Christmas in April is here! Big-time trades and rumors have roamed about but it is time to find out who goes where. Here is where I have everyone going:
- Carolina Panthers – Bryce Young – QB – Alabama
I’ll stick with Young as the first overall pick. I know Will Levis’ stocks have jumped the last couple of days but the Alabama product is set to go at the 1.01.
- Houston Texans – Will Anderson Jr. – EDGE – Alabama
When reports came out the Texans said they weren’t “in love” with C.J. Stroud. That doesn’t mean they couldn’t take Will Levis, which would match up with Vegas’ odds for jumping so high as of late. I still think that’s a smokescreen and the new defensive-minded head coach and general manager take the top defensive prospect.
- Tennessee Titans (Trade w/ Cardinals) – Will Levis – QB – Kentucky
I’m breaking my own rule that I don’t predict trades with these mock drafts but with how much the Cardinals want to trade back, Will Levis’ odds of having him in the top four, and the Titans not liking Malik Willis it just makes for a perfect storm and having Tennesse moving up to get their guy.
- Indianapolis Colts – C.J. Stroud – QB – Ohio St.
People are so focused on Stroud’s S2 score being so poor and Levis jumping up boards lately. This feels like another smokescreen and the Colts get their guy without having to move up.
- Seattle Seahawks – Jalen Carter – DL – Georgia
I totally get other mocks taking Anthony Richardson to Seattle with how Geno Smith’s contract is set up, but their defensive line needs help and a top talent falling to them at five is too good to pass up in my opinion.
- Detroit Lions – Devon Witherspoon – CB – Illinois
If Carter isn’t there for the Lions at six, they outta take one of the next best guys and improve that defense. The trade with Jeff Okudah going to the Falcons leads me to believe they see Witherspoon as their type of guy.
- Las Vegas Raiders – Christian Gonzalez – CB – Oregon
Las Vegas has said they are happy and content with Jimmy Garoppolo. It has also been noted that the Raiders are likely to take a corner with their first pick. Selecting what many would call the best in his class at his position in Gonzalez and upgrading that desolate group makes for a good game plan.
- Atlanta Falcons – Bijan Robinson – RB – Texas
Robinson out of nowhere has become the betting favorite for Atlanta to take that RB1 spot from Cordarelle Patterson and Tyler Algeier.
- Chicago Bears – Paris Johnson Jr. – OT – Ohio St.
Johnson’s stock has also been rising the last couple of days and is almost certainly going to be the first offensive tackle taken. It also makes sense with him being a former teammate of Justin Fields.
- Philadelphia Eagles – Tyree Wilson – EDGE – Texas Tech
This would line up perfectly for Philly’s luck as one of the top players in the draft falls to them. Wilson could become the replacement for Brandon Graham on the Edge who is now 35 years old.
- Arizona Cardinals (Trade w/ Titans) – Nolan Smith
If this hypothetical trade does go down, Arizona will likely take the best edge rusher available, and with how well Smith did at Georgia and at the Combine he should be one of the top picks.
- Houston Texans – Anthony Richardson – QB – Florida
If the Texans decide to stay put at 12 and one of these top quarterback prospects is still available they need to take whoever is left, especially if it’s Richardson who has the highest upside of all the signal callers in this class.
- Green Bay Packers – Brian Branch – S – Alabama
It isn’t the sexy pick everyone has or wants the Packers to take now that Aaron Rodgers is gone. It’s just what they’ve done over the years. They’re big on taking defensive players in the first couple of rounds and taking the highest-rated safety out of Alabama sounds about right based on their tendencies.
- New England Patriots – Peter Skoronski – OT – Northwestern
Skoronski is someone I could see being taken by the Packers but if they go defense I don’t how the Patriots pass up on one of the better offensive tackle talents in this year’s draft.
- New York Jets – Jaxon Smith-Njigba – WR – Ohio St.
The Jets fall back two picks and still take the guy that they’ve been linked to at 15. Smith-Njigba will be a nice compliment for Aaron Rodgers to throw to.
