.
4. Denver Broncos: Kelvin Banks Jr. OT Texas
The Broncos could go a lot of different directions. If Troy Franklin isn’t as good as they hope he’ll be playing with his college QB Bo Nix, they could look for a WR. If they decide trading Patrick Surtain II for a draft haul is a better strategy to rebuild than paying him, CB becomes a massive need, hello Travis Hunter. Assuming those things don’t happen, LT Garrett Boles is in the last year of his contract, he’s 32 years old, and he’s had an inconsistent career. Banks would be a young LT who can grow with Bo Nix or whoever the Broncos end up drafting in 2026 to replace him. Banks and Campbell will duke it out for who’s the top OT in this class but you can’t go wrong with either one.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers: Travis Hunter CB Colorado
I know, putting the Steelers in the top five is crazy but I have no faith that Russell Wilson has anything left, the WR group is led by George Pickens who isn’t going to be happy if Wilson sucks. I like the additions on the offensive line but they will be young with Broderick Jones, Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier starting. The defensive line is aging and the secondary scares me after Minkah Fitzpatrick and Joey Porter Jr. If another QB breaks out, this team should grab him but I don’t think Shaduer Sanders is a Steelers’ kind of pick and I’m not sold on Quinn Ewers yet. Hunter has elite CB skills and would be a great complement to Porter and this team could even use him as a WR since they have very little behind Pickens.
6. New Orleans Saints: Luther Burden III WR Missouri
The Saints could conceivably draft a QB if they like someone here but they are pot committed to Derek Carr probably through the 2025 season. Klink Kubiak is coming in from the 49ers and they are hoping he can turn Carr into a functional QB but it would help if they had more than Chris Olave at WR. Assuming Dennis Allen isn’t fired and Kubiak has more than one year there, Burden would be a nice fit in the 49ers-like scheme. Burden is only 5’11 but he’s 208 lbs. and he’s excellent after the catch. He gives them a nice weapon for their QB of the future, whoever that is.
7. Tennessee Titans: Will Johnson CB Michigan
The Titans traded for L’Jarius Snead, signed him to a big contract, and signed Chidobe Awuzie to be the other CB. Clearly, they had need at the position. Snead is a long-term play but Awuzie is a 29-year-old CB who has had some injury issues and is likely just a stop-gap solution. Johnson is a CB with length and cover skills who would pair quite nicely with Snead long-term and maybe give the Titans the young CB they were hoping they would get when they gambled on the injured Caleb Farley in the 2021 draft. Farley has never been the guy they were hoping he would be.
8. New York Giants: Shadeur Sanders QB Colorado
This is a projection but I’m going to have to be convinced he’s worth the trouble. Sanders flashy attitude is going to turn some people off and this is where I think a team like the Giants might balk at taking him. Making him the face of the franchise in New York is a gamble. However, the Giants will be looking for a new QB and Sanders has talent. I don’t think his father is doing him a lot of favors with the constant turnover of the roster at Colorado and the offensive coaching changes. Shedeur needs to show consistency, not just the flash plays here and there. His offensive line was not good last season and he needs more help, hopefully he’ll get it this year.
9. New England Patriots: Mykel Williams Edge Georgia
This one is really a projection. Williams is a young player on Georgia’s defense and they have a lot of talent. He makes splashy plays and he’s a great athlete. He has great size with that athleticism and can play in a multitude of formations, that will fit New England just fine. Matt Judon is in the last year of his deal, he’s 32, and he’s coming off an injury. Josh Uche only signed a one-year deal, leaving Anfernee Jennings as the only edge guy they have past 2024. This assumes their young WRs (Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker, and Demario Douglas) show enough promise they don’t feel they need to take one and Caedan Wallace isn’t a disaster at LT. Otherwise, I say trade up to get Campbell or Banks to solve the LT issue for good.
10. Arizona Cardinals: Mason Graham DT Michigan
The Cardinals added Darius Robinson in this last draft to the defensive front but they need to keep adding talent there. Graham is one of the best DTs in college football and he’s just scratching the surface. If Hunter or Johnson are here at CB that should be the pick but with both off the board the Cardinals take Graham over Benjamin Morrison, the next best CB. Adding talent to this defense is a must.
