1. Jacksonville Jaguars – Trevor Lawrence (QB/Clemson)
At this point, there’s really no need to get into the details. Lawrence is going to be the pick barring some sort of apocalyptic event between now and draft time.
2. New York Jets – Zach Wilson (QB/BYU)
Like Jacksonville with the top pick, there really isn’t a debate as to who the Jets are selecting.
3. San Francisco 49ers – Mac Jones (QB/Alabama)
This is where the draft really begins and it’s come down to Jones or North Dakota State’s Trey Lance. The 49ers are trying to play coy and say they like a lot of guys here, but you don’t trade up to the No. 3 pick and not have an idea about who you’re taking. It leaked earlier this month that San Francisco liked Jones and I think Lance is just them trying to do some damage control.
4. Atlanta Falcons – Kyle Pitts (TE/Florida)
Ideally, Atlanta is trading down with a quarterback-needy team, but the uber-talented Pitts should be the pick if they stand pat. I wouldn’t be surprised if a team like Dallas decides to trade up for Pitts either, so there are a lot of options on the table for the Falcons.
5. Cincinnati Bengals – Ja’Marr Chase (WR/LSU)
Cincinnati is reportedly selecting Chase over Penei Sewell for petty reasons, which I absolutely believe because this sounds like something the Bengals would do. Chase is a really talented player, who is being pushed by Joe Burrow, so maybe they find protection for Burrow in the later rounds.
6. Miami Dolphins – Penei Sewell (OT/Oregon)
Miami took Austin Jackson in the first round last year, but Sewell is a much better prospect and should be Tua Tagovailoa’s blindside protector. Jaylen Waddle has also been a popular pick for the Dolphins.
7. Detroit Lions – Jaylen Waddle (WR/Alabama)
Detroit could go in a number of directions, including taking a quarterback or trading down, but wide receiver has been a huge need for this team after losing Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones in free agency.
8. Carolina Panthers – Rashawn Slater (OT/Northwestern)
There’s chatter that Carolina may not exercise Sam Darnold’s fifth-year option if they’re able to land one of the top signal-callers in this draft, but I think that’s just the front office trying to find a way to trade down. Carolina currently has Cameron Erving penciled in to be their starting left tackle which is not ideal.
9. Denver Broncos – Patric Surtain II (CB/Alabama)
Denver just acquired Teddy Bridgewater and while it doesn’t necessarily take them out of the running for a quarterback, it does make it less likely. Instead, I think they continue to zero in on Patrick Surtain, who is also coveted by Dallas.
10. Dallas Cowboys – Jaycee Horn (CB/South Carolina)
The top two players Dallas wants are Pitts and Surtain, so they are settling a bit here, but Jaycee Horn is far from a consolation prize and is a definite upgrade to their secondary.
11. New York Giants – DeVonta Smith (WR/Alabama)
If there is one thing David Gettleman is bad at, it is keeping secrets regarding the team’s draft plans. Smith has been the guy the Giants have honed in on since draft season began and should be the pick as long as he falls to 11.
12. Philadelphia Eagles – Micah Parsons (LB/Penn State)
Philadelphia has a number of needs, but they’re kind of stuck in wait-and-see mode and will likely target the top guy available that falls to them. Parsons is a stellar defender and a local product whose stock took a hit due to some character concerns.
13. Los Angeles Chargers – Christian Darrishaw (OT/Virginia Tech)
The Chargers struck gold with Justin Herbert, not it’s time to build around him and it starts up front. Trey Pipkins isn’t the answer at left tackle.
14. Minnesota Vikings – Kwity Paye (EDGE/Michigan)
Everson Griffen is gone as is Yannick Ngakoue and Danielle Hunter is returning from a neck injury. Once a strength in Minnesota, the pass rush has become a position of concern.
15. New England Patriots – Justin Fields (QB/Ohio State)
Fields’ stock is taking a bit of a hit after it was revealed that he is an epileptic, but with his medicals all clear, I don’t think Bill Belichick is going to have any issue with that.
