Smith is an outstanding athlete who reminds me a little bit of Haason Reddick coming out of college. He'll get a lot of pass-rush opportunities thanks to the Patrick Mahomes-led offense.
He's got an outside shot to be the first West Pointer taken in Round 1 in the NFL's common draft era (since 1967) ... even if a player like Georgia Tech's Keion White is probably an easier evaluation here. But when you're 6-7 and 260 pounds, Carter must be on the radar. His 15½ sacks in 2021 ranked second only to Anderson nationally and earned him a spot on that season's third-team All-American squad. Carter — or, sure, White — could give the champs a nice edge mix with veteran Frank Clark and 2022 first-rounder George Karlaftis.
White was another player who had a great week at the Senior Bowl, and NFL teams love his size (6-foot-4, 280 pounds) and his motor. He consistently wins at the line of scrimmage and is good against both the run and getting after the quarterback. He may eventually end up going early on Day 2 but it wouldn't be a surprise to see him slip into the first round.
One of the biggest offseason decisions that the Super Bowl champs are going to have to make is in regard to Orlando Brown Jr. I believe they make the decision to part ways and save money on the cap. This means that they need to address the issue via the draft. In this NFL mock draft, they take Anton Harrison, a player who is a plus athlete and has the upside to step right in and fill that vacancy.
Left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. played on the franchise tag last season, and right tackle Andrew Wylie is scheduled to become a free agent next month. The Chiefs are likely to franchise Brown again, if necessary, to extend their window to negotiate a long-term deal. That makes a right tackle prospect like Jones or Tennessee's Darnell Wright a good fit here. Jones is a massive tackle prospect, even when compared to Brown, and has a "rare" 89½" wingspan.
One of the most prolific pass rushers in Big 12 history, McDonald has an explosive burst off the edge. With 34 career sacks, McDonald tied the league record and was a three-time all-Big 12 selection. He has 35-inch arms to go on a 6-4, 241-pound frame, and he uses that length to get separation off the edge. If McDonald sneaks into the first round, he would mark the first Cyclone with that distinction since 1973.
We watched the dominant Philadelphia pass rush go sack free against the Chiefs on Sunday night, which was huge for Kansas City given Patrick Mahomes' ankle injury. That's a testament to the Chiefs' OL, which finished the season with just 26 sacks allowed (third) and the league's top pass block win rate (74.7%). But neither starting offensive tackle -- Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie -- is under contract next season, so Kansas City will have to figure out how to replenish the line. Duncan still has some developing to do, and he struggled against top-tier teams in 2022, allowing six sacks to Michigan, Penn State and Ohio State. But he moves well for a 6-foot-6 prospect and has good anchoring strength.
Chris Jones is essentially the Chiefs' pass rush — Frank Clark must think the season begins in January. McDonald has been highly productive for the Cyclones — he has at least five sacks in four straight seasons and double-digit sacks in two of the last three — despite playing out of position for most of his collegiate career. He's an explosive, instinctive pass rusher, who is already receiving a boost in his draft stock after his impressive performance during Senior Bowl week.
An edge rusher wouldn't surprise me here, but I think Witherspoon is the best corner in the draft. He reminds me a lot of former Eagles Pro Bowler Asante Samuel.
A guy who can play up and down the line, Bresee (6-5, 300 pounds) fits the profile of a Philly first-rounder — and especially in a year when the team's defensive tackle depth will likely be decimated with Javon Hargrave, Fletcher Cox, Ndamukong Suh and Linval Joseph ticketed for free agency.
A sizable corner (6-2, 205) with the ability to press, he could potentially plug into a secondary that probably can't afford to keep CB James Bradberry.
Gonzalez, a Colorado transfer, is a big-time athlete who is still growing into the position. He has the size, strength and speed to line up against NFL wide receivers; he just needs to improve in run support.
Ojulari, whose brother played at Georgia and plays for the Giants, had a solid campaign for the Tigers, and he has many of the same explosive qualities that made his brother so hard to block for the Bulldogs. Ojulari could end up being better than Azeez, and that's saying something.
The Eagles came up just short in the Super bowl and played well offensively. The one part of their game that did not perform as well as they would like is their run game. So with this pick, the Eagles chose to improve that by adding one of the best running backs to enter the draft in years. Robinson is a game-changer and the Eagles embrace the fact that they are simply going to have to be able to outscore any opponent to win the Super Bowl.
The Eagles have made it clear to the NFL that they value the defensive line position. This philosophy has proven to work as they had one of the best defensive lines in the NFL and made it to the Super Bowl. Last year they drafted one of the biggest defensive linemen in the draft Jordan Davis and this year, I think they draft Calijah Kancey. Kancey is an undersized defensive lineman, but he makes up for it in explosiveness and will have a true impact along the defensive front. Kancey has non-traditional size but I believe he will have a big impact for the Eagles.
Witherspoon has put himself into the CB1 mix, although he's the second off the board in this mock. The three-year starter is a confident, smart and physical cornerback with outstanding ball skills. He finished last season with three interceptions and 14 pass breakups. Given that James Bradberry is scheduled to become a free agent in March, and Darius Slay will be a free agent after next season, cornerback is a position that the NFC champs could address with one of their first-round picks.
