Zach and Jack kept a close eye on the combine and the beginning  of Free Agency Frenzy and are ready to bring you our mock draft 2.0. We’ve seen a lot of trades, signings, and overall NFL news, and saw a lot of risers and fallers in this year’s combine. This could end up being one of the weirdest and most unique offseason of all time!

1. Jacksonville Jaguars- Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan

Based on Day 1 of free agency, it seems like Jacksonville is setting themselves up to be able to take Hutchinson. The offensive side of the ball was addressed early and often today whether it made sense or not. 

2. Detroit Lions- Sauce Gardner, CB, Cincinnati

The Lions are thin at CB and their starters are not top tier by any means. We think they take the best cornerback in the class to strengthen a weak corner room that sees JJettas, Thielen, and Adams(?) twice a year.

3. Houston Texans- Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame

Houston needs help everywhere, so we think they go best player available. They also did not retain Justin Reid, so Hamilton will step in and take his spot as the leader of the secondary right away.

4. New York Jets- Evan Neal, OT, Alabama

The Jets signed Laken Tomlinson to start FA this year, and that’s all well and good, but they still need help at tackle with question marks around Becton and Moses a FA. Jets go get the best tackle in this year’s class here.

5. New York Giants- Ickey Ekwonu, OL, NCST

This was a funny pick because I have Ekwonu compared to Ereck Flowers, but Ekwonu can step in on day one and make an immediate impact, whether at guard or tackle, on a mediocre Giants line that has had issues since their last Super Bowl win.

6. Carolina Panthers- Kenny Pickett, QB, Pitt

The Panthers are reportedly in on the Watson sweepstakes, but we do not believe they will end up with him. Instead, they elect to draft the first QB of this year’s draft. Malik Willis was our first thought, but he will have to sit for a year. For a coaching staff that is probably on the hottest seat in football, they most likely cannot wait and therefore go with Pickett, the most day 1 ready quarterback

7. New York Giants (Originally Chicago Bears)- Malik Willis, QB, Liberty

The Giants seem to be a forgotten team when discussing who could draft a QB this year. Sure, they have repeatedly said they want to salvage Daniel Jones. But, they were linked to Trubisky for a reason. In this scenario they go with the massive upside in Willis, but also work on fixing Jones who will start for this year at the minimum. Willis, in our eyes, is very similar to Josh Allen coming out of college in that both suffered from major mechanical issues, but when it all came together you saw glimpses of greatness. Brian Daboll is one of the people responsible for getting the highest upside possible out of Josh Allen, and he gets to work again with Malik Willis.

8. Atlanta Falcons- Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State

There was a good chance the Falcons were going receiver even before the Ridley news broke, now it is a dire need. The hypothetical trade of Ridley would have given them another pick to work with, but with his suspension, they need to address the biggest need on this team. Defense could be an option, but there is just no way they go into next year without adding immense rookie talent in the receiving room (because how would you attract a free agent with little cap and a less than ideal situation). Olave is our WR 1, and while he is not everyone’s top choice, he is the most capable of stepping in and filling the Calvin Ridley role as a volume guy with elite route running and great hands.

9. New Orleans Saints (Projected Trade with Seattle, Originally Denver)- Sam Howell, QB, UNC

We seem to be higher on Howell than most others. For us, he is our QB1. He has some shades of Baker Mayfield and Russell Wilson and really is a good combination of high floor and ceiling. The Saints are another team that seem to be in on the Watson rumors, but how they would successfully pull off a trade is anyone’s guess. They do not have extra picks, they barely will be under the cap without Watson, and they do not have a good offense in place to attract him. Instead, the Saints panic and make a different trade to go up and get one in this draft. Howell gives them an accurate passer, with good throw power, and very good athleticism to add what many may have kidded themselves into thinking Taysom Hill could be when there were rumors of him starting for New Orleans. 

10. New York Jets (Originally Seattle Seahawks)- Derek Stingley, CB, LSU

The Jets have a serious need at CB with Bryce Hall being their number one and their second CB(Echols) being known for asking Brady to sign the ball he picked off. If Stingley can stay healthy, the Jets get a steal of what would be argued as the best player in this class. If he continues to deal with injuries, you probably get Stingley a couple games a year, but is at least better than what you have now.

11. Washington Commanders- Drake London, WR, USC

Wentz gets a lot of unnecessary hate. Wentz is not elite by any means, but has lacked weapons nearly his whole career. Eagles(Reagor, JJAW, etc), Colts(Washed up TY, Michael Pittman, Zach Pascal). Wentz already has arguably the best WR of his career in Terry McLaurin, but you help out both McLaurin and Wentz by bringing in a big, physical target with sure hands like Drake London.

