The NFL Draft inspires hope for fans of teams incapable of providing their own. Annually, there are examples of teams that make the correct decisions and reach a higher competitive level. Where would the Chargers be if they had not taken Justin Herbert? What if Arizona had stuck with Josh Rosen rather than making the controversial decision to pick Kyler Murray? Those are the dreams on which fans can sell themselves when new talent is added to the roster.
The draft order below was determined using SportsLine's Super Bowl odds through Week 3 but in reverse order.
Let's kick this off!
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
Positional value was a topic of hot debate last year when the Bengals chose between an offensive tackle and a wide receiver. The Jets could face a Sophie's choice between an edge rusher and cornerback: Kayvon Thibodeaux vs. Derek Stingley Jr. The hit rate on early edge rusher picks has been better than cornerback.
|
Round 1 - Pick 2
Jacksonville does not really need a cornerback or a safety right now. They invested in cornerback last offseason and there is not a big need at safety for a team that plays a lot of Cover 1. They drafted Andre CIsco last year.
|
Round 1 - Pick 3
Houston goes from Deshaun Watson to Malik Willis. Willis is not blemish resistant by any means but the reality is that need will drive quarterbacks up the board.
|
Round 1 - Pick 4
Kyle Hamilton is a smart, instinctual player that is capable of showing his range or making plays downhill. Lions head coach Dan Campbell will appreciate how he approaches the game.
|
Round 1 - Pick 5
If the Giants are picking this early, change is in order. General manager Dave Gettleman would likely be gone and head coach Joe Judge could follow shortly thereafter. It is not unreasonable to think that a new regime will want its own quarterback.
|
From
Chicago Bears
Round 1 - Pick 6
New York needs add much talent as it can fit through the door, and if they reach that point, take the hinges off. Derek Stingley Jr. is the last of the blue-chip defensive prospects available.
|
Round 1 - Pick 7
I'm not going to re-visit my stubborn belief that Atlanta should have taken a quarterback in April. I'm just not going to do it. I'm not going to say that the Falcons should have taken a quarterback over Kyle Pitts. Matt Corral represents a bigger leap of faith but the team needs hope for the future.
|
Round 1 - Pick 8
Jackson Carman could prove to be fine in time. In the mean time, Cincinnati adds more competition at the position. There is no such thing as too many options to protect Joe Burrow. The fans have seen the potential when the LSU Tiger is upright.
|
Round 1 - Pick 9
Demarvin Leal has the flexibility to play on the edge or condense inside depending on the package. Philadelphia has always believed in strong offensive and defensive lines. Both units are aging and could use some attention before it becomes too little, too late.
|
Round 1 - Pick 10
Sam Howell has struggled at times without his cache of skill talent from last year. The true version of Howell is likely somewhere between what we saw last season and the low point that everyone witnessed in the opener. He may not be a tractor capable of pulling others around but Ron Rivera can trust him to serve as a megaphone for the coaching staff's message.
|
Round 1 - Pick 11
There is still a lot of work to be done on that unit. The idea that a strong offensive line is more indicative of a good run game has been validated this season. As talented as Najee Harris is, he has only been able to manage 3.1 yards per carry.
|
From
Miami Dolphins
Round 1 - Pick 12
Darian Kinnard is a mauler in the run game and has been getting more acclimated to pass protection every week. Kinnard's future is on the interior where he clears more land than a bulldozer.
|
Round 1 - Pick 13
Eric Fisher has finally returned for Indianapolis but it is not a long-term solution for the team's needs at left tackle. Sean Rhyan could fortify the left side of the line responsible for protecting Carson Wentz or any other quarterback.
|
Round 1 - Pick 14
Bill Belichick has found a replacement for Tom Brady. His focus can turn to upgrading the talent around Mac Jones. Chris Olave could have been a first-round pick last year but elected to return to Columbus. He would arrive in Foxboro as the team's top target.
|
Round 1 - Pick 15
Minnesota has had defensive lynchpins for years from Kevin Williams to Pat Williams to Jared Allen to Everson Griffen to Danielle Hunter. George Karlaftis could be the next in a long line of contributors.
