One Week to Go: NFL Five-Round Mock Draft
With a week to go, this mock represents a blend of what teams should do, might, and probably need to do during draft weekend. To keep myself sane, I did not attempt any trades since that because a crazy proposition to track.
Round 1
1. Panthers: Bryce Young QB | Alabama Appears to be a no-brainer to me. If he were 6-2, there wouldn’t be a question that he is head and shoulder the best option. As I heard someone say, he has that magic quality.
2. Texans: C.J. Stroud QB | Ohio State Stroud turned some heads in the college playoff with his performance, and he looks to be the franchise player the Texans need and will be able to build around.
3. Cardinals: Will Anderson Jr. EDGE | Alabama Great replacement for JJ Watt to take defensive and team leader reign. Anderson is the best and cleanest pick and should be DROY.
4. Colts: Anthony Richardson QB | Florida. He has the highest ceiling of all QBs in the draft but will need time to develop. With the staff, the Colts have in place and Gardner Minshew being able to steer the ship, it does not take much to see him follow the same path as Hurts and slowly start to see the field second half of the season in specific packages and then take over in 2024.
5. Seahawks: Jalen Carter, DL | Georgia Was the highest rate non-QB when this process started because he could not be blocked, but off-field questions dropped him but only so far, and Seattle is happy to gamble at this spot.
6. Lions: Christian Gonzalez CB | Oregon The secondary was addressed in free agency, but a talent like Gonzalez is too hard to pass on. He is a day-one starter with the makings of a shutdown corner.
7. Raiders: Broderick Jones OT | Georgia Build that way in front of Jimmy G, and Jones has the highest ceiling of the tackles.
8. Falcons: Tyree Wilson EDGE | Texas Tech Keep adding talent to the defense for Atlanta, and Wilson looks special.
9. Bears: Peter Skoronski OT | Northwestern They add the protector for Justin Fields.
10. Eagles: Lukas Van Ness EDGE | Iowa Now restock the defense with the Hurts contract is taken care of. As I previously stated, I would have taken Robinson here, but that’s not in their DNA.
11. Titans: Will Levis QB | Kentucky The long-term franchise QB has finally arrived in Tennessee. Levis is the big arm and confident player as they reshape the offense.
12. Texans: Jaxon Smith-Njigba WR | Ohio State. The top WR in the draft goes to play with his college QB.
13. Jets: Paris Johnson Jr. OT | Ohio State Improving the line will be critical, especially if they add an older QB from the mid-west.
14. Patriots Joey Porter Jr. CB | Penn State. Bill loves sons of players, and Porter has the makings to be the next great Patriots defensive leader.
15. Packers: Dalton Kincaid TE | Utah Added the wide receivers last year and now the franchise tight end.
16. Commanders: Devon Witherspoon CB | Illinois Franchise influx, but Witherspoon is a terrific corner regardless of the scheme, coaches, or owners.
17. Steelers: Calijah Kancey DL | Pittsburgh They add a cog for the middle of the line, and while he is not quite Aaron Donald, he is more a Grady Jarrett type, which is still pretty darn good.
18. Lions: Myles Murphy EDGE | Clemson Dan Campbell keeps adding to the Lions’ improving defense.
19. Buccaneers: Bijan Robinson RB | Texas New times in Tampa Bay, and Robinson gives them a real ground weapon to control the ball and help all facets of the offense.
20. Seahawks: Quentin Johnston WR | TCU A big-time target for the Seahawks who has a lot of Dez Bryant in him.
21. Chargers: Jordan Addison WR | USC Chargers add youth to the wide receiving core and get a former awarding winner.
22. Ravens: Zay Flowers WR | Boston College Flowers is not big, but he has the makings to be very special and should be a favorite of whoever is under center.
23. Vikings: Deonte Banks CB | Maryland Vikings defense needs help, and Banks finally has the tools to address the corner need.
24. Jaguars: Michael Mayer TE | Notre Dame Building a particular offense in Jacksonville and pairing with Engram will allow the Jags to do anything they want in the pass or run game.
25. Giants: Drew Sanders LB | Arkansas New York could go in a different direction, but Sanders’s ability seems similar to Parsons, and adding that would help take the defense to a much better level.
26. Cowboys: Bryan Bresee DL | Clemson If the first round plays out like this, they likely move down, but if not, Bresee is a safe pick at this spot as the depth of run defense but a player who can stay on the field for all three downs
27. Bills: Jahmyr Gibbs RB | Alabama That homerun threat the running game missed. Gibbs has a lot of Tony Pollard in him, and the Bills’ offense could use that.
28. Bengals: Darnell Washington TE | Georgia A massive human being who will become a Joe Burrow favorite.
29. Saints: Will McDonald IV EDGE | Iowa State McDonald has impressed in the draft process and has the making of an absolute steal at this spot.
30. Eagles: Brian Branch S | Alabama The Eagles get the perfect long-term replacement for Gardner-Johnson and likely the steal of round one. All reports show Branch as a leader of the Tide defense and probably a day-one-ready starter in the NFL.
