The NFL combine is behind us and we haven’t officially started free agency yet so it’s a weird time for a mock draft as everything is about to change next week when teams start signing free agents. However, there are moves taking place that will have an effect on the draft. The Patriots cut Stefon Diggs, mostly for salary cap purposes, but his assault charges made the decision to release him that much easier. The Chargers just signed C Tyler Biadasz after he was cut by the Commanders. He’s not a star but he’s an upgrade at center for them and fills a major need. The Bills traded for WR DJ Moore from Chicago, and he fills a massive hole at outside WR they have been trying to fill for years. And the late breaking trade that throws a new wrinkle into the first round is the Raiders trading DE Maxx Crosby to the Ravens for two first round picks, including the 14th pick in this draft. Things move quickly in free agency so we will have answers on guys like QB Malik Willis, WR Alec Pierce, and RBs Kenneth Walker III and Travis Etienne pretty early next week. All of that will matter for my next mock draft.
This mock draft was affected by the combine. As much as NFL teams like to pretend the combine isn’t all that important, they don’t like the insinuation that 40 times and vertical jumps help them make decisions, it does. Overall, it’s mostly true that guys don’t change their ranking, but there are always guys who move up (or maybe move down) with their workouts. LB Sonny Styles looked like a cyborg during drills and while he plays a “non-premium” position like LB, he went from a mid-round one pick to a likely top five pick. Safety Dillon Thieneman went from a fringe first rounder to potentially a top 12 guy. Monroe Freeling went from a good-looking developmental LT to likely the first OT off the board. These guys haven’t played football since the season ended but they aren’t ranked on most boards where they were before the combine. Just a note, this mock draft will be completely irrelevant as of tomorrow when free agency starts, so just know, this is for short-term entertainment only. It’s two rounds, let’s get started.
1. Las Vegas Raiders (3-14): Fernando Mendoza QB Indiana
This pick isn’t changing. The hiring of Klint Kubiak as their head coach only solidified this choice, he doesn’t take the job if he isn’t getting a new QB. The Raiders are going to release Geno Smith, and my guess is they will look for a veteran backup QB to come in to help Mendoza’s transition, not as competition, but as an extra coach essentially. Think along the lines of Marcus Mariota, Tyrod Taylor, or Teddy Bridgewater. All those guys have been great locker room leaders and solid backups. Mendoza’s skill set fits Kubiak’s offense really well and while he needs some help on the line in front of him, and he needs a few WRs, the Raiders have free agent money to spend and they would be wise to get him that help. Kubiak’s offense will make the offensive line better simply because of the scheme but a couple of new bodies won’t hurt. They just traded Maxx Crosby for two first-round picks so there’s more help on the way.
2. New York Jets (3-14): Arvell Reese Edge Ohio St.
Reese is still my pick here and after the team traded DE Jermaine Johnson to Tennessee for DT T’Vondre Sweat, it only makes more sense. Johnson was more of a 4-3 DE and the team is looking to go more 3-4 defense, so they swapped him for Sweat who is the prototype 3-4 NT. Tennessee is making the opposite transition, so the trade works well for them too. This means Will McDonald will be one OLB and now Reese can fill the other side. It’s probably his best position. Reese is 6’4 241 lbs. and he ran a 4.46 40-yard dash and on any other day that’s the headline. Unfortunately for him, Sonny Styles worked out that day and made everyone else invisible. Reese was a lock for the top five going into the combine so the fact he ran at all is worth some applause for him, he certainly didn’t have to do anything that day. He will make the Jets defense better and make life easier on McDonald too.
3. New York Giants (TRADE from Arizona): Sonny Styles LB Ohio St.
The Cardinals have seven picks in this draft but they can pick up a late round pick in a small trade down with the Giants. The Cardinals’ needs don’t match the value of the third pick; the Giants need to move ahead of the Titans to guarantee getting Styles. John Harbaugh coached some incredible LBs in his time with the Ravens including Ray Lewis, CJ Mosley, and most recently Roquan Smith. The Giants just released Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden is a free agent, they essentially have a blank slate at LB. Styles redefined freak athlete at the combine and if you watch him at Ohio St., he’s not just an athlete, he’s an elite LB. He’s only been a LB for a few years after moving from safety, but he has great instincts for it. Under Harbaugh and DB Dennard Walker, he can reach his full potential. The Giants’ defense was not very good last year and they were especially bad against the run, Styles won’t allow that to be true under his watch. He can unlock a lot of the talent on that defense if he’s in the middle running it. It won’t cost a lot for them to move up two spots to get ahead of the Titans and keep Robert Saleh from taking Styles and turning him into the next Fred Warner.
