Good morning, we are going to do a mock draft for Day 1 of the NFL Football Draft and we will later look at how that works for the Pot Cakes Dynasty League. First we will run through a one round mock, and then we will run through how that moves these rookies up or down a dynasty draft. We are four weeks away, let’s get it.
Pick 1 – Jacksonville Jaguars – Evan Neal – OT – Alabama
Honestly, if the Jaguars were smart, they would trade this pick back a couple spots and get more picks. However, how do you turn down the best prospect in the draft? You already invested in your franchise QB, you need help everywhere, but you have to protect your golden ticket. Evan Neal is a must have versatile lineman. Guy can play anywhere, but letting him bookend your line is a good bet to keep T-Law clean.
Pick 2 – Detroit Lions – Aidan Hutchinson – DE – Michigan
Aidan became a monster and staying home in Michigan is the perfect story. If the Lions pass on Aidan I will be shocked. He just screams Dan Campbell. If Hutchinson goes first, expect either Neal/Thibodeaux to go here.
Pick 3 – Houston Texans – Ikem Ekwonu – OT – N.C. State
Texans have a lot of issues. Davis Mills is enough to get by on another year to see if they have something. Texans need a great pick, drafting an OT is a safe pick and great for your offense. I think Ekwonu is a good building block for the Texans.
Pick 4 – New York Jets -Kayvon Thibodeaux – DE – Oregon
Kayvon was the #1 pick early in the mock draft season. He has slid on some boards due to him not being “NFL ready”. You know who the perfect defensive coach is to get a guy NFL ready? Robert Saleh. Saleh is going to build a defense first, and then offense.
Pick 5 – New York Giants – Charlie Cross – OT – Mississippi State
Giants need help at linebacker, OT, and tight end. With no Kyle Pitts in this years draft and it being a pick or two early for linebacker, I think they take the safer pick of an offensive tackle. Giants could spring for a QB here or later in the draft. Giants really can take whoever they want.
Pick 6 – Carolina Panthers – Malik Willis – QB – Liberty
Malik is the #1 QB on the board, Panthers are in need of a QB. Malik’s scramble ability paired with his accuracy is what makes him a great QB on paper. The Panthers can do what the 49ers did and let Malik hang out and learn the offense, and then turn the team over to him in year 2. Malik may need that extra year like Trey Lance due to coming from a smaller school.
Pick 7 – New York Giants (from Chicago Bears) – Devin Lloyd – LB – Utah
Remember how the Giants needed both OT and linebacker. You can flip these picks if you want, but I think the Giants want to avoid any chance of the Panthers going OT over a QB. I am very confident Lloyd will be there at 7.
Pick 8 – Atlanta Falcons – Garrett Wilson – WR – Ohio State
The Falcons have no WRs. Mariota is QB1 for the Falcons. Falcons need to build a team and get a future QB next year. Pitts and Wilson can go through their growing pains and the Falcons see if they have a team to build on next year.
Pick 9 – Seattle Seahawks (from Denver Broncos) – George Karlaftis – DE – Purdue
Seahawks are working on figuring out who their QB will be. That does not stop them from figuring out their defense. They need some d-line help and a pass rusher. George Karlaftis takes care of that. Let George make the Seahawks defense a jungle.
Pick 10 – New York Jets (from Seattle Seahawks) – Derek Stingley Jr. – CB – LSU
Expect the Jets to go hard on offense later. You add an elite DB in Stingley and now you can relax on defense a little bit. You just added two top ten picks to your defense. You now have 5 years of talent locked in on defense. Jets solve a lot off issues here and now they can get the ball to Zach will sooner.
Pick 11 – Washington Commanders – Kyle Hamilton – S – Notre Dame
Some people have Hamilton as the greatest prospect and/or musical in the draft. Washington’s defense fell apart last year. They lost Chase Young but he wasn’t doing it while he was healthy. Like it or not their answer is Carson Wentz on offense, so they now need to work on the defense to put them back in playoff contention.
Pick 12 – Minnesota Vikings – Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner – CB – Cincinnati
Vikings need defensive help. With running it back and the Packers losing their offensive firepower, it’s not impossible for the Vikings to bounce back. The Vikings have missed at CB in the previous drafts, but with a nickname like sauce they will be licking their lips at 12 if he’s here.