- Washington Commanders – Deonte Banks – CB – Maryland
Chase Young not getting his fifth-year option is very intriguing but with how bad that cornerback position group is for Washington they got to go top available if they stay at 16 and don’t trade down as some reports say.
- Pittsburgh Steelers – Joey Porter Jr. – CB – Penn St.
Pittsburgh’s need at the corner spot is too much to pass up and getting the son of a Steeler great makes so much sense and would be a perfect story for the media to write about.
- Detroit Lions – Lukas Van Ness – EDGE – Iowa
Now that you’ve got your new secondary player if you’re Detroit, now you take the best available defensive lineman to pair with Aidan Hutchinson. Van Ness has the ability and history to play outside on the edges and in the interior if need be.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Broderick Jones – OT – Georgia
With a long-time left tackle departing over the off-season, it’s about time to go find a new one since I don’t think Brandon Walton is their answer to that position.
- Seattle Seahawks – Dawand Jones – OT – Ohio St.
This would be a perfect opportunity for Seattle to do their signature move and trade back in the draft. The offensive line seems like the move for them no matter what.
- Los Angeles Chargers – Jordan Addison – WR – USC
With Keenan Allen not getting any younger, the Chargers need to look into adding some meaningful youth and more guys Justin Herbert can throw to. Addison checks off those boxes and could be Herbert’s new favorite target in the future.
- Baltimore Ravens – Myles Murphy – EDGE – Clemson
Since the Ravens addressed wide receiver twice in free agency, it doesn’t seem very likely the Ravens will go back to that well in the first round at least. With this pick, Baltimore selects Murphy out of Clemson after they let go of Calais Campbell at the beginning of free agency.
- Minnesota Vikings – Hendon Hooker – QB – Tennessee
Kirk Cousins only has one year left on his contract and this would work out beautifully as Hooker would be going to a playoff team and wouldn’t have to worry about a rebuild.
- Jacksonville Jaguars – Emmanuel Forbes – CB – Miss St.
Forbes has all but solidified himself as a first-round pick late in this draft process and I’ve got him going to Jacksonville. The Jags could use some extra help in the secondary as they were near the bottom of the league last year in passing yards per game.
- New York Giants – John Michael Schmitz – C – Minnesota
I’ve seen a few reports that say the Giants really like Schmitz. It’s understandable as he’s the top-rated center in this draft and New York currently has a guard as their starting center on their depth chart.
- Dallas Cowboys – Dalton Kincaid – TE – Utah
The Cowboys move on from one tight end named Dalton to bring in another. I like Jahmyr Gibbs to Dallas but other teams have been linked to him so I’ve got the Cowboys grabbing the best prospect at his position.
- Buffalo Bills – Calijah Kancey – DL – Pitt
Kancey being available for Buffalo works out really well since they’ve got three notable running backs on their roster right now and they need help on the defensive line with some of their previous selections having not worked out.
- Cincinnati Bengals – Jahmyr Gibbs – RB – Alabama
Reports have been saying that the Bengals want Joe Mixon to take a pay cut. He has yet to do so and with Gibbs still available it gives Cincinnati the opportunity to cut the veteran back. The Bengals were also one of the teams linked to the former Crimson Tide.
- New Orleans Saints – Mazi Smith – DL – Michigan
Since Kancey was taken a couple of picks ago in this mock, New Orleans just goes the next highest interior defensive lineman on the board as they look for someone to be an anchor in the middle.
- Philadelphia Eagles – Darnell Wright – OT – Tennessee
The Eagles have already addressed the defensive line with the 10th pick and all of the top corners and running backs are gone too. Here you just take an offensive tackle to add young depth to both aging lines.
- Kansas City Chiefs – Zay Flowers – WR – Boston College
I’ve still got Flowers as the Chiefs’ selection since Patrick Mahomes went out of his way to have a private workout with the young receiver and no reports came out and said it didn’t go well.
Some trades I can see happening are the Eagles moving up from the 10 spot. The Vikings trading up while teams like the Commanders and Seahawks slide down from 16 and 20. The Saints are also a team that’s always in the running to move up and the Packers could be a team that trades down as well.