4. Tennessee Titans (3-14): David Bailey DE Texas Tech
The Titans traded for Jermaine Johnson but that doesn’t solve their DE problem. For one, Johnson has had two major injuries in his career (ACL and Achilles) and he’s going into his fifth-year option contract year. Also, most of their edge rushers from last year are free agents who don’t fit Robert Saleh’s defense, so they won’t be bringing them back. The one returning guy is Olu Oladejo who was their second round pick last year. He was either injured or ineffective all last season, so they won’t be counting on him. Bailey is a terror off the edge and Saleh builds his defenses around his defensive front. Bailey is a better run defender than he gets credit for but he’s there to get to the QB, and he does that very well. Bailey and Johnson on the outside with Jeffrey Simmons at DT is a strong start for Saleh’s defense in year one.
5. Kansas City Chiefs (TRADE from Arizona): Jeremiah Love RB Notre Dame
The Chiefs traded CB Trent McDuffie to the Rams for three picks in this draft, including the 29th overall pick in the first round, and pick next year. They use some of that capital (not the extra first) to move up to this spot to get ahead of some teams that might want Love. Love isn’t getting the hype he should be getting, and everyone needs to stop making the Ashton Jeanty comparison and saying he shouldn’t be a top five pick. He’s a 6’0 212 lbs. RB who ran 4.36 in the 40 at the combine. He does everything well on the field and he didn’t even have to carry the load at Notre Dame last season, so he hasn’t been overworked. He’s an offensive gamechanger and the Chiefs are in desperate need of those. Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt are free agents, and neither should be brought back. Mahomes tore his ACL and they need someone to lean on while he gets healthy. Love makes their offense dangerous in so many ways, and they can address other needs with the picks they got from the Rams. The Cardinals trade down a second time to get even more draft capital.
6. Cleveland Browns (5-12): Monroe Freeling LT Georgia
This feels insane considering he was barely considered a prospect back in October but here we are. Freeling had an excellent end to his season looking like a legit LT for the last month of the regular season. He’s 6’7 315 lbs., he has long arms, big hands, he ran the 40 in under five seconds (4.93) and looked like a top-tier athlete in the drills. He also doesn’t turn 22 until this summer so he’s got room to improve. He isn’t perfect as a prospect and he needs some development and refinement but, in this o-line draft class, he’s the best LT prospect and Browns need a LT. They traded for Tytus Howard to be their RT but Freeling would immediately step in at LT for Todd Monken’s offense. Monken hired George Warhop as his OL coach and Warhop is a 30-year coaching veteran who’s coached some great lineman. That’s the type of guy who can get the best out of Freeling’s immense talent and potential.
7. Washington Commanders (5-12): Rueben Bain Jr. DE Miami
The Commanders would probably take Jeremiah Love if he falls here but they have a desperate need at DE as their depth chart could be decimated in free agency. Most of their guys they shouldn’t even want back and while they might re-sign a few, none of them should preclude them from taking Bain. Yes, his arms are very short for a DE, he’s still a monster on the line. He can play on the edge or move inside and be a menace either way in the pass rush. He has a relentless motor and never stops coming for you. He’s going to lose some battles because his short arms will cause him to lose in the leverage game but that won’t deter him. The Commanders have some older guys who have been leaders and tone setters and they need someone to take that role, that’s Bain. Dan Quinn needs his defense to be better and Bain makes them better.
8. New Orleans Saints (6-11): Carnell Tate WR Ohio St.
Admittedly, Carnell Tate isn’t my favorite WR in this draft but he’s still a very good prospect and this would be a great spot for him. I don’t see Tate as a WR1, and the Saints already have Chris Olave, so Tate doesn’t have to be one. At the combine, there was some consternation over his 40 time (4.53). That’s not a fast 40 time for a WR but there’s an old adage scouts try to remember about the combine, don’t count something twice. If you know a guy is fast and he runs fast, don’t give him extra credit for it. The same goes if you know a guy isn’t going to run fast, don’t ding him twice for it. Tate is a 6’3 192 lbs. WR who wins with size, strength, and technique, he was never going to be a fast WR. 4.53 is fast enough given his physical profile and he’s a great complement to Olave. If the Saints want QB Tyler Shough to continue to develop, they need to get him more WR help. Devaughn Vele isn’t someone you want to count on as your WR2.
9. Arizona Cardinals (TRADE from Kansas City): Spencer Fano OT Utah
This scenario would be a big win for the Cardinals, trade down twice, accrue some extra draft capital (maybe even some in 2027), and still end up with a starting RT. Fano isn’t a flashy player or pick but he’s a guy you draft, stick him at RT, and you’re good for the next decade. He also brings some versatility as teams have started to look at him as maybe a guard or even a center. He can start at RT immediately and upgrade that spot for their new QB, whoever that is. Fano is a smooth mover and a good run blocker, and he makes the offensive line a lot better as the bookend to LT Paris Johnson.
