Tag: sports

2025 NFL Mock Draft 4.0 – The Finale

This one is pretty long.

Here’s my final mock draft for 2025 and it should be a doozy, it’s three rounds.  We have entered the outright lying phase of the proceedings as 32 teams have 32 agendas and will do whatever they have to do to make it happen.  Then you have a few hundred agents, handlers, and family members of prospects, who are lying because they all have the same agenda, get their guy drafted as high as possible.  It’s tough to tell the smoke from the fire and it’s even harder to tell the difference between the real intel and the bullshit.  I have a pretty good BS detector but I won’t get most of this right. 

The rollercoaster that is the Shadeur Sanders prospect experience is a little insane.  Making heads or tails of where Ashton Jeanty might go could drive a person to drink.  The Cleveland Browns signed Joe Flacco after trading for Kenny Pickett and I don’t know if that means anything when it comes to their need to draft a QB.  The Giants signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston and I’m pretty sure that means they pass on a QB early, but should it?  Probably not.  After Abdul Carter it’s a grab bag at edge rusher and there are a lot of good ones in that bag.  Is CB Will Johnson going to go 6th, 16th, or 26th?  Well, he’s going somewhere in that range.  Let’s see if we can decipher this shitshow before it gets going.

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

The Titans aren’t hiding their intentions with the way they set up their off season.  They overpaid LT Dan Moore to fix the offensive line and now Moore, LG Peter Skoronski, C Lloyd Cushenberry, RG Kevin Zeitler, and RT JC Latham, should give Ward a pretty solid offensive line to start his career behind.  Ward can be dynamic with his arm and if the Titans find him some complementary weapons to WR Calvin Ridley in the passing game, the offense should really improve.  Ward is a mature leader who can command the huddle and he gives the Titans a real QB to build around.  If I were the Titans, I would ship Will Levis off in a trade so there’s no illusions or tension in the QB room when Ward steps into it.  Levis should have at least a little trade value, there are a few teams still desperate for a starter.  Speaking of the Browns…

2. Cleveland Browns (3-14):  Travis Hunter     WR/CB     Colorado

Remember that smoke a couple of weeks ago about the Browns possibly taking Shadeur Sanders because they really want to fix their QB issues?  Well, the Giants called their bluff and they signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston at QB so the Browns lost their leverage trying to get the Giants to trade up.  Now the Browns seemed to be pivoting to their real target, Hunter.  The signing of Joe Flacco shouldn’t preclude the Browns from taking a QB in this draft but it means they don’t need to take one here.  Hunter will probably play mostly WR for the Browns but they will find some playing time at CB for him too.  He gives them a playmaking WR for whichever QB is playing for them.  I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that drafting an underdeveloped WR at #2 overall would be insane if he wasn’t Travis Hunter and brought value as a CB.  Jerry Jeudy had a good year and I’m still a fan of Cedric Tillman but Hunter is a different level of playmaker with the ball in his hands.  Cleveland does have 10 picks in this draft so if they want to move back up into the end of round one to grab a QB, they have the ammunition to do it. 

3. New York Giants (3-14):  Abdul Carter     Edge     Penn St. 

I’m sure the Giants would prefer Travis Hunter to fall here so they could start him at CB and have him moonlight at WR opposite Malik Nabers.  However, the narrative that they don’t need Carter is just wrong.  Yes, they traded for Brian Burns last year and paid him a ton of money.  They also drafted Kayvon Thibodeaux with the fifth pick in the 2022 draft, so they have invested at edge rusher.  The problem is Brian Burns had 8.5 sacks last season and Thibodeaux only had 5.5.  Thibodeaux hasn’t lived up to his top five billing and the team is going to have to decide on his fifth-year option soon as he’s going into year four.  Burns is fine but he’s not a truly elite pass rusher.  Carter would be given a chance to really shine for this defense and could outplay both of them as a guy getting into the backfield.  This is too early for the Giants to address their needs at CB but maybe they get better CB play if the pass rush was a little more effective with Carter on the field.  When you’re 3-14, you don’t pass on talent at a premium position like edge rusher. 

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

This isn’t the ideal scenario for the Patriots as having Sanders go in the top three would mean either Hunter or Carter would be on the board.  That said, this is the most likely scenario and I don’t see a team making much of an offer to trade up here with Hunter and Carter off the board.  The Patriots stick and pick and take the guy they really need.  Campbell is one of my favorite players in this draft and I have a hard time seeing Vrabel not liking him.  He probably isn’t going to be Trent Williams or Tristan Wirfs but Campbell can be a starting LT in the NFL for a decade.  The Patriots won a lot a games and Super Bowls with guys like Matt Light and Nate Solder protecting Tom Brady’s blindside.  Campbell is a massive upgrade over anyone they have on the roster who could even think of playing LT.  Get the guy who will be Drake Maye’s favorite player for the next decade and then move on to fix the other issues with your roster.  Oh, and if anyone wants to trade up to take Mason Graham or Ashton Jeanty, the Patriots are open for business. 

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

 I have had Graham going fifth in all four of my mock drafts, the first one had the Jets trading up for him but the last three have him going to Jacksonville.  Pretty sure if I were a betting man, I would bet Graham to go anywhere but fifth overall, no way am I getting that right.  He should though, the Jaguars are in desperate need of DT help and Graham is a stud.  Yes, his arms are short and he measured in under 300 lbs. at the combine, come on, he was trying to test well athletically.  He will play closer to 305-310 lbs. and he’s be a beast.  Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker will appreciate the help up front on that defense and Graham will be a rock.  New Jaguars GM James Gladstone came from the Rams, they know how to build a defensive front and Graham is a cornerstone piece. 