12. Minnesota Vikings- George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue

The Vikings’s offense appears to be pretty much set. They have their QB room (Cousins and Mond), their running back room, and their receiving room (with perhaps a day 2 addition to it). Their offensive line could use some help, but we think they pass on this and address the defense. Even if Danielle Hunter stays (which does not seem likely), the other end spot is a massive need. Karlaftis has really good power with underrated speed off the edge, but has the size to play stand up or hand in the dirt, as well as inside pass rusher if needed. He gives them a lot of flexibility on the defensive line which they are lacking.

13. Cleveland Browns- Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia

It was unsure where Davis would get drafted pre-combine, but after he showed to be an athletic freak and told teams he was working on his pass rush moves we think the Browns send in the pick within the first 10 seconds. Davis will be a big impact in a run heavy AFC North, and will take the pressure off of Garrett with inside pass rush, which Garrett has not played with a lot in his career.

14. Baltimore Ravens- Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State

For the most part this Baltimore team stays intact, and yes defensive line is a glaring need with Williams and Campbell free agents, but with Davis off the board we just don’t see it. I guess it depends how high you are on Devonte Wyatt. Cross will come in and start day one in the hole at RT left by Villanueva who I thought was overrated anyways. 

15. Houston Texans (Projected Trade with Philadelphia, Originally Miami)- Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas

We have reached our destination for Watson. Reports indicate that Philly is out on him, however reports also said that Russell Wilson was not getting traded and what happened there? Philly has the capabilities to make an offer that no one can match. We see them sending something along the lines of two firsts this year, another next year, day two picks, and project players with upside. We could also see a scenario where they send Bradin Cooks too. Yes Watson has his no trade clause, but he would be now in an offense with Cooks, Smith, Goedert, and a good offensive line in a very winnable division. 

With this pick, the Texans take a massive upside player whose initial testing may have hurt his stock slightly. Treylon Burks should be the number one right away, and get a lot of targets from Davis Mills (or Jalen Hurts if he is in the trade).

16. Houston Texans (Projected Trade with Philadelphia, Originally Indy)- Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon

The second pick this year to be sent for Watson, the Texans go with another high upside player whose draft stock is trending down in Thibodeaux. We do not see the hype around Thib, and to make matters worse he just did not participate in drills at the combine while saying he would during interviews. He has a lot of physical upside, but the Texans will need to do a lot of developing to try and unlock him. For a team that just does not have talent though, two big swings should be a major consideration for them.

17. Los Angeles Chargers- Devonte Wyatt, DL, Georgia

The Chargers have done a phenomenal job patching the holes in their team even before draft day arrived. They brought in Mack via trade, run stuffing D-Lineman via FA, and top tier CB JC Jackson via FA. This is a super luxury pick for the Chargers, and we think they continue to add to the D-Line with a guy who can not just stop the run, but bring an inside rush to take the pressure off Bosa and Mack. 

18. Seattle Seahawks (Projected Trade with Saints)- Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati

We went into this pick wondering what could be the most Seattle thing possible. Trading out of a pick where there was a quarterback that resembled Russel Wilson, and instead taking a different quarterback as a reach (in our opinion), sounds like a pretty Seattle thing to do. Ridder tested very well, has a good arm, and apparently interviewed well. However, on tape he seems to be extremely dependent on being in a rhythm, does not show up nearly as athletic as he tested and is far from a finished product throwing. Sure his leadership skills, work ethic, and raw ability could help him to become a decent starter, but he is not close to that at the moment. If Seattle can be patient with him it could work out, but who knows what they will be thinking.

19. Philadelphia Eagles- Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa

We debated Jermaine Johnson here, but we think that Philly shows Watson the love. Yes, Kelce is returning this season, but we think the Eagles take Linderbaum who has reports about him that say he could be an all-pro caliber player starting his rookie year. Kelce keeps the starting role for now, but Linderbaum can shift to guard and fill the role left by Brandon Brooks in the meantime.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers- Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College

The Steelers signed Trubisky and Mason Cole as well as re-signed Okorafor on the first day of FA. The Pittsburgh defense is staying intact for the most part, but we believe that they will be able to figure out the holes in FA or later in the draft. The Steelers take the best guard available to help strengthen the line for Najee and whoever their QB is.

21. New England Patriots- Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia

Dean continues to be picked late in our mocks because there are teams who need LB, but just have glaring needs before LB. There are now also questions about Dean’s size and how it will translate into the league. New England has at least 3 LBs in FA this year whose roles need to be filled and honestly Dean just screams Belichick to us.

22. Las Vegas Raiders- Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama

So far, the Raiders have been eerily quiet as the rest of the division loads up in an arms race. Assuming the Raiders are going to be mainly looking to the draft for answers, Jameson Williams gives them a downfield threat that they currently do not have. Adding him to Renfrow and Waller gives them a very good start towards trying to stay relevant in the bloodbath that will be the AFC West.

