Ohio State

Seattle must improve its interior offensive line to set Sam Darnold up for success, Donovan Jackson would be a Day 1 starter inside, and he could offer some tackle versatility as he filled the left tackle role admirably for the national championship Buckeyes after Josh Simmons went down with injury.

Ohio State

Sean Payton gets his guy at running back in TreVeyon Henderson. He’s a true three down threat with his explosiveness, pass catching and ability in pass protection.

Tennessee

Character concerns are really weighing down the draft stock of James Pearce. A few teams reportedly have him off their draft board entirely. It’s too bad for him, because he’d likely be a guaranteed first round pick otherwise. Needing some pass rush juice, the Titans take the plunge and keep Pearce in the Volunteer State (pun intended).

Missouri

2024 being Luther Burden's draft year is both a blessing and a curse. It's not as deep a class at WR as it was a year ago, but Burden performed way better in 2024 than he did in 2023. If the Jags get the 2023 version of Burden, they'd be getting a bargain here at the 36th selection. He and 2024 draft steal Brian Thomas could create quite the duo for Trevor Lawrence to throw to.

Ohio State

Jets get: Pick 37
Raiders get: Picks 42, 162 (R5) and a 2026 5th round pick

Recovering from a torn patellar tendon he suffered against Oregon back in October was already weighing Josh Simmons’ draft stock down. Now a couple of recent reports have called his maturity into question. I still think his draft stock is anywhere in the 20s to 40 range, and the Jets decide to trade up to secure their bookends at tackle after taking Olu Fashanu 11th overall last year.

Notre Dame

Bengals get: Picks 38 and 97 (R3)
Vikings get: Picks 49, 79 (R3) and 119 (R4)

Cincinnati has missed Jessie Bates since he left them in free agency, so the Bengals move up to draft Xavier Watts and draft a guy new defensive coordinator Al Golden is very familiar with from their time together at Notre Dame. Meanwhile, the Vikings move up in Round 3 and add another pick to their collection, giving them six total picks now in this hypothetical mock.

Minnesota

Talk about the Bears using their first rounder on the offensive line exists, but with both Will Campbell and Armand Membou gone, they drafted new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen a defensive weapon. They address the O-Line here in Round 2 with Minnesota’s Aireontae Ersery, who could be a swing lineman as a rookie everywhere other than center.

Alabama

New Orleans passed on Armand Membou in Round 1, but draft Tyler Booker to be a Day 1 starter at left guard here in Round 2. Poor athletic testing at the combine is a major reason why I have Booker falling this far. This is what happened to O’Cyrus Torrence in 2023. Torrence fell to 59th overall that year, and I feel like Booker could easily fall even though the tape said both guys were/are worthy of higher picks.

Ohio State

Cardinals get: Pick 41
Bears get: Picks 47, 152 (R5) and a 2026 5th round pick

General manager Monti Ossenfort continues his early round Ohio State connection with this trade up for the big and very mobile Tyleik Williams. Even after bringing Josh Seeat and Dalvin Tomlinson aboard as free agents, it wouldn’t hurt at all to keep adding more talent up front. Head coach Jonathan Gannon would know that as well as anyone from his time with the Eagles.

Ole Miss

Amos is a corner who I feel fits defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s scheme very well, has the ball skills Graham seems to covet in his DBs and Pete Carroll would approve of given his outstanding arm length.

Toledo

After passing on defensive linemen in Round 1, the 49ers add Darius Alexander to their defensive tackle rotation here in the second. Alexander is sort of like a small school version of Derrick Harmon with his versatility, athleticism and effectiveness both against the run and pass. His outstanding Senior Bowl and combine performances have put him on the map, with a shot at being a first round pick and this being what I feel is the lowest end of his draft range. The 49ers sure wouldn’t complain given how decimated they’ve been up front.