Pick 13 – Houston Texans (from Cleveland Browns) – Travon Walker – Edge – Georgia
Texans continue to just click best available. Travon was part of an elite defense. He can drop back in coverage and needs a little bit of extra work as a pass rusher but at 6’5 275 that guy will figure it out. Texans grabbed a core piece for offense and defense.
Pick 14 – Baltimore Ravens – Trent McDuffie – CB – Washington
Ravens have to go defense. They need to go inside and outside on D. Linebacker is ok, need interior D-line and DB help. McDuffie solves one of those problems and is the easy pick for Baltimore.
Pick 15 – Philadelphia Eagles (from Miami Dolphins) – Jameson Williams – WR – Alabama
Eagles need help at WR. Hurts, Smith, and now Williams are all Alabama guys. They need some connection. This is the best way to solve that by taking guys with a common connection. While Drake London would be a better fit opposite of Smith, I think the Eagles need to go all in with Hurts and try to get him a guy he will have at least a mental connection with.
Pick 16 – Philadelphia Eagles (from Indianapolis Colts) – Nakobe Dean – LB – Georgia
Nakobe is a touch undersized, at least height wise, but he makes up for it in coverage. A 21 year old linebacker that is the best in class at side to side. Eagles need defensive help and they grab their new centerpiece for defense with this pick.
Pick 17 – Los Angeles Chargers – Devonte Wyatt – DI – Georgia
Georgia’s defense is going to put a lot of guys in the NFL. Chargers need interior help. Chargers have Allen, Williams, and Palmer at WR, so they can wait on offense. This could be a trade back pick, but grab the best D-Lineman in the draft and just move on.
Pick 18 – New Orleans Saints – Drake London – WR – USC
Saints need WR help. Drake London is a monster of a WR. Jump balls galore and JameO will throw it up. With the whole Michael Thomas situation still being uncertain, grab a guy and trade Thomas if the season is not going as planned. Either way getting an elite WR is a good move for the Saints short and long term.
Pick 19 – Philadelphia Eagles – Jeremaine Johnson II – Edge – Florida State
Eagles need defensive help as talked about above. JJ2 was the ACC sack and tackle for loss leader. This guy needs to be drafted because he is going to ruining the lives of QBs in the NFL. Eagles capitalize on all their first round picks.
Pick 20 – Pittsburgh Steelers – Kenny Pickett – QB – Pittsburgh
I know, how original. But Kenny Pickett was a great college QB. Mitch True is fine, but let’s see if we get a guy in Pickett. I mean if you need a QB and only one QB is off the board, I do not care how bad the draft class is the QB2 is worth the risk. Pitt keeps the college town kid.
Pick 21 – New England Patriots – Andrew Booth Jr. – CB – Clemson
Pats let Jackson walk so they make a call from the Booth. B.B. loves his defense. The offense is going to grind it out next year. Load up on defense and grind out each win. Pats love winning ugly, and like B.B.’s wardrobe it may not be pretty but it gets the job done.
Pick 22 – Green Bay Packers (from Las Vegas Raiders) – Chris Olave – WR – Ohio State
Packers lost Adams. Packers fans have wanted a WR for the last 3 years. Packers finally get it done. They lost a WR but gained this pick, it is the easiest way to fix the need. Olave was a top prospect last year, an extra year of college just makes him more NFL ready.
Pick 23 – Arizona Cardinals – Tyler Linderbaum – C – Iowa
Linderbaum is the best interior lineman in the draft. Cardinals help Kyler in protection and grab a guy that can call out blitzes and fronts to help the blocking scheme. Chiefs and Packers both drafted Centers early last year and both were big time hits. Cardinals do not miss with this pick and Linderbaum keeps Murray off his bum.
Pick 24 – Dallas Cowboys – Bernhard Raimann – OT – Central Michigan
This dude is an athletic monster. While he’s not the sexy pick that Jerry Jones loves to do, this helps the offense. Dallas needs pass protection and run offense because they’ve overpaid in positions and cannot re-sign their o-line. Losing Collins is forgotten as Dallas is able to replace him with Raimann.
Pick 25 – Buffalo Bills – Jordan Davis – DI – Georgia
Bills need help up front. Von and Davis added to the Bills already incredible defense is going to be tough to beat. Bills lock up their D and then win the division. Bills have less competition in the division than some AFC teams, expect the Bills to get the bye.
