Clemson

The Steelers (and Mike Tomlin, in particular) have been spending a lot of time meeting with OL and DL prospects during the draft process. Bresee adds much-needed depth and youth to the defensive front.

Northwestern

After going with the Young-JSN combo platter in Round 1, now the Texans turn to the defensive side of the ball, but I'm going to go away from my previous pick here of Trenton Simpson. Adebawore tested as literally one of the greatest athletes in the history of the Combine, and those dudes just don't last until the late 2nd, not at the position he plays. I think back to the insane athleticism of Odafe Oweh, who became a 1st Round pick of the Ravens despite not registering a single sack during his final year at Penn State. Adebawore plays a more premium position than Simpson does, so I'm going to move him up here. Way up.

Georgia

The Cards now have back-to-back picks because of the deal at #3 where the Colts moved up. With the first of the picks, they opt to take Ringo, who might need to work the kinks out of his game but who has a lot of athletic tools to work with.

Tennessee

TRADE! (See above at #34)

Arizona is seemingly on the verge of trading DeAndre Hopkins away, so they replace him with the home-run speed of Hyatt. No, these two aren't the same stylistically, but Hyatt can play on the outside. When Will Fuller was at his best and terrorizing defense, that's the type of role I could see developing for Hyatt. Hopefully for Arizona's sake, Hyatt can be productive for far longer.

Oklahoma

It seems likely that the Rams will be looking at OL help with their early picks, and this will be their first of the draft. Harrison might be the best OT prospect available, so he makes logical sense.

Florida

The Raiders, if they pass on a QB at #7, could be looking at OL help there, although I had them going with Gonzalez. So maybe here they will look at help up front, and with Torrence slipping into the 2nd Round, this could be the right fit. Torrence would seem to fit best with a team that goes with a more power-based OL approach (as opposed to zone blocking), which is what Josh McDaniels prefers.

Michigan

Seattle has added what they hope will be a premier run-stuffer (Smith) with a premier-edge (Wilson) with 2 of their first 3 picks. And with Dre'Mont Jones in free agency, perhaps Seattle won't get trampeled against the run like they did in 2022.

Tennessee

The Panthers have their potential franchise QB in Stroud, and yes, they gave up quite a haul to get him. However, they did manage to keep the higher of the 2nd Round picks they had, and with DJ Moore now in Chicago, a potential #1 WR is going to be needed. (Adam Thielen is NOT that, not at this stage of his career, and DJ Chark could be a nice deep-ball specialist but is not a go-to guy.) Tillman, and not Hyatt, was used as the Volunteers' WR1 when both were healthy over the past 2 seasons, and unlike a lot of the top WR's in this year's draft, he offers prototypical size as an outside WR.

Clemson

I'll go away from Gibbs, even though he's being commonly mocked to the Saints with either this pick or even with their 1st rounder. With Jamaal Williams having been signed, and with the knowledge that there will be plenty of speed/pass-catching RB options later in the draft, perhaps the team would pass on Gibbs and look at Simpson instead. The Saints have been sniffing around on top LB prospects over the last 2 drafts.

Minnesota

After the move up for Levis, now it's time to turn our attention to the feeble state of the OL. Ben Jones was released, so taking the draft's best center prospect makes sense.

Wisconsin

I was actually pretty close with my projection of the Browns trading for D-Hop. I was correct that I thought they'd be willing to deal this pick for immediate WR help. Now, Elijah Moore isn't as good as D-Hop is, but he's obviously comes much more cheaply for the next couple of years. And the Browns get back the Jets' 3rd rounder here, so I like this deal for the Browns, even if it means that their first pick in the draft is now at #74 overall.

Meanwhile, the Jets now have picks at #42 and #43, and you can't help but wonder if one of them will be moved in the inevitable Aaron Rodgers deal. Plugged-in Jets reporters suggested that GM Joe Douglas may have made this deal to get in the range of being able to draft a top center prospect, as that's a glaring need on the OL at the moment, and those scribes suggested that Douglas isn't too fond of the free agent C market. So I won't even change the player I had going to the Cardinals; Tippman is also very logical for the Jets, and this means that the club has now invested its top 2 picks in the draft on protectors for Mr. Rodgers.