10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-11): Caleb Downs S Ohio St.
The Bengals need playmakers on their defense that is sorely lacking in that department, and it really doesn’t matter where they play, they need them everywhere. Geno Stone is a free agent that they very well could re-sign, and Jordan Battle had a solid season but you can’t pass up a talent like Downs if he’s available. A lot of teams play a three-safety look, and the Bengals could do that if the bring back Stone. Downs is the human eraser on defense, he can take on WRs, TEs, or RBs. He’s such a smart and instinctive safety that he can change your entire defense. The team needs DE help for sure with Trey Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai as free agents, but the best edge rushers are off the board. Taking the best player available when it’s a gamechanger like Downs is never a bad idea. Take the talent and figure out how to play him in your defense.
11. Miami Dolphins (7-10): Mansoor Delane CB LSU
From just about every measurement we have, and every eyeball test we can use, Mansoor Delane is about as average of a CB from a physical and athletic standpoint as you can get. However, from a coverage standpoint, he’s elite. The guy is like glue on the field, sticking to every man he covers no matter how you want him to line up. At LSU, he played a lot of man coverage and was excellent. That was after three years of playing a lot of zone coverage at Virginia Tech and being excellent there too. Dolphins’ new head coach Jeff Hafley coached the secondary and he uses a lot of disguised coverage so Delane can do anything and everything Hafley wants him to do. Also, the Dolphins top CB right now is either Storm Duck or JuJu Brents, they need Delane.
12. Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1): Avieon Terrell CB Clemson
The Cowboys have always marched to the beat of their own drummer and while Terrell hasn’t been a popular name this high in mock drafts, he did have a solid combine. He has solid length for a smaller CB and while he didn’t test at the combine, his on-field drills were great. Terrell is smooth and athletic and new Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker is a secondary coach by trade. DaRon Bland is coming off some foot issues and Shavon Revel Jr. returned late last year from an ACL tear in college, so the CB position has some questions. Terrell could play inside or outside and gives Parker some options. He also has the bloodlines of a starting NFL CB given his brother AJ is a starter for the Falcons, that can’t hurt.
13. Los Angels Rams (from Atlanta): Makai Lemon WR USC
The Rams are certainly going all in to win another Super Bowl while Matthew Stafford is still upright. RT is certainly a possibility given Rob Havenstein’s retirement, but Warren McClendon Jr. stepped in late last season and seemed to be just fine. The team made their all-in move trading multiple picks for CB Trent McDuffie to fill a major need. Devante Adams is still getting it done even at 33 and Puka Nacua is one of the best WRs in football. However, after that, this team doesn’t have much at WR. They play a lot of three TE sets and while people think it’s Sean McVay doing something different, it may be because he doesn’t have a third WR he likes (no matter how much they paid Tutu Atwell). Lemon would be a major upgrade over Atwell (who’s free agent) and Jordan Whittington. Lemon is a beast in the slot, and he can play outside too. He’s better in contested catch situations than you would think given his lack of size. He’s a good route runner and could play right away in this offense.
14. Las Vegas Raiders (from Baltimore): Francis Mauigoa OL Miami
The Raiders get this pick in the Maxx Crosby deal and things could not have fallen better for them. Mauigoa is one of the better offensive linemen in the draft. He played RT at Miami and it’s completely possible he ends up starting there for the Raiders. They have DJ Glaze who had a solid rookie season two years ago and then looked lost last season. The offensive scheme and the coaching were pretty bad last year so it’s not all on Glaze. Klint Kubiak’s offense will be much better for the offensive line. If Kubiak thinks Glaze can handle the RT position than Mauigoa could be an elite guard and with the healthy return of LT Kolten Miller and G/C Jackson Powers-Johnson, the Raiders would be on their way to fixing the line in a real way. Mauigoa gives them options and the ability to play their best five guys up front. He is a big man with incredible power in his game but he’s also athletic and talented enough to play in Kubiak’s more movement based zone-blocking scheme.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9): Caleb Banks DL Florida
This is one I haven’t seen in any mock draft because almost everyone is giving the Bucs either a LB to replace Lavonta David or an edge rusher, that’s what I did before. If you take a closer look at that three-man defensive front; DE Logan Hall is a free agent, DE Calijah Kancey has had some injury issues, and NT Vita Vea is 31. They need to replenish the talent up front and Caleb Banks is a major step in the right direction. He can handle being one of the ends but also gives them the size to step in to give Vea a breather. Banks missed most of last season, but he looked healthy at the combine and the Senior Bowl and he’s 6’6 330 lbs. and moves like he’s 290. He wouldn’t be a traditional edge rusher for them, but he would give them some pressure from his spot. There are a lot of edge rushers and LBs in this draft, they should just take the best talent here and I think it’s Banks.