|
Round 1 - Pick 16
Skill talent? Check. Offensive line? Yikes. There is a lot of young talent on defense so it is time to filter some of the team's resources to the offensive line.
|
Round 1 - Pick 17
Henry Ruggs III is starting to resemble a valuable contributor for the AFC West franchise. Wide receiver remains one of many needs on the team's roster.
|
From
Seattle Seahawks
Round 1 - Pick 18
No prospect has applied pressure to Derek Stingley Jr.'s claim as the top cornerback prospect but Andrew Booth Jr. is among that next tier of prospects. New York landed an edge rusher earlier and now fill a huge need on the back end.
|
Round 1 - Pick 19
Paulson Adebo started the season hot for New Orleans but his play has dipped lately. Kaiir Elam would give the NFC South franchise depth in the secondary.
|
Round 1 - Pick 20
Most mock draft projections are built on the grounds of veteran replacement. Von Miller is not long for Denver on his current deal and Bradley Chubb has battled injuries. Drake Jackson could be Miller's understudy for a year or the immediate replacement.
|
Round 1 - Pick 21
Tennessee took a chance on Caleb Farley's health. To this point, it is unclear whether or not that will pay off. He has played eight snaps so far this season. Ahmad Gardner is a strong insurance policy.
|
Round 1 - Pick 22
Aidan Hutchinson is not the twitchy edge rusher that commonly gets taken in the top ten but he is a strong player that knows how to use his hands to soften the edge. The use of the label 'chess piece' is often overdone but it feels right in the hands of head coach Brandon Staley.
|
Round 1 - Pick 23
Micah Parsons could theoretically end up at edge rusher long-term, which would make this less of a need, but not impossible. It would not make a lot of sense to move on from Demarcus Lawrence next offseason but 2023 is fair game.
|
Round 1 - Pick 24
Arizona adds some youthful vigor to Kyler Murray's protection while saving some money. Tyler Linderbaum is a mobile lineman that does a fantastic job of sealing blocks.
|
From
San Francisco 49ers
Round 1 - Pick 25
Miami has had several picks to upgrade both sides of the ball. Jaelan Phillips received a larger share of the snaps in Week 3 so the hope is that he continues to progress. Devin Lloyd would be another valuable contributor to that front seven.
|
Round 1 - Pick 26
The partnership between Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham Jr. felt more organic and less forced in the latter's debut. Unless Jarvis Landry and Beckham agree to take a pay cut, Cleveland has to consider moving on from them. They account for roughly $30 million towards the salary cap next year and the rent on Mayfield is coming due.
|
Round 1 - Pick 27
Odafe Oweh has produced much quicker than most believed. Perrion Winfrey could be another staple of that front seven for years.
|
Round 1 - Pick 28
The speculation of Green Bay's willingness to move on from Za'Darius or Preston Smith began last summer. The parting of ways with one or both would clear up some cap space for that franchise.
|
Round 1 - Pick 29
Ikem Ekwonu is going to be one of those debated prospects regarding his ability to play offensive tackle versus the interior offensive line. Buffalo can bring him in the building and worry about where he fits best later.
|
From
Los Angeles Rams
Round 1 - Pick 30
Detroit has a significant need at the wide receiver position. If you are not a Lions fan and are capable of naming a receiver on that roster, then you are probably more than a casual fan. George Pickens is a vertical and red zone threat.
|
Round 1 - Pick 31
Christian Harris serves as the potential replacement for Tampa Bay down the road. They are drafting and storing high-level talent like they are hunkered down in a doomsday shelter.
|
Round 1 - Pick 32
There are a few directions that Kansas City could take with their first-round pick: wide receiver, cornerback, edge rusher, etc...In this particular scenario, they take a cornerback from Washington in the hopes that it works better than the last such occurrence in 2015.
|
2021 NFL jerseys now available
The new NFL season is here! Win or lose, you can shop jerseys, shirts, hats, and much more to support your favorite team. Shop here and show your colors.
We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
