The NFL Draft begins tonight, and it is one of the toughest to predict in recent memory.
The Tennessee Titans are expected to take Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the top choice. How far will Shedeur Sanders fall? How many total quarterbacks go in the first round? The fun part of mock draft season is the hype leading up to the first night of the draft.
Every team still holds its own first-round pick for the first time since the merger. That phenomenon is sure to change tonight, but this mock draft will not include any. The Baltimore Ravens have the No. 27 pick in the draft. The Ravens have held the 27th pick twice in previous years, selecting Jimmy Smith in 2011 and Rashod Bateman in 2021.
Here is my final mock draft 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: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
No. 3: New York Giants (3-14)
Team Needs: QB, OL, CB, EDGE
Selection: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
No. 4: New England Patriots (4-13)
Team Needs: WR, OL, EDGE, RB
Selection: Will Campbell, OT, LSU
No. 5: Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13)
Team Needs: WR, CB, DL
Selection: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
No. 6: Las Vegas Raiders (4-13)
Team Needs: QB, WR, CB, RB
Selection: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
No. 7: New York Jets (5-12)
Team Needs: OT, QB, DL, S
Selection: Mason Graham, DL, Michigan
No. 8: Carolina Panthers (5-12)
Team Needs: EDGE, CB, WR
Selection: Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
No. 9: New Orleans Saints (5-12)
Team Needs: DL, WR, QB
Selection: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
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: Walter Nolen, DL, Mississippi
No. 12: Dallas Cowboys (7-10)
Team Needs: RB, DT, WR
Selection: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
No. 13: Miami Dolphins (8-9)
Team Needs: OL, DL, S, CB
Selection: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
No. 14: Indianapolis Colts (8-9)
Team Needs: EDGE, CB, TE, S
Selection: Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
No. 15: Atlanta Falcons (8-9)
Team Needs: EDGE, WR, CB, LB
Selection: James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee
No. 16: Arizona Cardinals (8-9)
Team Needs: OL, DL, LB, CB
Selection: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
No. 17: Cincinnati Bengals (9-8)
Team Needs: DT, OL, LB
Selection: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
No. 18: Seattle Seahawks (10-7)
Team Needs: OL, LB, EDGE
Selection: Kelvin Banks Jr., OL, Texas
No. 19: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)
Team Needs: EDGE, CB, OL
Selection: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
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: Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
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: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
No. 24: Minnesota Vikings (14-3)
Team Needs: RB, OL, CB, DL
Selection: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
No. 25: Houston Texans (10-7)
Team Needs: OL, DL, WR
Selection: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
No. 26: Los Angeles Rams (10-7)
Team Needs: OT, CB, LB, QB
Selection: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
No. 27: Baltimore Ravens (12-5)
Team Needs: CB, DL, IOL, EDGE
Selection: Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College
No. 28: Detroit Lions (15-2)
Team Needs: OL, EDGE, LB
Selection: Tyler Booker, OL, Alabama
No. 29: Washington Commanders (12-5)
Team Needs: CB, OT, EDGE
Selection: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky
No. 30: Buffalo Bills (13-4)
Team Needs: CB, WR, DL, EDGE
Selection: Trey Amos, CB, Mississippi
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: Donovan Jackson, OL, Ohio State
Notes:
The Ravens add one of my favorite pass-rushing prospects in this year’s draft with the selection of Donovan Ezeiruaku. Baltimore needs to add some juice to their pass rush with Kyle Van Noy, Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo all on the final year of their contracts. Ezeiruaku can be a part of the rotation in his rookie season before taking on a full-time role next year.
Biggest Reach: Jalen Milroe to the Steelers
The Steelers are in desperate need of a quarterback, so why not get one drawing comparisons to Lamar Jackson? Some might call this a reach. The same was said about the Ravens QB when he was drafted. It would be the ultimate boom-or-bust pick.
Best Bargain: Jahdae Barron to the Buccaneers
The Bucs are in the perfect spot in this draft. They need major help on defense and high-quality players keep falling to them in every mock draft I see. Barron would be a steal at No. 19 for Todd Bowles.
Ideal Fit: Colston Loveland to the Chargers
The Michigan connection obviously plays a factor, but the Chargers got no production out of the tight end position last season. Justin Herbert gets another receiving threat, and Loveland’s knowledge of the system makes him an instant starter.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Miami Athletics