The new era of Iowa Men’s Basketball begins

It’s been a long time since Iowa basketball pulled my attention from the NFL Draft but here we are, it’s actually an exciting new era, the Ben McCollum era. It couldn’t be any more different than the old era. This is going to feel like I’m ragging on Fran McCaffery, and while I don’t mean to disparage the guy and his accomplishments, I’m going to speak the truth. Fran’s act had grown tiresome. The prickly attitude doesn’t play well when you don’t win. The refusal to even acknowledge your shortcomings was ridiculous. Sorry, but when you’re getting your ass kicked by Wisconsin because they are drilling open threes the entire first half and at halftime you talk about your offense needs to be better, it’s inexcusable.

Iowa’s in a better place now than they were a few weeks ago, and the roster is barely half full. Ben McCollum isn’t just a young, smart coach with a bright future, he’s a guy who actually wants to be at Iowa. McCollum is genuinely excited to be the head coach of the Hawkeyes. By the end of his tenure, Fran felt like he was tolerating the job. McCollum is excited and enthusiastic about engaging Hawkeye fans and building up the program. Fran seemed disinterested and annoyed that he wasn’t appreciated enough. I appreciate what he did to pull Iowa out of the sinkhole the Lickliter era was, but I don’t think he ever appreciated that he got 15 years at a school without ever getting past the first round of the tournament. That’s no something most programs would tolerate. It was a toxic marriage at the end and it’s amazing but not at all surprising how good it feels to move on.

That good feeling isn’t just about being done with the old era, as a matter of fact, it’s mostly about the new era. Ben McCollum is genuine, in all ways. He’s genuinely excited to be the coach at Iowa. He appreciates what it means to be the head coach at Iowa. He’s embracing the past because he grew up with it, and trying to build the future because he genuinely wants the Iowa Hawkeyes to be great. Go watch the video of him walking into Carver Hawkeye for his introductory press conference. He gets out of an SUV with his family and is greeted by a tunnel of cheerleaders and students and he’s jumping up and down, he’s high fiving people, and he’s getting pumped up. Now image that scene with Fran…yeah, even my imagination isn’t that good. When a guy takes the Iowa job and he’s name checking Mon’ter Glasper, Val Barnes, and Wade Lookingbill in his introductory press conference, that’s a guy who’s a real Iowa guy. Fran embraced Chris Street, that’s great, but that’s like Kirk Ferentz embracing Nile Kinnick. It’s the easy lay-up. Kirk Ferentz loves to talk about guys he coached at Iowa as an assistant in the 80’s, and it’s not even the guys everyone has heard of. McCollum clearly grew up going to Iowa Hawkeye basketball camps and loving the Hawkeyes. McCollum has a history with the program and his appreciation of it is going to be the thing that gets Iowa basketball fans to embrace the program again. Well, that and actually advancing past the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Now for a look at how things are going so far. Let’s start with the staff. McCollum has filled most of his staff with guys he had at Drake. Josh Sash, Bryston Williams, and Connor Wheeler have all been announced as assistants following McCollum from Drake. Xavier Kurth is the fourth assistant from Drake who is supposed to be coming but it hasn’t been formally announced. The last addition to the staff is Luke Barnwell who is coming from Texas Tech. Barnwell has a reputation as an excellent coach and an elite recruiter. If my memory serves me the last elite recruiter Iowa had on staff was…George Raveling. Don’t get me wrong, there have been some good recruiters since the mid 80’s here at Iowa, but it’s really been a while. This staff seems like really good group. Sash has head coaching experience at the JUCO level, Williams was an NBA assistant, and Barnwell is very well connected and did a great job at Texas Tech. Wheeler and Kurth are guys well connected to McCollum and understand what he needs from his team. A coaching staff who will embrace coaching both sides of the ball will be a nice experience.

Now let’s get to the most important part of this so far, the roster. For starters, well there are no starters or really anyone else left from last year’s Hawkeyes who played much at all. The only returning player is Cooper Koch. He played some to start the year then he had a medical situation and had to sit out and missed almost the whole year. He’s a Hawkeye legacy and that seems to mean something to him so he’s sticking around to get the McCollum era off to a good start and restart his own Hawkeye journey. He’s a good player who had tough freshman experience. So far, other than Koch, McCollum has five transfers from Drake committed and one incoming freshman who just signed with the Hawkeyes. Let’s take a look at the group.

Drake Transfers

PG Bennett Stirtz – SR

Stirtz was the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year during his one season at Drake and then he immediately announced he was transferring to Iowa when McCollum got the job. He had to have passed up a boatload of money to come to Iowa because Iowa can’t compete with the big boys when it comes to basketball NIL money. Stirtz would have been one of the most highly sought after players in the portal but his loyalty to McCollum trumped it. McCollum’s coaching puts Stirtz in the best position to be the best point guard he can be and he understands the value in that, that’s maturity and leadership you can’t teach. He’s going to be one of the best point guards Iowa has had in 25 years, it’s too bad he only has one year of eligibility.

PF Cam Manyuwa – JR

Manyuwa is 6’8 220 lbs. power forward who has the size and athleticism to compete in the Big Ten. He’s a rebounder and defender who needs to refine his offensive game but for now, he can just do the things he’s good at. Iowa wasn’t great on the boards last season and Manyuwa will make sure that’s not the case this season. Really looking forward to seeing the growth in his game the next couple of years. He’s starting at either PF or C depending on if the Hawkeyes get a true center who can start.

SF Tavion Banks – Unknown class

Banks is a 6’7 wing who won Sixth Man of the Year in the Missouri Valley Conference last season and that was with him playing some power forward. He’s built like a wing but he’s not afraid to mix it up. He may not have the size to be a power forward in the Big Ten but I’m not going to be the one to tell him that. He will definitely play a ton and he might be the odds-on favorite to be the starting SF for Hawkeyes, assuming he can beat out Cooper Koch and the Hawkeyes don’t get some major SF transfer. I put his class as unknown because he transferred to Drake from a JUCO and who knows what that means for eligibility right now with NCAA. He can stay as long as he likes as far as I’m concerned.

G Kael Combs – JR

Combs was also a one-year transfer to Drake and he was a solid backup combo guard. He’s 6’4 190 lbs. so he’s got good size and is solid but unspectacular athlete. He plays tough defense and he knows how to play in McCollum’s system. He’s a good depth piece at Iowa, he knows the system, and he should help set the foundation for the future.

SG Isai Howard – SO

Howard is a 6’5 shooting guard who showed a lot of promise as freshman at Drake last season. He definitely has a Big Ten build and as he develops his game, he can be a very nice building block of the future for McCollum and the Hawkeyes.

The Returner

SF Cooper Koch – RS Fr

The Lone Survivor of the Fran McCaffrey era is the son of JR Koch. Cooper had a rough first year but he should get a medical redshirt, meaning he still has four years of eligibility. He was a 4-star recruit and he has plenty of game. He’s 6’8 215 lbs. small forward who will compete to be a starter. If he can pick up McCollum’s system and style of play, the sky is the limit for Koch. It’s possible he and Tavion Banks compete for the starting SF spot, or they could play in tandem with them sort both being combo forward players. I still have high hopes for his future with Iowa basketball.

The Commit

C Trevin Jirak – FR

The 6’11 center from West Des Moines Valley switched his commitment from UNI to Iowa just this week. He’s a big kid, he’s a good passer, and he should fit McCollum’s system quite well. It would be a lot to ask him to be the starting center for a Big Ten team his freshman year so Iowa still needs a true center in the portal but this is a nice building block for the future. He should be able to give Iowa some minutes as a backup center this year too.

The Silent Commit

G/F Tate Sage – FR

Sage is a 6’7 G/F who hasn’t officially announced his commitment to Iowa but it seems he is committed. He’s from Oklahoma and was originally committed to McCollum at Drake but when McCollum took the Iowa job, Sage de-committed from Drake. I’m not a mathematician but I can add 2+2. He’s a good-sized wing with some shooting ability and would seem to be a great fit for McCollum’s Hawkeyes.

The Guys the Hawkeyes are Recruiting

SG Brendan Hausen – SR

Hausen is a 6’4 shooting guard who hit 39% of his threes last year at Kansas St. Oh, and the 3-pt line is just a suggestion to him, he has no problem bombing away from way outside, he’s a logo 3 type of guy. He would be a really nice starting SG next to Stirtz and could take some of the scoring load off Stirtz since this team currently isn’t stacked with scorers. Something tells me his style of play would be a hit in Carver Hawkeye, we love a logo 3.

PG Wes Enis – JR

He’s a Div. II point guard out of Lincoln Memorial University, yeah, I don’t know where that is either. What I can tell you is he’s 6’2 and is apparently an elite defender. McCollum recruited him when he was at Northwest Missouri St. and if he thinks he’s the type of point guard he could use, I’m not going to doubt it. He would be a nice pickup as a guy who could play behind Stirtz for a year, learn the system, and then be ready to take over the point guard duties.

G Nyk Lewis – Fr

Lewis is 4-star guard from the DC area who was previously committed to Xavier. When Sean Miller left Xavier for Texas, Lewis reopened his recruiting. He’s taking a visit to Iowa and if Iowa gets him, he’ll be the best high school point guard recruit the Hawkeyes have gotten since, I don’t even know. This kid is aggressive to the basket and plays tough defense. He needs to work on his jump shot but he wouldn’t have to be the starter right away. He could learn a lot from Stirtz and McCollum has been known to fix a shooter before.

PG Honor Huff – SR

Huff is the smallest of the guards at 5’10 and he’s probably more combo guard than pure point guard. He’s also probably more of a natural scorer than he is a playmaker for others. He would be an excellent addition if he came to Iowa to be the sixth man, microwave scorer off the bench. I find it hard to believe he would do that right now. He’s going to be a senior and I doubt he wants to transfer to be a backup at Iowa. If Iowa doesn’t get Hausen, he could be the backcourt partner to Stirtz but he’s pretty small to be a Big Ten shooting guard, and Stirtz is going to be the point guard. Would love to have him but this one feels like a tough sell.

C Alvaro Folgueiras – JR

He’s 6’9 center transfer from Robert Morris and it may be a pipe dream to get him but he’s giving Iowa a chance. He could be very sought after with the way he developed this last season. He made major strides with his game and there’s more development to come. At 6’9 215 lbs. he’s got a good frame and he moves well. He would fit quite nicely on the Hawkeyes where he could team down low with Manyuwa and give Jirak the time he needs to develop.

C Duke Brennan – SR

This is the guy with real Big Ten big man size, he’s 6’10 249 lbs. but he’s not a stiff or a plodder. He can move his feet and he would be a great add to this roster. It’s probably one of the other between him and Folgueiras since they might be redundant but I’m good with Iowa taking both. Brennan can bang with the big guys in the Big Ten but Folgueiras has an extra year of eligibility.

Final Analysis

This likely isn’t the end of the guys we will hear about as transfer portal or high school recruits, that is unless we get the vast majority of them. If Iowa gets Hausen, Lewis, and then either Huff or Enis, and then gets Brennan or Folgueiras then that’s a best case scenario. I think they get Hausen, Lewis and one of the centers (I hope one of these centers at this point). If they do, I could see a starting lineup of PG Bennett Stirtz, SG Brendan Hausen, SF Cooper Koch (or Tavion Banks, whoever wins the job), PF Cam Manyuwa, and then either Brennan or Folgueiras at center. Give me a backup group of Kael Combs, Isai Howard, and Nyk Lewis at guard, Tate Gage, and the loser of the starting SF job (Koch or Banks), and then Trevin Jirak at center and you have the makings of a solid team. Iowa would probably still look for some big man depth but it doesn’t need a starter, just a nice depth piece. Banks and Koch can moonlight as power forwards and Manyuwa can play center when needed. With that roster and McCollum’s coaching, Iowa would be a much-improved team next season.

2025 NFL Mock Draft 3.0

Post Free Agency – Mostly

The All-Star games (Senior Bowl, Shrine Game) are over, the NFL Combine is over, and now the vast majority of free agency is behind us. There’s a saying, owners will lie to you with their words but they don’t lie with their money. When it comes to free agency, they will tell you exactly what they think of their own players, and the other free agents on the market. Free agency can be very telling for the NFL draft and what teams are thinking and where they are heading. It’s as much about who they signed as who they didn’t or even who they didn’t pursue.

The Tennessee Titans and the Cleveland Browns may have telegraphed what they are planning on doing with the first two picks if you read into their moves. The Titans overhauled their offensive line to make a much better group up front but didn’t even attempt to sign a veteran QB. In fact, they even lost their veteran backup Mason Rudolph. The Browns’ only move at QB was to trade Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a pick swap for Kenny Pickett from Philadelphia. That’s not solving their QB issues. The Falcons have surprisingly not cut Kirk Cousins so for now it looks like he’s on the roster as the backup to Michael Penix next season.

Teams filled major holes on their rosters to make sure they don’t have to reach for a prospect and they can take the best player available as they see fit. The Bears fixed major issues on their offensive and defensive lines. They could still draft prospects at those spots but now they don’t have to if there is someone on the board they feel is better value. The Vikings did the same thing filling major holes on the interior of the offensive and defensive lines, now they can do what they want to do in the draft. There are still from free agents who can fill some roles but at this point, those guys aren’t going to preclude a team from drafting a guy at the same position if they like the prospect. For instance, the Giants signed Russell Wilson and the Patriots signed Stefon Diggs, those deals aren’t going to stop those teams from drafting a QB and WR, respectively, if there is a good one available.

This Mock Draft is going to look a lot different than the last one and that’s the fun part. Let’s get started.

1. Tennessee Titans (3-14): Cam Ward QB Miami

Previously, I was operating under the belief that Brian Callahan was going to try to get a veteran QB to run his system so he doesn’t get fired after his second year in Tennessee. The Titans new GM Mike Borgonzi didn’t even attempt to sign a veteran QB so either he’s ready to let Callahan have some time with a rookie QB or he knows he’s firing Callahan regardless and just wants to get a new QB. Ward is good prospect, he really shouldn’t be a #1 overall pick type of guy, but in this QB class he looks great. They Titans way overspent for LT Dan Moore but that moves fixes two spots since he’ll be better at LT than JC Latham was last year and Latham will be lightyears better than the RTs the Titans had last year. Latham is a more natural RT and they signed Kevin Zeitler at RG. The offensive line is fixed and now Cam Ward will be protected and the run game will be much improved.

