The top 6 of last years draft was pretty easy to predict come draft day, and the top 10 wasn't much harder except for the Michael Penix pick , but this year is a mystery for most of us. Too many irregularities & unknows abound in this draft From injuries , guys refusing to workout , widely reported stories with anonymous sources , behind the scenes maneuvering , and out right lies by other NFL power players. Even the measurements being different at The Combine compared to The Senior Bowl despite being performed by the same company. At this point I am pretty sure that Cam Ward , Abdul Carter , and Travis Hunter will all be gone in the top 4 , but that's about it because it all hinges on whether The Titans draft Ward , or trade the pick. Since Vegas always has information that most don't , and the betting odds on Ward going number one have spiked I am just going to say he goes #1 now. Although whether it's to the Titans or in a trade up with the Giants or someone else still remains to be seen. Yes even after they Wilson's signing to a cheap contract the Giants could still easily take a QB. If the Titans sit and take Ward than I expect Sanders to go in the top 7 , and shockingly he could even go #2 to the Browns , but I no longer think he will fall out of the top 10 even if Aaron Rodgers signs with a QB needy teams in that range. Plus the Steelers are the only team that have patience for coaches to right the ship these days so even a first or 2nd year HC can get fired before they get a fair chance to rebuild these days. It's a QB driven league and if you don't have one then the coach and/or GM are both on the hot seat. With the free agency chaos basically destroying my team writeups I decided to wait until my next mock to let this frantic part stop before finishing my full team summaries , but some family stuff also got in the way. Next some stupid big deals signed by edge rushers have sadly destroyed the market , and now greedy lesser players like Micah Parson will probably be even more overpaid than usual. Once again Jerry Jones waits and loses. At this point I would trade Parson and draft 2 edge guys with the 2 first picks I got for him if I was Dallas. Not to mention that some very talented players have been traded for 2nd round picks. Also a few more big time prospects have been plagued by injuries since my last mock. First Jalon Walker got hurt while training , but it's not believed to be serious. Walker says he will now just have a private workout in April. Yet another reason while players should just do it ALL at The Scouting Combine. If you don't like your workout you can try to improve at your Pro Day ( or a private workout ) , but if you get hurt after ghosting The Combine a whole lot of a unanswered questions just grow in the minds of NFL teams. Now if this is some agent B.S. where he's telling a not to workout because they aren't really that good then I hope the player goes undrafted , but if it's legit he could get injured again and never get to workout for teams. CB Will Johnson also has postponed working out for teams with a new injury , and he might not even run before draft either. Then Jihaad Campbell just had shoulder surgery , although reports say he should be good to start the NFL season barring any setbacks , but at least he ran and did some other drills at the combine. So the reported injuries that have made me shuffle some rankings. With the season complete everything in the NFL season barring is still partly focused on the tail end of free agency , but the draft is a higher priority now. Still grinding through more tape , but I'm getting a better feel on these players now. Currently I have broken down the film on one game for 347 players. Plus I have done 3 games on 233 players , but only 5 or more games on 155. Some unheralded players blew up the combine , and more will in private workouts , and we will all be doing a deeper dive on them. Keep in mind that we still only have a partial idea of what teams will need on draft day because of injuries, the rest of current free agency, retirements , the cap, suspensions , trades , post compensatory free agency , etcetera. Plus the transfer portal & NIL money has drastically changed the face of college football , and more guys are wisely staying in school , although that means the lower rounds of the draft will usually have less upside these days. On the bright side more players who enter the league should be better prepared than in the past , and also more importantly