- Las Vegas Raiders- Fernando Mendoza, QB Indiana
No secret here. This is the only sensible selection for this franchise.
- New York Jets- Arvell Reese, Edge/OLB Ohio State
David Bailey was a consideration here, but Reese tested very well and offers some off ball LB play as well.
- Arizona Cardinals- Ruben Bain, Edge Miami
The Cardinals need help all over the roster and ideally would love a bookend tackle to pair with Paris Johnson, but that player just isn’t here. This could be a prime trade down spot to gain more picks to fortify this roster, but they stick and pick here taking Bain. Short arms at the combine could force him to drop on draft night, but from a pure talent and production standpoint, Bain might be the best rusher in the class.
- Tennessee Titans- Jeremiah Love, RB Notre Dame
Robert Salah has done a good job adding some talent to the defense in free agency, but this team still lacks weapons for their young QB. Love might be the best overall prospect in the entire draft, so adding him here has merit.
- New York Giants- Carnell Tate, WR Ohio State
The Giants were active in free agency to fill in the roster and not leaving any glaring holes. Sonny Styles could be in play here but the Giants just shelled out a 3yr/ 36M contract to Tremaine Edmunds to play MLB, but the WR room is lacking outside of Nabers. Tate comes in to play the X and gives NY some insurance should Nabers not be ready to start camp coming off a terrible knee injury.
- Cleveland Browns- Caleb Downs, S Ohio State
Browns fans are clamoring for a WR, but I don’t think their WR is in that bad a shape with Jeudy, Tillman and Bond. Inserting Downs on the back end to pair with Garrett, Schwesinger, Graham and Ward make this a ferocious unit.
- Washington Commanders- Sonny Styles, LB Ohio State
The Commanders are trying to rejuvenate the defense with some younger players after the veteran route didn’t work so well last season. Styles is in contention to be the best overall player in the draft and Dan Quinn would be thrilled to add a player of his talent to the defense.
- New Orleans Saints- David Bailey, Edge Texas Tech
The Saints finally parted ways with longtime Defensive End, Cam Jordan, leaving Chase Young as the only quality Edge on the roster. Bailey can step right into a starting role.
- Kansas City Chiefs- Monroe Freeling, OT Georgia
Kansas City uses their rare top ten pick to invest in the fast-rising OT prospect, Monroe Freeling. The Chiefs could also use some help in the secondary, and at WR, but they can address those positions later. Freeling tested off the charts in Indy solidifying him as a round one selection. Adding him really solidifies the OL starters and pushes Jaylon Moore back to swing tackle where he is best suited anyway.
- Cincinnati Bengals- Mansoor Delane, CB LSU
The Bengals could use some help on the OL and Edge, but the secondary is the worst unit on the team. Delane immediately becomes CB1.
- Miami Dolphins- Francis Mauigoa, OT Miami
The Dolphins are in a complete rebuild and could use help everywhere. Mauigoa gives them some flexibility to play G or T.
- Dallas Cowboys- Dillon Thieneman, S Oregon
Dallas would really crave Sonny Styles still on the board, but the defense needs help anywhere in the back seven. Thieneman is a superior athlete that has versatility to play all over the secondary.
- Los Angeles Rams- Makai Lemon, WR USC
The Rams have done a fantastic job in free agency to build up their secondary so they have the luxury of adding an elite weapon in Lemon to pair with Nakua and Adams.
- Baltimore Ravens- Jordyn Tyson, WR Arizona State
The Ravens could really use some help on the offensive line and some depth at Edge considering Trey Hendrickson’s injury history, but they have never given Lamar a complete compliment of weapons. Tyson might have some of the best individual reps on tape, and his injury history is a concern, but if he can stay healthy, he is the most talented WR this room has seen since Anquan Bolden.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Akheem Mesidor, Edge Miami
Tampa desperately needs some pass rush and while he is 25, Mesidor is the most pro ready rusher in the class. He immediately becomes the best Ege player on the team.
- New York Jets- Omar Cooper Jr, WR Indiana
The Jets desperately need a playmaker to pair with Garrett Wilson. Cooper Jr is rising up draft boards with his fantastic pre-draft process and while this might be a little high for him, he won’t be available where the Jets select in Rd2.
