I’ve said it many times before, on camera and in my writings, that I hate writing mock drafts. The amount of work that it takes away from watching film, breaking down players, and doing the real scouting work to just be torn down by angry fans on the internet. However, I understand how it prepares you for the draft and how things could fall, and why fans enjoy them.

Here’s my first stab at it from things that I’m hearing around the league:

TRADE: New York Giants move to #1 with Tennessee Titans

I’m not going to mock out all of the specific details, but I think this is where you potentially see the Titans move their EDGE rusher Harold Landry. Remember that Shane Bowen was able to unlock Landry as the defensive coordinator for the Titans, putting together 12 sacks in 2021 his first year under Bowen, missing 2022 to an injury, and collecting 10.5 in 2023. He’s Bowen’s type of player. This trade will have a lot of picks attached.

1. New York Giants (from Tennessee) – QB Cam Ward, Miami (FL)

The New York Giants are in a desperate need for a quarterback and make the massive move to secure their guy in New York. Ward lives fearlessly, very much like Josh Allen did when he entered the league, a guy Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll is very familiar with. If the Giants can minimize his mistakes, Ward can be the guy that can take them out of the dumps. 

2. Cleveland Browns – QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

Deshaun Watson clearly isn’t the answer for Cleveland and handicaps their quarterback situation and how they can pursue free agency. The Browns like these mobile, playmaking quarterbacks and Ward fits the direction they have taken with picks like Dorian Robinson-Thompson and the decision to go with Deshaun Watson. I do like the upside here, and he can step in and potentially make some big plays, which could be enough to keep them competitive in a very tough division. 

3. Tennessee Titans (from NY Giants) – EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State

I think that the Titans understand how far away they are from being competitive, and with money to burn in free agency, they can pursue an answer at the quarterback position there (Sam Darnold, etc). Adding a versatile pass rusher like Abdul Carter replaces Harold Landry and allows them to continue to build their pass rush, hopefully clearing opportunities for Jeffrey Simmons. 

4. New England Patriots – DT Mason Graham, Michigan

While this pick just might hurt the soul of Mike Vrable (Ohio State alum), Mason Graham is the type of interior player that he typically likes in his defense. High motor, heavy hands, and Graham makes up for his lack of length with football intelligence. 

5. Jacksonville Jaguars – CB Travis Hunter, Colorado

The Jaguars alluded to making this pick if it came available to them with their cryptic sayings throughout the media, talking about needing creativity. There isn’t a player who allows more creativity in the class than Travis Hunter, who expects to be a lockdown corner and a mismatch weapon in certain offensive situations. 

6. Las Vegas Raiders – WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona

Assuming the Raiders acquire a veteran quarterback, they need a big presence in their receiver room to help open up opportunities for Jakobi Meyers. McMillan makes a lot of sense here, as a guy who has Mike Evans type athleticism with good physicality after the catch. 

7. New York Jets – EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

The perfect mismatch piece for Aaron Glenn and his defensive staff, Stewart brings immediate relief to help engage Will McDonald on the other side, but also brings a nasty NASCAR package to the table. 

8. Carolina Panthers – CB Will Johnson, Michigan

The Panthers have a need at cornerback, and Will Johnson fits the way they want to play pretty well. Between Johnson and Jaycee Horn, the Panthers secondary would be in much better shape and prepared for the offenses the NFC South are putting together. 

9. New Orleans Saints – QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

I don’t think that the Saints will sit pat with their quarterback situation currently, and Jaxson Dart has been gaining a lot of steam over the last month. He may need some time to adjust to the NFL, which they have Derek Carr to allow that, but NFL clubs seem to like him a lot more than the media. 

10. Chicago Bears – OT Will Campbell, LSU

Protecting Caleb Williams is critical for the Bears this offseason, and the left tackle spot has been a large part of the issue why they haven’t been able to do it. Will Campbell certainly leaves room for concern in his ability to hold up at tackle, especially against elite speed, but his power and anchor have proven to be high end. 