White played tight end for Old Dominion in 2018, transitioned to defense in '19 and then ODU didn't play football in '20. He transferred to Georgia Tech for the '21 season and had his most productive season (14 TFLs and 7.5 sacks) in '22. While he's relatively new to the defensive side of the ball, he's extremely athletic for a 280-pound edge defender. Considering the way the Eagles rotate their defensive linemen, Philly would have the benefit of utilizing White in a way that maximizes his development.
Porter started 31 games over the past four years and developed into a shutdown corner. His physicality initially caused him problems in college, but improved in his ability to eliminate penalties while not losing his edge. Porter had 20 pass breakups and 113 tackles during his collegiate career. He grew up in NFL locker rooms and has dissected the game with his dad for as long as the younger Porter can remember. With this selection, he'll become the first Penn State defensive back selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
I really wanted Bijan Robinson, but since no trades are allowed in this mock draft I turned to the linebacker talent pool. Expect Simpson to turn heads at the combine. A member of Feldman's Freaks List, Simpson could be yet another valuable weapon on an Eagles defense that looks to be loaded for years to come.
The loaded Eagles went to the Super Bowl for good reason, and GM Howie Roseman's focus on building out from the trenches proved valuable. But now, they could lose three of their top four defensive linemen in terms of snap counts to free agency, including Javon Hargrave and Fletcher Cox up the middle. Roseman drafted Jordan Davis in Round 1 last April, and bringing in Bresee to pair with him could shore up an important unit for the team. Bresee has fantastic upper-body strength to slow down opponent run games and work through blockers as an interior pass-rusher.
Philly might have had 14 wins, but it will have a lot of offseason concerns to address, mainly on defense. Joining Hargrave and Cox with expiring contracts are James Bradberry, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Brandon Graham, Robert Quinn, Kyzir White, T.J. Edwards, Marcus Epps and Isaac Seumalo, so there are a lot of directions to go here. I also still like the idea of Texas' Bijan Robinson in Philadelphia, with Miles Sanders headed to free agency, but it's really, really early for a running back, and the defense is going to have all those holes to plug. Remember, the Eagles also have a second first-rounder.
It has been a while since the Eagles were first on the clock at No. 10, when they took a defensive tackle (Bryan Bresee). Now Philadelphia pivots to the other side of the ball but stays in the trenches. The Eagles have Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata under contract for three more years, but Harrison could provide depth and perhaps help out on the interior, where the team might lose a couple starters this offseason. He walls off defenders and has allowed just two sacks over three seasons. And perhaps more importantly for Philly's offense, he has blown just seven run blocks over that time.
Jalen Hurts had to carry the entire offensive load with his arm and legs in the Super Bowl, while both Miles Sanders and Boston Scott face free agency. Few things are certain at this point, but I'm fairly positive the Doak Walker Award-winning Robinson will be the first running back selected in late April (positional bias will likely keep him from going inside the top-10). He's an all-around threat who is light on his feet considering his size (6-foot, 215 pounds) and features home-run ability.
GM Howie Roseman added former All-Pros Robert Quinn (via trade) and Ndamukong Suh as stop gaps on the defensive line this year. White should be one of the top performers at the combine, where his draft stock will likely soar. A former tight end at Old Dominion, he's still developing his defensive chops, but his combination of size (6-5, 280) and speed doesn't come along every year.
If Miles Sanders finds a new home in free agency, the Eagles could have interest in adding Robinson as a dual-threat weapon in their prolific attack. He slaloms through traffic inside and displays an upfield burst in the open field.
Philadelphia has not picked a defensive back in the first round since 2002 (cornerback Lito Sheppard), but the Eagles could end that drought if Chauncey Gardner-Johnson departs in free agency. Hickman lines up all over the field and brings a physicality to the position that will endear him to Philly fans.
A big corner (6 feet, 188 pounds) who can play wide or in the slot and should definitely flourish while improving coverage opposite Trevon Diggs if he takes No. 1 receivers.
Hyatt wasn't in the first-round conversation heading into the 2022 season but he's a great example of a player taking advantage of his opportunities, thanks in large part to Hendon Hooker's Heisman Trophy campaign. Hyatt is a bona fide deep threat who consistently stacks defensive backs who were helpless to do much about it all season.
The Cowboys' defense took a step forward this year, but there was still one glaring issue: the corner position opposite of Trevon Diggs. This position was consistently thrown at by opposing offenses. Drafting Keele Ringo with this pick allows for the Cowboys to have two CBs that have height, length, and great ball skills that should help make this one of the best defenses in the NFL.
The Cowboys need way more production, obviously, in Year 2 from third-round receiver Jalen Tolbert, but they could consider adding to their receiving corps here. Another major need is shoring up the team's corner spot opposite Trevon Diggs, as that position was a rotating door after the injury to Anthony Brown, an impending free agent. Forbes is a slender cornerback with good length, speed, instincts and ball skills. He finished his collegiate career with more pick-sixes (six) than most corners had regular interceptions.
