By: Sean McGovern & Kyle Delahanty
Kyle= Even, Sean= Odd
Round 1- Pick 1
Jacksonville Jaguars
QB, Trevor Lawrence
Clemson
This pick has been set in stone since the Jets hilariously went out and upset the L.A Rams in Week 15, solidifying themselves in 2nd place of the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes. Former legendary college HC Urban Meyer wouldn’t come out of retirement to coach anybody but the aforementioned Golden-haired , laser- throwing Lawrence who, since High School, has been crowned the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck & John Elway. The Jaguars hope this is not another Blaine Gabbert situation. All signs point to this being the pick and Lawrence being a star the minute he sets foot in DUVAL County.
Round 1- Pick 2
New York Jets
QB, Zach Wilson
BYU
With the third pick in the 2018 NFL Draft the New York Jets select…Sam Darnold, QB, USC. Feels like yesterday, right? With Jets fans and mainstream media alike still debating whether the Jets made the correct decision in trading the former USC “standout” or if they’ll come to regret it down the line, it’s now time for people to move on and prepare for a new quarterback to be given the keys to the Big Apple. Whether it’s ESPN, NFL Network, FS1, credible reporters on Twitter or your local newspaper, it seems like the talk of the town is system-fit, BYU QB Zach Wilson. Although Wilson looks like he could play for your high school’s varsity football team, there’s no denying the upside this young gunslinger has. Joe Douglas and new head coach Robert Saleh believe they’ve found their guy and won’t hesitate to fill in the draft card with Wilson’s name on it.
Round 1- Pick 3
San Francisco 49ers
QB, Mac Jones
Alabama
Every bone in my body wants to give Kyle Shanahan the higher upside, more athletic Justin Fields or Trey Lance here. However, according to any and everyone inside NFL circles right now including the one and only, Adam Schefter, has all but confirmed this will be the selection come April 29th. Why would Shanahan want someone who is as physically limited as Jones when he currently has another limited signal-caller at the helm in San Fran, in Jimmy G? I cannot answer that question one bit. However, what I do know is that Shanahan loves his accurate, quick processing, high-IQ quarterbacks…see Schaub, Cousins, Ryan. This pick feels really arrogant and ego driven but if anyone can make Mac Jones work in the NFL…it’s Kyle Shanahan. The Niners move up to get their next franchise guy who will sit and learn behind Jimmy Garappolo for the 2021-22 season.
TRADE!
Round 1- Pick 4
Denver Broncos
QB, Justin Fields
Ohio State
With reports circulating that the Atlanta Falcons are torn between taking a QB here or trading the pick, I decided to opt with the latter. The Broncos made the Falcons an offer they couldn’t refuse by offering a boatload of picks to move up from 9th overall all the way to 4th. They’ll be selecting who many view to be the 2nd or 3rd best QB prospect in the entire draft class. This move all but solidifies the realization that the Drew Lock experiment has gone sour and come to an abrupt end in the Rocky Mountains. The Broncos will be getting a battle tested, SEC QB prospect, who has played his best football on the biggest stage against the best opponents. He is big, strong, fast, and can make all the throws on the field. Yes, there are concerns with his maturity levels and ability to read defenses, but Fields’ talent is way too notable to pass up for John Elway, Vic Fangio, and the Broncos organization. Fields will have a real good shot at succeeding in year 1 with weapons like Noah Fant, Melvin Gordon, Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and company, at his disposal.
Round 1- Pick 5
Cincinnati Bengals
OL, Rashawn Slater
Northwestern
I was very tempted to pair Joe Burrow with his former LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase here. However, I like the Bengals weapons (Higgins, Boyd, Mixon) and think that protection of your young franchise quarterback should always be priority #1. Especially, since we saw Burrow’s promising rookie campaign come to a halt due to poor offensive line play causing him to get beat up and eventually ending his season with the ACL, MCL, and PCL injuries he sustained against the Washington Football Team. Joe Burrow has all the talent and moxie to be the guy for the next decade, but he won’t be able to prove that unless he’s kept upright. Nobody wants to see him be the next Andrew Luck, and have to retire early because of an accumulation of injuries. Slater is an immediate plug and play guard or tackle and immediately upgrades the Bengal’s O-line. Due to the fact that he is more technically refined and more NFL ready than his counterpart, Penei Sewell, it is Slater who gets his name called first on Draft night out of this years talented bunch of pass protectors.
