My first two mock drafts will look no more chaotic than this. The first two mock drafts were somewhat similar, with a few changes here or there, but this is different. The draft is filled with chaos, usually caused by blockbuster trades before and during the draft. So, I am going to be doing a bunch of trades to add said chaos. And, they may seem outlandish now, but you find that some outrageous stuff happens on draft night.

Also, once again the Jets trade for Aaron Rodgers without giving up a first-round pick.

• The Panthers select Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
  There are varying reports on who the Panthers are going to select. Amidst all the buzz about the team’s scouts gushing over Anthony Richardson, to the front office guys gushing about CJ Stroud, they may well end up taking the guy who won the Heisman a couple years ago and practically carried a subpar Alabama team in 2022.

• The Texans select CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State
  CJ Stroud is projected by 90% of mock drafts to go number one. I have a feeling that his lack of dynamo compared to Young might not woo the Panthers. But, his mechanics will definitely woo a Texans team in need of an injection of top talents.

• The Buccaneers select Will Levis, QB, Kentucky (From Cardinals)
  Let the chaos begin! The Bucs trade pick 19, their second round pick this year, and a 2023 first-rounder to move up and select Will Levis, the guy many draft analysts call the most Josh Allen-like prospect in the class. Like Allen, Levis has elite arm talent and athleticism, but his mechanics, accuracy, and decision-making need work.

• The Ravens select Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida (From Colts)
  To intentionally misquote Bruce Dickinson, “we need more chaos.” In this alternative world, Lamar Jackson gets traded to Indianapolis for two first-rounders (one this year and one next year). The Ravens get the top athlete overall in the class, the uber-talented Anthony Richardson, to fill Jackson’s shoes.

• The Lions select Will Anderson Jr., DE, Alabama (From Seahawks)
  After seeing the first four picks all be QBs, the Lions realize Will Anderson, college football’s most dominant player in 2021 (and at times in 2022), is on the board, and that the trade-down-heavy Seahawks are on the clock, sending both of their sixth-rounders to Seattle to move up one spot. Unlike the Bears six years ago, they do not overpay for moving up one spot, and in doing so, form the most threatening young pass-rushing duo in the NFL.

• The Seahawks select Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas A&M (From Lions)
  Why do the Seahawks pass on Will Anderson? Well, they have Darrell Taylor, Uchenna Nwosu, and Boye Mafe to do that job. Their weaker rotation is in the trenches. Tyree Wilson could play edge, but I consider him a defensive tackle thanks to his size and versatility. With the support he gets from Dre’Mont Jones, Wilson will thrive right away in the Pete Carroll system.

• The Raiders select Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa
  Speaking of weak trench rotation, the Raiders’ interior pass rush is subpar. Due to reports that the Raiders took Jalen Carter completely off their board, it is only right they go with the other hyped versatile lineman, Lukas Van Ness. Van Ness can play on the inside, where the Raiders’ best player in that position last year hit only 1.5 sacks.

• The Falcons select Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
  Playing on the nation’s most talented defense, Jalen Carter was unstoppable. Only concerns over his recent arrest have caused his slide, not a lack of talent. The Falcons will benefit from this slide, and so will Carter, who now has Atlanta-bound Calais Campbell as a mentor for at least the summer, if not his full rookie season. He becomes the future face of NFL DTs.

• The Bears select Paris Johnson, T, Ohio State
  The Bears covered most of their biggest needs in the early offseason. Tackle was the one they did not cover. Paris Johnson can play on both sides of the offensive line and will form a pretty good partnership with Braxton Jones once he develops his game. For now, Johnson’s athleticism and strength will serve him well.

• The Patriots select Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon (From Eagles)
  It is only at this point that you realize that none of the first nine picks were cornerbacks. The Patriots sure realize that, and they send a third-round pick to Philadelphia to move up and take their new CB1. Christian Gonzalez has elite ball skills and is a worthy addition to a man-coverage-heavy Bill Belichick system.

• The Titans select Peter Skoronski, T, Northwestern
  I say tackle, but Peter Skoronski has the build to succeed as an NFL guard. The Titans are low on quality on the offensive interior, and could use Skoronski, a prospect with refined technique and the versatility to play both tackle and guard positions.

• The Texans select Jordan Addison, WR, USC
  Many experts believe the receiver prospects will fall to Round 2 or later, but Jordan Addison is way too good for the second round. Addison excelled for both Pittsburgh and USC, a pair of vastly different schools in two different conferences with elite talent levels.

• The Commanders select Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois (From Jets)
  The Commanders, in need of a corner, pounce on the opportunity to jump the Eagles for an elite slot/boundary corner. They trade their fourth and sixth round picks in 2023 to move up three spots and take the hyped Devon Witherspoon. Witherspoon is undersized, but is said to have the cleanest tape out of all the prospects, according to prominent analysts across America. 

• The Cardinals select Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State (From Patriots via Eagles)
  After collecting a haul, the Cardinals offer the Eagles their late 3rd-round pick to trade up five spots and revamp their secondary. Joey Porter continues the streak of corners. His man coverage abilities and athleticism will bless the Cardinals with an instantly improved pass defense.