2. Cleveland Browns (3-14): Shadeur Sanders QB Colorado

This is a major shift from before and I disagree with it but stick with me. Sanders may have tanked his draft stock a bit at the combine with some less than stellar interviews. I’ve mentioned before how Deion said his kid wouldn’t go to certain teams and I assumed the Browns would be on that list given their history, well, things have changed. Now it’s Sanders who might be looking for anyone to take him so he doesn’t fall to the back half of round one or later so now every team is on the table. Deion will convince himself Kevin Stefanski is a good QB coach who will do well with Shadeur and that’s how they will sell it. Shadeur isn’t an elite physical talent but Stefanski has won with guys like Case Keenum and Kirk Cousins who weren’t physically dominant guys, just solid pocket passers. Sanders is a tough player, it doesn’t fit the glitz and glamour persona, but on the field he’s a tough SOB. He will need to be behind a crappy Browns offensive line but going second overall looks better for the brand than going 21^st overall. I don’t think this ends well for Shadeur or Stefanski when it’s all said and done but when two sides are desperate, things like this happen.

3. New York Giants (3-14): Travis Hunter CB/WR Colorado

The Giants signed Paulson Adebo at CB in free agency and they still have Deonte Banks but Adebo is just a solid CB while Banks has been a disappointment. Hunter would be the best CB on the team and would also give them another dynamic part-time weapon on offense to go with Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton. Hunter wouldn’t need to be a full-time player at WR and he could still be a difference maker with this offense. The Giants signed Russell Wilson to a one-year deal and that was after they signed Jameis Winston. That’s two veterans and I’m still thinking they look for a QB later in the draft. I’m guessing they will likely draft a QB in round two or try to trade up if they like a prospect at the end of round one. Wilson got starter money for a year but Winston basically got third string money. This Giants team can’t pass on a generational talent if they have a chance to get a guy like Hunter.

4. New England Patriots (4-13): Abdul Carter Edge Penn St.

The Patriots need a LT and a WR but if Carter is here, they have two choices, take Carter, or hope someone will give you a king’s ransom to move up to get Carter. I have them taking Carter because I don’t think Mike Vrabel will pass on adding Carter to this defense. The Patriots’ pass rush was awful last season and Milton Williams and Harold Landry aren’t going to fix it alone. Carter has a potential foot injury but he should be fine. I understand their desperate need for a LT and this pick will definitely be on the block if Carter is there if someone has a great offer for Eliot Wolf and Vrabel to consider. At this point, the Patriots are looking at signing a veteran LT like Joe Noteboom or DJ Humphries in free agency, and while that’s not a good plan, those guys are upgrades over Vederian Lowe. Oh, and I have a move later if things fall right, stay tuned.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13): Mason Graham DT Michigan

I’m not coming off this pick until something tells me Jacksonville has any other plan. They signed two interior offensive linemen, even if Robert Hainsey and Patrick Makari don’t inspire a ton of confidence. It leaves the interior of the defensive line and secondary the most likely spots to address here and there isn’t a DB worth taking. The top talents are off the board so it’s not really a trade up spot for anyone so the Jags are stuck just staying put and taking the best player they can and that’s Graham. He’s slightly undersized and doesn’t have long enough arms for some teams but watch the guy play and you’ll forget all of that. Graham makes life easier for Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker (assuming they don’t trade him). They could go WR Tetairoa McMillan but after taking a WR in round one last year, that feels like a stretch.

6. Las Vegas Raiders (4-13): Tetairoa McMillan WR Arizona

This pick could very well come down to a choice between McMillan and RB Ashton Jeanty and you would be hard pressed to find anyone who will tell you McMillan is the better prospect, including me. However, Pete Carroll once traded a fourth and a fifth-round pick to get Marshawn Lynch from Buffalo when he was in Seattle. He also drafted Kenneth Walker in round two of the 2022 draft. The last time he took a RB in round one was in 2018 when he took Rashaad Penny, I don’t think he’ll want to repeat that move when he knows he can get RB talent later. McMillan is the best WR in this class by a mile and while this may be a bit higher than he should go, they need him. They have TE Brock Bowers and he’s an elite pass catching weapon. WR Jakobi Meyers is a good slot guy underneath but he’s rumored to be on the trading block. Tre Tucker is a nice idea as a deep threat but that’s still just an idea. McMillan would become a Geno Smith favorite as a deep target down the field. He’s everything you want in a down field ball winner that Geno never had in DK Metcalf. McMillan actually uses his size to his advantage.

7. New York Jets (5-12): Armand Membou OT Missouri

The Jets filled the biggest hole on their roster by signing QB Justin Fields to replace Aaron Rodgers, I’m calling it an upgrade. Maybe reuniting Fields with his old college teammate Garrett Wilson will unlock something. I know Wilson will be happier with Fields than he seemed to be with Rodgers. The team did lose RT Morgan Moses to the Patriots and I’m fairly certain going into the season with Carter Warren or Max Mitchell at RT isn’t a great plan. Membou was a stud at RT for Missouri and he’s a great athlete who can start immediately there. They have Olu Fashanu from last season at LT and unlike other positions, drafting OTs in the first round of back-to-back drafts is actually a solid plan. They have bookend OTs for whatever QB they decide to draft in the 2026 draft. Fields is just a placeholder after all.

8. Carolina Panthers (5-12): Tyler Warren TE Penn St.

The Panthers spent some money in free agency but it wasn’t on the offensive side of the ball. The only outside free agent they grabbed on offense was RB Rico Dowdle. They did re-sign guys like WR Adam Theilen, TE Tommy Tremble, C Austin Corbett, and backup QB Andy Dalton; none of those moves are moving the needle on offense for Bryce Young. They need a playmaker and with McMillan off the board the next best pass catcher is TE Tyler Warren. Warren is a monster at TE. He’s a great athlete who can play TE, you can use him as a wildcat QB, you can hand the ball off to him in the backfield if you want. He would be a dynamic weapon over the middle of the field and down the seam. He is also a capable blocker in the run game so that would help the Chuba Hubbard/Rico Dowdle backfield.

9. New Orleans Saints (5-12): Shamar Stewart DE Texas A&M

GM Mickey Loomis has a tendency to draft the trenches and while they could grab an offensive lineman like Will Campbell or Kelvin Banks here, Stewart fits their DE profile too well. Stewart is a guy who can play DE at around 280 lbs. and he’s not really that productive when it comes to sacks, sounds just right for Loomis. Stewart is a scary athlete and he did create pressure at A&M he just doesn’t get home a lot. The team re-signed Chase Young and they have Carl Granderson but they are still relying quite heavily on Cameron Jordan and they need some new blood. Stewart is worth the pick and he could develop into a good DE. Hopefully he’ll learn a few things from Jordan while he’s still there.

10. Chicago Bears (5-12): Ashton Jeanty RB Boise St.

Ben Johnson didn’t waste any time once he got to Chicago telling Ryan Poles to fix the interior of the offensive line and get some defensive line help too. LG Joe Thuney, C Drew Dalman, and RG Jonah Jackson were brought in to fix the offensive line and they should help keep Caleb Williams upright. More importantly, they should really open up the run game. Johnson had D’Andre Swift when he was the offensive coordinator in Detroit and they ended up letting Swift walk and replacing him with David Montgomery and eventually adding Jahmyr Gibbs. Jeanty would be the first step in upgrading the RB sot on this offense for Johnson. Jeanty is an elite back with the ability to play all three downs. He’s got the ability to pound teams on first and second down and be a weapon on third down. He has speed and great contact balance and Johnson will love him in his offense. He also takes a lot of pressure off Caleb Williams to be the whole offense.

11. San Francisco 49ers (6-11): Jalon Walker LB Georgia

This is one of the tougher spots to predict. The 49ers lost a lot of players in free agency and they need help in a lot of areas. O-line, interior defensive line, pass rusher, LB, and CB are all areas they could address. While they should look for an offensive lineman, Kyle Shanahan just doesn’t usually do that early. Since they are the enigma team, I’m giving them the enigma player. Jalon Walker mostly played like a LB at Georgia but his best plays are as a pass rusher. He’s too small to be a full-time end but returning defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is used to using undersized designated pass rushers. He had guys like Bryce Huff and Will McDonald IV with the Jets. The 49ers need help at LB after losing Dre Greenlaw in free agency so he can fill a role there and Saleh can unleash him as a pass rusher when needed.

12. Dallas Cowboys (7-10): Kelvin Banks Jr. OL Texas

I’m holding on to this pick because it makes too much sense and the Cowboys have done almost nothing in free agency again so nothing has changed here. They lost a future Hall of Famer in RG Zack Martin and RT Terrence Steele isn’t exactly a stalwart at this point. Banks gives them some flexibility if Steele struggles but if Steele is fine than they have a nice plan at RG to replace Martin. The team could also use help on the defensive line but something tells me they won’t take another Michigan DT like Kenneth Grant after the way Mazi Smith has worked out for them. That’s a completely unfair way to put it and Grant will be the run-stuffing DT Smith has never been but the Cowboys may be just a little gun shy on that kind of pick. A DE is also a possibility with Demarcus Lawrence moving on but they brought back Dante Fowler so they may just wait at that spot, there’s depth there.

13. Miami Dolphins (8-9): Kenneth Grant DT Michigan

The Dolphins signed two safeties in free agency but Ifeatu Melifonwu and Ashtyn Davis shouldn’t stop them from taking a safety if they really like Nick Emmanwori or Malaki Starks. However, they are almost completely devoid of anything resembling starters on their defensive line with the exception of Zach Seiler. I’m guessing he would like some help up front. Grant is a behemoth of a man at 6’3 331 lbs. and would give them the type of nose tackle who could really help their defense. He’s an immovable object in the middle of the line and can collapse the pocket from time to time. He and Seiler would be a nice pair up front, then they can add more help later. Emmanwori or Starks would be massive upgrades at safety too but the defensive line is the more pressing need.

14. Indianapolis Colts (8-9): Colston Loveland TE Michigan

If Tyler Warren goes in the top ten, it’s going to push Loveland up the board a little bit. The Colts lost two interior offensive linemen in C Ryan Kelly and RG Will Fries but they have C Tanor Bortolini and they managed without Fries last year when he was hurt. They also signed S Cam Bynum and CB Charvarius Ward to fortify the secondary. That still leaves the gaping hole they have at TE and Loveland will be an awesome consolation prize if Warren is gone. Loveland would give them a big target over the middle of the field and would be a nice complement to their WR corps. They could also look at Jihad Campbell as they do have a need at LB.

15. Atlanta Falcons (8-9): Mike Green Edge Marshall

The Falcons should consider trading down with their massive amount of needs on the defensive side of the ball but Green might be too good to pass up. This team has been dying for a legitimate edge rusher since the days of John Abraham and Green is a legit pass rusher. He would solve some problems for this team and give them a playmaker on defense besides S Jesse Bates. The Falcons didn’t do much in free agency except a couple of moves on the fringes with some veterans like DE Morgan Fox and OLB Leonard Floyd. Those are solid depth players but they aren’t turning this defense around. The offense should be good with all their skill guys and the only real issue they need to address there is at center where they lost Drew Dalman. If someone wants to move up here, the Falcons can move down and still get a guy like Grey Zabel who could step in at center for them.

16. Arizona Cardinals (8-9): Will Johnson CB Michigan

The Cardinals would be unbelievably lucky if Johnson falls to them at 16. He’s still an elite prospect in my evaluation and he just had a tough year with injuries and a team that just wasn’t as good. Johnson does not have elite speed, but he has every other aspect you want in a CB1. This team needs CB help and Johnson is the best one in this draft not named Travis Hunter. Johnson has the size and skills you want in a top CB and can match up with bigger WRs and make life easier for Max Melton, Garrett Williams, and Sean Murphy-Bunting. The Cardinals did a good job in free agency addressing needs in the front seven, Johnson would be the perfect pick for them in the draft to fix an major issue in the secondary.

17. Los Angeles Chargers (TRADE from Cincinnati): James Pearce Jr. Edge Tennessee

The Chargers did re-sign Khalil Mack at edge rusher but he’s 34 and his backup is Bud Dupree who is 32 and not exactly the picture of health. They did lose Joey Bosa and that’s a big loss for the six to eight games he played a year. The point is that Tuli Tuipulotu is going to need a pass rushing partner for the long-term and Pearce is a guy with some serious pass rushing juice. He has some character concerns but that isn’t something that is going to scare off Jim Harbaugh, he’s fine with guys who are a little different. Getting Pearce away from his issues at Tennessee should help him focus and if he’s on, he’s a menace to opposing QBs. The Chargers have ten picks going into this draft and they use a little of their excess capital to move ahead of a team like Tampa Bay who could be looking for a pass rusher too. The Bengals only have six picks coming into this draft and given the amount of money they gave Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins this off season, they need some extra draft capital to get some cheap players for their defense.

18. Seattle Seahawks (10-7): Will Campbell OL LSU

The Seahawks desperately have to address their interior offensive line and they have failed to do so in free agency. They even struck out on a second-level OG in Teven Jenkins who apparently picked the Browns who have two starting OGs instead of the Seahawks. They have to protect new QB Sam Darnold because he’s awful when he’s pressured. Also, new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak was brought in to fix the running game and he could really use some help in instituting the new blocking scheme. Will Campbell should be given a shot to be a LT but here he’s going to play LG next to Charles Cross and his intelligence, his precision skills, and his athleticism will play very well in Kubiak’s Shanahan style offense. My dream of him falling far enough for the Patriots to move up to get him dies here because it’s just a little too far to move up. Hold on though, I’m not done yet.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7): Jihad Campbell LB Alabama

The Buccaneers signed Hassan Reddick and hope he can resurrect his career as a pass rusher after the debacle that was last season. They also re-signed Anthony Nelson who is a good depth piece and still have starter Yaya Diaby. They aren’t as desperate for an edge rusher as long as they think Reddick still has something in him. They also brought back LB Lavonte David, who is 35 and the other starting LB is either SirVocea Dennis or Anthony Walker. I would call LB a bigger need. Luckily for them, Jihad Campbell happens to be an excellent LB prospect who could start next to David this year and then take over for him as the defensive play caller when he retires. Campbell can also be used as a pass rusher in certain situations.

