The draft just changed in a major way. The Giants are now heading into Thursday night with the No. 5 and No. 10 overall picks after the blockbuster trade that sent Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals, and that means mocks everywhere have to be corrected. Mel Kiper just put out his final mock last week, his and all other mocks are now obsolete. Well no really, but they are definitely going to suffer in accuracy points. I am kidding but this is the life as an NFL media member or an NFL fan. Things change quickly and without warning.
Based on the lesson we learn from the Ravens earlier this off-season, most will wait until after the physical to re-work their mock draft. But, I am going to assume that the trade goes through as planned and as reported by NFL.com.
So this is the first full first round mock draft after that move, and now the board looks a little different. Let’s go through the whole thing pick by pick.
Las Vegas Raiders, Pick #1, Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
For the Raiders, Fernando Mendoza, that is a lock already. Everybody knows Fernando Mendoza is going number one overall and they need a quarterback, so this thing just makes too much sense. They have their head coach now, the guy who was the offensive coordinator for the Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks, so they are good to go from that standpoint. Fernando Mendoza is definitely worthy of that first pick overall, and for the Raiders that one feels knocked out already.
New York Jets, Pick #2, David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
David Bailey to me is the best pass rusher in this draft. He is the most polished and explosive, and when you watch him come off the edge, he just looks dangerous every single time. He runs in the 4.5 range and he looked very, very dangerous in the playoffs, so I think this is a great number two overall pick. The theme for the Jets in this mock is getting back what they lost, and Bailey helps them start doing that immediately.
Arizona Cardinals, Pick #3, Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
Now I was skeptical about going this route for Arizona because they drafted Isaiah Simmons before, and he was supposed to be everything in the world defensively. He was supposed to be a chess piece you could put at corner, linebacker, safety, all over the place, and it just never really became what they thought it would be. Arvell Reese is different because he is not all over the place like that. He is somebody you are really talking about as an edge rusher or linebacker, and I think limiting him to those spaces gives him a much better chance to hit, because the athlete is unreal and he absolutely blew up the combine.
Tennessee Titans, Pick #4, Jeremiyah Love, HB, Notre Dame
You need somebody to go with Cam Ward, and that is why I have Jeremiyah Love here. Yes, they already have backs, and yes, those guys can play, but the problem is neither one of them is Jeremiyah Love. Love is that 4.37 kind of guy who can jump over people and turn ordinary touches into highlight plays, and he feels like a quarterback’s best friend because you can dump it off to him and watch him go. At number four, I think this is a real weapon pick and one that helps your young quarterback right away.
New York Giants, Pick #5, Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
I am hearing a lot of rumblings for the Giants that they like Jordyn Tyson. He just had a great workout, and from everything being said, he killed it in the position drills and showed people he is healthy and ready to rock. He did not give you the timed measurables like a forty, but he gave teams what they wanted to see, and that late momentum can absolutely push a player up. So at number five I still have the Giants going Jordyn Tyson because the buzz is real, and now with the extra top ten pick they can attack both sides of the ball.
Cleveland Browns, Pick #6, Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
The Browns just do not have weapons. That is the bottom line for me, and when you are sitting here with a player like Carnell Tate on the board, I think you have to think hard about it. Most people believe Carnell Tate is WR1 or at least right there in that conversation, and I understand people may want offensive line here. But I think the temptation to get a weapon for that offense is just too great, and I have them taking Carnell Tate at six because they need somebody who can truly help change the look of that passing game.
Washington Commanders, Pick #7, Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (FL)
When I look at Washington here, I think adding edge help makes too much sense. Rueben Bain Jr. has been a guy who has shown he can get after the quarterback, and that matters in a spot like this. Some people may debate him against other edge players in the class, but I still think the ability is there and the value lines up here. At seven, Washington gets a pass rusher who can help them immediately and continue building the identity of that defense.
New Orleans Saints, Pick #8, Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
The Saints select Caleb Downs, and I really believe this is a real possibility. Caleb Downs should not really fall any further than number eight in my opinion because he is just too smart and too useful. In Brandon Staley’s defense, there is that star role, that slot corner slash safety role, and if you paid attention to his defenses before, that spot matters a whole lot. Caleb Downs is one of the smartest guys in the draft and one of the most versatile, so if the Saints do not go wide receiver here, this makes a lot of sense to me.
Kansas City Chiefs, Pick #9, Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
Mansoor Delane is the best cornerback in this draft to me. He is CB1, hands down, and the Chiefs need help there because they lost both of their cornerbacks and have not fully replaced them. Kansas City has done a very good job over the years of losing talent at corner and then just re-upping, and this feels like that same kind of move. Delane at nine feels like a perfect marriage because you are taking the top player at a position of need and keeping the machine going.
New York Giants, Pick #10, Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
Now this is where the trade changes everything. Before the trade, I had Sonny Styles going to the Bengals here because the Bengals needed help on that defense, period, but now this is the Giants’ pick and I think Sonny Styles still fits beautifully. Harbaugh has always had great middle linebackers and great tone-setters in the middle of his defense, Ray Lewis being the name everybody goes to first, and I think he wants another great linebacker here to build around. Sonny Styles is a freak of nature, a 6-foot-5 athlete with safety background, 4.4 speed, range, coverage ability, and ball tracking, so now the Giants come away with a weapon at five and a defensive centerpiece at ten.
