The NFL Draft is still over two months away, but that doesn’t stop anyone from putting together more mock drafts than we know what to do with. Whether some picks are for clicks or if they are legitimate predictions is up to the reader, but with the NFL Combine next week, there is plenty of time for players to rise and fall. Let’s take a look at NFL Network draft expert Daniel Jeremiah’s latest mock draft, his second of the offseason.
Note: Jeremiah does mention in the intro of his mock draft that he did not consider any trades when making these selections.
Quarterbacks
1.01 Chicago Bears — Caleb Williams, USC
1.02 Washington Commanders — Drake Maye, UNC
1.06 New York Giants — Jayden Daniels, LSU
1.08 Atlanta Falcons — J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
Williams and Maye going first and second overall remains the consensus for the top two picks. The shift from the norm involved the next two picks. Many believe that the Patriots will pull the trigger on Daniels at No. 3, but with the Giants just signing quarterback Daniel Jones to a 3-year extension last year, it doesn’t seem likely that they will take the shot at a QB this high this year. New York does have an out in the contract, but would have to eat a hefty chunk of dead cap.
There have been some positive reports about McCarthy and how there is at least one scout who believes he should be the QB2 in the class. The national champion QB has a good chance to improve his draft stock at the upcoming NFL Combine, but seeing his name as high as eighth overall still just seems very high. A good showing at the Combine could very well have McCarthy drafted in the first round, though this draft class is nearing too much hype, much like the 2022 class. Five quarterbacks were mocked in the first round ahead of the draft and only one, Kenny Pickett, was drafted in the first two rounds. His first two seasons suggest that was a big reach, and a quarterback shouldn’t have been selected until the third.
What positions were taken in the first round?
QB — 4
WR — 6
OT — 7
EDGE — 5
CB — 5
DT — 1
TE — 1
IOL — 3
No real surprises here with this distribution. The most notable position not listed is running back, but this class was already expected not to have a player taken until the second round. This is a deep wide receiver and offensive tackle class that is a little top-heavy. The first 10 picks will certainly be exciting, but after that, it will be a lot of corners, offensive tackles, and EDGE rushers that may not initially move the needle much for fans.
Wide receivers
1.03 New England Patriots — Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
1.04 Arizona Cardinals — Malik Nabers, LSU
1.09 Chicago Bears — Rome Odunze, Washington
1.23 Houston Texans — Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
1.26 Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Adonai Mitchell, Texas
1.32 Kansas City Chiefs — Troy Franklin, Oregon
Similar to quarterbacks, the names at the top of the class are the ones that are expected to be drafted early. Harrison Jr. should be the first wideout drafted, and the gap between Nabers and Odunze isn’t as wide as initially thought. The Combine will likely result in a ton of movement in the wide receiver class as, at various times, guys like Keon Coleman, Xavier Legette, Tez Walker, and Xavier Worthy have found their way into the back end of the first round. Kansas City is already expected to be back in the mix for the Super Bowl next year, and their taking a guy like Franklin at No. 32 would create a hell of a tandem between him and Rashee Rice.
Final thoughts
The lack of trade opportunities can hinder a mock draft, but Jeremiah puts forth an interesting one, given the restrictions. It does seem like Williams and Maye go No. 1 and No. 2, but until the Patriots sign a quarterback in free agency, I think they can’t pass up a QB at No. 3, even if it means passing on Harrison Jr. and having to take a WR in the second round.
Bowers dropping all the way to No. 18 after being mocked at No. 5 overall would be a big get for the Cincinnati Bengals offense. It would lessen the blow if wide receiver Tee Higgins isn’t franchise-tagged or signed to an extension. This year’s cornerback class is surprisingly deep and it feels like all five guys mocked in the first, plus some still on the board, can be expected to contribute for their respective teams in Week 1.