20. Baltimore Ravens (TRADE from Denver): Jahdae Barron DB Texas

The Ravens have 11 picks in this draft because they play the compensatory pick game better than any team every year. They have an extra fourth rounder and three extra sixth round picks this year. They use some draft capital to move up to take Barron, the next best defensive back in the draft. Barron doesn’t have prototypical size but he has insane skills. He’s one of the most instinctual defenders in the draft and he can play outside CB, nickel back, or line up at safety. The Ravens love versatility in the defensive backfield and with Barron joining Kyle Hamilton, Ar’Darius Washington, and Marlon Humphrey as pieces you can move anywhere, the Ravens defense will be awesome again.

21. Philadelphia Eagles (TRADE from Pittsburgh): Mykel Williams DE Georgia

The Eagles have eight picks in the draft and their roster is too good overall to need that many rookies, they need quality, not quantity. The Steelers don’t have a lot of picks and they need some value. The Eagles move up to draft another Georgia defender, Howie Roseman has a type. The team lost Brandon Graham to retirement and Josh Sweat and Milton Williams left in free agency. This team is built in the trenches and they need another defensive end. Williams hasn’t been all that productive as a pass rusher but that’s not what Georgia really asked him to do. He was a DE who made life easier on the LBs so they could make plays. If you stack Williams up front with Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, it makes pass rushing easier for Nolan Smith, Zack Baun, Jalyx Hunt, Azeez Ojulari, and maybe Bryce Huff if he can resurrect his career. Roseman once again outsmarts the competition.

22. Cincinnati Bengals (TRADE from LA Chargers): Nick Emmanwori S South Carolina

The Bengals move down in this trade to pick up an extra pick or two from the Chargers and they still get a guy they would have seriously considered at 17 overall. Emmanwori was a workout wonder at the combine and he’s one of the most athletic prospects you’ll ever find. He would solve a huge problem at safety for the Bengals and give them a playmaker the defense doesn’t have outside of Trey Hendrickson, assuming they keep Hendrickson around. They need help all over the defense but their safeties were pretty bad last year. Emmanwori steps in at one spot and they can hope having him will make Geno Stone better. He had a rough first year in Cincy and needs a partner he can work with to get better. At this point, just take the best defensive player on the board and then with all your other picks, keep taking defensive players.

23. Green Bay Packers (11-6): Shavon Revel Jr. CB East Carolina

The Packers roster is pretty solid at this point but there could be some questions at CB. Jaire Alexander has a habit of getting injured and missing time and he makes a lot of money, that’s not a good combination. The team signed Nate Hobbs, who was a really good nickel corner, from the Raiders but they also have Javon Bullard who can play the nickel and that’s what Keisean Nixon has been in the past too. They really need some outside CB help and while Revel is coming off a torn ACL last September, he’s still an excellent prospect. He has great size at 6’2 which would be welcome on this team, most of their CB are under 6’0. Revel is a big, physical, and brings the type of attitude you want in a top CB. If his knee checks out with teams’ medical staffs, he should be a first-round pick.

24. New England Patriots (TRADE with Minnesota): Josh Simmons OT Ohio St.

The Patriots have nine picks in this draft and after getting lucky to get Abdul Carter at fourth overall, they still need to address LT. The Vikings only have four picks in this draft and since they don’t have any massive holes in their starting lineup, they can afford to trade down and pick up some picks so they can draft some cheap talent to give them some depth. The Patriots can still sign a guy like Joe Noteboom to be their starting LT to start the year next season as Josh Simmons is recovering from a knee injury. However, Noteboom or any other veteran LT at this point is only a band-aid and they need a young guy. Simmons was on his way to being a top 15 pick when he hurt his knee. He’ a legitimate NFL starting LT and he’ll have Drake Maye’s blindside covered for the next ten years, except for probably the first 4-6 weeks of next year. This would be an almost ideal move for the Patriots (I would like it better if they could get Will Campbell but Simmons is very good too). They can give up the 38^th overall pick in this draft, one of their two third round picks, and maybe a 3^rd round pick next year to move up to this spot. They also have some extra seventh round picks to throw in to give the Vikings some more draft pick inventory.

25. Houston Texans (10-7): Matthew Golden WR Texas

The Texans jettisoned LT Laremy Tunsil and OG Kenyon Green in different trades and cut OG Shaq Mason to save some money. It seemed like offensive line would be a huge need but then they started putting band-aids on their bullet wounds and they may think they are alright. They signed LT Cam Robinson; he should start so Tytus Howard can stay at LG and Blake Fisher can stay at RT. They also signed OG Laken Tomlinson and traded for OG Ed Ingram. One of them could start but both shouldn’t have to. They also signed OT Trent Brown, assumably to be the swing tackle. They have plenty of bodies to piece together a starting five up front. Where they are lacking is at WR, not for bodies, but for difference makers. Nico Collins is a legit WR1. They trade for Christian Kirk and he should be a solid slot guy. They have to assume Tank Dell will miss the year and at this point they can only hope he returns to his career someday. WRs Xavier Hutchinson, John Metchie III, and free agents Justin Watson and Braxton Berrios don’t move the needle. Matthew Golden does. He’s a great complement to Collins; he can replace a lot of the things Dell was good at and he’s a legitimate WR2 who gives you speed down the field.

26. Los Angeles Rams (10-7): Maxwell Hairston CB Kentucky

The Rams should almost certainly draft a LB early but that just isn’t their style. They generally don’t put lot into their CB group either, at least not since the days of Jalen Ramsey. They don’t have major holes to fill outside of LB so they grab a high upside CB prospect in Hairston. He wasn’t considered a first-round prospect until he went to the combine and ran 4.28 in the 40. That caught some people’s attention and now here he is. He’s undersized coming in at just under 6’0 and about 185 lbs. but he’s a feisty guy who likes to mix it up and he has elite speed. The Rams have done worse at CB, as a matter of fact they still are doing worse, with Ahkello Witherspoon set to start again. Hairston gives them some upside at CB opposite Darious Williams and Hairston has a chance to be very good.

27. Denver Broncos (TRADE from Baltimore): Omarion Hampton RB North Carolina

The Broncos make the move down the board when Baltimore overpays a bit to move up and Denver adds some future picks to really address their depth. They get the added bonus of ending up with the RB they want anyway. The Broncos have Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime at RB after letting Javonte Williams leave in free agency. If McLaughlin or Estime were going to be the featured back they would have taken the job last year, it’s not like Williams was too good to pass. Hampton gives Sean Payton a true work horse and he allows McLaughlin to become the third down back he should be and Estime to be a good backup. The Broncos feel fine moving down in the draft because while they like Hampton, there are plenty of good backs in this draft and they could always take a WR here like Luther Burden III or Emeka Egbuka.

28. Detroit Lions (15-2): Tyler Booker OG Alabama

The Lions need an edge rusher to complement Aidan Hutchinson but they are not a team who drafts for need if there is a good player on the board who fits their culture. There is no better culture fit for the Lions than Booker. He’s known to be a high character leader who plays with the grit and grind Dan Campbell prefers. OG isn’t an obvious need if second-year man Christina Mahogany can step in at RG for Kevin Zeitler. However, Graham Glasgow is going to be 33 and they don’t have much depth on the interior of their line. Getting a head start on keeping the o-line as a top unit is a good strategy. Booker isn’t an elite athlete but he’s a very good guard who wouldn’t miss a beat if he has to play.

29. New York Giants (TRADE with Washington): Jaxson Dart QB Ole Miss

The Commanders only have five picks in this draft and only two in the first four rounds, they take advantage of the Giants desire to get a QB and their need to get ahead of the Steelers who had moved down in this mock draft. Jaxson Dart has become the consensus third QB in the draft and the Giants missed out on the top two in round one. They need a QB of the future, it’s not Russell Wilson or Jameis Winston. They pay up a bit to move up from 34 to 29 and get into the first round to get Dart. He doesn’t have to start right away with Wilson on board but he could give Wilson a run for the job in training camp. The Giants probably have to give up the 34^th pick, their own third rounder (65) and maybe a pick next year. They pay an extra tax because it’s a QB and because Washington is in their division.

30. Buffalo Bills (13-4): Derrick Harmon DT Oregon

As much as I would like to give the Bills a CB here, they need outside CB help, the DT spot is too valuable and there are two good ones to choose from. I’m going with Harmon over Walter Nolan because Harmon is the bigger body who would spell DaQuan Jones next to Ed Oliver. Nolan might be more of the penetrating DT Oliver is. They can’t go wrong but I like Harmon’s fit. The team signed Joey Bosa to give them depth at DE but their depth at DT isn’t great. They signed Larry Ogunjobi who’s going to be 31and is going to miss six games with a PED suspension. They can find a solid CB prospect in round two or just re-sign Rasul Douglas and patch it together in the secondary again.

31. Kansas City Chiefs (15-2): Walter Nolan DT Ole Miss

The Chiefs gave LT Jaylon Moore enough money to believe he’s their starting LT next season. That moves Kinsley Suamataia inside to LG to replace Joe Thuney who they traded to Chicago. If they think that solves the left side of the offensive line they don’t have much left to do on offense. They re-signed Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster at WR. They could use a more dynamic RB but that’s a worry for later. On defense they lost some guys up front like Derrick Nnadi and Tershawn Wharton and Chris Jones needs some help. Walter Nolan is slightly undersized but he’s a pocket crusher and would give them some playmaking up front. An edge rusher and a safety would be nice but Nolan is a good value this late. The Chiefs usually do well with late round guys in the secondary so I would guess they wait to address safety or CB.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers (TRADE from Philadelphia): Malaki Starks S Georgia

I think the Steelers end up with Aaron Rodgers at QB and if they trade down it’s because they aren’t sold on Jaxson Dart as the long-term solution to the QB problem. The Steelers offense needs another RB but it’s not pressing and otherwise their needs are on defense. They could look for a younger defensive lineman but Starks is too good to pass up. He’s not an elite athlete by the combine standards but this guy is a real football player at safety. He does everything well and he would be a nice chess piece next to Minkah Fitzpatrick in the middle of the defense. No offense to DeShon Elliott, he’s a nice player, but Starks is a difference maker. He can play in the slot if they need him to or be a more traditional safety. He’s a steal at this pick, no pun intended.

SECOND ROUND

33. Cleveland Browns: Josh Conerly Jr. OT Oregon

If the Browns take a QB in round one, they should get him a real LT in round two. Conerly may be a little raw but he’s an elite athlete who can step in at LT immediately. They should really want to find someone other than Dewand Jones to play that spot.

34. Washington Commanders (from NYG): Luther Burden III WR Missouri

The Commanders traded for Deebo Samuel to get a YAC (yards after the catch) guy. Samuel is going to get hurt and miss time so why not get a real YAC guy who will play games for you. Burden has fallen down draft boards after a tough year but he’s a still a playmaker.

35. Tennessee Titans: Donovan Ezeiruaku Edge Boston College

The Titans signed Dre’Mont Jones and Lorenzo Carter to go with Arden Key as their edge rushers. They need to do better. Ezeiruaku isn’t ready to be a full-time edge player yet, he’s a little undersized but he will get after the QB. Solid addition to the rotation.

36. Jacksonville Jaguars: Grey Zabel C/G North Dakota St.

The Jaguars added Robert Hainsey from Tampa Bay at center because he knows the offense after playing for Liam Coen last season. That doesn’t mean he’s a good player. He was benched in Tampa for rookie C Graham Barton. Zabel is this year’s Barton, a guy who played OT in college but will likely be a center in the pros. Zabel is a better option than Hainsey.

37. Las Vegas Raiders: Quinshon Judkins RB Ohio St.

Judkins isn’t the next best RB in this class but Chip Kelly is the new OC in Vegas and he had Judkins at Ohio St. They already signed Raheem Mostert to be the speed back, Judkins is the power back to take most of the carries. Kelly knows he’ll fit his running game perfectly.

38. Minnesota Vikings (from NE): Tyliek Williams DT Ohio St.

The Vikings got better on the defensive line with Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave but Allen is 30 and Hargrave is 32, so those aren’t long-term solutions. Williams is a tough DT who plays the run well and gives them some youth and depth for now. He’s a solid investment in the future of the position too.

39. Chicago Bears: Nic Scourton DE Texas A&M

The Bears went luxury pick in round one with Jeanty, they go for best value here. Scourton had some first round buzz early but he was underwhelming at A&M. He needs to get back to being the guy he was at Purdue before he transferred to A&M. He has some juice as an edge rusher when he’s right and he might give them a little more than Austin Booker as the third DE in the rotation.

40. New Orleans Saints: Emeka Egbuka WR Ohio St.

This team has Chris Olave, who has concussion issues, Rasheed Shahid, who’s usually injured, and they just signed Brandin Cooks. You could say they need a WR. Egbuka is as solid as they get as a route runner and all-around WR. He would really help them with his consistency alone.

41. Chicago Bears: Aireontae Ursery OT Minnesota

Ursery could be used as an OG if Jonah Jackson has health issues and he’s a hedge against Braxton Jones not taking the next step. Ursery is a gigantic man and is more athletic than he gets credit for. He could end up being the long-term solution at LT or the future at LG, Joe Thuney is going to be 33 next season.

42. New York Jets: Jayden Higgins WR Iowa St.

The Jets have to get Justin Fields some pass catchers and while this team could grab a TE, I like Higgins here. It would be poetic if drafting one Iowa St. WR was the catalyst for dumping Allen Lazard, their current Iowa St. WR. Higgins is better.