Round 1- Pick 6
Miami Dolphins
TE, Kyle Pitts
Florida
The selection of the former Florida Gators TE Kyle Pitts could very well be a stretch here, considering there’s been a lot of talk about Miami potentially taking one of the top wide receivers on the board and the fact that they do have Mike Gesicki on the roster, but I think it would be too difficult to pass on this opportunity. With question marks revolving around one of their three 2020 first round picks, QB Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins need to ensure they provide the second year signal caller with as much talent as possible to truly evaluate him before fully committing to him in the future…because if he’s not the guy, they have plenty of draft capital to acquire a much more proven QB, if needed. With that being said, Pitts is a tremendously athletic pass catcher with a ton of upside and can play a variety of roles on any offense he joins.
TRADE!
Round 1- Pick 7
New England Patriots
QB, Trey Lance
North Dakota State
Bill Belichick has been on a massive hyper-aggressive spending spree since the NFL Free Agency period began. He makes another aggressive move here by using his assets to jump up from 15 with Detroit to get his Tom Brady heir apparent in the form of NDSU’s Trey Lance. Lance might have the highest ceiling out of any QB in the class, including Trevor Lawrence. Scouts are concerned that Lance doesn’t have enough starting experience, with only 1 year of being a starter under his belt collegiately. Bill doesn’t care. With Cam Newton under contract for another season in Foxboro, the Patriots will have the luxury of allowing Lance to sit and learn for a full season under a player who he profiles very similarly to.
Round 1- Pick 8
Carolina Panthers
OT, Penei Sewell
Oregon
Earlier in the week, the Carolina Panthers made a potentially franchise-shifting move by trading three draft picks (2021 6th round / 2022 2nd round / 2022 4th round) to the New York Jets to acquire gang green’s former QB Sam Darnold. One of the biggest issues that Darnold dealt with in New York was having to try to produce behind a subpar offensive line, which led to grossly low statistics and turnovers galore. Luckily for Darnold, Carolina may try to do everything in their power to allow their new QB to have time to properly get the ball to his new weapons; i.e. Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore and Robbie Anderson. With potentially a top 5 rated prospect in this draft class still on the board in 20-year-old Oregon LT Penei Sewell, this is an easy choice for Matt Rhule and company. It seems as though Darnold has been put into a solid situation with his new team that could turn around his career for the better, but now, the excuses will be limited with an improved offensive line and offensive weapons.
TRADE!
Round 1- Pick 9
Atlanta Falcons
WR, Ja’Marr Chase
LSU
After the Falcons moved back with Denver in this Mock Draft scenario, Ja’Marr Chase was on the board which nobody, especially, Arthur Smith and Terry Fontenot, expected to happen. When there are three trades inside the top 10 picks, great players tend to fall. The Falcons could sit here and add Chase to a WR corps that already possesses the likes of Calvin Ridley and Julio Jones in order to maximize Matt Ryan’s last couple years under contract. While I pondered going with defensive playmakers like Micah Parsons or Patrick Surtain II to inject life into a Falcons defense who desperately needs it. I ultimately couldn’t pass on the opportunity to assemble the best WR trio in the NFL. Chase is an immediate WR1 in the NFL on any other team and this move gives Atlanta the flexibility to move off Julio’s contract via trade or release, and still have two elite WRs at their disposal for the future going forward.
