2nd to last Mock Draft
Round 1
Picks 1-16
Picks 17-32
This is the only one I'm really confident about...
Feels like a two-man race between Bailey and Ohio State's Arvell Reese. I have no idea which one's ahead of the other, but I've gone with Bailey in my previous mocks, so I'll stick with him here at least one more week.
Titans get: Pick 3
Cardinals get: Picks 4, 101 (R4), 144 (R5) and 225 (R7)
Tennessee gets Cam Ward some help in the form of Jeremiyah Love, doing their own version of the Trent Richardson trade from the 2012 draft.
Cardinals get: Picks 4, 101 (R4), 144 (R5) and 225 (R7)
Tennessee gets Cam Ward some help in the form of Jeremiyah Love, doing their own version of the Trent Richardson trade from the 2012 draft.
Cowboys get: Picks 4, 65 (R3) and 101 (R4)
Cardinals get: Picks 12, 20 and 112 (R4)
Dallas has hosted both Reese and Bailey, and the Cardinals seem to at least be entertaining the idea of a trade down. Let's get a bit spicy here! If Reese pans out, he could be like a lesser, albeit much cheaper version of Micah Parsons, who they traded to Green Bay a season ago instead of paying him themselves.
Cardinals get: Picks 12, 20 and 112 (R4)
Dallas has hosted both Reese and Bailey, and the Cardinals seem to at least be entertaining the idea of a trade down. Let's get a bit spicy here! If Reese pans out, he could be like a lesser, albeit much cheaper version of Micah Parsons, who they traded to Green Bay a season ago instead of paying him themselves.
Tight call for me here between standout Buckeye defenders Sonny Styles and Caleb Downs. I'll go with Styles, who could be John Harbaugh's version of Roquan Smith.
Chiefs get: Picks 6 and 39 (R2)
Browns get: Picks 9, 29 and a 2027 3rd round pick via LA Rams/Chiefs
Kansas City lost a lot from their secondary with trades (Trent McDuffie) and free agent departures (Jaylen Watson). They beef it back up by trading up for Downs, who could become the new tone setter on the back end in KC.
Browns get: Picks 9, 29 and a 2027 3rd round pick via LA Rams/Chiefs
Kansas City lost a lot from their secondary with trades (Trent McDuffie) and free agent departures (Jaylen Watson). They beef it back up by trading up for Downs, who could become the new tone setter on the back end in KC.
7.
Washington would probably hate to see all of Love, Styles and Downs off the board by the time they're picking. Unfortunately that's the scenario they're presented in this scenario. They pivot to LSU corner Mansoor Delane, who has firmly established himself as a shutdown, ballhawking corner these last two years.
Although I personally love USC WR Makai Lemon as a player, I'm not sure his personality will be for every team from what I'm gathering. That's why I'm going with Carnell Tate for the Saints this time around. He has no such questions about his character, and he's also a very good WR prospect in his own right. Coming out of the Ohio State/Brian Hartline factory, you know he'll be well prepared for life in the NFL.
9.
Cardinals get: Picks 9 and 24
Browns get: Picks 12, 20 and 143 (R5)
Arizona uses a bit of its extra draft capita to move up for Francis Mauigoa to give them a long-term answer at the right tackle position.
Browns get: Picks 12, 20 and 143 (R5)
Arizona uses a bit of its extra draft capita to move up for Francis Mauigoa to give them a long-term answer at the right tackle position.
After missing all of 2025 with a torn ACL, Jermod McCoy's pro day was a big one for both him as well as team's looking for a potential shutdown corner. He passed the test, and his draft stock appears to be back on the upswing again. His 2024 tape was outstanding, and now teams can feel like he's back and fully healthy again. Rueben Bain (more on him in a bit) or a different EDGE rusher also feel like possibilities with the Bengals.
Rolling with Fano here based on reports here that the Dolphins seem to really like him. He would bring inside/out versatility as well as an NFL-readiness to Miami. Plus I never think a team can go wrong with trying to build from the inside-out, so I wouldn't hate it.
Proctor has come up as a name for the Browns of late. He's a mountain of a man at 350 to 360 pounds, but is much more athletic than he appears. Cleveland did some work helping its offensive line in free agency and trades, but the left tackle spot is still a sore spot. That's where someone like Proctor or perhaps Georgia's Monroe Freeling could come in.
13.
Buccaneers get: Pick 13
Rams get: Picks 15, 116 (R4) and a 2027 4th round pick
Bain was always a bit of a polarizing prospect as it was with his very short arms. Now recent news that he was the driver in a car crash that left a passenger fatally injured has cropped up. Yikes. The Buccaneers decide to roll the dice, trading ahead of the Ravens to grab the Miami EDGE rusher.
Rams get: Picks 15, 116 (R4) and a 2027 4th round pick
Bain was always a bit of a polarizing prospect as it was with his very short arms. Now recent news that he was the driver in a car crash that left a passenger fatally injured has cropped up. Yikes. The Buccaneers decide to roll the dice, trading ahead of the Ravens to grab the Miami EDGE rusher.
14.
Prospect not selected
Unlike the Mendoza to the Raiders pick, I'm not 100 percent confident in this selection. But at the same time, Ioane just feels like such a perfect fit for the Ravens given their roster needs and what they like to do as a team. It's another pick I'm sticking with for now.
Adding Makai Lemon to the Rams offense would be almost unfair. Imagine him with Puka Nacua, Davante Adams and the RB duo of Kyren Williams and Blake Corum along with Matthew Stafford under center. The thought of it makes me shudder as a Seahawks fan, so I'm hoping it doesn't happen. But I'm not creating a mock draft based on what I do or do not want to happen, so Lemon is the Rams pick. And after a trade down no less that netted them two extra draft picks. Moving on!
Vikings get: Picks 16 and 140 IR4)
Jets get: Picks 18, 97 (R3) and 162 (R5)
Even if Harrison Smith returns for another season, he's much closer to the end of his career than the beginning. And I couldn't imagine a better replacement for him than Thieneman, who is one of my favorite players from this draft class. Minnesota feels like they might have to get ahead of the Lions to snag him, so they make the trade two spots up.
Jets get: Picks 18, 97 (R3) and 162 (R5)
Even if Harrison Smith returns for another season, he's much closer to the end of his career than the beginning. And I couldn't imagine a better replacement for him than Thieneman, who is one of my favorite players from this draft class. Minnesota feels like they might have to get ahead of the Lions to snag him, so they make the trade two spots up.
Picks 1-16
Picks 17-32