The 2023 draft is finally over, and teams are scrambling for undrafted free agents as I type this. 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 2024 are curious about next year. Started grinding tape during day 3 of the draft, and have been at it since , but I am taking a week long break after I finish this. I 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 56 players. There are also 5 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, retirements , the cap, and who knows what else could happen ? Plus the transfer portal & NIL money 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 ( 2023 Waaaaaay Too Early Mock Draft ) actually went a lot better than I expected it to turn out after Covid. I made 32 picks , but Miami lost their 1rst rounder for a tampering violation , so there were only 31 1rst rounders this draft. The complete totals of the 32 guys I projected to go in the first round in 2023 right after last years draft ended were : First-13, Second- 4, Third- 1, Fourth - 1 Fifth-1, Sixth- 1 , Seventh - 1 . Plus the record for me 6 ( N.I.L money ) 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 it's a long time away , and this is even bigger guess than the actual players. The picks are all mine, and so is the order of you want to be mad at someone. 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. I expect a QB to go #1 , and I expect the Cardinals to have the first pick. It's also hard for me to see Arizona trading Kyler Murray with all the guaranteed money on his deal, and even harder for me to believe someone will trade for him once he gets healthy , so I am guessing they will trade the pick for a large haul to keep the rebuild going quickly. So a lot of trades will probably happen, but I don't put trades in mocks until it's draft season again I am leaving a QB at #1. 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.ARIZONA - CALEB WILLIAMS - QB - USC
2.TAMPA BAY - DRAKE MAYE - QB - N. CAROLINA
3.RAIDERS - JOE ALT - OT - N. DAME
4.TENNESEE - MARVIN HARRISON JR. - WR - OHIO ST.
5.RAMS - OLUMUYIWA FASHANU - OT - PENN ST.
6.ARIZONA - (hou)- GA'QUINCY MCKINSTRY - CB - ALABAMA
7.PACKERS - QUINN EWERS - QB - TEXAS
8.COLTS - JARED VERSE - DE/OLB - FLORIDA ST.
9.BEARS-(car)- DALLAS TURNER - OLB/DE - ALABAMA
10.PATRIOTS - JC LATHAM - T/G- ALABAMA
11.VIKINGS - MICHAEL PENIX - QB - WASHINGTON
12.WASHINGTON - BROCK BOWERS - TE - GEORGIA
13.HOUSTON-(clev)- MICHAEL HALL - DT - OHIO ST.
14.BEARS - KAMARI LASSITER - CB - GEORGIA
15.RAVENS - JT TUIMOLOAU - DE - OHIO ST.
16.SAINTS - KALEN KING - CB - PENN ST.
17.CHARGERS - KAMREN KINCHENS - S - MIAMI
18.DENVER - JAVON BULLARD - CB/S - GEORGIA
19.GIANTS - BLAKE CORRUM - RB - MICHIGAN
20.JAGUARS - EMEKA EGBUKA - WR - OHIO ST.
21.ATLANTA - JORDAN TRAVIS - QB - FLORIDA ST.
22.STEELERS - JEREMIAH TROTTER JR. - LB - CLEMSON
23.SEATTLE - JER'ZHAN NEWTON - DT - ILLINOIS
24.MIAMI - MAASON SMITH - DE/DT - LSU
25.LIONS - LEONARD TAYLOR - DT - MIAMI
26.BILLS - MALIK NABERS - WR - LSU
27.JETS - KINGSLEY SUAMATAIA - OT - BYU
28.49ers - COOPER BEEBE - G/T - KANSAS ST.
29.DALLAS - DONOVAN JACKSON - G - OHIO ST.
30.CHIEFS - TROY FRANKLIN - WR - OREGON
31.BENGALS - CHOP ROBINSON - DE/OLB - PENN ST.
32.EAGLES - JONAH MONHEIM - T/G - USC
OTHERS ON THE 2024 WATCH LIST
TERRION ARNOLD - CB - ALABAMA
JA'COREY BROOKS - WR - ALABAMA
JERMAINE BURTON - WR - ALABAMA
CJ DIPPRE - TE - ALABAMA
MALACHI MOORE - CB - ALABAMA
BEAU LIMMER - G - ARKANSAS
KJ JEFFERSON - QB - ARKANSAS
RAHEIM SANDERS - RB - ARKANSAS
JACOB COWING - WR - ARIZONA
JORDAN MORGAN - OT - ARIZONA
JALIN CONYERS - TE - ARIZONA ST.
