Lemme just briefly throw a few of my thoughts out here: 2025 NFL Mock Draft Here are the rules that I have placed upon myself. I do not forecast trades in the mock draft because things will quickly get out of hand. In a highly unpredictable setting, I choose to deal with certainties and not uncertainties. I have made my picks based on whom I think each team will take - not who they should take. I have also taken the liberty to grade the pick based on a multitude of different elements including, but not limited to fit, value, and need. This being said, do not consider the draft grade necessarily a grade on the player. In order to help you understand my thought process, let’s consider some of the teams and coaches that are looking for quarterbacks and how that could affect their grade. Typically, I like to offer a first-round example to introduce this point, but this year, I think that a guy that will likely not go in the first round would be perfect to exemplify my point. Jalen Milroe, the quarterback from Alabama, has every measurable trait a team could ask for; however, his accuracy and polish needs serious work. If the Browns drafted him, and as an organization, they were Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett away from putting Milroe on the field, I would grade this pick as a C. I think it would be only a matter of time before fans, coaches, and ownership would get impatient with Pickett and Flacco, and appeasing the masses would be disastrous in terms of his development. I do think developing Milroe is possible with Kevin Stefanski if he had time; however, I do think that Stefanski’s seat is too warm to take on a long-term project at quarterback. Now, if the Rams drafted Milroe, and he is given years to develop behind Matthew Stafford with little pressure to put him on the field, I would think that Milroe has a real chance of developing under a quarterback whisperer like Sean McVay. Depending on the round that Milroe is selected, he could grade out as a B or even an A pick. How to watch the draft – 2025 has been a strange year, and I foresee this year’s draft being very much on brand. Generally speaking, my philosophy has been that the earlier a team selects in the draft, the more important it is for the team to draft “a game changer.” Typically, this involves selecting quarterbacks, edge rushers, receivers, corners, or left tackles – think touchdowns or turnovers with the exception of left tackle. This year there is a twist. There is talent in this year’s draft, but it is at running back, tight end, interior defensive line, guard, and safety. Traditionally, these are the very positions that I advise against taking in the first round. At most of these positions, teams can find value later in the draft. Mel Kiper even famously stated and reiterated that teams should never draft a running back in the first round, and other pundits have declared spending up on running back should be a finishing piece on an already built roster ready to win in the near term. Tight end is a luxury position, and first rounders have traditionally underperformed. Guard, safety, and interior defensive linemen are nice pieces to have but aren’t cornerstones to Super Bowl winning teams. So, for the first time in the history of my mock drafts, I am going to ask you to do something, but first I want to explain why I spend so much time writing my own mock draft. I had a friend who I loved to talk football with. Prior to the draft, he would have all sorts of opinions on players. Some players he liked, and others he disliked. Occasionally, his team would draft a player that in the days leading to the draft, he clearly did not like, and low and behold, he was excited to have the player on his team on draft night. He either never said that he didn’t like a player, or I misstated his position on the player. Although he was the biggest offender, I noticed other people did the same thing. I then began to wonder, “Do I do the same thing myself?” At that point, I felt it was important to have my thoughts and opinions memorialized before the draft. What I think about a player should not change at all if my favorite team drafts him. If my opinion does change, I have encouraged people to use my own words against me. I think that the healthiest perspective to have when your favorite team drafts a player that you disagree with is thinking, “I hope I am wrong.” So, what do I ask of you? I want you to declare before the draft whether you think it is a good idea for your team to take a player from a non-priority position early on in the draft. Text it to a friend. Immortalize your words. Don’t decide after your team selects a player. Decide now. 1. Tennessee Titans – Cam Ward, QB Miami Cam Ward is the only quarterback in the 2025 NFL draft that grades out as a first round pick. Ward is an upright passer with a solid frame. He has a strong arm with a smooth but inconsistent release. Occasionally, you will see him throw side armed passes that will get him into trouble. He floats more passes than I’d like to see, and I want him to work to get the most out of his arm. Ward is athletic with good but not great speed. He has a gunslinger mentality and does a lot of improv stuff that I suspect will get him in trouble in the NFL. I foresee turnovers being a problem early in his career. I do think that a lot of Ward’s weaknesses are fixable. B 2. Cleveland Browns – Travis Hunter, CB/WR Colorado The Browns are in an absolute mess after even Jimmy Haslem conceded that Deshaun Watson was “a big swing and miss.” Now the Browns have arguably the worst contract in the history of sports on their hands. Just looking at his contract, I think there is a real chance that he is still on the roster in 2026 with a cap hit of nearly $81 million. If he is on the roster, if he is making $81 million, the Browns have to give him one more chance, right? I think that this problem is exacerbated by the fact that I do not have a first-round grade on Sheduer Sanders, and I think that he grades out fairly similar to Kenny Pickett. In my mind, there are only three acceptable picks here – Abdul Carter, Travis Hunter, or Cam Ward. Anyone else would be a massive mistake. The best receiver in the draft and the best corner in the draft happens to be the same player – Travis Hunter. Hunter was a two-way star in college, and there have been talks about him doing the same in the NFL. Let me be very, very clear. This is insane and poorly run teams will try it. Go back and look how many