As we enter the prime of draft prep season, many developments have come up in the NFL that could shake up the draft, whether they pertain to teams, certain players, or prospects. In this mess of a mock draft, we will try to explore as many as possible and I will even create some crazy hypotheticals.
1. The Titans select Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State
What if the Titans decide not to go with a quarterback? With a still-young Will Levis on the books and Harold Landry wanting out, the Titans may choose to go best player available in a weak quarterback class. Abdul Carter does not have the versatility of Travis Hunter but his uber-athleticism and all-round skill set will be hard to pass up. Don’t mind the potential foot surgery.
2. The Browns select Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
The Browns, being cash-strapped by Deshaun Watson, may not have the money needed to pay a top-five-drafted quarterback. So they may also go best player available. If Travis Hunter isn’t the best player available, he is at least the second-best. Though he has snaps on both sides of the ball, his best fit seems to be at cornerback.
3. The Giants select Cameron Ward, QB, Miami
Let’s say the Giants invest most of what they have in their defense. They can now invest in the offense during the draft, beginning with the quarterback. Cameron Ward has flashed franchise QB potential this season by basically carrying his Hurricanes to a 10-2 regular season record. I expect him to try to do more of the same as a Giant.
4. The Jets select Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado (from Patriots)
Surprise! The Jets trade from the 7th spot, giving New England their 2025 and 2026 second-round picks plus Garrett Wilson in exchange for new coach Aaron Glenn, his franchise quarterback. Sanders played well despite being behind a porous offensive line at Colorado, and he will be thrust in behind an offensive line with Olu Fashanu and other budding stars in New York.
5. The Jaguars select Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
This pick just makes the most sense; new GM James Gladstone arrives in Jacksonville after spending eight years with the Rams and watching Aaron Donald wreak havoc. As Jags GM, Gladstone gives Jacksonville their version of Aaron Donald and bolsters what is already a stacked defensive line.
6. The Raiders select Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
The Raiders get shafted from getting a good quarterback in this class. However, they have a major chance to bolster their run game with Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty’s tackle-breaking prowess and explosiveness will help elevate a rushing offense that finished last in the league in yards.
7. The Patriots select Will Campbell, OT, LSU (From Jets)
Not only do the Patriots get a haul of picks for the future of the Vrabel era, but they get a franchise piece for the offensive line. Some will argue Will Campbell’s length restricts him to guard, but he has proven his ability to overcome that in the SEC, being an award-winning starting left tackle at LSU.
8. The Panthers select Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall
Carolina will certainly be enamored by the upside of Senior Bowl stars. One of them is Mike Green, a Marshall standout who may have only played in the Sun Belt, but he showed out against Power 5 opponents and is highly productive, which translates pretty well to the professional level in most cases.
9. The Saints select Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
New Saints coach Kellen Moore needs to have a tight end who can impact all phases of offensive play. Tyler Warren fits exactly that mold; Warren was asked to run block a lot in 2024 but also proved to be the most valuable asset of the Penn State passing offense.
10. The Bears select Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
Don’t be surprised if the Bears reach on a stock-up offensive lineman. 21-year-old Armand Membou is slightly undersized but has enough to his game where teams like Chicago can look over that and plug and play him in Week 1.
11. The 49ers select Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
Will Johnson suffered shoulder and toe injuries in 2024, causing him to miss valuable time. Good for the 49ers; a top-ten talent who absolutely could still go top ten (or five even) falls right into their lap and makes them contenders again.
12. The Cowboys select Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama
Zack Martin’s retirement leaves a gaping hole in the Cowboys offensive line. The Cowboys opt to replace the future Hall-of-Famer here with the best true guard in the class, Alabama’s Tyler Booker.
13. The Dolphins select Kelvin Banks, OT, Texas
The Dolphins’ offensive line lacks quality when Terron Armstead is unavailable. That has to change. Kelvin Banks has been a three-year starter on one of the best offenses in all of college football. He’ll be the tackle of the future in Miami.
14. The Colts select Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
Jahdae Barron has been receiving a lot of hype lately. It’s no surprise; Barron has played well as a cornerback and safety and could fill multiple positions of need for some teams. This includes Indianapolis, who were let down this year by some poor defense.
15. The Falcons select Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia
Don’t expect the Falcons to keep Matt Judon around; expect them to invest greatly in defense this offseason. This includes using a first-round draft pick on a high-ceiling pass rusher. Mykel Williams will take this abysmal unit to a whole new level with his versatility and athleticism.
