Penn State

Pittsburgh is in a bit of a rebuild. This pick could definitely be an offensive tackle, as their line is just atrocious. I spent over $50 in last year’s fantasy draft on Najee Harris, only for him to be nerfed by his own teammates and play caller. Najee, I still believe in you. But, they get the best secondary player left on the board. Joey’s father famously played OLB for the Steelers from 1999-2006. The son has played for Penn State the last few years, allowing 143 yards last year as a slot corner.

Notre Dame

Lions get their replacement for TJ Hockenson at pick #18. Ideally, the Bengals would want him to fall into the mid-20s. A stud TE would open the field for Burrow, alongside their great receiver and running back groups. I could definitely see the Lions select a defensive player here as well, as I had Bijan Robinson mocked to them at pick #6. Or, they could trade out. The Lions offense would be unstoppable if they added a star running back and tight end.

Iowa

The Bucs are gonna have their head cut off. Brady left, Bowles is likely to stay, and an uninspired roster remains. Will Jameis make a return to Tampa? They’ll take the best player available in an effort to be competitive in the future. Looking at the history of the franchise, they’ll likely be back to the bottom soon enough.

USC

The Seahawks were supposed to be a bottom three team this year. Pete Carroll bet on Geno Smith and made it to the playoffs. They’ll likely have Smith for another year or two, and will need to find his successor sometime in the near future. Tuipulotu had 22 TFL and 13.5 sacks last year for the Trojans - great numbers for a college DT! The Seahawks continue to build on the next generation of their defense.

Michigan

The Chargers could use some more talent on the defensive line after missing out on Jordan Davis last year. They could also look to add a skill player in a WR, or an offensive lineman to protect Justin Herbert. Mazi Smith could help improve the run defense for LA. Brandon Staley should’ve been canned after this season. He is not a leader of men and is an emotional decision maker. As a wise person said on an Internet forum, if someone asked Staley how he would get to the bottom floor of a building from the top the fastest, he would just jump off the building. That’s how his play calling feels in pivotal moments.

Ohio State

Lamar Jackson needs depth at WR, and Marquise Brown is now in Arizona. The Ravens need to score points to win, and leaning on Lamar Jackson to do it all is a losing bet when you factor in injury risk and stifling defenses. If JSN is still here, they could select him here at pick #22. He may not be a true #1 WR like Quentin Johnston, but he does not need to be. In the 2021 season while playing behind Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, he still managed to catch 94 passes for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns.

Alabama

The Vikings seemingly will part ways with Dalvin Cook, unless they restructure his deal. Gibbs is projected to be a Kamara-type. He has the capability to catch the ball, meaning he could be a three-down back. In recent history, there has been great value for RB outside of the first round, so the Vikings could select a linebacker or receiver if there are any fitting prospects at pick #23.

Georgia

Ringo projects to be a similar player to current Jaguar Tyson Campbell. He has elite size for a corner, but is said to play stiff. The Jaguars D started off well, but weaned off of success later into the season. A new defensive end could also help add pressure to opposing offenses. The Jaguars should be good on offense, unless they want another offensive lineman. I think they should be fine for now, gauging how they did towards the end of the season and with the addition of Calvin Ridley next year.

USC

Yeah, the Giants still need receivers badly. Daniel Jones will be showered with virgins in the afterlife for dealing with the roster and management during his tenure. Addison could go earlier, but would be a good fit in New York. Playing with Kenny Pickett at Pittsburgh, Addison racked up 1593 yards and 17 touchdowns on 100 catches. Those stats stick out to me as something that can translate to the professional level with good QB play.

Arkansas

Leighton Vander Esch could leave in free agency, and has been injured quite a bit in his career so far. The Cowboys make another terrific defensive selection with Arkansas’ Drew Sanders. He is a 6’5” middle linebacker that will make an impact for the Dallas defense. The Cowboys should have changed up their backfield for next season. Zeke said that he’d take a pay cut, but he kinda sucks. Pollard got injured badly and needs a new contract. If one of these players is not back for Dallas next year, look for the Cowboys to select a RB early in the draft. Another WR is certainly a possibility to take heat off of CeeDee Lamb.

Maryland

It became evident deep into the playoffs that the Bills did not have a good enough line to protect Josh Allen, especially an injured Josh Allen. The QB, like Matt Stafford, has a UCL injury. In baseball, this usually translates to Tommy John surgery. Jaelyn Duncan can play across from Dion Dawkins and help to protect the QB. This pick could also be a linebacker if Edmunds leaves, or a safety. The Bills can fill their WR needs via free agency or trade. They messed up by not taking my advice of drafting Breece Hall last year.

South Carolina

Cam Smith has good physical traits and has played well for South Carolina. This pick isn’t of the highest talent level, but fits a definite depth need for the Bengals. Pick #28 could also be an offensive lineman, or even a tight end. It’s always a good idea to protect your franchise QB. The Bengals threw too much money at fringe offensive line starters last offseason and said the cooking was complete. They still need a star lineman or two.

Georgia

The Broncos desperately need to make Russell Wilson look good. New ownership does not want one player to be the reason for the sunk cost of an entire franchise. Russell Wilson is another one of those devout self-righteous guys. Would God want you to spend your time praying to him or would he want you to help other people/the environment and improve yourself? Or maybe just increase complexity and information transfer through continually evolving consciousness and technological innovation in order for the overall system to learn and perfect itself? They gave up way too much to take Russell off Seattle’s hands, and will be screwed for a decade. They grab a tackle that could end up higher by the time the 2023 draft comes along and hope for the best.

Notre Dame

The Eagles will need to figure out who they want to keep on defense, as they are in a tough cap situation. A new defensive end could help add pressure to opposing offenses. Statistically, Foskey has not jumped off the page, but scouts like his physical makeup and potential. The Eagles should be good on offense, unless they want another offensive lineman or a running back. I think they should be fine for now, gauging how the offense did all season and into the playoffs. CJ Gardner-Johnson may have outplayed a contract offer from Philly. Therefore, they have a hole to fill at safety as well. The Eagles already had a pick at #10, and could afford to break this pick into a few more. I could see a team trading up Anthony Richardson if he’s still available here, as it gives them the potential 5th-year option which can be pivotal for a franchise.

Boston College

The Chiefs could look to beef up their WR corps with the last pick of the first round. Zay Flowers is the best separator in the draft, which is perfect for the Chiefs offense. There are a few other WRs that could be taken here like Jalin Hyatt, but Zay Flowers is commonly ranked pretty high. The Chiefs are the team to beat for the time being.