Open Rants by kkunert327

2021 NFL Draft - End of Regular Season 

First Round

1. Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevor Lawrence QB Clemson 

• This pick is almost a forgone conclusion and if they can land Urban Meyer the Jags could suddenly become one of the more intriguing teams in the league. I know Lawrence is an upper echelon type prospect from his size, athleticism, and arm talent stand point. However, I feel like he was never really tested in college nor was he really ever used in Clemson’s offense the way he probably should have been. They used him as a game manager of sorts who distributed the ball. Outside of a few games where they were down he never really was given the option like Justin Fields or Joe Burrow were to take over a game. Which worries me some since he never really was forced to pull his team out of big deficits and the few times he was tested he seemed to falter. His bigger matchups against Ohio State both times, LSU, and Alabama he looked just okay in two of those, but amazing as a freshman against Alabama. I am not ready to put him in the Andrew Luck category of generational talents, but I would say he is somewhere in the Joe Burrow and Matt Ryan range of talent at the position. Maybe in an Urban Meyer system where it’s very quarterback friendly he can really prove people on why he was so special to tank for. 

2. New York Jets - Justin Fields QB Ohio State

• After his gutsy performance with at least one, but probably more broken ribs against Clemson to me did him enough to still be the 2nd overall pick. He is an excellent all around talent with nice mobility, arm talent, and most of all great poise. I love his make up as a competitor who has never backed away from a challenge and despite never really having his full roster with him this season he still played pretty darn great. Also, why is two shaky appearances against two good opponents like Northwestern and Indiana is a bad thing. Both teams are a lot better than people give them credit for and coming away with victories in both instances without a lot of his blockers or receivers is still impressive. My biggest issue with Fields is where he is coming from being a former Buckeye. The Buckeyes produce great college quarterbacks, but have never had one translate to the NFL. I worry that Fields can just be added to a big list of names that have disappointed in the NFL. 

3. Miami Dolphins - Penei Sewell OT Oregon

• There could be some debate that the Dolphins move off of Tua Tagovailoa after just one season. I would not be surprised since they seem to not trust him in big moments just yet. If you ask me they did the whole thing wrong taking Ryan Fitzpatrick when he was playing well, but when Tua is in there they would not let him work out his mistakes and always give him a quick hook. I feel like they did both quarterbacks a disservice taking Fitzpatrick out when he was playing really well, but a young quarterback needs to figure out how to move past adversity. It will be interesting to see how they handle Tagovailoa moving forward, but I doubt they move off of him so quickly. When he was playing well he showed the glimpses of what made him so special in college. What should help is bringing in the best prospect in the draft in my opinion in Penei Sewell. He will instantly provide Tua a Pro Bowl caliber blindside blocker, in this case at the right tackle spot for the lefty. Sewell opted out of the season, but he had nothing left to prove after two excellent seasons in Eugene. He should be one of the safest picks in the draft. 

4. Atlanta Falcons - Zach Wilson QB BYU 

• I am not a fan of moving off of Matt Ryan who has still played really well despite the team not winning consistently enough. In most of the losses, Ryan played really well, but was let down by poor play calling on offense and a terrible defense. However, I do understand the appeal and timing to move on from him now. Despite a big contract there are many quarterback needy teams like Indy, Chicago, San Francisco, and Patriots who would all love his services. Plus, they will have a new regime coming in who could look to clean the whole roster and start fresh. I am not as high on Wilson as others are, but he is the hot name coming into the draft at quarterback. He has nice size, arm strength, and mobility, but outside of this season he has never been anything special. Some of his success had to be the level of competition this season. He does have nice mobility, which is a big plus trait in the NFL right now and I would not be surprised if he ends up being a success. The other side of the coin would not surprise me either if he looks overwhelmed and disappointing as they watch Matt Ryan succeed elsewhere. 

5. Cincinnati Bengals - Micah Parsons LB Penn State 

• The Bengals are better off moving down here with no blockers on the board that should be taken in the top 10 left on the board here. They have no bigger need than fixing their o-line in this draft for Joe Burrow moving forward. That being said the Bengals and Mike Brown are one of the most archaic teams in the draft with their unwillingness to move around in the draft. So in that case they more than likely will stay here with their pick of top defenders on the board that also make sense for them here. They could not go wrong with a talent like Micah Parsons, Gregory Rousseau, or Patrick Surtain II. I would lean towards Parsons who is a rare type of talent at the linebacker position. He would finally give them a leader and talent they have been missing in the middle of this porous defense. In a division with Lamar Jackson and Cleveland’s running game having a great linebacker is a must. 

6. Philadelphia Eagles - Ja’Marr Chase WR LSU 

• Despite just taking Jalen Reagor in the first round last year I would not be surprised if they go back to the receiver well again in the first round. Hopefully this time they take the right guy unlike last year when they reached on a mystery talent like Reagor. They really cannot go wrong with either Ja’Marr Chase or DeVonta Smith here as both seem like uber safe picks with their elite skill sets. I would only give the leg up to Chase here due to his size, upside, and athleticism all edging out Smith just slightly. If the Eagles are going to roll with Jalen Hurts next season they must surround him with better talent than they ever did for Carson Wentz the past few seasons. I am sure a blocker or two is also in the cards for the draft to help protect Hurts better.  Chase should really give them a great option to pair with hopefully a healthy and improved speedster like Reagor giving them two great options for Hurts. 

7. Detroit Lions - Trey Lance QB North Dakota State

• Now unlike the Matt Ryan situation I do think the split from Stafford in Detroit is needed. Stafford seems to be stuck in a career long rerun having almost the same season and same results for the past few years. I feel for him and I think he needs to move on somewhere else that would allow him to win more consistently. I do think he is part of the problem with his inability to be the reason why his team wins nor has he really been able to consistently pull his teams to victories despite a weak roster. Now, I am not sure they move off from him this season, but there were rumors that they were close to taking Tua Tagovailoa last year. Which tells me they were willing to draft him and have him sit behind Stafford for a year or two. Stafford still has a sizable contract that may be hard to move and the Lions are historically stingy so they may not want to swallow his contract. So bringing in a raw talent like Lance to sit behind Stafford could be a perfect fit. Lance to me is the better between him and Zach Wilson as the next guys after the top two quarterbacks in the class. He does have a big red flag as a one year starter, but he looked extremely special in that one year. If you ask me he looks like a combination of Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen playing very similarly to both. Staching him behind Stafford could be the best thing for a lifeless Detroit franchise. 

8. Carolina Panthers - Patrick Surtain II CB Alabama 

• I think the Panthers would love to take a quarterback like Lance or Wilson here, but with Teddy Bridgewater on the roster they are not that desperate to trade up for either of them. They can let Bridgewater play one more season and see what he can do before you make a decision to keep him long term or not. It’s not like he played terribly this year and was more often than not let down by his porous defense. One way to rectify that is to move attention away from their young talented defensive line to finding a corner to pair with the solid Donte Jackson. One of the safest prospects in this class to me is Patrick Surtain II who thanks to his former Pro Bowler father seems ready for the big lights of the NFL. He is an athletic specimen with the length and speed to be a great press-man corner. What really makes him stand out is his poise, technique, and work ethic instilled in him by his dad. I would be shocked if he does not turn out to be a very good player in the NFL. 

9. Denver Broncos - Mac Jones QB Alabama 

• I do not think either Mac Jones or Kyle Trask are first round caliber type quarterbacks, but I also expect them to be taken in the first round. Probably much higher than anyone expects with how many teams need quarterbacks. Drew Lock is not the long term option here and has shown the red flag immaturity issues that had him drop to the 2nd round when he came out of college. I would not be surprised if John Elway and his quick trigger finger would make a change at quarterback this offseason. They could be in the market for a veteran like Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford, or Jimmy Garropolo. Elway has done a better job finding quality free agents than he has in the draft at quarterback. That being said I think Mac Jones is a very solid quarterback who to me has proven to be more than just a game manager this year. I was always impressed in previous seasons when he came on in relief for Tua Tagovailoa and kept the offense humming in his stead. Jones’ biggest issue is his lack of mobility, but he is a bit old school where he has a good pocket presence to move around in the pocket rather than outside of it. His accuracy and high IQ would be a welcomed sight over the inaccurate Drew Lock. 

10.   Dallas Cowboys - Gregory Rousseau DE Miami 

• The Cowboys need to find a way to generate more of a pass rush this offseason. I was extremely disappointed with the highly paid DeMarcus Lawrence this year who only racked up five sacks this season, which is the same amount Aldon Smith landed after being out of football for five seasons. It will be hard to move on from Lawrence who is still owed a lot more money, but maybe he can be motivated to play better with a more talented running mate across from him. Rousseau to me is a similar style player to Lawrence, but has a lot more speed and explosive talent off the edge. I thought it was head scratching for Rousseau to opt out in a season where Miami had a lot of prime time games and talent across the d-line to help his draft stock. It would have also helped prove he is more than just a one year wonder after having the second most sacks in the country behind Chase Young in 2019. That being said he is still the best pass rusher in the class and should be a nice pick for a team who is willing to take the risk on him and his immense upside. 