Round 1- Pick 10
Dallas Cowboys
CB Patrick Surtain II
Alabama
When you take a look at the Dallas Cowboys roster on paper, they have arguably one of the best offensives in football. With names like Ezekiel Elliot, Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb, we should expect the Cowboys to start putting up some impressive numbers this season, especially with the return of QB Dak Prescott. But offense aside, one of the main issues the Cowboys have dealt with over the years is their defense not allowing them to compete in games. After having lost CB Byron Jones to the Miami Dolphins last offseason, the Cowboys have a wide open hole in their secondary, which can/should be filled with the former Alabama cornerback. Surtain is a big, physical cornerback who has a family history in the NFL.
Round 1- Pick 11
New York Giants
WR, Jaylen Waddle
Alabama
This is an ideal trade back scenario for the Giants, but we all know Dave Gettleman doesn’t believe in trading back or doing smart things for that matter. With that being said, I know NYG brought in big bodied star WR Kenny Golladay in Free Agency, as well as former speedster 1st round pick, John Ross. I still think there is a high percentage chance they go with a WR with this selection after recent reports have said that the Giants are “in love” with both Alabama WR prospects. As a lifelong Giant fan, I would not be mad at all with taking either Jaylen Waddle or DeVonta Smith here. However, I believe Waddle is the better overall prospect, is a better fit for what the Giants are lacking (speed + separation) and profiles pretty darn close to Tyreek Hill. Waddle would allow the Giants to have an elite jump ball receiver(Golladay), elite slot operator (Shepard), and elite vertical threat (Waddle), all in the same receiving corps. Ultimately, I think the best decision is to give QB, Daniel Jones, another legit weapon to maximize his chances at succeeding in a make it or break it year 3, for his development and chances of sticking with the Giants in the future.
Round 1- Pick 12
Philadelphia Eagles
WR, DeVonta Smith
Alabama
Watching three straight Alabama prospects selected in a row and four in the top 12 is probably a bittersweet moment for legendary head coach Nick Saban, as he’s thrilled to see his former player’s dreams come true, but having to replace each of them on his roster next season. Smith had a tremendous college season this past year, becoming the first wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy since Desmond Howard in 1991. Smith may not look like your typical NFL wideout, but the kid can straight up ball and is a thrill to watch. With Philadelphia acquiring a future first round pick from the Miami Dolphins in their trade back from the 6th pick to the 12th, they’re luckily able to still land a weapon like Smith, which allows them to add talent around Jalen Hurts to fully evaluate the young QB going into his second season.
Round 1- Pick 13
Los Angeles Chargers
CB, Jaycee Horn
South Carolina
I know every Mock Draft under the sun has the Chargers taking an offensive lineman here. But, in a deep OL class and after signing prize FA Center, Corey Linsley, I think LAC can sit here and take a CB1, in the form of former NFL WR, Joe Horn’s son…Jaycee. Jaycee is rumored to be the fastest rising player on teams’ draft boards and it is rumored he could even be selected inside the top 10 picks. With corners Casey Hayward being cut, Desmond King walking in Free Agency, and Chris Harris Jr. getting up there in age, I think this is a smart move to add another blue chip prospect to a defense that still needs help. The Chargers can definitely get an O-lineman they covet in Round 2 or 3 in this year’s class.
Round 1- Pick 14
Minnesota Vikings
EDGE, Kwity Paye
Michigan
This selection for the Minnesota Vikings can go in many different directions; EDGE, OT, OG or even possibly best player available with Penn St. LB Micah Parsons. The decision for head coach Mike Zimmer was to go with an edge rusher to improve an eh defense and select Kwity Paye from a list of talented edge rushers still available. The former Michigan Wolverine has been characterized as a hard-working individual who plays well in a four-man defensive line, which fits the Vikings defense nicely.
TRADE!
