It is very possible the NFL sees quarterbacks taken with the first four picks for the first time in league history. In today's thought exercise, Indianapolis and Las Vegas trade up to insure they are not left in the cold. In the process, the first non-quarterback is not taken until No. 5 overall, which is great value for teams that do not find themselves in the quarterback market.
The draft order below is now the official order based on team records and tiebreakers. There are only 31 picks as a result of the Dolphins' pick being forfeited due to tampering violations.
Without further ado, let's kick this off!
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NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
From
Chicago Bears
Round 1 - Pick 1
C.J. Stroud
QB
Ohio State
• Soph
• 6'3"
/ 218 lbs
C.J. Stroud performed at a high level at his Pro Day Wednesday. I could see Carolina going in that direction based on its interactions with the quarterback after the throwing session.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Bryce Young
QB
Alabama
• Soph
• 5'10"
/ 204 lbs
Houston is getting a high-character quarterback capable of making plays outside of structure and leading that franchise into the future. There are San Francisco roots on offense and that scheme relies on timing and accuracy. Young offers those qualities.
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Mock Trade from
Arizona Cardinals
Round 1 - Pick 3
Will Levis
QB
Kentucky
• Soph
• 6'4"
/ 229 lbs
Arizona trades down one spot initially. Indianapolis has held its cards close to the vest. Some teams are being more transparent in their searches while the Colts are operating a bit more behind closed doors. It would not be a surprise if they went for Will Levis or Anthony Richardson.
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Mock Trade from
Arizona Cardinals
Round 1 - Pick 4
Florida
• Soph
• 6'4"
/ 244 lbs
Arizona trades down a second time, this time with Las Vegas. The Raiders move up to select Anthony Richardson, a young, other-worldly talent afforded the time to sit behind veteran Jimmy Garoppolo.
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From
Denver Broncos
Round 1 - Pick 5
Will Anderson Jr.
EDGE
Alabama
• Soph
• 6'4"
/ 243 lbs
Seattle upgrades its pass rush with the safest edge rusher in the class. The Seahawks tend to lean towards traits, so maybe Tyree Wilson is in play here, but Anderson is just too good to pass up.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Tyree Wilson
EDGE
Texas Tech
• Soph
• 6'6"
/ 275 lbs
Detroit lands a lengthy edge rusher that is only scratching the surface of his potential and plops him on that defensive line opposite Aidan Hutchinson.
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Mock Trade from
Las Vegas Raiders
Round 1 - Pick 7
Jalen Carter
DL
Georgia
• Soph
• 6'3"
/ 314 lbs
After trading back from No. 3 overall to No. 4 overall, and then again to No. 7 overall, the Cardinals finally make a pick. Jalen Carter would have been under consideration at their original pick, but Arizona was able to pick up some additional draft capital to move along that rebuild.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Oregon
• Soph
• 6'2"
/ 205 lbs
I think Atlanta would love to land one of the talented edge rushers and perhaps it would consider a Myles Murphy or Lukas Van Ness here. However, Christian Gonzalez has tantalizing athletic traits so pairing him with A.J. Terrell shores up that aspect of the roster.
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From
Carolina Panthers
Round 1 - Pick 9
Northwestern
• Soph
• 6'4"
/ 313 lbs
Chicago just needs to get the five best linemen on the field. Braxton Jones and Peter Skoronski can be a part of that plan moving forward.
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From
New Orleans Saints
Round 1 - Pick 10
Bryan Bresee
DL
Clemson
• Soph
• 6'5"
/ 305 lbs
Philadelphia lost a few interior defenders from the Super Bowl run so Bryan Bresee helps mask that loss. Jordan Davis and Bresee forms a really talented tandem to build around.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Ohio State
• Soph
• 6'6"
/ 313 lbs
I think most teams would lean Broderick Jones over Paris Johnson Jr. in this position, but the Titans were burnt the last time they went to the Georgia well and Johnson hails from Mike Vrabel's alma mater.