11.   New York Giants - DeVonta Smith WR Alabama 

• The Giants finally find their replacement for OBJ with a player who actually plays a lot like him in DeVonta Smith. Finding Daniel Jones better playmakers on the outside is a must this offseason and it will be interesting to see who they go with here. Guys like Kyle Pitts and Jaylen Waddle could all push to be a fit here. However, if you ask me I think Smith could be the best receiver in not only this draft, but the past few drafts. He is just a very clean, smooth, and fast operator at the receiver position. His speed is not as good as his teammate Waddle nor is he as big as Ja’Marr Chase, but to me he has mastered his craft as a receiver. He can attack the defense at every level and from the outside or slot receiver position. His slight size is his only big issue, but the Giants saw a lot of success with a slight receiver like OBJ in the past. If anything Smith is a much more humble and high character player that can fit better in New York than Beckham ever did. 

12.   San Francisco 49ers - Caleb Farley CB Virginia Tech 

• The 49ers could take a quarterback here, but I think they will be a big favorite to land Matt Ryan or Carson Wentz in a trade this offseason. They really are one solid quarterback away from being a Super Bowl contender this season. Heck even with most of their defense out with injuries they were still in most of their games this season even with Nick Mullens or C.J. Beathard at the quarterback position. In any case, if they still own this pick come spring they can land a top notch corner in Farley to help out their biggest issue on their talented defense. They will have an opening at the corner spot with Richard Sherman likely out after his contract is up along with his poor play this season has him unlikely coming back after this year. Farley is recently new at the position being a former high school quarterback and started out as a receiver at Virginia Tech, but if you watch his tape you would never think he was new to playing corner. He has great athleticism, ball skills, and upside that could make him one of the higher upside prospects in this draft. 

13.   Los Angeles Chargers - Kyle Pitts TE Florida

• Nothing is more important for the Chargers than finding a quality head coach who can have them more buttoned up to win close games. Next most important thing they need to do is to continue to surround Justin Herbert with better talent. Hunter Henry is a free agent this year after a very good healthy season, but I would be hesitant to extend him long term. Especially, with them currently having Keenan Allen and Mike Williams who are both extremely injury prone. Finding another option for Herbert to throw to who can stay healthy would be a great find for them here. One option could be Kyle Pitts who can easily be an upgrade over a solid Hunter Henry. Pitts to me is one of the best athletic prospects in the draft and maybe even the best pass catcher in the draft. Unfortunately, there is generally more emphasis on receivers than tight ends that could see him slip slightly. He is an elite mismatch weapon as a fast, elusive, and athletic tight end who is actually also a solid blocker. It would be nice to see another Antonio Gates/Kellen Winslow type talent in a powder blue uniform for the Chargers. 

14.   Minnesota Vikings - Kwity Paye DE Michigan

• The Vikings defense essentially lost two of their best pass rushers in one season this year, which could explain their drop off on defense this year. They should be getting Danielle Hunter back, but it is always worrisome if a defensive linemen can come back to the type of neck surgeries Hunter has gone through. J.J. Watt was able to come back with similar issues, but he has never been much the same player he was prior to those surgeries either. One way to help out Hunter is again pair him with another running mate like he had for most of his career with Everson Griffen. Paye’s stock has skyrocketed this season, but I would want to hit the brakes a bit. I have seen some mocks having him as a top five prospect, but I still do not think he is a better prospect than Gregory Rousseau at the same position. He is not really built of speed, but more so technique, motor, and power at the edge position. His power allows him to be a versatile talent that can even move to tackle on obvious passing downs. A defensive mind like Mike Zimmer will love to have Paye on his defensive front. 

15.   New England Patriots - Jaylen Waddle WR Alabama 

• A quarterback could be really tempting here, but I am not sure an older Bill Belichick will be willing to groom a young rookie quarterback. What I can see is them going after a veteran like Stafford or even a reunion with Jimmy Garropolo. Instead, they can use this pick to finally find a fast and explosive playmaker they are dearly in need of. Waddle could slip a bit after another injury halted his season after being banged up the year prior. However, many still think he is the better Alabama receiver between him and DeVonta Smith even after the season he put up. Waddle has that special big play ability thanks to his speed and elusiveness in the open field. His talent would be a welcomed sight for the Patriots lacking skill position group. 

16.   Arizona Cardinals - Wyatt Davis OG Ohio State

• Might not be a sexy pick for one of the flashier teams in the NFL with Kyler Murray, DeAndre Hopkins, and Kliff Kingsbury, but is a really needed one. I would even recommend a tackle here, but they gave D.J. Humphries a long term deal and just took a promising high upside rookie in Josh Jones in last year’s class. Maybe they can find some more depth options there later. In any case, I thought one of the more surprising things to watch towards the end of the year was how teams figured out how to contain Kyler Murray and the smaller quarterback was finally taking some big shots. Clearly they took effect down the stretch as Murray never looked the same after a few big hits by the Seahawks in Week 11. They need to protect him better at any cost, which includes bringing in a blue chip guard like Wyatt Davis who has a very high plug and play ability. He is a safe pick and one who can be a really good fit for a team like the Cardinals who could really use his services. 

17.   Las Vegas Raiders - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah LB Notre Dame 

• I would not be shocked if the Raiders and Jon Gruden jump onto the quarterback carousel this offseason with how Grudne likes to run through quarterbacks. However, I think staying the course with Carr is a fine move after how well he played this year. What should help him is having a defense that can actually slow down opposing offenses. One way to do that is by bringing in an actually talent linebacker like Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. I know they brought in Nick Kwiatkoski and Corey Littleton for a large some last offseason, but I think both were a product of their previous homes in Chicago and Los Angeles more so than them being actually talented players. Moving on from them is probably not in the cards after one season, but bringing in a versatile linebacker like Owusu-Koramoah could be a nice glue piece in the middle of their defense. He can fly around and slow opposing offenses thanks to his speed, instincts, and tackling ability. In a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert they need to find a few defensive playmakers to slow them down. 

18.   Miami Dolphins - Travis Etienne RB Clemson 

• I would normally not recommend taking a running back this high, but with so many picks the Dolphins are at luxury to make a selection like this. Plus, Etienne is not just your typical running back. He is a talented all around weapon who is an elite pass catcher with terrific hands and route running ability. Couple with the fact that he is also an excellent runner between the tackles with his shiftiness, balance, and power despite being a smaller back. To me he is a similar back as Alvin Kamara if not better thanks to his cleaner injury history coming out of college. My only concern for him is the workload he was put through at Clemson where he was often times more valuable than even Lawrence in their offense. All that mileage could come back to haunt him in the later parts of his career. For the Dolphins they would love having an explosive and reliable back like Etienne behind Tua Tagovailoa for the next couple of years. 

19.   Washington Football Team - Christian Darrisaw OT Virginia Tech 

• Kyle Trask could be a tempting option here, but I think Alex Smith deserves another shot at the starting gig next year. If anything a Day 2 option to back him up makes more sense in Washington. Instead, one way to make sure Smith can keep up his solid play is by giving him better protection. This year Washington had one of the most porous offensive lines and it could only get worse if they fail to lock up Brandon Scherff long term. They really misplayed the whole Trent Williams debacle, but he has done nothing out in San Francisco either. In any case, finding a proper replacement for the former All-Pro talent would be a great move to improve this porous blocking unit. One of the faster rising talents has been Christian Darrisaw who has had an excellent season thus far improving his technique from last year. He possesses elite athleticism at the tackle position to go along with great size. Darrisaw should be a nice pick at some point in the first round. 

20.   Chicago Bears - Sam Cosmi OT Texas 

• The Bears need to improve their blocking big time if they want Mitchell Trubisky to continue his improving play down the stretch of the season this year. It should automatically get better just by having a healthy James Daniel and Cody Whitehair back in the fold. However, their other guard spot and both tackles could still be upgraded. Charles Leno was once one of the better left tackles in the league, but ever since his big contract extension his play has dropped off considerably. With what is a lowering cap this offseason I would not be surprised if he was a cap casualty this offseason. I would also love to see them upgrade at right tackle where Bobbie Massie has been just okay, but at this juncture a pure left tackle like Sam Cosmi is too good to pass up on. Cosmi is best served on the left side due to his finesse style of play and lack of strength, but that has been a part of his game that he has improved upon each season. It’s been a long time since Chicago had such a talented pass blocker at the left tackle spot to keep the pocket clean for whoever is under center. 

21.   Jacksonville Jaguars (via Los Angeles Rams) - Rashod Bateman WR Minnesota 

• With a new regime in place it should not matter if they just took a receiver in the second round last year in Laviska Shenault Jr or not here. To me they have a bunch of talented number two receivers like Shenault, D.J. Chark Jr, and Keelan Cole, but none of them are capable of being a true number one option. Especially, with a new young quarterback like Trevor Lawrence in the fold. Now I am not the highest on Rashod Bateman who reminds me a lot of other late round receiver busts like Breshad Perriman and Laquon Treadwell, but I understand the appeal to take him here. He is a big, instinctive, and strong handed receiver who could work in most offenses. I just wonder if he has the speed to really create separation in the NFL like he did in college against slower Big 10 corners. At the very least, he should always be a very good red zone weapon thanks to his size and body control to high point passes. With the success rate of most receivers out of college I would not be surprised if he works out in the NFL, but I also would not be shocked if he turns into a huge bust. 