Round 1- Pick 15
Detroit Lions
LB, Micah Parsons
Penn State
When you read and hear about Micah Parsons all you hear is how good he is at football but there are a lot of red flags when it comes to his character as a human being. I think Parsons could plummet even further than this pick. Newly hired HC Dan Campbell wants to instill a tough, hard nosed attitude and mentality to Detroit and the perfect person to jumpstart that process is Penn State’s Micah Parsons. Parsons will immediately become the face of the Lion’s defense for years to come and gives them a much needed playmaker on the second level of their defense. Parsons is kind of like Isaiah Simmons, the Cardinals LB/Safety, from last year’s class. He is a jack of all trades/ swiss army knife player that Dan Campbell can get the best out of.
Round 1- Pick 16
Arizona Cardinals
CB, Caleb Farley
Virginia Tech
You can very well make the case that Farley should not be drafted with this selection, especially with Greg Newsome II still on the board, but there’s something about Farley’s attitude that tells me head coach Klff Kingsbury might take a swing on him here. Although Farley opted out of the 2020 season, he’s a tall and physical cornerback that comes across with a certain confidence that I think Kingsbury would like. It might take him some time to make improvements to his game, but with the departure of Patrick Peterson, the Arizona Cardinals need to plug someone into that hole in their secondary.
Round 1- Pick 17
Las Vegas Raiders
DT, Christian Barmore
Alabama
It is well known that the Raiders essentially went and completely dismantled their offensive line this offseason by trading OT Trent Brown back to NE, C Rodney Hudson to ARI, and OG Gabe Jackson to SEA. All three respectively are above average starters that are now leaving massive holes in Derek Carr’s protection plan. Kolton Miller just got extended and looks like a mainstay at LT, but the Raiders simply cannot go into next season with the OL constructed the way it is because Derek Carr will not make it out of next season in one piece. With that being said, in a stacked OL class, I have LVR selecting Bama’s standout D-lineman, Christian Barmore here. Standing at 6 foot 5 and weighing in at 310 lbs, Barmore reminds me of Giant’s DT Dexter Lawrence in stature. Barmore is just another stud defensive line player from Nick Saban’s defensive tree that will step in and immediately sure up the Raider’s shaky run defense. The former Bama star even flashed some serious pass rush ability, with 6 sacks in his final college season. Barmore even showed out this past season on the national stage, by playing extremely well in the College Football Playoff.
Round 1- Pick 18
Miami Dolphins
OL, Christian Darrisaw
Virginia Tech
For the second straight NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins will be on the clock with the 18th pick…and for the second straight NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins will be selecting an OL with the 18th pick…that OL will be Virginia Tech’s Christian Darrisaw. The former Hokie had a very impressive 2020 campaign, which saw him rise to a potential day one selection. Darrisaw brings a nice option to the Miami Dolphins as he could play both right and left tackle and will be plugged in on whichever side last year’s 18th overall pick, Austin Jackson, isn’t playing on.
Round 1- Pick 19
Washington Football Team
LB, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
Notre Dame
After all of the top quarterbacks were taken already, Washington doesn’t have much of a choice but to stay here and take the best player available. Ryan Fitzpatrick was brought in this offseason to be a fill-in starter at QB and buy WFT time to find its franchise signal caller at a later date. I don’t hate them taking Kellen Mond or Kyle Trask at some point in the draft, but with all this talent still on the board, taking a QB here would be a major reach. Washington also added WR/RB Curtis Samuel via Free Agency, so I feel like they could wait till the next round to add another offensive playmaker. “J.O.K” just feels like a Ron Rivera type of player, who would be another stud added to an already top 5 defensive unit in the league. Every time I watched Notre Dame play this year, this guy popped right through my TV, making play after play. I think Owusu-Koramoah makes an already scary WFT defense..even scarier.
Round 1- Pick 20
Chicago Bears
CB, Greg Newsome II
Northwestern
I really, really think that the Chicago Bears may pull off a big draft day trade by sending a massive haul to a team sitting in the top 10 if they notice a QB that they like still sitting on the board. But unfortunately in this mock, that did not happen for Bears fans and as for now it looks like their “QB 1” is Andy Dalton. With GM Ryan Pace and HC Matt Nagy’s both on the hot seat, I find it extremely hard to believe they’ll stay put at #20 and select a CB, when their quarterback situation is the one I just explained, BUT for now they’ll fill one of their needs on the defensive side of the ball since the release of CB Kyle Fuller and select his replacement from Northwestern University.