43. San Francisco 49ers: Darius Alexander DT Toledo

The 49ers defensive line needs a lot of help and the DT position is especially rough. Alexander is a small school guy who looked great at the Senior Bowl and he’s the best DT left on the board. He shouldn’t be the only defensive lineman the 49ers take, but he’s a good start.

44. Dallas Cowboys: Benjamin Morrison Jr. CB Notre Dame

The Cowboys have Trevon Diggs returning from injury and DaRon Bland at CB but they lost Jourdan Lewis in free agency. Morrison is coming off a hip injury but if he’s okay, he’s a steal here. He can play the slot like Lewis did or he can play outside and Bland can play the slot. He gives them flexibility.

45. Indianapolis Colts: Donovan Jackson OG Ohio St.

Jackson steps in immediately at RG to replace Will Fries and he’s an excellent player to get here in round two. He played some LT at Ohio St. out of need but he has Pro Bowl potential as a guard in the NFL.

46. Atlanta Falcons: Trey Amos CB Ole Miss

The Falcons have been looking for a CB to play outside opposite AJ Terrell since they drafted AJ Terrell. Amos would give them that guy and allow Clark Phillips to be the nickel back like he should be. Just keep drafting defense Atlanta.

47. Arizona Cardinals: Jaylin Noel WR Iowa St.

Noel was a problem for opponents of Iowa St. He and Higgins were a dynamic duo and while Noel doesn’t have the physical profile of Higgins, he might be the more effective receiver. He would be an excellent complement to Marvin Harrison Jr., he can play in the slot or outside if needed.

48. Miami Dolphins: Azareye’h Thomas CB Florida St.

The Dolphins have Jalen Ramsey at one CB spot but as of now the other starting CB is Storm Duck, that’s not a good place to be. Thomas has great size and he can immediately start on this team. They need defensive help, Thomas would help.

49. Cincinnati Bengals: Landon Jackson DE Arkansas

The Bengals go defense again, it should be their theme. Jackson is a long DE prospect at 6’6 and he can give them some help on the edge for Trey Hendrickson. Sooner or later they should hit on one of these DE prospects they keep drafting.

50. Seattle Seahawks: Darien Porter CB Iowa St.

The Seahawks have Devon Witherspoon at one CB spot but he’s best in the slot. Riq Woolen is a one outside CB but they are going to have to make a decision on re-signing at some point. Porter is a big CB at 6’3 and while he’s a little underdeveloped because he’s only been a CB a couple years, he’s a talented player.

51. Denver Broncos: Jalen Royals WR Utah St.

The Broncos found their QB last year and not they are just trying to help him out. Courtland Sutton proved to be a WR1 last year for Bo Nix, they still need a complementary guy. Royals is a playmaker who is best with the ball in his hands. Sutton is the downfield guy, Royals would be the after the catch guy. He doesn’t overwhelm you with his physical stature but he’s a dynamic weapon.

52. Seattle Seahawks: Jonah Savaiinaea OL Arizona

Savaiinaea is a big man at 6’4 324 lbs. who would work best inside at OG but has spent time at OT. They need him at OG and he’s a good athlete who would work for the new offense. He also would be a nice hedge against Abe Lucas’ injury issues if they need him at RT. If they draft two OTs who they will play at OG with two of their first three picks, no one will bat an eyelash.

53. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jack Sawyer Edge Ohio St.

The Buccaneers are counting on Hassan Reddick to come back after a lost season. They need more help off the edge than that and Sawyer gives them a pass rusher. He’s not the most dynamic athlete but he’s the guy who never quits. He helps immediately off the edge.

54. Green Bay Packers: Alfred Collins DT Texas

The Packers have some good interior defensive tackles but they don’t have a big body guy after losing TJ Slaton in free agency. They need a guy like Collins to complement their guys like Kenny Clark, Devonte Wyatt, and Karl Brooks. Collins gives them a different skill set.

55. Los Angeles Chargers: Elic Ayomanor WR Stanford

The Chargers are bringing back Mike Williams after his really rough year with the Jets/Steelers, that’s how desperate they are for an outside WR. Ayomanor is 6’2 206 lbs. and would give them a great complement on the outside to Ladd McConkey’s inside dominance.

56. Buffalo Bills: Xavier Watts S Notre Dame

Watts is a safety who isn’t going to wow you with his physical gifts, he’s just going to play the position with great instincts and knowhow. That’s pretty much what Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer did for years, that works in this defense.

57. Carolina Panthers: Princely Umanmielen Edge Ole Miss

Umanmielen is a slightly undersized pass rusher but the Panthers have some bigger guys on the edge; Jadaveon Clowney, DJ Wonnum, and Patrick Jones Jr. They need a guy with a little speed off the edge, that’s Umanmielen’s game.

58. Houston Texans: Kaleb Johnson RB Iowa

The Texans need to get some more playmakers on offense and Johnson is a major playmaker. They have Joe Mixon but they don’t have a good second back. Johnson would fit the offensive system and he would be a great addition.

59. Baltimore Ravens: Carson Schwesinger LB UCLA

The Ravens are a team that likes to draft best player available and Schwesinger is probably that right here. They don’t need a LB but their roster rarely “needs” anyone in particular. Schwesinger gives them depth at LB and talent added to the roster.

60. Detroit Lions: JT Tuimoloau DE Ohio St.

Everyone likes to put Jack Sawyer with Aidan Hutchinson but I think he’s teammate Tuimoloau would be a great value pick here. He’s a great talent who doesn’t let up either.

61. Washington Commanders: Mason Taylor TE LSU

Mason Taylor is a good all-around TE who does everything well but isn’t a standout at any one thing. He’s going to be a good pro for a decade and he can be a good weapon for Jayden Daniels for a long time, they have also played together.

62. Buffalo Bills: Demetrius Knight Jr. LB South Carolina

The Bills have dealt with Matt Milano’s injuries over the last few years and have had to patch together the LB corps. Knight would give them a good athlete and tough LB they can count on.

63. Kansas City Chiefs: Treyveon Henderson RB Ohio St.

Every team in the league should be kicking themselves if they let the Chiefs get Henderson. Henderson is a blur on the field and would give the Chiefs the speed back they have been missing. He’s the perfect complement to Isaiah Pacheco and he’ll be awesome in Andy Reid’s offense.

64. Pittsburgh Steelers (from Philadelphia): Tyler Shough QB Louisville

The Steelers pick up this pick from Philly from the first-round trade. If they end up with Rodgers, Shough would be a great pick up here to be the guy for the near future. Rodgers isn’t a long-term solution and he may not even last the season if they keep George Pickens around. There’s no scenario where Rodgers and Pickens are on the same team all year and they don’t try to kill each other. Shough could be ready quickly to step in and he has starting caliber talent.

NFL Free Agency Thoughts

Free agency is going to have a major effect on the NFL draft and while I’ll start working on the next Mock Draft here soon, I thought I’d break down free agency a little bit before I do. I’m also waiting a little longer to start on the Mock Draft 3.0 because there are still some free agent dominos to fall that could have an effect. Where do Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson end up? That’s going to have an effect on the draft plans of teams like the Giants and Steelers. There are other guys who can affect the draft needs of teams because if you find a veteran starter you don’t have to draft for need. There are starting players like LT Cam Robinson, OG Teven Jenkins, and OG Brandon Scherff still unsigned. At WR, there are starters like Amari Cooper, Stefon Diggs, and Keenan Allen available. Potential defensive starters at every level are still out there too; Edge Azeez Ojulari, DE Calais Campbell, LB EJ Speed, CB Rasul Douglas, CB Asante Samuel Jr, and S Justin Simmons. These guys are likely short term fill in players but if a team like New England signs Robinson or Cooper, it changes the projections in the draft. If the Seahawks sign Teven Jenkins, their dire need at OG is a little less pressing, although they probably still need one. Douglas, Samuel, and Simmons could allow a team to skip a first-round reach in the secondary and draft best player available instead.

Team needs have already changed through free agency signings and some major trades but some trades may still be to come. The Bears draft strategy is completely altered with OGs Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and free agent center Drew Dalman on board. Their need for defensive linemen isn’t as dire either with DT Grady Jarrett and DE Dayo Odeyingbo added up front. I don’t agree with every move teams made and I’ll point those out as I go. I’m going to start with a more team centric approach and then address some individual moves I like or don’t like, maybe one or two I hate. Let’s gets started.

New England Patriots

I’m not just starting with them because it’s my team. They had the most cap space to work with and after spending a ton of money, they still have a ton of money. Their strategy to this off season became clear pretty quickly, spend big in free agency to fix the defense, I’m guessing they focus on the offense in the draft. I like that strategy because building a young offense around Drake Maye feels like the right move.

The defensive makeover.

There are a lot of moves here so stick with me. They gave DT Milton Williams $26 million a year. He was the biggest free agent to actually hit free agency and the Patriots went over the top to steal hi from the Panthers who thought they had him. He’s going to start, hopefully alongside Christian Barmore, who’s coming back after having blood clot issues last year. These two will be aggressive, attacking DTs in the middle just like Vrabel and new defensive coordinator Terrell Williams want. The Patriots pass rush was awful last year and Milton Williams should really help.

They didn’t stop with Williams to juice the pass rush. They signed Harold Landry after the Titans cut him for salary cap purposes. Landry isn’t what he was at his peak but he’s still a solid pass rusher and he’s a Vrabel guy. They overpaid but he’s a culture setter for this team and after last year’s debacle, they need some of those guys too. He’s also still a better edge rusher than anyone they had on the team except Keion White. White, Williams, Barmore, and Landry will be a lot better than last year’s group. They also made a smaller signing bringing in K’Lavon Chaisson on a one-year deal after he resurrected his career last season in Las Vegas. I’ve never been a Chaisson fan but if they use him as a pass rush specialist, like Vegas did, he can be a useful player and I’m not upset with his one-year, $5 million deal, they can afford it. The other addition up front was getting a big man to play a more traditional nose tackle spot. Khyiris Tonga is a 6’2 337 lbs. brick wall who will make their run defense better and help there LB group play better.

Speaking of the LB group, after re-signing LB Christian Elliss the team also went out and signed LB Robert Spillane from the Raiders. These two are changing the profile of the LB unit of the Patriots. Smaller, faster, more athletic players at the position give the defense more flexibility. Spillane plays like a madman and they need that type of attitude. The Patriots have overhauled the front seven and it was long overdue. This is a more modern unit and should seriously improve the defense.

They didn’t stop with the front seven. They signed CB Carlton Davis to be Christian Gonzalez’s running mate and now this team has two ass kicking man-to-man corners. They could be the best staring duo in the league. They also added a deep safety depth piece in Marcus Epps. He was injured last year but he gives them a good deep coverage safety, which is a skill set they really didn’t have at safety currently.

They mostly struck out on offense.

The Patriots didn’t do much on offense but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. They offered LT Ronnie Stanley and WR Chris Godwin more money than they re-signed with their respective teams for. The Patriots didn’t cheap out, there just weren’t a lot of great offensive free agents and the ones they wanted to spend money on decided to stay home. I can’t fault Stanley and Godwin; they are legecy players with their organizations. The Patriots never had a chance to bid on Tee Higgins because the Bengals franchised him and have been unreasonable in their demands for trades for both Higgins and Trey Hendrickson.

The Patriots did sign RT Morgan Moses from the Jets. He’ll be 34 next season but he’s always been a solid RT and had a good year in New York. He stabilizes the right side of line because he’s the RT, no questions asked, and that means Mike Onwenu can play RG and not be moved around. Otherwise on offense they grabbed depth pieces in free agency. QB Josh Dobbs replaces Jacoby Brissett as the veteran QB, WR Mack Hollins is a dirty work guy, and OL Wes Schweitzer is a versatile interior backup player who will make the younger interior o-linemen earn their roster spots.

What they could have still do?

The two positions the Patriots haven’t addressed are the two positions that were their biggest holes going into the off season. LT and WR still need major upgrades. They wanted Stanley and Godwin but when they struck out, they luckily didn’t overpay for other players. They didn’t overspend on Dan Moore or Jaylen Moore at LT and they didn’t offer Seattle the moon for DK Metcalf in a trade. Amari Cooper is still a viable option at WR but they shouldn’t break the bank for him or give too long of a deal. Cam Robinson would be a stop-gap LT but is also not worth overspending on. The Patriots free agency frenzy gives their defense a makeover, filled one hole at RT and brings clarity to their draft strategy. Draft a LT, WR, maybe a center prospect or a rangy safety and then some depth pieces. They could still grab a veteran OG or center if they find one like, C Andre James, although that may be too many former Raiders for my liking. I wouldn’t mind if they give Azeez Ojulari an offer, I think he’s a good pass rusher and you can never have too many of those. He would also be insurance against Landry’s potential drop off.

Chicago Bears

Ben Johnson clearly values the trenches.

The Bears didn’t wait for the start of free agency to start fixing their offensive line. They pulled off trades for LG Joe Thuney and RG Jonah Jackson before free agency even started. Ben Johnson is no stranger to a great offensive line and he clearly looked at the interior of the Bears line and said that’s not going to cut it. The team followed that up by signing the best center in free agency, Drew Dalman. Dalman isn’t the biggest or strongest guy but he’s a very solid center. Some of Dalman’s physical limitations will be negated playing between Thuney and Jackson. The paid him the second highest center contract in football and while he’s not that good, they overpaid for the major upgrade. When you have cap space it’s fine if you have to over spend to fix a major problem. The Patriots did it to fix their defensive line, the Bears did it to fix their offensive line. Having competent play inside will help their young OTs Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright. If the Bears decide to draft a new LT because they aren’t convinced Jones is the answer, please have them call Eliot Wolf with the Patriots, he has a draft pick or two he’ll give you for Jones.

Defensive line additions.

