After hours of analyzing, I think I have perfected the first-round NFL draft. I created this perfect mock draft by looking at each team's needs, studying professional analysts' predictions, and using my own gut feelings in this list. I hope you enjoy; it only took me 6 hours!
Once I figure out where to bet on draft positions, I will let you know my bets, but for now, enjoy!
WorstBets Mock Draft:
1. Jaguars: Travon Walker – DE- Georgia – 6’5 272
It all Comes down between Hutch and Walker for the number 1 overall spot. I believe Jacksonville is going to take the risk and get Walker who has a lot of potential and is freaky athletic, but just doesn’t have the production that Aidan had in college. Jacksonville needs to take risks if they want to be successful. I don’t think it’s the best pick for them, but I believe it is what they’re going to do.
2. Lions: Aidan Hutchinson – DE – Michigan – 6’7 260
Detroit desperately wants Hutchinson; Hutchinson desperately wants Detroit. It’s destiny. He grew up outside of Detroit, went to Michigan, is the kind of character that Dan Campbell wants. It’s just a great pick and they are hoping the Jaguars don’t take him off the board.
3. Texans: Derek Stingley Jr – CB – LSU – 6’0 190
Now we get to the unknown of this draft after only 2 picks in... After looking over 10’s of mock drafts, and listening to numerous podcasts, I think I have found a somewhat believable mock. Stingley Jr has caught the Texan’s eye, and they have him above Sauce Gardner at the corner back position. The Texans need CB and Edge the most, so either they take Stingley or Thibodeaux. I’m taking my chances on Stingley. I don’t think they will select Ekwonu here, but a lot of experts have that as the play.
4. Jets: Kayvon Thibodeaux – DE – Oregon – 6’4 254
Everyone and their mother have Thibodeaux going 4th in their mock drafts. If he’s still on the board at 3, the Jets are going to snag him. The Jets need a WR too, but with a draft class full of great WR, they can take their chance on passing one up for big Thib. He has fallen a bit on people’s boards because his passion for football has been questioned, but he’s still the most athletic edge rusher in the draft.
5. Giants: Ikem Ekwonu – OT - NC State – 6’4 310
Offensive tackles are a hot commodity in this draft class. Hot Hot Hot! There are only a few of that can start right away, which is why teams are desperate to trade up to snag them. Don’t be surprised to see teams move early. Ekwonu is the best OT in the draft, and he may even go 3 to the Texans. I see him going to the Giants at 5, who desperately need an offensive lineman. If he’s unavailable, the Giants will select the next best OT.
6. Panthers: Evan Neal – OT – Alabama – 6’8 337
The Panthers will not be selecting 6th overall. They are 99% trading this pick, so it is difficult to predict who will be taken at 6. This 6th spot is a prize trade spot where teams can buy up to either get an O Lineman, WR, or (very unlikely) a QB. I know teams are willing to move up to select an offensive lineman so we will go with that piece of advice. Neal, in my opinion is the next best OT behind Ekwonu so I believe he will be drafted 6.
7. Giants: Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner – CB – Cincinnati – 6’3 190
I personally don’t see the Giants having this pick. I think they will trade back because they got what they were looking for and could get the picks they want at a later draft spot. Gardner is by far the best on the board remaining, but the Giants have no use for him. Some team will trade up to snag Gardner who is debatably the best CB in the draft.
8. Falcons: Garrett Wilson – WR – Ohio State – 6’0 183
With the first WR off the board, Atlanta will take Garrett Wilson at 8. Atlanta is desperately seeking offensive star power, so look for them to select a WR here. Wilson is the best WR on the board, but they could possibly select London or Williams. I see Wilson here though as the clear choice for Atlanta.
9. Seahawks: Charles Cross – OT – Mississippi State – 6’5 307
Seattle has been known for their terrible OL, and now without Wilson’s mobility, they will need to build up their front 5. Cross at 9 is probably unreasonable because he’s too good. Some team will probably trade up for him, but on my board he’s available so Seattle will take him. If not, Seattle will take another OL.
10. Jets: Drake London – WR – USC – 6’4 219
Jets are back up, and now they need a WR desperately. London is a huge target and will give Zach Wilson much needed help in the passing game. The jets already have the speedster in Elijah Moore, but now they need a possession receiver which is exactly what London is. These 2 picks by New York would be huge in the rebuilding.