22.   Indianapolis Colts - Joseph Ossai OLB Texas

• The Colts are also in the camp of teams that will probably trade for a quarterback like the 49ers and Patriots are. So it will most likely not have this pick come Draft Day, but I will wait until after the free agency period begins to make those predictions. Instead, if they remain here then most likely Phillip Rivers will be under center again. Sure Kyle Trask could be appealing here, but then they could just see what they have in Jacob Eason instead if that’s the case. With this pick I think going with a defensive player who can make splash plays would be a better addition. Especially, if they lose their terrific defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus who has been able to hide their lack of a consistent pass rush through his well schemed defenses. A versatile talent like Ossai who can play off ball linebacker in coverage, but excels more as an every down pass rusher might be just the fit for this defense. It would certainly be nice to finally have a young pass rusher with only Justin Houston as their most consistent threat off the edge. 

23.   Cleveland Browns - Jaycee Horn CB South Carolina 

• I think the Browns need to stop holding out hope for Greedy Williams to stay healthy and prove that he is the answer at corner across from Denzel Ward. Even Ward who is a terrific corner has had issues with staying healthy, but I highly doubt they throw in the towel on their former top five pick. Horn is one of the other rapidly rising prospects in the draft who can be a nice find here. He has shown a ton of talent this year stepping his game up as a fast, quick, and instinctive corner. Much like Patrick Surtain II who had his father to coach him up, Jaycee also has his father Joe Horn who was also a former Pro Bowl talent at receiver that has coached him up for the big stage. Despite him going after the likes of Caleb Farley and Surtain II I would not be shocked if Horn turns into one of the best players from this draft. 

24.   Tennessee Titans - Zaven Collins OLB Tulsa

• The Titans are a team one consistent pass rusher away from being a strong Super Bowl contender. As it is, with their running game I believe they are one team that can actually slow down and beat Patrick Mahomes. However, I think they lack the consistent pass rusher who can put pressure on Mahomes. For many teams hoping to reach the Super Bowl in the AFC they all have to gear their rosters to beat the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes who will be the force standing in their way. The Titans are no different than the rest of those teams. I really like Collins as a prospect and despite coming from a smaller school he should not be as under the radar as he has been thus far into the season.  Much like Ossai he was used in a myriad of ways for Tulsa’s defense from being in coverage to being a consistent pass rusher. Everywhere they put him he really succeeded on a regular basis. Mike Vrabel should love having a linebacker like Collins on their defense. 

25.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jalen Mayfield OT Michigan

• The Bucs have to maximize their fading window in what could be Tom Brady’s last season next year. They still have a bit of a shot to win the Super Bowl this year, but I remain bullish on them being able to beat either the Saints or Packers to get there. One way to be better prepared next year to beat them would be a full offseason where Brady can instil better discipline to his talented interior offensive line and also find a better left tackle. Donovan Smith has for a long time been one of the league’s worst left tackles and he has been at the spot for quite some time down in Tampa. Jalen Mayfield is another intriguing tackle prospect from this class in what is a sneaky good one at the position if you are in need of a new blocker. His claim to fame is being one of the few blockers to slow down Chase Young in previous seasons and this year he has done just as well against other defenders. He is more likely a better fit at right tackle so maybe the Bucs flip Tristan Wirfs to left tackle to see if he can hold up there. Mayfield could also be an option there with his improving technique and better than expected athleticism for a bigger blocker. Either would be a huge upgrade over Donovan Smith. 

26.   Baltimore Ravens - Alijah Vera-Tucker OG USC 

• The Ravens rushing attack has not been as dominant as it was last year and for some reason no one has a clue as to why. However, if you ask me it clearly has to do with Marshal Yanda retiring this past offseason. For the better part of a decade he has been a dominant blocker on the inside for the Ravens and without him they lack his presence there. It also hurts that Ronnie Staley is out for the year with an ACL injury, but even before that they struggled to get a consistent rushing attack. Sure they have gotten better down the stretch, but it’s still not as strong as last year. One way to get back to that dominance is bringing in a new guard to help out on the interior of the line. Vera-Tucker is also a very strong pass blocker who has gotten stronger and better in the run game. If they can also find a way to keep Lamar Jackson comfortable in the pocket that’s even better. 

27.   New York Jets (via Seattle Seahawks) - Rashawn Slater OT Northwestern 

• The run on blockers continues as most teams in the league could certainly use an upgrade or two along their offensive lines. The Jets are certainly one of them with only Mekhi Becton being a long term option along their blocking unit. If they want Justin Fields to succeed they certainly need to do better up front in protecting him with his slight frame. Slater is an intriguing prospect as a versatile blocker who has opted out on the season. However, I assume his tape from last year is still pretty darn good for his stock to continue to rise despite not playing. He offers a ton of athleticism and upside at multiple positions thanks to his versatile size. In all likelihood his shorter arms will have him kick inside at guard, but that would be an easy upgrade for the Jets at either guard spots. 

28.   Pittsburgh Steelers - Kyle Trask QB Florida 

• I think the time has come for the Steelers to move on from Big Ben. All the rest of the quarterbacks from his draft class have either retired or moved onto a new team. At this point the time has come for the Steelers to do the same with Big Ben. He is not able to throw the deep ball like he has been able to in the past nor has he shown the grit to stand in the pocket and take hits like he had in his younger years. I think Roethlisberger’s biggest downfall has been his lack of a willingness to take better care of his body like guys like Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees all have as they have gotten older. In any case, even if Big Ben returns next season finding his heir apparent has to be at the top of their checklist. Trask is a lot similar to Mac Jones in terms of size, skill set, and lack of mobility. The biggest issue with Trask has been his lack of experience. For the most part he is a one year wonder, but we all saw a similar quarterback like Joe Burrow build upon that one season in the NFL. Maybe Trask can be the next surprising redshirt senior to succeed in the NFL. 

29.   New Orleans Saints - Terrace Marshall WR LSU 

• The Saints could certainly also be in the market to find a new young quarterback to replace the likely to retire Drew Brees. Unfortunately, I am sure most of the league knows it and I doubt they will let them get their guy so easily. In all likelihood they will need to move up to find their new quarterback or bring in a bridge quarterback to hold them over until they do. If they stay here I think finding a new receiver has to be high on their list of needs. When Michael Thomas is out they have no other outside threats to move this offense besides a trick play with Taysom Hill a few times a game. There also has been a bit of a disconnect between Thomas and the equally combative Sean Payton. At some point both sides will probably need to be separated sooner or later. In any case, until that happens bringing in another big play receiver like Marshall could really fit nicely in Payton’s offense no matter who is under center. The local product is a major height-weight-speed workout warrior type prospect who is also a very solid all around receiver on the field. His stock should rise after what should be a very good Combine showing for him. 

30.   Buffalo Bills - Najee Harris RB Alabama 

• I think this is a rare draft that lacks a lot of high end talents at other more valuable positions that can see two running backs sneak into the first round. The Bills could also use a pass rusher here, but the position is deep there on Day 2 that could have them wait to fix that issue on their roster. What has not gone well for them has been finding a dominant runner on Day 2 with guys like Devin Singletary and Zach Moss both disappointing thus far into their young careers. If the Bills can create a more balanced offense where teams have to worry about Josh Allen and a talented running attack with Najee Harris their offense might become near unstoppable. I always thought it was strange for such a talented back out of Alabama like Harris to fall through the cracks leading up to the season. Now down the stretch he looks to be about the most dominant back in college right now. He is a do it all back who is a better pass catcher when given more opportunities to do so. To me he is a bit of a combination of both Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs, which is terrific for today’s offense. 

31.   Green Bay Packers - Rondale Moore WR Purdue 

• Even though I do not think it’s as needed as people say it is, here is a receiver for Aaron Rodgers to work with. Preferably I think finding more blockers would be needed with so many of their starting linemen hitting free agency. However, the board just does not fall the right way for them to find one here allowing them to take a luxury offensive weapon here. Moore possesses a lot of the same qualities that Randall Cobb possessed back in his heyday in Green Bay. Moore would be a great option to move around on their offense and be a more consistent threat across from Davante Adams. Just the addition of Moore is causing nightmares for this Bears fan writing this mock. 

32.   Kansas City Chiefs - Christian Barmore DT Alabama 

• Predicting Chiefs picks was always hard with Andy Reid often making out of the box draft picks, but it has gotten even harder with his security blanket Patrick Mahomes on board now. With Mahomes they can either reach on picks without worries that they will bust or they can reach on a need despite missing out on better prospects. Either way Mahomes helps erase those issues with how great he can be. I think some help on their defensive front makes a lot of sense with guys like Alex Okafor, Tanoh Kpassagnon, and Mike Pennel all headed for free agency. It also never really hurts having too many pass rushers on a team that can put up points with the best of them. Barmore is a high floor prospect who is along the same lines as guys like Jonathan Allen, Da’Ron Payne, Raekwon Davis, and Jarran Reed. He will work at the next level in all areas for what is a very solid defense in Kansas City. 

