Mock Draft 4.0

ROUND 1

1. Chicago Bears (via CAR) - Caleb Williams, QB, USC

   After trading Justin Fields, this pick is even easier to make. Will they swap with Washington? I don't think so. Williams looks like the real deal and could be the QB Chicago has been searching for.

2. Washington Commanders - Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

   I am a Maye truther through and through. I think he is a special talent, especially given his size, athleticism, and age. He might be the best QB2 in a draft since '21.

3. New England Patriots - Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

   If Daniels continues on the trajectory he is on, his future looks bright. He broke out hugely and looks poised to fit well in the modern NFL. While he is QB3 for me, the Patriots should be excited about this prospect as they look to turn the page on a new chapter.

4. Arizona Cardinals - Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

   Harrison Jr. is my top-ranked prospect and a dream fit for the Cardinals. If he does fall to them here, expect them to sprint their card up and lock in Larry Fitzgerald 2.0.

5. Los Angeles Chargers - Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

   With the departure of Allen and Williams, this pick writes itself. Nabers, who would be WR1 any other year will be an easy selection to reset the Chargers WR room.

6. Minnesota Vikings (*via NYG) - J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

   It is no secret the Vikings need a QB and the Giants seem to be a potential trade partner. With Darnold under contract now, this might be a sit-and-learn opportunity for J.J. as Minnesota's coaching staff looks to develop McCarthy into their future franchise QB.

7. Tennessee Titans - Joe Alt, T, Notre Dame

   After the signing of Ridley, I would be hard-pressed to see Tennessee going any other direction other than tackle with this pick. That idea is especially amplified when the top tackle in the draft, Joe Alt, falls in your lap. This should be a tackle all the way and the Titans walk away from this pick as their name suggests they should.

8. Atlanta Falcons - Dallas Turner, ED, Alabama

   The class's top-ranked defender falls into the lap of a team that desperately needs help along its defensive front. The Falcons are one of the few teams picking at the top that seem to have their offense set for the most part. Look for them to take advantage of the situation by taking Dallas with this pick.

9. Chicago Bears - Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

   I have said it before—if the Bears walk away with Williams and Odunze, they will have done what they need to. It is hard to see them passing on a wide receiver here, especially one like Odunze.

10. New York Jets - Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

    Now that Smith is a Jet and they presumably have the tackle position taken care of, look for them to give Garrett Wilson a dance partner and capitalize on the Super Bowl window they have with Rodgers.

11. New York Giants (*via MIN) - Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

    Probably the first controversial pick I will make, but hear me out. Your edge defenders are taken care of with the addition of Burns, the line looks drastically better after Eluemunor was signed and there isn't a receiver remaining that I would value this high. But you know what pass catcher I would, Brock Bowers? Couple that with the fact that Waller might be getting to the end of his career after hinting at retirement, I think this would be a great landing spot for Bowers.

12. Denver Broncos - Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington

    It has to be a QB, right? The Broncos definitely dug themselves a pretty deep hole with the disaster that was the Russell Wilson trade, but the acquisition of a NFL ready QB in Penix makes the light at the end of the tunnel seem a bit closer.

13. Las Vegas Raiders - Jer'Zhan Newton, DI, Illinois

    With Minshew-mania and AOC manning the helm in Las Vegas I don't expect the Raiders to reach on a quarterback. The new staff will have some built-in patience and they need to use that to build up that roster. Let your two quarterbacks ride for now and see what happens.

14. New Orleans Saints - Olumuyiwa Fashanu, T, Penn State

    It is still wild to think that Olu falls to the middle of the first round after the hype he had surrounding him at the start of the college football season, but here we are. I don't see the Saints complaining about this, and I expect them to capitalize.

15. Indianapolis Colts - Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa

    This has been a popular landing spot for DeJean in my drafts and free agency didn't do anything to sway that needle. They still need help in the secondary and DeJean is the best player to step in and be an immediate impact.

16. Seattle Seahawks - Laiatu Latu, ED, UCLA

    I don't think there is any player that is more NFL-ready than Latu. Expect him to have an instant impact and help to continue to rejuvenate the rebirth of the Legion of Boom.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars - Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

    Jacksonville has a handful of holes that they need to address, but with Arnold still on the board and CB being one of those areas of need, I don't see this being a difficult pick.

18. Cincinnati Bengals - Taliese Fuaga, T, Oregon State

    Another team looking to take advantage of a falling lineman. The Bengals need a tackle in a bad way and Fuaga will fit the bill for them nicely.

19. Los Angeles Rams - Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

    After the predraft process Mitchell has had, this might be the most exciting prospect to get drafted in this first round. Mitchell seems to be able to answer the bell every time he is asked. A stellar senior season, dominant senior bowl practice week, and an absolute showcase at the combine. The Rams need to find a replacement for Ramsey and they may have with this pick.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers - Troy Fautanu, T, Washington

    Troy Fautanu looks like an ideal pick here. Pittsburgh needs help all along the line, LT especially. I would expect Jones to slide over and Fautanu to take over RT responsibilities.

21. Miami Dolphins - Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon

    After the departure of the entire starting IOL, I expect the Dolphins to reload and with JPJ falling to them, they should have a head start on that task.

