We are about a month into the new NFL league year, and with the free-agency wave behind us, all eyes are on the next generation of players looking to hear their name called on draft night.
The NFL Draft doesn’t begin until April 24, but there will be plenty of discussion leading up to draft night. What position will Travis Hunter play in the NFL? Which quarterback will be the first off the board? Could a defensive player be the No. 1 overall pick? The fun part of mock draft season is the speculation leading up to the night of the draft.
Every team holds their own first-round pick for the first time since the merger. That phenomenon is sure to change on draft night, but this mock draft will not include any trades, locking the Tennessee Titans into the top selection.
The Baltimore Ravens will make another selection in the final stages of the first round with the 27th pick. The Ravens have held the 27th pick twice in previous years, selecting Jimmy Smith in 2011 and Rashod Bateman in 2021.
Here is the second of several mock drafts with some analysis to follow.
No. 1: Tennessee Titans (3-14)
Team Needs: QB, EDGE, OL, WR
Selection: Cam Ward, QB, Miami
No. 2: Cleveland Browns (3-14)
Team Needs: QB, EDGE, OT, CB
Selection: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
No. 3: New York Giants (3-14)
Team Needs: QB, OL, CB, EDGE
Selection: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
No. 4: New England Patriots (4-13)
Team Needs: WR, OL, EDGE, RB
Selection: Ashton Jeanty, HB, Boise State
No. 5: Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13)
Team Needs: OL, CB, DL
Selection: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
No. 6: Las Vegas Raiders (4-13)
Team Needs: QB, WR, CB, RB
Selection: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
No. 7: New York Jets (5-12)
Team Needs: QB, DL, S
Selection: Mason Graham, DL, Michigan
No. 8: Carolina Panthers (5-12)
Team Needs: EDGE, CB, WR
Selection: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
No. 9: New Orleans Saints (5-12)
Team Needs: DL, WR, QB
Selection: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
No. 10: Chicago Bears (5-12)
Team Needs: EDGE, DT, S
Selection: Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
No. 11: San Francisco 49ers (6-11)
Team Needs: OL, DL, CB
Selection: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
No. 12: Dallas Cowboys (7-10)
Team Needs: RB, DT, WR
Selection: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
No. 13: Miami Dolphins (8-9)
Team Needs: OL, DL, S, CB
Selection: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
No. 14: Indianapolis Colts (8-9)
Team Needs: EDGE, CB, TE, S
Selection: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
No. 15: Atlanta Falcons (8-9)
Team Needs: EDGE, WR, CB, LB
Selection: Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
No. 16: Arizona Cardinals (8-9)
Team Needs: OL, DL, LB, CB
Selection: Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
No. 17: Cincinnati Bengals (9-8)
Team Needs: DT, OL, WR
Selection: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
No. 18: Seattle Seahawks (10-7)
Team Needs: OL, LB, QB
Selection: Kelvin Banks Jr., OL, Texas
No. 19: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)
Team Needs: EDGE, CB, OL
Selection: Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
No. 20: Denver Broncos (10-7)
Team Needs: WR, RB, TE, DL
Selection: Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina
No. 21: Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
Team Needs: QB, RB, OT, S
Selection: Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss
No. 22: Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
Team Needs: WR, DT, EDGE, TE
Selection: Colston Loveland, TE. Michigan
No. 23: Green Bay Packers (11-6)
Team Needs: OL, CB, WR, EDGE
Selection: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
No. 24: Minnesota Vikings (14-3)
Team Needs: RB, OL, CB, DL
Selection: Walter Nolen, DL, Ole Miss
No. 25: Houston Texans (10-7)
Team Needs: OL, DL, WR
Selection: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
No. 26: Los Angeles Rams (10-7)
Team Needs: OT, CB, LB
Selection: Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia
No. 27: Baltimore Ravens (12-5)
Team Needs: CB, DL, IOL, EDGE
Selection: Derrick Harmon, DL, Oregon
No. 28: Detroit Lions (15-2)
Team Needs: OL, EDGE, LB
Selection: Donovan Jackson, OG, Ohio State
No. 29: Washington Commanders (12-5)
Team Needs: WR, OT, EDGE
Selection: James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
No. 30: Buffalo Bills (13-4)
Team Needs: CB, WR, DL, EDGE
Selection: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
No. 31: Kansas City Chiefs (15-2)
Team Needs: OT, DL, LB
Selection: Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State
No. 32: Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
Team Needs: EDGE, WR, IOL, S
Selection: Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame
Notes:
The Ravens beef up their defensive line with the addition of Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, who can play all three positions in Baltimore’s 3-4 defense and be a contributor on passing downs.
Biggest Reach: Jaxson Dart to the Steelers
The Steelers are still without a starting quarterback, as Aaron Rodgers is still pondering his future. Dart is a huge reach in the first round, but the Steelers need to find a franchise quarterback. We see it every season with quarterbacks getting drafted higher than projected.
Best Bargain: James Pearce Jr. to the Commanders
Pearce has all the skills to be drafted in the first 15 picks, but character concerns have him falling in the draft community. He’s too talented to fall out of the first round, so the Commanders take a chance on the Tennessee pass rusher.
Ideal Fit: Tetairoa McMillan to the Cowboys
Dallas is in dire need of playmakers on offense, and with Ashton Jeanty unavailable at No. 12, they go with the best receiver in the draft class. CeeDee Lamb is the only receiver on the Cowboys’ roster with significant snaps in his career. McMillan would slide right into the No. 2 role for Dak Prescott.
Photo Credit: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com