New Mock, Version 5.0

This had already been my pick in my previous mock, but I feel even more emboldened now. When Schrager mocked Proctor here, Jeremiah noted that he was told that Proctor will not get past the Lions with this pick. The big man is what the Lions love in their tackles, big masses of powerful humanity, ha. And this one is agile, too.

This is the chalk pick, at this point, but if Harrison Smith is retiring, well, yeah, here's another highly-athletic white safety to replace him. I know, I know. Boring.

As the team has made a couple of big-ticket additions on defense with Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd, I could see this pick being an offensive weapon. Sadiq would make sense, if available, but he's long gone in this mock. While Tet McMillan is an alpha X on the boundary, and while the team likes Jalen Coker, former 1st rounder Xavier Legette has underwhelmed. And there's a YAC element that's seriously missing in this offense. The team is committed to Bryce Young's success, who works best as a point guard of sorts who can get the ball to playmakers. Well, Concepcion is a YAC-beast, and I like the fit.

I had Akheem Mesidor here in my last mock and I still think that makes a lot of sense, as he is pro-ready and contenders in the back half of Round 1 are more likely to look at him, since he just turned 25. But as I take a closer look at Dallas' defensive depth chart, there is almost nothing behind DeMarvion Overshown at LB, and last year's MLB, Kenneth Murray (who is a free agent), was literally THE worst LB among all 88 who qualified according to PFF. So this is a massive need, and while it's possible that a veteran free agent (Bobby Wagner?) could be signed after the draft, why not get young at the position and get a leader like Allen? We've seen Dallas pick a LB in the 1st Round twice since 2018, with Leighton Vander Esch and Micah Parsons, though Parsons was turned into an edge rusher pretty quickly. I know this is well ahead of consensus for Allen, but we saw them do the same thing last year with Booker, and that filled a clear need, and that has worked out pretty well. Sometimes there's nothing wrong with taking a high-floor player in the draft that fills a need. And this need is DIRE, folks.

If Ioane is not here -- and there may be a good chance that he isn't -- I could see the Steelers opting for a WR, as they have visited with several of the top guys. But with a gaping hole at LG after Isaac Seumalo signed with Arizona, this is a seamless plug-and-play fit. Ioane is the best pure guard available in this class.

I found Jeremiah's pick here notable: Cashius Howell. I will still have Howell dropping to Day 2 due to a lack of arm length, but Jeremiah is obviously acquainted with the Chargers pretty well. He specifically noted that Mack and Tuipulotu are guys who set the edge and that Oweh was the speed rusher for them at the end of last season. He says that Howell could do that for them. Makes sense, but I think that Faulk could do that as well, and since I have him rated higher (he's much bigger, lengthier, and is younger, too), I'll keep him in this spot.

Still thinking that AJ Brown is getting moved, likely to the Patriots, after June 1, so a WR pick makes all sorts of sense to me.

Jeremiah mocked Blake Miller here, but Lomu makes more sense to me as a LT, while Miller has played RT. As I mentioned with the blurb at #6, I think the Browns would prefer a LT, and I also think that Lomu has a chance to go in the teens. I don't think that Miller does.

***MALACHI LAWRENCE, EDGE, UCF***

Lawrence is still not in the player queue! Hopefully that changes by draft night. In any case, the Bears need pass rushers and although you can argue for a safety (McNeil-Warren?) here, someone is going to bet on Lawrence's astronomical RAS in Round 1. At least, in my opinion.

Kayden McDonald could be a candidate for this pick because the Bills were awful in run defense last season, but I could also see the appeal of Mesidor, since long-term pieces to support Greg Rosseau should be a priority. Sure, Mesidor is 25, but Buffalo is the current AFC favorite to go to the Super Bowl and the team might welcome a ready-to-play sack artist such as Mesidor.

A possible successor to Trent Williams at LT? OL remains the favorite in betting markets for this pick, and while it's true that Miller has been a college RT, he has the ideal size and length at 6'7 with 34 1/4-inch arms to play LT as well.

There are very few roster holes, if any, but Sheldon Rankins is heading into a contract year. Who knows, maybe the team will consider DT depth because of it.

Next up on KC's wish list could be a CB, so perhaps the rangy Hood could fit the bill late in the 1st frame here.

Parker's 9.33 RAS is in line with what I believe this new regime will look for, and it's another defensive piece for Hafley to work with.

Yep, the guy that Mike Vrabel was coaching up at his Pro Day is the pick. Just can't get that image out of my head, and we know that the OL was a serious issue last season.

Johnson's RAS is 57th-best among CB's since 1987, and Seattle is favored to take a CB with its first pick.