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With the draft just hours away by the time this mock draft is posted, teams are getting their draft cards in order, getting final touches put on the Fan Fests for season ticket holders, and sweating it out to see if the player(s) they covet will be available to them.
I'm sure someone says it every year, but I feel like this draft is one of the more unsettled in the last 20 years with no consensus after the top 5. J.J. McCarthy has gone from being a likely second round pick at the beginning of the evaluation process to being in the conversation for one of the top 3 picks (yes, even the Bears). Other players have dropped markedly since the process began with Ladd McConkey and Darius Robinson having great weeks in Mobile at the Senior Bowl while slowly dropping down the Big Boards. Others have done it to themselves with bad off-field behavior.
In any case, this is just last thoughts on players an what teams could/should do come tonight at 8P (televised on ABC, ESPN, NFL Network). Join myself, Adam Dell, and others with guests on Yamo Media beginning at 7:50.
Chicago Bears - With this pick all but made, I suppose the Bears are waiting for someone to offer them a boatload of picks, a suitcase of cash, and maybe their GM's first-born son. It won't happen.
The pick is in. . .
Caleb Williams - QB - Southern Cal
Washington Commanders - Listening to different podcasts over the last few days it sounds like Washington is still debating on Jayden Daniels or J.J. McCarthy with this pick. Don't overthink it Adam Peters.
The pick is in. . .
Jayden Daniels - QB - Louisiana State
New England Patriots - The Pats, Cards, and Bolts are all lumped together as possible candidates to trade down but, to me, the Patriots stay put. The Cardinals and Chargers both have their QBs while New England just traded theirs for a 6th round pick.
The pick is in. . .
J.J. McCarthy - QB - Michigan
Arizona Cardinals - If the above happens and McCarthy goes to the Patriots, I think it causes something of a mini frenzy as teams would likely be more excited about trading up for Drake May and his higher-ceiling that McCarthy's higher floor.
The pick is in. . .
Marvin Harrison Jr. - WR - Ohio State
Los Angeles Chargers - This pick breaks down simply. If they stay it's Malik Nabors. If they trade down it's because someone threw a haul of picks at them and they can solidify their line with a true right tackle while addressing receiver with a later pick.
The pick is in. . .
Malik Nabors - WR - Louisiana State
New York Giants - If Drake May is available after the third pick, I think the G-men get VERY aggressive to obtain a replacement for Daniel Jones. If not, I think they take another receiver and target a QB in round two. In any case, May is available here.
The pick is in. . .
Drake May - QB - North Carolina
Tennessee Titans - With the top options still available at the Titans' biggest positions of need (OT and EDGE), this pick could go either way. or the Titans could trade down and scoop up a few more picks. Odunze being available here could be another possibility,
The pick is in. . .
Joe Alt - OT - Notre Dame
Atlanta Falcons - It feels like most mocks have had EDGE Dallas Turner penciled into this spot for about a month and it makes a ton of sense. Another possibility would be taking a corner here as it gives A.J. Terrell help on the other side while giving the Falcons a possible replacement if a long-term deal with Terrell can't be reached.
The pick is in. . .
Dallas Turner - EDGE - Alabama
Chicago Bears - The Bears have had a great off-season to this point. They've solidified their receiving corps, signed D'Andre Swift at RB. and added depth at a number of positions. After drafting (hopefully) their future franchise QB they get a chance to add another piece of the puzzle.
The pick is in. . .
Jared Verse - DE - Florida State
New York Jets - Last year the Jets' season went down in flames after just four snaps. This off-season has been all about strengthening their roster with former Charger Mike Williams signing on and the front office swinging a trade with Philly for EDGE Hasan Reddick. Georgia TE Brock Bowers is a popular pick here but unless Aaron Rodgers stays upright this season is likely just another disappointment.
The pick is in. . .
Olu Fashanu - OT - Penn State
Minnesota Vikings - Unless they are willing to mortgage the future, and they don't feel like a team that's a QB (especially not a rookie QB) away from contending in a suddenly competitive NFC North, the Vikes aren't getting their QB tonight. They could take a corner here and a DT at 23 or vice versa. Don't go giving away your future unless you're confident on who you're getting. I don't know about you, but I'm not betting my future on Bo Nix or Michael Penix.
The pick is in. . .
Quinyon Mitchell - CB - Toledo
Denver Broncos - Another of the teams rumored to be QB hunting, I'll just refer them to my statement above. If you're bad, be bad and get better later, but discounting the future for the now is a bad scene, man.
The pick is in. . .
Rome Odunze - WR - Washington
Las Vegas Raiders - After one year of the Jimmy G Experience, the Black and Silver are back to being unsettled at QB. Don't worry, they still have plenty of other holes in this lineup, of course, if anyone was going to cause an upheaval Thursday night and draft a fifth QB, it'd be Las Vegas.
The pick is in. . .
Troy Fautanu - OL - Washington
New Orleans Saints - If any team should trade up into the top 10 for a player that isn't a QB, it's the Saints. With LT Trevor Penning not panning out like they had hoped and RT Ryan Ramczyk's knee not responding to treatment like everyone had hoped, jumping up to grab Alt or Fashanu makes a ton of sense. if they stay put I'm guessing whoever they select will be able to perform at the blindside.
The pick is in. . .
Taliese Fuaga - OT - Oregon State
Indianapolis Colts - With last season's #4 pick Anthony Richardson showing flashes before going down for the count in mid-October, the Colts probably feel good about their QB situation and when that's settled (or you think it is) it makes everything smoother.
The pick is in. . .