Texas A&M

TRADE! Aaron Rodgers becomes a Jet, in exchange for this pick.

OK, so I'll now project that this pick is the one that's traded to nab Rodgers. With the pick, the Pack hit on a big need at safety with Johnson.

Mississippi State

Atlanta adds the ball-hawking Forbes to its defense as an outside corner opposite the excellent AJ Terrell.

Georgia

Washington's youth, athleticism, length, and height will have teams drooling, and he would fit the profile for the Packers more than, say, Luke Musgrave would.

Alabama

TRADE! #54 and #85 for #46 and #107.

New England is often eager to trade down. Meanwhile, the Chargers have given Austin Ekeler permission to seek a trade, not wanting to pay their 28-year-old stud RB the big-money extension he's apparently seeking. (I can't say that I blame them.) Gibbs could take on the pass-catching role that Ekeler obviously had, while also adding a big-play element when he totes the rock.

Oregon State

A lot of scouts like Musgrave's pass-catching upside, and the Commanders certainly need a viable long-term TE. New OC Eric Bieniemy certainly knows about the difference that a talented pass-catcher at that position can make.

Tennessee

Both Tampa Bay and Seattle could be legitimately interested in the Tennessee signal caller, and they have picks before Detroit's next one at #55. Will the Lions commit to Jared Goff for the long-term? This gives them a hedge.

North Carolina

Pittsburgh tries its luck on another 2nd Round receiver. They've been pretty successful there, and the depth chart has the even-tinier Calvin Austin as the current slot receiver.

Syracuse

It's possible that Tristan Wirfs moves across the formation to play LT, although the team hasn't directly come out and said that. Regardless, there's a starting tackle opening, so Bergeron makes sense.

North Dakota State

I had Tyrique Stevenson here before, but now that the Dolphins have traded for Jalen Ramsey, CB is no longer a pressing need. And after re-signing both Jeff Wilson and Raheem Mostert, the team is unlikely to invest its very first pick in the draft on a RB. Instead, I'll have them going in the direction of OL help, so Mauch comes off the board.

Kansas State

Brents is another riser after the Combine, with a sky-high athletic profile. He's also 6'3, and Seattle is known for loving rangy DB's, including last year's home run 5th rounder, Tariq Woolen.

Georgia Tech

The Bears' DL situation isn't as much of an empty slate as it was entering free agency, but with this first pick for them of the round (they'll have another via SF after the big trade with the Panthers), they opt for an edge rusher. White could last to the back-half of the 2nd Round because he's already 24. After taking Velus Jones (who was 25 at the time) #71 overall last year, there's precedent for this imo.

Iowa

TRADE!

After the move down the board with the Chargers, perhaps the team would like the fit of Campbell in the middle of the field.

Iowa

The Lions go back to the Iowa TE factory.

Kansas State

Yes, the Jags have invested a lot of premium draft capital in recent years on pass rushers, and yet it's still a sneaky need for the club. They add another one here.

Miami

Secondary reinforcements are needed for Wink Martindale's defense, and scouts think that Stevenson would operate best out of a press-man scheme. The size and speed are there to function as an outside cover man in such a scheme.

Washington State

In serious need of LB depth (Leighton Vander Esch was re-signed but is a significant injury risk), Henley makes a lot of sense. I had Charbonnet here before, but I'm starting to get the sense that Ezekiel Elliott has very little interest around the league, and that the team might be able to re-up him for relative pennies. Jerry Jones would probably rather do that instead of using a 2nd Round pick on a back, but I could be wrong.

TCU

Avila could fill a guard opening in Buffalo. Good value here in the late 2nd.

UCLA

Charbonnet falls into the Bengals' laps here in the late 2nd. If this actually happened, assuming the team moved on from Joe Mixon, Charbonnet would be poised to be a fantasy football darling in 2023.

Michigan

Depth is needed at corner behind Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. Turner ran a 4.26 at the Combine and is an impressively fluid athlete.

Alabama

While Philly was able to retain its starting CB duo, they've lost both of their 2022 starting safeties in free agency, most notably CJ Gardner-Johnson to the Lions.

LSU

As Frank Clark was released, I could see KC using an early pick on one of the deep crop of pass rushers.