Miami Dolphins, Pick #11, Makai Lemon, WR, USC
The Dolphins go after Makai Lemon, who some believe could be the number one wide receiver in this draft. I do not think that personally, and I have been watching the film waiting for something to click for me and it just has not fully clicked yet. But I do know he is tough, and I do know he reminds me of that Jarvis Landry type of player, a guy who may not be the most explosive traits-wise but just plays the position well. Miami needs weapons and a lot of guys are already off the board, so I can absolutely see Makai Lemon going here at eleven.
Dallas Cowboys, Pick #12, Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
There has been a link for a while between Dillon Thieneman and the Dallas Cowboys. They are looking for help in that defensive secondary and I think Thieneman is a really good selection here. I have heard rumors that Dallas could get aggressive and maybe even try to move around for a player like Sonny Styles, but with Styles now off the board to the Giants, staying put and taking Thieneman makes even more sense. If they stay right there at 12, I think he can help out that defense in a major way.
Los Angeles Rams, Pick #13, Francis Mauigoa, T, Miami (FL)
The Rams need help on the offensive line, and I think Francis Mauigoa is a good answer for that. I did think about some other possibilities here because if a wide receiver were sitting there, maybe they get excited, and there are always interesting names like Kenyon Sadiq that could make things fun. But when I look at what the Rams need most, I keep coming back to the line of scrimmage. This is one of those picks where you just take the trench help and keep it moving.
Baltimore Ravens, Pick #14, Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State
The Ravens have lost some help on that offensive line, and this feels like a Ravens pick all day long. Olaivavega Ioane is the number one guard in the draft to me, and if you have a shot to get him, I think you take him. Baltimore generally selects in the trenches around this time anyway, so this just feels like one of those slam dunk, cannot go wrong type of picks. He fits them, he fits the value, and he fits what they normally do.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Pick #15, Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
Denzel Boston to Tampa Bay makes a lot of sense to me. They lose Mike Evans and have had Mike Evans for a long time, so the idea here is going to get another tall, big, rangy wide receiver who can make contested catches. In a lot of people’s eyes, Denzel Boston is a first round talent, and I agree with that. They did well restocking wide receiver before, and I think they keep doing that here with another big-bodied outside target.
New York Jets, Pick #16, Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
This could be a spot for Ty Simpson, so I do not want people to think I missed that possibility. But I do not think that is where the Jets go here, because again the theme for them in this mock is replacing talent they lost. They lost help along the defensive front, they replaced that with David Bailey at two, and then they lost a major corner piece and now they replace that here with Jermod McCoy. I think this is a clean and logical continuation of what they started earlier in the round.
Detroit Lions, Pick #17, Monroe Freeling, T, Georgia
Monroe Freeling goes to the Detroit Lions here, and I know some people may have something to say about where I have some of these offensive linemen slotted. But one thing about this class is there are so many right tackles in it, and true left tackle prospects are not just all over the place. Monroe Freeling is one of those guys some people believe could be the number one left tackle in the draft, and Detroit needing help there makes this a very sensible pick. At 17, I think this is strong value for a premium need.
Minnesota Vikings, Pick #18, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
The Vikings need help at safety and in that back end. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is a player I think is definitely a first round talent, even if some people may think this is a touch high. I do not think it is too high because fit matters, need matters, and he is a good football player. Minnesota gets somebody here who can help clean up the back end and give them a strong piece in the secondary.
Carolina Panthers, Pick #19, Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
Last year Carolina went out and drafted a wide receiver in the first round, and that player went on to become Rookie of the Year, so I think they got a slam dunk there. Even with that, I still think they keep trying to fill out that receiver room and give Bryce Young more help. Omar Cooper Jr. lit it up for Fernando Mendoza and has played well at Indiana for quite some time. I think he is a really good target here and a really nice complementary piece to what they added last year.
Dallas Cowboys, Pick #20, Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
This is the fun pick, and I know some people will not like it. But if you are Dallas and you have the opportunity, why not add a Kenyon Sadiq to your offense. They already have weapons, but Sadiq gives them something different, something explosive in the middle of the field. This is how you turn a strength into a super strength, and with two first-round picks, Dallas can afford to do it.
Pittsburgh Steelers, Pick #21, Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
At 21, I know a lot of people are still holding out hope for Aaron Rodgers. I am not one of those people because I think Aaron should hang it up and I think he looked like a player who just did not have it anymore. Because of that, I think Pittsburgh needs to start over and at least begin thinking about the quarterback of the future. I understand there may be trepidation because of how things have gone with late first round quarterbacks before, but Ty Simpson sitting here makes a lot of sense to me.
Los Angeles Chargers, Pick #22, Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon
The Chargers had so many problems on the offensive line last year. I know they went out and got Trevor Penning thinking he could solve one of those issues, and he did not. So when I look at this spot, I think they have to invest in the offensive line again, and Emmanuel Pregnon is one of the guards in this draft I really believe in. There are only a couple of guards I think are properly valued in the first round, and Pregnon is one of them.
