1. Carolina Panthers.
The Pick: Bryce Young, QB. I must say, I make this pick with some hesitation. Everything is pointing this way.. but a couple of people with generally good sources strongly insist that CJ Stroud is the pick. Young is very slight and small, but should be able to adjust to the NFL. If so, he should send 10% of his earnings to Russel Wilson and 5% to Drew Brees because without those 2 having the careers they hadve/had, we arent discussing a quarterback of this height going #1 overall.
2. Houston Texans.
The Pick: Will Anderson, EDGE. Usually my mock drafts are out a couple weeks before the draft, not a week. This pick is one reason Im late this year. Early I had the Texans take whomever the Panthers DIDNT take.. Stroud or Young. There is more and more noise now however that the Texans want Young, and if they cant have Young they are going to go in another direction. Now, arguably, if thats how they feel and knowing the importance of the position, they should trade up a spot. If Carolina likes Stroud at all maybe they would be happy to trade back down 1 spot and get some picks back. They have a ton of needs. But the Texans are a dysfunctional franchise and are going to blow it. Now, Will Anderson is a good player and the Texans have spent years trying to replace Clowney and JJ Watt but he may not even be the most dynamic guy out there. But you know what he is? Safe. Texans get a very good EDGE rusher and the safest pick in the draft. I am still tempted to change this however, as Im now starting to hear rumors the NFL may not be viewing Anderson the way the rest of us do. But at some point , you just got to write something down and live with it.
3. Arizona Cardinals.
The Pick: Tyree Wilson, EDGE. Another pick that made my mock late. I had the Arizona moving out of 3, during the moving around of teams trying to get one of the top 4 QBs. I no longer believe there is a mad rush to get the QBs at the top of the draft, and dont think the Cardinals will be able to move down. They get the EDGE rusher with the highest ceiling perhaps and a freak of a body type. I have never done a mock with so little certainty in the first 4,5 picks.
4. Indianapolis Colts.
The Pick: Will Levis, QB. Apparently the Colts think this is their guy. People have argued back and forth about him.. were his faults due to his own failings or because his team and the program didnt do him any favors with talent and scheme? We will find out. Normally, as Ive written elsewhere, Im a "Youre responsible for what you put on tape" kind of guy. But nothing is absolute and you do need to consider surroundings to some degree. Is this all a smoke screen? Is Levis secretly the second best QB? TIme will tell.
5. Seattle Seahawks.
**Discussion First. Its a Seahawks board so Id like to go more in depth here. If this is how things play out I will curse the Chargers once again for dropping their last two and making us move from #3 to #5. The above scenario really creates a difficult choice. Jalen Carter is still on the board. Pete Carroll isnt just a coach. He is a life mentor, he will take chances on red flag players and help them achieve on and off the field. So, is Carter then an ideal fit? He is certainly a fit for what they need and is maybe the best player in the draft. But there is the other side of Pete.. Pete is about "always comPete". Does he want Carter after he couldnt finish his individual drills at this pro day? Is that always competing? If not, is that something Pete could instill? Anthony Richardson is also available, and I dont think the Seahawks interest in this years quarterbacks is a smoke screen. And with Anthony Richardson there at 5 would a team move up to get him or Carter and be willing give a lot? There is a lot to think about and this is probably why so many mock drafters and commentators have said the Seahawks pick really is the most intriguing. I feel like Anthonry Richardson could be a good pick but it would leave such feeling of missed opportunity. I suspect the Seahawks want Tyree Wilson, but wont move up for him.
The Pick: Jalen Carter, NT. The Seahawks take a chance, but both the city and the staff should make Seattle an ideal landing spot for Jalen Carter. Pete is a motivator, the team is professional, and with Bobby Wagner around Carter will be in a situation he can maximize his considerable potential.
6. Detroit Lions.
The Pick: Christian Gonzalez, CB. After trading way disappointing Okudah, the Lions really need to get some help in the secondary where the cupboard was already bare. Gonzalez has all the tools and the right build to be a Pro Bowl CB you can leave on an island.
7. Las Vegas Raiders.
The PIck: Paris Johnson Jr. , OT. Ive put this straight forward, practical , smart , sure thing pick here.. so I fully expect the Raiders to get cute and do something to sabotage themselves yet again. They should grab the best OT in the draft.
8. Atlanta Falcons.
The Pick: Nolan Smith, EDGE/OLB. Are the Falcons enough commited to Ridder, last years third round pick, that they would stick with the plan even with Anthony Richardson there? I honestly dont know. But Nolan Smith gives them a badly needed chess piece on defense.
9. Chicago Bears.
The Pick: Peter Skoronski, OT. Chicago has a lot of needs. Devon Witherspoon is maybe a bit of a reach here, there are some other intriguing names but Skoronski makes Fields a better player come September, and that means more return from DJ Moore. Skoronski makes the team better, despite his T Rex arms.
10. (TRADE) Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay trades #19, #153, #175, and 2024 1st round to get Philadelphia Eages #10 and 2024 3rd rounder.
The Pick: Anthony Richardson, QB. Not originally part of the plan, but with Richardson coming down to 10, this move makes some sense and will perhaps start a bit of a panic in teams who were hoping QBs would keep falling. The Eagles dont have a ton of needs but have a large hole in their drafting area, so this gets them picks in the middle rounds and a 1st rounder next year when they may have more obvious needs. Tampa gets Richarson and a chance to let him sit behind Mayfield for a year.
11. Tennessee Titans.
The PIck: Broderick Jones, OT. The Titans may have been getting excited watching Richardson fall, but cant afford to move up even though they might have been a good landing spot for Richardson. The Titans O line is a shambles so Broderick Jones is a good step in rebuilding it. Not a sexy pick, but those will come. They need a foundation.
12. Houston Texans.
The Pick: CJ Stroud. If Stroud falls the way many others think Levis will , then the Texans cant ignore him at 12 and this would make them accidentally look like geniuses.
13. New York Jets.
The Pick: Darnell Wright, OT. Even if trading for Aaron Rodgers, the Jets will still have this pick and will use it to protect their investment.
14. New England Patriots.
The Pick: Lukas Van Ness, DL5T. This could be a WR, but the lack of a clear cut star there this year could mean the Patriots improve their pass rush and defensive front overall with this pick. A slightly divisive pick..he could go earlier or much later. Not purely an EDGE guy.
15. Green Bay Packers.
The Pick: Dalton Kinkaid, TE. Could go WR here to be ironic, but a TE will be a young QBs best friend. Kinkaid can do it all: H back, in line, split out, slot.. block. Many tight ends need a couple years before they contribute but Kinkaid should be able to produce immediately.