have a degree if they don't stick in the NFL. Another significant difference between this draft , and other recent ones , is that everybody currently still has their own number one pick. That probably means 1 or 2 will happen in 2025 for a QB , but I wouldn't trade up into ( or draft ) any of them in the top 10. When I finished doing a deeper dive on 2024 eligible QB's , and I still don't have a 1rst round grade on any of them it just didn't make sense. Any team wanting to win now might be better served by going after a veteran option. Rodgers and Kirk Cousins , are still available. If I was a NFL GM who wanted to win I would rather have either of them starting for my team next year than any of the potential 2025 draftable QB's , especially Wilson. Also, Aaron Rodgers may still decide to keep playing , and if he's committed he may be even better than Russell next season, Also , Kirk Cousins has flexed his no trade clause until after the draft , but he should be on the move after it. To me it's a weird draft so far with very few high ceiling guys that also have a high floor. Plus the deepest positions I now see as far as good potential starters on the first 2 days of the draft are RB , edge rusher , and TE. With the exception of edge rusher , which is a premium position , the other 2 positions have been undervalued most by the NFL. In fact I expect edge to have both the most 1rst round picks , and top 50 selections in this draft for any position. In fact if you count Jalon Walker & Jihaad Campbell as edge rushers then their could be as many as 20 edge rushers drafted in the first 2 rounds. Although DT has decent strength early . Also DT seems to have too many high ceiling boom or bust prospects who's production doesn't match their talent , but there are a whole lot of talented guys there. CB started out well when I was watching tape this off season and through the early part of the 2024 schedule, but the rash of injuries to many of the top prospects at the position has cooled me on the group. A lot of the top OT's will be seen as a better fit inside , but I expect a LOT of O-Lineman to be drafted in the first 75 picks anyway. TE could be special this year as well. On the first 2 days of the draft I'm guessing there will 2 TE's taken in the top 22 picks, 5 in the first 2 rounds , and maybe 7 in the top 120. As for RB I have 4 in my top 32 and I believe there could be multiple 1,000 rushers who fall to the 5th round. I expect a trade up into the top 10 this year will cost less if a team does move up for a signal caller , but I still think it's probably a waste. Personally the only player I would definitely trade up into the top 10 for is Abdul Carter. Although if I was assured that Travis Hunter would happily play both sides of the ball with me choosing his playing time ( 70% offense, and 30% defense on passing downs only) I might make the trade up for him as well. The picks are all mine if you want to be mad at someone , but this is NOT my top prospects list , but instead what I believe NFL teams will do. A lot of trades will probably happen, but I expect it to happen more on day 2. 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.
# Is for a player for with reported character or maturity concerns.
** Is for a player with reported injury concerns.
***TRADE*** The GIANTS TRADE their 1rst (#3) and their 3rd (#65) rounder in this draft , and their 2026 first rounder to the TITANS for their 1rst (#1) rounder ***TRADE***
1.TITANS - CAMERON WARD - QB - MIAMI
2.BROWNS - ABDUL CARTER - # - LB/EDGE - PENN ST
3.GIANTS - TRAVIS HUNTER - WR/CB - COLORADO
4.PATRIOTS - ARMAND MEMBOU - T/G - MISSORRI
5.JAGUARS - MASON GRAHAM - DT/DE - MICHIGAN
6.RAIDERS - TETAIROA MCMILLAN - WR - ARIZONA
7.JETS - SHEDEUR SANDERS - QB - COLORADO
8.PANTHERS - TYLER WARREN - TE - PENN ST.
9.SAINTS - WILL CAMPBELL - T/G - LSU
10.CHICAGO - ASHTON JEANTY - RB - BOISE ST. - 5"9" , 211
11.SF 49ers - KENNETH GRANT - NT - MICHIGAN
12.DALLAS - JAHDAE BARRON - CB/S - TEXAS
13.MIAMI - KELVIN BANKS JR. - OT - TEXAS
14.COLTS - JIHAAD CAMPBELL - ** - LB/EDGE - ALABAMA
15.ATLANTA - MIKE GREEN - # - DE/OLB - MARSHALL
16.ARIZONA - JALON WALKER - LB/EDGE - GEORGIA
17.BENGALS - WALTER NOLEN - DT - OLE MISS
18.SEATTLE - MATTHEW GOLDEN - ** - WR - TEXAS
19.TAMPA BAY - SHEMAR STEWART - DE/DT - TEXAS A&M
20.DENVER - OMARION HAMPTON - RB - N. CAROLINA
21.STEELERS - MAXWELL HAIRSTON - CB - KENTUCKY
22.CHARGERS - COLSTON LOVELAND - TE - MICHIGAN
23.PACKERS - DONOVAN EZEIRUAKU - OLB/DE - B.C.