top receiver and corners bust in the NFL. There is so much preparation involved in being a pro, and to think he could be elite at both while dividing his reps 50-50 on offense and defense is absurd. Many times, running backs get dinged for having too much milage. Remember, even the great JJ Watt, arguably one of the most physical specimens in NFL history, eventually broke down. I would suggest picking one position and have a great player for a long time as opposed to shortening this man’s career and livelihood. In my mind, stick him at corner. Maybe, maybe give him a few situational plays at WR, but that is it. Hunter as a player is a remarkable athlete. You can tell he was coached by a Hall of Fame corner. He is a cerebral player that baits quarterbacks into making poor decisions. He has great size and is a long, rangy player. He has receiver level hands. As a route runner, he is smooth and fluid and gets in and out of his breaks. He really could be a Pro Bowler at two different positions. Moreover, his versatility offers teams a sort of bust insurance. If it does not work out at one position, he can try the other. Watching him play both ways would be fun, but whatever team drafts him needs to do the right thing by him and have him play one position, and this is what scares me the most about Cleveland drafting him. Cleveland is a poorly run franchise who I think is almost destined to mess this up. I honestly hate the fit, but the fact of the matter is that they do draft the best player in the draft. It is now up to them to do what’s best. A+ 3. New York Giants – Abdul Carter, EDGE Penn State Brian Daboll is on the hottest of hot seats, and he knows that the only way he is keeping his job is fixing the quarterback position. The Giants explored acquiring Aaron Rodgers and ultimately signed both Russel Wilson and Jameis Winston. Furthermore, they had talks with the Titans about acquiring the first pick in the draft. Reading the tea leaves, I think they know that Shedeur Sanders is not the pick at three, and they have given themselves protection by signing Wilson and Winston. Abdul Carter is a highly athletic speed rusher that can line up all over the place. He can play standing up or play with a hand in the ground, drop into coverage, and even can moonlight as a MLB. Carter is exceptional at navigating space and uses his long body and quick feet to close in on quarterbacks quickly. I do think that Carter has a skinnier frame, and I would like to see him put on weight to add more power to his toolset A+ 4. New England Patriots – Mason Graham, DT Michigan In a perfect world, the Mike Vrabel era would begin with either the Browns or the Giants selecting Shedeur Sanders, and either Travis Hunter or Abdul Carter would fall into his lap. With both players off the board, the natural inclination would be to protect Drake Maye and build up the offensive line. That being said, there really isn’t a lineman worthy of a pick this early. I do think that Mason Graham is a true blue chip prospect and is too good to pass up at this point. Graham has a remarkable blend of strength and speed. He can fly off the line, use a nasty spin move, and navigate through blockers to really give solid pass rush from the interior. He has experience playing all along the defensive line. He does play on a very solid defensive line, and Kenneth Grant will likely be taken in the first round too, so there are some questions as to whether the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. He does get engulfed by blockers a bit more than I’d like to see possibly due to his short arms and will give up when taken out of a play. A+ Postscript - It feels like almost consensus that Will Campbell will be the pick here, and I just do not have the strength to do it. For the life of me, I just cannot wrap my mind around paid NFL front office personnel sitting ultimately not grading Graham significantly higher than Campbell. 5. Jacksonville Jaguars – Armand Membou OT/G, Missouri Just like Mike Vrabel was hoping for top tier talent to fall to him, Liam Cohen had a similar hope in mind. Cohen would have been thrilled to have landed Mason Graham, and now Cohen finds himself in no man’s land. If the top four picks are Ward, Carter, Hunter, and Graham in any order, I would expect the Jaguars to spend the entire allotted time on the clock working the phones to see if anyone will trade up for Shedeur Sanders. Unfortunately, no big offers come in. So, what do you do? Trevor Lawrence was injured last year and protecting him takes priority even as the Jags reach for this pick. The magic number for left tackle arm length is 34 inches, and Membou came in with 33.5 inch arms – slightly below the line of demarcation. Membou played right tackle at Missouri, and of all the top lineman of this year’s draft, I think Membou has the highest shot of playing tackle at the NFL albeit at right tackle. Even then, it does feel like a stretch. Membou is an interesting guy with an odd physique. He has long, wide tree trunk-like legs and a smaller torso. He really does a great job at locking in and driving defenders back with his insurmountable lower body strength. Once, he is engaged, there is no stopping him. Occasionally, his odd frame will get him out of position. This can be mitigated by moving him to guard where he is best suited to play. I do think that coaches will love this guy because he is a high effort player and a finisher. I really do like Membou as a player, and I would be happy to have him on my team, but this does feel early. B 6. Las Vegas Raiders – Ashton Jeanty RB, Boise State At 73 years young, Pete Carroll is in his first year as the head coach of the Raiders, and what is regarded as the worst secret in all of football, Pete likes to run the ball. With that being said, there is another voice in the room. The GOAT himself, Tom Brady, is a minority owner of the Raiders and has close ties to Sheduer Sanders. Geno Smith has proven to be a capable starter in the NFL, and I do think at some point in the draft, the Raiders will add a quarterback. Ultimately, Jeanty is a centerpiece type player that a team can build around, and because of that, he is the selection. Jeanty is only 5’9’’, but he is built like a tank. Jeanty is a hard runner and a fighter who works for extra yardage. He has that great blend of power and is the type of player to bounce off defenders. One of Jeanty’s greatest traits is his lateral movement and ability to hit holes. To understand just how