Alabama

The Bengals need all things defense, so here I have them taking perhaps the best value player yet. Jihaad Campbell is a long, explosive linebacker with the frame and athleticism to play Mike or Sam in a 4-3, and possibly even a situational EDGE in a 3-4. His length has translated into demonstrated excellence as a coverage backer, making me think he’s likely to play mostly off the ball, along with his tape playing sideline-to-sideline and ability to come downhill as a blitzer. His stock isn’t as high as it should be due to the position he plays, but this kid should be considered in the “blue chip” prospect tier. I feel pretty damn good about think turing into a selection where a few years from now we’re all wondering how he feel this far.

North Dakota State

The Seahawks need offensive line BADLY, and Zabel has starting experience at four of the five offensive line spots. He plays with solid core strength and does a good job staying engaged through blocks, especially on double teams when playing on the interior. His main issue (like many of these prospects) is arm length, as defenders with length can get inside on him. In pass protection, he relies more on grabbing than punching and can get caught misplacing his weight and getting caught off balance. Regardless, I think Zabel projects to be a very sound guard convert, which Seattle could certainly use. In all honesty, I additionally think this class is relatively “weaker” than years past, and because of this, I think we’re going to see a lot of teams take their chances on offensive linemen.

Boston College

Keeping the majority of the offense intact from last year, I’d expect the Buccaneers to look towards defense here in the first round. While having one of the top two corners falling here would be the best-case scenario, Ezeiruaka would be a solid scheme fit as an outside LB in Tampa’s 3-4 defense. He’s a slightly undersized edge rusher with long arms for his frame and does a great job slipping blocks and finishing in the backfield against the run. Tampa has lacked “juice” coming off the edge since the brief Brady era, and this pick looks towards shoring up that problem while simultaneously giving them one of the better run-defending edges in this class. His size could be of some concern for teams (this is really a common theme in this class, isn’t it?), but his production speaks for itself.

North Carolina

Yes I’m a bit biased but damn Hampton is about as good of a pure runner as it gets. I really like where Denver’s team is currently on both sides of the ball and think that they’re an ideal landing spot for one of the backs in this loaded class. Hampton is a pure power runner who has been one of the best after-contact rushers throughout his collegiate career, a necessity to produce behind a lacking UNC offensive line. He’s better hitting downhill full-force in zone-based runs as opposed to playing the sideline, but while his lateral quickness isn’t the same level as some of the other backs, he certainly has the long speed to break off chunk plays both as a runner and as a check-down option. Additionally, Hampton has the size and strength to hold up well in pass protection when called upon. Behind a solid offensive line (which Denver possesses) he’ll be productive immediately.

Colorado

I simply don’t think the Steelers can afford to walk out of this draft without a quarterback. After seemingly putting all their eggs in the Aaron Rodgers basket (a terrible idea on its own), the two parties have yet to reach a deal, and currently, Mason Rudolph is in line to start week 1. The most critiqued prospect in this class, there are things to like about Sanders’ game. He has very good accuracy in the pocket, leading his receivers well with nice ball placement. However, his arm and other physical traits don’t stack up to other recent top QB prospects, and he has struggled to avoid pressure at Colorado. While his offensive line in college was far from great, Sanders tended to create pressure through rushed drops. I think that Sanders can become more than a replacement-level quarterback in the right situation, and Pittsburgh has some pieces there to help.

Michigan

After losing a few key pieces this offseason, the Chargers need to add talent on the defensive line. It just so happens that the best interior player left on the board was coached and recruited by Harbaugh at Michigan, a factor that could additionally play into their decision here. Grant is one of the bigger players in this class, a 340-pound nose tackle with rare quickness for his size and the strength to handle single blocks very well. He struggles to anchor against down blocks due to a narrow base and plays too upright with his pad level at times. However, his physical tools are impressive, and with more consistency, he could become a dominant force in the middle of an NFL defensive line. His performance against Ohio State was probably the best single game I saw from any defensive tackle last season.

Ohio State

History shows the Packers will take a defensive lineman here instead of a WR, but in this situation with the chance to take their choice of Egbuka or Golden, the Packers finally buck this trend and get Jordan Love something more than the collection of WR2s and WR3s that make up the current room. Emeka Egbuka is a well-rounded, reliable slot receiver with strong ball-tracking skills and a feel for spacing against zone. He runs clean routes and has good footwork, which allows him to create separation despite lacking top-end speed. He’s not a flashy player, but doesn’t seem to have any major weaknesses either. I feel really good about Egbuka remaining a quality starting receiver for many years and think he’s been overlooked during his time at Ohio State due to the other guys that he’s lined up next to.

South Carolina

The Vikings could use some help in the secondary, and here I have them taking the first safety off the board. Nick Emmanwori is a physical and athletic freak with the versatility to line up deep, in the box, or over tight ends. His playing career at South Carolina has been a bit inconsistent, however, and he may be a bit more raw as a player. He’s shown incredible range, closing speed, and length in man coverage vs. bigger receivers. The issue is consistency: his run support effort is hit or miss, and his instincts can be a bit delayed as he’s at times slow downhill. I do think he has the most upside out of any of the safeties in this class if he can learn to read the field a bit better, and there’s not a better landing spot to learn than Minnesota’s defense.

