As we near the NFL draft this week, I take a look at the rising NFL stars, and I create my very first mock draft on NFL Mayhem. If you have any different opinions on a certain team’s pick, leave a comment down below!
1. Joe Burrow, QB
This pick should not be a surprise to anyone. The Bengals select the former Heisman winner in attempts to find their franchise QB.
2. Chase Young, EDGE
After finding their new head coach in Ron Rivera, the Redskins are left with one daunting hole which happens to be an edge rusher. They secure Chase Young who will harass opposing QBs all year.
3. Jeffrey Okudah, CB
The former Buckeye will fill a big hole for the Lions secondary, as they recently traded their CB 1, Darius Slay. The lockdown corner will be an absolute nightmare to WRs.
4. Isaiah Simmons, LB
Arguably the best all around player in the draft, the Giants finally can get their defensive superstar. There have been rumors of the Giants drafting a tackle with the 4th pick, but I expect them to stick with one of this year’s best players.
5. Tua Tagovailoa, QB
Many teams are being hesitant on drafting Tua due to his hip injury this past regular season, but the Dolphins don’t seem to be. After years of searching for a QB, the Dolphins can be a 9+ win team if Tua performs.
6. Justin Herbert, QB
Going in as one of the most underappreciated QBs in the draft, the Oregon product is destined for greatness in the NFL. He completed nearly 70% of his passes and led his Ducks to a 12-2 record. Herbert will most likely sit behind Tyrod Taylor in 2020, but will prove to be a great QB.
7. Derrick Brown, IDL
After losing 2 of their defensive tackles this off season (Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe) along with Kuechly, the Panthers need edge rushers. The star from Auburn will prove to be a run stopper and should have plenty of sacks alongside Brian Burns.
8. Tristan Wirfs, OT
Wirfs will certainly be the first offensive linemen selected in the draft. It is vital for the Cardinals to protect Kyler Murray, and Wirfs is perfect for that. This offense will be scary in the strong NFC West
9. C.J. Henderson, CB
It’s hard to believe the Jaguars had Ramsey and Bouye a couple years ago, and are now stuck with one of the worst secondaries. Henderson is the perfect answer for this horrendous secondary, and is a great value pick at 9.
10. Andrew Thomas, OT
It will probably be impossible to find a replacement like Joe Thomas, but Andrew Thomas is very promising. The Browns allowed the 9th most sacks in 2019, which is not good for young QB Baker Mayfield. With a good OT, Baker can be a very good QB
11. Mekhi Becton, OT
Sam Darnold has not been what the Jets expected, but that is partially due to his lack of protection. It is a coin flip between an OT and a WR at this pick, but I ended up going with OT.
12. CeeDee Lamb, WR
In a class stacked of WRs, Lamb is arguably the best. His break tackle and reception after catch is what seperates him from the rest. Lamb is a game changer, and will be a deadly duo with Josh Jacobs on offense.
13. Jerry Jeudy, WR
After acquiring the 13th pick from the Colts, the 49ers are given the opportunity to increase their weapons for Jimmy G. Jeudy is a freakishly athletic receiver that can turn any game around as he showed with Alabama. Jeudy has the ability to become the focal point of the offense.
14. Jedrick Willis, OT
As my predicted 4th OT in the first 14 picks, Willis fills a major hole for the Bucs. They allowed the 5th most sacks in 2019, with 47 sacks. If Tom Brady wishes to succeed in Tampa, they need to pick an offensive lineman at this pick, and Willis is the best value here.
15. Henry Ruggs III, WR
Ruggs is by far the fastest receiver in this year’s class, running a 4.27 40 yard dash. He is an explosive receiver that will pair well with Courtland Sutton. The Broncos suddenly have a very dynamic offensive pair of WRs that can be very dangerous if Drew Lock plays well.
16. Javon Kinlaw, IDL
The Falcons defense struggled very badly in 2019. They had very minimal pressure, and instead had pressure against them. The Falcons need a Pro-Bowl caliber linemen, and Kinlaw is the perfect fit here.