dominant Jeanty was in college, it is worth noting that Vegas, on multiple occasions, would project his total rushing yards in a game at nearly 200 yards. There were instances where Boise State played better opponents, and Jeanty did not look nearly as Herculean. This may be more indicative of Boise State’s trenches than Jeanty, but I always felt like if you kept feeding him the ball, it was only a matter of time before he hit a home run. I know Mel Kiper Jr. says don’t take a running back in the first round. It is a weird year, and this is truly an amazing player. Teams are going to wind up drafting guards in this area of the draft, and the Raiders landed a pro bowler. A+ 7. New York Jets – Tyler Warren TE, Penn State Okay, I am going to go ahead and call this the “best worst pick” of the draft. I watched a lot of Penn State football this season, and I remember thinking to myself how much I would like to have Warren on my roster. Apparently, I was not the only one who had those thoughts. We are now in a situation where Tyler Warren has become a consensus top 14 pick. We have entered an era where the tight ends on most NFL rosters are interchangeable. Just think about your team and its tight end. Suppose you were to randomly swap your tight end with another starting tight end in the league. I think with the exception of very few tight ends, there would be no significant change or impact on the team. Moreover, I have seen tight ends with much freakier measurables than Warren wind up falling into this group of interchangeable tight ends. That being said, I give this pick my blessing. Why? I am a Justin Fields fan. I have seen him take over games with his feet, but I really feel like his passing game is holding him back. A popular maxim is that a tight end is a quarterback’s best friend, and a rangy player like Warren can mitigate his accuracy issues. Warren is a versatile player that can play full-back and occasionally moonlights as quarterback to run sneaks in short yardage situations. He is best at receiving where his agility allows for him to smoothly move in and out of breaks; however, Warren lacks top end speed. I would like to see him work to high point the ball more and look to get more out of his power. He is a cerebral player that really can do a lot of things on the field, but I also think that a lot of what he does might not translate to the NFL. I would love to see him in a Shannahan system. A 8. Carolina Panthers – Jalon Walker LB, Georgia A little over a year ago, Bryce Young looked like he was a total bust; however, after being benched, Young looked significantly better. My initial instinct was to build off that success and draft Young another WR. Carolina is a mess of a franchise with not only a bad owner but a hands-on owner only complicating their war room. I do know that Dave Canales speaks highly of Walker. Additionally, Howie Roseman, Philadelphia GM, has used the commonsense blueprint to build its roster – draft Georgia front seven players early and often. Walker is an attacking outside linebacker who does have the potential to move inside at the NFL level. He will be an enticing prospect to many teams due to his scheme flexibility. Walker looks much bigger on film than his measurements have him listed and has good but not great speed. Walker’s success is predominantly predicated on his strength. In Georgia, he served mainly as a pass rusher, so his ability to do things in coverage are a bit of an unknown. B+ 9. New Orleans Saints – Shedeur Sanders QB, Colorado The ninth pick in the draft could very well serve as one of the most dramatic moments in the draft. If Shedeur Sanders is not taken here, he could be one of those quarterbacks that falls significantly in the draft. That being said, in recent weeks the stars seemed to have lined up for Sanders. Derek Carr is dealing with a shoulder injury, and his status for the 25-26 NFL season is in limbo. Ultimately, I think that this accelerates the succession plan in New Orleans. Although Shedeur’s father, Dieon, is the embodiment of the modern athlete, Shedeur is not a particularly great athlete as one may expect. When Sheduer gets rattled, things get bad quickly. When the pocket breaks down, he instinctually runs backwards far too often. He holds the ball way too much, and he does not know when a play is over, and he would be best suited to throw the ball away. I looked at many of his sacks and felt like they were on him. He does a lot of ad-libbing and throwing off platform. His arm is a bit of a mystery. He can throw long passes, but he lacks the zip to throw ideal out routes. His numbers tend to be inflated due to RAC yards on a lot of safe plays. I’ll leave you with one last entry from my notes – “I would not take him in the first round.” D 10. Chicago Bears –Mykel Wiliams EDGE, Georgia Occasionally, teams tip fans off to the state of a position group in the offseason, and if you really pay attention, you can garner real wisdom by watching from afar. Last season, Chicago’s offensive line was bad. Going into this season, Bears had cap space-a-plenty and a top ten draft pick. So, what did they do? They sent a 4th round pick to Kansas City for Joe Thuney and sent a 6th round pick to the Rams for Jonah Jackson. Both players had expensive contracts. The Bears have essentially told the world, that they do not think highly of the line prospects in this year’s draft class. Because they shored up their line, the Bears are free to address other areas of need. The Bears also struggled at pass rush last year, and similar to the Panthers, taking Georgia front seven players makes a lot of sense. Williams is the type of player that passes the eye test. He has a great balance of power and speed coupled with nice footwork. He does a remarkable job of navigating the pocket and always seems to be winning his positional battles. One problem is that his traits seem to have a disconnect from his production. Williams is consistently good for five sacks per season in a defense where stars usually feast. Williams remains a strong scheme fit, but can Ben Johnson help turn traits into production? B 11. San Francisco 49ers – Will Campbell T/G, LSU The party is over in San Francisco. Brock Purdy, who was probably the most underpaid player in the history of the NFL, is now likely to be a highly overpaid player. With this likelihood approaching, the Niners have already traded Deebo Samuel and will likely be forced to move off of expensive players in the near future. Trent Williams