Kentucky

It’s debatable as to whether Maxwell Hairston is actually the fastest man in the draft, but he was the fastest player at the combine with his 4.28 40, barely edging out Matthew Golden. He missed considerable time in 2024 due to injury, but he showed he may be back to his 2023 self at the combine. The Cowboys have been plagued by injuries in the secondary, so adding Hairston would be a solid move at this juncture.

LSU

Broncos get: Pick 45
Colts get: Picks 51 and 122 (R4)

Indianapolis added their tight end in Round 1, and the Broncos added an extra third round pick with the Giants, so the two sides agree on a trade to net the Colts another 4th rounder and net the Broncos their long-term tight end in Mason Taylor. He is the son of Jason Taylor and nephew of Zack Thomas, both in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Unlike his father and uncle, Mason will be an offensive weapon. He gives the team a different element and a more well-rounded skill set than free agent signing Evan Engram.

Miami

Seahawks get: Pick 46
Falcons get: Picks 50 and 137 (R4)

Looking around on Seahawks fan blogs, one factor I never really considered was how new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak features tight ends. Lucky for Klint and the Seahawks, Elijah Arroyo is still on the board, and they trade up for him here. The Miami product is a gazelle running routes, and nobody could match up with him in Senior Bowl practices. The only reason I have him down this far is due to his lengthy injury history. because he has as much upside as any tight end in this draft class. That says something considering Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland are thought to be the top two tight ends and went top 14 in this mock.

Ohio State

I could see a scenario where the Bears take Omarion Hampton in the real draft even in the first round, but in a world where they pass on him, Quinshon Judkins would be a solid target in Round 2. Judkins would take some pressure off of both D'Andre Swift and more importantly, Caleb Williams.

Texas

Defensive line is an area the Dolphins need to address early in the draft. If not on Day 1, certainly somewhere on Day 2. Alfred Collins is a guy who I think makes some sense at this juncture. He's pretty athletic for his 330+ pound size, and has legit potential to become a well-rounded player who can contribute both against the run and pass.

East Carolina

The trade downs are done for the Vikings, and they add a guy who would've likely been a first round pick if not for a torn ACL. Shavon Revel has excellent size and length, and he's also a very good and willing tackler, which is a necessity when Brian Flores is your defensive coordinator. Revel would also get to keep wearing purple with the Vikings like he did at ECU.

Notre Dame

Atlanta adds Benjamin Morrison after the trade down. Like Shavon Revel, he perhaps would've been a first round pick if not for a serious injury. He's an outstanding ballhawk who should be able to line up both inside and outside.

Georgia

Shrewd business by the Colts to trade back six spots and still get the guy they'd have taken at 45 to solidify their offensive line. Tate Ratledge put on a show at the combine. His speed, explosiveness and agility all tested at elite levels. None of this surprised his ex-Georgia teammates, BTW. I don't know what it is in Athens, Georgia with super athletic freaks like this, but Ratledge would be a nice fit at guard to pair with Quenton Nelson.

Florida State

Bills get: Pick 52
Seahawks get: Picks 56 and 132 (R4)

Buffalo and Seattle both continue their draft board maneuvering, as the Bills move up for FSU's Azareye'h Thomas. He was one of very few bright spots on a historically bad Florida State team in 2024. The biggest concern here is a lack of long speed, but he's got all the tools otherwise. Funnily enough, I see a lot of Rasul Douglas in him, who spent the last two seasons in Buffalo.

Iowa State

Speculation that Tykee Smith could move to safety means that cornerback is suddenly a sneaky need in Tampa. Teams can never have enough quality cover guys anyway. Darien Porter is an older prospect and new to the corner position as a former receiver, but guys who can run 4.3 40s at 6'3 and 195 lbs. with over 33 inch arms are rare. And they're the type of guys NFL coaches love to get their hands on and mold.

Iowa State

Green Bay could use a big vertical threat with Christian Watson set to miss at least the start of 2025 with a torn ACL. Jayden Higgins did not test quite as well athletically as Watson did back in 2022, but they do have a similar skill set if the Packers want to target a Watson type of guy to step into his role.