16. New York Jets (from Indianapolis): Olaivavega Ioane OG Penn St.
I’ve had the Jets taking a DT here before and that was because they traded Quinnen Williams and were running a 4-3 defense. Now the team looks to be moving to more of a 3-4 look (one less DT needed) and they traded for NT T’Vondre Sweat to fill a huge need. Both of their starting OGs are free agents; John Simpson and Alijah Vera-Tucker. Simpson is about to be 29 and Vera-Tucker has a problem staying healthy. They have invested heavily at OT in the first round of back-to-back drafts, now taking Ioane would be a wise investment. He’s a potential future Pro Bowler and would lock down an OG spot for years. Instead of spending on two free agents, they could save some money and get a top-tier player in the draft.
17. Detroit Lions (9-8): Kadyn Proctor OT Alabama
The Lions offensive line was an issue last year with Taylor Decker being banged up and the interior of the line struggling. They traded RB David Montgomery to get some draft capital and got Juice Scruggs in that deal. Scruggs has a chance to be the starting center but there’s another potential hole. Decker is 32 and they are moving on from him, he asked to be released. It seems like the team may have wanted him to take a pay cut and he said no. That leaves a gaping hole at LT and while I’m not a big Proctor fan, he would fill that hole and then some. Proctor is a good athlete for a man his size, he was 6’6 352 lbs. at the combine, that was down about 13 lbs. from his Alabama playing weight. He’s athletic but can be a bit heavy footed. Him losing weight showed he recognizes he needs to be lighter, that’s a good sign for teams evaluating him. His power would do well in the Lions blocking scheme and Lions’ o-line coach Hank Fraley is one of the best in the league.
18. Minnesota Vikings (9-8): Dillon Thieneman S Oregon
We say it every year, S Harrison Smith is (insert current age, 37 this time), he can’t play forever. He seems to enjoy proving us wrong but this year he’s also a free agent. Father Time is undefeated so eventually Smith will be gone. The Vikings like to run three safety sets and Thieneman would give them a versatile piece in the back end. He started this process as a fringe first-round pick but more likely a second-round pick, then the combine happened. Thieneman proved to be an elite athlete and erased any concerns about his ability to match up with NFL talent. He’s a 6’0 201 lbs. safety who ran 4.35 in the 40, had a 41-inch vertical, and a 10’5” broad jump, those are elite numbers. He seems like a worthy successor to Harrison Smith.
19. Carolina Panthers (8-9): CJ Allen LB Georgia
The Panthers are still trying to build out a defense worthy of their defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, the LB spot has not been up to the task. Christian Rozeboom was the stopgap ILB last year and now he’s a free agent leaving Trevin Wallace as the only real player left. Wallace missed several games last year so he’s not a sure thing. CJ Allen is a monster run stuffing LB with more skills than he gets credit for but most importantly, he’s a tone-setter. This defense has lacked a leader and difference maker at LB for a few years. GM Dan Morgan was once one of those LBs and this franchise has had more than a few; Sam Mills, Morgan, Luke Kuechley, and Shaq Thompson to name a few. Allen would fill the role and raise the level of this defense.
20. Dallas Cowboys (from Green Bay): Akeem Mesidor DE Miami
If the Cowboys see this mock draft as possible, they may want to move up a few spots because having Thieneman and Allen go the two picks before them would be excruciating. Safety and LB are two areas of need but then again so is edge rusher. Mesidor is an interesting prospect because he played college football for seven years and he’ll be a 25-year-old on draft night, in April. He had a huge breakout year for the Hurricanes this season as the “other guy” opposite Rueben Bain Jr. Except he was more than the “other guy”. He was awesome and he’s got great pass rush moves and technique. You would hope after playing in college for so long that would be the case and it is. He’s a guy who shouldn’t take long to adjust to the league and could make an immediate impact. The Cowboys are always trying to compete so they don’t want a developmental guy, they want a guy who can play right now. Mesidor could step in an be a part of the pass rush rotational immediately.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7): Jordyn Tyson WR Arizona St.
The Steelers are the first real spot where QB Ty Simpson is a possibility, but I don’t think they pull the trigger. They may regret not taking Jaxson Dart last year, but they still regret the Kenny Pickett pick a few years ago. Here there is too much value with Tyson still on the board. Tyson has legitimate WR1 potential and the only reason he’s still available is that he’s had injury issues almost every season in college. Regardless of who ends up being their QB, having Tyson as the WR2 with DK Metcalf would make their job easier. Tyson is a dynamic playmaker and if he can stay healthy, the sky is the limit for him.