22. Philadelphia Eagles - Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

    The Eagles's secondary is showing its age and needs to gain star power. Resigning Gardner-Johnson was a great first step be the outside cornerback needs help as well. Wiggins might be the best cover corner in this class and would be an awesome fit for the Eagles.

23. New York Giants (via CLE through HOU, *MIN) - Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia

    Pick 11 was too early, but 23 is not. Ladd McConkey, WR5 comes off the board here. Continue to feed the WR room with quality pass catchers.

24. Dallas Cowboys - JC Latham, T, Alabama

    Latham provides the Cowboys the opportunity for flexibility within their line as well as a strong player who can step in on day one. I would expect them to weigh the options of kicking Tyler Smith to tackle and putting Latham at guards, or vice-versa. Regardless, they should have their replacement for Tyrone Smith settled with this pick.

25. Green Bay Packers - Amarius Mims, T, Georgia

    I expect the Packers to fill the need along the line first. They have proven they can manufacture with the youth they have in the receiver room, but the line needs some beef. The signing of McKinney takes the pressure off the immediate need for a defensive secondary piece and they can grab a premium position in this spot.

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

    With Davis III gone and Kool-Aid available, this seems like a logical landing spot. The Bucs have minor needs scattered throughout but outside corner just became a very large need.

27. Arizona Cardinals (via HOU) - Byron Murphy II, DI, Texas

    With the WR position taken care of, I am guessing the majority of Arizona's remaining picks will build up that defense and hopefully take some pressure off of Murray and Co. Murphy falling this far felt wrong, but the players and positions in front of him just happened to fall this way. I am sure the Cardinals will not complain.

28. Buffalo Bills - Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas

    With the departure of Gabe Davis and potentially Diggs, wide receiver is the biggest need for this team. Mitchell gives Buffalo X receiver size with burner speed. Expect the Allen-Mitchell train to take off at full steam if put together.

29. Detroit Lions - Jared Verse, ED, Florida State

    Another player who has no business falling this far but will not upset Lions fans in the slightest. Hutchinson on one side and Verse on the other? That is a scary combination for any offense looking to pass against those two.

30. Baltimore Ravens - Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State

    Coleman would be a great big-bodied receiver to come in and be a good change of pace for the current wide receiver room. With Flowers and Coleman as two young stars and MVP Jackson tossing the ball their way, I expect this to be an even more powered offense.

31. San Francisco 49ers - Graham Barton, G, Duke

    IOL is the biggest area of need for the 49ers and has really good value here in the draft. Expect do-it-all Barton to be a welcome piece in that offensive line group.

32. Kansas City Chiefs - Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon

    Continue to feed Mahomes. Rice was a good pick and Hollywood will help the group, but they need to continue to add talented skill players around Mahomes.

    ROUND 2

33. Carolina Panthers - Ja'Lynn Polk, WR, Washington

34. New England Patriots - Tyler Guyton, T, Oklahoma

35. Arizona Cardinals - T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State

36. Washington Commanders - Chop Robinson, ED, Penn State

37. Los Angeles Chargers - Darius Robinson, DI, Missouri

38. Tennessee Titans - Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri

39. Carolina Panthers (via NYG) - Bralen Trice, ED, Washington

40. Washington Commanders (via CHI) - Patrick Paul, T, Houston

41. Green Bay Packers (via NYJ) - Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota

42. Houston Texans (via MIN) - Braden Fiske, DI, Florida State

43. Atlanta Falcons - Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia

44. Las Vegas Raiders - Jordan Morgan, T, Arizona

45. New Orleans Saints (via DEN) - Jermaine Burton, WR, Alabama

46. Indianapolis Colts - Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

47. New York Giants (via SEA) - Junior Colson, LB, Michigan

48. Jacksonville Jaguars - Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia

49. Cincinnati Bengals - T'Vondre Sweat, DI, Texas

50. Philadelphia Eagles (via NO) - Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M

51. Pittsburgh Steelers - Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida

52. Los Angeles Rams - Kingsley Suamataia, T, BYU

53. Philadelphia Eagles - Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina

54. Cleveland Browns - Payton Wilson, LB, North Carolina State

55. Miami Dolphins - Christian Haynes, G, Connecticut

56. Dallas Cowboys - Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan

57. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Chris Braswell, ED, Alabama

58. Green Bay Packers - Javon Bullard, S, Georgia

59. Houston Texans - Khyree Jackson, CB, Oregon

60. Buffalo Bills - Jonah Elliss, ED, Utah

61. Detroit Lions - Zak Zinter, G, Michigan

62. Baltimore Ravens - Kiran Amegadjie, T, Yale

63. San Francisco 49ers - Marshawn Kneeland, DI, Western Michigan

64. Kansas City Chiefs - Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State

Newt Westen

Finally, free agency is here and we can stop guessing or looking into our Magic 8-Ball for answers to what players are going where. Kirk and Russ were two very large dominos that shake up how we look at the first round, but also the Vikings' trade with Houston tells us that they are looking to be very aggressive in their search for a rookie QB. Where do they end up grabbing their quarterback? How many quarterbacks in the first round? What teams are looking to capitalize off the opportunity to trade back?

One scenario to help answer those questions is the trade I proposed between the Giants and Vikings. The Giants trade #6 to Minnesota and get #11, #23, and #129 in return. Certainly not the only option, but one I think could be very interesting and be beneficial to both teams.