Another year has passed, and that means it’s almost Draft day! So here’s what I would do if I was an NFL G.M. As always, at the end, I’ll have some sleepers for you to impress your friends or others standing around you at Lambeau.
Pick 1 Tennessee Titans Select Cam Ward QB Miami
A few months ago, it seemed this pick might go down to the wire, but now it seems Tennessee will pick Ward. Ward is electric with the ball in his hands. He has a big arm and can move inside and outside the pocket. However, Ward is loose with the ball and makes poor decisions, especially under pressure. Tennessees’ poor o-line won’t help.
Pick 2 Cleveland Browns Select Travis Hunter CB/WR Colorado.
Hunter is a unicorn, much like Kordell Stewart or Charles Woodson before him he’ll probably play multiple positions in the NFL. His best position is probably corner, it’s where his elite ball skills shine. He’s physical on both sides of the ball. Don’t be shocked if he wracks up a season with multiple receiving touchdowns and interceptions.
Pick 3 New York Giants select Abdul Carter EDGE Penn St.
Carter has elite burst and swipe/rip move, allowing him to win constantly in pass rush situations. Good motor combined with speed allows him to chase plays down from the backside. A shoulder injury must be monitored. He also had some off the field/character issues at Penn St.
Pick 4 Trade New England trades pick 4 to the New Orleans Saints The Saints select Shedeur Sanders QB Colorado.
With Derek Carr likely to miss time, the Saints trade up for Sanders. Sanders is an accurate deep ball thrower with the ability to step up in the pocket and take a hit. Can throw from multiple arm angles. Footwork needs an overhaul. Takes way to many sacks, either because he’s holding the ball for a big play or he’s unwilling to risk throwing an interception. Will his loud personality fit in an NFL locker room?
Pick 5 Jacksonville Jaguars select Mason Graham DT Michigan.
A reliable player, Graham is always making plays in the run or pass game. Excellent size, can play multiple spots on the defensive line. Maintains gap integrity well. Short arms and lack of an explosive first step will limit his effectiveness as a pass rusher in the pro game.
Pick 6 Las Vegas Raiders Select Ashton Jeanty RB Boise State.
Jeanty was fantastic at Boise St. Good burst as soon as he touches the ball, able to hit a big play but also willing to lower his shoulder for extra yardage. Sets up blocks well and has a good stiff arm. Struggles in pass protection may limit his playing time on 3rd downs early in his career.
Pick 7 New York Jets Select Will Campbell OT LSU
Campbell is a large athletic mover, feet and hands are fluid, allowing him to mirror pass rushers. Shorter arms may lead to some struggles against longer defenders. Campbell can struggle to stay on blocks in the run game.
Pick 8 Carolina Panthers select Jalon Walker EDGE Georgia.
Walker is an explosive athlete who can move from sideline to sideline with ease. Good open field tackler with a high motor. Struggles combining pass rush moves. He doesn’t have a plan when he rushes.
Pick 9 New England Patriots select Armand Membou OT Missouri
Membou plays with pad level on almost every snap. A good anchor against bull rush moves and quick feet against speed moves, making him a very solid pass protector. His body type screams guard. Can be clumsy at time in the run game, leading to missed assignments and whiffs.
Pick 10 Chicago Bears select Tyler Warren TE Penn St.
Warren will give the Bears a Swiss army knife on offense. Good feel for reading and finding space versus zone. Good ball skills on deeper throws and can break tackles in the open field. Athleticism is just ok, and concentration wanes at times, leading to brutal drops.
Pick 11 San Francisco 49ers Derrick Harmon DT Oregon.
Harmon can disrupt any offense with his bull rush and maintains his gap in the run game. Generates a large amount of pressures however, he struggles to convert them into sacks. Misses tackles at times. Harmon shedded weight in order to be more explosive in college, but may have to re-add weight in order to stay on the field in the NFL.