has mulled retirement and shaken the 49ers down for money in the past few seasons, and Campbell could provide a cheaper pathway forward. Campbell is a powerful left tackle with a massive frame who plays with a mean streak and is a mover of men. Additionally, he has light feet and moves quickly for a lineman despite his unorthodox stance. Campbell is solid at engulfing defenders and engaging in blocks. Here is the problem. He has 32 5/8 arm length, and I cannot stress it enough, analytics dictate that in order to play left tackle at the NFL level, a player needs 34-inch arms. This number really matters. Campbell sees himself as a tackle, and I think that he could start at guard in San Francisco and will at least have the chance to move to tackle when Trent Williams retires. I think that this could also help to re-establish the running game. B 12. Dallas Cowboys –Kenneth Grant DT, Michigan The state of the Dallas Cowboys is not good right now. They have glaring holes and a lack of depth all over the place. Dak Prescott is coming off of an injury, and Jerry Jones seems reluctant to lock many of his stars down long term with massive contracts. Dallas seems like a team that wants to blow it all up and rebuild, but they are afraid to do so. New coach, Brian Shottenheimer says that ideally, the Cowboys would take the best player available. As nice as that sounds, Jerry Jones is a bit of a loose cannon. One thing that I have noticed is that during moments of uncertainty, Jerry does lean into doing what he is good at – evaluating the trenches. Kenneth Grant is one of those players that few people in the world look like. Weighing in at 340 lbs., Grant likely has a high draft floor by simply being a space eater. Moreover, with Saquon Barkley lifting the Eagles to world champions, I think that Grant could help to be an answer to that problem. Watching his tape, I would think that a guy that big would be stronger than what he shows. For being as big as he is, he is still pretty athletic. There are moments in which I have seen him put all of it together, and you could see what could become of Grant if properly developed. B 13. Miami Dolphins – Will Johnson CB, Michigan Much like the Cowboys, the Dolphins have hole sall over the place and desperately need to find multiple starters in this year’s draft. Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel are obviously on the hot seat… Unless they aren’t. Many pundits have insinuated that Miami needs to win now, but during the offseason, Miami was neither a mover nor a shaker. Chris Grier has long claimed to draft the best player available, and last year, he did use draft picks on players that were not playing at positions of need. Right now, nobody is jumping off the board as an obvious selection, and working the phones to slide back and pick up picks makes a lot of sense. Chris Grier does not fear injuries, and that is Will Johnson’s biggest concern. Johnson is a long rangy corner that does a great job in shadowing defenders. He is a smooth runner with quick, natural acceleration. After coming off both a hamstring and a toe injury, Johnson missed both the combines and Michigan’s pro day. So, effectively, we are dealing with a bunch of unknowns in terms of measurements. When drafting, I think it is best to take a long-term approach, and with Jalen Ramsey’s days in Miami numbered, this would fill a major hole. A- Postscript – There are rumors a-plenty that Johnson’s 40 time, if he did run, would be around 4.6. If true, Johnson could fall. 14. Indianapolis Colts – Coleston Loveland TE, Michigan From everything I have gathered, it seems like the Colts are really keen on drafting one of the top tight ends in this year’s draft. Much like the Jets, I think that the Colts feel that a rangy tight end could help to salvage Anthony Richardson’s career. Colston Loveland becomes the third Michigan player selected in a row. Let me premise this pick by saying that I would much rather have Tyler Warren in this position. I see Loveland as more of a receiving tight end that is an adequate blocker. He is a bit svelte in his frame, and I would like to see him put on weight. What makes Loveland stand out is his route running abilities coupled with his rangy frame. He is fast an able to get down quickly and leap up high and grab contested balls with his solid hands. I really hate doing player comparisons in these drafts, but I do see a lot of Mike Gesicki in him. Would I take Mike Gesicki here? Definitely not. Good player, but it is early. I think the Colts could get similar talent in the second round if they elected to wait. C+ 15. Atlanta Falcons – Malaki Starks S, Georgia The Falcons seem to have a lot going on in terms of offense, and I think that they have a lot of work to do at both defending and rushing the passer. I could see them considering Will Johnson or any edge player that could potentially fall here. Ultimately, they decide on sticking with the safety from Georgia. Everything that I have been able to gather about Starks leads me to believe that he will be a good – not great player. He has decent measurables, but I do not think that they particularly warrant a first-round pick. He does wind up checking a lot of boxes. He can blitz, tackle, and cover. I would like to see him take better angles in the running game. Nothing I saw, made me think that Starks is a game changer. That being said, draft experts often clamor that you have to watch the right film on Starks that will give you a real understanding of how good he really is. I have not seen this elusive film, and everything that I watched graded out at as a second-round pick. If choosing a safety, I would much rather select Nick Emmanwari and his freakish measurables. C+ 16. Arizona Cardinals – Kelvin Banks, Jr. OT, Texas I expect the Cardinals to be flexible here. I could see them addressing both the interior and exterior offensive line. I also think that they would consider drafting Matthew Golden here to add some speed to their offense. Ultimately, the Cards recognize that they are paying an injury prone Jonah Williams a lot of money in the last year of his contract in Arizona. Given the opportunity to draft one of the truer tackles in this year’s draft class, they Cardinals pull the trigger. Kelvin Banks is a massive guy who probably makes it as a starter in the league due to size and strength alone. He is a powerful tackle, and his strength does show up on tape; however, he is not the most athletic guy. He is slow and stiff, and