11. Commanders: Chris Olave – WR – OSU – 6’0 187
Commanders, with their new QB Carson Wentz, need more help in the passing game. It has been heard from sources that they love Olave over Williams. Olave wasn’t even the best WR on his team, but his mere speed and agility will be a great addition to the struggling Commanders.
12. Vikings: Kyle Hamilton – S – Notre Dame – 6’4 220
Kyle Hamilton and Harrison Smith. Let that sink in. 2 Notre Dame alumni as both safeties, that’s scary and dope at the same time. I know Minnesota needs DB’s. They may select a CB, but either way, this would be a duo that I’m hoping happens. Would just make my inner safety self-rejoice.
13. Texans: Jermaine Johnson – DE – Florida State – 6’5 254
Texans snagged their O Lineman to start the draft, now they need either a CB or an Edge. I have them picking Johnson as the edge. He is a great pass rusher and although he’s the 4th best in the draft, he still is elite and worthy of praise. Would be a great addition to a struggling Texans’ defensive line.
14. Ravens: Andrew Booth Jr – CB – Clemson – 6’0 194
The ravens’ biggest needs are on the defensive side of the ball. They desperately need an edge player as well as help in the secondary. Booth will give the Ravens a huge help in the secondary, but they will still need to solve their DL. If Booth isn’t selected here, look for Davis or other D linemen for the ravens’ selection. Picks 12-14 are all going to be defense, so whoever doesn’t get selected between these teams will then just go to the next team and vice versa. The Vikings get their pick, and the Ravens get the leftovers.
15. Eagles: Jameson Williams – WR – Alabama – 6’2 179
With Williams still on the board at 15, the eagles would be so pleased. This may be unlikely, since many teams have needs at wide receiver, but there is a still possibilities Williams will be here at this spot. If not, then Burks or Dotson would be good pickups for the Eagles. Devonta Smith and Williams would be an Alabama duo that I would love to see. They may be too similar in play style which may draw Philly to another WR, but we will see.
16. Saints: Trevor Penning – OT – Northern Iowa – 6’7 325
The Saints have 2 picks relatively close in this draft. They need WR, OL, and DL. Penning is a huge offensive tackle from Northern Iowa, and he would be the best available O lineman for the saints. They need OL either this pick or pick 19, and the WR’s they want should still be available at their later pick. I can’t say the same about Penning.
17. Chargers: Kenyon Green – OG – Texas A&M – 6’4 323
As stated before, LAC, needs an O lineman and they are 1 or2 players away from being true Super Bowl contenders. I predict them moving up early to snag a top 2 or 3 linemen, but if they find themselves in this position, I have them selecting Green with this pick since he is the best remaining.
18. Eagles: Jordan Davis – DT – Georgia – 6’6 341
Eagles already got their WR, now they need a D lineman. Davis is the most unreal human I have ever seen, and he is atop many people’s boards. Philly would be dumb not to select him here given that he is still available. He may be the next Warren Sapp but only bigger, faster, and stronger. A true Anomaly.
19. Saints: Devonte Wyatt – DT – Georgia – 6’3 304
This may go against my previous statement, but saints may pass on WR if Wyatt is still available. Wyatt is a great edge/interior d lineman that is very versatile. I’m not sure if they will take him here because I said earlier, they need a WR, but sometimes it is too hard to pass on someone you know is a steal. They could definitely pick Burks or Dotson at this spot.
20. Steelers: Malik Willis – QB – Liberty – 6’1 219
This is the biggest question mark on the draft. Will Willis be the first QB? Will there even be a QB in the first round? It is uncertain, but Pittsburgh seems like the most likely to select a QB in the first round. And Willis is very much like Big Ben regarding arm strength. All these analysts have Pickett in the top 15, but I don’t believe it, and I know the Steelers like Willis more than Pickett.
21. Patriots: Devin Lloyd – LB – Utah – 6’3 237
Patriots, as always, build their defense in the draft. Usually, they don’t have a pick this high up or even in a first round, but I see them taking Lloyd since he is the best linebacker in the draft. They have other needs like CB, OL, and WR, but it seems like a New England thing to do to pick Lloyd.
