Mock Draft 4.0 (FINAL)

The NFL Draft is finally here! This is one of my favorite nights of the year, Christmas in April. I’m glad to be putting this mock draft together for you guys and I’m excited to sweat the bets throughout the night. Let me know your thoughts in chat!

Notes:

• Five trades. I expect more during the actual draft but not as many as people think.
• Adonai Mitchell didn’t make the cut. They’re some serious medical and character concerns that have emerged this week that I think may keep him out of the first round.
• First four picks are QBs.
• Eleven Offensive Linemen.

1. Chicago Bears (from CAR) – Caleb Williams (QB – USC)

The Bears finally are able to turn in the card and draft their Franchise QB.

2. Washington Commanders – JJ McCarthy (QB – Michigan) 

I’m sticking with it. Out of my four mock drafts, this will be the third time I have mocked JJ McCarthy 2nd overall with the Mock 2.0 having Jayden Daniels 2nd and McCarthy 3rd. The Commanders covet leadership and through all of the information I’ve been able to gather, I think he is the pick and has been for the last month. I’m going against the massive machine that is mass media here, excited to see how this one plays out. 

3. New England Patriots – Jayden Daniels (QB – LSU)

I don’t think the rumors of him not wanting to play in Washington were the deciding factor, I think the Commanders just prefer JJ McCarthy. Regardless, Daniels ends up in New England to be their franchise QB of the future. Don’t be shocked if at some point this weekend the Patriots add a WR, specifically Brandon Aiyuk from the San Francisco 49ers. 

TRADE ALERT 

I think the Cardinals are torn if they want to move here but they ultimately pull the trigger and the Vikings get up to draft their franchise QB at 4.

4. Minnesota Vikings (via ARI) –  Drake Maye (QB – North Carolina)

The Vikings give up more than they wanted to but they were forced to due to supply and demand. Regardless, they leave with Drake Maye and will allow him to sit and be coached up for a year.

5. LA Chargers – JC Latham (OT – Alabama) 

This one is tough. Joe Hortiz comes from a Ravens organization who is notorious for taking the best player available. However, Hortiz knows what the vision is for Jim Harbaugh and puts it into play. Latham is a run blocking mauler who can play RT and be moved inside to guard. Worth noting that Harbaugh recruited Latham out of high school, so he clearly likes his game.

6. New York Giants – Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR – Ohio State)

The Giants miss out on a QB but Marvin Harrison falls into their lap.

TRADE ALERT

The Cardinals move back up and get Malik Nabers, a WR they may have taken at 4th overall had they stayed.

7. Arizona Cardinals (via TEN) – Malik Nabers (WR – LSU)

Monti Ossenfort trades back and then up again, just like 2023. They draft a WR they were rumored to like at pick 4.  

8. Atlanta Falcons – Laiatu Latu (EDGE – UCLA)

This one is tough. I don’t have a great trade back partner for the Falcons and I’m torn between teams actually picking and moving back and navigating the board. The Falcons usually stick tight and take the best player on their board so that is what I have them doing here. 

TRADE ALERT

This will be a shocker to some because Rome Odunze is on the board, but the Saints convince the Bears to move down.

9. New Orleans Saints (via CHI) – Olu Fashanu (OT – Penn State)

The Saints are desperate for a Tackle and they land their top guy here at nine.

10. New York Jets – Joe Alt (OT – Notre Dame)

After the shocker of the Chargers, Titans, Bears, and Saints all passing on Alt, he lands in New York and will be a solid 10+ year starter for this offense.

11. Tennessee Titans (via ARI) – Taliese Fuaga (OT – Oregon State)

The run of Offensive Tackles continues, Fuaga lands in Tennessee. 

TRADE ALERT

The Eagles move up with the Broncos to land some secondary help.

12. Philadelphia Eagles (via  DEN) – Terrion Arnold (CB – Alabama)

Secondary help is on the way mixed with a uniquely high level of leadership from Terrion Arnold out of Alabama.

13. Las Vegas Raiders – Quinyon Mitchell (CB – Toledo)

I debated the Offensive Line here but being in a division with Patrick Mahomes, the Raiders beef up their defense even more. 