Ben Johnson didn’t stop with the offensive line. The two other big signings the Bears made were DE Dayo Odeyingbo and DT Grady Jarrett. The paid a premium for both guys and it’s understandable in the case of Odeyingbo, less so with Jarrett. Odeyingbo will be 26 next season, he’s been a solid player in Indianapolis and he fits the profile of a Dennis Allen DE. He’s 6’5 276 lbs. and he’s a pocket pusher. He’s never played opposite of a DE as good as Montez Sweat so that should help him. Betting big on a solid 26-year-old DE that he can take another step forward in a defense he fits well is a gamble worth making. Giving a soon-to-be 32-year-old DT a 3-year, $43.5 million deal is not worth it. Grady Jarrett has been slowing down as a player for a couple of years. At one time, he was the type of penetrating DT Dennis Allen could use but he’s not that guy any more and this contract isn’t going to age well. There were other DTs I think they should have made a play for instead. Poona Ford got less money from the Rams, Levi Onwuzurike got a one-year $5.5 million deal to stay in Detroit, either of them would have been money better spent.

The only other one of note.

The only other outside player acquisition worth noting is WR Olamide Zaccheus. He comes in as the much younger replacement slot receiver for Keenan Allen. I like the move because while Zaccheus is a good player and he won’t draw targets away from DJ Moore and Rome Odunze. Moore and Odunze need to be your playmakers and Zaccheus is the third or fourth option on any pass play. Keenan Allen was so good at getting open but he isn’t a dynamic playmaker at this point and it limits your offense.

What they could still do and draft thoughts.

This free agency period really filled the major holes on the roster and that’s great, it means they are open to anything in the draft. Like I mentioned before, if there is a LT at 10^th overall, they can draft him and trade Braxton Jones and not have to worry about his upcoming free agency and whether he’s worth a second contract or not. They should look for some depth at interior offensive line. Thuney and Jackson are huge upgrades at guard but Thuney is going to be 33 next year and Jonah Jackson hasn’t been the picture of health throughout his career. In the veteran market they could look for some safety depth, Kevin Byard is going to be 32 next season. They did also lose backup LB Jack Sanborn who was a useful player so getting some depth there either in free agency or the draft would be wise.

Buffalo Bills

They are keeping their window open.

The Bills moved on from Von Miller for salary cap reasons and because he’s not very good anymore. So, they went out and signed Joey Bosa to a one-year deal. If Bosa is healthy, that’s a BIG if, he makes their pass rush rotation quite good on the edge. Greg Rosseau, who got a hefty contract extension himself, and AJ Epenesa (he was re-signed last year), are two good, young DEs, Bosa brings a veteran presence. It should help Bosa that Rosseau and Epenesa can take on the bulk of the snaps and he can be used only to do the things he does best.

The other move the Bills made was replacing Amari Cooper, who they traded for at the deadline last year, with WR Josh Palmer from the Chargers. Cooper had bad year last year and he didn’t transition well to Buffalo, Palmer will certainly be and upgrade from that version of Cooper. Palmer isn’t a star but he’s a useful, outside WR who should pair nicely on the outside with Keon Coleman, they have different skill sets. And those two holding down the outside WR spots allows Khalil Shakir to play the slot, where he’s most valuable. Palmer’s presence should allow them to lessen the focus on TE Dalton Kincaid, who struggled to become a primary target last season.

Depth pieces and draft thoughts.

They also added DE Michael Hoecht and DT Larry Ogunjobi who add veteran depth to the defensive front. Both guys will miss the first six games of next year with PED suspensions but they will be valuable pieces once they are available. If history is any indication, week seven or so is when Joey Bosa will be banged up so Hoecht will be especially valuable. In the draft, this team can go anywhere. This roster is pretty sound. The secondary is probably where they need to look for help but they could still re-sign a veteran like Rasul Douglas, he’s been here before, or Asante Samuel Jr. They will draft best player available and let whoever it is, ease into their playing time because they don’t need them to start right away.

Carolina Panthers

There’s a fine line between spending and stupid spending.

The first thing that stands out is the re-signing of CB Jaycee Horn. I’m all for rewarding your good young players when you find someone worth investing in, but they made Horn the highest paid CB in history with a 4-year, $100 million contract. It’s a serious overpay because while Horn is a good CB, he’s nowhere near being the best in the game. I feel sorry for the Texans when they have to negotiate with Derek Stingley Jr., his contract demands just skyrocketed. Then the Panthers reacted to losing DT Milton Williams at the 11^th hour by overpaying Tershawn Wharton from the Chiefs. Wharton had a good year but 3 years, $54 million was over the top. I think they will live to regret this one. They actually made a much smarter signing getting NT Bobby Brown III from the Rams, he’s a good young player who will help them. The 2-year, $20 million deal for Patrick Jones II from the Vikings might have been a bit too much but they do need edge help and Jones had a solid year in Minnesota. They just have to hope he wasn’t a decent player made much better by Brian Flores’ scheme they need him to be the best version of himself in Carolina.

The best deal they made and the smart deals.

S Tre’von Moehrig is an underrated safety who can really help this defense. It’s a big contract but it’s a big upgrade in the secondary for them. Moehrig will make like easier and cover for a lot of mistakes made in front of him. They have been going with middling talent at safety for years, they finally invested in a difference maker. I also really like the Rico Dowdle signing at RB. I wasn’t a fan of Dowdle as a starter in Dallas last season but here, he’s a back up to Chuba Hubbard and a pretty good one. That will make the offense a little easier for Bryce Young as there won’t be such a drop off when Hubbard comes out of the game. I mentioned the Bobby Brown III signing I really like and picking up his Rams teammate LB Christian Rozeboom is a solid move too. Rozeboom isn’t a needle mover but he’s a solid LB and they need the depth.

Draft thoughts.

They mostly spent money on the defense in free agency and that was mostly in the front seven, Moehrig being the one big exception being added. They still need edge rush help and a CB opposite Jaycee Horn. They didn’t add anyone except Rico Dowdle on the offensive side of the ball and they are a prime team to draft WR Tetairoa McMillan or TE Tyler Warren early in round one. They are looking to do the same thing the Patriots did, sign defensive free agents, and build a young offense around your young QB in the draft. I can’t argue with the strategy; I can argue with a few of the moves here.

Minnesota Vikings

Beef up the lines.

The interior of the Vikings offensive and defensive lines left a lot to be desired last year so they attacked those areas in free agency. C Ryan Kelly is an aging player but he’s a massive upgrade over Garrett Bradbury, a guy the team has wanted to move on from for a while. The Kelly deal is only two years so he’s a stop-gap but a valuable one. The big money was spent on his Colts teammate RG Will Fries. Fries missed most of last season with an injury but the Vikings don’t seem worried, they gave him a 5-year, $88 million deal. The good news is Fries is only going to be 27 this year so they are getting him in his prime.

They also decided to beef up the interior of the defensive line with DT Jonathan Allen and DT Javon Hargrave. This is far more suspect than the moves on the interior of the line. Allen is 30 and was cut for salary cap purposes by the Commanders. He can still play but they are paying him $20 million a year, he’s not that guy any more. Hargrave was cut by the 49ers because he was overpaid, coming off an injury, and wasn’t all that productive when he was healthy for them. Oh, and he’s 32. They only gave him a two-year deal but $15 million a year seems excessive.

Two moves I liked and one I don’t hate

They re-signed CB Byron Murphy who has really blossomed in Brian Flores’ defense. Then they got him some help by signing CB Isaiah Rodgers from Philadelphia. Rodgers isn’t great but they got him for 2 years, $15 million total, that’s a good deal for a starting caliber corner and Flores could make him look good. I like those deals for a secondary that needed CBs going into the off season. Re-signing Aaron Jones was a decent deal even if 2 years, $20 million is a bit much for a guy his age. Jones is still a good back and the deal doesn’t preclude them from drafting a RB.

What’s next?

This team still needs CB help and I would say a guy like Asante Samuel Jr. at a reasonable price wouldn’t be the worst idea. The defensive line got better in theory with Allen and Hargrave but it undoubtedly got older. They need to find some young defensive linemen in the draft, luckily this draft is full of them. Losing Cam Bynum at safety will hurt. Theo Johnson and Josh Mettelus are nice depth but they need a real starter opposite Harrison Smith, and by the way, Harrison Smith is 36. If this team signs Aaron Rodgers it will end worse than the Brett Favre era of Vikings football, they should let Rodgers go to Pittsburgh and grab a veteran QB to back up JJ McCarthy and get his era started. Sign a backup like Joe Flacco, Drew Lock, or Cooper Rush.

Seattle Seahawks

Mike McDonald moves on from the Carroll Era.

The Seahawks aren’t messing around changing up the vibes in Seattle. QB Geno Smith was traded to the Raiders, WR DK Metcalf was shipped to the Steelers, WR Tyler Lockett was cut, and even DE Dre’Mont Jones was let go. The Seahawks didn’t want to pay Geno Smith the reported $45 million/year he was asking for so they pivoted. The traded him to Las Vegas (Pete Carroll’s new team) for a third-round pick and then signed the top free agent QB on the market, Sam Darnold. Darnold is seven years younger than Smith and is making around $7-8 million less per season than Smith wanted. Darnold is also likely a better schematic fit with new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak who worked with him for a year in San Francisco two years ago. The team flipped their WR group too. Jaxon Smith-Njiba became the go-to guy last year and the Seahawks didn’t want to invest in DK Metcalf long-term. Metcalf goes to Pittsburgh for a second-round pick and he got overpaid there instead. They also cut Tyler Lockett because he’s getting older and just wasn’t the guy he once was. Metcalf and Lockett have been replaced by Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Cooper Kupp. Kupp can be everything Lockett has been lately, if he stays healthy. No matter what you think of Metcalf, and I’m not his biggest fan, MVS is a serious downgrade on the outside.

What else happened?

The team re-signed LB Ernest Jones IV after trading for him last season. He’s a good fit in McDonald’s defense. They also re-signed DL Jarran Reed, also a good fit in the defense. They signed DE Demarcus Lawrence from Dallas. He may be a fit too but he’s going to be 33 and they gave him a 3-year, $42 million deal, that was excessive. It’s a changing of the guard in Seattle in a real way.

What’s next?

Well, they signed OL Josh Jones, who is a well-traveled veteran who can play OT or OG in a pinch but they have to upgrade the interior of the offensive line or none of the offensive changes will matter. Kubiak comes from the Shanahan coaching tree so they can hope he can mitigate some of the issues on the offensive line but you need some talent. There first three picks in the draft should be OG, OG, WR in some order. One of the OG picks could be a C/G prospect if they find one. Sam Darnold is a bad QB when he’s under pressure and pressure from the inside will ruin him.

Houston Texans

The mind of GM Nick Caserio is an interesting place.

After a great first year under DeMeco Ryans and rookie QB CJ Stroud two years ago, the Texans made some win now moves and it didn’t go so well, on offense anyway. Former OC Bobby Slowik went from genius up-and-coming coach to former OC in a season after the offensive line fell apart and their WR group got hurt. Caserio’s response was to trade LT Laramy Tunsil and OG Kenyon Green and cut OG Shaq Mason. None of those guys played particularly well last season but usually you would look to replace them with better players. At LT, I don’t know the plan. Either RT Blake Fisher or former RT Tytus Howard moves there, or they draft one. At OG they signed Laken Tomlinson, who’s been washed up for a couple of years and traded for Ed Ingram, a guy who got benched in Minnesota last year. One of those two probably has to start at this point, my money is on Tomlinson but it’s not a great strategy. A rebuilt and reshuffled offensive line will be breaking in a first time play calling OC Nick Caley. Caley seems like a smart guy but this is a house of cards

The team also traded for WR Christian Kirk who fell out of favor in Jacksonville. Not sure why they traded for his contract when the Jaguars were going to cut him. Guess they didn’t want to bid in the open market against all the other teams that would have been clamoring for Kirk after his down years in Jacksonville. They do need Kirk with Stefon Diggs a free agent they aren’t bringing back and Tank Dell’s gruesome knee injury. They also signed WR Jaylen Watson and WR Braxton Berrios but I’m not sure those guys are upgrades over holdovers Xavier Hutchinson and John Metchie III.

One smart move, maybe.

Nick Caserio traded OG Kenyon Green, a former first-round pick who had been benched, to the Eagles for safety/nickelback CJ Gardner-Johnson. He was starter for them in the Super Bowl so he’s a nice piece for a secondary in Houston that should be really good. My only concern, Gardner-Johnson seems to wear out his welcome everywhere he goes (he’s done it twice in Philadelphia) and the Eagles offensive line guru Jeff Stoutland is probably going to turn Green into the offensive lineman people thought he was going to be when he was drafted in the first round. Gardner-Johnson will help the Texans defense this year, but they will probably want to move on from him in a year while Green because a starting OG for someone else.

What’s next?

I assume the Texans will target a LT in round one of the draft, there is a dire need there. Tunsil is certainly past his prime and there were rumblings that his work ethic and attitude was not a good fit for DeMeco Ryans and culture he’s building. That’s fine but if CJ Stroud gets killed behind a bad o-line, things get ugly in Houston fast. They once ruined a #1 overall QB pick because they didn’t protect him. They also need interior o-line help and if a really good WR falls to them, the guys on their roster shouldn’t preclude them from drafting one.

Tennessee Titans

What they didn’t do says a lot.

The Titans made plenty of moves but they didn’t even attempt to sign a veteran starting QB and they even lost their veteran backup. Unless they know something the rest of the world doesn’t about Brandon Allen, this team is drafting Cam Ward with the #1 overall pick. They made major moves on the offensive line to fix that unit and it feels like they are trying to make an environment conducive to a new QB. They seriously overspent on LT Dan Moore. This is why teams draft LTs, even not good LTs get a ton of money on the free agent market. Moore will be an upgrade on JC Latham who was miscast as a LT last year as a rookie. This moves Latham over to the RT spot where he should be far more comfortable. They then signed veteran hired gun RG Kevin Zeitler. Zeitler may be 35 but he was still really good last year for the Lions. Now their line has LT Moore, LG Peter Skoronski, C Lloyd Cushenberry, RG Zeitler and RT Latham, that’s a good unit. There’s something wrong with the weakest link Moore being the highest paid but beggars can’t be choosers and they were begging for a better LT.