DJ JAMES - CB - AUBURN
CHRISTIAN MAHOGANY - G - BOSTON COLLEGE
DONTAY CORLEONE - DT - CINCINNATTI
DESHAWN PACE - LB - CINCINNATTI
BARRETT CARTER - LB - CLEMSON
BEAUX COLLINS - WR - CLEMSON
TYLER DAVIS - DT - CLEMSON
RJ MICKENS - S - CLEMSON
ANDREW MUKUBA - S - CLEMSON
RUKE ORHORHOR - DT - CLEMSON
GRAYSON MCCALL - QB - C. CAROLINA
WILL SHIPLEY - RB - OREGON
SHEDEUR SANDERS - QB - COLORADO
SEYDOU TRAORE -TE - COLORADO
GRAHAM BARTON - OL - DUKE
DEWAYNE CARTER - DT - DUKE
JASON MARSHALL - CB - FLORIDA
PRINCELY UMANMIELEN - OLB/DE - FLORIDA
TREY BENSON - RB - FLORIDA ST.
FENTRELL CYPRESS - CB - FLORIDA ST.
BRADEN FISKE - DT - FLORIDA ST.
FABIEN LOVETT - DT - FLORIDA ST.
JORDAN TRAVIS - QB - FLORIDA ST.
JOHNNY WILSON - WR/TE - FLORIDA ST.
JAMON DUMAS-JOHNSON - LB - GEORGIA
KAMARI LASSITER - CB - GEORGIA
LADD MCCONKEY - WR - GEORGIA
AMARIUS MIMS - OT - GEORGIA
TATE RUTLEDGE - G - GEORGIA
SEDRICK VAN PRAN - C - GEORGIA
D'ANTHONY JONES - DE - HOUSTON
KEITH RANDOLPH - DT - ILLINOIS
CONNOR COLBY - G/T - IOWA
COOPER DEJEAN - CB - IOWA
KT LEVESTON - T/G- KANSAS ST.
JAYDEN DANIELS - QB - LSU
SAGE RYAN - S/CB - LSU
MEKHI WINGO - DT - LSU
JAQUAN SHEPPARD - CB - MARYLAND
JAVION COHEN - G - MIAMI
MATTHEW LEE - C - MIAMI
AKHEEM MESIDOR - DE - MIAMI
ZION NELSON - OT - MIAMI
TYLER VAN DYKE - QB - MIAMI
JAMES WILLIAMS - S - MIAMI
JUNIOR COLSON - LB - MICHIGAN
DONOVAN EDWARDS - RB - MICHIGAN
JAYLEN HARRELL - OLB/DE - MICHIGAN
KRIS JENKINS - DT/DE - MICHIGAN
JJ MCCARTHY - QB - MICHIGAN
ROD MOORE - S - MICHIGAN
DRAKE NUGENT - C - MICHIGAN
ZAK ZINTER - G - MICHIGAN
KEON COLEMAN - WR - MICHIGAN ST.
JACOBY WINDMON - OLB/DE - MICHIGAN ST.
TYLER NUBIN - S - MINNESOTA
BREVYN SPANN-FORD - TE - MINNESOTA
KRIS ABRAMS-DRAINE - CB - MISSOURI
JAVON FOSTER - OT - MISSOURI
TYRON HOPPER - LB - MISSOURI
CEDRICK GRAY - LB - N. CAROLINA
BRYSON NESBIT - TE - N. CAROLINA
QUINTON NEWSOME - CB - NEBRASKA
BLAKE FISHER - OT - N. DAME
DENZEL BURKE - CB - OHIO ST.
TOMMY EICHENBERG - LB - OHIO ST.
TREVEYON HENDERSON - RB - OHIO ST.
MATTHEW JONES - G - OHIO ST.
JOSH PROCTOR - S - OHIO ST.
JACK SAWYER - DE - OHIO ST.
CADE STOVER - TE - OHIO ST.
MIYAN WILLIAMS - RB - OHIO ST.
TYLEIK WILLIAMS- DT - OHIO ST.
DANNY STUTSMAN - LB - OKLAHOMA
CADEN PRIESKORN - TE - OLE MISS
AJANI CORNELIUS - OT - OREGON
BRANDON DORLUS - DE/DT - OREGON
BUCKY IRVING - RB - OREGON
TEZ JOHNSON - WR - OREGON
BO NIX - QB - OREGON
JACKSON POWERS-JOHNSON - OREGON
HENELI BLOOMFIELD - G - OREGON ST.
TALIESE FUAGA - OT - OREGON ST.
ABDUL CARTER - LB - PENN ST.