24.VIKINGS - WILL JOHNSON - ** - CB - N. DAME
25.HOUSTON - JOSH SIMMONS - ** - OT - OHIO ST.
26.RAMS - MALAKI STARKS - S/CB- GEORGIA
27.RAVENS - TYLER BOOKER - G- ALABAMA
28.DETROIT - MYKELL WILLIAMS - DE/OLB - GEORGIA
29.WASHINGTON - JAMES PEARCE JR. - # - OLB/DE - TENNESEE
30.BUFFALO - EMEKA EGBUKA - WR - OHIO ST.
31.CHIEFS - JOSH CONNERLY - OT - OREGON
32.EAGLES - DEREK HARMON - DT - OREGON
TEAM WITHOUT A FIRST ROUNDER NOW
WATCH LIST
JEREMIAH ALEXANDER - OLB/DE - ALABAMA
AARON ANDERSON - WR - ALABAMA
GERMIE BERNARD - WR - ALABAMA
DOMANI JACKSON - CB - ALABAMA
DEONTE LAWSON - LB - ALABAMA
JALEN MILROE - QB - ALABAMA
JAHEIM OTIS - DT - ALABAMA
LT OVERTON - DE/DT - ALABAMA
JAEDEN ROBERTS - G - ALABAMA
KEON SABB - S - ALABAMA
TACARIO DAVIS - CB - ARIZONA
NOAH FIFITA - QB - ARIZONA
JONAH SAVAIINAEA - T/G - ARIZONA
JAYLON BRAXTON - CB - ARKANSAS
TAYLEEN GREEN - QB - ARKANSAS
JA'QUINDEN JACKSON - RB - ARKANSAS
LANDON JACKSON - DE/DT - ARKANSAS
HAROLD FANNIN - JR. - TE - B. GREEN
OZZY TRAPILO - OT - B.C.
DONTAY CORLEONE - DT - CINCINNATTI
BARRETT CARTER - LB - CLEMSON
WILL SHEPPARD - WR - COLORADO
TORY HORTON - WR - COLORADO ST.
SHAVON REVEL - ** - CB - E. CAROLINA
AUSTIN BARBER - OT - FLORIDA
TRIKWEZE BRIDGES - CB/S - FLORIDA
JORDAN CASTELL - S - FLORIDA
CAM JACKSON - NT - FLORIDA
SHEMAR JAMES - LB - FLORIDA
JASON MARSHALL - CB - FLORIDA
GRAHAM MERTZ - QB - FLORIDA
DEVIN MOORE - CB - FLORIDA
JAKE SLAUGHTER - C - FLORIDA
ASA TURNER - S - FLORIDA
ASHTON BRABLE - OT - FLORIDA A&M
JOSHUA FARMER - DT - FLORIDA ST.
MARVIN JONES - OLB/DE - FLORIDA ST.
PATRICK PAYTON - OLB/DE - FLORIDA ST.
AZAREYE'H THOMAS - CB - FLA. ST.
CARSON BECK - QB - GEORGIA
OSCAR DELP - TE - GEORGIA
TREVOR ETTIENNE - RB - GEORGIA
DAYLEN EVERETTE - CB - GEORGIA
DYLAN FAIRCHILD - G - GEORGIA
EARNEST GREENE - OT - GEORGIA
TYRION INGRAM-DAWKINS - DE/DT - GEORGIA
DOMINICK LOVETT - WR - GEORGIA
SMAEL MONDON JR. - LB - GEORGIA
TATE RUTLEDGE - G - GEORGIA
NAZIR STACKHOUSE - DT - GEORGIA
JACKSON HAWES - TE - G.A TECH
GABE JACAS - DE - ILLINOIS
MIKALI KOMARA - DE - INDIANA
CJ WEST - DT - INDIANA
SEBASTIAN CASRTRO - CB - IOWA
JAY HIGGINS - LB - IOWA
KALEB JOHNSON - RB - IOWA
LUKE LACHEY - ** - TE - IOWA
XAVIER NWANKPA - S - IOWA
JAYDEN HIGGINS - WR - IOWA ST.