Jerry Jones loves himself some big-name running backs (Emmitt Smith, Herschel Walker, Ezekiel Elliott), and this could be the time for a refresh while also saving cap space. Tony Pollard made the Pro Bowl, but he is set to be a free agent and fractured his left fibula in the playoffs; Ezekiel Elliott could be cut for salary cap purposes. Robinson was the best running back in college football with 1,580 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns as a junior last year. He's also a threat out of the backfield, with 60 catches in his Texas career. With Mike McCarthy taking over the offense, Robinson would be a useful and versatile weapon.
Torrence has allowed just two sacks over 47 career starts and more than 1,400 pass-block snaps. With Connor McGovern's contract expiring, there is a hole on Dallas' offensive line, and Torrence is a brick wall against power rushers. He looked great at the Senior Bowl two weeks ago, too.
The Cowboys' pick might come down to how the board plays out, though. They might be enticed by Bijan Robinson if he's available, given Tony Pollard is a free agent and Ezekiel Elliott could be a cap casualty. And the WR2 spot behind CeeDee Lamb needs consideration, because Michael Gallup didn't make much of an impact last season. Depth at cornerback and edge rush shouldn't be ignored, either. I'm intrigued by how Dallas approaches these next few months and how the board sets up for this pick in April.
The Cowboys need someone to play opposite of Trevon Diggs. Forbes is a three-year starter in the SEC and has improved every season for the Bulldogs. He will need to bulk up (his tackling is suspect), but his instincts and ball production have been phenomenal with 14 interceptions in his collegiate career — a FBS-record six returned for a TD. His ball-hawking ways will fit in nicely with Dallas.
Dallas uses first- and second-round picks on stack linebackers as often as any team in the league. Simpson's cover and run-stopping skills could be a big help for the defense if Leighton Vander Esch and/or Anthony Barr leave via free agency.
New Orleans picked up this peripatetic pick by letting Payton go to Denver. Van Ness should be an every-down player who can line up outside or in depending on the situation. And with this D-line set to lose David Onyemata, Marcus Davenport and Shy Tuttle, a versatile replacement who can get to the quarterback — Van Ness has 13 sacks and 17 TFLs over the past two seasons — would provide welcome support to aging DE Cam Jordan, 33.
Good news: The Saints got a much-needed first-round pick in the Sean Payton deal. Bad news: It's not nearly high enough to land the team a QB. Instead, the focus is on defense. Brady Roby and PJ Williams are set to be free agents and Cam Smith is a first-round talent who can be a Day 1 contributor.
The Saints have been trying to find the next edge rusher to pass the torch to as Cameron Jordan is getting older. They take one more swing at it and select Derick Hall. Hall has a lot of potential as an edge rusher and a veteran like Jordan could help Hall refine his tools to reach his max potential as a player.
The Saints are the fourth team to own the rights to this pick, after reaching agreement with the Broncos on a trade for Sean Payton. Van Ness is a prospect who has the upside to go much earlier than this, but he'd be a good fit for the Saints. Cam Jordan turns 34 this summer, and former first-rounder Payton Turner has only three sacks in 13 games through two seasons. Van Ness has a blend of power, length and a quick first step with inside-outside versatility.
The Saints got back into the first round thanks to the Sean Payton trade, and they need to reload inside with four defensive tackles potentially heading to free agency. Smith could be the perfect answer with his unique mix of size, strength and speed at 6-foot-3, 337 pounds. He was No. 1 on Bruce Feldman's Freaks List heading into the 2022 season, and he is going to light up the combine at the end of the month. At Michigan, he earned All-Big Ten First Team honors in 2022. He needs to improve his pass rush and his consistency, and the Saints will need to do their due diligence on a gun charge from an October traffic stop (he pled guilty to a misdemeanor), but his ceiling is incredibly high.
The Saints got back into Round 1 with the Sean Payton trade and have a chance to land a replacement for Marcus Davenport if the veteran pass-rusher departs in free agency -- which seems likely given the Saints' salary-cap situation. White is coming off a 7.5-sack season and just had a good week in Mobile, Alabama, at the Senior Bowl. The pass rush was a strength in New Orleans last season (48 sacks, tied for fifth), but Cameron Jordan is turning 34, and defensive tackle David Onyemata is scheduled to join Davenport in free agency.
Assuming the Saints address the quarterback position before the draft, replenishing a weakened defensive line will be a top priority. The hype train is in full effect already for Van Ness. He reportedly received a first-round grade from the NFL Advisory Committee before declaring early for the draft despite not starting a single game for the Hawkeyes. He clearly has the functional strength needed at the next level and features a dominant bull rush with an NFL-caliber spin move.
If the Saints land a quarterback via trade/free agency, then I could see them turning their attention to the D-line early in the draft. New defensive coordinator Joe Woods will likely keep the team's four-man front, where Tuipulotu would be a great find in the late first because of his power and agility at 290 pounds. ... Sort of sounds like Cameron Jordan coming out of Cal, doesn't it?