- Detroit Lions- Olaivavega Ioane, OG Penn State
The Lion’s success over the last few years was powered by boasting the best offensive line in the sport but injuries and retirements have ravaged the unit in the last few seasons. Ioane is exactly the road grader that Campbell wants in his linemen.
- Minnesota Vikings- Jermod McCoy, CB Tennessee
The Vikings could use some insurance and depth to the OL, but they have an actual need in the secondary. McCoy missed all of 2025 recovering from an ACL injury, but he has the press man capability needed for Brian Flores’ heavy blitz defensive scheme.
- Carolina Panthers- Spencer Fano, OT Utah
Ikem Ekwonu is recovering from a late season knee injury, so there is some doubt whether he will be ready for the start of the season. The interior OL needs some work as well. Fano gives the team some flexibility to play either OG or OT.
- Dallas Cowboys- Avieon Terrell, CB Clemson
The Cowboys continue to rebuild the secondary with Terrell. He is on the smaller side for CB, but he has a nose for the football and can be effective in press man and zone concepts.
- Pittsburgh Steelers- Kadyn Proctor, OT Alabama
The Steelers need to solidify the interior of the offensive line around Zach Frazier. Proctor gives them some flexibility to slide inside to OG or play RT and slide Fautanu back inside.
- Los Angeles Chargers- TJ Parker, Edge Clemson
Even with Khalil Mack back, Edge is still an area of need. Bud Dupree is a cut candidate and Kyle Kennard showed nothing in his rookie year. Parker comes in as Edge 3 and he can be mentored by Mack for a year before supplanting him.
- Philadelphia Eagles- Kenyon Sadiq, TE Oregon
The Eagles continue to do what they do best, acquiring blue chip talent in Rd1. Goedert is back for another year, but there isn’t much behind him.
- Cleveland Browns- Spencer Fano, OT Utah
The Browns just bought a new starting OL in free agency, but Fano is better than Dawand Jones at LT., and could slide inside if needed.
- Chicago Bears- Caleb Lomu, OT Utah
The bears have once again done a nice job of filling in the OL in Free agency, but that gets costly year after year. Ozzy Trapillo and Theo Benedet are the RT on the roster but are better off in a swing role. Lomu can be the immediate starter.
- Buffalo Bills- CJ Allen, LB Georgia
The Bills moved on from Matt Milano and Tremaine Edmunds in the last few seasons and haven’t really added any adequate players to the LB unit. CJ Allen gives them a versatile player in the middle of the defense that can cover, tackle and blitz.
- San Francisco 49ers- KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
Mike Evans and Christian Kirk were brought aboard during free agency, but those guys have both dealt with injuries the last few years as well as third year WR Ricky Pearsall. At the very least, Concepcion gives them some depth when injuries occur.
- Houston Texans- Keldric Faulk, Edge Auburn
Houston really needs to add some better IOL play, but there’s nobody here to take. Instead, they strengthen a strength by adding Faulk to Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter to give them some great depth and injury insurance on the edge.
- Kansas City Chiefs- Avieion Terrell, CB Clemson
Trading away Trent McDuffie leaves a big hole in the secondary. While Terrell may not be McDuffie, he adds some much needed talent to the unit.
- Miami Dolphins- Peter Woods, DT Clemson
The Dolphins trade of Jaylen Waddle gets them a chance to go BPA and they select Woods who can offer some pass rush from multiple alignments along the defensive line.
- New England Patriots- Kayden McDonald, DT Ohio State
New England would love it if an offensive linemen dropped to 31, but they don’t have much on the defensive line to go with Milton Williams and an aging Christian Barmore. McDonald can add more stopping force to the front seven.
- Seattle Seahawks- Colton Hood, CB Tennessee
The Super Bowl champs just lost Tariq Woolen in free agency and even though they signed Josh Jobe back, they need more talent in the secondary to make Mike MacDonald’s defense hum. Hood brings athleticism and physicality to the team.
Jeremiah thinks Iaone will be there for our pick at 1.22. If he is I absolutely think he’s the pick, but I’m not at all convinced he will be. BPA then could well be the TE Sadiq and I wouldn’t be mad about giving Herbert that guy.
There’s still some time left before the draft and perhaps Hortiz is working the phones on deals, but with only 5 draft picks I see some holes that may not get properly addressed.
Agree with all of this.