6. New Orleans Saints (TRADE from Las Vegas): Shadeur Sanders     QB     Colorado

The Raiders do a nice job here making the Saints nervous that the Jets are going to take Sanders at seven overall.  The Saints have never been afraid to move up and now the Raiders pick up some more draft capital and drop down only three spots.  Sanders is an underwhelming athlete with good touch on his passes and is very accurate if he’s throwing the routes he likes to throw.  He doesn’t have elite arm strength or talent but he’s tough as nails and he gives the Saints a young, cheap alternative to Derek Carr.  The Saints are going to have to eat a lot of dead money when they ditch Carr but at least Sanders will be on a rookie contract.  I’m not sure it’s a good idea for Kellen Moore to stake his first head coaching job on Shadeur Sanders but he could do worse, I mean he could start Derek Carr for multiple years. 

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

It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Jets would consider Sanders at this spot if he’s on the board.  Sure, they signed Justin Fields and have said all the right things publicly about him being their starter.  However, do you remember me saying teams lie with their words all the time but never their money?  The Jets gave Fields some money but not a ton and not on a long contract.  Anyway, they go with Membou who can step in immediately at RT for the departed Mogan Moses and he and Olu Fashanu should make nice bookend tackles for whomever is the Jets long-term starting QB.  Membou has the physical style and athletic profile to be a  very good RT. 

8. Indianapolis Colts (TRADE from Carolina):  Tyler Warren     TE     Penn St.

The Colts get antsy with Carolina on the clock and too many picks that could get traded or teams that could take Warren so they move up and get their guy.  No team in the league needs a TE more than the Colts.  Warren is generally considered the best one in this draft and he could really help their offense by being a weapon over the middle and down the seam.  They could use him as a red zone threat and even as a short-yardage back.  Shane Steichen could come up with some creative ways to use Warren and Anthony Richardson in the backfield together and use their athleticism to really put the defense in conflict. Depending on the trade value chart you subscribe to, this trade could cost them somewhere around a third or fourth round pick.  If you’re GM Chris Ballard or Steichen, you can’t care, you need to get better now.  If you’re the Panthers, you need as many picks as possible because you still have plenty of holes to fill. 

9. Las Vegas Raiders (TRADE from New Orleans): Tetairoa McMillan     WR     Arizona

I know the RB group of Raheem Mostert, Sincere McCormick, and Zamir White looks bad, and it is, however, Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker, and Ramel Keyton as the top three WRs doesn’t look better.  Sure, they have Brock Bowers at TE but he needs some help.  How about drafting a 6’4 219 lbs. contested catch, outside WR who can take some of the pressure off Bowers and open things up a bit.  Geno Smith loved to throw down the field to DK Metcalf, he’ll truly enjoy throwing it up to a guy who can go up and get it.  The Raiders could take Ashton Jeanty, but there are a lot of good backs in this draft and the receiver group drops off pretty quickly. 

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

The Bears did a really nice job of filling the glaring holes on their roster in free agency and with their trades.  LG Joe Thuney, RG Jonah Jackson, and C Drew Dalman make the offensive line less of a priority while Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett help the defensive line.  If there was a no-brainer pick on the o-line or d-line I would take that guy here, but there isn’t.  When Ben Johnson was offensive coordinator for the Lions, they took Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall at one point, I don’t think Johnson would hesitate to take Jeanty to be his star RB.  He once had D’Andre Swift in Detroit, he knows what he is.  Jeanty is a special playmaker and he can be both the thunder and lightning for this offense.  He has elite contact balance and doesn’t go down easily while also having the ability to break a big run.  Jeanty and Rochon Johnson would make a nice backfield tandem. 

11. San Francisco 49ers (6-11):  Will Johnson     CB     Michigan

This is not a pairing I’ve seen anywhere I can remember, mostly because it seems everyone either gives the 49ers an offensive or defensive lineman.  That defensive lineman I understand, I’ve been doing that because the 49ers generally build the defense up front first.  I’m not sold on any of the defensive linemen at this spot nor do I think they go for an offensive lineman.  Will Johnson has been sliding down the draft boards because he hasn’t really worked out and he has refused to run the 40 so teams can see his speed.  I don’t care, Johnson is a good, tough CB with elite size and great coverage skills.  This team lost Charvarius Ward in free agency and they need a CB1.  Their top three CBs; Deommodore Lenoir, Tre Brown, and Renardo Green are all under 6’0 tall.  Johnson is 6’2 and in a division with guys like Puka Nacua, Devante Adams, and Marvin Harrison Jr., a little size could be useful. 

12. Dallas Cowboys (7-10):  Matthew Golden    WR     Texas

In a vacuum I would oppose Golden going 12th overall in the draft, I don’t think he’s that great.  He had a good year at Texas and he ran a really fast 40 time at the combine.  The 40 time seems misleading because when you watch him play, he doesn’t play that fast.  He’s good and he is fast but he isn’t 4.29 fast during games.  That said, this would make a lot of sense for the Cowboys and I can support it.  After CeeDee Lamb the other two listed starting WRs for Dallas are Jalen Tolbert and Jonathan Mingo, this is a massive hole in the roster.  I do still think they need to address offensive line early but Golden fixes a major issue for them.  They can wait on RB with Javonte Williams at least a capable starter and who knows, maybe Miles Sanders isn’t quite done at 27 years old. 

