Photo by Julia Schachinger/Daily.
The time has come where I feel confident enough in my ability to narrow down some positional needs for teams while also having enough players graded to have a feel for who NFL teams will like. With mock drafts, it’s important to remember that I am not going by my rankings, but rather the current hype and an understanding of the faults of NFL scouts and decision-makers. Let me know if you like your favorite team’s selection!
Detroit Lions - Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan
The Dan Campbell-led Lions have had a rollercoaster of a season thus far. From taking playoff teams down to the wire and playing inspired football to critical late-game errors, they have seen it all. But the early-season inspired play will ensure that Dan Campbell gets at least another season, and the prospect that I think fits their mold the most is Aidan Hutchinson. Hutchinson is a player with a loaded toolbox. He may not be the most bendy of EDGE prospects, but he’s a tenacious, explosive pass rusher. His hand work is impressive, albeit not the best in the EDGE class, and he reminds me a lot of Joey Bosa as a prospect (this is not my official comp - stop yelling). Hometown Hutchinson + Knee-biting Campbell = Impact. Math.
Houston Texans - Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon
The Texans have had a similar season to the Lions. Talent just isn’t prevalent at many positions for this team, and all Houston can do is take talented football players. Kayvon Thibodeaux is exactly that. As a high-pedigree recruit (#6 overall and #1 DE in 2019, per 247Sports), Kayvon has lived up to his potential. He’s been productive every year at the collegiate year, and he possesses the highest upside of any prospect in the class. He’s not as refined as Hutchinson right now. He’s a high-IQ player that displays an understanding of how to leverage and provide support against the run. Thibodeaux would play opposite of Jonathan Greenard (if you’ve listened to The Cut for a couple of years, you’ll know how much of a fan I was of his college tape, as well) who has been a pleasant surprise for Houston this season. That duo would immediately be a force at the NFL level.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
I admittedly was lower on Neal heading into this season, and after revisiting, I still have some concerns. But the NFL isn’t going to let a 6’6, 350-pound player with movement skills fall too far. Neal has positional versatility, playing three different positions in three separate years at Alabama. He’s been impactful in every one of them, and the Jaguars need to do everything in their power to protect Trevor Lawrence. A big guy like Neal does exactly that.
New York Jets (from SEA) - Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson
Andrew Booth over Derek Stingley is a take that I think will end up consensus by the end of the draft process. Booth is potentially the most instinctual cornerback prospect I’ve watched in the last three years, and we’ve had some incredible ones. Booth’s ability to cut down space and tackle in the open field is more in tune with safeties than his peers at cornerback, and his ability to cover in both man and zone is textbook. He’s an island corner that never had a dip in his on-field production; a statement that can’t be said about Derek Stingley. The Jets would be able to run some more of the Cover 3 that Robert Saleh defenses are known for with the addition of Booth. Or they could continue playing man. Or both!
New York Jets - Ikem Ekwonu, OL, NC State
Ekwonu is a punisher. I know how simplified that is, but his ability to get to second and third levels of the field is remarkable. His positional versatility would allow him to slot in at RG or RT immediately. The Jets starting offensive line, when fully healthy, would include three first-round selections in Ekwonu, Mekhi Becton, and Alijah Vera-Tucker. The potential to put three All-Pro level Hogmollies in front of Zach Wilson will be enticing. The potential to put them in a Mike LaFleur rushing attack will be too enticing.
New York Giants - Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh
I want to make it clear that this would not be my pick. It’s really tough to project what will happen when a new general manager takes over in New York, but my initial thought is that they will take a new signal-caller. Kenny Pickett isn’t ultra flashy. He isn’t oozing talent, either. But he processes the field quite well, and Giants fans could welcome a new era of Giants football predicated on mistake mitigation and smart football; something they haven’t had in the Daniel Jones era.
New York Giants (from CHI) - Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa
The Giants have legitimate issues on the offensive line, despite Dave Gettleman’s best efforts at constructing a good unit. The tandem of Billy Price and Matt Skura isn’t enough to get the job done at the center position. Tyler Linderbaum is, though. Linderbaum, while undersized, is one of the most technically sound center prospects in the last few years. He matches that technical-soundness with tenacity when run blocking. His footwork is incredible, and it would be a smart idea to protect Kenny Pickett.