22. San Francisco 49ers (TRADE from LAC): Omar Cooper Jr. WR Indiana
The Chargers trade down and pick up some extra picks, and the 49ers feel the need to get ahead of a few teams that might want WRs. Cooper is a rising prospect and it’s a little strange to have him above Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion, but Cooper is a YAC monster and that fits Kyle Shanahan’s offense very well. He has steadily climbed the draft board and the 49ers make a move to secure him before teams like Philly and Cleveland can steal him. WR is the team’s biggest need and while they might sign a free agent or two (and they should) it wouldn’t preclude them from drafting Cooper. Their WR group right now is Ricky Pearsall and that’s about it.
23. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6): Jermod McCoy CB Tennessee
This pick would almost be unfair if McCoy can return to his pre-injury form. In 2024 McCoy was awesome at Tennessee before tearing his ACL in January 2025 and then missing the entire 2025 season. He should be 100% healthy for this season but no one has seen him perform so there could be some rust to knock off. The Eagles desperately need another outside CB so they can keep Cooper DeJean at nickel and having Quinyon Mitchell and McCoy outside with DeJean inside would be incredible. McCoy only lasts this long in the draft due to the injury unknown because he didn’t work out at the combine even though he said he was completely healthy. He has the talent to be a top 10 level pick and if he reaches it, the Eagles have the best CB group in the NFL.
24. Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville): Denzel Boston WR Washington
After taking LT Monroe Freeling earlier the Browns have an opportunity to address their next biggest need (besides QB). WR is a major issue outside of Jerry Jeudy and they need a true ball winner outside. Boston is a big, physical WR at 6’4 215 lbs. and he can go up and get the ball. He’s everything they need to complement Jeudy and they can still hope Isaiah Bond can be a good deep threat. Ty Simpson is a consideration here, but I think Todd Monken and front office kick the QB can down the road to the 2027 draft. They will see what they have with Shedeur Sanders in Monken’s offense and don’t be surprised when Deshaun Watson gets a chance and maybe even Dillon Gabiel if they don’t trade him away.
25. Chicago Bears (11-6): Caleb Lomu OT Utah
The Bears are making moves this off season, with the trade of WR DJ Moore to the Bills for more draft capital, to replacing C Drew Dalman after his surprise retirement with Garrett Bradbury from the Patriots. This team is looking to compete and the one thing that could derail that is their LT spot. Braxton Jones had a bad year and he’s a free agent they won’t re-sign, Theo Benedet never looked like he should be the starter at LT, and the guy they were hoping to count on was Ozzy Trapilo, but he tore his patellar tendon and that’s not good. Trapilo is going to miss at least most of next season and even if he returns, he wasn’t a sure thing at LT. Lomu is a young player but he has massive upside at LT. Playing next to a veteran like Joe Thuney would be a blessing for a guy who’s still learning. Lomu has all the talent to be a top-tier LT, it just may take some time. For now, he would be a solid starter and with all this team has put into building their offensive line, they can’t let LT be a weak spot.
26. Buffalo Bills (12-6): Kayden McDonald DT Ohio St.
The Bills filled their biggest need with a trade for WR DJ Moore and that means they can get on fixing their defense. New head coach Joe Brady hired Jim Leonhard to be his defensive coordinator and the team is looking to move to more of a 3-4 attacking defense. One thing they do not have on the roster is a legitimate NT. DT Deone Walker was very good last year and while he’s a huge man, he’s too tall and plays to upright to be a run-stuffing NT. Kayden McDonald is 6’3 330 lbs. and is a prototypical NT type of player. He stops the run inside like a brick wall and would be a perfect fit.
27. New England Patriots (TRADE from LAC): Kenyon Sadiq TE Oregon
The Chargers started the draft with only five picks but here they trade down a second time and pick up more draft picks. The Patriots have 11 picks to start this draft and no reason not to use some of that capital to move up for Sadiq if he falls this far. They will need to move ahead of Denver for sure if they want Sadiq. The Patriots still have Hunter Henry at TE, but he’ll turn 32 next season, and Austin Hooper is a free agent. OC Josh McDaniels has had plenty of success with two TE offenses and Henry and Sadiq would be quite a pair. They need to address WR too after cutting Stefon Diggs, but Sadiq could fill a similar role as a slot target which is where Diggs was doing most of his work by the end of the season. A big outside WR would be nice but with Tate, Tyson, and Boston off the board, they can wait until a later round to find a big WR if they don’t trade for one or sign one in free agency.
28. Houston Texans (12-5): Blake Miller OT Clemson
This pick may come down to a choice between Clemson tackles; RT Blake Miller or DT Peter Woods. Miller didn’t have the disappointing season Woods had, and Miller fills a pretty big need for the Texans. They just traded Tytus Howard to the Browns and while he mostly played LG for them, he was also their RT when Trent Brown was out. If the team goes into next season with Trent Brown as their starter at RT, they are setting up their offensive to fail. They have been trying to fix their offensive line for few years now and drafting Miller to be the RT would be a step in the right direction. Miller is 6’7 with long arms and good athleticism. He would fit the scheme, upgrade the RT spot, and stabilize the group overall.
