Evo NFL Mock 1.0 - 24 March 2024

With the NFL Draft just over a month away on April 25th, it was about time for me to release my first mock draft for the people to peruse. A couple notes before we get into the draft. This draft is a mix of a predictive mock, my personal player grades, and my thoughts on what teams should do. There are trades within the mock, but I am not going to broach actual trade values or what picks are moving outside of those within the 1st round.

If you would like to watch this mock draft rather than read through the cliff notes that I will have below, feel free to consume the mock on the lineman lounge YouTube channel, linked here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfxKK18G0uc

1. Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams, QB This pick is essentially a foregone conclusion. On the field, Williams is seen as a generational talent, and his ability to operate off script make him an intriguing prospect... if you are willing to live with the inevitable off-field question marks.
   

2. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB After trading away Sam Howell and signing Marcus Mariota, the Commanders feel like they are gearing up for Daniels. Jayden is an interesting prospect who I feel has a lot of RGIII in him, and should bring a true dual threat offense to Washington.
   

3. New England Patriots: Drake Maye, QB New England could look to trade down in this spot for the right offer, but the trade package will sway some teams away. The Pats also know that it's not every year that you pick this high, so taking a QB now might be the only opportunity this regime has. Maye has a strong arm and good athleticism, but lacks great pocket awareness, while making some silly decisions leading to turnovers. He reminds me of Carson Wentz before he went downhill after injuries. The Pats would be very smart to not let him see the field until the end of next season.
   

4. Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr, WR The Cardinals are "open for business" concerning a trade, but they only have two real suitors in the Vikings and Giants. The return that AZ will want will be too high, and they are more than happy to sit tight and take a blue chip prospect in MHJ. I feel like Harrison has Davante Adams potential, and will bring a lot of explosiveness to a Cardinals receiver room that currently only has Michael Wilson.
   

5. TRADE- Minnesota Vikings via LA Chargers: J.J. McCarthy, QB The Vikings and Chargers seem like perfect suitors for a trade. Harbaugh is able to ensure that his boy J.J. goes to a perfect spot while acquiring extra draft picks, and Minnesota gets a QB with high upside while having to spend less than they would if they traded for a higher pick. McCarthy has a limited college resume from a passing perspective, but what is out there is pretty damn good. My full analysis of McCarthy will be able to be found on the Lineman Lounge QB Prospect episode in a few weeks.
   

6. New York Giants: Rome Odunze, WR After missing on the top QB's, Daboll and the Giants turn their heads towards impact players that can immediately boost their odds of winning. Nabers and Odunze are both top wideouts in their own years, but suffer from being in the same draft class with Harrison Jr. This comes as a benefit, however to the Giants who are able to have their choice at this pick. Odunze reminds me of Keenan Allen plus, and is unlike anyone they currently have on roster, while Nabers would have some overlap with Hyatt. This leads to the Giants taking Rome, and hoping that he can elevate Jones/Lock.
   

7. Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt, OT With Nabers on the board, the Titans have to give him a little thought, but ultimately go with the smart, safe, and foundational play in Alt. It isn't sexy, but gives them a great left side of the line, while boosting both the run and pass game.
   

8. TRADE- LA Chargers via Falcons: Malik Nabers, WR Atlanta feels comfortable moving down and still having a shot at the defensive player they want, while the Chargers move back up to ensure they get a excellent receiver in house. Harbaugh will have a team focused on the trenches and the run game, but Nabers talent can't be denied. Think of Antonio Brown in his prime and before he went full looney tunes, and you start to see who Nabers could be as a weapon.
   

9. Chicago Bears: Dallas Turner, Edge With the top WR's off the board and only 3 more picks this draft, including this spot, the Bears would be smart to attempt a trade down in this spot. Here, I have them standing pat and selecting maybe the biggest boom or bust prospect in Dallas Turner to start opposite from Sweat on their defense. Turner is an athletic freak who was able to win in college from that talent, but the technique is significantly lacking and will require some significant grooming.
   

10. New York Jets: Brock Bowers, TE Most of the time, people look to bolster the Jets O-line and to protect their investment in Aaron Rodgers with this pick by selecting a top OT. The Jets, however, might view their moves of bringing in Tyron Smith to play LT and Morgan Moses to play RT as adequate enough, and in this scenario decide to bring in one of the more unique weapons this draft. Bowers is listed as a tight end, and is an okay blocker, but he has multiple uses as a weapon in the receiving game. With the Jets other offensive weapons being Garrett Wilson, Bryce Young, and Alan Lazard, Bowers provides another dynamic with none of the other top receiving options being available.
    

