Welcome back to draft season. This is always one of the busiest times of year for The Aftermath. This year, it was so busy, we actually had to conduct our mock draft in our group chat rather than via video chat. I will acknowledge that I took the longest to make a pick, waiting nearly 24 hours to make a pick for the Broncos.

Some things that need to be said right now, this is what we would do if we were drafting for these teams, not what we think will happen. Sometimes those things overlap, but being right is not the ultimate goal. On top of that, we do not allow trades. It creates way too much chaos in these mock drafts. We will discuss places we see teams likely trading though to help you predict all the draft night madness.

1. Arizona Cardinals – Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
The Cardinals seem intent on drafting a quarterback and Kyler Murray here is the most NFL ready in this draft, plus there are rumors of him being their favorite choice. Part of me thinks the rumors are a smokescreen, but the pick makes too much sense not to make it with new head coach Kliff Kingsbury in town.

2. San Francisco 49ers – Quinnen Williams, DL, Alabama
While many might expect Nick Bosa here, I’m staking my claim in a player with more upside an no injury history. Quinnen Williams dominated during his time at Alabama and as just a redshirt sophomore, he still has not reached his full potential. San Francisco finds the new anchor for the interior of its defensive line.

3. New York Jets – Nick Bosa, Edge, Ohio State
The Jets would be absolutely ecstatic to see Nick Bosa available at the third pick as arguably the best player in the draft, at arguably their biggest position of need. If he’s there, New York take him in a heartbeat. If not, don’t be shocked if they trade back with a team in search of a quarterback to recoup some picks they traded last year for Sam Darnold, when they were the ones hunting a franchise signal caller.

4. Oakland Raiders – Josh Allen, Edge, Kentucky
The Raiders have set themselves up well for this draft with three draft picks in the first round. With their top four pick, they should be going with the best player available. Luckily, the best player available is a pass rusher that is the perfect replacement for Khalil Mack.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Devin White, LB, LSU
Devin White can cover ground and make hard tackles for a Buccaneers defensive line which was too leaky last year. He tested really well at the combine after a great career at LSU. Expect him to fill in well for a team that lost Kwon Alexander this offseason.

6. New York Giants – Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State
I’m not buying the smokescreen. The Giants desperately need a quarterback to take over for Eli Manning. Dwayne Haskins could use a season of learning under a veteran after just one season as the starter at Ohio State. He has the strong arm and pocket presence needed to succeed in New York.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars – Juwuan Taylor, OT, Florida
Jacksonville could go a few directions here, but Tom Coughlin won two Super Bowls with the Giants by having a solid front on both sides of the ball. Juwuan Taylor, alongside Jonah Williams, is arguably the best tackle in the draft. Look for the former Gator to stay in the Sunshine State to protect Nick Foles and his new contract.

8. Detroit Lions – Montez Sweat, Edge, Mississippi State
There is a very good chance the Lions will lose Ezekiel Ansah, so they are in need of pass rusher. Honestly, they were in need of a pass rusher even without the potential loss of Ansah. They can get a bit a steal in Montez Sweat if you look past the possible heart condition.

9. Buffalo Bills – Rashan Gary, DL, Michigan
The Bills will likely have a couple of viable options at the No. 9 pick and their defensive line could use some help. I went with Rashan Gary because of his versatility; hopefully he can plug more than one hole for them when needed.

10. Denver Broncos – T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa
While there will certainly be calls to take a quarterback here. reaching for Drew Lock or Daniel Jones would be a mistake. Denver needs a new offensive weapon with Demariyus Thomas gone and Emmanuel Sanders injured. T.J. Hockenson is a complete tight end capable of opening holes for Phillip Lindsay and helping Joe Flacco acclimate to the altitude.

11. Cincinnati Bengals – Ed Oliver, DL, Houston
This pick could just as easily be Devin Bush, with the Bengals desperately needing a speedy linebacker patrolling the field. But Ed Oliver has top 10 potential and could be one of the best athletes in this draft who can get after the quarterback from the inside. The Bengals have a lot of holes, so they’ll take a top talent here.

