There’s a good chance very few people are subscribed to my SubStack care about mine or anyone’s NFL Mock Draft…. but they’re really fun to make. I love the MLB Draft (did 4 mocks last year for it) but the NFL Draft is far and away the best draft. The trades, the surprises and most of all the importance of doing well for each team is bigger than any other league.
I did a 1.0 version that you can see here for the 1st round, this one I’ll go through the Cardinals 2nd round pick.
Lastly, I highly suggest following Todd McShay’s new content with his newsletter & podcast as I think he is far and away the best in the business at draft coverage and play evaluation + he’s free from ESPN now! Honorable mention to Daniel Jeremiah too and boy was the Russillo, McShay, DJ pod on Russillo’s feed incredible this week.
1 - TENNESSEE TITANS - CAM WARD - QB - MIAMI
2 - CLEVELAND BROWNS - TRAVIS HUNTER - WR/CB - COLORADO
3 - NEW YORK GIANTS - ABDUL CARTER - EDGE - PENN STATE
Cam Ward may have already bought his house in Nashville, Browns GM Andrew Berry talked about how Travis Hunter is football’s Shohei Ohtani. Sounds like the Giants ownership wants a QB, but they’ve been linked to Sanders, Shough & Milroe, which makes me think they want one at 34 (or late 1st trade up). Carter, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux is an absolute elite pass rush trio and it’s been a long time since the Giants have been elite at anything.
Also, Ward -20000 to go 1st, Hunter -850 to go 2nd, Carter -600 to go 3rd overall at Fan Duel.
4 - NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - WILL CAMPBELL - OT - LSU
With Carter/Hunter gone, Patriots NEED to fix their o-line for Drake Maye to have a chance…. Will Campbell is -240 on FD to be first o-lineman drafted. Pats probably try to trade down, but who’s trading up if Ward/Hunter/Carter are gone? Campbell is going to be solid but not elite, but that’s a massive improvement to Pats current worst in the NFL o-line. Campbell should be ready to step in a LT right away, where there’s more projection and development needed for Armand Membou (though he may have more upside and is just 21).
I do like to throw $2.50 on draft longshots because anything can happen…. +800 Membou 4th overall fits this plan.
5 - JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS - MASON GRAHAM - DL - MICHIGAN
Previous Pick- EDGE Jalon Walker
Last week I wrote, “Jags hired a nerd from the Rams who’s like 14 in James Gladstone. He’s taking a “premium” position in the top 5, so that’s why I got Walker as an EDGE guy over an interior d-lineman like Graham”. I’m pivoting to the consensus (-140 Graham 1-5) because as a Rams exec, you know the value of an elite interior d-lineman as they had Aaron Donald. Jags posted a lot of Mason Graham’s visit on social media too. Mykal Williams +650 worth a dart throw too.
6 - LAS VEGAS RAIDERS - ASHTON JEANTY - RB - BOISE STATE
Seattle wants to run the ball, Raiders need some juice, Jeanty feels unanimous pick to go to Vegas… taking +100 too.
7 - NEW YORK JETS - TYLER WARREN - TE - PENN STATE
Jets always need offensive line help, but outside Garrett Wilson there’s no pass catchers for Justin Fields. Fields is a terrible passer but Warren can people miss and you can get creative with him with easy throws.
8 - CAROLINA PANTHERS - JALON WALKER - EDGE - GEORGIA
9 - NEW ORLEANS SAINTS - JAXON DART - QB - OLE MISS
Best defensive player available for Panthers, but Saints hired Kellen Moore and I feel like he’s going to want a young QB to mold. Dart is athletic, has good size and can sit behind Carr for a year or two (if Carr stays healthy). Shedeur is more of a pocket passer, where Dart uses his feet like Kellen Moore’s Dak and Herbert stops prior. Kellen Moore went to Ole Miss pro day BUT NOT Colorado pro day….
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 draft 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. Membou is -600 to go top 10 too on Fan Duel.
11 - SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS - WILL JOHNSON - CB - MICHIGAN
12 - DALLAS COWBOYS - MATTHEW GOLDEN - WR TEXAS
Johnson & Golden have been tied heavily to SF & DAL. Johnson fits the 49ers scheme really well and Matthew Golden is a speedy #2 to stay in Texas and play aside CeeDee Lamb as Dak badly needs a #2 WR with upside.
13 - MIAMI DOLPHINS - KELVIN BANKS - OT - TEXAS
14 - INDIANAPOLIS COLTS - COLSTON LOVELAND - TE - MICHIGAN
15 - ATLANTA FALCONS - MYKAL WILLIAMS - EDGE - GEORGIA
McDaniel looks to fix the Dolphins run game and sure up the tackle spot for Tua with a safe Banks pick. Colts have been mocked by everyone to go TE, Falcons badly need pass rush help so they take best available EDGE guy and Williams stays in Georgia.
