Good morning everyone, welcome to the Pot Cakes Dynasty League Mock Draft. I know, I know, I am behind on League Awards. I promise they will come. I have been focusing on me a lot lately. Eating a lot of popcorn, working out because I eat too much popcorn (and ice cream don’t judge me, ice cream is so good, I am probably going to get a big ice cream for the draft). I did a draft with no trades, then I thought I am going to be so wrong with my picks anyways so why not throw in a lot of trades. I am confident with pick 1, end of list. Some problems we face with this draft is that there is only 3 guys that are the clear cut #1 at their position. Those positions are RB, Guard and Safety. Yes, I am not counting D-Line and Edge because of off the field stuff and rumors of a preferred edge. I would just go Carter and Anderson, but there is a possibility that it is Wilson and Kancey. Picks that are available for trade 2 and 3 and 5 through 31. I mean we are in for a real treat come Thursday (like a big ole ice cream). I hope your team gets everyone that they want or that you team stocks up on so many draft picks that its not even funny. If your team is the Dolphins I just hope your QB stays healthy the whole season and wins it all. As a side note we are going head-to-head with the Watercoolerguy his mock is here https://waterc00lerguy.wordpress.com/2023/04/24/the-2023-mock/ just pretend Picks 13 and 15 are swapped. We are going 1 point for pick number, 1 point for right team and an extra point if you get the pick and team right.
Pick 1 – Carolina Panthers (from Chicago)
Bryce Young – QB – Alabama
The Panthers need a QB, they traded up for a QB, and I am following the Vegas odds with this pick. Young is smart, Young played well, Young has a Heisman (and National Championship but its Mac Jones’), and can take the heat. There will be questions about his size and arm strength (due to his size) but Carolina can win the division. Bryce Young gives Carolina the best chance to win now and long term.
Pick 2 – Houston Texans
Tyree Wilson – Edge – Texas Tech
The Texans are a dumpster. They need someone long enough to scoop their hopes out of the dumps. Wilson is long. Texans are looking to get this same exact pick next year. Wilson gives them that chance because he cannot score all their points, or can he?
Pick 3 – Minnesota Vikings (trade to Arizona – Vikings give up Pick 23, ’24 1st, ’25 1st and ’24 2nd and Za’Darius Smith for Cardinal’s Pick 3)
C.J. Stroud – QB – Ohio State
Why not? The Vikings should be licking their lips here. Rodgers is gone, they have one year left with Kirk. Go all in for the future and try and stay on top oft the division going forward. Stroud is young and one year removed from this S2 Test he should be no doubt NFL ready.
Pick 4 – Indianapolis Colts
Will Levis – QB – Kentucky
I do not like either QB beyond the top 2, which is why the Texans should have went QB. The Colts have sold themselves on Levis and that is why they are ok waiting for this pick. Levis can chuck it deep, hopefully the ball goes to Pittman more this year.
Pick 5 – Seattle Seahawks (from Denver)
Will Anderson Jr. – Edge – Alabama
Oh baby, the Seahawks are just waiting for a defensive player here. Anderson, Wilson, Carter, one of those 3 should end up here in that order. Seahawks luck out and get the player that was the consensus #1 pick until he actually entered the draft.
Pick 6 – Detroit Lions (from L.A. Rams)
Jalen Carter – DL – Georgia
Dan Campbell is taking a defender with this pick. I will add to the earlier list; Anderson, Wilson, Carter, or Witherspoon. The Lions have enough offense. The Lions could use a clear #3 WR. But the Lions have a lot of work to do on Defense too. Football is simple, if you can get a rush up the middle and some pressure on the QB, your odds of winning go up. Now, you just have to get that rush. That’s the hard part. Carter can provide that pressure now its up to him to go out there and get it done.
Pick 7 – Las Vegas Raiders
Devon Witherspoon – CB – Illinois
Best corner in the draft, Raiders need a corner. Raiders either keep Jimmy G or do the whole Colts thing with signing vets after this year.