watching him move is not pretty. He needs to work on his body control. He is able to recover from faster edge guys but hold on for dear life because it is scary. It might be best that he is being selected as a right tackle. B 17. Cincinnati Bengals – Omarion Hampton RB, North Carolina The Bengals embody the “all gas no brakes” mentality. By the end of last year, it truly felt like letting Joe Burrow throw was Cincy’s only option. I do think that they miss what Joe Mixon brought to the game. The Bengals wind up landing one of my favorite players in the draft that most have never heard of. Although only running a 4.46 forty, Hampton looks like he is shot out of a cannon. He reaches his top speed very quickly. Hampton has solid, but not elite power. He certainly is capable of getting those harder yards. He is one of those guys that is unafraid to take on defenders and always seems to be moving forward. Hampton has great hands out of the backfield and is a solid pass blocker. I actually think that at pick 17 – despite being a running back – there is value here. A+ 18. Seattle Seahawks – Jahdae Barron CB, Texas Aside from Devin Witherspoon, the Seahawks do not have any starting corners worth resigning on defense. Jahdae Barron is a player moving up draft boards quickly, and there is a chance that he could already be gone at 18. Now, one might argue that it is not Barron that is rising, but it is Will Johnson that is falling. Could Johnsons unknown measurables and injuries spook NFL GMs? I say yes. Barron runs a blazing sub 4.4 forty and has an average frame. He is a very instinctual player whose specialty is using his hands to deflect passes. Barron also is able to bait quarterbacks and make quick cuts on the ball. He can line up all over the place, but some think he might wind up at nickel. He is 23 which is a bit old for a corner and some might attribute his success to just being an older player against younger, less experienced opponents. I would like to see more effort out of Barron. Once he feels that he is out of a play, he gives up. He doesn’t chase down guys and often makes business decisions in the run game. C+ 19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jihaad Campbell ILB, Alabama The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are running it back with Chris Godwin after he gave his team a generous hometown discount. The Buccaneers are looking to get younger at linebacker, and seeing Jihaad Campbell on the board, and are happy to turn in their draft card. Campbell is a guy that I like significantly more than the consensus. Campbell is an exceptionally athletic guy with a great frame. He moves quite well and can do anything asked of him. He can blitz, edge rush, and cover. He has incredible leaping ability that makes him play even bigger than what he appears in pass defense. He does have some nastiness when he plays. I just want to see it more consistently. He does from time to time get wrapped up in the trenches, and I would like to see more body control from him because he does get moved out of position more than I would like to see. B+ 20. Denver Broncos – Matthew Golden WR, Texas Initially, I thought that the Broncos would use this pick to replace Courtland Sutton and would draft the rangier Terairoa McMilllan; however, it has been reported that Denver has entered into contract negotiations with Sutton and an extension could be on the way soon. I strongly think that Denver would like to add a playmaker on offense to build on Bo Nix’s success. So, instead of drafting Sutton’s replacement, they draft a complementary player in Golden. Matthew Golden discussed hopes of breaking the combine record, or maybe he was just trying to drum up positive headlines, and if so, it really wasn’t needed. His tape speaks for him. Despite having an average frame, he has a lot to like. Golden is quick out of breaks and has remarkable hands. He is able to contort his body to make difficult catches. Golden also offers special teams ability that is an added bonus. Golden seemed to really come on late in the season, and I feel like that the best of him is yet to come. B+ 21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Derrick Harmon DT, Oregon Aaron Rodgers seems to be holding another team hostage. Is he interested in playing for the Steelers? Absolutely. Does he want to look around and explore other opportunities? Yes. Does he think that some other better situation is going to magically present itself to him? Yes, that too. Ultimately, this is the problem with dealing with Aaron Rodgers. I do think that they will eventually work out a deal, and at that point, it is only a matter of time before Rodgers starts trying to run the team, and the Steelers are trading for Alan Lazard. But is there a better alternative? The Steelers reached for Kenny Pickett and moved off him shortly afterwards. Unless Rodgers retires or goes elsewhere, I do not see them reaching for Jackson Dart. By selecting Derrick Harmon, the Steelers make a very Steelers’ move. Harmon looks bigger than what he is, and he has a decent level of burst off the line. Slippery interior defensive linemen are en vogue lately as teams are looking to find pass rush from all over the place. You can move Harmon along the line as he is versatile in terms of scheme. Harmon is a strong guy, but inconsistent. He gets engulfed more than I would like to see him work to improve his consistency. B 22. Los Angeles Chargers – Terairoa McMilllan WR, Arizona With the exception of Ladd McConkey, the Chargers are really thin at receiver, and with most of the receivers still on the board, the Chargers select the big bodied receiver out of Arizona, Terairoa McMilllan. I think that Drake London could be credited for making Terairoa McMilllan a lot of money. Although their games are similar, I see McMillan as a much worse in terms of a prospect. McMillan struggles with speed in several aspects of his game. He is slow off the line and is inconsistent coming in and out of his breaks. He does not beat defenders in a traditional sense. On draft night, he is going to look good because his one trick is a thing of beauty: the man can climb the latter. If I were a team looking to add a size receiver, I think I would look to select one of the tight ends. C- 23. Green Bay Packers – Shemar Stewart EDGE, Texas A&M I do think that if Matthew Golden was available, he would have been the pick here. That being said, the Pack are a day late and a dollar short. I think that Shemar