31. Chiefs: Nolan Smith EDGE | Georgia Had Nolan not been injured last year, he would not have lasted this long in round one. Smith has the freakish athletic ability and should have an immediate impact.
Round 2
32. Steelers: Darnell Wright OT | Tennessee Experience at both tackle spots.
33. Texans: Mazi Smith DL | Michigan
34. Cardinals: Josh Downs WR | North Carolina Need talent at that spot, and Downs is a great grab.
35. Colts: Emmanuel Forbes CB | Mississippi State
36. Rams: Felix Anudike-Uzomah EDGE | Kansas State
37. Seahawks: O'Cyrus Torrence IOL | Florida
38. Raiders: Hendon Hooker QB | Tennessee Hooker can sit and learn for a season before pushing for playing time.
39. Panthers: Adetomiwa Adebawore EDGE | Northwestern
40. Saints: Luke Musgrave TE | Oregon State
41. Titans: Kelee Ringo CB | Georgia Great steal.
42. Jets: John Michael Schmitz IOL | Minnesota
43. Jets: Trenton Simpson LB | Clemson
44. Falcons: Cam Smith CB | South Carolina
45. Packers: Jalin Hyatt WR | Tennessee Gives Green Bay that speed option the other wide receivers don’t bring quite as well as Hyatt.
46. Patriots Anton Harrison OT | Oklahoma
47. Commanders: Dawand Jones OT | Ohio State
48. Lions: Tuli Tuipulotu DL | USC
49. Steelers: Keion White EDGE | Georgia Tech
50. Buccaneers: Matthew Bergeron OT | Syracuse
51. Dolphins: Zach Charbonnet RB | UCLA
52. Seahawks: B.J. Ojulari EDGE | LSU
53. Bears: Keeanu Benton DL | Wisconsin Has the makings of a significant clog in the middle and a perfect add in the Windy City.