11. Atlanta Falcons via trade with Chargers: Chop Robinson, Edge Chop is probably one of the more underrated edge rushers in this class, with easily the quickest first step out of the whole group. Atlanta is looking for athleticism and violence off the edge, and Chop is probably the most athletic right behind Turner. The difference is that Robinson's game is more refined and he has a better technique currently. Pass rush is sorely needed in Atlanta, and Chop will be able to provide that early and often.
    

12. TRADE: LA Rams via Broncos: Byron Murphy II The Broncos need a QB but aren't willing to pull the trigger just yet. On the flip side, the Rams lose a future hall of famer in Aaron Donald to retirement, and will look to do their best to make up for that loss by bringing in the best defensive lineman in the entire draft.
    

13. Las Vegas Raiders: Taliese Fuaga, OT Fuaga just feels like a Raider, with his aggression and tenacity that Pierce loves. Taliese is tackle 1B for me in this draft, and only is lower ranked than Alt based on positional value, as Fuaga primarily projects to the right side.
    

14. New Orleans Saints: Jared Verse, Edge Verse seems like a prototypical 4-3 defensive end, though he has the flexibility to stand up as an edge rusher. His physical form seems to fit the prototypical edge rusher mold for the Saints.
    

15. Indianapolis Colts: Quinyon Mitchell, CB Mitchell has been a riser since the Senior Bowl but stopped that rise after the combine... because he is considered by many to be the best CB this draft cycle next to Terrion Arnold. The Colts have a need at DB, and Mitchell looks to be the true, diverse, island corner that they could use.
    

16. Seattle Seahawks: Jackson Powers Johnson, C The Seahawks would surely love to move back a few spots and grab JPJ, but they aren't going to cry over getting his talent at 16. JPJ is not just a charismatic dude, but he is a baller on the field who will never give up on a rep. With flexibility to play both guard and center, he gives the Seahawks the option of where to utilize his skills best.
    

17. Jacksonville Jaguars: Terrion Arnold, CB Jacksonville will be looking to get some talent in their defensive backfield where the situation is mediocre at best. Arnold is viewed as the best corner along side Mitchell, so getting Terrion as this point is a solid addition.
    

18. Cincinnati Bengals: Troy Fautanu, OT The Bengals should give serious thought to taking Jer'Zhan Newton to bolster the defensive line here, but the bread and butter of the Bengals is their offense, with the crown jewel being Joe Burrow. You have to keep Joe safe, and that means dipping back into the O-line pool. Luckily, they are able to grab Fautanu here, who is one of the best tackle prospects in this class, but is still shaking off early thoughts that his arms wouldn't be long enough to play OT in the NFL. The combine proved that wrong, and Fautanu projects to be a LT or play well as a guard.
    

19. Denver Broncos via trade with LA Rams: Bo Nix, QB Sean Payton doesn't give a fuck about your draft rankings. Stidham and Ben DiNucci are the only QB's on roster for Denver, so a fresh face is a requirement. This is no doubt an overdraft for Nix based on his rankings, but he offers some things that Payton likes: He is a veteran of a college QB, he has a high completion percentage, and can run a pro offense. Nix is no Drew Brees, but Payton can still make some connections to his previous QB and Bo.
    

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Cooper DeJean, DB The Steelers have at least put an adequate band-aid on their QB situation, and should see increased production from the spot from Wilson or Fields. They could look to replace Dionte Johnson at this spot, but Tomlin is going to dip back into the defensive backfield, pairing DeJean with Joey Porter from last year. Cooper is one of the more versatile defensive backs and special teamers in this draft, and has a knack in run defense and for turnovers.
    

21. Miami Dolphins: Graham Barton, OL The Dolphins lost OG Hunt to free agency and center Conor Williams to a knee injury (and he remains a free agent) making their interior offensive line extremely vulnerable. Miami's whole scheme wraps around the offense being unstoppable, and that mean Tua needs to stay upright. To ensure this, Barton is brought in. Graham played tackle in college and did very well, but his short arms and skill set overall lends well to him moving inside to Center, where he was tested at during the senior bowl.
    

22. Philadelphia Eagles: Nate Wiggins, CB The Eagles secondary looked atrocious last year, and that comes from a lack of defensive coaching continuity, players aging out in Slay and Bradberry, and young players who hadn't developed. Vic Fangio now is in house, and will look to build the defensive back room with a young talent in Wiggins, allowing them future flexibility with their veterans.
    