What this means.

It means Cam Ward is going number one overall and the New York Giants have to decide how hard they want to push for Aaron Rodgers vs. do they even want Russell Wilson vs. would they take Shadeur Sanders third overall. Not great choices all around. Titans still need help at WR, no, Van Jefferson doesn’t count. They added some solid pieces to the defense; LB Cody Barton, DE Dre’Mont Jones, and S Xavier Woods, but none of those guys are changing their fate. It’s all on Cam Ward at this point (or it will be once they officially draft him). They should try to trade Will Levis before the draft, once they draft Ward and other teams take QBs in the later rounds, they lose all leverage. Tell me the Browns, Giants, Raiders or Rams wouldn’t give up a pick to have Levis as a guy competing to start or as a young backup to an aging starter.

Hott Read Quick Hitters (Moves I like)

The Arizona Cardinals needed help in the front seven and they signed DT Dalvin Tomlinson, DE Josh Sweat, and LB Akeem Davis-Gaither. Sweat is exactly the type of edge rusher they need and he’s familiar with Jonathan Gannon’s defense. Tomlinson is a big bodied NT who gives them a tough run defender. Davis-Gaither isn’t great but he adds some speed at ILB, they need that.

The Bengals signed DT TJ Slaton from Green Bay. He’s a young DT with some nice size and should help their defensive line. He wasn’t too expensive and that’s good, they don’t have much money to invest on defense.

There aren’t a lot of good things to say about the Cowboys but I’m a Javonte Williams fan and they got him cheap. He could have resurgent year if they fix the offensive line.

The Broncos signed LB Dre Greenlaw, if he’s healthy, he’s an ass kicker, he’ll fit right in. They also signed Evan Engram who is a pretty good fit for Sean Payton’s offense and will be a big help to Bo Nix.

The Lions didn’t want to pay Carlton Davis what the Patriots were willing to give him so they signed DJ Reed from the Jets. Reed is a really good CB and they shouldn’t miss a beat.

The Colts finally decided to spend some money to fix the secondary. CB Charvarius Ward is an excellent player and a true CB1. They also signed S Cam Bynum who’s an underrated player and a massive upgrade for them.

The Chiefs made some dubious moves but signing CB Kristian Fulton could really pay off. They didn’t pay him a ton and when he plays, he’s a good CB. They just need him to play.

The Raiders decided to get an actual NFL QB this year when they traded for Geno Smith. They also gave Maxx Crosby a huge extension that made him the highest paid non-QB in football for four days until Myles Garrett signed. Crosby deserved the contract and Geno will be a good QB for them.

The Chargers are doubling down on being a power football team. They signed OG Mekhi Becton to solidify the offensive line and RB Najee Harris. Harris has gotten a bad rap at times because the Steelers haven’t always put the best line in front of him. Despite that, Harris has four straight 1000 yard seasons and he never misses a game. He’s not a game breaker but he’s more reliable than JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards were last year. The Chargers are planning to run you over. Look for them to draft a speed complement to Harris.

The Rams cut Cooper Kupp because he’s aging and clearly has lost a step. They signed Devante Adams to become their outside X receiver like they used to have with guys like Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandin Cooks. It’s the perfect situation for Adams because that’s what he does well. He’s not the Adams from his prime in Green Bay but he doesn’t have to be. Puka Nacua takes over the Kupp role and Adams makes his life easier.

The New York Jets gave QB Justin Fields a 2-year, $40 million deal. That’s seems high but when your last two QBs were Zach Wilson and Aaron Rodgers you do what you have to do. Fields is worth the flyer. He’s the bridge to whomever they draft in the 2026 draft, for now, they are just treading water. I did like their signing of S Andre Cisco, he’ll be good in Aaron Glenn’s defense.

The Steelers finally said screw it and signed CB Darius Slay. Slay is 34 but he just helped the Eagles win a Super Bowl and he’s still better than any second CB the Steelers have employed in years. They have Joey Porter Jr. as CB1, Slay will be a high-end #2.

One signing I feel will be better than anyone has even thought of is the Eagles signing AJ Dillon. Dillon never stayed healthy in Green Bay but if he’s healthy enough to back up Saquan and replace the departed Kenneth Gainwell, he could be a monster behind that offensive line.

Hott Read Quick Hitters (Moves I don’t like)

The Cleveland Browns traded for Kenny Pickett. Haven’t Browns fans suffered enough. If they don’t find an actual starter and Pickett starts next year, that’s just cruel.

I liked the Cowboys signing Javonte Williams, now let’s see what I didn’t like. They traded for not one but two former first round busts; CB Kaiir Elam and LB Kenneth Murray. Then they signed two former first round busts; DT Solomon Thomas and DE Payton Turner. Someone needs to kick Jerry Jones out of the old scouting file room. They didn’t overpay these guys but counting on this many guys who have failed is not a great strategy.

The Broncos got Dre Greenlaw from the 49ers, loved it, but they also signed S Talanoa Hufanga to a 3-year, $45 million deal. Hufanga is an ass kicker like Greenlaw but it backfires on him, he gets hurt, a lot. That’s a lot of money for a guy who can’t stay on the field.

The Packers gave LG Aaron Banks a 4-year, $77 million deal. Banks was fine last year but he wasn’t good. Also, the Packers o-line wasn’t a problem and getting a guard to stick inside so they could move Elgton Jenkins to center is a problem for the middle rounds of the draft, if that. They have Sean Rhyan and last year’s first rounder Jordan Morgan so it wasn’t a glaring need. That might be the biggest overpay of the year since I can sort of justify the Titans need for Dan Moore. The 49ers line was bad last year and yet Banks and the next guy some how both got overpaid for it.

The Chiefs proved why it sucks to be desperate for a LT. They gave LT Jaylon Moore, who was Trent Williams’ back up in San Francisco, a 2-year, $30 million deal. Moore has some upside but this is why you draft LTs and not try to sign them in free agency.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were so desperate for WR help they traded a second-round pick (not a terrible price in draft compensation) to Seattle for DK Metcalf. The real problem was giving him a 5-year, $150 million extension (that is a terrible price). $30 million a year is WR1 money and DK Metcalf isn’t a true WR1. He looks like one but he isn’t. This is also going to complicate things with George Pickens. I’m pretty sure the Steelers want to move on from Pickens but if they do, they are right back to where they were. A fake #1 WR with a bunch of 3^rd and 4^th WR behind him and no real #2. I’m not sure who is going to be desperate enough to trade for Pickens (I’m pretty sure Mike Vrabel will never be desperate enough to sign off on that move no matter how bad the Patriots WRs are). I would say maybe the Cowboys looking for a WR2 behind CeeDee Lamb but Pickens is going to want to get paid and the Cowboys aren’t trading for a guy who wants the kind of money Pickens will want. (Sorry that one wasn’t so quick).

Finally, the Commanders are falling into the old trap many teams have fallen into before (the Texans just did it last year). You have great success in the first year of a new regime and a rookie QB and you think you are closer than you are. Washington made two dumb trades; they gave up four draft picks (over the next two years) for Laramy Tunsil and they traded for Deebo Samuel. Tunsil is fine at LT but he’s getting older and losing those four picks is going to haunt them in a few years when they are lacking depth and Tunsil is retired. They only gave up a late pick for Deebo but they picked up his contract. It’s not a ton of money for a WR2 but Deebo gets hurt and misses time and he’s just not the playmaker he was. The Commanders defense played beyond their talent at the end of last year and if they regress next year, it won’t matter how good the offense is, they will have a worse record. Those draft picks they gave up over the next two years will be missed. (Sorry, that one wasn’t quick either)

The New Era of Hawkeye Basketball

A new coach brings renewed excitement.

Iowa fired head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffrey after 15 years in Iowa City and all I can say is, it was time. I have been out on Iowa men’s hoops for a few years already and judging by attendance at Carver for the games, many of you are right there with me. When you can’t get a team that has Luka Garza, Joe Wieskamp, and the Murry twins out of the first round of the NCAA tournament, you’re done. Iowa was never going to have more talent than that team under Fran and he was unwilling to change his coaching. It’s entertaining to watch your team go out and score 80-85 points a game, unless your team routinely gives up 90 and gets beat. Fran made his bed when he refused to even acknowledge the team needed to play defense. But hey, I’m done talking about Fran, lets get to the fun part. Who’s next?

I’m going to list some guys here and give you a little idea of why they may be on the list, why they may get the job, why they may not get the job and what I think. To be clear, the job is almost certainly Darian DeVries’ if he wants it. The current West Virginia coach has ties to the state, ties to Iowa, and is a really good coach. Ben McCollum from Drake is almost certainly the back up to DeVries if something goes wrong and I can’t see him turning it down. I’m good with either of these two simply because they aren’t Fran and I’ve been ready to move on for a while. I’ll list some others I think Iowa should check on but probably won’t.

It’s his job, he just has to say Yes

Darian DeVries – West Virginia Head Coach

DeVries is from Aplington, IA and is the brother of former Hawkeye football legend Jared DeVries. While Darian played his college ball at UNI, they are a Hawkeye family and it has been widely reported the Iowa job is his dream job. He was a long-time assistant to Greg McDermott at Creighton and then had a great six year run at Drake that got him the West Virginia coaching job.

Why he’s the right guy:

West Virginia hasn’t had the best year but they are a likely NCAA tournament team and he pulled that off with his best player, his son Tucker, missing the season with an injury. Instead, he turned a different transfer player, Javon Small, into an All-Conference player at guard. Iowa is going to lose guys in the transfer portal and they need a coach who can recruit the portal to replace those losses. DeVries did it last year at West Virginia and he would likely bring Tucker with him as he should get a medical redshirt season for this year. One place Fran McCaffrey often had trouble in recruiting was getting elite guards to come to Iowa. DeVries just proven he can get a guy and make him an All-Conference player in a very good basketball conference.

Why he might not happen:

Iowa has been lagging behind in NIL money for the basketball program. Beth Goetz has to be able to show DeVries that Iowa donors are going to support the NIL program because he has NIL support at West Virginia and NIL is far more important in college basketball than any other sport, including football. The biggest thing going for Goetz is that Fran had been losing fan support before NIL even was a thing and she can hopefully sell the fan base and donors on the excitement of a new coach and a new direction. To me NIL is the only thing standing between Iowa and DeVries, he’s a smart coach who understands how important it is to being successful in college basketball and he may not come to Iowa if they can’t deliver.

The Guy on deck if DeVries doesn’t happen

Ben McCollum – Drake Head Coach

McCollum is also an Iowa native, born in Iowa City and graduated high school in Storm Lake. He was a ridiculously successful Division II head coach at Northwest Missouri State winning 4 National Championships. With all his success he was able to wait to take a coaching job he wanted and took the Drake job this last year. All he did in his first year was go 30-3 and win the Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles.

Why he’s the right guy:

This guy just wins. Once he got things rolling at Northwest Missouri State, he was a juggernaut. He knows how to coach a team and win. He’s young, ambitious, and wants to be great. He’s from Iowa so this could be a destination job for him and he proved his loyalty staying at his own alma mater for so long even though he had other opportunities to move up. His energy and enthusiasm would play well with an Iowa fanbase that had grown tired of McCaffrey and he might be the polar opposite of McCaffrey when it comes to his personality. McCaffrey was always a bit curmudgeonly and could be a bit surly. McCollum is much more engaging and personable. That is going to be a major part of the turnaround at Iowa because the next coach has to win back the fan base.

Why it might not happen:

The question with McCollum comes from two things, he’s only been a Div. I head coach for a year. He was really successful this season but a lot of that was due to him bringing in his best players from Northwest Missouri State. It’s not a reach to think the best players from the best Div. II program could step up into the Missouri Valley Conference, be coached by the same coach, run the same system and be great there. It’s a different ballgame when you’re talking about stepping into the Big Ten. Can McCollum get the type of athletes and players to compete at this level? That’s a big question.

The other issue might be his style of play. Drake did the same thing Northwest Missouri State did which was slow the pace, play great defense, and grind out wins. It’s not the most exciting brand of basketball. I’m not someone who thinks this will matter as much to the fans, if the team is winning. If the team struggles at all, McCollum will immediately be compared to Todd Lickliter and no one wants that. One place this could be a problem is in recruiting the type of basketball players it takes to compete in the Big 10. I think this is a lesser issue but it’s still something to consider.

The Guy Iowa should seriously consider but won’t

Will Wade – McNeese State Head Coach

Why Iowa should give him a look:

I’ll get right to it with Wade, this guy just wins wherever he goes. He won at Chattanooga, VCU, LSU, and now at McNeese St. He just really knows how to coach and he can recruit to his style too. He’s still only 42 and he’s been a successful head coach at various levels of Div. I including in the SEC at LSU. By the time you read this, he may be the head coach at NC State.

Why Iowa won’t do it:

First, by the time you read this, he may be the head coach at NC State. Second, Will Wade got fired at LSU when he got caught up in the recruiting scandal where the FBI had wiretaps of some coaches talking to various go-betweens with recruits about money they were going to be paid. This was just as NIL was starting to happen but the rules were still against it. LSU fired him to save face because the NCAA accused him of fraud and bribery. Three years later what he did would be called negotiating with an agent about an NIL payment. It’s a bit of a gray area right now but when the House settlement takes effect over this next summer, this will just be called contract negotiations. The NCAA is such a joke. Beth, go hire Will Wade!

Guys I could get behind if they get the job for some reason

Niko Medved – Colorado State Head Coach

Why Iowa will look at him:

Medved is the third guy on this list to coach at Drake. He was only there one season before he left for Colorado State and DeVries took over the Bulldogs. He did well enough that season to get the promotion to Colorado State and he’s been pretty solid there. He’s mostly coached in the Midwest and he’s originally from Minneapolis.