Pick 8 – Tennessee Titans (trade with Falcons – Titans give up Pick 11, 72 and 186 for Falcon’s Pick 8)
Anthony Richardson – QB – Florida
Titans have a year left with Tannehill. They make a move because the AFC South is wide open. I know the Jags look promising but I mean the team that is over .500 probably wins the division. The AFC South is going to have all young QBs, the Titans have to roll the dice to see if their young QB can outshine the others.
Pick 9 – Chicago Bears (from Carolina)
Paris Johnson Jr. – OT – Ohio State
Johnson is a little bigger, Skoronski is maybe a little bit better? I would rather have the OT from the better school and the connection with your QB. If you are a “bad” football team just take all the players from a good team. Ohio State is a good team, Fields is from Ohio State, I mean make it happen.
Pick 10 – Green Bay Packers (from New Orleans originally trade with Eagles – Packers give up Pick 13, 42 and 207 for Pick 10)
Jaxon Smith-Njigba – WR – Ohio State
Packers facetime the new face of their WR core. The Packers move up to take a WR that is the perfect match with Christian Watson. You have the quick route runner and the deep shot over the top. JSN is a stud and the Packers can now make a better determination of how big Jordan Love’s contract will be now that he has weapons.
Pick 11 – Atlanta Falcons (trade with Tennessee – Falcons gave up Pick 8 for Titan’s Pick 11, 72 and 186)
Christian Gonzalez – CB – Oregon
This is the player that the Falcons were looking at for Pick 8. He’s a stud corner and if QBs were not at a premium would be a top 10 pick. Falcons might be able to bring back the dirty bird.
Pick 12 – Houston Texans (from Cleveland)
Broderick Jones – Georgia – OT
The Texans are in full rebuild and looking to get their team lined up for next year’s draft. I do not like it either. With the top 4 QBs off the board and no trade partners to make it make sense to go back, the Texans just grab a lineman and move on.
Pick 13 – Philadelphia Eagles (from New York Jets originally, trade with Packers – Eagles gave up Pick 10 for Packers’ Picks 13, 42 and 207)
Calijah Kancey – DL – Pittsburgh
This pick will shock a lot of people. This is a high pick for Kancey. But this is a need for the Eagles. The Eagles are primed for a deep playoff run. Whatever is best available at 30 is what the Eagles can do. I think the Eagles shoud avoid a possible tier drop at the position and just “reach” here and settle with a starting d-tackle.
Pick 14 – New England Patriots
Peter Skoronski – OT – Northwestern
Bill O’Brien gets some help to his offense. Bill Belichick loves the versatility of Skoronski. How teams let Skoronski fall to 14 I do not know, but that’s the pick.
Pick 15 – New York Jets (from Green Bay)
Darnell Wright – OT – Tennessee
This guy is a monster. Rodgers does not want to get tackled, he’s old. Darnell Wright also played right tackle in college and conveniently the Jets need a right tackle. You do not have to take a chance moving a guy to right tackle this guy is the right tackle.
Pick 16 – Washington Commanders
Deonte Banks – CB – Maryland
Commanders need a corner, he makes the short move from Maryland to D.C. No need to overthink this. The Commanders for whatever reason did not want to move up for a QB and they stick to their guns and will wait it out another draft.
Pick 17 – Pittsburgh Steelers
Joey Porter Jr. – CB – Penn State
“Sometimes these things just write themselves.” – Watercoolerguy
Pick 18 – Buffalo Bills (trade with Detroit – Bills give up Pick 27, 136 and a ’24 3rd for Lions Pick 18)
Quentin Johnston – WR – TCU
Bills make a move to hopefully push themselves into an AFC Championship game. The Bills need another WR, Johnston is huge. Diggs will still demand attention but Johnston gives Josh Allen a big body wide receiver to throw it up to when things break down.
Pick 19 – Dallas Cowboys (trade with Tampa Bay – Cowboys give up Pick 26, Pick 90 and Pick 169 for Buccaneers Pick 19)
Bijan Robinson – RB – Texas
Jerry loves making a splash. Burned from paying Zeke too much money, Jerry grabs an RB that can carry the workload for 5 years. Big Mike also gets an RB that can help out the defense by grinding down the clock and pick up first downs.