54. Chargers: Siaki Ika DL | Baylor Massive human to stop the run
55. Lions: Sam LaPorta TE | Iowa Another Iowa tight end for the Lions
56. Jaguars: Clark Phillips III CB | Utah
57. Giants: Julius Brents CB | Kansas State Big corner to battle in the NFC East.
58. Cowboys: Steve Avila IOL | TCU Day one starter at guard and possible long-term center in 2024.
59. Bills: Cody Mauch IOL | North Dakota State
60. Bengals: Antonio Johnson S | Texas A&M
61. Bears: Joe Tippmann IOL | Wisconsin
62. Eagles: Devon Achane RB | Texas A&M
63. Chiefs: Cedric Tillman WR | Tennessee
64. Bears: Isaiah Foskey EDGE | Notre Dame
Round 3
65. Texans: Tyrique Stevenson CB | Miami (FL)
66. Cardinals: Gervon Dexter DL | Florida
67. Broncos: Derick Hall EDGE | Auburn
68. Broncos: Jaelyn Duncan OT | Maryland
69. Rams: D.J. Turner CB | Michigan
70. Raiders: Garrett Williams CB | Syracuse
71. Saints: Marvin Mims WR | Oklahoma Could become Derek Carr’s favorite draft pick.
72. Titans: Nathaniel Dell WR | Houston
73. Texans: Luke Wypler IOL | Ohio State
74. Browns Jack Campbell LB | Iowa
75. Falcons: Jonathan Mingo WR | Mississippi
76. Patriots Rashee Rice WR | SMU
77. Rams: Jordan Battle S | Alabama
78. Packers: Sydney Brown S | Illinois
79. Colts: Tyler Scott WR | Cincinnati
80. Steelers: Darius Rush CB | South Carolina
81. Lions: Tank Bigsby RB | Auburn
82. Buccaneers: Andre Carter II EDGE | Army
83. Seahawks: Eli Ricks CB | Alabama
84. Dolphins: Tucker Kraft TE | South Dakota State
85. Chargers: Tyjae Spears RB | Tulane Speed back for the Kellen Moore system
86. Ravens: Zach Harrison EDGE | Ohio State
87. Vikings: A.T. Perry WR | Wake Forest Big wide receiver to play opposite JJ
88. Jaguars: J.L. Skinner S | Boise State Long safety to fit in their scheme
89. Giants: Emil Ekiyor Jr. IOL | Alabama Another great add. Day one starter?
90. Cowboys: Roschon Johnson RB | Texas The big back to go with Pollard.
91. Bills: Daiyan Henley LB | Washington State
92. Bengals: Tyler Steen OT | Alabama Keep adding to the offensive line.
93. Panthers: Zach Evans RB | Mississippi
94. Eagles: Blake Freeland OT | BYU A future replacement for Lane Johnson.
95. Chiefs: Zacch Pickens DL | South Carolina
96. Cardinals: Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson CB | TCU
97. Commanders: Noah Sewell LB | Oregon
98. Browns Byron Young (TN) EDGE | Tennessee
99. 49ers Jartavius Martin S | Illinois
100. Raiders: Henry To'oto'o LB | Alabama
101. 49ers Jayden Reed WR | Michigan State
102. 49ers Andrew Vorhees IOL | USC
103. Bears: Kyu Blu Kelly CB | Stanford
Round 4
104. Texans: Isaiah McGuire EDGE | Missouri
105. Cardinals: Ji'Ayir Brown S | Penn State
106. Colts: Karl Brooks DL | Bowling Green
107. Patriots Chris Smith II S | Georgia
108. Broncos: Nick Herbig LB | Wisconsin
109. Raiders: Jaquelin Roy DL | LSU
110. Falcons: Israel Abanikanda RB | Pittsburgh
111. Browns Jammie Robinson S | Florida State
112. Jets: YaYa Diaby EDGE | Louisville
113. Falcons: DeMarvion Overshown LB | Texas
114. Panthers: Kayshon Boutte WR | LSU
115. Saints: Riley Moss CB | Iowa
116. Packers: Byron Young (AL) DL | Alabama
117. Patriots Chandler Zavala IOL | NC State
118. Commanders: Jarrett Patterson IOL | Notre Dame
119. Vikings: Colby Wooden DL | Auburn
120. Steelers: Dorian Williams LB | Tulane
121. Jaguars: Wanya Morris OT | Oklahoma
122. Chiefs: Zack Kuntz TE | Old Dominion
123. Seahawks: Tanner McKee QB | Stanford
124. Ravens: Cory Trice CB | Purdue
125. Chargers: Kei'Trel Clark CB | Louisville
126. Browns Michael Wilson WR | Stanford
127. Jaguars: Xavier Hutchinson WR | Iowa State
128. Giants: Trey Palmer WR | Nebraska Underrated talent that should shine in the NFL and lands in a great situation with a terrific head coach.
129. Cowboys: Luke Schoonmaker TE | Michigan A Big Ten tight end in Dallas. Stop if you have heard this before.
130. Bills: Charlie Jones, WR | Purdue Is a Great route runner who will fit nicely in Buffalo. He should be familiar with the weather and the city.
131. Bengals: Chase Brown RB | Illinois Nice back for their offense.
132. Panthers: Owen Pappoe LB | Auburn
133. Bears: Kenny McIntosh RB | Georgia Another talented rotational offensive player to finally help Just Fields.
134. Chiefs: Kendre Miller RB | TCU
135. Patriots K.J. Henry EDGE | Clemson
136. Bears: Yasir Abdullah LB | Louisville
Round 5
137. Bills: Brandon Joseph S | Notre Dame
138. Colts: Ivan Pace Jr. LB | Cincinnati
139. Broncos: Sean Tucker RB | Syracuse
140. Browns: DeWayne McBride RB | UAB
141. Raiders: Nick Broeker IOL | Mississippi
142. Browns Moro Ojomo DL | Texas
143. Jets: DeMarcco Hellams S | Alabama
144. Raiders: Eric Gray RB | Oklahoma
145. Panthers: Jaylon Jones CB | Texas A&M
146. Saints: Kobie Turner DL | Wake Forest
147. Titans: Ryan Hayes OT | Michigan
148. Bears: Brenton Strange TE | Penn State
149. Packers: Jakorian Bennett CB | Maryland
150. Commanders: Deuce Vaughn RB | Kansas State don ‘t blink. He might be gone.
151. Seahawks: Josh Whyle TE | Cincinnati
152. Lions: Parker Washington WR | Penn State
153. Buccaneers: Mekhi Garner CB | LSU
154. Seahawks: Keaton Mitchell RB | East Carolina
155. 49ers Nick Saldiveri OT | Old Dominion
156. Chargers: Cameron Latu TE | Alabama
157. Ravens: Braeden Daniels IOL | Utah
158. Vikings: Dylan Horton EDGE | TCU
159. Lions: Jaren Hall QB | BYU
160. Giants: Daniel Scott S | California
161. Texans: Mohamed Ibrahim RB | Minnesota
162. Colts: Viliami Fehoko EDGE | San Jose State
163. Bengals: Cameron Mitchell CB | Northwestern
164. 49ers Alex Austin CB | Oregon State
165. Saints: Chris Rodriguez Jr. RB | Kentucky Tough runner who will see playing time early in New Orleans.
166. Chiefs: Warren McClendon OT | Georgia
167. Rams: Ricky Stromberg IOL | Arkansas Help rebuild the line.
168. Cardinals: Olusegun Oluwatimi IOL | Michigan
169. Cowboys: Elijah Higgins WR | Stanford Big, strong, development-type wide receiver who should help on special teams in 2023 but could push Gallup off the roster in 2024
170. Packers: Alex Forsyth IOL | Oregon
171. Rams: Mike Morris DL | Michigan
172. Giants: Evan Hull RB | Northwestern
173. 49ers Keondre Coburn DL | Texas Great clog in the middle.
174. Raiders: Andrei Iosivas WR | Princeton Raiders love speed, and this guy is smart too.
175. Buccaneers: Dorian Thompson-Robinson QB | UCLA Underrated QB who provides dual threat and is a team leader.
176. Colts: Carter Warren OT | Pittsburgh Swing tackle to start but wouldn’t surprise starting by the end of the year.
177. Rams: Dontayvion Wicks WR | Virginia
178. Chiefs: Terell Smith CB | Minnesota
179. Buccaneers: Jay Ward S | LSU
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