Pick 12 Dallas Cowboys select Matthew Golden WR Texas
Golden has the ability to be a plug and play receiver on day one. He always seems to make his biggest play when it matters most. Good speed and ability to make people miss in the open field. He can also return kicks. He struggles with his routes, failing to come back to the football. Will need to be stronger at the top of his route at the next level.
Pick 13 Miami Dolphins select Will Johnson CB Michigan
Johnson is maybe the best man-to-man cover corner in the draft. He presses with strong hands and good footwork. Johnson is large, smooth, and plays with good recognition. Injury caused him to miss a majority of last year. Struggles to tackle, especially in the open field, leading to huge plays.
Pick 14 Indianapolis Colts select Colston Loveland TE Michigan.
Loveland is the perfect embodiment of a catch-first tight end. He runs a great seam route, stressing defenses at every level. Loveland has good leaping ability and catches the ball at its highest point. He’s a below average blocker and will get run over by power moves.
Pick 15 Atlanta Falcons select Shemar Stewart EDGE Texas A&M
If anything, Stewart will be the guy you want first off the bus. He’s yoked up. Great burst off the snap, Stewart has the power and speed to keep offensive lineman guessing. A shocking lack of production at A&M just 4.5 sacks in his 3 years. Stewart needs to use his hands better in the pro game to consistently get after the Q.B.
Pick 16 Atlanta Falcons select Mike Green EDGE Marshall
Green at 17 sacks last year at Marshall. He’s an instictive pass rusher with multiple effective moves. Seems to run out of gas quickly. Multiple allegations of sexual assault. Would be off my board due to character issues.
Pick 17 Cincinnati Bengals select Jahdae Barron CB Texas
Barron can play both inside and outside corner. Good, if not great, tackler. He plays zone coverage well and looks natural doing it. Older prospect will be 24 by the time the regular season ends. His stiff hips may get him beat deep while playing man coverage
Pick 18 Seattle Seahawks select Tetairoa McMillan WR Arizona.
McMillan has some really interesting tools. McMillan excels at 50/50 situations. He uses his length and body control to his advantage. He constantly finds open spaces versus zone coverage or in scramble situations. He runs with a super high pad level, leaving him exposed to huge hits. He has plays where he gets manhandled by smaller corners in press coverage, which is frustrating given his size.
Pick 19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Jihaad Campbell LB
Campbell is an athlete disguised as a linebacker. He’s an explosive freak of nature who can run sideline to sideline. One of the drafts most solid tacklers. Campbell will need to be coached up if he wants to reach his massive potential. There are too many misreads and missed assignments for a starting caliber linebacker.
Pick 20 Denver Broncos select Omarion Hampton RB UNC
The most running back needy team gets one here. Hampton has a solid burst through the hole, and coupled with a sturdy frame, it makes him difficult to tackle. Hampton has a good feel for the pass game and has solid hands. His long speed seems to be missing a gear, so don’t expect a ton of long touchdown runs. Hampton can be almost too patient in picking a hole. A lot of usage in college could mean his career could be a shorter one.
Pick 21 Pittsburgh Steelers select Jaxson Dart QB Ole Miss
Even if the Steelers eventually sign Aaron Rodgers, they’ll still need a QB in a year or two. Dart has some impressive throws, especially when touch is needed. Dart is a solid runner with good size. His constant patting of the ball before he throws is, at best annoying, at worst going to get him in trouble with his late throws. Can be indecisive with his reads.
Pick 22 Los Angeles Chargers select Kenneth Grant DT Michigan
Grant did a great job splitting double teams in college. His large frame and violent hands will cause issues of offensive lineman trying to block him. Grant really needs to figure out his conditioning if he ever wants to reach his potential.
Pick 23 Green Bay Packers select Shavon Revel Jr CB East Carolina.