12. Green Bay Packers – Brian Burns, Edge, Florida State
The Packers need help on their defense in multiple position areas. However, with the loss of Clay Mathews, the position with the most immediate need on defense is pass rush. Thus, drafting Brian Burns will allow Green Bay to get a piece to build around for years to come.

13. Miami Dolphins – Jonah Williams, OL, Alabama
The Dolphins offensive line might as well be made of cardboard, just ask Ryan Tannehill, with needs at center, tackle, and guard. I assume they will go for the best available offensive lineman with this pick and in our mock it was Jonah Williams. He could start at right tackle or right guard this season.

14. Atlanta Falcons – Jeffery Simmons, DL, Mississippi State
The Falcons have a number of needs, mostly on defense. With the number of injuries this team suffered last season, drafting a player with a major knee injury might seem like a questionable move. The consensus on Jeffrey Simmons is that, despite a video from high school of him punching a woman in a fight and a major injury, he is a top-five talent. Simmons potential impact on the field is massive. Atlanta will not tolerate anything from him off the field, nor should they.

15. Washington – Drew Lock, QB, Missouri
There’s a lot of uncertainty in Washington at the QB position right now. Alex Smith may never play again after that gruesome knee injury that reminded many spectators of Joe Theismann. Bringing in Case Keenum may be a short-term solution, but Drew Lock is the long-term one. He at one point was considered the top passer in this draft. Plus, he could learn a lot from a guy like Keenum, who transitioned from an Air Raid-style offense in college to a respectable pro career, something Lock may need to do in a hurry to keep Washington afloat.

16. Carolina Panthers – Cody Ford, OL, Oklahoma
For the past few years, the Panthers have not been able to field an adequate pass protection. The injuries have been piling up for Cam Newton, and is probably a correlation. That is why drafting Cody Ford will help the team’s franchise player in the best way possible. He blocked for a mobile quarterback in Kyler Murray in college and should be able to do it again for Newton.

17. New York Giants (via Cleveland) – Byron Murphy, CB, Washington
Assuming the Giants draft a quarterback with their No. 6 pick, I think they will kick off the run on corners with the pick they landed in the Odell Beckham Jr. trade. I like Byron Murphy’s ball hawking ability. He might be able to generate some turns for a struggling secondary now without Landon Collins.

18. Minnesota Vikings – Garrett Bradberry, C, NC State
Signing Kirk Cousins didn’t push the Vikings into Super Bowl contention like they thought. That was mainly because of the poor play of the offensive line. Garrett Bradberry will immediately improve the interior of this line. If there is someone else they like better, don’t be surprised if Minnesota moves up to get him.

19. Tennessee Titans – DK Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss
The Titans have a big decision coming up after the season on the future of Marcus Mariota, so they need to find him help in the first round either in the form of a protector or a target. There are some good linemen left in this draft, but D.K. Metcalf is an absolute athletic freak that you rarely see in football. A big, fast and strong matchup nightmare could be a great complement for a shifty, possession-style route-runner like Corey Davis, giving Mariota multiple options at multiple levels of the field.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Greedy Williams, CB, LSU
Greedy Williams has fallen a bit in this draft, which is lucky for the Steelers. Joe Haden is not getting any younger, and they have been in need of a second corner back anyway. Signing Steven Nelson to a big contract does not exactly solve their secondary issues. If Williams can improve as a tackler, he will be an absolute steal.

21. Seattle Seahawks – DeAndre Baker, CB, Georgia
Remember the days of the Legion of Boom? Those linebackers were able to stop the run so easily because they had a great secondary covering the passing game. Seattle has lost that coverage in recent years. Drafting a well-rounded corner like DeAndre Baker might help them return to those days.

22. Baltimore Ravens – Devin Bush, LB, Michigan
It is pretty unlikely falls this far, but Baltimore would be ecstatic if Devin Bush is still on the board. With C.J. Mosley now in New York, the Ravens need someone to wreak havoc in the middle of their defense. Bush seems like a very good fit to do just that.