Stewart is one of the most intriguing prospects of the entire draft, and he could go earlier in the draft or he could slide out of the first round altogether. Stewart is an incredible athlete, but that has not made him a great football player. There is so much speed and explosiveness all over his game. He flies off the line and is almost always swallowed up by blockers. In fairness to him, he faced a lot of double teams, but he is going to have to find a way to shed blockers. He has to find a way to gain strength whether that be by adding weight or muscle. In my heart, I really do believe that he is stronger than what he displays on film. It is interesting that the Packers got into this situation by drafting Lukas Van Ness, a similar high measurement-low production guy, in the first round a few years ago. Stewart has all the potential in the world, but I cannot get over the fact that he has never even had two sacks in a year. As the late, great Don Shula warned “potential guys” get coaches fired. D 24. Minnesota Vikings – Nick Emmanwari S, South Carolina Harrison Smith has been a cornerstone of Minnesota’s defense for a long, long time; however, he is getting long in the tooth. With Malaki Starks going earlier in the draft, Minnesota finds real value late in the first round selecting the best safety in the draft class, Nick Emmanwari. Emmanwari has the freakish athleticism and a solid frame that I like in a first rounder. Coaches will love his versatility and ability to line up all over the place. Emmanwari flies around the field but is probably most comfortable in the box. Going forward, I would like to see him maximize his abilities by playing with more aggression. At times, he is lazy in tackling and could use his strength more to his advantage. A- 25. Houston Texans – Emeka Egbuka WR, The Ohio State University Last year, the Texans were loaded at receiver – key word “were.” Both Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell suffered season ending injuries, and because of this, CJ Stroud struggled. Diggs has since departed, and Tank Dell’s career may be in jeopardy. Nico Collins is arguably one of the most underrated true number one receivers in the league, so the Texans will have a lot of flexibility if they choose to draft a receiver in the first round. Cue my annual praise for Brian Hartline and the work he does at The Ohio State University preparing wide receivers. I know that you cannot grade a player based on the school that they attended, but I really do think that Buckeye receivers are some of the most prepared receivers in the country, and Egbuka is no different. Egbuka lacks the top end speed that many Buckeyes have, but he makes up for it in his shiftiness and quickness out of his routes. Because of this, he probably will not serve as a true number one receiver in the league and is probably best served working out of the slot. He does play close attention to his routes and does the little things that will impress coaches. He has a nice frame and was used in both the screen and run game – although, I am not sure that this part of his game translates. B+ 26. Los Angeles Rams – Mike Green OLB, Marshall There will likely be a lot of intrigue when the Rams are on the clock. The Rams allowed Matthew Stafford to seek a trade in the offseason, and the Raiders made a serious offer. Ultimately, Stafford restructured his contract and remained with the Rams. It has been no secret that the Rams have done their homework on Jaxson Dart, and if they did their homework properly, it is clear that Dart does not grade out as a first-round prospect. Now, sometimes, teams “doing their homework” is a euphemism for “learning to love,” and perhaps the Rams convince themselves to take Dart. Ultimately, the Rams move away from one compelling prospect only to select another compelling prospect. As someone who has followed the draft for as long as I can remember, prospects like these make me wonder just how many teams have removed Green from their big boards altogether. Mike Green has been accused of sexual assault twice. One of them occurred in high school, and the second accusation occurred while Green was attending college at Virginia. This led to Green being suspended, and he ultimately entered the transfer portal. Although no charges have ever been filed, I am a bit spooked by these serious allegations. As a little insight to my scouting process, I like to evaluate the players on tape and then do biographical research. So, during the evaluation process, I had no idea of his past. While watching him, I thought to myself, “This guy is clearly a top 10 talent.” Green has a long and rangy body that he maximizes. He is incredibly quick off the ball and has elite speed in his game. He is deliberate and covers ground quickly. He has a high motor and plays with aggression. At points in his career, he played against weaker competition, but his skills showed when he faced top talent. Due to his talent on the field, I expect some team to take him in the first round. Buyer beware! D 27. Baltimore Ravens – Tyler Booker G, Alabama One of the great mysteries in the NFL is, “How do the Ravens always draft so well?” Today, I feel like the magician revealing the most obvious of tricks: they draft guys playing in or near the trenches from Alabama. My immediate thought when watching Booker play was, “The Ravens are going to draft this guy.” Booker is a massive human being that just moves men. Booker has elite strength, and I would have all the confidence in the world running behind him on 4th and 1. Booker is not a scheme fit for every team. He is slow and lacks athleticism, so teams that move their guards will probably have lower grades on him. He lacks agility and struggles to recover when out of position. A 28. Detroit Lions – James Pearce Jr. EDGE, Tennessee The Lions have put together one of the best rosters in the NFL, and because of that, they have a lot of flexibility at this position. I do think that receiver could be a sneaky position of need. I think that they found a true number one receiver in Jameson Williams, but his off the field problems would make me incredibly nervous about paying him accordingly. I do think if receivers fall, Detroit could snatch one of them up. I could also see Detroit being willing to trade out of the first round if a team is looking to move up and select a quarterback and get the coveted fifth year option. Ultimately, Detroit lost a lot of steam last year when Aiden Hutcheson went down, and Pearce