Philadelphia Eagles - DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M
The Eagles don’t have a ton of needs, honestly. They have some talent all over both sides of the ball. Where they’ve lacked in 2021, though, is in run defense. DeMarvin Leal is a better version of Milton Williams, the player they drafted in 2021 to rotate in the interior. Leal is a bit undersized. But for a pass-rushing 3-tech, he certainly holds his own in run defense. He’s got a frame that allows for a ton of functional strength, and while some teams may like him as a versatile piece that they can rotate to EDGE, I think he’s exactly the type of player the Eagles need behind Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave.
Philadelphia Eagles (from MIA) - Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
It sucks that the Eagles have to spend first-round picks on wide receivers three years in a row, but that’s what happens when you draft Jalen Reagor ahead of Justin Jefferson. Reagor has been abysmal for much of 2021 (and honestly, his entire career thus far) and the Eagles should be in the business of putting as many reliable pieces around Jalen Hurts as possible. Hurts may not be the answer, but he’s done enough to earn another year of evaluation. Wilson provides immediate alpha upside opposite of DeVonta Smith, causing matchup problems for opposing defensive coordinators and truly having one of the best route-running tandems in the NFL from the jump.
Carolina Panthers - Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
The Panthers are in a tough position. They spent their 2022 2nd-round pick on Sam Darnold, and they’ve committed to paying him $18 million next year. He’s not the answer, and Cam Newton probably isn’t either. Spending your first two picks on a quarterback is bad team-building, and while I wouldn’t put it past them, I think a lot of the issues the offense experiences could be mitigate with a good offensive line. Charles Cross would be an immediate upgrade, as he’s one of the best tackles in the class. His improvement from 2020 to 2021 has been incredible to watch, and most of that improvement has come in pass protection. That’s what the Panthers need (okay, they do still need a quarterback).
New Orleans Saints - Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
The Saints are a quarterback and tons of pass-catchers away from being a good team, and a top-15 pick is something that has escaped them over the last few years. Now they have one, and they get their signal-caller for the foreseeable future. I have my concerns with Corral. I think that he still makes questionable decisions at times, and I think his pocket awareness needs a ton of improvement. But I also know that he can make almost every throw on the football field, and we have evidence of what that looks like with the early-season successes of Jameis Winston. Corral would enter one of the better situations (despite the lack of weapons) simply due to his pairing with Sean Payton and company.
Atlanta Falcons - Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia
Jordan Davis is one of the most physically-imposing players in the class. At 6’6, 330, Davis is a mountain of a man, and that shows up on his film. He has certainly developed an understanding of leverage, consistently holding guards and centers off as he awaits oncoming rushers and their decision of which non-existent gap to hit. Davis won’t offer a ton in pass rush, but pairing Davis with Grady Jarrett, one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL, would be a matchup nightmare for opposing offenses.
Minnesota Vikings - Derek Stingley, CB, LSU
“But Christian, Stingley won’t be available here.” Maybe not, but I do truly have concerns from his 2020 film. His stellar freshman tape was followed up by inconsistent play in 2020. Effort wasn’t always there and he wasn’t as sticky in coverage, in general. NFL teams won’t be shy about their infatuation with his athleticism and that freshman-year film, though, and I think his play is probably somewhere in the middle of those two years. Stingley is more consistent in man coverage and the Vikings are in need of bodies in the secondary. Stingley would immediately be their CB1.
Philadelphia Eagles (from IND) - Kyle Hamilton, SAF, Notre Dame
The Eagles have gotten consistently good play from their cornerbacks this year (Darius Slay is still very good), but their safeties have been less than stellar. Hamilton being available at 14 would shock even me, but it’s tough to determine how the NFL will value the position. Hamilton is virtually a perfect safety prospect, though, as he’s incredible rangey, instinctual, and versatile. He can play in the box, as a single-high, or in a two-high split. He’s one of my favorite players in the class, and the Eagles would have a terrifyingly good defense with their two additions here.