Second Round 

33.   Jacksonville Jaguars - Eric Stokes CB Georgia 

• The Jags despite taking C.J. Henderson early still need to bring in more corners to stabilize their secondary after letting both A.J. Bouye and Jalen Ramsey go last year. Stokes is a bigger corner with nice size, length, and strength on the outside to match up with bigger receivers. He is faster for a bigger receiver with good technique to lock down speedier receivers as well. Pairing him with Henderson could give the Jags a strong future duo on the outside corner spots. 

34.   New York Jets - Carlos Basham DE Wake Forest

• I know most times teams go heavy on surrounding their new quarterbacks with new weapons, but I would also recommend teams like the Jags and Jets not to forget the other side of the ball either. Especially since often the best offense is a great defense to keep the other team from scoring. Basham at one point was seen as the second best pass rusher in the draft before other more exciting upside prospects rose past him. He is still a high floor and talented pass rusher in my book who would be a great addition on a soft Jets pass rush. 

35.   Atlanta Falcons - Derion Kendrick CB Clemson 

• The Falcons just took a corner from Clemson in the first round in A.J. Terrell, but they could go back to the well to find him another corner to pair with him. I know there is a new regime in place, but often the same scouting staff is still in place so I am sure they will put a good word in for Kendrick as they probably saw a lot of his tape when they scouted Terrell. Much like Terrell, Kendrick is well coached and has a nose for finding the ball or ball carrier. He is a bit more raw than his former teammate as a former receiver, but that should only offer more promise as he is the more athletic of the two. 

36.   Miami Dolphins (via Houston) - Nick Bolton LB Missouri 

• The Dolphins brought in a ton of players on one year or short term deals this past offseason. So I would not be surprised if they go after a linebacker or pass rusher here. I would lean towards linebackers since guys like Kamu Grugier-Hill, Vince Biegel, and Elandon Roberts are all set to be free agents. I think Bolton who is a similar type prospect to Jordyn Brooks last year could sneak higher than expected come Draft Weekend. He is an athletic and talented coverage linebacker who would be perfect for today’s NFL where covering tight ends and slot receivers is a must for most off ball linebackers. 

37.   Cincinnati Bengals - Alex Leatherwood OT Alabama 

• I think an under appreciated blocker from this class is Alex Leatherwood who has proven himself at basically every position on the offensive line while at Alabama. He also has proven himself to be a strong run blocker, but now in their pass heavy attack he has also proven to be a very good left tackle. That’s even with Mac Jones who struggles to move out of the pocket. The Bengals need any blocking help that they can find even if it’s not a perfect fit at left tackle. Leatherwood should find a home on a bad Bengals line whether it’s guard, center, or tackle it will be a welcomed sight once Burrow is back and healthy. 

38.   Philadelphia Eagles - Liam Eichenburg OT Notre Dame 

• The Eagles will have to basically retool their entire offensive line. Their core blockers from their Super Bowl run Jason Peters, Jason Kelce, Brandon Brooks, and Lane Johnson are all one step away from retirement. Kelce and Peters both flirted with it last offseason. While Brooks and Johnson are unable to remain healthy and might choose retirement over trying to come back after so many injuries. Eichenburg could step in right away and give them a great right tackle to replace the oft-injured Johnson. He could even challenge Andre Dillard on the left side, but I doubt they are ready to move on from their former first rounder. 

39.   Carolina Panthers - Brevin Jordan TE Miami 

• The Panthers had high hopes for Ian Thomas to become the heir apparent to the departed Greg Olsen, but he was a major disappointment this past season. Whoever is under center for the Panthers would benefit from having a better option in the middle of the field to pair with the Panthers smaller speedy receivers on the outside. Maybe they can find their guy by finding another tight end out of Miami with Brevin Jordan who looks to continue the “Tight End U” tradition for Miami. Like Pitts, despite being a talented passing tight end he is also a very willing and solid blocker. 

40.   Denver Broncos - Shaun Wade CB Ohio State

• The Broncos had high hopes when they stole A.J. Bouye away from the Jags. At the time it looked like a great deal, but he went on to be injured for half the year and when he returned he certainly did not look too good. Then he went on to be suspended for PEDs. While highly paid Bryce Callahan continues to disappoint with his inability to stay healthy. I think Shaun Wade is a bit underrated in this draft as he is a terrific and versatile corner who can float from the outside to the slot or to safety. He is great against the run and blitzing as well. I also love his swagger that is needed to succeed at the corner position when you are left on an island to defend your man. He will fit nicely in Vic Fangio’s defense. 

41.   Detroit Lions - Kadarius Toney WR Florida

• The Lions bring in a new young quarterback in the first round with Trey Lance, but he will probably not be starting until the 2022 season. In the meantime, they need to find better talent on offense for him to work. They did a pretty poor job finding more than one good receiver for Matthew Stafford to work with at a time. Hopefully they can lock up Kenny Golladay to allow them to have two good receivers at the same time. Toney is a gadget type player, but one who is a home run threat every time he touches the ball. He will probably end up going pretty high if he ends up running a strong 40 time at the Combine. 

42.   New York Giants - Hamlicar Rashed Jr OLB/DE Oregon State

• The Giants need to find more fire power off the edges if they want to be a bigger threat in a winnable NFC East. Their current rotation of Kyler Fackrell, Lorenzo Carter, and whoever Carter Coughlin off the edges is just not enough. They have a terrific interior defensive line of Dexter Lawrence, Leonard Williams, and Dalvin Tomlinson that can take attention away from the edges allowing a better pass rusher there to really wreck havoc. Williams and Tomlinson are free agents after this season so it will be interesting to see what they do there. Rashed Jr is an athletic specimen with good length and quickness off the edge. 

43.   San Francisco 49ers - Creed Humphrey C Oklahoma 

• I think Kyle Shanahan’s zone blocking scheme helps hide his weak offensive line pretty well, but it would certainly help to have a blue chip player or two on the line every once in a while. Outside of Mike McGlinchey I think the rest of their offensive line could certainly be upgraded this offseason. Humphrey is a big blocker at center who has a ton of experience as a four starter in college in a high powered offense like Oklahoma. He has a lot of attitude and grit that should help him translate quickly to the NFL. I would not be surprised at all if Humphrey ends up being a first rounder when the Draft rolls around. 

44.   Dallas Cowboys - Trey Smith OL Tennessee 

• The Cowboys need to work on their offensive line this offseason if they want Dak Prescott and Zeke Elliott to get back on track next year. They essentially only have one guy left from their formerly great offensive line Zach Martin. The rest of the line needs upgrades across the board especially with how bad they have been staying healthy at the position every year. A sneaky strong pick here could be Trey Smith who could have been a first round pick two years ago. He was once a highly thought of prospect prior to blood clots derailing him a bit. With his high pedigree and versatility he should be a strong priority pick on Day 2 if he slips through the cracks. 

45.   Jacksonville Jaguars (via Minnesota Vikings) - Jay Tufele DT USC 

• The Jags with Dave Caldwell did not do much well with player personnel, but I will say he was very good at finding players who fell into the 2nd round like Jawaan Taylor, Cam Robinson, and Myles Jack over the years. I hope they can keep that trend up and land a top notch defensive tackle like Tufele who would have been a firm first rounder had he played this year. He is a very active and powerful ball of energy in the middle of the line that could help round out what is becoming a young talented defensive line down in Jacksonville. 

46.   New England Patriots - Pat Freiermuth TE Penn State

• More offensive firepower for a talentless Patriots passing attack. They did go heavy last year with tight ends bringing in Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keane, but I rarely saw either on the field. Belichick is not one to stop himself in the draft just because he drafted a certain position in a previous draft. One sneaky strong pick would be Freiermuth here who had a forgettable season for a bad Penn State program this year. He played briefly before going out with a mystery injury, which I read into just saving himself for the pros. He has often been labeled as a mini Gronk so maybe he can fill Gronk’s shoes for the Patriots. 

47.   Los Angeles Chargers - Josh Myers C Ohio State

• The Chargers have a lot of free agents along their offensive line going into this offseason. In particular along the interior with Mike Pouncey, Forrest Lamp, and Dan Feeney who are all starters or key backups for them. Plus, they got the worst end of the Trai Turner/Russell Okung deal with the Panthers with Turner continuing to be injured for most of the season. Myers is a plug and play center talent who has a lot of power in the middle of the line. He should be an upgrade over Pouncey who was also a very often injured talent and I am not sure his presence is a good thing to have in a locker room with a young franchise quarterback trying to become the leader there with his outspoken nature. 

48.   Las Vegas Raiders - Rashad Weaver DE Pittsburgh 

• The Raiders need to continue to load up talent on their defense if they ever want to make the playoffs. To get there they have to get past talented passers like Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert to do so. They had high hopes for Clellin Ferrell after drafting him number 4 a couple of drafts ago, but he just has not done enough to prove his draft status. Maxx Crosby is a nice pass rusher, but he is just a really nice rotational piece for a defensive front. Weaver is a big and athletic talent who is a force off the edge. He has a lot of experience being a multi year starter at Pittsburgh who could bring a lot of grit on a soft defense in Las Vegas. 

