NFL Draft Pre Senior Bowl: The Risers, The Fallers, The Mock

We are on to the Superbowl! The NFL playoffs are nearly wrapped up with just 2 teams left. The Senior Bowl is on the horizon, and the combine is not far away. Teams are locking down their coaching searches and will start to turn their attention to what we have been looking at all year…the NFL Draft! And with nearly the entire draft order set and ready to rock, it’s time for another mock!

The Risers:📈📈📈📈📈

As a Chiefs fan, I hate writing this, but Joe Burrow aka Joe Brrrr has to be the hottest name in the NFL right now. Leading his team to an improbable Superbowl run in just his second season is impressive and he has done so with a shell of an offensive line. I think his success should cement the fact that it is imperative to land a franchise QB and surround him with talent. The Bengals opted to go for a stud WR instead of OL last year and it appears to have paid off. Does the Bengals’ decision have a ripple effect on the rest of the league? Do we see a stronger run on skill position players this year? Do teams finally start to draft talent and not need? We shall see! 

The Fallers: 📉📉📉📉📉

Jimmy G has been the guy getting hammered the most, pretty much all offseason. It seems fans want to throw the 49ers’ loss squarely on his shoulders despite him leading the 49ers deeper than expected and making the 2 of the last 3 NFC Championship Games (and a Superbowl appearance). It is interesting, to say the least, to see the hate thrown his way. Is he an elite, top 15 QB? I don’t think so. He has talent and leadership, but he isn’t the guy that will throw for 300 yards a game or overcome a team’s deficiencies. But we also need to not make light of what he has done with this team. Making it as far as he has, battling through injuries, is no easy task; go ask Aaron Rodgers…but anyway, it will be interesting to see if a team makes a play for Jimmy G in a weaker QB class. Could he be had for a 2nd round pick? Could a team like Tampa or Pittsburgh trade a back-end 1st round pick now that their future HOF QBs have retired? This will be a fun storyline to follow this offseason! 

The Mock:

Round 1

1. Jacksonville Jaguars- Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
2. Detroit Lions- Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon
3. Houston Texans- Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan
4. New York Jets- Derek Stingley Jr, CB, LSU
5. New York Giants- Ikem Ekwonu, OL, NC State
6. Carolina Panthers- Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
7. New York Giants(via CHI)- Tyler Linderbau, OL, Iowa
8. Atlanta Falcons- Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
9. Denver Broncos- Charles Cross, OL, Mississippi State
10. New York Jets(via SEA)- George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue
11. Washington Commanders- Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh
12. Minnesota Vikings- David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan
13. Cleveland Browns- Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
14. Baltimore Ravens- Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
15. Philadelphia Eagles(via MIA)- Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia
16. Philadelphia Eagles(via IND)- Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson
17. Los Angeles Chargers- DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M
18. New Orleans Saints- Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
19. Philadelphia Eagles- Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
20. Pittsburgh Steelers- Kenyon Green, OL, Texas A&M  
21. New England Patriots- Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia
22. Las Vegas Raiders- Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
23. Arizona Cardinals- Kaair Elam, CB, Florida
24. Dallas Cowboys- Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah
25. Buffalo Bills- Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
26. Tennessee Titans- Trevor Penning, OL, Northern Iowa
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
28. Green Bay Packers- Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State
29. Miami Dolphins(via SF)- Bernhard Raimann, OL, Central Michigan
30. Kansas City Chiefs- Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
31. Cincinnati Bengals- Darian Kinnard, OL, Kentucky
32. Detroit Lions(via LAR)- Drake London, WR, USC

Round 2

1. Jacksonville Jaguars- Travon Walker, DT, Georgia
2. Detroit Lions- Derion Kendrick, CB, Georgia
3. New York Jets- Daxton Hill, S, Michigan
4. New York Giants- Drake Jackson, EDGE, USC
5. Houston Texans- Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn
6. New York Jets(via CAR)- David Bell, WR, Purdue
7. Chicago Bears- Nicholas Petit-Frere, OL, Ohio State 
8. Denver Broncos- Brandon Smith, LB, Penn St
9. Seattle Seahawks- Zion Johnson, OL, Boston College
10. Washington Commanders- Sean Rhyan, OL, UCLA
11. Atlanta Falcons- Breece Hall, RB, Iowa St
12. Cleveland Browns- Christian Harris, LB, Alabama
13. Baltimore Ravens- Myjai Sanders, EDGE, Cincinnati
14. Minnesota Vikings- Martin Emerson Jr, CB, Mississippi State
15. Indianapolis Colts- Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
16. Los Angeles Chargers- Jermaine Johnson, EDGE, Florida State
17. New Orleans Saints- Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State
18. Miami Dolphins- Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M
19. Philadelphia Eagles- Lewis Cine, S, Georgia
20. Pittsburgh Steelers- Carson Strong, QB, Nevada
21. Las Vegas Raiders- Logan Hall, DL, Houston
22. New England Patriots- Kingsley Enagbare, EDGE, South Carolina
23. Arizona Cardinals- Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota
24. Dallas Cowboys- Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M
25. Buffalo Bills- Kenneth Walker, RB, Michigan St
26. Atlanta Falcons(via TEN)- George Pickens, WR, Georgia
27. Green Bay Packers- Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State
28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington
29. San Francisco 49ers- Jordan Battle, S, Alabama
30. Kansas City Chiefs- Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State
31. Cincinnati Bengals- Henry To’oTo’o, LB, Alabama
32. Denver Broncos(via LAR)- Cameron Thomas, EDGE, San Diego State