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (TRADE from Miami): Jalon Walker     LB/Edge     Georgia

It doesn’t feel like there’s a consensus on where to play Walker, is he an off-ball LB or is he an edge rusher.  His best plays are moving forward and attacking but he’s too small to be a full-time pass rusher.  The Buccaneers signed Haasan Reddick, re-signed Anthony Nelson, and still have Yaya Diaby on the edge.  The problem is Reddick is going to be 31 this year and is coming off a lost season after a contract dispute, Nelson is a backup, and Diaby is a nice player but he’s not elite.  The team also needs some LB help with Lavonte David aging and not much beyond him.  If Todd Bowles can find the right combination of using Walker to rush the passer and play LB, he can be a dynamic playmaker the defense needs.  This team doesn’t have a lot of draft picks but they also don’t have a ton of needs.  They need impact players not depth players.  Walker has the upside to be that guy.  He also comes with the downside that he could get a coach fired if it doesn’t work out. 

14. Carolina Panthers (TRADE from Indianapolis): Mike Green     Edge     Marshall

The Panthers move down and while they miss out on the top offensive playmakers in the draft like TE Tyler Warren and WR Tetairoa McMillan, they pick up valuable draft capital and still end up with an edge rusher who could be a difference maker.  Green was a leading sack guy in college football last year and he knows how to get to the QB.  The Panthers have Jadaveon Clowney, DJ Wonnum, and Patrick Jones II at edge rusher but none of those guys are difference makers.  Green gives them a high-level pass rusher immediately and this defense needs him.  If they want to get an offensive playmaker here, TE Colston Loveland would be the one. 

15. Atlanta Falcons (8-9): Shemar Stewart     Edge     Texas A&M

The Falcons can’t be too happy to see Jalon Walker and Mike Green go off the board with the two picks directly ahead of them.  It’s doubly concerning that those two players went to teams within the Falcons own division.  The Falcons need an edge rusher in the worst way, which is something we have been saying in every draft since John Abraham left in 2013.  It would help if the Falcons would settle on the type of defensive front they want to run. They have vacillated between a 3-4 and 4-3 so many times in the last several years it’s dizzying.  With new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich on board, they should be a 4-man front, for now at least.  Stewart would give them a legitimate DE with the size and skills needed to play right now.  Stewart wasn’t a sack producer at Texas A&M but you can’t teach a guy to be 6’4 267 lbs. and be as athletically gifted as Stewart.  He needs to learn to finish his pass rushes and get the sack but the Falcons could do worse at DE, as a matter of fact, they have for about the last 12 years now. 

16. Detroit Lions (TRADE from Arizona): Donovan Ezeiruaku     Edge     Boston College

The Lions make the major move up the board when they see the run on edge rushers begin.  Ezeiruaku isn’t my favorite pass rusher in this draft but I can see the Lions loving him.  He’s sort of the opposite of a lot of edge guys in this draft, he isn’t a freak athlete who didn’t produce big numbers.  He’s a solid athlete who happens to really know how to get to the QB.  He had over 30 sacks in college and that includes 16.5 last year.  The Lions need a guy who can get to the pass rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson.  Ezeiruaku has long arms and great bend and knows how to finish when he gets to the QB.  He’s relentless and he’s the type of hard-working grinder the Lions love.  There has to be some kind of big move in this draft to spice it up, Detroit gives up pick 28 and a next year’s first rounder to go up to get the pass rusher they need.  It’s a lot to pay but this team has a Super Bowl window and it’s open right now. 

17. Los Angeles Rams (TRADE from Cincinnati): Colston Loveland     TE     Michigan

The Rams wanted Brock Bowers last year but they couldn’t make the move necessary to get up in the draft to take him.  They don’t miss this time.  Loveland will give the Rams a great weapon over the middle to complement Devante Adams on the outside and Puka Nacua everywhere else.  The Rams have plenty of picks to use this year and they aren’t shy, moving up nine spots is a costly jump but they need some new blood at TE.  Loveland has high upside and while he wasn’t great last season at Michigan, I chalk that up to their horrible QB play.  He could end up being better than Tyler Warren and I wouldn’t be overly surprised. 

18. Seattle Seahawks (9-8):  Grey Zabel    IOL    North Dakota St.

The Seahawks had one of the worst interior offensive lines in the NFL last season and they did nothing to improve it except not bring back Laken Tomlinson.  C Olu Oluwatimi stepped in at the end of last season and held his own and he might be a good fit in new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s offense, that would be helpful.  But they still need new guards and Zabel is one of the more athletic guard prospects you’ll find here.  He played LT at North Dakota St. but moving inside has been the plan for him in the NFL.  He could end up a center but for now he slots in a LG next to Charles Cross and hopefully solidifies the left side of the Seattle o-line.  He shouldn’t be the last interior offensive lineman they take in this draft either. 