KHORDAE SYDNOR - DE - PURDUE
SPENCER RATTLER - QB - S. CAROLINA
FRANK GORE JR. - RB - S. MISSISSIPPI
BENJAMIN YUROSEK - TE - STANFORD
ORONDE GADSDEN - WR - SYRACUSE
JALEN CATALON - S - TEXAS
JAYLAN FORD - LB - TEXAS
ADONAI MITCHELL - WR - TEXAS
BYRON MURPHY - DT - TEXAS
JATAVIAN SANDERS - TE - TEXAS
BARRYN SORREL - DE/OLB - TEXAS
T'VONDRE SWEAT - NT - TEXAS
XAVIER WORTHY - WR - TEXAS
TYREEK CHAPPELL - CB - TEXAS A&M
BRYCE FOSTER - C - TEXAS A&M
TONY GRIMES - CB - TEXAS A&M
DEMANI RICHARDSON - S - TEXAS A&M
LAYDEN ROBINSON - G - TEXAS A&M
AINIAS SMITH - WR - TEXAS A&M
JAYLON HUTCHINGS - NT - TEXAS TECH
QUINYON MITCHELL - CB - TOLEDO
JAHEIM BELL - TE/WR - S. CAROLINA
JOSH NEWTON - CB - TCU
LAIATU LATU - OLB/DE - UCLA
GABRIEL MURPHY - DE/OLB - UCLA
GRAYSON MURPHY - DE/OLB - UCLA
CARSON STEELE - RB - UCLA
CHRISTIAN HAYNES - G/C - UCONN
CALEN BULLOCK - S - USC
JUSTIN DEDICH - G - USC
KOREY FOREMAN - OLB/DE - USC
MARSHAWN LLOYD - RB - USC
DORIAN SINGER - WR - USC
MARIO WILLIAMS - WR - USC
COLE BISHOP - S - UTAH
WILL SHEPPARD - WR - VANDY
JALEN MCMILLIAN - WR - WASHINGTON
ROME ODUNZE - WR - WASHINGTON
BRALEN TRICE - DE/OLB - WASHINGTON
ZION TUPUOLA-FETUI - OLB/DE - WASHINGTON
JADEN HICKS - S - WASHINGTON ST.
MALACHI CORLEY - WR - W. KENTUCKY
AUBREY BURKS - S - W. VIRGINIA
ZACH FRAZIER - C - W. VIRGINIA
BRIAN STEVENS - G - VIRGINIA
BRAELON ALLEN - RB - WISCONSIN
MAEMA NJONGMETA - LB - WISCONSIN
Ha ha ha. Giants taking a first round RB?? Wake me up when the Combine and Free Agency are over.
ReplyDeleteThe Giants just drafted Barkley in the first round 5 years ago so I don't think it's a big stretch unless they resign him to a long term deal. Also Daboll really values pass protection and Corrum is a beast at it in addition to being a stud runner. Reminds me a lot of Maurice Jones Drew on tape, and since I thought he was going to be in the 2023 draft I had already done 3 of his games before he went back to school , so I think I have a pretty good read on him right now. I had a higher grade on him than Jahmyr Gibbs and he went #12 overall so I wouldn't rule it out if I were you , but you are entitled to your own opinion. Take care.
DeleteThat’s when that idiot Gettleman was GM. 1st round running backs are luxury picks; the “cherry on top” to get a strong roster possibly over the top on a Super Bowl run. The Giants aren’t close to that. While Schoen and Daboll are turning the ship around, there’s still lots to be done before highly drafted back.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree with you about Gettleman because he was stuck in old school thinking in a new league , and agree that the new new regime is definitely smarter , I disagree with the idea of first round RB's. Personally I am fine with them as long as they aren't in the top 10 , and if I have a 1rst round grade on them , especially in the second half of round one. Most teams have between 14 to 18 players with a first round grade on their board per draft that fit their particular scheme. I would rather have a player with a 1rst round grade later in the round than reach for another player with a second round grade, and since RB'S generally have most of their top value in their first contract it makes sense to me from both a salary cap & analytical perspective. Bijan Robinson just went #8 to Atlanta & Jahmyr Gibbs went 12th in the draft less than 2 weeks ago. Personally I would have been fine with Robinson at #12 because I think he is rare, but though taking Gibbs at #12 was a tad high. However fit & scheme do matter , and since both players are great in the passing game I don't just think of them as just a RB , but as a offensive chess piece. I wouldn't give a player like Austin Ekeler 20 carries a game , but 10-12 carries and 6 to 8 targets make him a very valuable weapon. Despite Michigan's now predictable old school offense I believe that Corrum can be more than just a RB in the NFL with a more innovative play caller, and he is a ACE in pass protection as well. Anyway , I guess we will just have agree to disagree on this one , and I will be trying put various mocks with different players & positions as we go along so your team won't always get a RB from me. Also, congratulations on the Giants draft. I loved their first 4 picks , especially the potential value of Hyatt in the 3rd. Take care.
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