• The Packers select Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
  Even if the Packers lose Aaron Rodgers, they can wait on a quarterback until later (put Jake Haener on steal alert). That new quarterback will definitely need a talented weapon to complement Christian Watson. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was one of the most productive receivers in college football when healthy. Give him a chance and he will thrive in the Packers’ offense. 

• The Jets select Broderick Jones, T, Georgia (From Commanders)
  The Jets need a tackle who is young and can stay healthy. They have some depth, but why not add more? Broderick Jones is a high-upside prospect who showed out in his lone year as a starter at Georgia. He should excel on the left side of the Jets’ offensive line.

• The Steelers select Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
  The Steelers would have loved Joey Porter or Broderick Jones, but it won’t hurt to have a superb athlete in the building like Deonte Banks. Banks showed off at the Combine and could easily become a top corner right away based on athleticism alone.

• The Lions select Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh
  In today’s NFL, you cannot have too many stars on the defensive line. Especially young stars with relatively fresh legs. Calijah Kancey has been linked heavily to Detroit due to his apparent resemblance to Aaron Donald, a fellow Pitt alum. Dan Campbell will likely be enticed by Kancey’s shiftiness and athleticism, and will love to have a defensive line of Will Anderson, Aidan Hutchinson, and the apparent next Aaron Donald.

• The Eagles select Brian Branch, S, Alabama (From Buccaneers via Cardinals)
  After getting two third-round picks the Eagles fix the weakest hole in their defense. They lost both starting safeties, signed Terrell Edmunds for strong safety, and draft Brian Branch here to fill in the free safety role. Branch can also play slot corner like he did in college, but is naturally a safety, which will aid his transition to the NFL.

• The Seahawks select Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
  The Seahawks will need to have three good weapons to contend for the NFC. Quentin Johnston is a shifty runner in the open field. He is also a good contested catch threat, a great complement to DK Metcalf, but has more consistent hands.

• The Chargers select O’Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida
  An elite QB needs an elite offensive line. With multiple young pieces and Corey Linsley in place, all the Chargers need to do is deepen at guard, where Matt Feiler played last year (he got cut). Torrence is a mauler in the run game and is a strong player in general.

• The Ravens select Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
  New QB needs a new WR1. Zay Flowers could add more juice and athleticism to a Ravens’ offense that is filled with top-tier athletes like Devin Duvernay, Rashod Bateman, JK Dobbins, and in this case, Anthony Richardson.

• The Vikings select Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami
  The Vikings lack adequate depth at cornerback, and it needs to be addressed soon. Tyrique Stevenson is an excellent athlete with great fluidity in his hips and explosiveness. He has special teams value and could easily be a Day 1 starter opposite Andrew Booth in the secondary.

• The Jaguars select Darnell Wright, T, Tennessee
  So, the Jaguars need a right tackle. Why not take the best tackle in the SEC from last season because he is available? Wright was a brick wall on the right side of Tennessee’s offensive line and will slot right into this Jaguars team as their Jawann Taylor replacement.

• The Texans select Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson (From Giants)
  Finding that their biggest need could be addressed later, the Giants trade out, obtaining the Texans’ second, fourth, and first two sixth-round picks. The Texans trade up and take Bryan Bresee to stack up their defensive line. Though injury-prone, Bresee has great talent and could prove to be a good value selection at pick 25.

• The Cowboys select Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
  Dak Prescott lost his safety blanket this offseason when Dalton Schultz signed for Houston. The Cowboys need a vertical weapon that can fill his shoes. Thankfully, they have the choice of every tight end available, and they choose Kincaid here. Kincaid is not the fastest guy, but has very reliable hands and is great at winning contested catches, typical of an elite red-zone threat.

• The Bills select Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State
  Every first round has a reach or two. This is the most obvious one, as the Bills take a super athlete at linebacker in Daiyan Henley. Henley is a rangy linebacker who is playing well for a prospect relatively new to the LB position. He will be a 24-year-old rookie, with plenty of flaws as of now, but has high developmental potential.

• The Bengals select Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
  The Bengals have Irv Smith, but could use more at tight end. Darnell Washington stands at a massive 6’7”, with blistering speed and athleticism for his size. He is also an amazing blocker for a tight end, a valuable trait in today’s pass-heavy NFL. And of course, he can catch and run with the ball and is tough to tackle.

• The Rams select Nolan Smith, DE, Georgia (From Saints)
  The Rams still have the same aggressive general manager that traded away all the first round picks between 2017 and 2024, so I would not be surprised if this GM, Les Snead, would trade up like this. After all, if the super-fast Nolan Smith is available at 29, why not take a shot? Here the Rams give up their second-round pick and a future fourth in 2024 to move up and nab a steal.

• The Eagles select Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
  Speaking of steals, Bijan Robinson, the uber-talented running back, managed to fall right into the Eagles’ lap. Robinson is a super talent that could prove to be an upgrade to Miles Sanders, who signed for the Panthers in March.
• The Chiefs select Adetomiwa Adeboware, DE, Northwestern
  To round off the first round, the Chiefs take a super athlete to partner with Chris Jones. Adetomiwa Adeboware ran a 4.5 40 at 280 pounds, showcasing elite speed. His athleticism, and the presence of Chris Jones as his opposite number, will help the Chiefs produce even more sacks than they did last year.