19. Miami Dolphins (TRADE from Tampa Bay):  Derrick Harmon     DT     Oregon

The Dolphins defensive line is in shambles.  They have Zach Sieler and that’s about it. They need someone, anyone to give them some legitimate defensive line play on their front.  They use a 3-4 defense and generate pass rush from their OLBs but that’s hard to do if the guys up front are subpar.  Harmon is the unsung star of this defensive line class.  He’s strong, steady, and can be absolutely devastating in the middle.  They could use him at nose tackle or at end in the 3-4 defense and he’ll destroy people.  Having him at end with a guy like Bradley Chubb or Jaelen Phillips coming off his edge, would change the way you have to block this defense.  They could look for a CB upgrade since they are looking to trade Jalen Ramsey and Storm Duck is not an answer at the position.  Harmon is better than any CB available here.

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

Mason Graham at five to Jacksonville and Omarion Hampton at 20 to Denver, probably the two most common mock draft fits.  The Broncos have to get a RB to make Sean Payton’s offense more effective.  Bo Nix was really good as a rookie and they should be fine at WR and offensive line but at RB they need an upgrade.  Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime are solid role players but Hampton is a star. He’s a three-down back who brings power and speed to the backfield.  He is going to be a great addition to any backfield but he can dominate in Denver. 

21. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7):  Emeka Egbuka     WR     Ohio St.

The consensus has been moving Egbuka down the draft and part of that is because everyone seems to think the Steelers are going to draft a QB in round one, I don’t buy it.  They did that with Kenny Pickett and it was a disaster.  I think the trade for DK Metcalf means they will look to move on from the roller coaster that is George Pickens and that means they still need a WR2.  Egbuka is the perfect WR2.  He can be whatever you need him to be.  He can play inside or outside, he catches everything you throw to him, and he can block in the running game.  If he’s the best WR from this class in five years, that wouldn’t be surprising.  Drafting Ohio St. WRs is also usually a good idea.    

22. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6):  Kenneth Grant     DT     Michigan

The Chargers would love it if Colston Loveland falls this far but with him off the board they settle for a different Wolverine.  The connection to Harbaugh and DC Jesse Minter is obvious but so is the Chargers need for some defensive line help. They lost Poona Ford and Morgan Fox up front and they weren’t exactly stacked there to begin with.  Grant can play nose tackle and he could also play on the end and be very effective.  The Chargers could look for another edge rusher or a CB but Grant is a value pick and they know him well.

23. Green Bay Packers (11-6):  Jahdae Barron     CB     Texas

The Packers could still move on from Jaire Alexander and if they do, they will need another outside CB.  Barron doesn’t have elite size or measurables but he’s a damn good football player.  He can play outside CB, inside slot, or moonlight as a safety.  The Packers have Nate Hobbs, Keisean Nixon, and Javon Bullard who are all guys who can play multiple positions in the secondary.  Barron gives them another guy to mix and match and he’s honestly one of the best prospects in the draft, he just isn’t the biggest CB. 

24. Cleveland Browns (TRADE with Minnesota): Jaxson Dart     QB     Ole Miss

The Vikings don’t have many picks in this draft so they are ripe for a trade down.  They filled most of their big needs in free agency so they move down here with Cleveland so the Browns can come up and snag the QB they need to get in this draft.  The Browns signed Joe Flacco and traded for Kenny Pickett so they don’t need a starter right away but they still need a QB of the future.  Dart wouldn’t have to step in right away but Flacco and Pickett aren’t going to stop him from taking the job if he’s good enough.  Dart is a solid prospect but not an elite one.  He would give the Browns some hope that they have a guy they can count on going forward. 

25. Houston Texans (10-7):  Josh Simmons     OT     Ohio St.

The Texans signed Cam Robinson after trading away Laremy Tunsil so technically they don’t need a new LT.  Unless you’ve seen Robinson play before, then you know they do still need a LT.  Simmons is coming off a major knee injury so he may not be ready to start when the season starts so Robinson is a decent stop-gap at LT.  Somewhere around week five Simmons should be healthy enough to take over and by then the team should be ready to bench Robinson.  Simmons has long term potential and could be an elite LT, that would go great with their franchise QB CJ Stroud. 

26. Cincinnati Bengals (TRADE from LA Rams):  Jihad Campbell     LB     Alabama

The Bengals need to take the best defensive player they can get and that’s Campbell.  The only reason he lasts this long is because he’s generally seen as an off-ball LB and he has a shoulder issue.  If his shoulder is healthy, he’s a steal here.  He’s a playmaker wherever you use him and they can use him at LB and then also use him as a blitzer.  He just makes plays and this defense sorely lacks guys who do that.  The Bengals move down in this trade and pick up a third round pick and still get one of the best defensive players in this draft, that’s a smart move.

27. Baltimore Ravens (12-5):  Mykel Williams     Edge     Georgia

The Ravens have a need at pass rusher and while Williams wasn’t the most productive pass rusher, he still has great upside.  He doesn’t turn 21 until this summer and he’s still developing.  It feels a little like they have done this before and it’s worked some guys and not so much others.  Williams has all the physical tools to be elite, he just needs to develop some of his pass rush moves and refine his technique.  You can’t teach a guy to be built the way Williams is built and his potential is well worth this pick. 

28. Arizona Cardinals (TRADE from Detroit):  Kelvin Banks Jr.     OL     Texas

The Cardinals could take just about any position on defense but Banks offers a lot of value here.  He could be an immediate starter at LG or he could end up beating out Jonah Williams at RT.  At the very least, he replaces Williams when the team moves on from him.  He would make a nice bookend with Paris Johnson Jr. eventually and starts at LG in the meantime.  If the Cardinals want to solidify their offense, Banks is too good to pass up.  They move down a lot in this trade but picking up a future first round pick is worth the drop.   