could be another nice, young edge guy to help fill out the room. Pearce could best be described as a high upside developmental prospect. He has great athleticism and tools. Most notably, he has solid footwork and speed. He is helpful in the run game and has shown some limited ability to move out in coverage. Pearce is tall and too skinny. I really want to see him put on weight and add some power to his game. B- 29. Washington Commanders – TreVeyon Henderson RB, The Ohio State University Jayden Daniels was the talk of the town last season, and Washington’s future has looked as bright as it has ever been; however, dark clouds loom on the horizon. Brian Robinson, Austin Eckler, Terry McClaurin, Deebo Samuel, and Zach Ertz all are in the final year of their contracts. Although the prospect of effectively losing all of your offensive skill positions can be daunting by appearance, let me be the glass half-full guy. If the Commanders get ahead of this, it could allow them to reset their team in a much cheaper, younger fashion. Moreover, because every skill position is effectively a need, they can avoid reaching and selecting the best offensive skill player available. The Commanders ultimately want to draft an every down running back, and they select TreVeyon Henderson. Henderson is highly regarded in the draft community, but I think that there are better prospects available. Henderson is slightly undersized but has the desirable lateral movement as a rusher. He is able to hit holes quickly. He has good hands out of the backfield and is adequate as a blocker. My grievance with Henderson is that he is slightly undersized, but this shows up with his lack of power and break tackle ability. He really does not have a third gear where he can separate from defenders. I am not sure that he will have the explosiveness at the next level that he did in college. C- 30. Buffalo Bills – Landon Jackson EDGE, Arkansas Josh Allen is coming off an MVP season, and he might actually be underrated. I think that the lack of talent that the Bills have surrounded him with is criminal. I think Buffalo management has to look inward to see why the Bills perpetually fall short in the playoffs. I would love to see the Bills get aggressive and try and win now. Package some picks together and move up to get Allen a weapon. Unfortunately, the Bills stand pat and take a developmental guy in Landon Jackson. Jackson is really solid in run support and setting the edge. He has a lot to work with in terms of tools. He has a long, rangy body, and I think that he needs to put on weight because his speed is merely adequate. Is this an easier said than done proposition? Maybe. He has already added 40 lbs. since attending Arkansas. He does have a certain level of slipperiness to his game, but I would like to see him grow into a power edge. C 31. Kansas City Chiefs – Josh Simmons OT, The Ohio State University In terms of offensive talent, the Chiefs have a lot of big names, but I do see a lot of regression. Rashee Rice has looked good, but his season is in legal jeopardy. This year has a lot of talent at tight end, and it may be a good idea to start thinking about life without Travis Kelce. If I were the GM of the Chiefs, I would try and get ahead of the curve in terms of replacing aging offensive talent. I do think that if Josh Simmons fell, Andy Reid would personally run the card to the table. The constant shuffle on the offensive line is directly correlated to Patrick Mahomes’s salary. The opportunity to bring in talent at an important position is too much to pass up. Simmons is a favorite in the draft community, and I would not be surprised if he was drafted much higher. I could see him going in the top 15. Simmons is a player that I disagree with the consensus. Simmons is coming off of a knee injury and there is debate as to whether he will miss some of the season. Personally, I think injuries like these should not be deciding factors of the evaluation process, and teams should think long term. I completely understand why teams like him. His power is undeniable, and there is just so much tape of him engaging defenders and pushing them backward. The problem is that speed rushers really gave Simmons a hard time. When facing speed rushers, you could really see his speed get mitigated. I am not sure if this can be fixed. Continuing with this year’s trend, I wonder if he too is best suited at guard. I think taking Simmons at the end of the draft does bring value even if he is a guard. B 32. Philadelphia Eagles – Walter Nolen DT, Ole Miss Howie Roseman has given the NFL a master class in roster composition. The Eagles should be strong contenders to defend their Super Bowl title. One of the hardest parts about building a dynasty is keeping talent. Fans, coaches, and management grow attached to players, and that causes teams to write a lot of bad contracts. Right now, the Eagles should be focused on building depth, so they can ultimately let guys walk. Walter Nolen was the number one recruit out of high school. Nolen has an acceptable frame and a lot of tools to work with. He is a high motor player that faced plenty of double teams. He has good lateral quickness and plays with a lot of effort. I would like to see him get more out of his tools. I do think Nolen would go much earlier if not for character concerns. Walter Nolen played for three different high schools, went to Texas A&M, and then transferred to Ole Miss. Rumors have swirled that Nolen has walked out of practices, and Lane Kiffin essentially confirmed that Nolen has taken himself out of games. Howie Roseman was willing to take a chance on Jalen Carter, and that has panned out in a big way. I think that taking a chance on Nolen could provide Roseman with a chance to walk away from Jordan Davis. C Big Board 1. Travis Hunter, CB/WR Colorado 2. Abdul Carter, EDGE Penn State 3. Ashton Jeanty, RB Boise State 4. Mason Graham, DT Michigan 5. Will Johnson, CB Michigan 6. Jihaad Campbell, LB Alabama 7. Jalon Walker, LB Georgia 8. Cam Ward, QB Miami 9. Will Campbell, T/G LSU 10. Kenneth Grant, DT Michigan Top Quarterbacks 1. Cam Ward, Miami 2. Jalen Milroe, Alabama 3. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss 4. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado 5. Tyler Shough, Louisville 6. Kyle McCord, Syracuse Order in Which the Quarterbacks will be Drafted 1. Cam Ward, Miami 2. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado 3. