I made a mistake on the first one , and i didn't plan on doing another until June, but this is a new hopefully better edited one for you. The 2023 draft is a long ways away , but I have been watching tape again for 2 weeks now, and searching for names to add to my watchlist. I'm sure many of you, especially the ones who didn't like their teams draft this year, or who think that their team is likely to be picking high in 2022 are curious about next year. I still haven't done much work on these guys, except for the few players who I jumped the gun on because I expected them to enter the 2022 draft, but they instead opted to stay in school. While I have watched all of these players actually play many times , that is not the same as breaking down the film on them, and I have only currently broken down the film on one game for 57 players. There are also 4 more players that went back to school I have done 3 games or more games on. Throw in the guys who are draft eligible sophomores that I don't expect to even contemplate going Pro so early, or that haven't played much yet and aren't on my radar right now, and you get the picture. Then chime in with the fact we have little idea what teams will need at that time because of injuries, free agency, the cap, and who knows what else could happen ? Plus the transfer portal has drastically changed the face of college football. Every year when I post this I look back at last years early mock, and you can see how little we know this far out, because it's a miracle if someone even gets half of the 1rst rounders right. So many guys disappoint, go back to school, get injuries, get in trouble , and others come out of the woodwork. Last years way too early mock actually went a lot better than I expected it to turn out after Covid, but it was kind of feast or famine. 4 of the guys I projected to go in the top 32 went undrafted. Add 2 transferring & going back to school, and another staying put wile returning to school. I also hit on 16 first rounders which was great, and a new personal record by two over last years correctly guessed14 first rounders. The complete totals of the 32 guys I projected to go in the first round in 2021 right after last years draft ended were : First-16, Second-2, Third- 3, No fourth rounders, Fifth-1, Sixth- Seventh - 1 . Plus the 3 who went back to school, and the aforementioned 4 who went undrafted. So you can see what a crapshoot it really is at this time. I am making a even harder prediction to guess the draft order. Don't lose your minds if your team is picking high , because this year I am using Vegas odds to predict the top 5. Also, Lamar Jackson & Kyler Murray could be trade candidates if they can't workout contracts with their teams, but I don't include trades in my mocks until draft season. The picks are all mine, but I have done really limited tape study on most of them. They are mostly players I couldn't help noticing while watching last years tape, or guys I expected to enter last years draft that stayed in school. So a lot of trades will probably happen, but I don't put trades in mocks until it's draft season again. Without further ado here it is. Agreeing or disagreeing is welcome, but please do it intelligently & respectfully or I just won't post it. so here it is. Enjoy.
1.BEARS - WILL ANDERSON - OLB/DE - ALABAMA
2.ATLANTA - JALEN CARTER - DT - GEORGIA
3.NY GIANTS - BRYCE YOUNG - QB - ALABAMA
4.JAGUARS - PETE SKORONSKI - OT - NORTHWESTERN
5.SEATTLE - CJ STROUD - QB- OHIO ST.
6.TEXANS - JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA - WR - OHIO ST.
7.LIONS -TYLER VAN DYKE - QB - MIAMI
8.JETS - PARIS JOHNSON - T/G - OHIO ST.
9.CAROLINA - KAYSHON BOUTTE - WR - LSU
10.PATRIOTS - CAM SMITH - CB - S. CAROLINA
11.WASHINGTON - TRENTON SIMPSON - LB - CLEMSON
12.TEXANS-(clev)-MYLES MURPHY - DE/DT - CLEMSON
13.STEELERS -RYAN HAYES - OT - MICHIGAN
14.TITANS -WALKER PARKS - OT -CLEMSON
15.ARIZONA - BRYAN BRESEE - DT - CLEMSON
16.VIKINGS - WILL LEVIS - QB - KENTUCKY
17.MIAMI -SPENCER RATTLER - QB - S. CAROLINA
18.RAIDERS - NOAH SEWELL - LB - OREGON
19.DALLAS - ELI RICKS - CB - ALABAMA
20.COLTS - ZION NELSON - OT - MIAMI
21.EAGLES-(NO)-HABAKKUK BALDANADO - DE - PITTSBURGH
22.RAVENS -NOLAN SMITH - OLB/DE - GEORGIA
23.PACKERS - QUENTIN JOHNSTON - WR - TCU
24.MIAMI-(49ers) - BRANDON JOSEPH - S - N. DAME
25.EAGLES - BIJAN ROBINSON - RB - TEXAS
26.CHIEFS - BJ OJULARI - OLB/DE - LSU
27.BILLS - DAWAND JONES - OT- OHIO ST.