29. Washington Commanders (12-5):  James Pearce Jr.     Edge     Tennessee

James Pearce Jr. is an elite edge rusher who knows how to get to the QB better than most of the edge rushers in this class.  He falls this low because there are questions about his character off the field.  That may end up working in his favor if he goes to Washington, it’s a better situation than a lot of places for him.  This is a good young team that needs a pass rusher and Dan Quinn is an excellent coach.  The strong culture Quinn is building in Washington around guys like Jayden Daniels, Austin Ekeler, Bobby Wagner, and others, would be a good environment for Pearce to start his career. 

30. Buffalo Bills (13-4):  Walter Nolan     DT     Ole Miss

The Bills don’t have any glaring needs but that doesn’t mean they can’t get better at an important position.  They aren’t very deep at DT and the only free agent they signed was Larry Ogunjobi who is going to miss the first six weeks with a suspension.  Nolan can be a devastating player at DT but he lacks consistency. He also has some red flags off the field.  He wouldn’t need to be a full-time player right away and the Bills have the veterans who would be a good influence on him. He could actually live up to his immense potential in this situation. 

31. Kansas City Chiefs (15-2):  Josh Conerly Jr.     OT     Oregon

The Chiefs gave LT Jaylon Moore plenty of money to be their starting LT but that doesn’t mean he should be.  They need more options at OT because not only is Moore not a sure thing, Jawaan Taylor at RT isn’t great either.  Conerly isn’t a finished product but he’s good enough to compete with Moore who has only been a backup in the league.  Moore started games last year in San Francisco when Trent Williams was out but that’s a very specific offensive system and we will see if he can translate over.  Conerly is a good player and if they draft him, he will push Moore for the LT job immediately.  He also gives them depth and options at both OT spots.    

32. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3):  Malaki Starks     S     Georgia   

The Eagles have added quite a bit of veteran depth on both offense and defense.  At this point they should go best player available and I’m a believer in Starks.  He didn’t test well at the combine but safety is one position where I would rather have a guy who has good instincts than a guy who’s only a great athlete.  Starks is that guy, he just knows how to play and what he’s looking at.  You don’t have to be that fast if you can diagnose the play a second earlier than everyone else.  The Eagles don’t have great safety depth after trading away CJ Gardner-Johnson.  Starks gives them some cover if Sydney Brown isn’t healthy and the truth is he can push Brown even if Brown is healthy.  Also, Howie Roseman didn’t pick a Georgia defender in last year’s draft so he has to be dying to get one, he can’t wait any longer.   

Round 2

33. Minnesota Vikings (TRADE from Cleveland):  Maxwell Hairston     CB     Kentucky

The Vikings get this pick plus a couple of more picks from Cleveland so the Browns can move up and get their QB.  The Vikings only had four picks coming into this draft, trading down and getting more picks is a good move.  Here they take Hairston who is a smaller, feisty CB who should be pretty good in Brian Flores’ defense.  They need the help in the secondary and Hairston should be able to step in right away.  Byron Murphy and Isaiah Rodgers aren’t big CBs either so these guys could be interchangeable to a certain extent. 

34. New York Giants:  Tyler Booker      OG     Alabama

If the Giants pass on a QB in round one, I think it’s a sign they are resigned to not taking one early.  They will live with Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston unless someone falls to them later in the draft.  Booker can step in at guard and replace Greg Van Roten, that’s a massive upgrade.

35. Tennessee Titans: Nic Scourton     Edge     Texas A&M

The Titans cut Harold Landry and he was their best edge rusher.  Dre’Mont Jones and Arden Key aren’t scaring anyone.  Scourton needs to get back to being the guy he was at Purdue; he was a real edge threat there.

36. Jacksonville Jaguars: Nick Emmanwori     SS     South Carolina

The Jaguars are counting on Liam Coen to fix the offense, they need talent to fix the defense.  Mason Graham is a major addition up front but the back-end needs help.  Emmanwori is an uber-athlete but he’s a little raw.  He’s still an upgrade over the free agents they brought in and he’s a playmaker. 

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

The Raiders pass on Jeanty in round one because there are two Ohio St. RBs in round two that new OC Chip Kelly knows well.  They take the bigger back who can handle the workload of a primary back.  Judkins is the starter immediately in Vegas.

38. New England Patriots: Luther Burden III     WR     Missouri

This is a risky proposition considering the Patriots history with early round WRs.  It’s also risky because Burden didn’t have a great year last year.  I think Drake Maye makes that all go away.  He’s a massive upgrade over Burden’s QB at Missouri and he will raise the play of the guys around him.  Oh, and there’s no Belichick or Mayo around to screw up a young WR. 

39. Chicago Bears: Donovan Jackson     OG     Ohio St.

The Bears got their flashy new toy in round one with Jeanty, now it’s time to get better in the trenches.  Jackson is just too good to pass up at this point.  They probably shouldn’t completely count on Jonah Jackson and Joe Thuney isn’t a spring chicken.  Donovan Jackson is really good; he could beat out Jonah. 

40. New Orleans Saints: Jayden Higgins     WR     Iowa St.

If the Saints take Shadeur Sanders in round one, they should get him more help at WR.  Chris Olave is good but he’s got concussion issues and Rashid Shaheed has injury issues too.  Higgins has inside out versatility and could give Sanders a big target to throw to wherever he lines up. 

