IT’S DRAFT DAY!
I threw together a 1 round notepad mock draft yesterday that can be seen here, but here’s my full and final 3 round mock:
1 - TENNESSEE TITANS - CAM WARD - QB - MIAMI
2 - CLEVELAND BROWNS - TRAVIS HUNTER - WR/CB - COLORADO
3 - NEW YORK GIANTS - JAXSON DART - QB - MISSISSIPPI
Ward and Hunter are just about locked in, so it’s time to get spicy at 1-3. Abdul Carter is a monster, but if you don’t have a QB nothing matters. Per Todd McShay, Daboll doesn’t like Shedeur and has been pushing to take their QB at 3. Instead of trading up from the 2nd round, I could see them getting Daboll’s guy at 1-3. The Giants went and saw Dart first before heading to Boulder & Louisville for private visits with Sanders & Shough.
In general, if there’s a QB you LOVE and believe is a franchise QB, don’t get cute. Just take him. I got Dart 3rd overall 50-1, still 40-1 as I write this.
4 - NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - ABDUL CARTER - EDGE - PENN STATE
Vrabel this week, “But you can’t win, and you can’t do what we want to do with just a bunch of good dudes”. Campbell is a good dude, leader, but Carter is a potential elite superstar $100M pass rusher and the Pats need stars.
5 - JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS - ASHTON JEANTY - RB - BOISE STATE
The new rumor is that Liam Coen wants a weapon for his offense and Trevor Lawrence. T-Mac getting some buzz here, but Coen used multiple backs in Tampa and Jeanty can lead the backfield with Etienne being the 2. Jeanty & Brian Thomas gives T-Law 2 elite weapons.
6 - LAS VEGAS RAIDERS - WILL CAMPBELL - OT - LSU
Pete Carroll wants to run the ball and change the culture in Vegas, this helps both of those things. Unlike in Seattle, hopefully the Raiders try and protect Geno in his 30’s wby investing in the o-line.
7 - NEW YORK JETS - JALON WALKER - EDGE - GEORGIA
Aaron Glenn seems to have a voice in this first pick and his defense crumbled last year when his pass rushers got injured in Detroit. So load up on the EDGE and I love Jalon Walker.
8 - CAROLINA PANTHERS - MASON GRAHAM - DL - MICHIGAN
Best defensive player available, Mason Graham falls into Carolina’s lap. One of the worst run defenses in the league gets a huge boost.
9 - NEW ORLEANS SAINTS - MYKEL WILLIAMS - EDGE - GEORGIA
Cameron Jordan in year 15!!! Mykel is freakishly athletic and can be the next great Saints pass rusher of the future. Insane upside from a long and athletic Williams.
10 - CHICAGO BEARS - ARMAND MEMBOU - OG/OT - MIZZOU
People forget the reason the Lions went and grabbed RB Gibbs, TE LaPorta, WR Jamo early in recent draftS is because they built up the o-line first. Bears paid up for interior help, but do need a tackle. Membou can play guard but has massive upside as just a 21 year old to be a great tackle. Keep building those trenches so Ben Johnson & Caleb WIlliams have time to cook. Also, justice for Cole Kmet, who I think is a great TE who’s never been in a good scheme. Ben Johnson will fix that.
11 - SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS - WALTER NOLAN - DL - OLE MISS
49ers odds to take a DT/EDGE has shot to near even money today, sounds like they want to add some talent on the d-line and Nolen has been linked to them heavily.
12 - DALLAS COWBOYS - TETAIROA MCMILLAN - WR - ARIZONA
I’m an ASU alum but I think the T-Mac hate has gone too far. You cannot underestimate how bad their current coaching staff is. Jedd Fisch had T-Mac in line, but reports are saying T-Mac did whatever he wanted, didn’t practice hard this year BUT I’d like to still point out he was absolutely elite just messing around all year. Freak athlete, great ball skills, I think Dak and CeeDee will be able to lock him in. Mike Evans vibes and the rumor is Jacksonville and Dallas are big fans.
13 - MIAMI DOLPHINS - KELVIN BANKS - OT - TEXAS
The lifeblood of the McDaniels offense is the run game. The offensive line is in a bad place with Terron Armstead retiring, Banks is a safe stud and great pick at 13 for Miami to re-establish the run and keep Tua upright.
14 - INDIANAPOLIS COLTS - TYLER WARREN - TE - PENN STATE
Colts want a TE and they’re popping champagne with Warren at 14.
15 - ATLANTA FALCONS - MIKE GREEN - EDGE - MARSHALL
Mike Green may be a small conference guy but his 88 NFL Next Gen “Athleticism” score was #1 for EDGE rushers. I like Green a lot, Falcons need an EDGE guy badly and this is the perfect draft for it.
16 - ARIZONA CARDINALS - DERRICK HARMON - DL - OREGON
The Gambo 5 has hit 9 years in a row, and his list is – Tyler Booker, Alabama G, Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas OT, Josh Simmons, Ohio State OT, Walter Nolen, Ole Miss DL Mykel Williams, Georgia pass rusher.
Honorable Mention: Derrick Harmon, Oregon DT
With only Simmons & Booker the only players left on the board, I’m not sure they’re worth the 16th pick. I think the Cardinals could definitely look to trade down as they don’t have a ton of draft capital this year, but at 16 I’m sticking with my guy Derrick Harmon. Just like the Eagles, keep building that line. The interior pass rush is such a hard thing for teams to game plan around and I think Harmon is legit.
I love Jahdae Barron but him and Johnson not being in the Gambo 5 tells me they don’t want to go CB at 16. Same goes for WR too.