TY Tau. I wasn’t at all certain anyone would agree with me about Sadiq. I’d be inclined to go that route over pursuing a WR.
I agree 100% with Sadiq over WR. I still think G, Edge, and IDL are more important, but only if a high enough graded player makes it to their pick.
I haven’t watched Sadiq’s tape yet, but the Underdog Fantasy guys argued that you should watch the Slot WRs in this class, and then Sadiq, and then decide who you prefer as your receiving weapon. That’s the comp you’re making because Sadiq is not really a TE in any conventional sense of the term at hs height and weight.
I don’t think it makes much sense to have a view on this until you watch Sadiq and also al the WRs in the class. We also already have Gasden as a more linear route runner from the slot who doesn’t really block effectively. Sadiq is a similar guy (apparently). Doesn’t have a feeling for zones and doesn’t run routes very well. But is a good vertical threat and on wheel routes, TE leak and split flow action.
Maybe it would be useful to have two of those in the Offense? Especially since Sadiq is the far superior athlete. But if we think by drafting Sadiq you’re getting a “Tight End”, we might need to think again. He’s 6’2″ and faster the DeSean Jackson…
I accept your take here, but draft profiles are not unanimous about this. Lance Zeuerlein says he runs a robust route tree. Also, not that it makes much difference, but I believe he is 6’3″.
True. He also weighs 241 pounds which is a different weight class to even Power Slot WRs.
I hear what you’re saying but believe he has the athleticism to expand his route tree. I think there’s room in the TE group for him, especially with Kolar being an exceptional blocker.
I think Sadiq will rise up the draft board as the draft gets closer. His RAS alone will have some personnel guys drooling so it wouldn’t shock me if he’s not even around at 1.22. We see these types of guys get drafted higher than expected all the time. I think Ioane will go well before us also. He’s a need for Baltimore and Detroit. I think Edge is a bigger need for us now and the immediate future, but if the BPA was Woods or McCoy or Sadiq, I could see them pull the trigger there as well. Only position I couldn’t really see them take at 1.22 outside of QB obviously is RB and off-ball LB. You could make a case for any other position if the right player was there (Thieneman, Delane, McCoy, Boston, Sadiq, McDonald, Woods, Cooper Jr, Fano, Ioane, Parker, Mesidor, Lemon, Concepcion, Cisse).
I think Sadiq also goes in the top 20, but more to the point I will be absolutely shocked if the Chargers pick is not OL/DL/Edge. The way the board is lining up, it is almost certainty that the BPA and need of those positions will line up around #22 .
PFF posted a mock this morning where Fano had slipped and the Chargers grabbed him. That is much more likely IMO than them drafting Sadiq.
But another thing to consider is that obviously this OC doesn’t value IOL and the GM seems to be in the same belief as him. If they ignored the position in FA for two off seasons why would they then use their most premium pick on OL? It would be a dream for Fano to fall, but in what world to you think they take a combo OL in Rd1 with only 5 picks? Hortiz obviously doesn’t believe in OL either. He has taken two OL players in two drafts with more picks and one of them was UDFA level. There’s a better chance 1.22 is a WR than an OL.
Nice work Erick!
I think if the Chargers took TJ Parker with Peter Woods sitting there, I’d go offline for a few days and pour myself a double neat whiskey. If TJ Parker is ever more than an average Edge 2 in the League, he’ll have done better in his career than I expect from him.
When you get to your Sonny Styles write-up I’ll share my summary, strengths and question marks for him. The hype around him is a bit out of control to me for a guy whose tape grade is a full tier below guys like Jihaad Campbell and Edgerrin Cooper in recent years (for me anyway). The potential and coverage range is obvious. Top 5-10 though? Probably a reflection of how weak this class is that anybody would consider him there.
On Mesidor, people keep referring to the 25yo thing but for the wrong reasons. The issue is not that he enters the League as an older player. The issue is that he was a later breakout, has a reckless playing style, and beat up on 21-22yos as an older player. Historically the strongest projection to being a great pro, is being a great college player as a 21yo. The guys who dominate college as older players, as I understand it, have a weaker track record of translating that production to the next level.
A fun read!
Interesting read. Note that you have Fano at both 19 and 24.
Damnit. I had some issues posting and I think I changed it from my original. I used a simulator so know I didn’t double dip. I have to go back and look at my Word copy.