Arkansas

Releasing Joey Bosa does create a long-term need for the Chargers at the pass rusher spot. Landon Jackson was one of the top combine performers, showing off rare athletic ability for a man 6'6" and 264 pounds. Learning from Khalil Mack in a rotational role in 2025 would be ideal for a still raw prospect before thrusting him into a starting role.

LSU

Few things are completely set in stone come draft time, but Seahawks GM John Schneider has drafted a defensive lineman with his first couple of picks in drafts far more often than not during his tenure which goes back to 2010. Bradyn Swinson is a name I've seen a Seahawks blogger really likes, so I'm going with that here. And Swinson does have an excellent pass rush win rate, so he seems like a bit of a sleeper who could start his career as a designated pass rusher and at least be that with the potential to develop into more.

Michigan

Lions get: Picks 57 and 112 (R4)
Panthers get: Picks 60 and 102 (R3)

Like Bradyn Swinson, Josaiah Stewart has a pass rush win rate of over 30 percent on true pass rush downs. The only reason I think this guy is not getting more buzz is due to his lack of size. It's definitely an issue, but he does play bigger than his size. The Lions certainly have a need for EDGE rushing help, and Stewart is a guy they've shown interest in, bringing him in for a top 30 visit, so he's their pick in a trade up.

Ohio State

Chiefs get: Pick 58
Texans get: Pick 63 and a 2026 4th round pick

Continuing to beef up that defensive line, the Chiefs move up for Ohio State's J.T. Tuimoloau. Former first round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah has not panned out yet while Mike Danna and Charles Omenihu are more rotational guys. Tuimoloau could give them someone legit across from George Karlaftis.

Ole Miss

The Ravens continue adding to their defense in this mock, going back to the SEC to bring in a pass rusher in Princely Umanmielen. Some depth for this year and long-term help is needed for the Ravens on the EDGE, and Umanmielin more or less fits this range.

Iowa State

Here's some help for Bryce Young with Jaylin Noel, who brings a skill set to the Panthers WR room that they currently lack. Noel lacks a bit in size, but he sure makes up for it with his speed, agility and explosiveness. He's also pretty strong for his size, as he put up 23 bench press reps at the combine. It's been a very strong pre-draft process for Noel, who has moved himself into top 75 or better draft range.

Utah State

Raiders get: Pick 61
Commanders get: Picks 67 and 143 (R5)

Whether it's with the Commanders themselves or a team like the Raiders, I feel like Jalen Royals makes a lot of sense in this range. He's a Steve Smith Sr. favorite (check out Smith's YouTube channel). Royals has nice speed, is very agile/elusive, is tough enough to break tackles and can line up inside or outside.

South Carolina

Defensive tackle is certainly a Round 1 option for the Bills. T.J. Sanders is a solid second round alternative for them in a scenario like here where they go another direction. Sanders is a well-rounded DT who did solid work against the run and in pushing the pocket as a rusher.

TCU

At the start of the 2024 season, the WR room looked very strong in Houston with a trio of Nico Collins/Stefon Diggs/Tank Dell. Now Diggs is gone while Dell suffered a torn ACL, torn MCL, torn UCL dislocated knee and a meniscus injury as well. Yuck. Jack Bech isn't particularly flashy, but he’s tough, catches everything and just knows how to get open.

Nebraska

Panthers get: Picks 64 and 134 (R4)
Eagles get: Picks 74 and 111 (R4)

Looking for this year’s Braden Fiske? You’ve found him in Ty Robinson. Along with Ricky Pearsall, Fiske was my second sneak into the first round sleeper a year ago. While I don’t see Robinson going quite as high, the size, athleticism and skill set is not far off. Carolina could still use some depth along the defensive line, and a guy with Robinson’s skill set compliments the likes of Derrick Brown, Derrick Brown and A’Shawn Robinson well.