Final mock draft!

By: Josh Frey-Sam

We made it.

Happy draft day, folks.

We’re marking the occasion the only way I know how — with my final mock draft of the cycle.

If you’ve paid any attention to this newsletter, or any news regarding the draft, the last week or so has been an absolute tornado of information, per usual.

A few things to look for tonight:

I) A trade inside the top five.

I’ve personally heard two different people announce this.

On Tuesday evening, it was reported that a team is preparing a major offer to acquire the No. 2 overall pick (Travis Hunter) from Cleveland. The Jaguars were one team connected to that scenario, with new GM James Gladstone looking to make his impact felt early. I don’t see this happening, but as a fan of drama on draft night, I’d welcome it.

On Wednesday morning, I watched a more ambiguous report that said a big shake-up in the top five could happen. To me, it would have to be the Patriots, who have already been rumoured as a team interested in trading back. The Giants also make sense here because they’re in the driver’s seat for Abdul Carter. If another team is head over heels for Carter — and if the Giants aren’t fully sold for some reason — this makes sense to get a haul for No. 3.

II) A run on pass rushers inside the top 10.

We know Carter will go top 10, but remember EDGE rushers Jalon Walker, Mykel Williams and Shemar Stewart. Picks 6-10 — held by the Raiders, Jets, Panthers, Saints and Bears, respectively — are all potential landing spots for these players, and if they’re gone, each of those teams could look inside at Mason Graham or Walter Nolen.

III) Few, but impactful trades.

Something stuck with me from earlier this off-season. Daniel Jeremiah, arguably the most trusted draft expert currently, stated that he missed the Dallas Cowboys of old. The team that was always in the running for big-time free agents and would never shy away from making a splash trade.

At the time, he said that was his own thought and that he had no basis for it, but I think they are, indeed, a team to watch.

Other teams to watch: the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks (trade back), and the Denver Broncos and the Houston Texans (trade up).

Now, let’s get to my mock draft.

Titans (No. 1): Today marks a new day in Nashville… they hope.

Browns (No. 2): Cleveland shouldn’t move off this pick unless they receive an offer they can’t refuse. They get the best player at the second pick.

Giants (No. 3): Half of the front office wants Shedeur Sanders here. The other half, including head coach Brian Daboll, wants nothing to do with him. They make the right pick by taking the best player available.

Patriots (No. 4): I had a thought — could Chicago trade up for Ashton Jeanty here? I’m sure the Pats would entertain the offer. Otherwise, they make the decision to protect Drake Maye.

Jaguars (No. 5): The Jags are considering Tet McMilan, Ashton Jeanty and Tyler Warren here. Everything points to Jeanty being the pick.

Raiders (No. 6): Most would tell you it’s between Armand Membou and Jalon Walker here. I think the Raiders offensive line is in decent shape as is. They add a difference maker to the defence.

Jets (No. 7): If he’s available here, Tyler Warren feels like the pick. SLEEPER: Jahdae Barron.

Panthers (No. 8): The pick could easily be one of Walter Nolan or Mason Graham. We go EDGE, though, stealing Williams right in front of the Saints.

TRADE Colts via Saints (No. 9): Though it was widely presumed already, HC Shane Steinchen basically gave away the Colts game plan earlier this week. They will need to trade up if they want one of the top two tight ends.

Bears (No. 10): Kelvin Banks Jr. is in play here, but the Bears still need help on that defensive front. Walter Nolen’s name has skyrocketed in the week — he’s a top 10 talent, but has character issues that a team will need to look past.

Niners (No. 11): The question is whether Membou can make the switch to left tackle. We don’t need to know right away, and a year understudying one of the best blindside protectors of all time, Trent Williams, should have him ready to become a solid starter in a year.

Cowboys (No. 12): Call this a gut pick. Matthew Golden is a better fit, but I think the Cowboys ultimately go with McMillan.

Dolphins (No. 13): A lot of people will look to LT here. My understanding is the Fins are OK riding with Patrick Paul, who they drafted in the 2nd round last year. With Jalen Ramsey on his way out the door, CB takes precedence.

Saints via Colts (No. 14): Stewart is a player I think the Saints could stick and pick at 10, but in this case, they get extra draft capital and get Stewart. He is the athletic freak of this draft class.

Falcons (No. 15): The Falcons and Bengals are two teams that are reportedly willing to look past some character flaws. Mike Green is one of those players in question, but the talent is undeniable. Atlanta finally lands their pass rusher.

Cardinals (No.16): The Cards should certainly be on the hunt for a cornerback, but here they land a falling star in Mason Graham. Outstanding value here.

Bengals (No. 17): Looks like I’m dying on this hill. Everyone and their dog has Cincy taking an EDGE or IDL. We’re zagging by taking Zabel, who can start at guard immediately and likely flip to centre for the next 10 years.

TRADE Giants via Seahawks (No. 18): Daniel Jeremiah predicted this trade in his final mock draft, and I think he knows something. The Giants are split internally on Shedeur Sanders, but they believe in Dart. They get their QB of the future and inject some hope into this fan base. If this happens, the Hawks become a marquee team to watch with SIX PICKS on Day 2 (Giants part with picks 34 and 65).

Buccaneers (No. 19): There are question marks in this secondary. Barron’s versatility immediately bolsters this group.

Broncos (No. 20): Denver doesn’t need to be aggressive. They wait and land their “joker” in Henderson.

Steelers (No. 21): This has to be Shedeur Sanders, right? Not so fast. I still think the Steelers land a veteran QB. Omarion Hampton takes over the role left behind by Najee Harris.

Chargers (No. 22): The easy pick here is Kenneth Grant, who the Chargers’ staff knows well. This offence needs more, though. Egbuka and McConkey would be awesome.

Packers (No. 23): I still think cornerback is very much in play here, but it would be special if the Packers snapped a 23-year streak of not selecting a receiver in the first round while hosting the draft.

TRADE Browns via Vikings (No. 24): The Browns stay patient and land Sanders late, reuniting him with Hunter. The Vikes need the picks.

Texans (No. 25): It’s gonna be a long night for Texans fans, who could be begging for their team to trade up for an offensive lineman. They stay patient and land a gem in Banks Jr., who could go as high as 10 tonight.

Rams (No. 26): Tough to predict the Rams. I don’t think they’ll consider QB here. They understand their window is right now and are focused on maximizing that. Campbell can flat out fly sideline to sideline. He fills a need in the middle of the defence.

Ravens (No. 27): Guard — either Tyler Booker or Donovan Jackson — wouldn’t surprise me here. The Ravens have talked about adding a safety all offseason, though.

Lions (No. 28): Love the fit here for Booker, whose rugged play style matches Dan Campbell’s character. He’s a plug-and-play Day 1 starter.

Commanders (No. 29): The Commanders are in a good position to just sit and take whoever falls to them. Pearce Jr. has some character concerns, but he might end up being the most productive rookie next season.

Bills (No. 30): The Bills should also look at cornerback here, but the value with Kenneth Grant at this point is too good to pass up, especially for a team that needs depth at IDL.

Chiefs (No. 31): Simmons is a steal here, plain and simple. He should be able to flip to RT, where he played as a freshman.

Eagles (No. 32): Harmon presents a tremendous value at this point for the Eagles, who continue to trust the process.

Enjoy the draft tonight!

Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

Josh