Pick 20 – Seattle Seahawks
Bryan Bresee – DL – Clemson
Seattle solves their Defensive front, edge and inside. I mean the Seahawks really have some good options back here in the draft. They are guaranteed a good DL or Edge position with that 5th pick and then they can really go anywhere with this pick. Seattle just needs another impressive year from Geno.
Pick 21 – Los Angeles Chargers
Zay Flowers – WR – Boston College
The Chargers have had enough with these big WRs, so they grab a shifty guy to run underneath Keenan and Mike Will. Zay provides an additional spark to hopefully keep the Chargers in the playoffs in an absolutely stacked AFC.
Pick 22 – Baltimore Ravens
Lukas Van Ness – Edge – Iowa
All these trades cause a great defender to fall down the board and right into the Ravens lap. Ravens make draft headlines by trading a couple mid-round picks to the Cards and grab D-Hop and will see Lamar for at least another year. With their offense making moves they sure up their defense.
Pick 23 – Arizona Cardinals (traded with Minnesota – Vikings gave up Pick 23, ’24 1st, ’25 1st and ’24 2nd and Za’Darius Smith for Cardinals’ Pick 3)
Nolan Smith – Edge – Georgia
Fast but undersized. Cards need help on the edge and with they trade for Za’Darius Smith they still need more help. Smith is the future of the defense, Smith is just part of the trade to accumulate draft picks. Which Smith though?
Pick 24 – Jacksonville Jaguars
O’Cyrus Torrence – Florida – G
Jags are in a good spot to control the AFC South. The Jags play it safe and give their QB some help up front. While a long-term tight end would be nice, you have to protect T-Law first.
Pick 25 – New York Giants
Emmanuel Forbes – Mississippi State – CB
Giants need secondary help to compete with the Cowboys and Eagles. The Giants are not use to having one of these late round picks, but they play it safe and go with a defender rather than reach for a WR in a drat class that is lacking elite WR talent.
Pick 26 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (traded with Cowboys give up Pick 26, Pick 90 and Pick 169 for Buccaneers’ Pick 19)
Myles Murphy – Edge – Clemson
Murphy is the next best edge available. Take the pick and move on. Buccaneers have some extra picks to help rebuild their team.
Pick 27 – Detroit Lions (traded with Buffalo – Bills gave up Pick 27, 136 and a ’24 3rd for Lions’ Pick 18)
Michael Mayer – TE – Notre Dame
Finally, a tight end off the board. Lions tried trading for a tight end in the off-season. They traded away T.J. Hockenson in-season. The Lions need a tight end and they are able to grab one late in the first after gaining more picks.
Pick 28 – Houston Texans (trade with Cincinnati Bengals – Texans give up Picks 33, 73 and a ’24 5th for Bengals’ Pick 28)
Hendon Hooker – QB – Tennessee
The Texans try to show the fan base they are trying to win by trading back into the 1st with a team that is going to have to spend a lot of money in the next few years in the Bengals. Hendon Hooker this late in the first allows for the Texans to sit him and then play him if needed. The Texans can say they tried with this pick.
Pick 29 – New Orleans Saints (from San Francisco from Miami)
Jordan Addison – WR – USC
Saints need a WR. Mikey T is getting old. Olave needs another guy to hang out with. Addison is the next WR on the board, the Saints make the pick since their DL/Edge players are already off the board.
Pick 30 – Philadelphia Eagles
Brian Branch – S – Alabama
Eagles do not really need to draft anyone. They already addressed their biggest need in D-Line. Eagles help out their secondary and look to run it back.
Pick 31 – Kansas City Chiefs
Anton Harrison – OT – Oklahoma
Chiefs play it safe and go with a tackle. I know Jalin Hyatt is still on the board and rumored to be a “gadget” WR and it would be fun to see him in the Chiefs offense. The problem is that the Chiefs already have Hyatt in the form of Toney and Moore.
Well, that does it for the Mock, I hope you and yours have a better tomorrow. We will do a quick rundown of the first round following the draft and how that impacts dynasty rankings. We will see if Bijan stays #1 on the big boards or if the Lions take him and ruin his dynasty value. If you are a big Bijan fan, good luck.
Let’s go!
JonnyDIII
DIII Digest 