17 - CINCINNATI BENGALS - SHEMAR STEWART - EDGE - TEXAS A&M
Hendrickson wants out and they can’t pay him, Stewart has massive upside as a pass rusher with some character issues though. But it’s the Bengals and they have a good locker room mixed with a history of being willing to take shots on guys like this.
18 - SEATTLE SEAHAWKS - GREY ZABEL - OG/C - NORTH DAKOTA ST
Out of nowhere EVERYONE is putting Zabel with the Seahawks. If you’re rolling with Sam Darnold he needs time to throw and I think Zabel is the best center or guard in the draft.
19 - TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS - JAHDAE BARRON - CB - TEXAS
A lot of people are mocking Matthew Golden to the Bucs, but I think they address defense and I think Barron is the best corner in the draft over Johnson.
20 - DENVER BRONCOS - OMARION HAMPTON - RB - NORTH CAROLINA
21 - PITTSBURGH STEELERS - SHEDEUR SANDERS - QB - COLORADO
22 - LOS ANGELES CHARGERS - COLSTON LOVELAND - TE - MICHIGAN
Sean Payton needs a RB for his offense to take the next step, little ironic to cut UNC Javonte Williams and replace him with UNC Hampton… but I like Hampton as much as Jeanty. Mike Tomlin loves chaos, Shedeur is totally going to the Steelers. Harbaugh has decide between 2 Michigan men in Grant, Johnson or Loveland, but it’s time to give Herbert some weapons.
23 - GREEN BAY PACKERS - JAMES PEARCE JR - EDGE - TENNESSEE
24 - MINNESOTA VIKINGS - NICK EMMANWORI - S - SOUTH CAROLINA
25 - HOUSTON TEXANS - TYLER BOOKER - OG - ALABAMA
Packers look to add some pass rush help to good defense, Vikings secondary needs some help up the middle and Emmanwori is an athletic freak with massive upside, from the podcast I mentioned earlier Daniel Jeremiah said, “The Houston Texans, it’s going to be the law firm of Booker or Banks,” Jeremiah said. “They are drafting an offensive lineman between those two guys, whoever is there."
26 - LOS ANGELES RAMS - WILL JOHNSON - CB - MICHIGAN
27 - BALTIMORE RAVENS - MALAKI STARKS - S - GEORGIA
Will Johnson’s slide ends with a great landing spot in a young and improving Rams defense. Starks fits Baltimore perfectly as they had one of the worse pass defenses in the league last year.
28 - DETROIT LIONS - KENNETH GRANT - DT - MICHIGAN
29 - WASHINGTON COMMANDERS - MATTHEW GOLDEN - WR - TEXAS
Lions best d-lineman available and Kenneth Grant is a massive talent to add. Golden is a perfect fit for the vertical Jayden Daniels pass game. Todd McShay noted Golden would be WR6 last year, which I like Golden but it’s going to take the right fit for all these WR’s.
30 - BUFFALO BILLS - JT TUIMOLOAU- EDGE - OHIO STATE
The only way to beat the Chiefs is having a pass rush that can disrupt Mahomes. JT had a monster college playoff and I think he sneaks into the 1st round as a safe bet to be reliable EDGE guy in the NFL.
31 - KANSAS CITY CHIEFS - JOSH SIMMONS - OT - OHIO STATE
Did you watch the Super Bowl? Simmons coming off a major injury but had OT1 upside when healthy.
TRADE 32 - CLEVELAND BROWNS - TYLER SHOUGH - QB - LOUISVILLE
Eagles trade 1-32 to Browns for 2-33 & 104th overall pick
The Eagles will be shopping this pick, this way the Eagles get to add an extra pick and control the draft Day 2 where they can trade down again as Howie loves stock piling picks. As for the Browns, they take Shough who is a good scheme fit for Stefanski + they have a 5th year option on a QB now too.
ROUND 2
33 - PHILADELPHIA EAGLES - DONOVAN EZEIRUAKA - EDGE - BC
34 - NEW YORK GIANTS - JIHAAD CAMPBELL - ILB - ALABAMA
35 - TENNESSEE TITANS - LUTHAR BURDEN - WR - MIZZOU
36 - JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS - EMEKA EGBUKA - WR - OHIO STATE
Eagles replace Josh Sweat with Donovan Ezeiruaka, Campbell has a shoulder injury but there’s a need in the middle of the Giants defense and Campbell is a 1st round talent. Burden fits Cam Ward’s extend plays deep ball style & Egbuka becomes Liam Coen’s Chris Godwin. This is why they should take Jeanty 1st not T-Mac.
37 - LAS VEGAS RAIDERS - TREVEYON HENDERSON - RB - OHIO STATE
38 - NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - JOSH CONERLY JR - OT - OREGON
39 - CHICAGO BEARS - QUINSHON JUDKINS - RB - OHIO STATE
40 - NEW ORLEANS SAINTS - JALEN MILROE - QB - ALABAMA
See rest of Round 2/3 below
Henderson & Judkins go to RB needy teams, Conerly in my mind isn’t TOO far off Will Campbell, so Carter & Conerly start for NE is amazing. Saints roll the dice on a super athletic Milroe as Kellen Moore will build him a Jalen Hurts style offense.
47 - ARIZONA CARDINALS - JAYDEN HIGGINS - WR - IOWA STATE
The Cardinals need a true #2 WR next to MHJ and McBride. Dortch is fine in the slot, so Higgins > Noel fit in my opinion. He can play an AJ Green type role for Kyler, but not washed like AJ was. Massive production in college at E. Kentucky then Iowa State, should step in right away and fit this offense perfectly. Side note, love Wazzu’s Kyle Williams too.
Rest of round 2 & 3 below!
-Goldy Happens