Round 1- Pick 21
Indianapolis Colts
OL, Alijah Vera- Tucker
USC
Chris Ballard and the Colts are jumping for joy in the green room after they see Vera-Tucker fall all the way down the board to them at 21. After the retirement of long time LT Anthony Costanzo, the Colts are in need of a tackle. Vera-Tucker was a stud at USC and has the position flexibility to be a really good guard or tackle in the league. He is more than capable of filling in right away at LT which will patch another hole for Indy’s roster which looks to be as close to a Super Bowl roster as you can get. AVT will aid in the run game and look to make Carson Wentz’s transition to the AFC South as smooth as possible.
Round 1- Pick 22
Tennessee Titans
OT, Samuel Cosmi
Texas
This was another selection that could very well go in a few different directions. With the loss of WR Corey Davis in free agency and Jadeveon Clowney still unsigned at this time, the Titans could’ve easily filled those two holes with this pick. Instead, they decide to fill a hole on the offensive line and select former Texas Longhorn, Samuel Cosmi. Some may say Cosmi is selected a bit early here because of his inconsistencies, but scouts also mention that he has three years of starting experience and has shown flashes. HC Mike Vrabel decides to beef up his offensive line to open up holes for his dominant running back, Derrick Henry.
Round 1- Pick 23
New York Jets
EDGE, Azeez Ojulari
Georgia
I think Joe Douglas will strongly consider using his treasure chest of assets to move up and get newly rookie QB and face of the franchise, Zach Wilson, a shiny weapon to grow and develop with. In this Mock scenario, the board didn’t fall that way. I thought briefly about mocking Minnesota’s, Rashod Bateman, here but he is too similar in body type and play style to Denzel Mims and Corey Davis who are already on the Jets’ roster. Instead, I opted to pair bendy EDGE rusher, Azeez Ojulari, with newly acquired EDGE, Carl Lawson, to give Robert Saleh two bookend pass rushers that fit his system perfectly. There are concerns about Ojulari’s size, but I wouldn’t look too much into it. He has a knack for getting after the quarterback and plays with a motor that Bob Saleh would love to get his hands on. He reminds me a lot of Tampa Bay’s Shaquille Barrett, who has become one of the league’s top sack masters the past couple of years.
Round 1- Pick 24
Pittsburgh Steelers
OC, Creed Humphrey
Oklahoma
After 11 seasons of having QB Ben Roethlisberger taking snaps of OC Maurkice Pouncey in the Steel City, the Steelers have elected to not resign the nine-time pro bowler. Therefore, the Steelers need to fill that hole and there’s no one better in this draft to fill that hole than Creed Humphrey. Scouts believe Humphrey continued to progress and impress throughout his college career, and they expect him to have a long, successful career.
Round 1- Pick 25
Jacksonville Jaguars
WR, Kadarius Toney
Florida
The Urban Meyer era in Jacksonville is off to a hot start with the selection of Trevor Lawrence at #1 overall. The Jags can go in a number of different directions with this pick with so many holes on its’ roster. I decided to give Lawrence a gadget WR that will make his rookie season a whole lot smoother. Toney was overlooked at Florida, due to his teammate Kyle Pitts’ sheer and utter dominance. Don’t get it twisted, Toney is more than deserving of a first round pick as well. He is an electrifying playmaker who is impossible to bring down in the open field. He will immediately become Lawrence’s go to man, even with newly acquired veteran WR, Marvin Jones now in town. If it weren’t for how deep this WR class is, any other year Toney might be worthy of a top 10-15 selection. Jags get a steal.