14. Chicago Bears (via NO) – Rome Odunze (WR – Washington)

The Bears could sit tight at 9 and take Odunze but in this mock, I have them moving back to 14 and still landing the stud WR.

15. Indianapolis Colts – Brock Bowers (TE – Georgia)

The “fall” stops here. The highly rated TE ends up a Colt just over a month after Head Coach, Shane Steichen, was gushing over how important an elite TE is for an offense. 

16. Seattle Seahawks – Byron Murphy (DT – Texas)

I would have liked to mocked Cooper DeJean to this spot, because I think the Seahawks really like him but I can’t fathom they take him over Byron Murphy.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars – Brian Thomas Jr. (WR – LSU)

There are some rumors swirling that the Jaguars land Brandon Aiyuk but I’m not projecting it. Thomas has some serious medical concerns with a torn labrum but the Jaguars are suckers for athletic freaks. 

18. Cincinnati Bengals – Dallas Turner (EDGE – Alabama)

Maybe I’m being a bit reactionary but the fall stops here, as the Bengals draft the Hendrickson replacement.

19. LA Rams – Jared Verse (EDGE – Florida State)

I think there is a world where both Turner and Verse go higher but the tackles push them both down the board. The Rams get to sit tight and add to their pass rush.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Troy Fautanu (OT – Washington)

I could see Fautanu going top 10, but I could see him falling even beyond the Steelers. Offensive Line is the toughest position to sort out from top to bottom in terms of draft slots but Fautanu falls to the Steelers here.

21. Miami Dolphins – Amarius Mims (OT – Georgia)

I wanted to be selfish and put Xaiver Worthy here but I decided to go with the high upside Offensive Tackle. 

TRADE ALERT

The Commanders want to add a Tackle. Miami could use some picks and load up a thin team, they swap 21 and the first of the two Commanders early second round picks with some things added in.

22. Washington Commanders (via PHI/DEN)  – Tyler Guyton (OT – Oklahoma) 

One thing of note with the Commanders, Adam Peters has historically met with everyone he’s drafted with a Top 30 visit. While they didn’t meet with Guyton, they did have extensive talks during the Senior Bowl, and I think Peters was sold enough to high Guyton without a visit.

23. Arizona Cardinals (via CLE/HOU/MIN) – Chop Robinson (EDGE – Penn State)

I wouldn’t mind seeing Arizona get another offensive weapon, but they land on Chop here.

24. Dallas Cowboys – Jordan Morgan (OT – Houston) 

I think the Cowboys are targeting Offensive Line and they’ll walk away with a late riser here. 

25. Green Bay Packers – Cooper DeJean (DB – Iowa)

I can only hear “Doesn’t DeJean just seem like a Packer?” so many times before I can’t refute it. 

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Graham Barton (OL – Duke)

Barton can slide right in and fill the hole left from mauler, Ryan Jensen, who retired this offseason. 

27. Arizona Cardinals (via HOU) – Zach Frazier (IOL – West Virginia)

In Philadelphia, Gannon told the front office to build the offensive first and let him coach up the defense. It worked and the Eagles went to the Super Bowl. The Cardinals continue to add OL help here, take Zach Frazier.

28. Buffalo Bills – Xavier Worthy (WR – Texas)

There is a lot pegged to the Bills coveting Worthy and it lines up in this mock.

29. Detroit Lions – Mike Sainristil (CB – Michigan)

Dan Campbell has hinted that they have a specific player in mind here. If he is here, they draft him. If not, they trade back. I have no idea who that player is but I do know Sainristil plays a position of need and is a tough son of a bitch. He would fit right in with this team’s mentality. 

30. Baltimore Ravens – Jer’Zhan Newton (DT – Illinois)

The Ravens do what they do best, take the best player available enough though it isn’t a position of need. 

31. San Francisco 49ers – Patrick Paul (OT – Houston)

Paul is an athletic run blocking Tackle with some upside. The 49ers are always looking to add some line help. 

32. Kansas City Chiefs – Ladd McConkey (WR – Georgia)

This is one of the toughest spots I am having for a player. So, like last mock, I go with a player I want to see in this offense. I think in KC, McConkey could be a star.

Author: Sanaynay