16. The Jets select Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona (From Cardinals)
Let’s say Arizona decides to trade this pick (and other things) for Garrett Wilson and extend him. Now the Jets can replace him with Tetairoa McMillan. If recent reports of a potential “T-Mac” draft slide are true, then this is a steal for New York.
17. The Bengals select Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
Walter Nolen is a superb athlete who can create chaos for an offensive line. The Bengals’ pass rush minus Trey Hendrickson was non-existent for most of the year. Nolen gives them the consistent interior pass rush threat that the defense sorely needs.
18. The Seahawks select Grey Zabel, C, North Dakota State
Grey Zabel put on a show at the Senior Bowl, dominating rep after rep as a center both in practice and in the game. Zabel, who can play all three main positions on the offensive line, goes to a team that desperately needs help in all those positions, especially at guard and center.
19. The Buccaneers select Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia
The Bucs need lots of help in their front seven, where they lack production and could lose Lavonte David. Jalon Walker is highly capable of filling either hole, as his athletic profile allowed him to play both roles very well at Georgia.
20. The Broncos select Luther Burden, WR, Missouri
The Broncos’ offense could use some extra elevation. In Luther Burden, Denver can have their version of Deebo Samuel; he can play multiple receiver roles and can also be a gadget player for Denver, giving them a new dimension to their receivers unit.
21. The Steelers select Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
Matthew Golden showed throughout the College Football Playoff that he can show up in big games—something George Pickens can’t show consistently. The Steelers need someone like Golden to elevate an offense that looked one-dimensional at many points throughout the 2024 season.
22. The Chargers select Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
A match made in heaven here: Jim Harbaugh and Jesse Minter bring one of their top prospects, Kenneth Grant, back into their defense. Grant is a superb athlete at his size who can play the nose tackle role in the Chargers’ already stacked defense.
23. The Packers select Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M
The Packers pass rush this season was kind of anemic, especially knowing the level of Pro Bowl talent up front. Shemar Stewart can help fix that. His upside is high despite his low production this season, but he will upgrade the defensive line wherever he goes.
24. The Vikings select Shavon Revel, CB, East Carolina
Shavon Revel has had plenty of time to recover from his ACL tear. Minnesota is likely going to lose several key pieces in their secondary, so drafting Revel helps fill at least one of the potential holes that could open up.
25. The Texans select Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo
The Texans’ interior defensive line could get just a little bit younger. Darius Alexander is on the older end of the age spectrum for a draft prospect, but he is a lengthy, powerful athlete whose bull rush is already strong enough to overpower some NFL guards.
26. The Rams select Josh Conerly, OT, Oregon
The Rams look set to lose Alaric Jackson and/or Joseph Noteboom to free agency. Getting a replacement could ease worries all around. Josh Conerly managed to overcome non-elite play strength and improve his game this year, so the upward trajectory will be enticing enough for Sean McVay.
27. The Ravens select Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State
Even if the Ravens re-sign Ronnie Stanley, they need to look for a future replacement. They need someone dominant who has proven himself against top competition. Josh Simmons checks off both of those checkmarks.
28. The Lions select Malaki Starks, SF, Georgia
The safety position is oftentimes devalued, and Malaki Starks becomes the latest victim of that. Starks ends up in the hands of the Lions, who could opt to play him as a nickel cornerback. Starks has shown he can do that just as well as he can playing safety.
29. The Browns select Omarion Hampton, RB, UNC (From Commanders)
Let’s say the Commanders trade their first-round pick at 29 to acquire Myles Garrett. Now the Browns have an extra first-rounder which they will use to upgrade their run game. Omarion Hampton is a powerful bruising back who can perfectly fill the role Nick Chubb, now injury-prone, played in the Cleveland offense.
30. The Bills select Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
The Bills always seem in need of weapons, don’t they? Anyway, by drafting Emeka Egbuka, the Bills have two players (him and Shakir) who are explosive enough to threaten all three levels of the field.
31. The Chiefs select Nick Emmanwori, SF, South Carolina
The Chiefs look set to lose Justin Reid to free agency. If they can’t keep him, they can always look at drafting a player like Nick Emmanwori. Despite being big, Emmanwori offers high-level explosiveness that makes him dangerous wherever he is on the field.
32. The Eagles select Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
With James Pearce being undersized and limited in run defense, teams may pass on taking him in the first round. In this case, the Eagles opt to take Jihaad Campbell to add depth to their linebacker corps, which could be depleted if Zack Baun chooses not to resign with the defending Super Bowl Champions.
