Rejoice! Mock draft season is upon us, meaning it is now time for amateur talent evaluators to determine which college football players deserve to make millions of dollars and turn bad teams into good ones. Fortunately for readers, I will not pretend to have evaluated any talent for this mock; instead, I will use what I have aggregated from listening to podcasts and reading articles about what reporters and analysts have said about the draft to give my take on what I believe will happen. In the interest of time and space, I will only go through the first ten picks of the draft, since my analysis would only worsen past this point. This mock will not have trades — even though there will be trades during the draft — because I believe that they make an already highly speculative exercise even worse. Middle tier quarterbacks, such as JJ McCarthy and Michael Penix, could go in the top ten but I do not believe that will happen unless a team trades up. With all that being said, here are my picks:
Chicago Bears (via Carolina Panthers): Caleb Williams, Quarterback, USC
This is the most obvious pick in the draft. Williams is one of the best quarterback prospects since Andrew Luck, possessing the ability to make all the throws and the pocket presence to succeed in the NFL. After trading away Justin Fields for a late round pick swap, the Bears clearly need a quarterback, and Williams has the chance to be the best in Bears history, especially with the litany of weapons they have currently. Bears General Manager Ryan Poles rightfully traded out of last years first overall pick, and Bears fans are getting an awesome present for their patience.
Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, Quarterback, LSU
Daniels is an electric player with dual-threat abilities — he has the ability to make plays from the pocket and the scramble ability of a top-tier NFL quarterback. His height gives him an advantage, but his slim frame opens him up to potential injury if he fails to protect himself while running. Even though there is debate about the second-best quarterback in this draft, it seems that consensus is building around Daniels. It will be interesting to see him in a Kliff Kingsbury-led offense, which has utilized dual-threat quarterbacks effectively in the past.
New England Patriots: Drake Maye, Quarterback, UNC
Neither Mac Jones or Bailey Zappe were able get it done for the Patriots last year, making quarterback the obvious pick. Maye has incredible upside with the ability to make all the throws necessary to succeed. However, his inconsistency has made him a controversial player among draft analysts. Despite these concerns, its likely that new Head Coach Jerod Mayo wants to get his quarterback of the future, which in this case is Maye.
Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr., Wide Receiver, Ohio State
The Cardinals are definitely in a position where they could trade back for a quarterback-needy team, but in this mock they get arguably the best player in the entire draft. Harrison has been widely considered the best receiver in college football over the past two seasons. His top-tier speed and route running ability make him a quarterback’s best friend. As a rebuilding team, the Cardinals need a superstar, and Harrison provides a player they can build a team around.
Los Angeles Chargers: Malik Nabers, Wide Receiver, LSU
The Chargers were in cap hell this offseason, leading them to get rid of both of their top wide receivers, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Nabers fills an obvious need in a big way. He is an explosive receiver with the ability to gain substantial yards after the catch. With Nabers, the Chargers can start the Jim Harbaugh era off with a bang, providing Justin Herbert with a reliable number one receiver option.
New York Giants: Rome Odunze, Wide Receiver, Washington
Reports and mock drafts say that the Giants are looking to go with a quarterback at this pick, but I believe those reports are a smokescreen to get other teams to trade up and pick quarterbacks ahead of the Giants. Even though I am not projecting trades in this draft, the Giants still get an great weapon in Odunze. He is a strong receiver with the ability to run routes well. The Giants have lacked offensive talent over the past few seasons; Odunze helps fix that.
Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt, Offensive Tackle, Notre Dame
Alt to the Titans has been a very popular pick for mock drafts I have seen, and I see no reason not follow their lead. He has the potential to be a stalwart left tackle for the next 5–10 years, ideally protecting Will Levis’s blindside. Tackle is an obvious need for the Titans and Alt fills that need well.
Atlanta Falcons: Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama
The Falcons have invested heavily in their offense over the past few seasons, most recently by signing Quarterback Kirk Cousins. Now they get the chance to do the opposite by picking one of the best defensive players in the draft. Turner can make an immediate impact as a pass rusher, which will hopefully help the Falcons protect their leads.
Chicago Bears: Brock Bowers, Tight End, Georgia
The Bears already have Cole Kmet, who has been a solid contributor to their offense, but the potential of giving Caleb Williams one of the best pass catchers in the draft is something the Bears cannot pass up. Bowers also possesses the ability to line up wide, providing versatility that allows him to be utilized in different formations. The Bears could go with an edge rusher here to help strengthen their defense; however, I think the desire to match a young quarterback with a playmaker will tilt the scales in Bowers’s favor.
New York Jets: Troy Fautanu, Offensive Tackle, Washington
This scenario is not ideal for the Jets, since most of the best receiving options are already off the board. While the likelihood that teams trade up in the top ten for quarterbacks means that the Jets will have other options at this pick, I still think that they would consider taking Fautanu. He is a versatile player with the ability to play both guard and tackle on the offensive line and a great run blocker. The Jets offensive line suffered multiple injuries last season, making depth a vital need to ensure Aaron Rodgers stays healthy for the long haul.