29. Kansas City Chiefs (from LA Rams): Emmanuel McNeil-Warren S Toledo
The Chiefs are undergoing some changes in their secondary after trading Trent McDuffie and having Jaylen Watson and Bryan Cook as free agents. With McDuffie gone I think they prioritize re-signing Watson and that might mean Cook gets away. McNeil-Warren is a top-level safety prospect who could step into Steve Spagnuolo’s defense and wreak havoc. He’s a big, long safety with deep coverage ability and the ability to come up in run support.
30. Denver Broncos (14-3): Keldric Faulk DL Auburn
The Broncos have an elite defense and most of them return next season with two notable exceptions: DE John Franklin-Myers and LB Alex Singleton. Franklin-Myers will probably get a deal the Broncos can’t afford to match so it’s a good thing there is a solid option to replace him here. He is a big, physical DE in their 3-4 defense and that is probably the best place for Keldric Faulk to play. Franklin-Myers has been a better pass rusher than anyone expected at that spot and that isn’t Faulk’s strong suit, but he can match the physicality and Faulk is a monster in the run game. The Brocos are the one team that can probably withstand losing a little bit of their pass rush especially since traditionally 3-4 DEs are not known for their pass rushing. Faulk is a big man at 6’6 270 lbs. and he’s just 20 years old so he’s still got some growing to do. Once he matures into his body, he’s going to be a powerful presence up front.
31. Los Angeles Chargers (TRADE from NE): Emmanuel Pregnon OG Oregon
The Chargers came into the draft with five picks; they move down twice to pick up some extra picks and then end up with a nice fit in an area of extreme need. GM Joe Hortiz came from the Baltimore Ravens organization, and they built their team on drafting well and having a lot of picks. This team needs interior offensive line help even after signing C Tyler Biadasz as a free agent. Pregnon fills a major hole, and he should fit well in Mike McDaniel’s offense. He can be a gap or inside zone blocker in the run game and decimate opponents. Pregnon had a great season at Oregon and then showed great explosion at the combine in the vert and broad jump, plus he looked very smooth in the drills. Between Biadasz and Pregnon the Chargers would be two thirds of the way to fixing the interior of their offensive line.
32. Miami Dolphins (TRADE from Seattle): Ty Simpson QB Alabama
The Seahawks only have four picks in this draft and a Super Bowl winning team needs to find some cheap labor as this roster can get expensive fast. Here they trade down to Miami’s second round pick (43 overall) and maybe pick up a late third rounder pick (Miami has three third round picks) or maybe a fourth. If the Dolphins don’t get Malik Willis, and I think his price will keep them out of the bidding, they need an alternative to just turning it over to Quinn Ewers. Simpson is a solid prospect without a lot of playing time in college but he would fit a Bobby Slowik offense pretty well. He’s a good processor and has the physical tools to be a starter. Miami moves up to get ahead of teams like the Jets and Browns who might like Simpson and to get the chance at a fifth-year option on a QB contract down the road.
2nd Round
33. New York Jets: Jacob Rodriguez LB Texas Tech
The Jets are likely to lose Quincy Williams in free agency and that leaves Jamien Sherwood as their only ILB. Rodriguez is going to go higher than where he’s currently projected. He’s a tackling machine and they need him.
34. Arizona: Cashius Howell Edge Texas A&M
The Cardinals need some more edge pressure to help out Josh Sweat. Howell only falls to the second round because he’s a smaller edge rusher with short arms. His production is fantastic, but he is going to be a limited player in the NFL.
35. Tennessee: Colton Hood CB Tennessee
The Titans might cut L’Jarius Snead, and they have several free agents at CB. Hood is a young player with serious upside, and it would be a quick move for him from Knoxville.
36. Las Vegas: KC Concepcion WR Texas A&M
Concepcion falls a little bit because of his concentration drops, he needs to work on that. However, he’s a deadly playmaker with the ball in his hands and he would give Fernando Mendoza an elite YAC player. He will be dangerous in Klint Kubiak’s offense.
37. New York Giants: Gennings Dunker OL Iowa
I believe the Giants will re-sign RT Jermaine Eluemunor, however, they still need a RG and Eluemunor is 31. Dunker projects best as an OG but his arms weren’t as short at the combine as some thought they might be so he could get a shot at RT if a team needs him.
38. Houston: Peter Woods DT Clemson
With the 28th pick I had the Texans picking Blake Miller over Woods and it looks like smart move as Woods is here ten picks later. Woods would be a natural successor to Sheldon Rankins who will be 32 and is a free agent. He’s a smaller, penetrating DT who fits the Texans defense quite well.