Stop me if you heard this before, but the Packers pick here would be an elite athlete with size and speed who needs refinement. Makes sense then as Brian Gutekunst loves these types of players. Standing at 6-2 Revel Jr. has the height and speed that is hard to find. Solid production, including on special teams (2 blocked kicks) he can also play both inside and outside corner. Revel Jr. needs to play with better awareness in zone coverage. A torn ACL in 2024 must be monitored.
Pick 24 Minnesota Vikings select Malaki Starks S Georgia
Starks was a starter as a freshman on an elite Georgia defense. Starks has great speed and is instictive. He is always around the ball. Can get fooled against play action. Lack of size could foretell durability concerns in the future.
Pick 25 Houston Texans select Kelvin Banks Jr. OT Texas
Banks has good flexibility and solid technique. Finishes through the whistle. A tackle in college may end up moving over to guard in the NFL.
Pick 26 Los Angeles Rams select Trey Amos CB Ole Miss.
Amos has super ball skills, plays corner like a receiver. His fluid hips and ability to flip his hips makes him a very solid man to man corner. He can’t tackle full stop.
Pick 27 Baltimore Ravens select Donovan Ezeiruaku EDGE Boston College
Ezeiruaku has great length for the position. 34 inch arms keeps blockers at bay. He’s got violent hands with multiple pass rush moves. Motor needs improvement
Pick 28 Detroit Lions select Mykel Williams EDGE Georgia
Williams has size, speed, and length. He uses it with great effectiveness. 30% of his tackles was a tackle for loss. Williams needs to improve his strength, as he can get beat by guys with strong hands. May need to play a reserve roll his first year to get a better pass rush plan.
Pick 29 Washington Commanders select James Pearce Jr. EDGE Tennessee
Pearce Jr. is a natural pass rusher. Pearce Jr. can win outside due to his quick first step off the line. His bull rush is surprisingly effective given his lack of girth. A pass rusher only Pearce Jr. will find himself off the field on rush situations in the NFL.
Pick 30 TRADE Buffalo Bills trade pick 30 to the New York Giants. New York Giants select Jalen Milroe QB Alabama.
Quite frankly, the writing is on the wall for the Giants front office and coaching staff. So, why not try to hit it big and maybe save your job? Milroe has an elite trait, and that’s his running ability. With 20 rushing touchdowns in 2024, Milroe runs like a deer and looks like a linebacker. Milroe has NFL arm strength, but his decision-making is awful, combined with an inability to anticipate throws and poor footwork. Milroe could be moved to a different position if Quarterbacking isn’t in the cards.
Pick 31 Kansas City Chiefs select Josh Simmons OT Ohio State
Simmons has the athleticism to handle speed rushers off the edge. Simmons can play either left or right tackle. Knee injury in October is worth monitoring. Should be more powerful in the run game given his size.
Pick 32 Trade Philadelphia Eagles trade pick 32 to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville Jaguars select Emeka Egbuka WR Ohio State.
Trevor Lawrence will be excited with the weapons he will have this year. Egbuka has a great feel for open spots in the defense. A former outfielder he tracks deep balls well and makes late adjustments to create space. Egbuka can struggle against more physical corners. Would like to see him gain more separation on intermediate routes.
SLEEPERS
Dont’e Thornton Jr. WR Tennessee: 4th-6th round selection.
Thornton Jr. elite trait is his deep speed, had 20 plus catches for over 600 yards last year as a Vol. Much like Marquez Valdez-Scantling before him Thornton Jr. will most likely be asked to take the top of defenses early in his career while he develops.
Isas Waxter CB/S Villanova 6th-7th round selection.
I really like Waxter. Good pre-draft process may have enhanced his stock. Waxter is large for a defensive back and may suggest a move to safety. If anything, with his body type, he could be a core special-teamer .
Oronde Gadsden II TE Syracuse 4th-5th round.
Son of former Dolphins wide out Oronde Gadsden, Gadsden II started as a wide out, and it shows. He has good long speed to stretch the field vertically and looks good in the open field. Gadsden II will get beat blocking, but he competes.
View From The Bench 