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss 4. Jalen Milroe, Alabama 5. Tyler Shough, Louisville Two Most Overrated Players (True Value in Parenthesis) 1. Shedeur Sanders, QB Colorado (2nd) 2. Shemar Stewart, EDGE Texas A&M (2nd) 10 years from now, we will say the best player in the draft was Travis Hunter, CB Colorado. 10 years from now, we will say the biggest first round bust was Shemar Stewart, EDGE Texas &M. The annual hidden gem of the draft is Orande Gadsden Jr., TE Syracuse. Odds & Ends I’m the worst. I know. I only got X number of picks right this year. Over the last few years, I have honestly contemplated simply releasing a write-up on my top 32 prospects in lieu of producing a mock draft. In my earlier years of producing a mock draft, I didn’t even call it a mock draft. I called it a draft day supplement. In retrospect, I think the pivot may have been a mistake. In recent years, I have really stepped up my game introducing insight about the pick itself in order to really provide a greater overall context to the draft itself. So, I wanna take a little moment and briefly describe how my draft is different and how my supplement mock draft should be used. What I am providing you is a mosaic of information that is essentially broken down into four parts – information about the pick itself, information about the player, an overall big board, and a quarterback ranking. By marrying this information, you should be able to quickly get a good idea whether the pick itself is good or bad. The information about the pick should let you know the state of the franchise and holes in the roster, and upcoming roster decisions. The pick itself will give you a breakdown on the player. The big board will help you to ascertain the value of the player being drafted, and because quarterbacks are so particularly valuable, they are their own ranking. Generally speaking, a pick can be considered a success if a team can fill a hole with good value or the pick itself represents a great overall value. Landing a top ten talent with the twentieth pick regardless of need would obviously be a winning proposition. Finally, if your team needs a franchise quarterback, your rankings may be wholly different and grabbing a signal caller ahead of their ascribed rankings may make sense. Ultimately, my goal is more than just providing you with a little fun before the draft. It is to provide you with a thorough guide that will help you enjoy the greatest day of the year! Trade down!!!! I do not think that this is a particularly good draft in terms of top-level talent. I think there are plenty of good but not great players. I felt like even putting together a big board was challenging because a lot of players felt comparable. If I were a GM, I would have a list of players that I covet in the early rounds, and I would be willing to move far enough back that I could guarantee landing one of them. As I scream “trade down” at the clouds, there is a bit of a wrinkle in these words of wisdom. You need to find someone willing to move up. Unless a team is getting into the top five, I really do not see value in this. I really do think that if I was a GM, I would be willing to take less in terms of value in order to acquire picks as long as I could be assured that I could get a player that I liked. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Look for a major shakeup at quarterback. I would fully expect a head scratcher or two. Remember, there is no such thing as players rising or falling based on other mock drafts. Somehow, we have gotten to the point in which people feel like mock drafts are real things. They are fiction. My QB rankings felt disconnected from most mocks, and I have conviction in my rankings. Jalen Milroe, QB Alabama If you talked to me even a little bit during the college football season, I probably would have told you that I did not think that Jalen Milroe was very good. His footwork is sloppy, and his accuracy is bad. And he is currently ranked as my #2 quarterback overall. What gives? If I was a team in need of a quarterback, and I missed on Shedeur Sanders, I wouldn’t be upset. The same holds true for Jaxson Dart. I think that these guys are actually comparable. When Jalen Milroe comes off the board, I do feel like I am missing out on an opportunity. Jalen Milroe is the only QB in this year’s draft that you can use the word “elite” when discussing him. He legitimately could be the fastest player on the field at any given time. He won the William V. Campbell Trophy (the academic Heisman), so there is a real hope that Milroe can learn and grow. I think that a team drafting Milroe is drafting “who Milroe could become” as opposed to “who he is.” Milroe had 20 rushing touchdowns last season alone, and a smart team could carve out a situational role with Milroe. If things do not work out for Milroe at QB, I think he has real potential to change positions and play at a high level. Eyebrows were raised when Milroe agreed to attend the draft. Most people did not project him going in the first round, and people began to speculate that perhaps someone knows something. I would not be shocked if he was the second quarterback taken. If Anthony Richardson warrants a first-round pick, I think Milroe does as well. Tyler Shough, QB Louisville If Tyler Shough had better medicals, he would easily be a first-round pick. He has great processing speed, gets the ball out quickly, and is a smart player. He throws really well off-platform and on the run. There were numerous times he was in the process of being sacked, and I thought he was just throwing the ball away, and he wound up completing a pass. He has a strong arm and gets the ball out quickly. He has above average athleticism, but due to his injury history, teams might prefer he stay in the pocket. Kyle McCord, QB Syracuse McCord has good tools to be a developmental QB. He is a stiff, upright passer who needs to work on his release. He does a great job of throwing balls into spots; however, his overall accuracy is inconsistent, and he would love for teams to burn the film from his 5 INT game vs. Pitt. McCord did not make it at Ohio State which is another chink in his armor. McCord has a big arm, but he needs to use it. I want him to become a fast ball pitcher in the pros. Harold Fannin Jr., TE Bowling Green State University Fannin moves like a wide receiver and is in and out of his breaks very quickly. He has great hands and plays faster than his forty suggests. He is a good blocker, but I would like to see him add more muscle mass to his body.
