Russell Wilson to the Broncos, Deshaun Watson to the Browns, Davante Adams to the Raiders, and most recently Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins have each switched up the draft order since the last time I did a full first round mock draft. Past that, moves like franchise tags, other quarterback trades and free agent signings have affected what teams are likely to prioritize in the draft. That means it’s high time to do a new, fresh, first round mock draft with the updated draft order as of March 23rd. It was interesting to see what positions were prioritized, and to see how many quarterbacks ended up going in the first rounder. Spoiler alert: it ended up being more than I originally would’ve thought.
1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan EDGE
One of the more sure-thing, high-floor guys in the draft, Hutchinson appears to be the leader in the clubhouse to earn the first pick with the Jaguars locking up Cam Robinson. He and Josh Allen as a one two punch off the edge is something Jacksonville fans can get very excited about, particularly with their new free agency surge bolstering their offensive talent.
2. Detroit Lions: Malik Willis, Liberty QB
There’s other options here that could help other parts of their roster in the short term, but there’s enough to like with Willis that the Lions take a shot on him. He’s not a Day 1 starter, with only 2 years starting experience at a lower-level collegiate program after transferring from Auburn. But he has a competent starter to learn behind in Jared Goff, and if they Lions’ coaching staff can tap into his potential then Willis can be the man in Detroit for years to come.
3. Houston Texans: Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame S
With the draft capital the Texans just acquired from Cleveland, they can afford to take perhaps the best player in the draft even if it’s not ordinarily a position of high value. Hamilton passes any eye test you put him through, with sideline to sideline speed, uncanny instincts and the size to make big time tackles. Stick Hamilton in your secondary and use the rest of your draft capital elsewhere, Houston.
4. New York Jets: Evan Neal, Alabama OT
Whether they put Neal at left tackle and move Mekhi Becton to the right side, or just stick Neal at right tackle, the Jets could have the bookends of their offensive line for a decade. Neal is freakishly athletic for his size, played both tackle spots at Alabama, and played well even against the freak athletes on the Georgia defensive line in both matchups. If the Jets believe in Zach Wilson (I personally don’t, but alas) as their guy, Neal is going to make his life easier.
5. New York Giants: Ikem Ekwonu, NC State OT
Once you get past Andrew Thomas, the Giants have a lot of weakness in their offensive line, and if Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen want to give Daniel Jones a fair chance as they say, keeping him upright has to be the top priority. Watching Ekwonu, he’s a hard guy not to like, attacking every play with ferocity and toughness, which are traits the Giants need to readopt in order to get back to their winning ways. His versatility should allow him to play and play well just about anywhere the Giants feel to place him.
6. Carolina Panthers: Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh QB
I think the Panthers are tired of trying to bring in average/mediocre quarterbacks as a bridge to an unclear destination, and while they also need offensive line help, Pickett is the guy in this draft that’s most ready to step in and play immediately due to his age and experience. Hand size is a concern, and he doesn’t have off-the-charts arm strength, but his accuracy, athleticism and leadership are enough to make him a viable first round quarterback.
7. New York Giants: Ahmad Gardner, Cincinnati CB
This pick is a Big Ragu special, my Giants fan friend who, on the idea of taking Gardner vs a passer rusher, said “He (Wink Martindale) literally has said publicly he prefers a top man corner to a pass rusher any day of the week, that he can manufacture pressure with good secondary play.” And Gardner is the prototypical man corner, he’s big, athletic, fast, and his coverage stats are mind boggling. His only hurdle was playing Alabama as opposed to AAC competition, and he shut down Jameson Williams. Giants get their lockdown corner of the future.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon EDGE
With Marcus Mariota signing a 2 year deal the Falcons can get away with not taking a quarterback in this spot, and turn their focus to the awful pass rush. Thibodeaux has concerns with his maturity and effort, frankly I think the effort concerns are absurd, he wrecked games even after coming back from an injury for which he would not have been blamed had he sat out the rest of the season. The talent is too good to pass up in my opinion, especially at a position that has been lacking on this team for years.
9. Seattle Seahawks: Jermaine Johnson, Florida State EDGE
With the Seahawks trading Russell Wilson they appear to be in full rebuild mode, so they take a pass rusher that can help rebuild their fractured defense. Johnson broke out in 2021 and unleashed the talent that many thought was there all along. He has very few weaknesses, he’s a freak athlete, a very smart football player, and is productive against both the run and the pass. He may not have First Team All-Pro potential, but he will be a very productive player in this league for a long time.