49.   Arizona Cardinals - Asante Samuel Jr CB Florida State

• The Cardinals will be in the market for a new corner or two this offseason. With a lot of players on defense up for new deals like Patrick Peterson, De’Vondre Campbell, and Haason Reddick it will be interesting who they bring back. I would lean towards the two younger linebackers who offer a lot more upside. To me this is the end of the line for Peterson in Arizona after being a bit disgruntled a few seasons ago and not playing very well in general this season. Finding a cheaper and younger upgrade could be possible here with Asante Samuel Jr. Another corner with a Pro Bowl father that helped coach him up and prepare him for the NFL. Size is a little bit of an issue for him, which is why he slips in the draft a little bit. 

50.   Miami Dolphins - Azeez Ojulari OLB/DE Georgia 

• The Dolphins did just bring in high upside free agents last offseason with Shaq Lawson and Emmanuel Ogbah to spark their defense. Both have done a nice job, but both continue to just be inconsistent and at times underwhelming options when getting after the quarterback. In a division with Josh Allen, and an incoming Justin Fields the Dolphins will want to invest in a strong pass rush. Ojulari is an intriguing young, raw, and athletic prospect who could be a gem here on Day 2 if he decides to leave college early. He could be a really nice fit for a young Dolphins defense under the tutelage of Brian Flores. 

51.   Washington Football Team - Jamie Newman QB Georgia

• We all know that Alex Smith is not the long term guy down in Washington, but I doubt with where they will pick this year in the first round that they will be able to find an immediate solution at the position. I think drafting a guy who is smarter than Dwayne Haskins who will be willing to sit and learn from Smith would be the best decision to make here. One intriguing option could be Jamie Newman who is almost a similar style quarterback to Smith with his mobility and speed. However, he has a much stronger arm and more willing to push the ball down field. He did sit out the season which hurts his draft stock since he was never able to play in Georgia’s pro style offense, but I think his upside and tools are enough to make a team take a shot on him somewhere on Day 2. 

52.   Chicago Bears - Tyson Campbell CB Georgia 

• The Bears just landed a talented corner last year in the 2nd round with Jaylon Johnson who was an excellent compliment across from Kyle Fuller. However, the issue has been their slot corner Buster Skrine who was routinely picked on for the past few seasons. In a defense where they do not match up corners it’s easy for offenses to avoid Fuller by moving their best receiver to be matched up with Skrine or a rookie in Johnson. Bringing in another stout corner who can stonewall receivers will put an end to that and make this one of the best secondaries in the league. Campbell is better suited to be a primary outside corner, which would probably kick Johnson to the slot, but I think he is quick enough to handle that. In a division with Aaron Rodgers to get through having too many good corners is never a bad thing. 

53.   Los Angeles Rams - Jaelan Phillips DE Miami 

• The Rams do not have many picks here after trading for Jalen Ramsey, but I doubt they are made about that with how great Ramsey has been for him. I was initially worried about giving him that big contract having seen many corners just coast after that, but Ramsey proved me wrong by going out and competing each game. He was even a good mentor to their other up and coming corners. In any case, they got great production out of Leonard Floyd who was cast out by Chicago, but he was only on a one year deal and after his solid season there will be teams wanting to over pay for his services. With a tight salary cap the Rams will have to look elsewhere to find another source of talent off the edge. Phillips who took the place of Rousseau down in Miami could be a really nice find on Day 2. 

54.   Cleveland Browns - Dylan Moses LB Alabama 

• The Browns continue to bolster their defense bringing in a new linebacker to man the middle of their defense. They had high hopes of Mack Wilson becoming a steal much like they had high hopes for Greedy Williams as well. Neither have offered any promise yet and with a team on the verge of being Super Bowl contenders they cannot just sit around and wait for them to flourish. Moses would have been a firm first rounder, but he tore his ACL last season and he looks to be still trying to get in shape from it this season. He is still an excellent leader, play caller, and instinctive linebacker in the middle of the field.  I would imagine he should get better the further away from his injury he gets. 

55.   Tennessee Titans - Chris Olave WR Ohio State

• Corey Davis has earned himself a new deal after this past season, but one has to worry if he will go back to his nonexistent former self prior to this season. I would bring him in on a cheaper deal to see if he can put up this type of production again. In any case, even if they do bring him in more firepower in the passing attack is needed with both Davis and A.J. Brown being too often hampered by injuries. Olave to me is a similar every level type of receiver like Brown and just as sure handed as him. This could be another 2nd round steal for the Titans like they did landing Brown two drafts ago. 

56.   Indianapolis Colts - Tylan Wallace WR Oklahoma State

• The Colts drafted Michael Pittman Jr in the second round last year, but with T.Y. Hilton most likely leaving after this season as a free agent. I would imagine they will try to find a new receiver at some point in the draft. Even the free agency could be a good move with how much cap space they have to work with. I do think there are solid receivers to be had in the 2nd round and much later. Wallace to me is a bit of an under the radar prospect, but one that should not be with his speed and experience. He is an ideal fit at the slot receiver spot with his thicker build as a shifty and quick receiver. 

57.   Baltimore Ravens - Amon-Ra St.Brown WR USC 

• I think the Ravens have a big need to find more weapons at the receiver position to make this offense a bit more explosive. Sure they are great in the run game thanks to Lamar Jackson’s speed, but I am sure they would like to get the ball out of his hands occasionally. Marquise Brown has been a pretty good deep threat, but the rest of their receiving core needs more talent. Amon-Ra St.Brown is an excellent route runner with dynamic burst to create separation. He reminds me a lot of previous USC receivers like Michael Pittman Jr, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Nelson Agholor which should have him work in the NFL like the previous trio before him. 

58.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Daviyon Nix DT Iowa 

• The Bucs are going to have to get creative with their salary cap this offseason. They have a bunch of big names like LaVonte David, Shaq Barrett, and Ndamukong Suh all set to be free agents. I would imagine they make it a point to bring back David and Barrett with both being very key players for their defense. While, I think the end of the line is near for Suh who has not been an impact player for a long time now. Nix is a high upside athletic talent who came on as the season dragged on this season. He has the size, quickness, and strength to be a very good every down lineman at the next level. 

59.   Pittsburgh Steelers - Javonte Williams RB UNC 

• The Steelers are going to be going through a changing of the guard of sorts on offense this offseason in my opinion. Big Ben could be heading to retirement this year and if not then definitely next year. Meanwhile, James Conner and JuJu Smith-Schuster are both soon to be free agents. Both are more likely out since they will be looking for bigger paydays than they are worth, the Steelers are not the type of franchise to become beholden to skill position players anymore. Finding a replacement for Conner is more important than a receiver with their solid depth at the wideout position. Williams is a load to tackle as a power back, but he has a lot of wiggle and pass catching experience. He would fit the Steelers offense very well. 

60.   Seattle Seahawks - Paulson Adebo CB Stanford 

• The Seahawks have very few picks in this draft and need to maximize their picks if they want to be more serious Super Bowl contenders. One big area of need is going to be finding more talented corners to help slow down the high powered offenses in the NFC West. Shaq Griffin showed a lot of promise, but he kind of tapered off the past couple of seasons to become just an okay defender. To me one of the best fits for their defense in this draft is Adebo who is a long press man corner with a lot of experience and could fit very well in their coverage schemes. He would have been challenging to be one of the top corners had he not been hurt last year and opted out this season. 

61.   New Orleans Saints - Desmond Ridder QB Cincinnati 

• I do not believe Sean Payton and the Saints when they say Taysom Hill is the future for them at quarterback. Nor should they actually believe what they are telling people. Now they could be in the market for a veteran, but I think Payton is intrigued about grooming a new young quarterback after being rumored to almost draft Patrick Mahomes a few years ago. Ridder to me is one of the better Day 2 quarterbacks offering a lot of upside as a mobile quarterback with a very strong and live arm. He reminds me a lot of Colin Kaepernick talent wise which is perfect for today’s NFL. 

62.   Buffalo Bills - Jayson Oweh DE/OLB Penn State

• The Bills need to find a way to create more pass rush if they want to be able to get past the Chiefs to the Super Bowl in what should be a Colts/Patriots type playoff rivalry in the AFC. Both teams have the firepower to put up points, but I give the edge to the Chiefs more complete defense. The Bills are very well schemed and coached by Sean McDermott, but they need more blue chip talent off the edge. Oweh is a very raw athlete who offers a huge amount of upside to be worthy of a high round draft pick. A great coach like McDermott should love to be able to mold him into the great player he has the ability to become. 