Texas

With how his draft stock has skyrocketed since an impressive combine, I’d be shocked to see Golden fall this low, but if he does, it feels like striking gold for Houston. Golden is a three-level receiver with good speed and highlight-reel level ball control. He’s shown his ability to use agile footwork and tempo changes to separate, and has been surprisingly effective in contested catch situations. There are some consistency issues here with drops, which can always be of concern, but if it gets shored up, he’d be an excellent No. 2 to Nico Collins.

Kentucky

Another popular spot to mock a quarterback, I don’t think there are any others in this class worth using a first-round pick on, and believe the Rams should continue searching for contributors to maximize the final few years of Matt Stafford. Coming off a very impressive 2024 draft haul, the Rams continue to address the defensive side of the ball, this time in the secondary. Hairston is an athletic ball-hawk, with top-end speed and success jumping routes in zone coverage, with six picks in his last 20 games. His frame is a bit small, so he may get bullied by bigger receivers and struggle in the run game, although I think he could be a starter on the boundary early in his career.

Alabama

The Ravens could go Edge here with Mike Green still on the board, but I think offensive guard is the biggest current need for this team, especially when there’s such a great scheme fit available in Tyler Booker. Booker is a massive guard built for power-run schemes, with the size, length, and toughness to be effective early in the downhill run game. Sounds like music to Derrick Henry’s ears! While his foot speed and lateral quickness are below average, his size and strength should make him a reliable long-term starter for a run-heavy team like Baltimore.

Texas A&M

The Lions could use some more help up front, as evidenced by their poor playoff performance against Washington. Additionally, it is uncertain when Aidan Hutchinson will return from injury, so adding some insurance here makes sense. Stewart is another prospect who will be drafted based on their physical traits, with the versatility to line up inside or out. I like him on inside stunts, as guards seem to struggle with him. He’s got some juice exploding off the edge, but his pass-rush planning could use some improvement. He relies a bit too much on his athleticism to win, and I question how that will translate immediately in the NFL, but he does figure to be effective against the run from the beginning.

Marshall

From what I’ve read, it seems that “character concerns” surrounding Green may cause him to fall pretty hard on draft night, however, I still think he’s worth a first-round selection. Washington needs to find pass-rush production somewhere, and Green might be the best pure rusher in this class. I do question his scheme fit a bit here, as I think he may be better suited as a 4-3 end, but he has the physical traits to possibly take on a 3-4 outside linebacker role. Some scoff at the competition he faced in the Sun Belt, but regardless, Green has been extremely productive and earned elite pass-rush grades. There is a chance that Green turns more into a “pass-rush specialist” rather than a 3-down type of player, as he hasn’t shown much to suggest that he’ll develop into a strong run-defender. Nevertheless, there’s great value to be found here. Another route that I think would be interesting here for Washington would be running back (Henderson?) to round out what is already an explosive offense.

Oregon

While Receiver and Corner are likely bigger needs here, I’m not infatuated with the options currently on the board. The Bills could use some more talent on the defensive line as well, and Derrick Harmon is a stout 3-tech with a strong technical grasp. He’s bigger than Ed Oliver at 6’5 310lbs, and showed very impressive speed at the combine. He’s extremely hard to move in the run game and manages to get consistent penetration in the backfield, yet he was inconsistent in his ability to finish the play after disengaging from blocks. I wouldn’t count on him providing a ton of pass-rush as a rookie, but his strong hand-usage makes me a believer that he will develop here.

Ohio State

A prospect who I think would have gone in the top 10 selections if not for an unfortunate injury, Josh Simmons is an extremely sound tackle prospect with starting experience on both sides of the line, paired with great athletic traits. He excelled in pass protection against strong competition, looking like one of the best tackles in the country when playing, but he’s coming off a season-ending ACL injury in 2024 that caused him to slide. Time will tell what he looks like when he gets back on the field, but I think he could have a long career at the left tackle position. In fact, he might be the best pure left tackle prospect in the class. As everyone knows, after watching the Super Bowl, the Chiefs are in dire need of finding an answer there on the line. They signed Jaylon Moore this offseason to plug in at the position, which gives them time to possibly ease Simmons back onto the field.

Georgia

The Eagles won't change their draft philosophy coming off a Super Bowl win, again waiting to snag a top-rated prospect who slid further than expected (who just happens to also be a former Georgia Bulldog). I’m not as high on Starks as most, but teams seemingly like him, and the Eagles have a need at safety. He’s a versatile safety with skills to play across the secondary at free safety, strong safety, or slot. He’s got great ball skills, evidenced by a slew of forced interceptions throughout his Georgia career, especially in 2023, although I didn’t love the pursuit angle problems that were evident in his 2024 season. Starks could certainly become a very good player in the league, though, as we’ve seen excellent play from him on the field before.