Why it won’t be him:

He went to college at the University of Minnesota and was an assistant there for a short time and Minnesota just fired their head coach Ben Johnson. Unless Iowa seriously outbids the Gophers for Medved because they strike out on other candidates, he’s going to be Minnesota’s head coach next year.

Chris Collins – Northwestern Head Coach

Why him?

Collins has been at Northwestern for a decade and he may have maxed out what that program could be. He took them to an NCAA tournament, something they had never done. He’s a Chicago guy after growing up there when his dad Doug Collins was coaching the Bulls. He’s well respected in the Chicago area and it would be awesome if Iowa could get some Chicagoland recruits to consider the Hawkeyes from time to time. He is only 50 years old so if he wants to make a change, now would be the time.

Why if won’t be him:

Rarely do coaches move from one conference team to another, although that may change as conferences keep growing and excluding coaches from your own conference might really limit your choices. He is probably higher on Beth Goetz’s list than I have him but I’m not sure she gets this far down the list.

Ryan Odom – VCU Head Coach

Why him?

He’s a little outside the box since he’s more of an east coast guy but he can coach some ball. VCU just won the Atlantic 10 title in his second year. He has the pedigree, his father was a long-time college coach Dave Odom who had a lot of success at Wake Forest. Ryan was also the head coach at UMBC when they were a 16 seed in the NCAA tournament a few years ago and beat #1 seed Virginia. The irony now is that he is the leading candidate to take over Virginia this off season after Tony Bennett, the National Championship winning former coach, left before the season because he was over coaching college basketball.

Why it won’t be him:

He’s almost certainly going to just take the Virginia job, he knows the area really well. Geographic knowledge helps when it comes to recruiting and Odom is well known and respected in the area. If Beth has time, he’s worth a call.

The Dark Horse Candidate

Alan Huss – High Point Head Coach

Why him?

He’s a rising name in college basketball at a school no one knows. He has a very tangential connection to Iowa but more so he’s connected to the Midwest area. He’s originally from Kansas and played basketball at Creighton under Dana Altman. He also later retuned to Creighton and was an assistant under Greg McDermott. Before that is where his very loose Iowa connection comes in. He was an assistant coach at New Mexico under Craig Neal who was an assistant at Iowa and New Mexico under Steve Alford. How’s that for six degrees of separation.

Why if won’t be him:

He’s been a head coach for two years at High Point. This would take a serious leap of faith on the part of Beth Goetz and she would be putting her job on the line with this hire.

This would be Iowa really settling for a guy just because he’s not Fran

Chris Jans – Mississippi St. Head Coach

Why him?

Mostly because he’s a Loras College graduate and an Iowa native. He’s been pretty successful at Miss St. and that makes him a guy with success at the highest level of college coaching in the SEC. If Iowa gets this far down the list, he’s not the worst choice.

Why it won’t be him:

In 2015 he was fired as head coach at Bowling Green after an incident in a bar where he was seen making “lewd and inappropriate behavior” towards some women at a campus bar. It’s been ten years and he’s had two head coaching jobs without incident since then so maybe it shouldn’t be disqualifying, but for Iowa, it probably is.

Steve Forbes – Wake Forest Head Coach

Why him?

He’s a native of Lone Tree, IA and has had some success as a college head coach at places like East Tennessee State and a little at Wake Forest. Mostly he’s been a high-level assistant under some good head coaches like Bruce Pearl and Gregg Marshall.

Why it won’t be him:

If he was from some small town in any of the 49 other states, he wouldn’t be mentioned for the job. I’m sure Iowa would be a dream job for him, I can’t imagine he’s high on Beth Goetz list and if Iowa hires Steve Forbes, people may rethink the firing Fran McCaffrey.

The NBA guys that aren’t real candidates:

Nick Nurse, Nate Bjorkgren, and Ryan Bowen

All three of three of these guys are Iowa natives so I am required by law to include them. And I’ve literally received texts or messages asking about each of them from different people.

-Nick Nurse hasn’t coached in college since the mid-90s except for the four days he was a Greg McDermott assistant at Iowa St. before McDermott left for Creighton, didn’t take Nurse with him and the new Iowa State coach then didn’t retain him. He’s coached in Europe, the NBA G-League and been an assistant and now a two-time head coach in the NBA. He won an NBA title as coach of the Raptors and is currently the coach of the 76ers. He’s likely going to get fired after this season as Philadelphia has been awful this year and someone has to take the blame. He’s 57 years old and something tells me he’s not taking the Iowa job.

-Nate Bjorkgren has been a long-time assistant coach in the NBA and he’s from Storm Lake, IA. Weird that two coaches on this list have ties to Storm Lake. He was Nurse’s assistant in Toronto when they won the NBA title together. He has never coached in college so this would be a strange move. He had a one-year stint as an NBA head coach with the Indiana Pacers and it did not end well so he’s the longest of longshots.

-Ryan Bowen would be the most likely of these three as he is not only an Iowa native but was also a really good player for the Hawkeyes before his nine year NBA career. His coaching experience is mostly as an assistant with Mike Malone in both Sacramento and Denver. He was an assistant with the Nuggets when they won the NBA title a couple of years ago. He did spend one year as the video coordinator for Fran McCaffrey at Iowa between stints as an assistant in the NBA. He’s worth a call for Beth Goetz if for some reason DeVries, McCollum, and a couple of others turn down the job.

Should I throw in the obligatory BJ Armstrong mention? One of the most famous and recognizable Hawkeyes of the past 40 years and he played with Michael Jordan in the NBA. Sorry, people but BJ is 57 years old and has never coached. He’s not starting now, let it go.

2025 NFL Mock Draft 2.0

Post combine but before free agency.

Every year the NFL combine is one of the most polarizing events in the pre-draft run up and this year will be no different. You don’t even have to work out to have a bad combine, just ask Shadeur Sanders. Clarity comes in many forms, a guy is faster than you thought, a guy is slower than you hoped. He doesn’t measure up, literally, or he has some bad interviews with teams. This is the current narrative with Sanders, teams apparently didn’t like his attitude during interviews. There have always been some mixed reviews about Sanders as he can be brash and arrogant, but those are traits that most QBs have to some extent. You kind of have to if you’re a top QB prospect. Some teams will make moves with a veteran or deals start to come together before the league year starts next week and that will have some effect on the draft. There are other things that have happened to change this mock draft so I’ll start with some news that changes things.

Matthew Stafford is staying in LA with the Rams which means the Giants and Raiders had to either pivot to other veterans when free agency opens or they look to the draft. The Raiders pivoted to a trade for Geno Smith from Seattle, which changes the calculus for the Raiders and the Seahawks. The Bears have traded for two new starting offensive guards in Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson so all those mock drafts with them taking Tyler Booker are out the window. Alaric Jackson re-signed with the Rams meaning that’s one less option for the Patriots at LT so if they strike out with Ronnie Stanley, LT becomes the priority with the fourth pick. Tee Higgins got franchised again by the Bengals so the Patriots may have to look elsewhere in free agency for a WR or they look for one in the draft again. Sam Darnold didn’t get franchised by the Vikings so he’s the top available veteran QB and could be in play for Tennessee, Cleveland, NY Giants, Pittsburgh, or all of the sudden, Seattle. Things will become clearer next week as teams start signing free agents but what’s the fun in waiting for that, lets Mock Draft.

1. New York Giants (TRADE from Tennessee): Cam Ward QB Miami

This starts with Tennessee making a move this next week at QB. I think they are the dark horse to sign Darnold and then they can look to move the first pick for some draft capital. They don’t want to drop too far, they made it clear they want one of the best players in the draft, that means either Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter. They move down to three and let the Giants come up to get their QB. Ward can be a Brian Daboll’s mini-version of Josh Allen only he won’t have to fix Ward’s accuracy, he’s pretty accurate. Ward isn’t as big as Allen but he has some movement skills and he has all the throws in his bag that make him a legit NFL QB. He doesn’t lack for confidence in his arm and he will allow Daboll to unlock all the parts of the offense in New York. And he’ll make Malik Nabers very happy.

2. Cleveland Browns (3-14): Abdul Carter Edge Penn St.

The Browns seem adamant they are not trading Myles Garrett and I tend to believe them because there just isn’t a deal out there that seems feasible. Trading him for two late first round picks and some other picks doesn’t seem like enough and its only really good teams that would trade for him so you’re not getting top draft choices. Either way, I think they take Carter to either pair with Garrett on the defensive line and/or as a hedge against eventually losing him either in a trade or free agency. Carter has a stress reaction in his foot (whatever that means) and it will need to be thoroughly checked out but I don’t think it will end up hurting his draft stock. He’s one of the two blue chip prospects in this draft and Cleveland would be lucky to land him. I also think this is where Kirk Cousins ends up as stopgap at QB so they don’t take one this early.

3. Tennessee Titans (TRADE from NY Giants): Travis Hunter CB/WR Colorado

The Titans pick up a third rounder this year and another pick next year to move down two spots and they still get arguably the best player in the draft. Hunter can be the CB1 this team needs after L’Jarius Snead wasn’t everything they thought he could be. He’s also the CB1 they wished they had gotten when they drafted Caleb Farley a couple of years ago. He can also be a part-time WR to give them some juice opposite Calvin Ridley for a new QB, Sam Darnold or otherwise. New GM Mike Borgonzi and the new front office said they didn’t want to pass on a generational prospect, well, here’s the generational prospect and you picked up two more picks, that’s good process.

4. New England Patriots (4-13): Will Campbell OT LSU

Alaric Jackson is off the market and as much as I think they will make a major offer to Ronnie Stanley, I think he goes back to Baltimore. He’s been there a long time, he’s an older player, and unless the money difference is ridiculous, he’s going to stick with the team that is closer to winning a Super Bowl while he’s still playing. That puts OT as the #1 need for this team. Armand Membou from Missouri put on an athletic show at the combine and is getting buzz as the OT1 in this draft. Sorry but he played RT for three years and I’m not going through the “we can move him to LT and he’ll be fine” stuff again after last year. Membou’s arms are about ¾ of an inch longer than Campbell’s, I don’t care. Will Campbell started as a freshman and has started for three years at LT at LSU playing against SEC competition and has been awesome. Don’t overthink it, take Campbell and he can be Drake Mays blindside protector for the next decade.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13): Mason Graham DT Michigan

The Jaguars need high end talent and Graham is one of the best players in this draft. He measured in with shorter than ideal arms at the combine, so what? Watch this guy play at Michigan and he causes mayhem wherever he lines up. They need help on the interior of the defensive line as they are a little thin there. Graham would make life easier for Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen and he even has the versatility to line up outside a bit and they can play with moving Walker around. He doesn’t look like the prototypical DT body type with his big barrel chest and short arms but he makes it work. Jacksonville has plenty of work to do but at this point, taking the best player available is the smart move instead of reaching to fill a need.

6. San Francisco 49ers (TRADE from Las Vegas): Armand Membou OL Missouri

This would be a shocking trade given Kyle Shanahan rarely invests draft capital this high in offensive linemen but Membou helps them tremendously. He can step in this season as the LG to replace Aaron Banks and then be the eventual replacement for Trent Williams at LT. Membou is a very athletic player which fits Shanahan’s blocking scheme and giving him a year to learn the left side at guard next to the best LT in football would make a smoother transition. It would take a special talent to get Shanahan to do this and Membou might be that guy. Also, Trent Williams is going to be 37 next season and he’s extremely expensive. With all the issues the 49ers have with salary right now and Brock Purdy’s extension on deck, they could use a cheap LT for a few years on a rookie deal. They also make this deal because if the Jets don’t re-sign Morgan Moses, Membou is a player they could take a serious look at next.

7. Atlanta Falcons (TRADE from NY Jets): Shemar Stewart DE Texas A&M

This is where things get really interesting, the Raiders trade out of six after trading for Geno Smith and passing on Shadeur Sanders and now the Jets do the same thing. The Jets need a lot of help on defense, their entire secondary not named Sauce Gardner, are all free agents. They need picks to rebuild this roster and if they aren’t convinced Sanders is a good fit for Aaron Glenn or New York, they can trade down. The Falcons need help in the front seven of their defense and they have gone back and forth between a 3-4 and a 4-3 defense too many times and guys don’t fit the scheme when they change. Stewart didn’t produce sacks in college but he did produce pressure and he can play multiple spots up front. He lost weight so he looked fast at the combine coming in at 267 lbs. but he played last year at 281 so he can be whatever they need him to be. Their offense should be ready to go, the defense needs reinforcements so they move up for Stewart who made himself some money at the combine.

8. Carolina Panthers (5-12): Tetairoa McMillan WR Arizona

The Panthers somehow salvaged Bryce Young in the last half of the season and Xavier Legette became a solid rookie WR with him. They like Jalen Coker too but they need a true WR1 and that’s McMillan. He’s a big, tall outside WR with a great catch radius and he’ll make Young’s life a whole lot easier. When in doubt, Young can throw it up and McMillan is more likely than not to come down with it. This team needs playmakers and McMillan is the best one in the draft. They could use some help on defense for sure but this is a deeper draft on the defensive line and they can wait until their second-round pick to grab a pass rusher.

9. New Orleans Saints (5-12): Will Johnson CB Michigan

The Saints are in salary cap hell and they need a lot of help on defense. Those two things don’t mesh well so they have to start somewhere. Most have them looking for defensive line help but they also need a CB to start. New defensive coordinator Brandon Staley is a defensive backs coach at heart and they traded away Marshon Lattimore last season and they probably don’t have the money to re-sign Paulsen Adebo, that leaves Kool-Aid McKinstry as their only solid starting outside CB. Will Johnson didn’t have a great season at Michigan and teams may wonder about his top-end speed but he’s a player and he’s a starter immediately in the NFL next season. They could take a chance on a guy like Jalon Walker (he’s a little small for their tastes), Mykel Williams (they do like oversized DE’s who aren’t all that productive in college), or they could go for a guy who seems like more a sure thing, that’s Johnson. Sometimes it’s best to just draft a good football player.

