With a new league identity and new rosters, it’s time for a new mock draft. The NFL Draft is two and a half weeks away and the suspense with how new league members will draft is palpable.
The Eagles control the first overall pick, one of only two times that has happened in league history - the last time the Packers selected a superstar (Myles Garrett). Can the Eagles find a franchise altering talent?
The Texans sit at 3 with zero roster holes after an aggressive approach during the expansion draft and an almost more aggressive free agency, spending almost $90 million on Javon Hargrave. Do they stand pat at 3 and take the draft’s best player in Will Anderson, or do they take advantage of a QB needy team and add multiple high value picks?
At 5 the Packers are in an interesting spot. They have a complete roster but adding Anderson would be an incredible move and value at 5, but will he be there? Do they take best player available? Do they work a tradeback if possible, despite having maybe only the draft’s 4th best QB there at a reduced value?
The Ravens are in win-now mode and are sitting at 9 & 21, is this a spot where they try to find value by adding even more picks by trading back, or are they aggressive in an approach to tactically target someone? Their roster is good enough to hoist a Lombardi, is their GM going to look for value, or try to push his chips in to win now?
The Chargers always play the value and draft pick accumulation game. WIth the option of standing at 4 or moving back, he predictably moved back and accumulated a mountain of day 2 picks while settling in at 13. Does he try to move back again? Can he find a trade partner in a weak draft up top? Does he finally draft a DB who can play outside the hashes?
The SF 49ers have built up a formidable team. With a pair of first rounders and a two time defending MVP, does he try to give Justin Fields more weapons or does he build up around his top tier defense? The 49ers were good across the board last season, but were decimated by injuries. In a draft better situated for value in rounds 2 & 3 does GM CD utilize a deep draft to build up massive depth, or does he try to move up to add a superstar in a draft low on them?
Philadelphia Eagles - QB Bryce Young, Alabama
- This is going to be a brutally tough decision for the Eagles but with pick 1, you have a unique opportunity to get a difference maker. The odds of ever getting pick 1 again are insanely small, so this is a chance to get a program changer. While the rumor mill is that Will Levis, the QB with the highest upside in my opinion, is possible here, the Eagles go with QB1 in Bryce Young. Young’s small stature is a huge debate topic, but his play isn’t. He’s a dynamic playmaker and can operate off script, something that could create big plays in an offense that has impressive weaponry. It’s a risky move, instead of taking bigger players like CJ Stroud, the safest QB option, or the freak athlete in Richardson, but Young is the best QB right now of the group.
Chicago Bears - QB CJ Stroud, Ohio State
Houston Texans - DE Will Anderson, Alabama
- The Texans don’t get any offers good enough to move back and of of the draft’s best player. Anderson is an elite edge rusher whose ability reminds some of Von Miller, but he reminds me of a combination of TJ Watt and Maxx Crosby. GM TH will gladly take any combination of the 3. The issue here is the Texans have an elite edge tandem AND great depth on the DL. Phillips and Rousseau as the starters along with James Houston IV who leapt onto the scene last season and a top tier young run stopper in Michael Clemons gives the team 4 very good guys under contract for 3 years each. The Texans though say you can never have enough elite edge guys and simply take the best player at a key position passing up critical depth for the shot at a Superstar.
Indianapolis Colts - QB Will Levis
Tennessee Titans (Trade from GB) - QB Anthony Richardson
- The Packers give up pick 5 and pick up pick 11 and a 2024 1st round pick from Tennessee to move back, while also snagging a 4th in 2024.
Detroit Lions - CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon
Las Vegas Raiders - DE Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech
Atlanta Falcons - CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
Baltimore Ravens - OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
- The Ravens look at both edge and OT here but settle on OT. Braden Smith struggled a bit in 2022 and Samuel Cosmi is likely best at guard now after 2 or 3 really rough goes last season. The team is currently without a starting left tackle and for a team in win now mode, that won’t do. Skoronski is the safest of all the OL in this draft class and despite short arms he’s an athletic guy who simply doesn’t get beat often and come jump right into the team’s biggest weakness - LT. For a team in win now mode, Skornoski isn’t exciting, but he’s good and can play immediately. The other nice thing - if he sucks at LT he could be a truly special guard.
Carolina Panthers - DE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
Green Bay Packers - CB Joey Porter Jr, Penn State
- The Packers are one of the most complete teams in the 3GML universe top to bottom and so they gained valuable draft assets by moving back. The team missed out on Anderson so wisely decided to gain an additional 1 and 4 by moving back 6 spots. The team is pretty darn solid top to bottom but could use a CB1, this is where Porter steps in. While Gonzalez is the freak athlete and Witherspoon is the thumper, Porter Jr is the most solid. The team is deep at CB but they don’t have a talent like JPJ on their roster. This move would also allow McDuffie to play more slot which is where he could be a superstar.
New York Jets - OT Broderick Jones, Georgia
Detroit Lions (Trade with LAC) - DT Jalen Carter, Georgia
- The Lions give up their 2 in 2023 and a 3 in 2024 to move up 5 spots to grab maybe the draft’s best player.
New England Patriots - OT Darnell Wright, Tennessee
Seattle Seahawks - WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba - Ohio State
Washington Commanders - CB Deonte Banks, Maryland
Pittsburgh Steelers - EDGE Nolan Smith, Georgia
San Diego Chargers - WR Quentin Johnston, TCU
- The Chargers do what they do best under GM EP, add more picks. Then they went out and got the draft’s most talented WR in Johnston who can certainly be a big body to block in the run game and is exceptional after the catch. It was good value and Johnston has the highest upside of any WR in the class, while filling a need for a big WR on the team.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - RB Bijan Robinson, Texas
Dallas Cowboys - TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah
Baltimore Ravens - EDGE Will McDonald, Iowa State
- The Ravens being in win now mode go for it with their other roster hole and snag McDonald, a dynamic pass rusher who was ultra productive in college. While Dorance Armstrong is a nice player, he’s better reducing down to rush inside and a speed rush combo of McDonald and Sweat is lethal.
Arizona Cardinals - WR Jordan Addison, USC
Minnesota Vikings - QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
Jacksonville Jaguars - S Brian Branch, Alabama
New York Giants - TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
San Francisco 49ers - OT Anton Harrison, Oklahoma
- Harrison is a really impressive pass rusher with electric feet. With the 49ers run game needing athletes outside they select the guy who can really move. Harrison would be in the running to compete right away with Charles Leno, or kick Leno to RT. Zach Tom showed a ton last season as did James Hudson in limited duty but neither look like they may get a chance to develop through no fault of their own.
Buffalo Bills - OG O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida
Cincinnati Bengals - RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
San Francisco 49ers - DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State
- The 49ers have a superstar in Brian Burns on one side and then a bit of a rotation on the other with Jerry Hughes who is 3 ½ decades old, Arden Key, a solid player who can reduce down, and Zach Allen who is probably best suited as a 3T. The team is pretty well situated constantly and while they could look at guard or center here, they take a more analytical approach by taking an impressive pass rusher in FAU. This could go a variety of positions, including SF looking to trade up for a star instead of waiting, but they take a very good player who is good against the run and offers impressive upside.
New Orleans Saints - WR Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
Kansas City Chiefs - WR Zay Flowers, Boston College