11. Jacksonville Jaguars: Malaki Starks S Georgia
This will be the most Belichick pick in history when he takes over the Jaguars next year. They need help at OT, they need help at CB, and Bill takes a safety. They do need help at safety too but OT and CB are far more valuable positions but Starks would help Belichick and Matt Patricia install their defense. Sorry Jaguars fans, it’s just mean of me to include Patricia. Wait…are there Jaguars fans?
12. Indianapolis Colts: Benjamin Morrison CB Notre Dame
The Jaguars passing on Morrison is a huge win for the Colts since they completely passed up any CB help in the 2024 draft, they get a good one here. Morrison is a good cover man with solid size, top speed, and some toughness to his game. The Colts hope JuJu Brents can be their CB1 but I think he’s probably better off as a CB2 and Morrison has the upside to be a CB1.
13. Seattle Seahawks: Quinn Ewers QB Texas
Ewers still needs to put some polish on his game and while he could be a break out player this year, I think he’ll be solid and someone will take a shot on his talent. The Seahawks have Geno Smith and Sam Howell for now, betting on Ewers upside is worth the risk to get out of QB purgatory.
14. Minnesota Vikings: Denzel Burke CB Ohio St.
The Vikings best CB is Byron Murphy Jr. who will be a free agent after the season and they are so desperate at the position they signed Shaq Griffin, a guy who’s been released by multiple teams in the last year. Burke isn’t the flashiest player but he’s a good CB who hold his own against top competition and has been practicing against top competition his entire career at Ohio St.
15. Miami Dolphins: Tyler Booker OG Alabama
The Dolphins’ offense covers up for a lot of issues on the offensive line because it’s a quick strike offense but they ignored the interior of the line in free agency and draft in 2024, they might regret that. When they are struggling because Isaiah Wynn is hurt and Robert Jones isn’t Robert Hunt, they will realize they need talent inside. Booker is a big, physical presence on Alabama’s offensive line and he would be a plug-and-play starter.
16. Los Angeles Chargers: Deone Walker DT Kentucky
Jim Harbaugh is going to continue to build his team in the trenches first and foremost and his defensive line needs some beef. Walker is 6’6 345 lbs. of raw power and strength who can step in at NT. The Chargers drafted Junior Colson at LB to help them finally stop the run, Walker would make Colson that much better by keeping him clean.
17. Chicago Bears: JT Tuimoloau DE Ohio St.
The Bears didn’t do anything at DE opposite Montez Sweat this off season so it will be a big priority next year. Tuimoloau had a chance to come out this season and he would have been a fairly high draft pick but he went back to Ohio St because he had some unfinished business. I think the extra year of development will do him a lot of good and he should be a good pro.
18. Atlanta Falcons: Harold Perkins Jr. LB LSU
This may be way too low for Perkins, he’s a menace on the field. He is a missile to the ball and he has impressive pass rush instincts. The problem is he’s about 6’1 220 lbs. so while he may play a bit like Micah Parsons running all over the field, he’s two inches shorter and about 25 lbs. lighter than Parsons. He’s got speed and instincts you can’t teach so I wouldn’t bet against him. The Falcons could use a defensive playmaker like Perkins.
19. New York Jets: Emory Jones OT LSU
The Jets signed Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses to be their starting OTs this season and then drafted Olu Fashanu for the future. Fashanu can take Smith’s LT job but that still leaves the RT job for someone and Jones has been quite good at RT for LSU. Getting Fashanu and Jones in back-to-back drafts as your starting OTs for the next five years is a smart investment.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Quinshon Judkins RB Ohio St.
The Buccaneers’ running game was bad last season and while adding Graham Barton at center is a nice start, I don’t think he’s enough to turn it around on is own. Rachaad White is good player but he’s not a workhorse style RB. Judkins is exactly that. He’s 5’11 210 lbs. and he has speed, power, and the contact balance you want in a between-the-tackles runner. He could have a big year after transferring to Ohio St. and go even higher than this but he’s easily worth a first-round pick.
21. Dallas Cowboys: Tetairoa McMillan WR Arizona
The Cowboys are going to have plenty to worry about over the next year trying to sign CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons to contract extensions and deciding if they are sticking with Dak Prescott at QB. One thing is clear no matter what happens with Lamb and Prescott, they need more WR help. McMillan might be gone before this because at 6’5 he has elite size as an outside receiver. Lamb can line up at any WR spot so having a guy like McMillan to put outside and just let him play there would work just fine.