10. New York Jets: Derek Stingley Jr, LSU CB
With their top pick going to help shore up the offensive line, the Jets turn to their pass defense, a unit that was horrendous in 2021. Stingley shined as a true freshman in 2019, was solid in 2020 in seven games, and then played just 3 games in 2021. If you’re high on Stingley, it’s because of talent, potential, and blaming his lackluster past two seasons on coaching turmoil at LSU. Which is definitely a gamble, but a worthwhile one because Stingley has a world of potential.
11. Washington Commanders: Trent McDuffie, Washington CB
I go back and forth between Stingley and McDuffie as CB2, and I had DSJ going first due to his hype and name recognition as a tie breaker. But McDuffie is a versatile corner, a very willing tackler in the run game, and can fit into just about any scheme. Washington has been a defensive back factory for some time, and McDuffie can be the next great one.
12. Minnesota Vikings: Travon Walker, Georgia EDGE
A Travon Walker draft pick is a gamble on his freakish athletic ability and overlooking a lack of actual production. The best way for an NFL to use him would be moving him around both inside and out to create advantageous matchups. I compare Walker to a more athletic version of Odafe Oweh, Ravens’ rookie pass rusher drafted from Penn State. He had so much potential coming out, but didn’t record a single sack his last year of college. Ultimately, Walker’s measureables win out and he ends up as a top 10-15 pick.
13. Houston Texans: George Karlaftis, Purdue EDGE
With the maybe-best player in the draft in Kyle Hamilton already in their pocket, the Texans turn their focus to repairing their once-proud pass rush. Karlaftis has had something of a slip in draft projections due to measurables and athleticism that don’t leap off the page compared to some of the other first round prospects, but just watch the tape and let your opinion of him surge. His motor is spectacular, his technique is as refined as anyone else in the class, and while he isn’t prime JJ Watt, he’ll still be very productive for the Texans’ defense for years to come.
14. Baltimore Ravens: Charles Cross, Mississippi State OT
A bit of a slide for a player that at one point seemed unlikely to fall past the top 10, the Ravens get a spectacular pass blocker who reportedly has improved a lot in run blocking. This needs to be true for the Ravens’ sake due to their emphasis on the running game, but they also need to encourage creating a clean pocket for Lamar Jackson the passer, which is where Cross is at his best.
15. Philadelphia Eagles: David Ojabo, Michigan EDGE
Ojabo suffered an Achilles injury at his pro day, which almost certainly rules out him playing Week 1 come next season, but he’s a talented enough prospect to slide too far, particularly for a team like the Eagles that has no shortage of draft capital. Assuming he makes a full recovery, Ojabo has off the charts athleticism and a great spin move. He needs more experience to maximize his potential, which is where the injury really hurts him, but the Eagles can afford to be patient.
16. Philadelphia Eagles: Garrett Wilson, Ohio State WR
In this pass-heavy league I could definitely see the first receiver coming off the board sooner, this is just how it shook out. Some would say it’s wrong for the Eagles to spend a first rounder on a receiver three straight years, but when you have three of them I think that precedent flies out the window, and it’s okay to admit they whiffed on the Jalen Reagor pick. But a 1-2 punch of Wilson and Devonta Smith could be lethal, with Wilson as a dynamic athlete who thrives with the ball in his hand and has spectacular ball skills on contested catches to boot.
17. Los Angeles Chargers: Jordan Davis, Georgia DT
One of the more intriguing prospects in the draft, if Davis can keep his weight down in the 330 pound range and in turn play 40 snaps a game, he drastically exceeds this mid-first round projection. If he can’t, then he’ll be a fine player but far from first round value. For the Chargers, it’s worth the risk given how poor their run defense was a year ago and that Davis will have the services of great pass rushers to control the edges and take that weight off his shoulders, just as he did at Georgia.
18. New Orleans Saints: Jameson Williams, Alabama WR
With the continued ambiguity of the Michael Thomas saga, the Saints need to shore up the depth in their receiver room, which stands currently as among the worst in the league. Williams is highly unlikely to be ready Week 1, and the Saints should be very patient with him and give him a full recovery. Because once he is healthy, he has 4.2 speed and acceleration to get by any one on one coverage, forcing opposing defenses to shift their focuses just by him being on the field.