23. LA Chargers via trade with Minnesota (via HOU): Jer'Zhan Newton, DT It is almost criminal that Johnny Newton fell this far, and Harbaugh loves it. Newton was once projected as a top 10 pick, and still is viewed as a true first rounder who is a fantastic pass rusher. Harbaugh brings Newton in to the trenches which will open up more opportunities for both Bosa and Mack.
    

24. Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Guyton, OT Guyton has everything you physically want in a tackle along with the mindset and tenacity to learn. He is just extremely raw. The Cowboys line is in dire need of a refresh, but won't feel pressured to play Guyton too early. If he is given the correct coaching and time to develop, Guyton could end up being one of the best tackles in this class a few years down the line.
    

25. Green Bay Packers: Olu Fashanu, OT The Fashanu slide ends here. Olu is seen as a potential top 10 pick currently, but I have him a little lower on my board. Olu has the ideal size and athleticism to play LT in the league, but still lacks the necessary play strength despite multiple years in the Penn State weight room. Green Bay snags this falling talent with the expectation of him being the long term replacement for Bakhtiari.
    

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Laiatu Latu, Edge Another criminal fall, as Latu is a top 3 edge rusher in this class on my board. After losing veterans like Shaq Barrett, the Bucs look to add pass rush help, and Latu comes in with essentially the highest floor for a rusher. He has a vast array of fully fleshed out pass rush moves, and if his neck medicals don't scare teams away, he will be able to make an impact early.
    

27. Arizona Cardinals: Darius Robinson, Edge This is probably a reach by many people's boards, but I absolutely love Robinsons size, skill, and production. The Cards have numerous positions on defense that can use upgrades, and Robinson can play multiple of those spots. At 6'5" and 296 pounds, his size mimics that of J.J. Watt, and he can play anywhere along the defensive line to include operating as a pure edge rusher. When compared to other pure edge rushers, his athleticism scores are lacking, but they are impressive still for a guy his size. I see, at a minimum, a production level close to that of Jeffery Simmons from the Titans.
    

28. Buffalo Bills: Brian Thomas Jr., WR The Bills let Gabe Davis walk in free agency, which is sad for Bills fans who are living in 2021. Thomas was overshadowed by Nabers in the LSU offense, but was a stud on his own. He is able to do everything that Gabe Davis was lauded for, except better. Oh, he can also do more than Davis could as a receiver as well. After posting the fastest flying 20 in the combine, his stock could still rise from here. Expect Tee Higgins at worst.
    

29. Detroit Lions: Jonah Ellis, DE Ellis' father played in the NFL for the Lions, and so it is easy to make the connection that the Lions would be interested in bringing on a legacy player. Then again, the Lions showed last year that they don't play by a normal playbook when drafting. Ellis needs to bulk up some, but shows great skill as a true pass rusher. Marcus Davenport was brought in to line up opposite of Hutchinson, but since he can't stay healthy, Ellis will be able to provide a long term solution without being forced into the lineup.
    

30. Baltimore Ravens: Xavier Legette, WR Legette is one of the more criminally underrated WR prospects in this draft class, and I remedy this by moving him into the first to the Ravens. It just so happens that Baltimore needs more receiving help with OBJ leaving, and Legette is a perfect fit for their system. A mix of the talents of AJ Brown and Deebo Samuels, Legette was the only receiving option for Spencer Rattler last year. He excels in the middle of the field, and is a YAC monster who can also be used on more gimmicky/trick plays.
    

31. San Francisco 49ers: J.C. Latham, OT The 49ers are not hurting in too many spots on the roster, which can be assumed by where they are picking in the 1st round. Trent Williams isn't getting any younger, but Latham isn't brought in to replace him going forward. Latham feels like a better right guard than a tackle to me, but eventually will probably find a long term home at RT.
    

32. Kansas City Chiefs: Roman Wilson, WR The Chiefs have their pick of the litter of the remaining WR's, and this really is where they should focus this pick. They rode their defense into the Super Bowl, but they can't let their premier QB's talents go to waste. I have them going after Roman Wilson here because I believe his stock is lower for the same reason that JJ McCarthy's stock is lower: Michigan was a run first team with limited passing. When they did pass, however, Wilson was the top target, and will surely become a favorite for Mahomes. I think at the top end, you could see Wilson start to put up production much like Amon Ra St. Brown for the Lions. I don't expect everyone to like or agree with this mock, but that is half the fun. Shout out in the comments below what you like, what you dislike, and what you would rather see happen with your team! Start that conversation!