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From
Cleveland Browns
Round 1 - Pick 12
Lukas Van Ness
EDGE
Iowa
• Soph
• 6'5"
/ 272 lbs
Houston hopes it has found a staple on each side of the ball with the selections of Bryce Young and now Lukas Van Ness. The Texans may need another reliable weapon for Young, but it is easier to find that player on Day 2 than an interior defender.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Myles Murphy
DL
Clemson
• Soph
• 6'5"
/ 275 lbs
I initially had an offensive tackle in this position but swapped out for Myles Murphy at the last moment. Jets general manager Joe Douglas comes from the Philadelphia tree that values depth on the line of scrimmage. There is some buzz about Mekhi Becton getting in shape this offseason and the Jets could theoretically move forward with Becton and Max Mitchell.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Georgia
• Soph
• 6'5"
/ 311 lbs
Isaiah Wynn remains unsigned and thus, there is a need at left tackle. Bill Belichick is not afraid to return to the Georgia well to find a replacement. Broderick Jones is a young player with room to grow.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Alabama
• Soph
• 6'0"
/ 203 lbs
Brian Branch is an instinctual prospect who can fill a variety of roles within that Green Bay defense. He can handle the responsibility of communicating the defense to the rest if the coaching staff were to make that choice.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
Illinois
• Soph
• 6'0"
/ 185 lbs
Washington has made a few additions to its offensive line so that could alleviate some of the pressure to pick one in the first round. Instead, the Commanders address another need in the secondary with a fiery personality.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Penn State
• Soph
• 6'2"
/ 194 lbs
The legacy lands where his father's career began. The Steelers did sign Patrick Peterson, who's not a long-term option, but is a great resource for a rookie entering the league.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
Pittsburgh
• Soph
• 6'1"
/ 281 lbs
Detroit is not going to be afraid to take an undersized interior defender. General manager Brad Holmes was in Los Angeles when the team selected Aaron Donald. Kancey is not Donald, but the Lions upgrade the pass rush across the board with a player who can shoot gaps and get into the backfield.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
O'Cyrus Torrence
IOL
Florida
• Soph
• 6'5"
/ 347 lbs
Tampa Bay had one hole to fill along its interior offensive line and then Shaq Mason was traded to Houston. The signing of Baker Mayfield signals that the team intends to compete this season, but the offensive line is a big concern.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
Ohio State
• Soph
• 6'0"
/ 197 lbs
Jaxon Smith-Njigba has shown enough to be taken in the first round and potentially the first wide receiver off the board. Tyler Lockett would be 32 years old and carrying a nearly $24 million salary cap hit if he were still on the roster in 2024; that is not going to happen. Smith-Njigba is preparation for that inevitability.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Tennessee
• Soph
• 6'6"
/ 333 lbs
For the third consecutive year, Los Angeles elects to take an offensive lineman in the first round. If all of them pan out and warrant a second contract, then it could be a bit problematic financially down the road, but there is never too much protection for Justin Herbert.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
TCU
• Soph
• 6'4"
/ 215 lbs
Baltimore gets a big boundary receiver who does a good job of creating yardage post-catch. His ability to stretch the field should allow tight end Mark Andrews and wide receiver Rashod Bateman the room to operate underneath.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
USC
• Soph
• 5'11"
/ 175 lbs
Minnesota has officially made the decision to move on from Adam Thielen, as I have alluded to for months in mock draft scenarios. Jordan Addison enters as a valuable complement to Justin Jefferson.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Deonte Banks
CB
Maryland
• Soph
• 6'2"
/ 205 lbs
Jacksonville has not shied away from investing in the secondary but they've been the wrong investments in free agency. Deonte Banks gives them a big, physical cornerback to patrol the boundary.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
Cam Smith
CB
South Carolina
• Soph
• 6'1"
/ 180 lbs
The run on cornerbacks has already occurred, but New York still gets one of the premier options in my opinion. Cam Smith showed a lot of progress from last season to this year, but also showed great athletic qualities at the NFL Combine.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Texas
• Soph
• 5'11"
/ 215 lbs
Dallas has finally parted ways with Ezekiel Elliott and is now left with Tony Pollard and recently signed Ronald Jones. The team could certainly wait to address the position on Day 2, but the value on Bijan Robinson was too good to pass up.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
Utah
• Soph
• 6'4"
/ 240 lbs
Buffalo is less concerned with its tight ends blocking than it is receiving. Dalton Kincaid is a fluid athlete who does a good job of running crisp routes and shows soft hands to secure the catch and get upfield quickly.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Notre Dame
• Soph
• 6'4"
/ 265 lbs
The Northern Kentucky native replaces Hayden Hurst. Michael Mayer is a big target in chain-moving situations, but is also able to positively impact the run game.
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From
Denver Broncos
Round 1 - Pick 29
Keion White
DL
Georgia Tech
• Soph
• 6'5"
/ 290 lbs
The idea of taking Keion White in the first round is too rich for me personally, but this fits the profile of a New Orleans selection. The Saints seem to take offensive linemen or an edge rusher with great size and athletic qualities, like Payton Turner and Marcus Davenport, in the first round.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Nolan Smith
EDGE
Georgia
• Soph
• 6'2"
/ 238 lbs
The value is too good for Philadelphia to leave on the board any longer. Nolan Smith will likely be long gone by this point, but quality players are known to fall every year and the Eagles would be more than willing to add more depth to their edge rusher group.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Dawand Jones
OT
Ohio State
• Soph
• 6'8"
/ 375 lbs
After signing Jawaan Taylor in free agency, Kansas City is expected to move him to the left side to replace Orlando Brown Jr. The loss of Andrew Wylie still leaves a void on the right side that could theoretically be filled by Darian Kinnard or Lucas Niang. In this scenario, they select Dawand Jones to literally anchor that side of the line.
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