Most years I like to take a stab at a mock NFL draft. Everybody else is doing it, so why not me? This draft should be particularly interesting for Michigan fans, because the program could set a school record with four (4!!!) first round picks in the form of Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, Will Johnson, and Colston Loveland (in no particular order other than alphabetical).
1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward – QB – Miami
Why? He seems to be the consensus choice here, and Tennessee has all but announced the pick already.
2. Cleveland Browns: Travis Hunter – CB/WR – Colorado
Why? Cleveland needs a lot of help, but there are no quarterbacks worth taking here. Hunter fills a couple holes. Personally, I think he should be a cornerback and moonlight at wide receiver, because it’s easier to find good receivers than it is to find elite corners. It’s also tough to mostly be a wide receiver and then be ready for whatever a defense throws at you if you’re only a part-time cornerback. If you have special packages on offense, the offense gets to dictate how and when that package is used, instead of the other way around.
3. New York Giants: Abdul Carter – DE – Penn State
Why? I actually don’t love this pick here because I don’t see it as a huge need for the Giants, but they get a chance to pick a player who some people think is the best player in the draft (or second best behind Hunter). In some ways, it could be a good “value” pick even though it’s still a top-three choice.
Hit the jump for more.
4. New England Patriots: Will Campbell – OT – LSU
Why? There are lots of questions about Campbell’s arm length to play offensive tackle, but everyone seems to agree he’s an elite player. If he does struggle because of a lack of length, you can almost always move a tackle inside to guard. The Patriots need a ton of help on offense, and Campbell can help keep last year’s 1st round pick Drake Maye upright.
5. Jacksonville Jagurs: Tetairoa McMillan – WR – Arizona
Why? I think this is a reach pick, but I heard someone talking about how quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s best success was when he was throwing to big receivers like Tee Higgins at Clemson. So far in Jacksonville, his best receivers have been the smaller, quicker kind. I think it might be worth a shot to give Lawrence a 6’4″ wideout, and if Lawrence can’t succeed with someone like McMillan, then maybe it will be time to move on from Lawrence.
6. Las Vegas Raiders: Ashton Jeanty – RB – Boise State
Why? I think the Raiders have bigger needs than running back, but then again, they do need a running back. If it were me, I think I would fix the offensive line first if possible, but Jeanty is a potential stud at the position.
7. New York Jets: Mason Graham – DT- Michigan
Why? Graham might be gone by this point to the Jaguars, but he seems like a good fit for the Jets if he’s available.
8. Carolina Panthers: Tyler Warren – TE – Penn State
Why? The Panthers don’t have a tight end of note to help young quarterback Bryce Young. If they want to commit to their quarterback, they need to give him some weapons and see if he can be successful for an entire season.
9. New Orleans Saints: Jalon Walker – LB – Georgia
Why? The Saints could use some juice in the pass rushing department since they’re aging a little bit, and they could also use help at linebacker. Walker can do a little of both at 6’1″ and 243 pounds.
10. Chicago Bears: Armand Membou – OT/OG – Missouri
Why? Membou is undersized as a tackle, but I think his flexibility to play tackle or guard would be good for the Bears. Left tackle Braxton Jones missed some time last year, and the Bears acquired Joe Thuney from the Chiefs, but plugging in Membou somewhere could help solidify the line for Caleb Williams.
11. San Francisco 49ers: Jahdae Barron – CB – Texas
Why? The 49ers have had a lot of turnover in the secondary this off-season, and it seems like they need to replenish one of the weaker position groups on the team.
12. Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Booker – OG – Alabama
Why? The Cowboys were at their best when they had giant, mauling offensive lines. They’ve fallen off a bit as Tyron Smith (who spent 2024 with the Jets) fell off and now Zach Martin has retired. They need to rebuild their bread-and-butter unit.
13. Miami Dolphins: Kelvin Banks – OT – Texas
Why? The Dolphins seem to believe in Tua Tagovailoa more than I do. And if they do value him, they need to invest more in the offensive line to protect him from getting more injuries, particularly head injuries. Getting Banks would seem to be a step toward helping out that offensive line.
14. Indianapolis Colts: Colston Loveland – TE – Michigan
Why? The Colts haven’t had a standout tight end since Dallas Clark. The coaching staff should either help out young Anthony Richardson with a tall, good route runner across the middle of the field . . . or do the same thing for newcomer Daniel Jones. (NOTE: Looking at my mock draft from last year, I had TE Brock Bowers going to the Colts in 2024. So the theme remains the same.)
15. Atlanta Falcons: Mykel Williams – DE – Georgia
Why? In another consistent theme, I think the Falcons need to improve their front seven. They should have the offense performing well with Michael Penix and the weapons they already have, but they need defensive help.