11. San Francisco 49ers – DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss

Adding Walter Nolen to the 49ers defensive line next to Javon Hargrave would be an instant upgrade for the defense, helping open opportunities on the outside for Nick Bosa, Leonard Floyd, and Drake Jackson. With the recent Super Bowl winners consistently putting up impressive defensive lines, the 49ers would have one of the best units in the league. 

12. Dallas Cowboys – RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State

The Dallas Cowboys biggest need is running back, and they won’t hesitate to run this card up to the podium.  Jeanty is a workhorse back, an old school slasher with both speed and power. He brings the running game back to Dallas pretty much singlehandedly. 

TRADE: Miami moves down, Denver moves up

Miami is stuck in a weird spot where everything for them feels like a reach. Denver has their eyes set on a couple of big prospects to help immediately, and should capitalize on the opportunity to go up and get them, as close as they are to being Super Bowl contenders.

13. Denver Broncos (from Miami) – TE Tyler Warren, Penn State

This is a Sean Payton pick all day, and has to be the priority target for the Broncos in this class. If Warren lasts to this point, they have to pull the trigger and get their guy. Payton is one of the few coaches in the league that I would trust to put Warren into the right situations to be a star. 

14. Indianapolis Colts – EDGE James Pearce Jr, Tennessee

The Colts are looking for more speed off of the edge to help their pass rush get home, and Jame Pearce performed better than any of the edges in Indianapolis at the Combine this year. He has the ability to turn the corner and develop into a standout edge rusher.

15. Atlanta Falcons – S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina

Nick Emmanwori is an elite athlete with excellent range, great play recognition, and is a very good wrap up tackler. His move would help sure up the Falcons secondary and give them someone they could play more one-high out of. 

TRADE: Pittsburgh moves up with Arizona

Pittsburgh is looking to make some noise this offseason, and they need to with their offensive skill groups. Arizona, on the other hand, is caught in a bad spot to make a pick at 16, and wants an extra pick or two as they continue to build their depth to hold up over the long grind of a season.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers – WR Luther Burden, Missouri

With George Pickens manning the one/physical receiver, Luther Burden would be a home run addition to the Steelers offense with his RAC and playmaking ability. 

17. Cincinnati Bengals – NT Kenneth Grant, Michigan

I really like Kenneth Grant playing on an interior, and the Bengals could use some help here. Really, I think this is a bad spot for them to pick with the draft board falling the way it did, but Grant’s versatility and size allows him to play more than just a traditional nose. 

18. Seattle Seahawks – OT Kelvin Banks, Texas

Seattle has had some offensive line issues, and Banks will probably end up playing at left guard while Abraham Lucas remains on the roster. Long term, he could move to tackle later, when the spot opens, or when injury takes one down. 

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia

Tampa Bay won a Super bowl with a vicious pass rushing front, and Mykel Williams will help them tremendously get into a position to continue that trend with their pass rush. Williams can put his hand in the dirt, but probably comes off more effectively from a standup RUSH position. 

20. Miami Dolphins (from Denver) – OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State

Miami’s big weakness, that has been well masked by Mike McDaniels’ creative run scheme, has been their offensive line. Josh Simmons has guard and tackle flexibility, but can contribute pretty much immediately in the Dolphins offense. 

21. Arizona Cardinals (from Pittsburgh) – EDGE Mike Green, Marshall

Arizona loves speed, and Jonathan Gannon uses mismatch weapons on his defense very well. Mike Green has those traits that fit the scheme well, as a stand-up speed rusher who can fill that wide-tech in their Bear front for the Cardinals defense. 

22. Los Angeles Chargers – TE Colston Loveland, Michigan

Colston Loveland is a natural athlete and sures up the Chargers tight end situation with not just a high-level player, but a player Jim Harbaugh is intimately familiar with. Justin Herbert gets his real mismatch weapon in that position and upgrades their standing very well. 