16 - ARIZONA CARDINALS - DERRICK HARMON - DL - OREGON
This pick is really difficult because the Cardinals are in a good spot to take best payer available. Banks or Membou would be awesome if still on board, Golden’s 4.29 40 fits MHJ and McBride skill set perfectly. I like CB Barron from Texas a lot but I think the Cardinals believe they have secondary depth and have been able to find corners in the middle rounds. I think the Cardinals continue to load their front 7, specifically the d-line (like the Eagles always do) and take an interior defensive lineman.
Harmon, Nolan, Grant you get your pick here. I think Harmon is the pick to learn next to Calais Campbell. Harmon had 55 pressures last year as an interior d-lineman! Fan Duel has this pick wide open for the Cardinals…. could be a trade down spot maybe?
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.
18 - SEATTLE SEAHAWKS - Tetairoa McMillan - WR - ARIZONA
Replace DK with T-Mac and save about $140M. Seattle needs a big WR, Darnold loves to chuck it, T-Mac has Mike Evans upside and I’m not crazy about the o-line options for Seattle here.
19 - TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS - JAHDAE BARRON - CB - TEXAS
20 - DENVER BRONCOS - OMARION HAMPTON - RB - NORTH CAROLINA
21 - PITTSBURGH STEELERS - SHEDEUR SANDERS - QB - COLORADO
22 - LOS ANGELES CHARGERS - KENNETH GRANT - DL - MICHIGAN
Bucs go best CB or EDGE available, 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 takes best Michigan man available.
23 - GREEN BAY PACKERS - MIKE GREEN - EDGE - MARSHALL
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 uposde, from the podcast I mentioned earlier Daniel Jermiah 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 - JIHAAD CAMPBELL - LB - ALABAMA
27 - BALTIMORE RAVENS - MALAKI STARKS - S - GEORGIA
28 - DETROIT LIONS - JAMES PEARCE JR - EDGE - TENNESSEE
29 - WASHINGTON COMMANDERS - DONOVAN EZEIRUAKA - EDGE - BC
30 - BUFFALO BILLS - WALTER NOLAN - DL - OLE MISS
31 - KANSAS CITY CHIEFS - GREY ZABEL - OG/OT - NORTH DAKOTA ST
Campbell fits the Rams defense weakness at middle linebacker in a quickly improving defense, Ravens secondary was maybe the worst in the league so they get my #2 safety in Starks. Lions/Commanders need pass rushing depth and go EDGE, Bills d-line gets younger with Nolan. Grey Zabel ND State gives off Chiefs vibes as they have to take o-line in the 1st after the Eagles had a field day in the Super Bowl.
TRADE → PHI 1-32 FOR NYG 2-34 + FUTURE PICK(S) LIKE 3-99 & 2026 4TH
32 - NEW YORK GIANTS - JALEN MILROE - QB - ALABAMA
1st rounder means you get 5th year option, Giants jump the Browns and Eagles get some extra picks. Jalen Milroe is attending the draft so I think he has some intel that he may go late. Milroe can sit and learn in NYG. Eagles can get a larger haul that usual for a 32 for 34 swap by throwing a same division rival tax on the trade too.
ROUND 2
33 - CLEVELAND BROWNS - TYLER SHOUGH - QB - LOUISVILLE
Cleveland has been working out QB’s and could take a flyer here with a young pocket passer like Shough. Outside Watson, Browns have brought in pocket guys like Winston last year, Flacco in the past and this year. Pickett too, so the Browns roll the dice on Shough here.
34 - PHILADELPHIA EAGLES - NIC SCOURTON - EDGE - TEXAS A&M
35 - TENNESSEE TITANS - LUTHAR BURDEN - WR - MIZZOU
36 - JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS - EMEKA EGBUKA - WR - OHIO STATE
37 - LAS VEGAS RAIDERS - BENJAMIN MORRISON - CB - NOTRE DAME
38 - NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - JT TUIMOLOAU - EDGE - OHIO STATE
39 - CHICAGO BEARS - TREVEYON HENDERSON - RB - OHIO STATE
40 - NEW ORLEANS SAINTS - JOSH CONERLY JR - OT - OREGON
41 - CHICAGO BEARS - LANDON JACKSON - EDGE - ARKANSAS
42 - NEW YORK JETS - JOSH SIMMONS - OT - OHIO STATE
43 - SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS - TJ SANDERS - DT - SOUTH CAROLINA
44 - DALLAS COWBOYS - SHAVON REVEL - CB - EAST CAROLINA
45 - INDIANAPOLIS COLTS - DONOVAN JACKSON - OG - OHIO STATE
46 - ATLANTA FALCONS - MAXWELL HAIRSTON - CB - KENTUCKY
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 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 below!
-Goldy Happens