41. Chicago Bears: Tyliek Williams     DT     Ohio St.

The Bears continue to get better on the lines with another Ohio St. guy.  Williams is a big guy who would give them a good depth piece this year and will be an eventual starter inside.  He’s good against the run and would be a complementary pairing for Grady Jarrett. 

42. New York Jets: Jalen Milroe     QB    Alabama

Justin Fields has a two-year deal and that would be just the right amount of time to see if Milroe is ready to play.  The Jets are doubling down on a specific type of QB but that’s a better plan than they have had for a long time.

43. San Francisco 49ers: Carson Schwesinger     LB     UCLA

A slightly undersized rangy LB.  That sounds just like what San Francisco needs.  They lost Dre Greenlaw to Denver in free agency and Schwesinger would make a nice running mate for Fred Warner for the rest of his career. 

44. Dallas Cowboys: Darius Alexander     DT     Toledo

The Cowboy can’t be satisfied with Mazi Smith at DT so they take a shot here with a small school guy who looked great at the Senior Bow.  Alexander can hang with the big boys.

45. Indianapolis Colts: Aireontae Ersery     OL     Minnesota

Ersery could compete to be the RG to begin with but he’s also great depth at multiple spots.  He can hang at LT if you need him, he could also be a RT.  Braden Smith is good but he’s getting expensive and if the Colts wanted to move on, Ersery could be the new RT within a year or two.

46. Atlanta Falcons: Benjamin Morrison     CB     Notre Dame

Someone is going to take a shot on Morrison despite his hip injury.  He’s far too good to let fall much farther and the Falcons need CB help.  If Morrison is healthy, he’s a massive steal here because he has high level starter written all over him. 

47. Arizona Cardinals: Jaylin Noel     WR     Iowa St. 

Michael Wilson, Zay Jones, and Greg Dortch are fine at WR but they aren’t taking any attention away from Marvin Harrison Jr. to make his life easier.  Noel is being underrated, he’s very good.  He can be a second WR on the outside or he can dominate from the slot.  Either way, he’s a massive upgrade for the Cardinals passing game. 

48. Miami Dolphins: Shavon Revel Jr.     CB     East Carolina

Revel is the other CB someone is going to gamble on coming off an injury.  He might be even better than Morrison at some point.  The Dolphins are looking to trade Jalen Ramsey and they needed a couple of CBs before that little development came around.  If Revel’s knee is healthy and they move Ramsey, he’s CB1 on day one. 

49. Cincinnati Bengals: Landon Jackson     Edge     Arkansas

Just keep taking defensive players.  That strategy should be simple enough but it’s even better when a good DE falls to you.  Jackson is a little buried in the group of edge players beyond the top guys.  He’s very good and him starting opposite Trey Hendrickson instead of Joseph Ossai or Myles Murphy would be a good thing for the Bengals.

50. Seattle Seahawks: Mason Taylor     TE     LSU

I may have Taylor too low.  With his bloodlines; Jason Taylor is his father and Zach Thomas is his uncle, he’s got a lot going for him.  He isn’t spectacular at any one thing but he’s an excellent all-around TE.  New offensive coordinator Klink Kubiak needs weapons for Sam Darnold and his two TE sets could use a guy like Taylor.

51. Denver Broncos: Elijah Arroyo     TE     Miami

The Broncos signed Evan Engram but Sean Payton has never been shy about using multiple TEs.  Arroyo could be a matchup nightmare and give Bo Nix another nice target over the middle of the field.  If they can’t find a WR2 they like, just load up on TEs. 

52. Seattle Seahawks: Trey Amos     CB     Ole Miss

The Seahawks need an outside CB or two depending on how they feel about Riq Woolen’s contract situation.  Amos has starter ability and would be an excellent value this late in the draft. 

53. Kansas City Chiefs (TRADE from Tampa Bay): Treyveon Henderson     RB     Ohio St.

The Chiefs make a move to get ahead of the Packers, Chargers, and Bills who could all be looking for RBs.  Henderson is a major playmaker and the Chiefs have been emphasizing speed on offense.  He’s never going to be a 20 carry per game back but he doesn’t need 20 touches to make an impact. 

54. Green Bay Packers: Alfred Collins     DT     Texas

The Packers lost TJ Slaton in free agency and getting a big body for the middle of the defensive line should be a priority and Collins is a big boy.  They don’t have a ton of screaming needs so filling a big hole with Collins feels like a smart play. 

55. Los Angeles Chargers: Elic Ayomanor     WR     Stanford

Ayomanor is not a perfect prospect, his hands can be a little inconsistent.  However, he has size and can play on the outside and right now they are counting on Mike Williams’s return to give them some juice outside.  I’d rather bet on Ayomanor’s upside. 

56. Buffalo Bills: Darien Porter     CB     Iowa St.

Porter is 6’3 and has elite athletic traits, there’s a reason he has a lot of fans in the NFL.  He’s only been a CB for a few years so he’s just developing his skills at the position.  The Bills just brought back Tre’Davious White, or what’s left of him.  Clearly, they need help at CB. 

57. Carolina Panthers: Jack Bech     WR     TCU

In round one the Panthers passed on getting a pass catcher for Bryce Young by trading down and grabbing a much-needed pass rusher.  Now they get a big outside ball winner in Bech.  He’s 6’2 216 lbs. and plays even bigger.  He makes Young’s life easier. 