TYLER ONYEDIM - DT - IOWA ST.
DARIAN PORTER - CB - IOWA ST.
CLAY WEBB - G - JAXSONVILLE ST.
COBIE BRYANT - CB - KANSAS
DJ GIDDENS - RB - KANSAS ST.
BARION BROWN - WR - KENTUCKY
JAMON DUMAS-JOHNSON - LB - KENTUCKY
DANE KEY - WR - KENTUCKY
JA'MORI MACLIN - WR - KENTUCKY
BROCK VANDAGRIFF - QB - KENTUCKY
DEONE WALKER - NT - KENTUCKY
ASHTON GILLOTTE - DE - LOUISVILLE
QUINCY RILEY - CB - LOUISVILLE
ZY ALEXANDER - CB - LSU
CJ DANIELS - WR - LSU
DENVER HARRIS - CB - LSU
EMERY JONES - G/T - LSU
SAI'VION JONES - DT/DE - LSU
KYREN LACY - # - WR - LSU
BRADY SWINSON - OLB/DE - LSU
MASON TAYLOR - TE - LSU
JORDAN PHILLIPS - DT - MARYLAND
DANTE TRADER JR. - S - MARYLAND
ELIJAH ARROYO - ** - TE - MIAMI
DAMIEN MARTINEZ - RB - MIAMI
XAVIER RESTREPO - WR - MIAMI
JAISHAWN BARHAM - LB - MICHIGAN
DERRICK MOORE - OLB/DE - MICHIGAN
JOSAIAH STEWART - OLB/DE - MICHIGAN
JACK VELLING - TE - MICHIGAN ST.
AIREONTAE ERSERY - OT - MINNESOTA
DAVISON IGBINOSUM - CB - MISSISSIPPI
JJ PEGUES - DT - MISSISSIPPI
LUTHER BURDEN III - WR - MISSOURI
BRADY COOK - QB - MISSOURI
BRYSON NESBIT - TE - N. CAROLINA
KAIMON RUCKER - OLB/DE - N. CAROLINA
GREY ZABEL - OL - N. DAKOTA ST.
TY ROBINSON - DT/DE - NEBRASKA
ANTHONY BELTON - OT - NC ST.
HOWARD CROSS - DT - N. DAME
MITCHELL EVANS - ** - TE - N. DAME
JACK KISER - LB - N. DAME
BENJAMIN MORRISON - ** - CB - N. DAME
XAVIER WATTS - S - N. DAME
DEVIN BROWN - CB - OHIO ST.
DENZEL BURKE - CB - OHIO ST.
JORDAN HANCOCK - CB - OHIO ST.
TREVEYON HENDERSON - RB - OHIO ST.
WILL HOWARD - QB - OHIO ST.
DONOVAN JACKSON - G/T - OHIO ST.
QUINSHON JUDKINS - RB - OHIO ST.
LATHAN RANSOM - S - OHIO ST.
JACK SAWYER - DE - OHIO ST.
SONNY STYLES - S - OHIO ST.
TEGRA TSHABOLA - OT - OHIO ST.
JT TUIMOLOAU - DE - OHIO ST.
TYLEIK WILLIAMS- DT - OHIO ST.
NICK ANDERSON - WR - OKLAHOMA
DEION BURKS - WR - OKLAHOMA
DASAN MCCULLOUGH - OLB/DE - OKLAHOMA
DANNY STUTSMAN - LB - OKLAHOMA
GENTRY WILLIAMS - CB - OKLAHOMA
OLLIE GORDON - RB - OKLAHOMA ST.
COLIN OLIVER - LB - OKLAHOMA ST.