Cleveland Browns - Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
The Browns are in desperate need for pass catchers, and Treylon Burks could prove to be the best one in this class. His ability to high point footballs is astounding, and his athleticism is going to break social media in a few months. He still has inconsistent hands at times, and he isn’t the best separator in the class, but he certainly is a fit for the Browns offense. A starting WR trio of Treylon Burks, Jarvis Landry, and Donovan Peoples-Jones (assuming they don’t sign a marquee free agent) sounds a lot better than whatever the atrocious depth chart is right now.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
Box score scouters are going to absolutely despise Sam Howell. He has certainly had his worst year as a collegiate quarterback. But context is important. Howell lost a large majority of the team around him headed into this year (including his top-4 pass catchers). Mack Brown watched him try to get through progressions for a couple of weeks, realized he was getting his quarterback killed, and decided to tell him “hey, bud. If your first read is covered up, pull that thing and run.” And Howell has done that. There will be a learning curve, as Howell will need to reacclimate to progressing. But Howell’s deep ball ability, his arm talent, and his leadership qualities would be a perfect fit for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Denver Broncos - Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia
The Broncos are devoid of glaring needs. Certainly, they need to upgrade the quarterback position. But I think they do that via free agency. The only positions on defense that make sense to me are nose tackle and linebacker, and the best player available in those two positions would be Nakobe Dean. Dean would give them a versatile, albeit undersized, piece in the middle of their defense to fit runs and provide help in coverage. Dean is one of the best all-around linebackers in the class, and while I won’t have a final grade on him for a while, I think it’s likely he’s drafted inside the top 20.
Las Vegas Raiders - Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M
The Raiders have a boatload of issues after the disastrous October they had. They desperately need a good field-stretching wideout with Henry Ruggs out of the league. They desperately need consistency at the cornerback position with their high draft picks being bad. But they also have gotten some pretty bad play out of their offensive line this year. Green is a top-10 player for me currently, and his positional versatility should keep him pretty high on most teams’ big boards. He’s a tenacious blocker with a really good anchor at the guard position, and while I know he’s going to want to play tackle (and he’s played pretty well there this season), I think sliding him inside would be most beneficial for the Raiders. Good luck, Mr. Mayock (if you still have a job).
Washington Football Team - Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
Yep! That Desmond Ridder. There has been a lot of buzz surrounding Malik Willis this season, and I simply don’t know how a team could justify selecting a quarterback that struggles to see the field as much as Willis. If they’re going to bet on tools, why not Ridder? Desmond has played his best football over the last six weeks, and he’s been placing the football significantly better over that stretch. His inaccuracies are still a concern, but if he can string together a couple more good performances against great defenses, I think we could see him selected in the first round (even if I don’t grade him as a first-rounder).
Los Angeles Chargers - Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida
Bolstering up the secondary should be a primary objective this offseason, and Elam would do exactly that. Elam is incredibly athletic and while his technical skills won’t match Booth or Stingley, he possesses a really high football IQ. He’s best in zone coverage, as his click-and-close ability is full of burst and decisiveness, but he can play some man coverage, as well. I don’t have a final grade on him yet, but I think Chargers fans would really like having a corner like Elam next to Asante Samuel Jr. for the foreseeable future.
Miami Dolphins (from SF) - Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky
Ideally, the Dolphins wouldn’t have whiffed on multiple draft picks on the offensive line over the last couple of years. But here we are. Kinnard has some inconsistencies on tape. He oversets at times, is unbalanced when getting up field, and lacks the length required to overcome such inconsistencies. But he will likely test out athletically and has the ability to play inside or at tackle. Just protect Tua. That should be the only goal right now.
Buffalo Bills - Kenneth Walker, RB, Michigan State
This running back class shouldn’t be drafted in the first round. The Bills are just devoid of a rushing attack and that’s quite frankly their only issue. The Bills have been enamored by Matt Breida recently, and have transitioned away from their bad running back (Zack Moss). Breida isn’t the long-term answer, and Singletary and Moss simply don’t move the needle. Breece Hall and Isaiah Spiller will grade higher than Walker for me, but I have a feeling the NFL will love Walker. He’s full of burst, contact balance, and ultimately would fit the Bills’ scheme really well.
Detroit Lions (from LAR) - Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
Chris Olave profiles as a WR2 in the NFL, but he profiles as a safe one that should be productive in most offenses. He’s an incredible route runner with underrated body control, and while he’s a bit small and his production in 2021 indicates that he probably wasn’t even the 2nd-best WR on his own team, he’s going to be drafted highly. The Lions need an alpha, but they also need something safe. They can’t miss on picks, and there are less question marks surrounding Olave than a shot-in-the-dark QB in the 20s. I would take Drake London. I don’t think the Lions will.