58. Houston Texans: Kaleb Johnson     RB     Iowa

This pairing makes a lot of sense.  Johnson can play in a Nick Caley offense and the team needs someone other than Joe Mixon in the backfield.  Mixon is a great down-to-down grinding back, Johnson is the homerun hitter.  Don’t misunderstand me, Johnson can punish guys with his size but he has breakaway speed the Texans simply don’t have in the backfield. 

59. Baltimore Ravens: Jonah Savaiinaea     OG     Arizona

The Ravens do this a lot, take a guy who’s very talented but maybe not a perfect prospect, and turn him into a stud.  Savaiinaea played OT at Arizona, he’s going to be a big, mauling OG in the NFL.  Everyone else needs to stop letting the Ravens draft guys like this. 

60. Arizona Cardinals (TRADE from Detroit): Azareye’h Thomas     CB     Florida St.

I’m not sure if I have Thomas too high or too low.  He ran a really slow 40 time and it has hurt his draft stock, but he’s a good CB.  The Cardinals need good defensive players and Thomas is arguably the best one left on the board. 

61. Washington Commanders: Dylan Sampson     RB     Tennessee

Sampson is short but stout and has speed to burn and can be an electric playmaker.  The Commanders have Austin Ekeler but he’s 30 and hasn’t always been the picture of health.  Sampson would be a nice complement to Brian Robinson going forward. 

62. Buffalo Bills: Cam Skattebo     RB     Arizona St.

The Bills seem to be in a contract dispute with James Cook so they may need a RB.  I’m not a huge Skattebo fan but he’s a grinder who has some skills.  I could see him having a cult-like following in Buffalo and he could be an effective back behind the Bills offensive line.

63. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (TRADE from Kansas City): Harold Fannin Jr.   TE   Bowling Green

The Buccaneers could go in many directions but grabbing a pass catcher like Fannin Jr. would be a fun move.  Forget whether he’s a TE or not, he’s a playmaker.  Put him on the field with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan and you have something really cooking for Baker Mayfield.  

64. Philadelphia Eagles: TJ Sanders     DL     South Carolina

The Eagles are just restocking a defense that took some hits in the off season.  Sanders gives them a nice depth piece up front and he can rotate in with Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Moro Ojomo.

Round 3

65. New York Giants: Tyler Shough     QB     Louisville

The QBs fall into the third round because when teams are convinced they like a guy they take them in round one, they don’t wait until round two.  Shough is older and has an injury history.  He’s got talent but he may already be at his ceiling.

66. Kansas City Chiefs:  Jack Sawyer    DE     Ohio St.

Only the Chiefs could be lucky enough to get a guy like Sawyer in round three.  He’s tough and relentless.

67. Minnesota Vikings (TRADE from Cleveland): Marcus Mbow     OL     Purdue 

The Vikings need an upgrade at guard and they need some depth at OT, Mbow provides both. 

68. Las Vegas Raiders: Omar Norman-Lott    DT     Tennessee

The Raiders get a penetrating DT who can help in the rotation and play next to Christian Wilkins.

69. New England Patriots: Bradyn Swinson     Edge     LSU

The Patriots still need to improve the pass rush and Swinson is a good prospect.  This is great value here.

70. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jared Wilson     C/G     Georgia

Mitch Morse retired and the team signed Robert Hainsey at center, that’s not a great plan.  Wilson is a better plan.

71. New Orleans Saints: JT Tuimoloau     DE     Ohio St.

They Saints need help up front and Tuimoloau is really good at this point in the draft, he can be starting DE fairly early in his career.

72. Chicago Bears: Oluwafemi Oladejo     DE     UCLA

The Bears need more juice off the edge.  Oladejo has only been an edge rusher for a year but that just means he’s going to get better at it.

73. New York Jets: Jalen Royals     WR     Utah St.

The Jets WR group is ugly after Garrett Wilson, Royals is being overlooked a bit. 

74. Carolina Panthers: Princely Umanmielen     Edge     Ole Miss

Umanmielen falls all the way to round three because he’s a bit undersized and needs some development.  He does have some good pass rush skills and the Panthers need all the help they can get. A CB or a TE would make sense here but Umanmielen is too good to pass up even after taking Mike Green in round one. 

75. San Francisco 49ers: Wyatt Milum     OL     West Virginia

Milum played LT at West Virginia but he’s a little undersized from a length perspective.  However, he’s a good athlete and mover and he’ll fit right in to Shanahan’s scheme.

76. Dallas Cowboys: Jacob Parrish     CB     Kansas St.

The Cowboys let Jourdan Lewis walk in free agency and could use a nickel back.  Parrish is a little undersized but he’s feisty as hell.

77. New England Patriots: Ozzy Trapilo     OT     Boston College

The Patriots offensive line needs more than one OT.  Morgan Moses is 34 and they don’t have a great backup plan.  Caeden Wallace may need to be a guard.  Trapilo is long and needs some development but he’s the perfect swing tackle for now and if Will Campbell has to be a guard, maybe Trapilo is the LT of the future. 

78. Arizona Cardinals: Shemar Turner     DE     Texas A&M

The Cardinals signed some veteran d-linemen but they need some youth. Turner is a big DE who can play in their scheme. He’s a prototypical 3-4 DE. 