63.   Green Bay Packers - Ed Ingram OG LSU 

• The Packers are in a conundrum along their offensive line with Lane Taylor and Corey Linsley hitting free agency this offseason. They were wise to lock up David Bakhtiari who was also a free agent, but after his late season ACL tear it might be a year until we see him on the field again. I would imagine they bring back Linsley who is possibly the best center in the game. Regardless, more help is needed across this offensive line to keep Aaron Rodgers protected. Ingram is a powerful and athletic blocker who could slip a bit due to character issues. The Packers have been willing to take chances on these types of players and it’s useful that Green Bay is one of the harder cities to get in trouble in due to their lack of a night life in the NFL’s smallest city. 

64.   Kansas City Chiefs - Nico Collins WR Michigan 

• With Sammy Watkins and Demarcus Robinson both hitting free agency the Chiefs could be looking to bring in a new receiver or two to their talented offense. I also think Mecole Hardman’s lack of development and chemistry with Mahomes has to be a tad bit worrisome. They need a bigger receiver to diversify their offense and give them a better underneath option besides just Travis Kelce who is getting older. Collins is a big bully ball type of receiver who could be a nice jump ball target for Mahomes to work with in the red zone and over the middle of the field on 3rd downs. 

Third Round 

65.    Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevon Moehrig S TCU 

• Finally the first safety off the board for the 2021 NFL Draft. It’s tough to quantify safeties' impact on the game due to their volatile nature and easier ability for quarterbacks to avoid them. However, it’s always nice to have a talented one roaming in the back of the defense to make a play. Moehrig will be a nice addition to a young Jags secondary. 

66.   New York Jets - Kenneth Gainwell RB Memphis 

• The Jets need to find a new running back to pair with Justin Fields in the back of their offense. Their current top back is the plodding Frank Gore and an okay second year pro LaMichal Perrine. They could certainly do better with a talented big play back like Gainwell. He is a bit undersized, but he reminds me of a faster Antonio Gibson with a very similar skill set and both coming from the same alma mater. 

67.   Houston Texans - Patrick Jones II DE Pittsburgh 

• There are just so many needs and so few picks for this team to figure out in the draft. They also have very little cap space. Both issues are due to letting a good coach become a bad GM like Bill O’Brien. Had they actually hired a GM and kept O’Brien as just a pretty good coach they could have actually avoided all of these issues. In any case, I guess the best player on the board makes sense here and right now it’s Jones who also helps their anemic pass rush. Especially, if they end up moving J.J. Watt this offseason. 

68.   Atlanta Falcons - Dayo Odeyingbo DE Vanderbilt

• Here is the annual pass rusher pick for the Falcons who continue their search to find a consistent pass rush. It will be hard to do so in what is a weaker class at the position, but it’s really needed for the Falcons if they ever want to get out of the cellar of a competitive NFC South. Odeyingbo is a fast rising prospect after a very good season coupled with his impressive size and athleticism. He would be a very good fit if the Falcons continue to run the same defensive schemes moving forward. 

69.   Cincinnati Bengals - Jackson Carman OL Clemson 

• If the Bengals want to go and triple down on blockers in the first three rounds of the draft I would fully support it. Thus far they get to double down taking Alex Leatherwood in the 2nd round and now they get to land another flexible blocker like Jackson Carman. I am not sure if they want to toss in the towel on former first rounder Jonah Williams, but he was always an imperfect fit at the left tackle spot. Pairing him with Carman and Leatherwood who all have flexibility could be a nice fit here. 

70.   Philadelphia Eagles - Cameron McGrone LB Michigan 

• The Eagles on their Super Bowl run once sported one of the best linebacking corps in the league. Now it’s nothin, but shambles with guys like Alex Singleton and Nate Gerry manning the middle of their defense. They really need help in a lot of spots so they can go in many directions here, but I think landing a solid starting linebacker like McGrone could be very good value. McGrone is a tackling machine who is a bit of a hybrid linebacker who can cover and blitz very well despite his smaller stature. 

71.   Denver Broncos - Joe Tryon OLB Washington 

• There is a bit of a changing of the guard going on in Denver’s defense with Chris Harris Jr, Aqib Talib, and Danny Trevathan all already gone from their Super Bowl defense. Now all that’s left is Von Miller who has a team option this offseason if they wish to let him go early in his contract. With Elway relieving himself of GM duties whoever comes in will have a tough decision to make. Even if he stays in a division with Mahomes and Herbert having too many pass rushers is not a bad thing at all. 

72.   Detroit Lions - Marvin Wilson DT Florida State

• The Lions could use another talented pass rusher along a disappointing defensive front. They have two stout run stuffing tackles in Danny Shelton and Da’Shawn Hand, but neither really creates much push in the passing game. In a division where they have to compete with Aaron Rodgers if they ever want to sniff the playoffs they need to find a few more pass rushers. Especially, with Trey Flowers disappointing so much after they overpaid for him. Wilson could be an amazing value here as a former first round prospect who dipped a bit due to Florida State being such a poor program right now. 

73.   Carolina Panthers - Kellen Mond QB Texas A&M 

• If they can I could see the Panthers taking a quarterback in the first round, but all the good ones were taken before their pick. However, I still do think they should take a quarterback at some point to groom behind Teddy Bridgewater. Barring an amazing turnaround I see Bridgewater nothing more than a bridge quarterback until Matt Rhule can find his guy to groom. Mond could be that guy with his mobility, and live arm to throw the ball down field. I loved what I saw out of him this season and if he decides to come into the draft I think he could be one of those breakout quarterbacks from Day 2. Plus, I would imagine that Bridgewater would be a pretty good mentor to any quarterback they bring in here. 

74.   Washington Football Team (via San Francisco) - Trey Hill C Georgia 

• More help along the offensive line for the Washington Football Team for any quarterback coming in. It would also help to benefit Alex Smith in the short term who proved he can still be a pretty good quarterback this season. Chase Roullier is one of the league’s worst centers making it pretty easy to find an upgrade for with a terrific prospect in Trey Hill. He would be an excellent find for any team if he slips this far down in the draft. 

75.   Dallas Cowboys - Landon Dickerson C Alabama 

• The Cowboys could use multiple upgrades along their offensive line and that includes center. I was one that had high hopes for Tyler Biadasz falling in their laps, but he looked extremely overwhelmed when he was thrust into the starting line up. I doubt the same will happen with Landon Dickerson who has been the life and soul of Alabama’s amazing offensive line the past few seasons. His fundamentals are off the charts and he should be a quick starter for any team. 

76.   New York Giants - Jordan Davis DT Georgia 

• As mentioned earlier when they take Hamilcar Rashed Jr in the second round they will have a lot of question marks to overcome along the defensive line going into next season. Two of their stud tackles Dalvin Tomlinson and Leonard Williams are soon to be free agents. I would lean towards locking up Williams who finally looked like the stud everyone expected out of him coming out of college. Tomlinson is a nice player, but he can be easier to replace. Davis is a strong and high floor prospect who could come in right away to help on Day 1. 

77.   New England Patriots - Forfeited

78.   Los Angeles Chargers - Quincy Roche OLB Miami 

• The Chargers are most likely going to lose Melvin Ingram this offseason after giving Joey Bosa his massive contract. I highly doubt they have enough money to also bring back Ingram who is also worthy of a huge contract. It will be hard to find a player who can replace him right away, but it never hurts to find a new option or two. Roche is an excellent find here as his star has waned a bit after an okay season. He still has a lot to offer and could be an excellent value pick here. 

79.   Minnesota Vikings - Andre Cisco S Syracuse

• The Vikings were very wise not giving Anthony Harris that big deal he was probably worth after last season. Especially, after playing so poorly this season on the Franchise Tag. Plus, it’s pretty easy finding safeties all over the draft and it could be easy to find one here. Cisco could be a great value talent wise with his size, ball skills, and tackling ability. He reminds me a lot of Jessie Bates who was a very good find for the Bengals a few drafts ago. 

80.   Arizona Cardinals - Tyler Shelvin DT LSU 

• More defensive help on the way for the Cardinals who will have to compete with three strong offenses in their division if they want to make it to the playoffs every season. They had high hopes for Zach Allen being a steal in the second round last year, but he has been a tad disappointing in the pass rush department. Shelvin is a high pedigree talent who had a bit of a down year along with the rest of the LSU defense. He is a big and stout tackle who has a lot of talent to push past his blocker. 

81.   Las Vegas Raiders - Jevon Holland S Oregon 

• Jon Gruden has been on the record saying if the Raiders had already not drafted Karl Joseph prior to joining the Raiders he would have drafted Derwin James. He did bring in Jonathan Abrams to hopefully become his version of James, but so far all he has gotten is a boneheaded penalty maker. I doubt they bail on him so quickly, but I doubt they just stick with him without some competition. Holland would be a nice compliment to Abrams thanks to his speed and coverage ability. His play reminds me a lot of Eddie Jackson, but he just lacks the size that the Pro Bowler possesses that makes him so strong in the run game. 

82.   Miami Dolphins - Seth Williams WR Auburn 

• The Dolphins could very well have their pick of top receivers with their 3rd overall pick from the Texans, but I feel like passing up on Penei Sewell there would be just too steep for them to pull off. Plus, we have seen teams find quality receivers all throughout the draft and even the undrafted ranks. One of my favorite sleeper picks of the draft has to be Seth Williams who to me will be an immediate solid number two receiver with his quickness and route running skills. He had a down year, but I think he should still be seen as a strong prospect. 