28.SEATTLE-(denv) - EMIL EKIYOR - G - ALABAMA
29.LIONS-(rams) - KELEE RINGO - CB - GEORGIA
30.CHARGERS -JORDAN ADDISON - WR - PITTSBURGH
31.TAMPA BAY - PHIL JURKOVEC - QB - BOSTON COLLEGE
32.BENGALS -MICHAEL MAYER - TE - N. DAME
OTHERS ON MY WATCH LIST
ROBERT SCOTT - OT - FLORIDA ST.
ZACH EVANS - RB - MISSISSIPPI
AKEEM DENT - CB/S - FLORDA ST.
JORDAN BATTLE - S - ALABAMA
SEDRICK VAN PRAN - C - GEORGIA
BLAKE FREELAND - OT - BYU
JAXSON KIRKLAND - T/G - WASHINGTON
RONNIE BELL - WR - MICHIGAN
CONNOR GALVIN - OT - BAYLOR
ISAIAH FOSKEY - DE - N. DAME
ZACH HARRISON - DE OHIO ST.
HENRY TO'O TO'O - LB - ALABAMA
JUSTIN FLOWE - LB - OREGON
CALIJAY KANCE - DT - PITTSBURGH
DONTAY DEMUS - WR - MARYLAND
JONATHAN MINGO - WR - OLE MISS
JOEY PORTER JR. - CB - PENN ST.
MARVIN MIMS - WR - OKLAHOMA
JARRETT PATTERSON - C/G - N. DAME
CLARK PHILLIPS - CB - UTAH
BYRON YOUNG - DT - ALABAMA
MALACHI MOORE - S/CB - ALABAMA
CAMERON LATU - TE - ALABAMA
JERMAINE BURTON - WR- ALABAMA
JAQUELIN ROY - DT - LSU
DALLIN HOLKER - TE - BYU
KEENAN PILI - LB - BYU
DERICK HALL - DE - AUBURN
ZION NELSON - OT - MIAMI
KEDON SLOVIS - QB - PITTSBURGH
BRENNAN ARMSTRONG - QB - VIRGINIA
ANTHONY RICHARDSON - QB - FLORIDA
JAKE HAENER - QB - FRESNO ST.
ANNER MCKEE - QB - STANFORD
O'CYRUS TORRANCE - G - FLORIDA
TYLER DAVIS - DT - CLEMSON
ZACCH PICKENS - DT - S. CAROLINA
JOSH DOWNS - WR - N. CAROLINA
How on God's green earth do the Falcons pass on a QB? Even with the pick of Ridder this year, if they're picking top 2, then surely Ridder and Mariotta aren't the answer.
ReplyDeleteWhile I personally doubt either is the answer , especially Mariota , because he hasn't shown he can stay healthy , either still could end up the long term guy while still picking #1 or #2. I believe Trevor Lawrence is the answer in Jacksonville. Yet they still picked #1 in back to back years. Also, many teams like to build up the roster before they take a QB high, and the new Falcons regime could be one of those. Plus, Ridder could show just enough late in the year to make them delay taking a QB in 2023. It's also good to keep in mind that I don't put trades in my mock's until draft season, and I believe that in all likelihood at least the top 2 selections will be QB'S in 2023 , but like I said I don't have trades yet. Lets just say for the sake of argument that Ridder does look good enough to give them pause , or that they aren't in love with any 2023 QB. In that case they could trade the pick to a team that does love a QB for a huge haul, and speed up the rebuild. Although I do tend to agree with you now that I have broken down 3 games on 4 2023 QB's , because I now think that at least Stroud & Young are definitely going high in 2023. However, you are probably right. My next mock will have them taking Stroud
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