22. Philadelphia Eagles: Colston Loveland TE Michigan
Howie Roseman is known for drafting guys a year before he needs them. Dallas Goedert will be 30 during the 2025 season and he’s going to start getting expensive. With two very expensive WRs they need to look at saving money and a rookie TE replacing Goedert would work. Loveland is a great athlete with all the skills you want in a TE.
23. Cleveland Browns: Nic Scourton DE Texas A&M
The Browns re-signed Za’Darius Smith at end after he played well opposite Myles Garrett last year, but he’s 32 already. They need to get younger on the defensive line and Scourton would be a solid choice. He just transferred to Texas A&M after being a top sack guy at Purdue. He has great size and is a natural pass rusher. They need someone to help them keep Garrett clean as they try to take advantage of Garrett’s best years.
24. Buffalo Bills: Emeka Egbuka WR Ohio St.
Egbuka is coming off a lost year after dealing with an injury most of last year but he returned to Ohio St. to rebuild his draft stock. He’s an elite mover, he gets in and out of his breaks well and runs good routes. The Bills drafted Keon Coleman as their big outside WR and Egbuka would be the perfect complementary piece. Rebuilding Josh Allen’s WR group should be priority if they want to get the best out of their offense.
25. Baltimore Ravens: Princely Umanmielen Edge Mississippi
The Ravens re-signed Kyle Van Noy again because they just don’t know if they can count on their young edge rushers yet. They need Odafe Oweh, David Ojabo, or Adisa Isaac to prove they can consistently pressure the QB. If those guys don’t figure it out, they will have to draft another edge guy. Umanmielen has been a solid pass rusher at Florida and now he’ll try one more time at Ole Miss this season.
26. Los Angeles Rams: Tacario Davis CB Arizona
Davis is long and lean but he’s stronger than he looks and the Rams need some help at CB. They signed veterans Tre’Davious White and Darious Williams and neither is a long-term solution. They did as much as could reasonably be asked on defense for this upcoming season but they aren’t done remaking the unit. Davis would be a nice start in redoing the CB position.
27. Green Bay Packers: Jabbar Muhammad CB Oregon
The Packers have to decide what they are doing with Eric Stokes as he comes towards the end of his rookie deal. Jaire Alexander is pretty expensive for guy who misses time with injuries. They like Carrington Valentine and Keisen Nixon but there are question marks all over their CB spot. Muhammad is a tough cover guy who is transferring to Oregon after being a starter at Washington and he has the requisite skills to be an NFL starter, even if he isn’t the biggest CB.
28. Cincinnati Bengals: Abdul Carter Edge Penn St.
The Bengals need some juice off the edge and while Carter is more of a LB than a DE, he has the speed and athleticism this team is lacking on the edge. They could look at a more traditional DE like Jack Sawyer but he’s basically just Sam Hubbard 2.0 and they need to do better. Carter is a freaky athlete and would probably be a designated pass rusher to start, they need that.
29. Houston Texans: Kenneth Grant DT Michigan
The Texans signed several veteran free agents on defense and that included Foley Fatukasi and Denico Autry at DT. Neither of those two are young guys and they could use some youth on the d-line. Grant is a mammoth 6’3 340 lbs. DT who would help take the pressure off Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson outside. The other possibility here is going with WR Evan Stewart if they decide not to bring Stefon Diggs back in 2025.
30. Detroit Lions: Evan Stewart WR Oregon
If Jameson Williams fails to impress this season, it will be time for the team to look for a new deep threat. They are counting on Williams to finally live up to his first-round billing and be the complement to Amon-Ra St. Brown. If not, Stewart could be that deep threat. He’s not a big outside player but he has versatility and downfield speed.
31. San Francisco 49ers: Jack Sawyer DE Ohio St.
The 49ers redid their DE depth chart behind Nick Bosa with a couple of free agent deals for Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos. Those deals are essentially one-year deals so if they don’t work out they move on. Sawyer isn’t the dynamic pass rusher Bosa is but he has a quick first step and some real power in his bull rush, he’s a tough player. Unless Drake Jackso takes a dramatic step forward this team could use some long-term help at DE opposite Bosa.
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Walter Nolen DT Mississippi
Chris Jones has a big contract now but he is almost 30 and the other starter at DT, Derrick Nnadi is in the last year of his contract. Backup Mike Pennel is 33 and there isn’t any proven depth beyond them. Nolen is big, athletic, and might have a chance to take over for Jones eventually and complement him for now.
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