19. Philadelphia Eagles: Roger McCreary, Auburn CB
The Eagles use their final first rounder to fill maybe their most pressing need, and get a guy in McCreary who led the SEC in pass breakups in 2021, has the speed to stick with receivers in man coverage, and has no fear of making open field tackles. I think the fact that his stock is falling merely due to short arms is utterly ridiculous, McCreary has everything you’d want in an NFL starting corner.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Kenyon Green, Texas A&M OG
If the Steelers want to get back to their roots and become a tough, power running team and play through Najee Harris, they need to boost the interior of their offensive line, and Green is the guy for the job. He can be plugged in and start immediately and give the Steelers a significant boost to a much maligned offensive line. And who knows, maybe a better offensive line and running game results in a career resurgence for Mitch Trubisky…
21. New England Patriots: Devin Lloyd, Utah LB
Lloyd has the build and skillset to be the perfect replacement for Donta Hightower, a big athletic linebacker who can get to the quarterback or drop into coverage on passing downs. But his best skillset is in the box as a run stopper, and further than that he just has “Patriot” written all over him, as silly as that sounds.
22. Green Bay Packers: Drake London, USC WR
With Davante Adams off to Las Vegas, this feels like a hand-in-glove fit for Green Bay. London is a big bodied receiver with tremendous ball skills, and has the physical traits to turn 50/50 balls into 80/20 balls. He’s not a burner but does have good speed for his size. With how barren the Packers’ wide receiver room is, London can step in and immediately be the number 1 option for Aaron Rodgers.
23. Arizona Cardinals: Boye Mafe, Minnesota EDGE
With the departure of Chandler Jones the Cardinals have a big hole on the defensive line, and Mafe’s combine and pro day performances have caused him to shoot up the boards. He’s still raw as a pass rusher, but is a good enough athlete that if the right coaching staff gets their hands on him he can turn into a very good player for a long time.
24. Dallas Cowboys: Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa OT
He can replace La’el Collins I suppose. I don’t know man, I don’t care to talk about Trevor Penning.
25. Buffalo Bills: DeMarvin Leal, Texas A&M DT
The Bills have been loading up on the defensive line the past few drafts, and I think they continue to do so here with a monster along the interior. Leal has a spectacular size and strength combo that should allow him to overpower opposing offensive lineman and could start right away on a Super Bowl contending roster.
26. Tennessee Titans: Chris Olave, Ohio State WR
Ohio State receiver number two goes off the board, with this need opening up for the Titans following the release of Julio Jones. They appear to be running it back with Ryan Tannehill despite his playoff flop, so the goal now becomes to help him out as much as possible. Olave is the silky smooth route runner with game breaker speed, which will pair nicely across from the strong, big bodied AJ Brown. These two plus Robert Woods when he returns from injury would be an excellent receiving corps.
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati QB
With Tom Brady returning for another year the Bucs vault right back into the immediate Super Bowl discussion, but they still need to look towards the future at the quarterback position. Ridder as a calm presence in the pocket with a strong, accurate arm and has very good athleticism to top it off. And there isn’t a better quarterback for a young quarterback to learn from than Tom Brady.
28. Green Bay Packers: Arnold Ebiketie, Penn State EDGE
I considered having the Packers double up on receivers in this loaded class, but with Za’Darius Smith departing they need to focus on their pass rush as well. Ebiketie is a bit of a project, having just one year of starting experience under his belt and being slightly undersized. But the physical traits are enough to entice Green Bay into snagging him here at the end of the first round.
29. Kansas City Chiefs: Kingsley Enagbare, South Carolina EDGE
With the Chiefs now having back to back firsts following the Tyreek Hill trade, they look towards their pass rush that struggled mightily in the playoffs as they were the only team that couldn’t get to to Joe Burrow during the Bengals’ playoff run. Enagbare has room for improvement as a run defender, but he has the right burst and strength to turn into an excellent pass rusher, which the Chiefs desperately need.
30. Kansas City Chiefs: Treylon Burks, Arkansas WR
With Juju Smith-Schuster on just a one year deal and Tyreek Hill departing for Miami, the Chiefs need to focus on replenishing their once-proud receiver depth. Burks has an outstanding combo of strength and speed, he doesn’t look like he should anywhere near as fast as he is. He doesn’t have Hill speed, but he has the tools to grow in to a number one option in the league.
31. Cincinnati Bengals: Zion Johnson, Boston College OG
The Bengals have worked in free agency on fixing their offensive line, but it was such a glaring issue, especially in the Super Bowl, that they continue to do so here. Boston College offensive lineman have a strong track record in the league, and at the guard spot Johnson is as technically sound as anyone in the draft. He doesn’t wow you with size, but he has everything needed to be an effective guard and help keep Joe Burrow upright.
32. Detroit Lions: Daxton Hill, Michigan S
With their quarterback of the future already taken care of, the Lions turn their attention to the other side of the ball and grab potentially the quarterback of the defense. While Aidan Hutchinson (rightfully so) got the headlines for Michigan, Daxton Hill was as important as anyone. He flies around the field for the ball, has the build to be a great tackler, and can immediately elevate the entire secondary with his presence.