79. Houston Texans: Kyle Williams     WR     Washington St.

Tank Dell is dealing with a devastating knee injury and Stefon Diggs is gone.  Nico Collins needs more help than Christian Kirk.  Williams has been flying under the radar, he may go higher than this. 

80. Indianapolis Colts: Josaiah Stewart     Edge/LB    Michigan

The Colts have a history with undersized DEs.  I’m not projecting Stewart to be Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis but he has some of that in him.  He plays like a man possessed.

81. Cincinnati Bengals: Xavier Watts     S     Notre Dame

Just keep taking the best defensive player on the board.  Watts isn’t going to wow you with his physical traits but he’s an excellent safety. 

82. Seattle Seahawks: Charles Grant     OL     William & Mary

Klink Kubiak is bringing the Shanahan offense to Seattle and he needs better players up front.  Grant was a LT at Williams & Mary but he can transition inside.  He has the athleticism you want in the scheme.  He starts out at guard but if Abe Lucas has injury issues, Grant could step in at RT.

83. Pittsburgh Steelers: Kyle McCord     QB     Syracuse

The Steelers didn’t have a second-round pick but they get McCord here in round three.  He can back up Aaron Rodgers (or compete with Mason Rudolph if Rodgers retires) and he’s got some upside. 

84. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Nohl Williams     DB     California

Williams has some versatility and could be a CB or a safety and the Buccaneers need help in the secondary.

85. Denver Broncos: Jordan Burch     DE     Oregon

Burch is a power DE who could help the Broncos push the pocket.  The defense could use a little help up front as they have some impending free agents next year.

86. Los Angeles Chargers: Terrance Ferguson     TE    Oregon

The Chargers missed out on the TEs earlier but Ferguson is a great consolation prize.  He can be a starting TE right away.

87. Green Bay Packers: Tre Harris     WR     Ole Miss

The Packers have four good WRs but they are still looking for a great one.  Harris probably isn’t it but he has potential playing with Jordan Love.  I would say he’s a little redundant with Christian Watson but Watson gets hurt a lot so having a backup to him would be helpful. 

88. Jacksonville Jaguars: Quincy Riley     CB     Louisville

The Jaguars aren’t great at CB and Riley has some upside.  He’s a little undersized but he doesn’t play that way.

89. Houston Texans: Joshua Farmer     DT     Florida St.

The Texans need some depth at DT, it’s the one spot on the defense that needs a little help.  Farmer isn’t flashy but he’s solid.

90. Cincinnati Bengals (TRADE from LA Rams): Tate Ratledge     OG     Georgia

The Bengals make one offensive move and that’s to get some help at guard.  They signed Lucas Patrick but they need more competition and Ratledge has starter ability.

91. Baltimore Ravens: Kyle Kennard     Edge     South Carolina

The Ravens need help at edge rusher and Kennard knows how to get to the QB.

92. Seattle Seahawks: Isaiah Bond     WR     Texas

The Seahawks need some speed at WR that’s better than Marquez Valdes-Scantling.  Bond has serious off the field red flags but he’s a burner and he’s been trying to fight back against the off the field issues.  He may fall farther than this but on talent, he’s worth the pick. 

93. New Orleans Saints: Dorian Strong    CB     Virginia Tech

The Saints have Kool-Aid McKinstry and that’s about it at CB.  Strong at least gives them options. 

94. Cleveland Browns: Anthony Benton     OT     NC State

The Browns offensive line needs a lot of work. Benton wouldn’t necessarily be a starter right away but he could be with this group.  At the very least, he gives them options.    

95. Kansas City Chiefs: Gunnar Helm     TE     Texas

Travis Kelce won’t play forever and while Noah Gray is a good player, Helm gives them a solid option. 

96. Philadelphia Eagles: Cameron Williams      OT     Texas

The Eagles love to take big, hulking offensive lineman and turn them into stars.  Williams is a massive ball of clay and offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland probably turns him into a Pro Bowler three years from now.

97. Minnesota Vikings: Ty Robinson     DT     Nebraska

The Vikings signed Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave at DT, they are both over 30.  Robinson showed off some good athleticism in workouts and he gives them a rotational DT.    

98. Miami Dolphins: CJ West     DT     Indiana

The Dolphins double dip at defensive line after taking Derrick Harmon in round one, they absolute should do this.  West is a fire hydrant, he’s short and stout, he makes it work.

99. New York Giants: Tory Horton     WR     Colorado St.

One of the most underrated players in this draft is Tory Horton.  If he hadn’t gotten hurt last year, he’s at least in round two, if he had left CSU for a bigger school and a better offense, he might be a first rounder.  The Giants get a steal. 

100. San Francisco 49ers: Ashton Gillotte     Edge     Louisville

The 49ers continue to rebuild the front seven of the defense and Gillotte is a good player this late in round three. 

101. Los Angeles Rams: Demetrius Knight Jr.     LB    South Carolina

The Rams don’t usually spend draft picks on LBs but Knight is good value here, he’s a starter for the Rams very quickly. 

102. Detroit Lions:  Miles Frazier      OG     Detroit

The Lions need to get some depth at guard with Graham Glasgow getting older and Kevin Zeitler moving on.  I picked Frazier over his teammate Emery Jones but either one works. 

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 21st 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 38th overall pick in this draft, one of their two third round picks, and maybe a 3rd 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 34th 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 10th 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 11th 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 3rd and 4th 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.