16. Arizona Cardinals: Will Johnson – CB – Michigan
Why? I don’t necessarily think Johnson is a great fit in Arizona, but this seems like about the right spot in the draft for him to be taken. He’s a very good cornerback who has fallen because of some injury issues, but he could very well play like a top five pick.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: Mike Green – DE – Tulane
Why? The Bengals are going to waste Joe Burrow’s prime if they can’t lock down their defense. Defensive end Trey Hendrickson has already flirted with leaving by looking for a trade, and the Bengals need someone to potentially replace him or at least complement him.
18. Seattle Seahawks: Shemar Stewart – DE – Texas A&M
Why? I don’t love Stewart because he hasn’t produced a ton in college, but I could see head coach Mike Macdonald trying to land his Calais Campbell or Aidan Hutchinson with a big, tall edge player like Stewart.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Malaki Starks – S – Georgia
Why? Starks could go a little bit higher in this draft, so I think this is a good value pick for the Bucs, who need a variety of help. They should be going with the best player available, and that might very well be Starks.
20. Denver Broncos: Omarion Hampton – RB – North Carolina
Why? Hampton is a bruiser of a running back, and the Broncos could go back to the well for another back from the Tarheels. Head coach Sean Payton always seems to have a solid feature back, but he hasn’t had that with the Broncos. Hampton could be that guy.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jaxson Dart – QB – Ole Miss
Why? I know a lot of people have pegged Shedeur Sanders for this spot, and I think Mike Tomlin might be one of the few coaches who could deal with Deion Sanders adequately. But the Steelers have always done best with a guy who can do the dirty work in the cold of December and January. I don’t know how well Dart would do in the cold, but he throws a nice deep ball (hello, George Pickens and D.K. Metcalf!) and he’s a tough runner, like Jalen Hurts and Ben Roethlisberger. To me Dart fits the Pittsburgh mold more than Sanders or Kenny Pickett.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Kenneth Grant – DT – Michigan
Why? Head coach Jim Harbaugh, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, and defensive line coach Mike Elston have all seen what Grant can do. The Chargers need to replenish their defense a little bit after losing some pieces in the off-season, even if they were one of the top units in the league last year.
23. Green Bay Packers: Matthew Golden – WR – Texas
Why? The Packers seem to constantly have issues at receiver, but Golden could help solidify issues that arise because of inconsistency and injury. Golden is extremely fast and a good route runner, and he could be a major weapon for Jordan Love’s big arm.
24. Minnesota Vikings: Josh Simmons – OT – Ohio State
Why? The Vikings had some injury issues on the line last year, and Simmons was injured, too. However, draft guys think he’s a potential top-15 guy if healthy, so this is a value pick for a team that needs to protect J.J. McCarthy.
25. Houston Texans: Donovan Jackson – OG – Ohio State
Why? I’m going back-to-back with Ohio State offensive linemen, but the Texans have a need on the offensive line after seeing some moving parts and watching their offense fall off a cliff in 2024 after a promising 2023.
26. Los Angeles Rams: Grey Zabel – OT – North Dakota State
Why? The Rams have a major need on the offensive line after having and losing some aging players in recent years, so Zabel could step in and play tackle or guard. He’s another player who could go about ten spots higher, so this is another value pick.
27. Baltimore Ravens: Derrick Harmon – DT – Oregon
Why? As much as I hate to say it, I really like the former Michigan State defensive tackle, who’s an absolute terror on the interior. Pair him with star defensive tackle Justin Madubuike and this becomes a very imposing defense.
28. Detroit Lions: Donovan Ezeiruaku – DE – Boston College
Why? Maybe this is wishful thinking on my part as a Lions fan, but Ezeiruaku had 16.5 sacks last season during a college year, and the Lions need another edge player across from Aidan Hutchinson. There’s a good chance he’s gone by this point in the draft, but if Ezeiruaku is still there, I hope the Lions grab him.
29. Washington Commanders: Jihaad Campbell – LB – Alabama
Why? I didn’t necessarily see a great fit for Campbell before this, but again, he could very well be gone by now. If he’s still available, I think the Commanders could use some help at linebacker and with their pass rush.
30. Buffalo Bills: Maxwell Hairston – CB – Kentucky
Why? The speedy Hairston is a first round pick talent, and the Bills will be lucky if he’s still there.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Walter Nolen – DT – Ole Miss
Why? The Chiefs seem to have a lot of roster holes despite winning two straight Super Bowls and making it to a third this past season. I think they should build through the trenches, whether it’s Nolen or Tennessee defensive end James Pearce or an offensive lineman. I don’t know that any OL is worth taking here. I’ve heard that Nolen is climbing draft boards, and he might be long gone by now. But if he’s still available, he could be worth taking.
32. Philadelphia Eagles: Nick Emmanwori – S – South Carolina
Why? I’m intrigued by the idea of adding Emeka Egbuka to the mix in Philadelphia, but Emmanwori also fits a general theme in Philadelphia of taking athletic freaks. Emmanwori is 6’3″, 220 lbs., runs a 4.38 forty, and showed a 43″ vertical.
What do you think I got wrong, besides most of it?
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