10. Chicago Bears (5-12): Mike Green DE Marshall

Ben Johnson isn’t messing around with his offensive line overhaul as the Bears already worked two trades to pick up Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson to be their new starting guards, that solves that problem. The next big issue is getting Montez Sweat some help rushing the passer. Mike Green is a little out of sight, out of mind at the moment, after not participating at the combine. However, he had a good Senior Bowl week and he’s a legit pass rusher off the edge. He plays with more power than you would think for a guy his size and I think Dennis Allen will be able to work with that. There’s a little part of me that wanted to give Ben Johnson Ashton Jeanty at RB and if the Bears sign a DE in free agency, that might be where my next mock draft goes.

11. Las Vegas Raiders (TRADE from San Francisco): Ashton Jeanty RB Boise St.

This is where things get dicey for Shadeur Sanders, trading for Geno Smith wouldn’t preclude them from drafting Sanders. However, if they pass on him after trading down, look out, the free fall could be real. Smith an immediate upgrade from what they ran out there last season at QB. Jeanty would be a huge upgrade from what they ran out there at RB last season too. Geno Smith, with Jeanty and Brock Bowers is the beginning of a much better offense than they had last season. If they add a good WR at some point, the offense starts to get really interesting.

12. Dallas Cowboys (7-10): Kelvin Banks Jr. OL Texas

The Cowboys need a RB and a WR but they also just lost future Hall of Famer Zack Martin at guard and the offensive line is paramount to their success. The jury seems split on Banks but he’s a good prospect at guard or tackle. He could be an immediate starter at guard to replace Martin but he’s also a nice hedge against Tyler Guyton having any development issues at LT and if Terrence Steele doesn’t regain his form at RT, Banks could help there too. The Cowboys have never shied away from taking offensive linemen in round one and this would be a solid choice for them.

13. Miami Dolphins (8-9): Nick Emmanwori S South Carolina

The Dolphins look to be pivoting in their secondary as both starting safeties from last season are free agents, Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer. Holland is going to get a big free agent deal somewhere and Poyer is an aging player. I’m not the biggest Emmanwori guy because I think he needs to go to a place that has a plan to use him. He’s a great athlete who is either a really big safety or a small LB. The Dolphin’s defensive coordinator is Anthony Weaver who cut his teeth in Baltimore and the Ravens know a thing or two about using safeties well. If Weaver can find a plan, Emmanwori can be a very additive piece to the Dolphin’s secondary. I probably wouldn’t take Emmanwori this high but after is combine showing and looking at the fit and the need in Miami, this pairing seems plausible.

14. Indianapolis Colts (8-9): Tyler Warren TE Penn St.

This is may be the most common mock draft pairing across the internet. That’s because it makes a ton of sense. The Colts don’t have a great TE and Anthony Richardson could use all the help he can get. Warren is a supreme athlete and he’ll be a really good all-around TE. The team needs playmakers and Warren is a playmaker. Warren is 6’6 255 lbs. and runs like a deer. He will give Richardson a big over-the-middle target and make his life a little easier.

15. New York Jets (TRADE from Atlanta): Jahdae Barron DB Texas

The Jets secondary is going to need a complete overhaul. Sauce Gardner is the only returning player of note and that means they need a starting outside CB, a nickel back, and two starting safeties. Barron is the jack of all trades player in the secondary. Depending on what they do in free agency he could be the starting outside guy opposite Gardner, or the nickel corner. He can also play safety and while he was more of a zone guy at Texas I think Aaron Glenn will like his feistiness as a guy who doesn’t back down. Barron could be for the Jets what Glenn made Brian Branch in Detroit, and that’s useful for any defense. Barron’s best spot is a nickel who can be moved all over the field.

16. Arizona Cardinals (8-9): Jalon Walker LB Georgia

The Cardinals need playmakers on defense and Walker may be a bit of a tweener but he’s a playmaker. He would fit their scheme pretty well as a pass rushing LB who can also play off ball and be guy who just gets to the QB when they need it. Walker has his fans and his detractors but at the midpoint of the first round he’s a really good value pick. The Cardinals defense needs all the help it can get and Jonathan Gannon is a smart defensive mind who should find ways to use Walker’s skills to the fullest.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (9-8): Jihaad Campbell LB Alabama

Trey Hendrickson is the best player on the Bengals defense and he’s been given permission to seek a trade. Germaine Pratt is one of the better players and he’s requested a trade. This defense was bad last year and if those two guys are gone things get ugly. Campbell is a hybrid LB/edge player depending on who you ask and this defense needs anybody who can make a play. He’s a little raw but he’s worth a gamble for a team that needs all the help they can get on defense. If there was an elite edge rusher or CB left, I would put them here but Mykel Williams is a gamble similar to other ones they have taken at DE that haven’t worked out. That feels like to big of a risk. At worst Campbell is just a damn good LB.

18. Seattle Seahawks (10-7): Shadeur Sanders QB Colorado

The Seahawks may be in luck after trading away Geno Smith if Sanders falls this far. The reviews from the combine were not great about Sanders’ interviews but he’s well worth a shot at this point in the draft. The real question is will his fall end here or do the Seahawks take Jaxson Dart, who seems to be closing in on Sanders to be QB2 in this class. New Seahawks offensive coordinator Klink Kubiak is from the Shanahan school of offense so Sanders’ skill set would be a good fit. He’s not the most physically talented player but he’s highly accurate and throws a nice deep ball. I have said before, he’s somewhere between Brock Purdy and Jared Goff, that’s a good fit for the offense.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7): Mykel Williams Edge Georgia

The Buccaneers are losing most of their edge rushers, that’s not a bad thing since the ones they are losing aren’t great. Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and Shaq Barrett haven’t been the most effective guys and while Anthony Nelson is a solid backup, they need more opposite Yaya Diaby. Williams is a stud athlete who just never produced at Georgia like you would think his athleticism would allow. That could be rectified if used as an true edge rusher and not a DE like he was at Georgia. This would be a bet on potential but Williams might be worth it.

20. Denver Broncos (10-7): Omarion Hampton RB North Carolina

This one might surprise some people but Hampton had a great combine and the Broncos need a RB. Javonte Williams has never been the same since his knee injury a couple years ago and he’s a free agent. The team has some guys but none of them stepped up last season. Hampton is a bell cow type of back; he can handle a major workload. He’s big, physical, fast and he has enough skill as a pass catcher to be an every down back. Sean Payton found his QB last season, this year he gets his answer at RB.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7): Matthew Golden WR Texas

Golden had a good combine while Luther Burden III was fine but unspectacular and Emeka Egbuka didn’t test in Indianapolis. He feels like the guy with momentum at this point and the Steelers desperately need WR help. They could look at Jaxson Dart but drafting a QB that might be a reach in the early 20s of the draft feels a little too soon after the Kenny Pickett debacle and the Steelers seem like they want a veteran instead. Golden would give whoever plays QB a better chance to succeed because he’s a nice complement to George Pickens. He’s not the biggest WR but he has speed and runs good routes, that’s a nice combination if you can get it.

22. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6): James Pearce Jr. OLB Tennessee

The reviews are really mixed on Pearce at this point. No one doubts his traits and what he brings as a pass rusher but there are serious questions about him off the field. There were some things about his time at Tennessee that will give teams pause, however, there are also those who say his issues were about the environment at Tennessee for him. The Chargers cut Joey Bosa to save a ton of money and Khalil Mack is a free agent, they need pass rush help. Jim Harbaugh is no stranger to guys who have some questionable character traits but he believes in his own culture enough to think he can help them overcome those issues. I can see Harbaugh taking a chance on a guy if he thinks he can get the best out of him. If Pearce has his head on straight and plays to his talent, he’s a star.

23. Green Bay Packers (11-6): Kenneth Grant DT Michigan

The Packers don’t have a lot of losses coming in free agency so there are not a ton of clear holes to fill. DT TJ Slaton is a free agent and he’s the one big body they have at the position. Also, Kenny Clark has been great for them but he’ll be 30 this year and he’s quite expensive. They like Devonte Wyatt and Karl Brooks, the two backup DTs for now but neither of them is very big. Grant is a space eater who can push the pocket from time to time. He’s 6’4 330 lbs. and can be immovable, he would give them a good, young DT who keeps the LBs clean and makes life easier for the pass rushers on the edge.

24. Minnesota Vikings (14-3): Derrick Harmon DL Oregon

The Vikings have a couple of free agents on their defensive line and they weren’t exactly stacked there to begin with. Harmon is 6’5 313 lbs. and can play anywhere on the line in any formation and he’ll be an effective player. He hasn’t gotten as much attention as some others but he’s the type of lineman Brian Flores will love because he can use him anywhere and move him where he’s most effective. He’ll find matchups whether it’s inside or outside and Harmon will create havoc. He makes the front seven a tougher matchup across the board.

25. Houston Texans (10-7): Tyler Booker OG Alabama

The Texans offensive line was pretty awful at times last year and got a little better when they moved Tytus Howard to guard and played Blake Fisher at RT. They still need more help inside because it looks like they are cutting Shaq Mason at RG. Booker was one of the least athletic players at the combine and it took him out of being a top half of the first-round type of player. That said, he’s an excellent guard who plays with power and precision and is always where he’s supposed to be. He gets the highest marks from teams when it comes to character and leadership and that will mean something to DeMeco Ryans. He’s a plug and play guy at OG and he’ll make the offensive line a lot better for CJ Stroud and especially for the running game.

26. Los Angeles Rams (10-7): Walter Nolen DT Ole Miss

The Rams drafted Jared Verse and Braden Fiske as their first two picks last year and they hit on both of them. Along with Kobie Turner, who they hit on a couple of years ago, they have some really good building blocks in the front seven. They may lose Bobby Brown III in free agency this off season so getting a guy like Nolen would really help them. Nolen is a truly talented interior defensive lineman who would fit between Turner and Fiske and really juice their interior pocket pressure. This team hasn’t invested much in the secondary lately but Nolen is a better prospect than the CBs and safeties here so they go best player available over trying to fill a bigger need.

27. Baltimore Ravens (12-5): Malaki Starks S Georgia

This would be right up the Raven’s alley. Starks is one of the better football players in this draft but he went to the combine and looked like a pedestrian athlete competing against Nick Emmanwori. The problem is he’s a better football player and this is why the Ravens always draft so well. Marcus Williams is a free agent and while Ar’Darius Washington stepped up last year when Williams was out, he’s also a restricted free agent. Whether they re-sign Washington or not, they need another safety so they can move Kyle Hamilton back to the position where they move him all over creation. Starks is a great football player who plays the game faster than he runs and sees things and reacts with elite instincts for the game. He and Hamilton would be a nightmare pairing for the rest of the league.

28. Kansas City Chiefs (TRADE from Detroit): Josh Simmons OT Ohio St.

The Chiefs franchise tagged RG Trey Smith, traded LG Joe Thuney and seemingly are set up to move Kingsley Suamataia to LG after he failed to take the LT position. This leaves them spending a lot of money on Trey Smith, C Creed Humphrey, and RT Jawaan Taylor so they need to save some money at LT. Simmons was on his way to being a top half of the first-round player before he hurt his knee. Assuming all medical checks come back fine, he’s well worth a late first round pick here. The Chiefs make a small move up to get him ahead of Washington potentially looking for an OT or another team moving up. Simmons is an immediate starter assuming his knee is good and he’s the best LT they have had since the best days of Eric Fisher.

29. Washington Commanders (12-5): Luther Burden III WR Missouri

The Commanders are clearly invested in making the most of Jayden Daniels and they proved that by trading for Deebo Samuel from San Francisco. They have money to spend in free agency but I think they invest that on defense and try to build out the offense in the draft. Deebo is a nice veteran but he gets hurt a lot and they need more than one WR. They have Terry McLaurin as their WR1 and then a bunch of free agents they hope to improve upon. Burden had a tough year at Missouri but he’s a true talent and he’s dangerous with the ball in his hands. I think he could have a better year than Deebo and become a favorite target for Daniels. They could look for a LT but Brandon Coleman did a solid job last year and they can wait to address the offensive line needs.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars (TRADE from Buffalo): Colston Loveland TE Michigan

The Jaguars have a lot picks in this draft and they trade their second-round pick (36^th overall) and maybe a fourth rounder to move back into the end of round one to get Loveland. The Jaguars just cut Evan Engram for salary cap purposes and he has been one of Trevor Lawrence’s favorite targets. If they are looking to get the best out of Lawrence, they need to give him all the help they can get and Loveland is an excellent TE. He would be a good middle of the field target while Brian Thomas Jr. is a outside deep threat.

31. Detroit Lions (TRADE from Kansas City): Grey Zabel IOL North Dakota St.

The Lions pick up a later round pick from Kansas City and still end up with a starting offensive lineman they likely would have taken at 28. Zabel can step into the RG spot that Kevin Zeitler is likely vacating as a free agent and he starts the process of the Lions getting younger on the interior offensive line. Zeitler is 35 and LG Graham Glasgow will be 33 this year. C Frank Ragnow is going to be 29 and his body has taken a beating over the years. Zabel is good insurance in case Ragnow hangs it up earlier than expected at some point in the next couple of seasons. The Lions know the value of their awesome offensive line and the worst thing they can do is let it start to fall apart. Zabel is a nice investment for the future.

32. Cleveland Browns (TRADE from Philadelphia): Jaxson Dart QB Ole Miss

The Browns have the 33^rd pick and there’s no chance Philadelphia would take Dart so why make this trade? Well, they pick up the 5^th year option on a rookie QB contract by drafting Dart in the first round and not the second. The Browns have 12 picks in this draft including five sixth rounders, flip one to Philadelphia and you get added time for a rookie QB. This also matches up because I think they sign Kirk Cousins as a cheap veteran free agent and this pick gives them a guy who can sit and learn behind Cousins for a couple of years if necessary and the that make the 5^th year option that much more important. The Browns get a cheap veteran in Cousins, a cheap rookie in Dart and have remade their QB position without spending too much money or a lot of draft capital. This is how you move on while having to eat Deshaun Watson’s stupid contract.

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