Cincinnati Bengals - George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue
A luxury pick for the Bengals doesn’t sound correct, but if they continue winning at this pace, that’s exactly what they’ll get to do. I don’t think EDGE is even close to the biggest need for them, as they’ve gotten really nice production out of Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson. But when a player like Karlaftis slides this far, it’s hard not to scoop him up. There are rumors that some teams have a second-round grade on Karlaftis, which could push him down the draft like this. I think he’s a first-round player. He’s incredibly powerful, displaying an ability to eliminate leverage with just his hands. He has a nice motor, which makes up for his lack of bend. Karlaftis plus the aforementioned edge rushers is just not fair.
Kansas City Chiefs - Drake London, WR, USC
The ankle injury is one of a few question marks surrounding Drake London, but what he put on film in 2021 was top-half-of-the-first-round worthy. He isn’t the most sudden route runner, but he makes up for that by being incredible at the catch point. He has a little wiggle to him, and he creates separation with his releases more than his footwork. NFL teams have transitioned into an infatuation with twitchy guys. I think London and Burks dampen that infatuation this year. Meanwhile, the Chiefs would have two vastly different ball winners in London and Tyreek Hill, which would introduce a different dynamic to one of the most dynamic offenses in the league.
Dallas Cowboys - Daxton Hill, SAF, Michigan
The Cowboys have gotten tons of praise for their defensive turnaround from 2020 to 2021, but when you sit down and analyze how it’s happened, you realize that they’re as inconsistent as anybody. Trevon Diggs is the Jameis Winston of cornerbacks and without Micah Parsons, they’d be in a lot of trouble. Daxton Hill is an athletic chess piece that would immediately improve the play of this secondary. He can slide into a slot corner role (as we’ve seen in 2021) or play in multiple roles at the safety position. Damontae Kazee has to go, though. Hill would help that.
Tennessee Titans - Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
I’ll honestly be shocked if Jameson lasts this long. He’s an athletic marvel with take-the-top-off and YAC ability. His route running still needs improvement, as he tends to round a lot of his routes in the short and intermediate areas of the field. But the NFL loves speed, and the Titans need a guy like this; someone who can stay on the field would be a start, I guess. Jameson is more than just a deep threat, and he’s shown that at Alabama after falling down the depth chart at Ohio State in years previous.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have shown signs of weakness at time in the 2021 season, and while most of that has been due to injuries in their secondary, it’s highlighted an area of need depth-wise. Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner has been absolutely incredible as the CB1 of the Cincinnati Bearcats, allowing an absurdly low pass rating against over the course of his career. Questions about competition level will certainly arise, but Sauce Gardner is a first-round prospect that would make the Buccaneers unfair once again.
New England Patriots - Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
This corner class has a lot of depth to it, and while Trent McDuffie hasn’t made his way into a ton of first-round mocks, I think some NFL team is going to fall in love with his speed. He’s one of the fastest - if not the fastest - cornerbacks in the class, and he’s going to jump out of the gym, too. McDuffie is a bit undersized, but he’s a consistently good coverage player that can eliminate space quickly. The Patriots probably should give Mac Jones weapons. But we know Bill.
Green Bay Packers - Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah
DeVondre Campbell has been incredible for the Green Bay Packers this year, and while the defense really only calls for one good linebacker, I think the Packers will finally understand that they need something at the position. Devin Lloyd is versatile enough to fill in at EDGE or any of the linebacker spots. He’s just a quality player that is best utilized as a read and react player. He’s a smart, quick decision-maker and shoots gaps as well as any backer in the class. The Packers would have a bit of a chess piece to bolster the defense even more.
Baltimore Ravens - Ricky Stromberg, C, Arkansas
Stromberg may not declare, but he’s had an incredible year for the Razorbacks. The Ravens unexpectedly lost a lot of pieces on their offensive line heading into 2021, and they’re in desperate need for reinforcements. Stromberg has experience playing both guard and center and has graded well in both run blocking and pass protection. He fits the scheme well in Baltimore, and he would be an impact player from day one.
Arizona Cardinals - Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn
McCreary has had an incredible season for the Tigers, and that was on full display with the entire college football world watching against Alabama a couple weeks ago. He’s so technically sound in coverage, is one of the better athletes at the position, and would step in and start immediately for the Cardinals. He lacks elite length at the position, but makes up for that with incredible ball skills and intuition at the position. This would be a steal.
Let me know what you think! Share with your friends. All of the above. I would love to do one mock per month until heavy draft season rolls around. Also, becoming a paid member will get you a lot more as we get into 2022.
Until next time.