Philadelphia Eagles, Pick #23, Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami (FL)
When the Eagles come up, my first thought is always to start looking for the defensive player that makes the most sense in their front. I did think about a linebacker like CJ Allen, but I think the help they could use on the defensive line pushes this toward Akheem Mesidor. Some people thought it was clear that Rueben Bain was the better player, but if you really watched the games there were times when Mesidor looked like the better prospect to me. He is older, yes, but sometimes with an older prospect what you get is somebody who is more ready to go right away, and that works for Philly.
Cleveland Browns, Pick #24, Kadyn Proctor, T, Alabama
I have been hearing rumblings that the Browns really, really like Kadyn Proctor. I did think about maybe putting him there at six because if they truly love him, maybe they go get him early. But because I thought the need for a weapon was just too great, they waited and somehow still ended up with Proctor here. His tape is what is going to keep him from going top ten because it is just too inconsistent, but at 24 this is a much easier swing to take. If Cleveland can come away with Carnell Tate and Kadyn Proctor in round one, that is a really strong night for them.
Chicago Bears, Pick #25, Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
The Bears are in a spot where edge help makes a lot of sense. I do not totally put them out of the Cam Jordan conversation because of the Dennis Allen connection, even if that is not the loudest storyline right now. But if they are thinking about bringing in a young edge like Keldric Faulk, adding a veteran later to help him along makes a lot of sense too. Faulk gives them a young pass rusher to keep developing, and I think that would be a good look for Chicago.
Buffalo Bills, Pick #26, CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
The Bills need help at linebacker, and CJ Allen is right there. At this point he would be linebacker three for me behind Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, but that does not mean he is not worth this spot. Buffalo can still use some help there, and Allen is the kind of player who fits what they need. Sometimes it is just about taking the right football player at the right need, and that is what this feels like.
San Francisco 49ers, Pick #27, Spencer Fano, T, Utah
The 49ers kind of retooled that offensive line, but I still think Spencer Fano makes sense for them here. This is a franchise that usually understands the value of building up front, and this pick stays in line with that. Fano gives them another young piece to continue shoring up that group. It may not be the flashiest pick in the round, but it is one of those solid football decisions that keeps a roster strong.
Houston Texans, Pick #28, Kayden McDonald, DI, Ohio State
The Texans go Kayden McDonald here because I think they are looking for some help on that interior defensive line. Even though Sheldon Rankins did play well, he is getting a little bit older, and you still have to think about the future and rotation there. McDonald gives them a big body inside and a player who can help fortify that front. This is another one of those picks that just makes football sense more than headline sense.
Kansas City Chiefs, Pick #29, Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
Remember I talked about themes in this draft. One of those themes was getting back what you lost, and for Kansas City that means the secondary. They lost both cornerbacks, so in the first round here they get the number one cornerback on a lot of boards in Mansoor Delane and then come back and get another corner in Avieon Terrell. Boom, boom, and now you are back to retooling that room in one night, which is exactly the kind of thing smart teams do.
Miami Dolphins, Pick #30, KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
The other theme in this mock is also retooling, and for Miami that means replacing what you lost at wide receiver. You lose Waddle, you lose Tyreek Hill, and how do you replace that kind of speed and production? It is hard, but what you can do is attack the position twice in round one, and that is what I have them doing with Makai Lemon and now KC Concepcion. KC is dangerous, and I do believe in him, especially with the confidence he has shown in telling teams flat out that he thinks he is the best receiver in this draft.
New England Patriots, Pick #31, Caleb Banks, DI, Florida
Caleb Banks is a player I am just a fan of straight up. Yes, he missed some time with injury, but he is a big dude and he killed the Senior Bowl, and I got a chance to see some of that up close. I even got to interact with him down there, and he was patient, cool, and just seemed like a really solid young man, so I am not even vibing with any bad stuff people may try to throw on his name. I think him going to the Patriots would be a really good look, and I am rooting for him.
Seattle Seahawks, Pick #32, T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson
Last but not least, the Seahawks get T.J. Parker. I like T.J. Parker for them because they need help at edge, and this is a player who was supposed to be top ten easy at one point in the process. But the Clemson guys did not have a good season, and because of that they have fallen in this mock more than some people would have expected. Seattle getting him at 32 feels like a steal, and it is exactly the kind of late first-round value that can make a really good team look smart.
That is my corrected first-round mock draft after the Giants trade, and now the biggest change on the board is simple: the Giants walk into Thursday night with a chance to add a true wide receiver weapon at No. 5 and then come right back at No. 10 and grab Sonny Styles, the kind of linebacker Harbaugh has always loved building around. That is a big-time way to reshape a roster in one round. This draft is almost here, and I am excited for it.
By the way, Peter Woods is still on the board. Blake Miller, Cashius Howell, Max Iheanachor are all still on the board. The availability of those guys on Day 2 of the draft would make Friday extremely interesting. If you hate this mock of love it feel free to leave a comment. I would love to have some discussions heading into Draft Week.