83.   Washington Football Team - Dillon Radunz OT North Dakota State

• More help along the offensive line for the Washington Football Team. By the time they find their new quarterback they could very well have one of the best offensive lines with Christian Darrisaw, Trey Hill, and Dillon Radunz here. I would not be shocked if Radunz’ stock skyrocketed if he performs well in the Senior Bowl. Like many former Bisons his stock has dipped a bit due to them not having a season. Radunz is a very talented blocker with a lot of upside to be found as he develops. 

84.   Chicago Bears - Ian Book QB Notre Dame 

• The Bears would be wise to bring in some “young” competition to compete with Mitchell Trubisky. I doubt they move off of him after how well he played down the stretch, but I would be surprised if they do not find someone to push him. Book is a talented quarterback and one that can be a great value here. He is not the biggest, fastest, or most talented, but to me he has that “IT” factor needed to be a franchise quarterback. I would not be shocked if he turns into the next Dak Prescott who he has a lot of similar skills to. 

85.  Los Angeles Rams - Kary Vincent Jr CB LSU 

• I know they traded a ton of assets for Jalen Ramsey, but I still think they could use some more talent in their secondary. Guys like Troy Hill and Damarious Williams showed a lot of promise this year, but I feel like they are at best strong depth options more than every down starters. Vincent is a nice find here with his athletic upside and pure speed. He does need work on his technique and coverage skills, but the Rams have done a great job developing corners. 

86.   Tennessee Titans - Rodarius Williams CB Oklahoma State

• The Titans have another former first rounder in need of replacing in Adoree’ Jackson who has been mostly disappointing thus far into his career. Plus, they also should also be letting go of the very overpaid Malcolm Butler who has also been a disappointment since his arrival in Tennessee. Williams has been a steady corner for most of his college career, but put together a great campaign this year looking like he put it all together this season. Many around the league see him as a very good pick in the middle of the draft. 

87.   Indianapolis Colts - Hunter Long TE Boston College 

• The Colts could use a new tight end if they look to keep Phillip Rivers around who loves looking towards his safety blankets. The group of Trey Burton, Mo Allie-Cox, and Jack Doyle is just okay for the most part. They could certainly do better and finding a better option should not be very hard here. Long is a nice route running, reliable, and talented tight end who is a solid blocker. He reminds me a lot of the tight ends who come out of Stanford who turn out to be very solid players at the next level. 

88.   Cleveland Browns - Paris Ford S Pittsburgh 

• More help in the secondary for the Browns who need to help out their talented defensive front. With how much disruption their front causes it is a real let down when they lack the guys in the secondary to create consistent turnovers. Ford is a savvy ball hawking safety who can fly all over the field. He would be a very strong playmaker behind guys like Myles Garrett, Sheldon Richardson, and Olivier Vernon. I would not be surprised if he turns into one of those defenders everyone wished they did not pass up on. 

89.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Israel Mukuamu CB South Carolina 

• The Bucs need to find better guys at the corner spot than Carlton Davis and Jamel Dean who looked promising to start the season. However, as the season wore on both were more and more exposed. Especially, in their matchups with good teams like the Packers and Saints. Mukuamu has a D.K. Metcalf type feel to me as a corner. He is such a big corner that many just assume he cannot move and keep up with receivers. If he performs well at the Combine his stock could really rise. 

90.   Minnesota Vikings (via Baltimore) - Jaylen Twyman DT Pittsburgh 

• More help along what has been a disappointing defensive line without Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen. Maybe some of their guys like Jalyn Holmes, and Jaleel Johnson can develop into something more, but I would not hold my breath on it. With a lot of late round picks they can maybe find a few other depth options to fill out their roster. Twyman opted out of the season, but offers a lot of talent and upside to turn into a nice quality defender. 

91.   New York Jets (via Seattle) - Tutu Atwell WR Louisville 

• More firepower for this mediocre offense around Justin Fields. I do like their receivers Denzel Mims, Jamison Crowder, and Breshad Perriman, but neither of them really strike fear down field. Atwell is a talented deep threat who can attack teams down field along with being a talented slot receiver. He is a bit on the smaller side, but he has a lot of speed and wiggle to be a very good slot option. 

92.   Pittsburgh Steelers - Daniel Faale OT Minnesota 

• The Steelers are going to be in a cap crunch and could be looking at a lot of good players leaving them this offseason. One of those guys is their talented left tackle Ali Villanueva. If he hits the open market I doubt they can compete with the offers he will get as one of the better left tackles available in free agency. They could also be losing their quality right tackle Matt Feiler this offseason as well. Finding a depth option or hopefully a starter here would be great. 

93.   Cleveland Browns (via New Orleans) - Victor Dimukeje OLB Duke 

• As mentioned before I am thoroughly impressed with how much Olivier Vernon turned his career around after barely playing the past few years. It makes me wonder if he played hard for a new contract with his deal being up this year. The Browns will obviously be kind of forced to bring him back with how well he played, but finding another depth option here is not a bad idea. Dimukeje is a high character player who could be a very nice rotational player for them. 

94.   Buffalo Bills - Darius Stills DT West Virginia 

• Losing Jordan Phillips to the casual fan may not resonate a lot, but for the Bills losing him was clearly a big hit on their defensive line. They have struggled to generate any pass rush this season and that includes after drafting a highly thought of prospect A.J. Epenesa in last year’s draft. Stills is a raw talent who offers a lot of athletic upside and explosion from the tackle spot. With better coaching he could be a really nice player at the next level. 

95.   Green Bay Packers - Tedarrell Slaton DT Florida 

• One of the biggest issues that could be the Packers undoing is their porous run defense. They have gotten better in that department down the stretch, but it could still be an issue come playoff time against better running offenses. Losing Kenny Clark for the year does hurt, but he was just okay against the run last year when they could not stop the 49ers rushing attack. Bringing in some more meat to the middle of the line is needed here and Slaton could really supply it for them. 

96.   Kansas City Chiefs - Ben Cleveland OG Georgia 

• The Chiefs really do not have that many huge needs on their terrific roster. Which makes mocking picks for them all that much harder. I guess building up depth on the offensive line is never a bad thing especially at guard where they had to shuffle guys around there this season. Kelechi Osemele is a soon to be free agent and who knows if Laurent Duvernay-Tardiff returns after opting out the year to be a doctor. Cleveland is a solid all around blue collar blocker who can do it all. He also comes with a lot of experience at Georgia playing very well against SEC opponents. 

Fourth Round

97.   Jacksonville Jaguars - Charlie Kolar TE Iowa State

• The Jags have not had a strong playmaker at tight end since Marcedes Lewis left them a few seasons ago. A young quarterback always needs a good big target to lean on when the going gets tough. 

98.   New York Jets - Aaron Robinson CB UCF 

• The Jets could always use a new corner or two every year it seems. There are always a handful of corners who fall through the cracks that emerge as strong starters being found in the middle of the draft. 

99.   Atlanta Falcons - Jabril Cox LB LSU 

• The Falcons could always use a new pass rusher it seems in every draft and they could also use a new linebacker in every draft it seems too. There are always good linebackers to be had later in the draft. Cox is a sneaky good one who has a ton of experience from his North Dakota State days and proved to be able to translate against better competition at LSU. 

100. Houston Texans - Sage Surratt WR Wake Forest 

• Finding a receiver has to be at the top of the Texans list of needs. Especially with Will Fuller most likely leaving via free agency and after what went down with the DeAndre Hopkins trade. It will not be easy to replace two former first round receivers. They have no other choice, but to find one later in the draft with their lack of picks. 

101. Cincinnati Bengals - Myjai Sanders DE Cincinnati 

• The Bengals love drafting local products whether they are from college or high school from the great state of Ohio. Finding a new pass rusher has to be high on their list after letting Carlos Dunlap go and their former All-Pro star Geno Atkins most likely following him out the door sooner rather than later. 

102. Cleveland Browns (via Philadelphia) - Sadarius Hutcherson OG South Carolina 

• The Browns could use some more depth on the interior of the line behind their strong starters. I would rather teams take shots on quality depth linemen on Day 3 rather than just taking a special teams linebacker that is generally a dime a dozen in a league phasing out the return game all together. 

103.  Detroit Lions - Hamsah Nasirildeen S Florida State

• The Lions could always use more talent in their leaky secondary and particular with their safeties. Tracy Walker is a nice in the box safety, but injuries and bonehead plays hurt his status a bit of becoming a reliable player. Nasirildeen as a Derwin James-lite feel to him from his similar size and speed. 

104. Carolina Panthers - Chazz Surratt LB UNC

• Finding a permanent solution to the retired Luke Kuechly will not be an easy thing to pull off with just one player. They will probably need to bring in multiple players to do what he did by himself, but they have to start now with Shaq Thompson being a terrible run defender. 

105. Denver Broncos - Talanoa Hufanga S USC

• There’s a shot that the Broncos lose Justin Simmons this offseason as he looks to be one of the highest paid safeties in the league. Which he certainly is deserving of, but I am not sure the new GM coming to Denver will be willing to give him that deal. Taking a shot on a replacement on Day 3 is not a bad idea here. 