Pick 26 – Tennessee Titans – Boye Mafe – Edge – Minnesota
Mafe sneaks in here as his draft stock is on the rise. Due to Ojabo’s achillies injury a different Big 10 Edge gets drafted. Mafe had a good athletic showing at the combine and is why he will sneak into the end of the first. The combine paired with the Titans need for a pass rush is why Boye Mafe goes to Tennessee.
Pick 27 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Lewis Cine – S – Georgia
Bucs need secondary help in the worst way. Winfield and Cine as the outfielders will help. Bucs are going to run into some defensive needs down the road, but with Brady back they have to go all in and safety is a position where you can grab a guy to play and hope it works out. Plus it is an absolute need for the Bucs. Bowles is a defensive guy, Bowles gets his defensive guy.
Pick 28 – Green Bay Packers – Trevor Penning – OT – Northern Iowa
Packers need some o-line help. Injuries and losing depth to free agency, Pack protect Rodgers here. Either way, these first two picks the Pack are taking a WR and OT, it just depends on what order they do it in.
Pick 29 – Kansas City Chiefs (from Miami Dolphins) – Treylon Burks – WR – Arkansas
Burks is a run after catch guy. Chiefs are chasing Tyreek Hill. Burks is no Hill, but if the Chiefs do not do something prior to the draft they need a guy. Juju, MVS, and Burks on paper look like a good trio. Mahomes just needs guys to throw to, Burks gives him a guy to complete the trio of WRs. Oh, let’s not forget that Kelce is in the mix too. Kelce will dominate the middle of the field with these three guys around him.
Pick 30 – Kansas City Chiefs – Kaiir Elam – CB – Florida
This guys whole family is NFL talent. Chiefs need to prevent shootouts and get a couple stops. Elam can pressure WRs to get more turnovers. Elam gives the Chiefs the little bit of defensive help needed to keep them where they are at. With the signing of Juju the Chiefs can focus on defense.
Pick 31 – Cincinnati Bengals – Zion Johnson – G – Boston College
Bengals need help all over that offensive line. Zion is the best available lineman in this draft, so the Bengals take him. Nothing too fancy, just try to add to offense.
Pick 32 – Detroit Lions (from Los Angeles Rams) – Matt Corral – QB – Mississippi
This is a toss up, but with the fifth year option of the first round picks not taking a QB would be crazy. Lions need a long term QB. Corral looks to be a touch better passer than Howell. Both can run a little, so Corral’s passing gives him the edge. The Lions offense is going to be similar to the Browns in a play action sense. Baker was ok at times, expect a similar build up for the Lions. Grab a QB that can get it done and get to being an average team.
Now let’s assume these are how the picks go on day one.
How does that shake out for the draft?
Garrett Wilson goes first, but to the Falcons. Jameson Williams goes to the Eagles. Drake London to the Saints. Chris Olave to the Packers. Treylon Burks to the Chiefs. QBs are Malik Willis to the Panthers, Kenny Pickett to the Steelers, and Matt Corral to the Lions. That’s only 8 draftable positions in the first.
Honestly, if the top three WRs go to bad teams it may be best to take the Packers or Chiefs WR. This leaves out the Big 3 RBs.
I think the picks really depend on how your team is, but at the same time all these WRs are all great.
To me, I think Garrett Wilson should be 1.01, if you have this pick you need a year or two before you have to worry about production. Ride it out and trust the talent long term.
At 1.02 you have to take the RB1, which should be Breece Hall.
Pick 1.03 for Pot Cakes belongs to the same guy with 1.02, so he should go with either Walker or Spiller depending on fit.
The next picks from 4 through 7 should go London, Olave, Williams, and Burks.
I thinks 1.08 will go to the odd man out of the Walker/Spiller pick.
The next 5 of our picks should include 1 QB in Malik Willis, 2 WRs and 2 RBs. I do not know how that works out, but Day 2 of the draft will shed more light on it. With this years draft being more building blocks than skill positions it makes this years rookie draft that much more of a wait and see.
That’s the mock and we will be back after day one to re-rank who goes where. Until then I hope you and yours have a better tomorrow.
Let’s Go!
JonnyDIII
DIII Digest 