17. Jeff Gladney, CB
After losing a key piece to their defense, Byron Jones, the Cowboys are in need of a new CB. There are plenty of good CBs in this year’s draft, but Gladney is likely the best pick at 17. The TCU stud had 107 tackles in his college career, along with 5 interceptions
18. K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE
With their second first round pick, the Dolphins will select an edge rusher. After selecting Tua with the 5th pick, the Dolphins need to address their defense here. There is a chance he slips down to day 2, but teams that really studied him knows how good he can be in the NFL.
19. Kristian Fulton, CB
Fulton had a great season in 2019. He is a very versatile player that can lock down top receivers when he’s at the top of his game. He improved every year with LSU, and surely will do the same thing in the NFL.
20. Xavier McKinney, S
This pick for the Jaguars will solidify their secondary. If they do take C.J. Henderson with the 9th pick, McKinney will be the last pick for their secondary, and will be a good one. McKinney is a very fast player that will assure the Jaguars that their secondary won’t be as bad as it was in 2019.
21. Justin Jefferson, WR
This pick was a tossup between Jefferson and Mims, but I chose Jefferson for the Eagles. The Eagles have one of the worst WR cores in the league, and it is certain they take a WR here. The LSU product will fit well in the Eagles system.
22. Denzel Mims, WR
After trading away Stefon Diggs, the Vikings need a WR 2. Mims is a strong physical player to play at an even higher level than Diggs. There are better receivers than Mims in this draft, but he is a very good pick for number 22.
23. Jordan Love, QB
With the release of Tom Brady, the Patriots are stuck with Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham, who are not the best options. Love is a very underrated QB, and could push the Patriots to the playoffs with his pocket presence.
24. Patrick Queen, LB
The Saints are so good that it seems that they can’t get any better. However, this pick fills a very important hole on the defense. The Saints could have one of the best teams they’ve ever had with Patrick Queen paired up with A.J. Klein.
25. Jaylon Johnson, CB
With their second first round pick, I have the Vikings selecting a CB. Even though Xavier Rhodes was a Pro-Bowler in 2019, he certainly didn’t deserve it, as he was one of the worst CBs in coverage. Johnson did really well in Utah, and will fit well in Minnesota.
26. Grant Delpit, S
It’s hard to believe the Dolphins had 3 first round draft picks. Deplit can complete the Dolphins secondary, after they filled the CB position with Byron Jones. The Miami defense could be great next year.
27. Yetur Gross-Matos, EDGE
Yetur had an outstanding year with Penn State last year, recording 9.5 sacks. He showed up in clutch moments for Penn State. He fits the Seahawks scheme very well, and will be part of the rebuilding of the Legion of Boom.
28. Kenneth Murray, LB
After losing a couple key players this off season, the Ravens need a new LB. Murray is fast for a LB, and can get to the QB faster than other LBs in this draft.
29. Isaiah Wilson, OT
Taylor Lewan is one of the best OTs in the game, but the Titans don’t have a very good tackle on the opposite side. If they can replace that position with Georgia product Isaiah Wilson, Derrick Henry could have an even better season.
30. Jalen Reagor, WR
It might seem surprising that the team with Davante Adams needs a WR, but the Packers need a receiver bad. Aside from Adams, the Packers have no real targets on offense. Reagor is an underrated receiver that will develop greatly under Aaron Rodgers.
31. Noah Igbinoghene, CB
The 49ers could take A.J. Terrell here, but I chose Igbinoghene instead. Noah is a great CB out of Auburn, which will fill a big hole on the 49ers defense. Richard Sherman is slowly digressing, and San Francisco will need a new corner back
32. Cesar Ruiz, IOL
It is expected that the Chiefs will take a CB with this pick, but I find it hard to pass up on Cesar Ruiz. Ruiz is one of the best offensive linemen in the draft, and probably the best IOL. If Ruiz is still on the board here, the Chiefs find a great player to fill a major need!