16. Arizona Cardinals – Alijah Vera-Tucker (G/USC)
Cornerback would have been ideal but Caleb Farley is in freefall following some concerns about his medical report, so instead Arizona addresses the offensive line. Vera-Tucker played tackle in college, but profiles more as a guard at the NFL level.
17. Las Vegas Raiders – Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (LB/Notre Dame)
Las Vegas wants to address the middle of their defense and have been lined to Owusu-Koramoah for much of the draft process. They’re also a team who likes to throw a curveball in the draft though, so who knows what’s really going on in this draft room.
18. Miami Dolphins – Zaven Collins (LB/Tulsa)
Miami has been harder to peg with their second pick, but unless they trade it, I expect them to use it on defense. Bernardrick McKinney and Jerome Baker are more or less stop-gaps at linebacker.
19. Washington Football Team – Trey Lance (QB/North Dakota State)
While a lot of teams in this draft need a quarterback, I think it’s overhyped, especially with some expecting all five quarterbacks to go in the top 10, one is bound to slip and I would imagine it’s the guy who skipped this season and plays for the FCS school. Washington is bringing in journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick to start this year while they groom their long-term answer at quarterback.
20. Chicago Bears – Teven Jenkins (OT/Oklahoma State)
If Chicago wants a quarterback, they’re going to have to trade up. Instead, they can shift focus to protecting and appreciating what they currently have in Andy Dalton.
21. Indianapolis Colts – Rashod Bateman (WR/Minnesota)
T.Y. Hilton was brought back. but only for a year so wide receiver is definitely in play here. The Colts are one of the harder teams to project in this draft class.
22. Tennessee Titans – Azeez Ojulari (EDGE/Georgia)
Rashod Bateman has been a popular selection for Tennessee, but I just don’t see them taking a receiver in the opening round with needs at the edge, cornerback and offensive tackle. There is no weaker spot on the Titans roster, however, than their pass rush.
23. New York Jets – Greg Newsome II (CB/Northwestern)
Travis Etienne has been the popular pick here (and I have certainly mocked him to this spot), but the team hired a defensive-focused coach in Robert Saleh and I can’t imagine they use both picks on offensive players.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers – Najee Harris (RB/Alabama)
Fewer teams have a worse backfield than Pittsburgh right now. Harris has been strongly linked to the Steelers and it’s looking likely that he will be the first back off the board.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars – Trevon Moehrig-Woodard (S/TCU)
Jacksonville has holes all over its roster so they should look to address both sides of the ball with their first-round picks.
26. Cleveland Browns – Christian Barmore (DT/Alabama)
Cleveland missed out on Zaven Collins, so instead, they nab the top tackle in what is a weak draft class for the position. Andrew Billings and Malik Jackson are currently projected to be Cleveland’s starting defensive tackles.
27. Baltimore Ravens – Terrace Marshall Jr. (WR/LSU)
Baltimore is desperate for wide receiver help and should address it with one of their two first-rounders in the draft. With Marquise Brown already on the roster, I doubt they target another undersize player like Rondale Moore.
28. New Orleans Saints – Nick Bolton (LB/Missouri)
Cornerback is an option here too, but Bolton helps fill the void left by Alex Anzalone.
29. Green Bay Packers – Rondale Moore (WR/Purdue)
I know, Green Bay doesn’t draft offensive skill position players in the first round, but this has to change sometime right?
30. Buffalo Bills – Travis Etienne (RB/Clemson)
Buffalo has been hinting at taking a running back early, stating that neither Zack Moss nor Devin Singletary are home run hitters. Etienne is exactly that, but let’s hope he fares better than the last Clemson running back taken in the first round by Buffalo.
31. Baltimore Ravens – Carlos Basham (EDGE/Wake Forest)
A player who can sneak into the first round, Basham would give the Ravens the replacement they were looking for when Yannick Ngakoue signed with the Raiders.
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jayson Oweh (EDGE/Penn State)
With Jason Pierre-Paul int he final year of his deal, Tampa Bay should start looking at finding his replacement.