22. Packers: Treylon Burks – WR – Arkansas – 6’2 225
We all know Aaron Rodgers is going to be desperately asking the Packers to help him out on offense in the draft, especially with Adams gone. Green Bay needs a WR bad, and Burks is a big target can give Rodgers much needed help. He is very much big like Adams and could be a possession receiver that Rodgers needs to continue to be successful.
23. Cardinals: George Karlaftis – DE – Purdue – 6’4 266
Besides pick 1 and 2, and the Panthers trading their pick, this is the Lock of the draft. Cardinals are going to select Karlaftis at 23. He is a great edge rusher from Purdue, and the Cardinals desperately need to fill this position. They won’t trade up to get one of the top 4 edges, but Karlaftis may be the 3rd best edge in the draft. He’s a sleeper and Cardinal’s will snag him.
24. Cowboys: Tyler Linderbaum – C – Iowa – 6’2 296
Dallas needs OL. Plain and simple. I have them selecting Linderbaum with this pick, but there are a couple other OL men they might grab. Green is another option and is a big interior lineman, but Linderbaum I think is better, and I believe Dallas sees that too. Need something big in the inside to protect Dak, and to get their run game going which was missing last season.
25. Bills: Trent McDuffie – CB – Washington – 5’11 193
Now this is another interesting spot for the Bills. They need a corner back and I can see them snagging McDuffie here, but they also need an RB. Not a lot of analysts have a running back going first round, but the Bills are the team to do it. Breece Hall had a great pro day so look at him for a sneaky pick here, but McDuffie is the safe play.
26. Titans: Kenny Pickett – QB – Pittsburg - 6’3 217
This is a controversial pick, and really no one sees this coming, but I love Pickett at 26 going to the Titans. Tennessee will need a backup as Tannehill is getting old, but Pickett won’t need to start right away so he can learn in Ryan’s shoes. Everyone says that Kenny’s NFL comparison is Tannehill, so it just makes too much sense in my head.
27. Buccaneers: Zion Johnson – OG – Boston College – 6’3 312
Buccaneers need a DL or OL at this pick. They lose Suh and need more protection for Brady. A lot of D lineman have already been picked at this point, so look for them to go after an O lineman. Johnson is a big body that has a great chance of getting selected by Tampa. They may also need a WR, but I think they will pass on that for the time being.
28. Packers: Boye Mafe – OLB – Minnesota – 6’4 261
Since Packers selected a WR with their first pick, they will then get a defender. Their DL is weak and Mafe would be a great addition to their edge defense. He is giving me a little bit of Clay Matthew vibes. Packers always get a defender first round, so look for that streak to stay active.
29. Chiefs: Jahan Dotson – WR – PSU – 5’11 178
The Chiefs have back-to-back picks. Most likely one of these will be traded away either for the chiefs to move up, or for another team to move down. Either way, KC needs a WR and a CB. With a loaded WR class, I think KC will move up if they see lots of WR going early. If not, and Dotson is still available, then he will 100% be taken by the chiefs. He is pretty much a new Tyreek Hill. If he’s not here, then they will transition to either CB or other DL.
30. Chiefs: Kyler Gordon – CB – Washington – 6’0 194
If KC takes Dotson at 29, then they will take Gordon at 30. Another big corner that can help KC out. Daxton Hill is also a sneaky pick here at safety, but corner is their main priority. McCreary is another corner that has great potential and could find himself on the Chiefs
31. Bengals: Tyler Smith – OT – Tulsa – 6’5 324
Bengals need OL. We saw it in the playoffs and all year long that their OL was the problem. However, I don’t see them moving up to select one, they will just take the best available. Smith is the man to do it and although the Bengal did upgrade their OL in free agency, Smith could be a vital factor moving forward.
32. Lions: Roger McCreary – Auburn – 5’11 190
If Detroit selects a QB here, I’ll be upset. They most likely will knowing Detroit, but if they’re smart, they will take McCreary as the last player in the first round. McCreary is a great cornerback that will help their defensive needs. Campbell seems like the guy that loves defense and selecting 2 defenders first round might be the play. If Pickett, Howell, or Corral are still available later in the second, then sure snag them. But not right now!
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