39. Cleveland: Max Iheanachor OT Arizona St.
The Browns traded for Tytus Howard to be their RT but after drafting Monroe Freeling in round one it might be wise to put the veteran Howard at his best position, LG, to help the rookie. Taking Iheanachor here would mean having two rookie OTs but if they get a veteran RG, it just might work. Iheanachor is a massive man who is way more athletic than he should be.
40. Kansas City: Eli Stowers TE Vanderbilt
The likelihood is that Travis Kelce is coming back for one more year but he’s just not the weapon he once was in the passing game. Stowers is exactly that, a weapon. He showed elite athleticism at the combine and he’s a deadly pass catcher. This team needs weapons and I like Stowers more than the WRs left on the board.
41. Cincinnati: Christen Miller DT Georgia
The Bengals may have gotten the best defensive player in this draft earlier but none of it matters if teams can run all over them. Free agent TJ Slaton was supposed to solve that issue last year, he didn’t. Miller is 6’4 330 lbs. and he specializes in destroying the run game. The Bengals are going to keep drafting defensive linemen until they find a good one.
42. New Orleans: Gabe Jacas DE Illinois
The Saints edge group is old and has plenty of free agents. Jacas is a rocked up edge player who can put his hand down or rush from a two-point stance. He’s tough as nails and would pair nicely with Chase Young off the edge.
43. Seattle (TRADE from Miami): Lee Hunter DT Texas Tech
Seattle’s defensive line uses depth and rotations to keep everyone fresh. That would be a perfect scenario for Hunter because less is more for him when it comes to snaps. Leonard Williams will be 32 this year and Jarran Reed turns 34 at the end of the year, the defensive line could use some young blood.
44. New York Jets: Germie Bernard WR Alabama
The Jets have Garrett Wilson and AD Mitchell at WR and both of those guys can be major playmakers but they can also be free lancers. Bernard is a technician who is exactly where he’s supposed to be, when he’s supposed to be there. The Jets will again have a new QB this year, whoever it is will appreciate Bernard’s approach.
45. Baltimore: Chase Bisontis OG Texas A&M
The Ravens made a major play to put their team over the top with the Maxx Crosby trade but that won’t fix their offensive line issues. I’m not sure how Crosby affects their ability to re-sign C Tyler Linderbaum but they need interior offensive line help either way. Assuming Linderbaum is back, they take Bisontis to take one of the guard spots. If Linderbaum leaves, this could be a center like Connor Lew, Jake Slaughter, or Sam Hecht.
46. Tampa Bay: R Mason Thomas Edge Oklahoma
Haason Reddick didn’t do much for the Bucs last year and they need an edge rusher who can get to the QB. Thomas is undersized and not great against the run but he’s a blur off the edge and he’ll get to the QB. Lining him up off the edge of a guy like Caleb Banks would make life very difficult for opposing offenses.
47. Indianapolis: TJ Parker DE Clemson
The Colts have a number of free agent DEs and they like more traditional 4-3 DEs and that is exactly what Parker is. He falls this far after a tough year at Clemson but he’s a talented player and the Colts would be lucky to get him to pair with Laiatu Latu.
48. Atlanta: Derrick Moore Edge Michigan
Atlanta traded their first round pick this season to get James Pierce last year and drafting him and Jalon Walker worked to fix their pass rush issues. Then Pierce went off his rocker this off season during a dispute with his girlfriend and did some disturbing things. His future is very much up in air. Couple that with Kaden Ellis, Arnold Ebikite, and Leonard Floyd being free agents and they have to go edge rusher again. Moore is a good pass rush prospect and would be a nice complement to Walker.
49. Minnesota: Jake Golday LB Cincinnati
Brian Flores likes his LBs to be versatile and that describes Golday exactly. He might be the next version of Andrew Van Ginkle who turns 30 this year. Golday can play some ILB, where they need some help, but also kick out to the outside spot when needed. Just another chess piece on the board for Flores.
50. Detroit: Dani Dennis-Sutton DE Penn St.
The Lions need to find a DE who can actually be on the field for them and while Dennis-Sutton’s production at Penn St. wasn’t great, he’s a player to watch. His combine testing numbers were great and his 6’6 256 lbs. frame has room to grow. He would be a nice edge setter opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
51. Carolina: Dominique Orange DT Iowa St.
“Big Citrus”, as he’s known, is a behemoth run-stuffing NT who is the immovable object in the middle of a defense. The Panthers play A’Shawn Robinson there now but he’s on the wrong side of 30 and they don’t have a lot of depth up front. They need someone to do the dirty work to keep Derrick Brown free to dominate. Orange excels at the dirty work.