23. Houston Texans – Chris Lindstrom, OL, Boston College
Houston had a great run last season thanks to Deshaun Watson returning from his ACL tear in the similarly spectacular form that caught the whole league’s eye during the start of his rookie season. But if the Texans are to stay on top of the AFC South, the Swiss cheese known as their offensive line won’t cut it. Bringing in Chris Lindstrom, a big body, from a school with a long pedigree of great pro-linemen in Boston College. He could immediately help keep the Texans in contention again next season.

24. Oakland Raiders (via Chicago) – Justin Layne, CB, Michigan State
With the second of their three first round picks, the Raiders can continue to rebuild their defense. The cornerback position has been a weakness of the Raiders for almost the entire decade. By picking Justin Layne, an underrated product with tons of college production, they can end the cycle and bolster the secondary. Between Josh Allen rushing the passer and Layne helping on the back end, we should see huge improvements from Oakland’s defense.

25. Philadelphia Eagles – Andre Dillard, OL, Washington State
The Eagles really need more help on defense, but at the 25^th pick Andre Dillard was a steal.  Philly is an offensively minded team and their offensive line will soon be aging out, so spending a late first round pick is well worth the future investment. With Carson Wentz’s injury history, keeping him clean should be a major priority.

26. Indianapolis Colts – AJ Brown, WR, Ole Miss
His college teammate has gotten a lot of love during the pre-draft process for his performance at the combine, but AJ Brown is actually a much more pro-ready prospect. He is a savvy route runner with good hands. He would complement T.Y. Hilton well in this Colts offense and give Andrew Luck a proven playmaker. Instant impact is important for an Indy with an eye on a championship.

27. Oakland Raiders (via Dallas) – Noah Fant, TE, Iowa
With my other drafters taking the liberty of upgrading the Raiders defense with their first two picks, perhaps the Raiders can use their third to keep giving David Carr every chance to succeed. Did you know that Noah Fant, a 6’4”, 249 lbs TE, ran a 4.51 at the combine? Now, recall the Raiders recently acquired the receiving services of Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams. This might just be a quick turnaround for the Oakland offense.

28. Los Angeles Chargers – Kaleb McGary, OL, Washington
The Chargers have one of the most complete teams in the NFL. Nevertheless, Phillip Rivers is what will guide them to a Super Bowl, and keeping him upright should be Los Angeles’ number one priority. Adding Kaleb McGary can help Rivers extend his career and utilize Melvin Gordon even more effectively.

29. Seattle Seahawks (via Kansas City) – Clelin Ferrell, Edge, Clemson
The Seahawks find themselves back on the clock after trading away Frank Clark. His departure creates a need for a pass rusher, and there are plenty of those in this year’s draft. Clelin Ferrell comes from a good program and should adjust to the NFL well. Pairing him with DeAndre Baker gives Seattle a solid draft haul to bolster the defense.

30. Green Bay Packers – Marquis Brown, WR, Oklahoma
Let’s say we give the most talented passer in the league an electric, game-breaking new toy to play with. That is what would be happening here. Marquis “Hollywood” Brown is the cousin of new Raiders receiver Antonio Brown and the guy who reeled in passes from Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray the past two years. His speed is unreal. Brown has the versatility to play in the slot or outside, giving new head coach Matt LaFleur a fun chess piece to move around.

31. Los Angeles Rams – Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
An unsung factor that helped propel the Rams to a Super Bowl appearance this season was their strong depth at several positions. Tackle and linebacker are minor needs, but one of the best players in this draft slipped to the end of the first round in our draft. The Rams can use their depth to their advantage to take the best player available, so they can take a polished interior pass rusher in Wilkins to slot right alongside Aaron Donald, giving him plenty of one-on-ones. Rich keep getting richer.

32. New England Patriots – Daniel Jones, QB, Duke
If I was allowed to for this draft, I would have traded this pick like Bill Belichick probably would. Alas, trades are not allowed, so the Patriots finally land their quarterback of the future, who can replace Tom Brady whenever it is he actually decides to retire. Rumor has it Daniel Jones could go sooner, but if he sticks around, New England would be wise to grab and groom him.