23. Green Bay Packers – OG Tyler Booker, Alabama

The Packers had some interior line issues in 2024, and Booker is a plug and play power left guard. He’s massive, has bully-ball strength, and will throw hold up well both as a run blocker and a pass protector. 

TRADE: Tennessee moves back into first round with Minnesota

Its okay to be aggressive in a rebuild, look no further than John Lynch’s first season with the San Francisco 49ers. They have the ammunition to do it, loaded with extra wealth from the Giants, and Minnesota is in a strange spot with how the board fell.

24. Tennessee Titans (from Minnesota) – LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama

The Titans added an athletic RUSH edge who can line up all over the formation, and now they add a mismatch MIKE prospect who compares to Fred Warner. Jihaad Campbell looks like he can be a lockdown in the middle of a defense, something the Titans needed desperately last year. 

25. Houston Texans – WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State

While the Texans have Nico Collins and Tank Dell playing at a high level (when healthy), they lack a true #2 receiver – and Emeka Egbuka is perfect to fill that spot. A technical receiver, Egbuka can eat underneath and be that productive receiver that helps put this offense over the top. 

TRADE: Cleveland moves back into first round with LA Rams

Cleveland understands where they are as an organization in a competitive devision – if they’re going to have a young quarterback this year, they need to protect him. So I expect them, too, to take advantage of the teams looking to move out of the first round and jump into the fray.

26. Cleveland Browns (from LA Rams) – OT Josh Conerly Jr, Oregon

If the Browns are adding a quarterback who can move, they need an athletic tackle to hold up on the left side, and a lot of people like Josh Conerly to fill that sort of a role. He’s a tough guy who’s a little bit smaller, but Conerly has good technical ability and can move around. 

27. Baltimore Ravens – RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina

Derrick Henry isn’t getting any younger, and the Ravens know it. Having a workhorse in the stable can keep this offense rolling for the future, both short term to potential injury, and long term to when the inevitable happens and the King hangs up the cleats. Hampton has much of the power but also has home run speed in the open field, and will remain the perfect compliment to Keaton Mitchell. 

28. Detroit Lions – SCB Jahdae Barron, Texas

The Lions secondary seemed to be the weak link last year, and Jahdae Barron is the perfect Dan Campbell kind of player who can offer flexibility to their secondary. Barron tested out the water in Indianapolis and showed enough to at least get looks on the boundary. 

29. Washington Commanders – NT Derrick Harmon, Oregon

Washington has an offense that has come together extremely well around rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, and their defense overperformed over the course of the season. Harmon gives that interior run presence that they want and is an overly athletic true nose who can cause some serious issues as both a run plugger and as a pocket condenser. 

TRADE: Chicago acquires pick from retreating Buffalo

I’ve said a few times now that I believe the backend of this round will be filled with trades, mostly because teams will want to move down. Some of these other teams, trying to be aggressive with jobs on the line, will move up and take advantage of it. Ryan Poles is trying to ensure this isn’t his last draft, so getting the left tackle earlier in the round, he turns to his pass rush.

30. Chicago Bears – EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

Nic Scourton has a lot of power to his game, and is a much bigger guy who slimmed down for the Combine. His skillset compliments Montez Sweat well on the other side, and helps sure up the pass rush that Chicago needs to bring home in the NFC North. 

31. Kansas City Chiefs – OT Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota

The biggest takeaway from the Super Bowl was that the Chiefs had masked their offensive line issues all season long, and their left tackle spot has not been figured out. Ersery is a guy I really liked coming into the year and had a good season at Minnesota, and the Chiefs take a shot with him. 

32. Philadelphia Eagles – IOL Grey Zabel, North Dakota State

The trenches are what Philadelphia consistently stocks up on, and Grey Zabel has that Philadelphia work ethic and can plug and play into right guard, especially if the Eagles can’t retain Mekhi Becton.