The first change from the previous mock, the Lions don’t get a huge trade down offer now that no one is looking to jump the Panthers. Instead, they take the first defensive player off the board and get themselves an absolute stud at linebacker to go along with Dan Campbell’s “kneecaps” philosophy.
Washington makes a huge splash. Ryan Fitzpatrick may be the man, but he’s not the guy. Lance is going to need some time to ride the bench and learn the finer points of the game. While he possesses great athletic ability, he’s a one-year wonder who is untested against strong competition. Washington makes the calculated decision here to set themselves back one year in order to enter 2022 with a (potential) franchise quarterback.
Since Gettleman joined the Giants in 2018, he’s taken four players from Georgia, including two back-to-back first-round picks. He goes for the trifecta here and takes a pass rusher with tremendous upside. While he isn’t the freak athlete that Jayson Oweh is, the history with UGA and Ojulari’s status as the safest pure edge in the class should prove enticing to the G-Man’s G-Men.
AVT has been rising up boards lately. That’s usually indicative of pundits becoming more in the know with how teams view prospects. The Vikings need help on the left side of their line. Whether you view Vera-Tucker as a tackle or a guard, he’s a plug-and-play starter in Minny.
Mac Jones is a popular pick for the Pats (for those who aren’t biting the 49ers bait) but I don’t think they’re that high on him. Bill Belichick looked purely disgusted at Mac Jones’s pro day. I could see him taking a flyer out on one of the mid-round QBs instead and rolling with BPA here. The Patriots entered the off-season needing receivers. They signed two and somehow need a receiver even more.
Farley has been cleared medically. I don’t think that will change his ranking for some teams but others should be ecstatic with that news. The Cardinals are in win now mode. Like, RIGHT now. They go with the player that can give them the biggest immediate impact.
The Raiders got rid of Rodney Hudson, Gabe Jackson, and Trent Brown. I can’t pretend to know what’s going on in the minds of NFL execs but that series of moves was a huge head-scratcher. So here we are, rebuilding the offensive line. Jenkins is an absolute mauler. Gruden should love him.
Wait. No. They wouldn’t. Would they? Sure, they signed Will Fuller. Sure, they have Preston Williams and whatever, etc… Jakeem Grant enters 2022 as WR3 for the Dolphins, even with the Ja’Marr Chase pick. That’s no bueno. The Dolphins, who were desperate for a spark on offense, can now trot out a starting trio of Ja’Marr Chase, Devante Paker, and Devonta Smith. That is too good to pass up. Good luck, defenses.
Denver trades down and still addresses the gaping hole at linebacker. Collins is a super athletic linebacker who has the unfortunate distinction of being in a class loaded with freak athletes at the LB/3–4 OLB position. He can do it all and should be an immediate impact player for Vic Fangio’s defense.
Tennessee’s cornerback room was lackluster before losing all three starters. Newsome’s aggressiveness can get the better of him sometimes but if his technique can be refined, the Titans have their CB1.
The Jets have a few holes left to fill but none more glaring than cornerback. They could double-dip and add another at 34 and still it would be a position of need. Stokes is a great fit for Saleh’s scheme. It’s a start.
A luxury pick? Absolutely. A great pick? Absolutely. I’m making this selection with the belief that the will they/won’t they saga of Jadeveon Clowney and the Browns finally ends with a contract. With that position shored up, the Browns arguably have no positions they’re desperate to fill. They’ve done excellently through the draft and free agency over the last couple of years and have earned themselves this pick. This pick has the added bonus of keeping a division rival from getting a potential WR1.
Giants and Ravens trade selections from last mock. Oweh is a little raw, though not as raw as some people are making him out to be. He’s athletic profile is insane and could do some serious damage in John Harbaugh’s defense.
A CB2 or WR2 is incredibly tempting here but I think the Saints would see JOKer available and be unable to pass up the opportunity to take him. He could slide right into the empty WILL spot on the Saints defense and his versatility in sub-packages make this one of the biggest steals of the first round.
It’s time. Draft Aaron Rodgers a receiver. That is all.
Bills would RACE to the podium if the board fell this way. Great prospects fall all the time and most of the best scheme fits for Paye are all picking a little too high to prioritize taking him. Buffalo’s starting DEs will both be 33 when the season starts. They need to address the position and Paye fits phenomenally in McDermott’s defense. If Epenesa takes a step forward and meets his potential, the Bills could have a terrific defensive line.
I couldn’t resist. This would be too fun. Yeah, they need some help at linebacker and a lot of help at offensive tackle. I was a fan of Lucas Niang and think he deserves a shot. The draft is deep at tackle too and the Chiefs are taking no risks of losing out on offensive line talent but grabbing the shiftiest receiver in the draft. With Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman dominating the field vertically, Toney’s ability to control the game horizontally is going to add a scary element to one the best offenses in the league.
