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It's April, which means the NFL Draft is closer. We've seen the NFL Scouting Combine and top free agents come off the board. That means teams' needs have become more defined, which makes it slightly easier to figure out who will lean which direction early in the draft.
We've also seen opinions form on the draft class, and somewhat surprisingly, it's not entirely crazy to think we could see more running backs go in the first round than quarterbacks. I don't buy that, but you've suddenly started to see names like Omarion Hampton and TreVeyon Henderson pop up in more mocks than in February.
One of them will show up in this mock, though there won't be more running backs selected than quarterbacks. There will be two of each, but when and where? Let's find out.
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
It feels like a fait accompli at this point. Earlier in the process I felt there was a good chance the Titans would go with Abdul Carter or even Travis Hunter, but the football world would be shocked if its anybody other than Ward at this point.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
I've had Abdul Carter here, but I'm no longer sure it's that obvious. The Browns have Myles Garrett and their defense should still be solid. What they don't have are game-changing players on offense. Hunter could be that.
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Mock Trade from
New York Giants
Round 1 - Pick 3
The Giants have Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, and I don't see them going QB here. Perhaps they'd jump on Carter and call it a day, but they have Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns. If they don't want Sanders, and Hunter is gone, trading down makes sense. For Carolina, trading up to grab Carter, who singlehandedly makes their pass rush light years better, makes sense, too.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
A nightmare scenario for Patriots fans. Both Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter are gone, but Will Campbell's a fantastic consolation, even if he's not as exciting.
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Mock Trade from
Jacksonville Jaguars
Round 1 - Pick 5
The 49ers need a new OT and the way things have started, odds are the guy they want won't be on the board at 11. So they leap up to get him.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Ashton Jeanty isn't going to fix the Raiders offense on his own, but he'll improve it. In a draft class that doesn't have many true no-doubters, Jeanty is not only the best player available, but fills a need.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
With Will Campbell and Armand Membou off the board the Jets pivot from their offensive line to the defensive line, grabbing the DT1 on my board.
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Mock Trade from
Carolina Panthers
Round 1 - Pick 8
Pairing McMillan with Malik Nabers will give the Giants one of the most dynamic pair of receivers in the league. That will come in handy for a team that seems far more interested in pushing for a playoff spot in 2025 than finding a long-term answer at QB based on their offseason maneuvers.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo are both gone, and Johnson is a good fit for what new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley likes to do on defense. The Saints could also go after an edge rusher here.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
There have been a lot of mocks with the Bears taking Ashton Jeanty or even a different RB here at 10 if Jeanty is gone. I can see Jeanty. I don't see another RB, particularly when there are still question marks in the pass rush that need to be addressed.
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Mock Trade from
San Francisco 49ers
Round 1 - Pick 11
I know Jacksonville is high on Brenton Strange, but Warren is such an intriguing weapon that he'd be hard to pass up here. He's a tight end, but he doesn't have to play at tight end. Liam Coen could find plenty of ways to get him and Strange on the field together along with Brian Thomas Jr.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Golden is not my WR2, but there seem to be plenty of NFL front offices that are high enough on him that he could be the first WR off the board. Either way, CeeDee Lamb would really appreciate somebody else on the roster who can draw attention away from him.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
I was stuck between Banks and Jahdae Barron here, because the Dolphins could certainly use help at corner, but the priority should be protecting Tua Tagovailoa, and that's what won out here.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Could this be the only mock that doesn't have the Colts taking Tyler Warren? Only time will tell! Williams has the kind of traits and experience that don't usually fall down the board, and the Colts happily bet on his potential to be a game-wrecker here.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
The Falcons certainly need to help the pass rush, but at this point, the difference between the remaining EDGE prospects isn't significant. However, the drop-off from Barron to the rest of the corners -- another need -- is.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
The Eagles have added Josh Sweat already, and the overhaul of the defensive line continues here with the selection of Nolen, who is my DT2 in the class.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
The Bengals defense has better talent than their numbers last season reflect, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't continue shoring up their defensive line. Harmon has been generating a lot of positive buzz throughout the draft process.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
If you saw Sam Darnold struggle late in the season with the Vikings last season, you know how important it is to keep a clean pocket for him. Some believe Zabel can play tackle, while others see him on the inside. Either way, the Seahawks offensive line needs a lot of work. Geno Smith did a great job covering up a lot of issues last year.
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Mock Trade from
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Round 1 - Pick 19
An NFC South swap! The Saints move back into the first round to draft Shedeur Sanders, whom I'm sure has been shown on the television broadcast no fewer than 1,500 times at this point, with countless updates on his body language. Anyway, the Saints don't have a long-term answer behind Derek Carr, and this allows Sanders to sit and develop for a season, or perhaps win the job straight away.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
It's possible the Broncos go running back here, as it's been a popular choice in recent mocks, but the pass rush could still use help, and there are plenty of good backs available. Off-field questions will scare some teams off Green, particularly early in the first round, but the Broncos take a swing here.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Aaron Rodgers isn't official as of writing, but it feels like it's happening. So the Steelers make sure to replace Najee Harris by adding Hampton, who has all the makings of an effective three-down back in the NFL.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
There's the obvious connection between Grant and Jim Harbaugh, but there's also the glaring need of bodies for the Chargers defensive line.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
It's hard to know where Stewart will go. He could be a top-10 pick, or he could slide out of the first round altogether. I'd bet on him being snapped up in the final third if he's on the board, because production aside, teams don't usually pass up on traits like his, particularly in a draft class like this.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
The Vikings only have four picks in this draft. I'm sure they'd love to trade down from this spot, but who's looking to trade up right now? Unless somebody's desperate to reach for a Jaxson Dart, it's unlikely. So the Vikings address a need in the secondary with my top safety in the class. Maybe they'll have better luck moving down on Friday or Saturday.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
The Texans clearly believe they need to revamp their offensive line, and Simmons is an obvious choice here. I don't know if he's healthy to start the regular season, but when he returns he could prove to be the best tackle in the class.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
The Rams could go 10 different directions here, so this is not an easy pick to figure out. Here I have them taking Colston Loveland, who is strong enough as a blocker to work in Sean McVay's offense, and versatile enough as a receiving threat to flourish in the passing game, too.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
Jackson did much better than I anticipated when he moved to tackle during the season, but his brightest future is at guard, which is a spot the Ravens can use an upgrade.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Not impossible the Lions go after Tyler Booker or their favorite remaining interior OL, but a bookend to Aidan Hutchinson remains a priority. Ezeiruaku is a high-moter player who was very productive at Boston College, and those are traits the Lions seem to prioritize.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
My gut tells me the shaky QB situation at Missouri in 2024 had an impact on Burden, and he's much closer to the player we saw in 2023. If that's true, this is an absolute steal for the Commanders, as Burden is a great YAC threat who could also be effective improvising when Jayden Daniels buys time with his legs.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
All the athletic traits are there with Emmanwori, but the instincts could use some work. The hope here is that his blazing speed helps him overcome mistakes early and that he earns a better understanding of the position as he gains more experience playing it.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Pearce was considered a possible No. 1 pick in this draft a year ago, and his stock has done nothing but fall during the draft process. But there's a reason he was considered a possible No. 1, and those reasons remain, so he's not getting out of the first round.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Another WR isn't the biggest need in Philly, but this team has such a large collection of talent it can afford to take a shot here. Plus, he'd be a great fit. Egbuka spent his entire college career as a No. 2 WR in the Buckeyes offense, destroys zone defenses and blocks his ass off in the run game.
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