23. Arizona Cardinals- Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State

Garrett Wilson is a much more unfinished product in our eyes than most seem to think. There are red flags that show up on tape, and that showed up at the combine, that analysts just seem to ignore. However, what he does bring to the table is his speed, home run capability (as long as he does not drop too many), and very good playmaking with the ball in his hands. The Cardinals need all of this. Being in a room with Hopkins also may help him become more DJ Moore than Jalen Reagor. 

24. Dallas Cowboys- Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah

The Cowboys always seem to choke no matter how talented their roster is. Anthony Brown is basically on the same level as everyone’s favorite piece of burnt toast, Eli Apple, but we think Dallas takes care of the front seven first in hopes that more pressure helps take the pressure off the secondary. Lloyd, who I think should play OLB, steps in as a day one starter for Dan Quinn’s defense and fills a KJ Wright or Bruce Irvin type role. Taking Lloyd helps take the pressure off Parsons and allows Quinn to mix up the looks in the front seven. 

25. Buffalo Bills- Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn

This is a luxury pick for the Bills who are pretty solid all around. We believe this pick may be traded for Danielle Hunter, but we also think they could send a later pick and one of their young ends. The Buffalo secondary looked dreadful against the Chiefs in the playoffs, McCreary will come in and most likely take over Levi Wallace’s spot as the CB 3.  

26. Tennessee Titans- Travis Jones, DL, UCONN

The Titans seem like another team who is, for the most part, staying intact. We think Vrabel sticks to his roots and goes defense here. The biggest need for this team is the defensive line and getting Jeffrey Simmons some help. Yes, you could take Travon Walker here, but we think Jones is a better run stuffer, which is more so what this team needs, especially when you see Jonathan Taylor and James Robinson twice a year. 

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Jermaine Johnson, DL/EDGE, Florida State

With the not so surprising news that Tom Brady is back, the Bucs whole season outlook has changed. No longer are they entering a potential rebuild, but rather look to add a win-now piece. They could easily go receiver here, as anyone not named Evans or Godwin has been rough. But, Brady could attract a free agent or they could go WR on day two. Instead, they get one of the bigger steals in our mock; Jermaine Johnson. Johnson can be a starter from the beginning and bring elite run defending, with the potential to become a double digit sack guy with the right development. They add a much needed piece to that defense that can make an impact early and get them right back into the Super Bowl hunt.

28. Green Bay Packers- George Pickens, WR, Georgia

If this is anything other than a receiver, Green Bay fans may riot. This is regardless of whether or not Adams actually plays (he currently said he will not play on the tag). Pickens is more of a MVS replacement, with good size and speed to play on the outside. He is a great deep field weapon, and also is an elite run blocker at the position. 

29. Miami Dolphins (Originally San Francisco 49ERS)- Trevor Penning, OT, Iowa State

Tua seems to be “the guy” to upper management in Miami. We believe that is part of the reason why Flores was fired and McDaniel was brought in. McDaniel was the OC in San Fran for Jimmy G. If anyone can devise an offensive game plan that suits Tua, it’s probably him. They brought in Chase Edmonds to help strengthen their RB room, now it’s time to strengthen the line to help protect Tua.

30. New York Giants (Projected Trade with KC)- David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan

We tried multiple times to mock trades for a team with Ojabo and it finally happens. Ojabo has the potential to be a top ten pick, but there are a few things working against him. First, he is extremely raw, only playing football for about two years. Second, and more important, he may be the most scheme dependent pass rusher here. He is almost exclusively a stand up speed rusher who will not be winning with power. At 26, the Titans would have been ecstatic (and maybe even traded up) for him, but since they re-signed Landry we do not see that happening. Instead, the Giants make a move from their early second and get the biggest steal in this first round. He can start right away if needed, but may best fit working in a rotational role until he is able to fully develop into his potential.

31. Cincinnati Bengals- Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan 

Cincinnati is showing the line some love to start FA by bringing in Ted Karras and Alex Cappa. It’s a good start, but the Bengals need a lot more to help protect their franchise QB who was sacked 70 times this year. Raimann steps in on day one to play the starting tackle role opposite Jonah Williams.

32. Detroit Lions (Originally Los Angeles Rams)- Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State

Detroit has a lot of options here. We initially had Travon Walker, who has the physical tools to be great, but also has a ton of development to go. Instead, the Lions address their weakest position and add a size/speed prospect that could be similar to Chase Claypool coming out of Notre Dame. Goff played pretty decent down the stretch, but besides St. Brown and Hockenson, there are not really other options. Watson can start right away as a downfield mismatch as he hones in the more intricate parts of being a wide receiver.