Ohio State

TRADE - Carolina sends 2023 1-9, 2023 2-39, 2024 1st and 3rd round picks to Chicago in exchange for 2023 1-1

Owner David Tepper has made it no secret that he wants a franchise QB. To this point, he has failed to secure that critical piece to build around. With Frank Reich in town, now is the time to strike. Stroud is the perfect compromise for Carolina - he does not have the size questions that Bryce Young has, or the accuracy questions that Anthony Richardson faces. An above-average athlete with tremendous accuracy, Stroud has already earned praise from Panthers' QB Coach, Josh McCown, who compared him to Joe Burrow.

Florida

Hear me out. There are rumors that Houston may look to add Jimmy Garoppolo while allowing a rookie QB to develop on their roster. Richardson is literally an unprecedented athlete at the QB position, and his floor as a passer is higher than many give him credit for. Houston is armed with plenty of draft capital to surround a young QB with help, and while Bryce Young certainly has a strong case to go here, Richardson is the kind of freak athlete that you take a swing on when you get a chance.

Texas Tech

Remember last year when Aidan Hutchinson was projected to go 1st overall, only to have the toolsy Travon Walker wind up in Jacksonville? That possibility looms again this year, with Will Anderson being the presumed top pass rusher for most, but with Tyree Wilson hot on his heels. Wilson has prototypical size, with the potential to slide inside on passing downs in addition to terrorizing opposing OT's.

Alabama

It would surprise exactly no one if Bryce Young was the 1st overall pick when the draft arrives. But as a true outlier in terms of size, there are legitimate questions around Young. However, he's the most polished passer in this class and would have the Colts sprinting the draft card to the podium if he was still available here.

Alabama

This is a dream scenario for Seattle, with both Jalen Carter and Anderson available. Carter's legal issues give Anderson the edge here, although Anderson may have been the pick regardless. Anderson is the highest floor pass rusher in the class, but also possesses an extremely high ceiling. This pick could go a number of ways, but Pete Carroll said he wanted to get more dynamic up front, and this accomplishes that goal.

Oregon

While Jalen Carter may be a consideration here, the Lions' secondary needs more talent. Gonzalez blew up the combine, posting a 41 inch vertical and running a 4.38 40 at 6'1. With Jeffrey Okudah starting to show what he can do, Detroit can create one of the better young secondaries in the league here.

Kentucky

While Las Vegas continues to pursue all options at QB, it's clear they need to address the position in some form. Levis has intriguing physical tools, and his potential is evident in his 2021 tape. While he may not have the polish of Stroud or the physical upside of Richardson, he is somewhere in between the two as a prospect. Vegas, after moving on from Derek Carr, would give Levis plenty of weapons to work with as he adapts to the NFL.

Georgia

Atlanta has holes across its roster. Here, they have a chance to grab a homegrown prospect who may very well be the top prospect in the draft. This feels like an appropriate range for Carter's talent, even with lingering legal questions.

Northwestern

TRADE - Carolina sends 2023 1-9, 2023 2-39, 2024 1st and 3rd round picks to Chicago in exchange for 2023 1-1

Speaking of homegrown prospects, this is another natural fit. The Bears possess one of the worst offensive lines in football, and have their pick of any of the top OL on the board here, even after trading down. Skoronski is a bit of a tweener due to his shorter arms, but he absolutely deserves a chance to start out at OT. Adding support for Justin Fields is imperative for Chicago, and walking away with the best OL in the draft plus multiple premier picks would be outstanding work by GM Ryan Poles.

Penn State

The Eagles could certainly look to add a DL here, but Porter is too intriguing for me to pass up on. With 6'2.5 size and 34 inch arms, with sub-4.5 speed, Porter has all the tools to be a shutdown CB. From Philly's perspective, Darius Slay is 32 years old and entering the final year of his deal, and James Bradberry is an unrestricted free agent. CB is a big need, and prospects with Porter's measurables and production don't come along very often.

TCU

Johnston is not the top WR on my board, but he's the best fit for Tennessee. While Treylon Burks and Kyle Philips are more of YAC and slot guys, respectively, Johnston is a true X receiver who can win outside. For Tennessee's part, it makes sense to continue to add weapons as the offense gradually begins the process of moving away from the Tannehill-Henry era, making life easier for a new signal caller in the near future.

Ohio State

With Brandin Cooks on the trade block, Houston will need to add talent around its new signal caller. JSN is as polished as any pass catcher in the class, with elite change of direction ability. He seems like just the kind of QB-friendly target that Houston needs as they move into a new era.

Ohio State

TRADE - Pittsburgh sends 2023 1-17, 2023 3-80 and a 2024 6th round pick to New York for 2023 1-13

The Steelers feel they have their QB of the future in Kenny Pickett. Now, they'll turn their attention to fixing their patchwork OL. Johnson has a prototypical frame and an enormous wingspan, possesses above-average athleticism, and may be the best pass blocker to emerge from this class.

Iowa

Van Ness is another combine winner, whose versatility and athleticism will undoubtedly have Bill Belichick dreaming of creative ways to utilize his talents. The Patriots could go a few different ways here, but Van Ness is a really interesting talent whose best days are ahead of him.

USC

Surprise! The Packers taking a WR in the first round would be quite the storyline, but it once again is a logical option. With Allen Lazard set to test free agency, and Aaron Rodgers potentially out the door, GM Brian Gutekunst would be wise to add more talent for Jordan Love to work with. Addison may not have dominated the combine, but he is an ultra-polished route runner with strong hands who can create separation at all levels of the field.

Illinois

Witherspoon was considered by some to be CB1 prior to the Combine, where his lackluster measurements and his competition's standout performances hurt him just a bit. Regardless, Witherspoon may be the most talented CB in this class and is a strong option for Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio here.