52. Green Bay: Connor Lew C Auburn
The Packers are nothing if not patient with their offensive line prospects. Lew is coming off a torn ACL and may not be ready for the start of the season. They have Elgton Jenkins coming off a leg fracture at center and his back up is Seah Rhyan, who’s a free agent. Jenkins never wanted to be a center, he’s 31, and he’s going into the last year of his contract. Lew is a high upside pick who could be their starting center for a decade if they give him time to heal.
53. Pittsburgh: Chris Johnson CB San Diego St
The Steelers are likely to move Jalen Ramsey to safety full-time so even if they re-sign James Pierre at CB, they still need more help opposite Joey Porter Jr. Johnson is a smooth cover guy on film who looked like an average athlete, then he went to the combine. His athletic testing was impressive, and this may be too low for him, he’s climbing up the board.
54. Philadelphia: Malachi Lawrence Edge UCF
As much as Howie Roseman likes taking Georgia defenders, he’s not afraid to take a chance on a guy with great athleticism and length from a smaller school. UCF is a Big 12 team now, but they still aren’t an NFL factory. Lawrence has all the makings of an elite pass rusher and even if Roseman can pull off re-signing Jaelen Phillips, this team loses all its depth at edge.
55. Los Angeles Chargers: LT Overton DE Alabama
The Chargers re-signed Khalil Mack and they would like to bring back Odafe Oweh but that may be difficult. DE Da’Shawn Hand is one of their big men up front and he’s also a free agent. Overton can fill that role of 3-4 DE better than any of the edge rushers left on the board here.
56. Jacksonville: Brandon Cisse CB South Carolina
The Jaguars are going to do everything they can to re-sign LB Devin Lloyd, but it probably means they can’t get both CBs Montaric Brown and Greg Newsome II back. Travis Hunter can fill one CB spot, and he should, but they need more help outside. Cisse was a fringe first rounder early in the process and he’s the same guy now but players like Aveion Terrell, Colton Hood, and Chris Johnson seem to be moving ahead of him. He can still be a starter in the NFL, he’s just not as likely to go in round one. The Jaguars will be happy to take him here.
57. Chicago: Zion Young DE Missouri
I think the Bears re-sign at least a couple of safeties and there is depth there in this draft. Dennis Allen’s type of DEs don’t grow on trees but Young fits the bill. He’s big, long and plays with power on the edge. He can be everything Dayo Odeyingbo wasn’t for them this year.
58. San Francisco: Max Klare TE Ohio St.
The 49ers lost George Kittle to a torn Achilles during a playoff game and he’s unlikely to play next season. Jake Tonges is a restricted free agent who also hurt his foot in another playoff game. The TE position is vital to the offense so taking Max Klare would be a wise decision. Kittle isn’t getting any younger, and his injury is not easy to come back from, Klare could be the future of the position.
59. Houston: De’Angelo Ponds CB Indiana
Houston has great CBs in Derek Stingley and Kamari Lassiter, but they don’t have much depth behind them. Jalen Pitre is the nickel and he’s very good, but Ponds would give them depth outside. Ponds is an undersized CB, but he plays with the toughness and grit the Texans like and he would fit into their defense quite nicely.
60. Chicago: Anthony Hill Jr. LB Texas
The Bears cut LB Tremaine Edmunds when they couldn’t find a trade partner for him. That leaves them pretty thin at linebacker and Hill is a day-one starter in the NFL. He’s got the size and speed you want, and he does almost everything well. His coverage skills need refinement but he’s such a great player, he’ll figure it out.
61. Los Angeles Rams: Keith Abney II CB Arizona St.
The Rams got McDuffie in a trade for one outside CB spot, but Cobie Durant is a free agent and that leaves Emmanuel Forbes starting opposite McDuffie. The Rams could use another option and Abney has starter qualities; he just needs to play with more discipline.
62. Denver: Jadarian Price RB Notre Dame
RJ Harvey is a nice running back but he’s not a guy you want taking the bulk of the carries, he needs a partner. With JK Dobbins a free agent who has injury issues, getting a good young RB would be smart. Price played behind Jeremiah Love at Notre Dame but he’s an excellent RB. He has the size and skills to be the lead guy in Denver.
63. New England: Chris Bell WR Louisville
This is a long-term play. Bell tore his ACL in late November so there’s no guarantee he plays this season. If the Patriots can’t make a trade for a real WR1 or sign someone they have to look for a guy who can be a true WR1. Bell has that ability, they will just have to wait to see it. Mack Hollins is only signed for one more season and the team has to hope to get more out of Kyle Williams in year two. Bell can rehab and then in 2027 he becomes the X receiver, giving Drake Maye a real threat down the field.
64. Seattle: Chris Brazzell II WR Tennessee
The Seahawks traded for Rasheed Shahid during the season to be their deep threat and he did it well, now he’s a free agent who will likely get paid. Brazzell gives the team another deep threat who can do some other things in the passing game and can open things up for JSN.
The Hott Read 