106. Dallas Cowboys - Josh Jobe CB Alabama 

• Trevon Diggs is the only long term player on their secondary that they can rely on moving forward. They should look to find a new corner or two in the draft at some point here. Maybe they go after another Alabama corner after the success they have had with Diggs thus far. 

107. New York Giants - Michael Carter RB UNC

• I am wondering if the Giants are going to be more mindful of the amount of carries they give Saquon Barkley coming off an ACL tear along with his new contract coming up soon. Curbing his carries will keep him fresh and allow them to have an argument about not breaking the bank for him if they can find a quality understudy that can take his place if he leaves. 

108. San Francisco 49ers - Richard LeCounte II S Georgia 

• More help for a terrible secondary in the Bay Area. The 49ers defensive line should round back into its former all world self with the returns of Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, and Dee Ford who all missed a chunk of the season due to injury. Which allowed rookie Javon Kinlaw to get a lot of experience in their stead. Now they need to find playmakers behind them to make plays on errant throws by opposing passers. 

109. Los Angeles Chargers - Trey Sermon RB Ohio State

• I am not sure I would rely on a running back group of Austin Ekeler, Justin Jackson, Kallen Ballage, and Joshua Kelley long term if I had Justin Herbert at quarterback. Herbert is just too good to be relying on a just okay group of running backs. Sermon is flying up boards as he gets healthier as the season goes on showing the talent that made him so special during his time at Oklahoma and now Ohio State. 

110. Minnesota Vikings - Elijah Molden CB Washington 

• More help on the defensive side of the ball for the Vikings. Jeff Gladney looked pretty good last season as a rookie, but former first rounder Mike Hughes has been a big disappointment to this point. Finding more depth for their secondary here would not be a poor decision for a Vikings team with a lot of late round picks. 

111. New England Patriots - Teven Jenkins OT Oklahoma State

• The Patriots need to find more depth along their offensive line with how many injuries tend to occur for them across that unit. It also does not hurt to bring in some competition for Isaiah Wynn who has been just an okay blocker when he is healthy, which has been a rare occurrence. I also think finding depth blockers late in the draft is always a solid good choice. Jenkins is a great find here late in the draft as a possible quick starter on Day 3 that could be had here. 

112. Las Vegas Raiders - Alim McNeill DT North Carolina State

• The Raiders could be looking for more pass rushers to add to their defensive line. It certainly makes sense since they are one of the worst teams at getting after the quarterback. In a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert loading up on pass rushers makes a lot of sense. Their tackles have been just okay and should all be upgraded at some point. 

113. Houston Texans (via Arizona) - Jordan Smith DE UAB 

• More pass rushing help for a team that has a huge need there going forward. Both J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus could be cap casualties at some point this offseason. They need to shed some salary with their poor cap situation and they certainly need to retool this aging defensive front if they want to get back on track. This is one of the tougher jobs to take for a new General Manager. 

114. Miami Dolphins - Cade Mays OG Tennessee 

• More blocking help for the Dolphins who need to do everything possible to keep Tua Tagovailoa healthy and upright in the pocket. I am not ready to bail on Tagovailoa just yet and I want to see him in a more modern NFL offense, but what I did see is a player who got overwhelmed quickly. With an upgraded and improved line maybe he can be able to play more comfortably. 

115. Washington Football Team - Pete Werner LB Ohio State

• Washington really has one of the more complete rosters in the NFL if you ask me from the defensive line to their skill position players on offense. They just need a better quarterback to come in and elevate them. Maybe a full offseason with Alex Smith can get them there. In any case, linebacker depth could be addressed alongside the blossoming Jon Bostic who needs a stronger running mate beside him. 

116. Minnesota Vikings (via Chicago) - Thayor Munford OG Ohio State

• One of the best moves the Vikings made this season was cutting Pat Elflein and replacing him with Ezra Cleveland. With Cleveland in there their running game took on a whole other level. However, their other guard Dru Samia is one of the worst players at his position. Finding an upgrade is a must do this offseason whether with a draft pick here or via free agency to help open more consistent running lanes for Dalvin Cook. 

117. Jacksonville Jaguars (via Los Angeles (R)) - Dazz Newsome WR UNC

• Doubling down on receivers is not a bad idea for the Jags who will want to maximize Trevor Lawrence’s talents. I think Rashod Bateman in the first round is a nice pick, but I would not be shocked if he ends up outshined by Dazz Newsome here. The do it all receiver is flying under the radar so far in this draft. I think he could be one of the best gems in this draft. 

118. Indianapolis Colts - Richie Grant S UCF 

• The Colts could use more playmakers in their secondary. They have solid corners in Kenny Moore, Rock Ya-Sin, and a reemerging Xavier Rhodes. However, they will probably be losing Malik Hooker this offseason to free agency after disappointing as a first round pick the past few seasons. If they can find a safety who can make plays that could make one of NFL’s best coached defenses that much more dangerous. 

119. Cleveland Browns - Marqueze Stevenson WR Houston 

• I think the status of both Odell Beckham Jr and Jarvis Landry will be up in the air this offseason. Both are wildly talented, but both are known to be a little too vocal in the locker room causing waves. OBJ certainly more than Landry who is not as attention needy on the field as the flashy Beckham. Even if both are back I think adding a pure deep threat over the top to open up both former LSU Tigers underneath would be a great addition to this offense. 

120. Tennessee Titans - Kellen Mond QB Texas A&M 

• I am not saying bail on Ryan Tannehill who has had a huge career turnaround in Tennessee, but I am also not prepared to not have a back up plan for the oft-injured quarterback. During his time in Miami he seemed to be hurt every season and despite not having the same troubles with the Titans I would not bet that it continues. Mond to me played well enough and improved enough to move up into the higher rounds of the draft. There is still a strong possibility he returns to school as well. 

121. Baltimore Ravens - Shaka Toney OLB Penn State 

• I am not sure they wait this long to find a pass rusher here, but the Ravens often try to play the board well and not reach on a player. They have three of their top pass rushers Matt Judon, Yannick Ngakoue, and Tyus Bowser are all soon to be free agents. Keeping Judon seems like a no brainer, but he might be asking for too much as well if you ask me. They do a good job developing pass rushers in Baltimore and could find a nice gem here on Day 3. 

122. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Merlin Robertson LB Arizona State

• LaVonte David is a soon to be free agent, but it feels weird imaging their defense without one of their key leaders for the past 10 seasons. However, I would not be surprised at all if he is the odd man out in a situation where it’s either keeping him or Shaq Barrett who is also a free agent. Especially, with how much easier it is to find a linebacker than an edge rusher in the draft.

123. Pittsburgh Steelers - Daelin Hayes DE Notre Dame 

• The Steelers could be looking to find a new pass rusher to develop alongside T.J. Watt. With Bud Dupree a soon to be free agent and a bad cap situation the Steelers could be without one of their best defensive players. Last year’s mid round find Alex Highsmith played admirably in Dupree’s stead when he went down at the end of the year. Maybe another rotational talent could help lighten the impact of Dupree leaving. 

124. Seattle Seahawks - Chuba Hubbard RB Oklahoma State

• Chris Carson is a free agent this offseason and with his injury track record I would be really weary of giving him a new extension if I were the Seahawks. He is a key cog to their offense and without him for half the year their offense did seem a little disjointed. However, finding a new running back would not be hard here and Hubbard is bound to make scouts regret pushing him down the board. I think he has a lot of Jonathan Taylor to him and I am sure he should be a pretty good player at the next level. 

125. New Orleans Saints - Jack Sanborn LB Wisconsin 

• The Saints feel like they could always use a new linebacker or two in the middle of their defense. They were so desperate that they brought in Kwon Alexander who has never stayed healthy in his career along with Manti Te’o and others throughout the years to find some traction in the middle of their defense. With limited picks they could take a swing at one in the middle of the round who will at the very least contribute as a very solid depth option. 

126. Minnesota Vikings (via Buffalo) - Tamorrion Terry WR Florida State

• The Vikings could be looking at adding more depth at receiver behind Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson. Both are built more like slot receivers and lack some size to them. Maybe adding a bigger target like Terry here who can be a nice red zone weapon would be a nice target for Kirk Cousins to work with. 

127. Green Bay Packers - Kylin Hill RB Mississippi State

• Aaron Jones is a soon to be free agent and he is certainly a very nice running back. I just do not think he is a good enough back for them to extend with a big contract. He is certainly not as good as Alvin Kamara, Christian McCaffrey, or Dalvin Cook who all received extensions recently. Finding a cheaper option could be in the cards as it feels like any back could work Aaron Rodgers with the way he has been playing this season. 

128. Kansas City Chiefs - Chase Lucas CB Arizona State

• I feel like the Chiefs are always in need of a new corner or safety to help slow down teams trying to keep up with their scoring barrage. They did find a gem in L’Jarius Sneed, but he is a bit of tweener safety/corner type talent. Maybe they can find a similar player to get more creative in their defensive schemes.