TREY AMOS - CB - OLE MISS
JAXSON DART - QB - OLE MISS
TRE HARRIS - WR - OLE MISS
JARED IVEY - DE/DT - OLE MISS
CADEN PRIESKORN - TE - OLE MISS
PRINCELY UMANMIELEN - OLB/DE - OLE MISS
JORDAN BURCH - DE/DT - OREGON
JAMARI CALDWELL - DT - OREGON
AJANI CORNELIUS - OT - OREGON
TERRENCE FERGUSON - TE - OREGON
JORDAN JAMES - RB - OREGON
TEZ JOHNSON - WR - OREGON
JABBAR MUHAMMAD - CB - OREGON
EVAN STEWART - WR - OREGON
JOSHUA GRAY - OT - OREGON ST.
DREW ALLAR - QB - PENN ST.
NICHOLAS SINGLETON - RB - PENN ST.
DANI DENNIS-SUTTON - DE/DT - PENN ST.
KEVIN WINSTON - S - PENN ST.
SEAN FITZSIMMONS - DT - PITTSBURGH
JARED BROWN - WR - S. CAROLINA
NICK EMMANWORI - S - S. CAROLINA
DEMETRIUS KNIGHT - LB - S. CAROLINA
RAHEIM SANDERS - RB - S. CAROLINA
TJ SANDERS - DT - S. CAROLINA
RJ MARYLAND - TE - SMU
LEQUINT ALLEN - RB - SYRACUSE
TYLER BARON DE/OLB - TENNESEE
OMAR NORMAN-LOTT - DT - TENNESSEE
DYLAN SAMPSON - RB - TENNESSEE
ISAIAH BOND - WR - TEXAS
ETHAN BURKE - DE/OLB - TEXAS
ALFRED COLLINS - DT - TEXAS
QUINN EWERS - QB - TEXAS
JUSTIN FINKLEY - OLB/DE - TEXAS
GUNNAR HELM - TE - TEXAS
COLE HUTSON - G - TEXAS
TREY MOORE - OLB/DE - TEXAS
ANDREW MUKUBA - S - TEXAS
CAMERON WILLIAMS - OT - TEXAS
TYREEK CHAPPELL - CB - TEXAS A&M
CASHIUS HOWELL - OLB/DE - TEXAS A&M
BJ MAYES - CB - TEXAS A&M
NICK SCOURTON - DE - TEXAS A&M
EVAN STEWART - WR - TEXAS A&M
NOAH THOMAS - WR - TEXAS A&M
SHEMAR TURNER - DT/DE - TEXAS A&M
CONNER WEIGMAN - QB - TEXAS A&M
TREY ZUHN - OT - TEXAS A&M
ZAH FRAZIER - CB - TEX. S. ANTONIO
JACK BECH - WR - TCU
SAVION WILLIAMS - WR - TCU
TAHJ BROOKS - RB - TEXAS TECH
DARIUS ALEXANDER - DT/DE - TOLEDO
NICK EMMANWORI - S - S. CAROLINA
DAVID BAILEY - OLB/DE - STANFORD
RJ HARVEY - RB - UCF - 5"8" 205
CARSON SCHWESINGER - LB - UCLA
J. MICHAEL STURDIVANT - WR - UCLA
RICKY WHITE - WR - UNLV
BEAR ALEXANDER - DT - USC
WOODY MARKS - RB - USC
JONAH MONHEIM - OL - USC
JAYLIN SMITH - CB/S - USC
BRENT KUITHE - TE - UTAH
JUNIOR TAFUNA - DT - UTAH
JALEN ROYALS - WR - UTAH ST
DE'CORIAN CLARK - WR - UTSA
MARLON JONES - CB - VANDERBILT
AJ SWANN - QB - VANDERBILT
JONAS SANKER - S - VIRGINIA
AENEAS PEEBLES - DT - VA. TECH
ANTWAUN POWELL-RYLAND - DE/OLB - VA. TECH
BHAYSHUL TUTEN - RB - VA. TECH
EPHESIANS PRYSOCK - CB - WASHINGTON
WILL ROGERS - QB - WASHINGTON
BILHAL KONE - CB - W. MICHIGAN
TYLER VAN DYKE - QB - WISCONSIN
AUBREY BURKS - S - W. VIRGINIA
WYATT MILUM - T/G - W. VIRGINIA
JACOLBY SPELLS - CB - W. VIRGINIA
