Predictive Mock 2.0

The only pick in this draft that is essentially set in stone.

After being the favorite for quite a while, recent momentum has swung back in favor of David Bailey being the pick. Realistically, both have a good chance to become the franchise's chosen defensive cornerstone. Those who say David Bailey is more likely due to the defensive system fit ignore the reality that Aaron Glenn is probably gone next season anyways. They have Frank Reich calling plays guys, these coaches aren't here to stay. I do think Reese profiles as the higher upside player, with the elite testing and Micah Parsons comparisons, and for that I think the Jets might go with him.

The Cardinals are very likely looking to trade back from this pick. The issue is, I have a really hard time finding a willing trade partner. There's buzz for the Cowboys, but they'd have to give up both first rounders, and they lack a second round pick, making it hard to address other defensive needs in their linebackers and secondary. It comes back to the fact that the 3rd overall pick is too expensive for a player in this draft that isn't Arvell Reese. If they do end up sticking and picking, I think it'll be Mauigoa. Ossenfort has prioritized high-floor, pro-ready players at premium positions, and Mauigoa fits that bill. It's reminiscent of the Chargers taking Alt a few years ago. It may seem a bit early and not very flashy, but it builds them for the future.

I guess I'll be the first one to call this. As someone who's been mocking Styles out of the top-10 for a while, this is new to me too. But it makes sense. I don't see Jeremiah Love. They can survive with their RBs this year and RB top 4 might be too rich for Borgonzi. They paid Wandale, so I doubt it's receiver. Offensive line is a need, but with Mauigoa gone, and simply the fact that they're visiting all these day 2 lineman tells me they're going another direction. That leaves defense, where they go for a high impact player. For a while I was mocking Bain, but we've seen character concerns drop players before, which leaves Styles, Downs, and maybe Bailey. Styles' elite athletic upside will make him a favorite, and who better to coach him than the guy who coached Fred Warner.

Another under-discussed move here. I guess the Titans should draft Love to get a dominant offensive weapon for their year-2 QB, but the Giants, who way less needs, can't? Even if you love Skat, you have to admit he can't be expected to hold up as your #1 back with his playstyle. But add Love to the mix, and you've got the best one-two rushing attack in the league, and possibly NFL history.

TRADE!! To me, this is either Carnell Tate or a trade-down for the Browns. I'm pretty 50/50 on it, given how difficult it is to predict trades. However, the Browns have been willing to stack picks before and they could end up with an extra top 20 selection. The Cowboys don't really need pick #24, especially if the think they could end up with a superstar pass rusher. Cowboys also send 112 and get 39 in return. David Bailey is the selection because they'll probably like the hometown sack artist.

Given how the board has fallen, to me this is either Downs or Delane. Can't you just picture the Commanders leaving receiver for day two and drafting defense? Quinn needs a superstar in the middle of his defense. To me, that guy is Downs. He's the incredible safety prospect from Ohio State. To me, that beats out a good but not blue chip corner prospect.

Bain or Tate? Tate means yet another Ohio St WR who pairs perfectly (and possibly replaces), Chris Olave. And then there's Bain. Yes, he's got the terrible 2022 incident. But fuck arm length, it's hard to argue he's not the best college player in the draft. As long as he clears the character concerns, he will be taken high, and the Saints have reportedly been all over him. I'd be willing to bet Mickey Loomis will be agonizing over this himself if both end up falling. I also have a feeling they'll be looking for a way to secure both players by trading for the Rams first this year. Under that logic, Tate is the guy who's way less likely to fall, and given their current WR need as well ass their desire to support their year-2 QB, I think Tate goes.

Either Bane or Sadiq. Bane is exactly the type of player the Chiefs would be willing to take a chance on despite the concerns. However, with Sadiq, the Chiefs get to continue their historic tight end bloodline and gain an immediate contributor who can learn from Kelce. I've been saying for months that Sadiq would be a top 15 pick, and he's been steadily rising the close we've gotten to the draft. The NFL loves physical freaks, and he's got that plus great tape to match. It doesn't matter that he doesn't block, teams don't care about that if he's one of the elite tight end weapons. EDIT: As I was reading about Chiefs-Bane rumors, I saw that he was cited for reckless driving in 2025, a year after someone died as a result of his reckless driving. To me, that represents a major character concern. That Franchise Guy is already saying "How could we let the Chiefs get him," but what if the Chiefs don't want him?

Giants make a full upgrade to their offense. I kept saying they wouldn't take O-line at pick 5, so now all that 1st round O-line buzz makes sense to me. Vega perfectly matches a Harbaugh pick.

Yeah we've got some guys falling. I know they need corner, but Green Bay operated for years without investing in first round corners. They just paid Malik Willis and legitimately have the worst WR room I've seen in years. Makai Lemon is a really high floor prospect with the ceiling of Amon Ra. The other option is Tyson, who will probably be viewed by most of the league as better, but has the injury concerns attached to him. We've seen injuries drop players before, so I'll say Lemon.

Now with three first round picks, it becomes even harder to say. I still think O-line or Receiver, it depends on a lot of factors; are they in on Tyson? how do they view the other receivers? who will likely be available? Is there a tackle they're higher on? I tend to think Tyson will appear to them to be the hotter commodity at a more current need.

TRADE!! The Saints fantasy becomes a reality. Rams don't have major needs and always seem to be willing to trade their first rounder. In this case, the Rams get a some sort of haul, and the Saints come out of this draft with two guys they love. An extra 2027 pick and pick 42 this year also sets them up for either QB contingency: Simpson or next year.

I tend to think they'll buff their offensive line over their defense given the issues last season, but maybe I'm wrong. Fano makes sense, as he can play guard this season and fill in for Stanley when he inevitably misses time.

Delane is still on the board, but their bigger need is definitely edge. Depends on how they view Benjamin Morrison. Also maybe they try to trade back and nab Mesidor later. But I think he makes sense despite his age as a very high floor pass rusher being added to a very poor pass rush.

Hard to imagine Delane falling any farther. Delane is a very hot prospect, and the Jets with their dire need for contributors on defense should snatch him up. In general, I think Delane's lack of size could stop him from being viewed as a truly great corner worth taking top 12.