Round 1- Pick 26
Cleveland Browns
LB, Jamin Davis
Kentucky
The Cleveland Browns have a very impressive roster, which is why it did not come as a surprise to me (and probably most) that they broke an 18-year playoff drought during the 2020-21 season. With that being said, it’s always nice to add to an already deep roster, therefore Cleveland decides to select Jamin Davis to add to their linebacking core. Davis impressed scouts this past season and most believe he could thrive in a 3-4 defense, which the Browns coincidently decided they’re changing to this season.
Round 1- Pick 27
Baltimore Ravens
Miami
After losing Matthew Judon and Za’darius Smith to Free Agency the past two offseasons, the Ravens are left with very little semblance of a pass rush. While I don’t love the rawness of Rousseau for a win now team like BAL, he just fits the profile of a Ravens EDGE rusher. The Ravens have a great track record of developing raw talents like Rousseau, and I think they can do it again here. With the addition of WR Sammy Watkins in Free Agency, receiver isn’t as glaring of a need as pass rusher. Jaelen Phillips’ injury history concerned me too much and Jayson Oweh’s lack of sack numbers concerned me as well. Rousseau’s free fall ends here as he flocks to the Ravens.
Round 1- Pick 28
New Orleans Saints
LB, Zaven Collins
Tulsa
Personally, I think the Saints have a question mark at the quarterback position, but they decided to re-sign Jameis Winston this offseason to possibly be the future starter for this team. Also, with concerns about Marshon Lattimore’s situation, the team very well could look to fill a possible hole in the secondary. But instead, Sean Payton signs off on the decision to improve their LB core with the addition of Tulsa’s Zaven Collins. With Demario Davis already on the roster, the Saints would be adding another linebacker with versatility to an already impressive defense with a number of talented defenders.
Round 1- Pick 29
Green Bay Packers
CB, Eric Stokes
Georgia
This isn’t the sexy pick, but the “Cheeseheads” need a cornerback to play alongside All-Pro Corner, Jaire Alexander. Kevin King has been exposed way too long…it is time for an upgrade. This isn’t an exceptional CB class, but it is certainly an underrated one. I like Stokes’ physical and athletic profile, and I like what he showed at his pro day, running an unofficial 4.25 40- yard dash. He is a long-rangy corner with a lot of upside that DC Joe Barry can tap into. This seems like a Packer pick to me, but I hope CB can finally give A-Rod another playmaker on the perimeter in the coming rounds.
Round 1- Pick 30
Buffalo Bills
OT, Teven Jenkins
Oklahoma St.
To most, this may not be a dire need for the Buffalo Bills, but when taking a look at their OL depth I’m not super impressed. Josh Allen’s progression within the past two seasons has taken the Bills to another level and has put them in serious consideration as one of the best teams in the AFC. With that being said, it is vital for them to continue to build around and protect their prized possession.
Round 1- Pick 31
Kansas City Chiefs
OT, Liam Eichenberg
Notre Dame
The Chiefs’ offensive line was completely exposed in Super Bowl LV against the Bucs, and managed to make Patrick Mahomes look human, as he was running backwards for his life essentially the entire game. Then, they went out and cut their two long time starting tackles, Mitchell Schwartz and Eric Fisher, to everyone’s surprise. Yes, they did make a splash by signing stud Free Agent O-lineman, Joe Thuney, but there is still help to be had. There is just something about Notre Dame offensive linemen that always seems to pan out in the NFL. All Brian Kelly does is produce NFL ready offensive linemen year in and year out. Eichenberg is next of kin. I think he is a plug and play Left or Right tackle for the next decade wherever he lands. This selection will have Patrick Mahomes sleeping a little better at night.
Round 1- Pick 32
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
EDGE, Joseph Ossai
Texas
Honestly, I expect the Buccaneers to probably trade out of this spot. They were able to resign and retain all of their free agents after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl. They very well could remain at #32 and add to really any position they feel of need; possibly EDGE, OL or their secondary. For this mock, they decide to add depth to their defense who did a phenomenal job in the Super Bowl coached by DC Todd Bowles. Ossai will be a nice piece to an already stout defensive line.
Delusional Giants Fan 