Brock Bowers - TE - Georgia
Seattle Seahawks - I struggled with this pick. Fautanu is gone and so are Jared Verse and Brock Bowers. The consensus is that this is likely too high for Darius Robinson and no linebackers present value here. This could be where we see the 'Hawks trade down with someone desperate to grab the guy they want.
The pick is in. . .
Darius Robinson - DL - Missouri
Jacksonville Jaguars - A year after the Jags won the AFC South and looked to have put a lock on the division for the foreseeable future the 2024 season revealed (at least) one contender and possibly a four-team dogfight looming for the next several years.
The pick is in. . .
Terrion Arnold - CB - Alabama
Cincinnati Bengals - Despite another lost season from Joe Burrow, the Bengals are still solidly in their championship window. They ARE, however rapidly reaching a point where a number of their stars are going to be expecting second contracts, expensive second contracts. Time to load up on cheap rookies. I'm thinking line, offense or defense, it might not matter, they need both.
The pick is in. . .
J.C. Latham - OT - Alabama
Los Angeles Rams - With the retirement of Aaron Donald and the aging of Matthew Stafford, you have to wonder if the Rams are out of their championship window or not. One man who doesn't is the Rams HC Sean McVay.
The pick is in. . .
Laiatu Latu - EDGE - UCLA
Pittsburgh Steelers - In an offseason that saw the Steelers completely re-do their QB room, they still have a few things to do to make sure that they return to the playoffs. Taking LB Patrick Queen away from division rival Baltimore was a solid step.
The pick is in. . .
Graham Barton - IOL - Duke
Miami Dolphins - The 'Phins made hay last season against bad teams but against good teams? Not so much. They also dropped three of their last five including the last two weeks as they tried to take the AFC East title. This is a very talented team, but they seem to lack a degree of killer instinct.
The pick is in. . .
Tyler Guyton - OT - Oklahoma
Philadelphia Eagles - Unless you're in the Eagles building, you don't really know what happened during their incredible collapse in the run up to their playoff flop. Just a season after going to the Super Bowl, the Iggles dropped six of their last seven games.
The pick is in. . .
Cooper DeJean - CB - Iowa
Minnesota Vikings - With their second selection, the Vikes look to replace some of the sacks that they lost when Danielle Hunter and D.J. Wonnum left in free agency. It may not be listed as a need, but EDGE is a need.
The pick is in. . .
Chop Robinson - EDGE - Penn State
Dallas Cowboys - Another year, another crushing loss for the Cowboys. This roster was torn apart this off-season and trying to put it back together is going to be a feat. Trading down to get another pick or two makes too much sense for it to happen.
The pick is in. . .
Amarius Mims - OT - Georgia
Green Bay Packers - If we learn nothing else from Green Bay, we should pay attention to how they have been able to transition between quarterbacks. Draft 'em, sit 'em, play 'em, reap the benefits. OT is the biggest hole here and that hasn't changed yet.
The pick is in. . .
Kingsley Suamataia - OT - BYU
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - In what was supposed to be a transition year for the Bucs as they tried to find their next QB, they found they'd already signed him. Baker Mayfield makes putting this team back into contention mode a lot simpler and while they have a lot of needs, they could come out of this draft a much better team with some smart picks.
The pick is in. . .
Ennis Rakestraw - CB - Missouri
Buffalo Bills - The Bills are stuck against the Chiefs. I don't know if it's a talent gap (possibly), a mental block (also possible), or what it is, but the road to the Super Bowl runs through KC as far as Buffalo is concerned.
The pick is in. . .
Xavier Legette - WR - South Carolina
Detroit Lions - Everyone's favorite team last year came excruciatingly close to the team's first Super Bowl appearance last year and seem loaded to make another run next season.
The pick is in. . .
Adonai Mitchell - WR - Texas
Baltimore Ravens - What can you say about the Ravens? They've been a model of consistency, winning ten games or more in five of the last six seasons and being under .500 in only five seasons since 2000. They need help, but everyone does, and this might be a great spot to trade out of the first round.
The pick is in. . .
Brian Thomas - WR - LSU
San Francisco 49ers - After losing the Super Bowl in heart-breaking fashion, the 'Niners are left with a bit of a soul-searching off-season. What do they need to change, what can they change, what SHOULD they change?
The pick is in. . .
Kool-Aid McKinstry - CB - Alabama
Kansas City Chiefs - With a third Super Bowl win in five years, the Chiefs can safely call themselves a dynasty. Maintaining that dynasty is the real work though, only New England has managed to do it in the salary cap era and, debatably, they really had two separate dynasties.
The pick is in. . .
Xavier Worthy - WR - Texas
Outside the First round -
Carolina Panthers - Hindsight being 20/20, the move to trade up and select Bryce Young has been an unmitigated bust, even more so with giving up the top pick in this draft in addition to everything they gave up last year, and will give up next year.
The pick is in. . .
Ladd McConkey - WR - Georgia
Houston Texans - Compared to the Panthers, the Texans committed highway robbery with their trade from the 2023 draft. They also made good use of free agency and managed to pull an A1 receiver from a conference rival. Pending the draft, it's hard not to say that the Texans won the off-season.
The pick is in. . .
Karimi Lassiter - CB - Georgia
Cleveland Browns - Things started bad in Week 2 when Nick Chubb was lost for the season and just spiraled out of control in a series of injuries that I don't believe many teams have had to deal with, especially along the offensive line.
The pick is in. . .
Christian Haynes - OG - Connecticut
That's it folks, join us on Yamo Media on YouTube for our live stream of the NFL Draft tonight at 7:50PM.