New episodes dropping every Friday! Football is finally back in full swing! Stetson Bennett, Anthony Richardson and C.J. Stroud each had important weeks to open the season. There are a few other standout performers from across the country as well. Plus, Chris looks ahead to another big weekend of college football games and reacts to Thursday Night Football.
You can find every episode on Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube or wherever you find your podcasts. As always, I appreciate reviews, feedback and when you hit that subscribe button.
What a first week of college football action! From a high-scoring affair in North Carolina to a beatdown in Atlanta to a special teams collapse in New Orleans, it was incredible all around.
There was a ton to unpack from Week 1. I wrote about my biggest takeaways earlier this week and now Week 2 is already upon us. There are a ton of fantastic matchups to watch once again this weekend.
Unfortunately, some of these games are going to be at the same time, so break out the tablet or set your DVR if you want to watch all of the amazing action from this weekend.
I wanted to highlight a few of the draft-eligible players I am most excited to watch this weekend. Without a doubt, Anthony Richardson vs. Will Levis will draw a ton of eyeballs. Plus, I’m really excited for the fanfare of Alabama and Texas.
What about the under-the-radar guys? Perhaps that is a bit of a misnomer. Many of these players fans of college football have likely heard of. However, these are not the guys you will likely see in a first-round mock draft at this point. So rather than just tell people to watch the games they already know to turn on, let’s take a look at some players who might not be household names yet, but could very well be Top 100 players at the end of the season.
Cameron Ward, QB, Washington State Year: 3rd-year junior Opponent: at #19 Wisconsin (Saturday at 3:30 pm ET on FOX) This is a huge stage for Ward. He is a transfer from Incarnate Word looking to make an impression at the FBS level. Ward has a super quick release and can pick apart defenses when given the chance. He got off to a really solid start against Idaho, tossing three touchdown passes in a victory. Now, he will face much stiffer opposition in a Wisconsin defense that shutout Illinois State in their season opener. I wouldn’t be shocked if he returns to school for another season, but Ward is draft eligible this year. A big, nationally-televised game for him against a Top 25 team is the perfect stage to prove to NFL talent-evaluators that he deserves to be on their radar.
Brenton Cox, LB, Florida Year: 5th-year junior Opponent: vs. No. 20 Kentucky (Saturday at 7:00 pm ET on ESPN) Talk about absolutely relentless. That is the best way I can describe Brenton Cox. He made himself some money last week with 10 tackles in the Gators’ upset of Utah. He will have a chance to earn even more this week against Kentucky. The Wildcats are another ranked team with a talented quarterback and a veteran-heavy offensive line. Cox showed incredible burst, great hand usage and good discipline against the run. If he can start pressuring the quarterback on a more consistent basis, he will be trending towards being a top 50 selection. I haven’t seen much buzz about him yet, but I expect that to change if he keeps playing like he did in Week 1, especially against Top 25 opponents.
Myles Jones, CB, Texas A&M Year: 6th-year senior Opponent: vs. Appalachian State (Saturday at 3:30 pm ET on ESPN2) Being a sixth-year player coming off a major injury is going to be a lot to overcome, but Jones has a pretty unique skill set that I believe will see him get drafted this year. He reminds me a bit of Brandon Browner, or, if you want a more recent comparison, Israel Mukuamu from South Carolina, now of the Dallas Cowboys. That’s the type of role I think we could see him play and I would not be shocked if he was moved to safety in the NFL. He is a logical fit in zone heavy schemes, especially those that would not have him pressing much. He needs to improve his hand usage and physicality, but his combination of size (6’4″) and speed is enticing. Facing an App State team that just hung 61 on UNC should offer a pretty solid test.
Calijah Kancey, DL, Pittsburgh Year: 4th-year junior Opponent: at Tennessee (Saturday at 3:30 pm ET on ABC) Interior pass rushers are still in high demand at the NFL level. At this point, Kancey projects best as a situational pass-rusher rather than a three-down lineman. He struggles against the run, lacking the size and play strength to consistently disrupt the ground game. However, he is a slippery and crafty pass rusher. He excels at crashing the pocket on passing downs. He had a solid game against West Virginia to open the year. The more that I watch him, the more I want him to kick outside and play defensive end, but we will see how the NFL views him. He will get a chance to face off with a talented Tennessee offensive line with three upperclassmen on the interior. Plus, they have a solid two-headed rushing attack with Jabari Small and Jaylen Wright. Kancey needs to start showing improvement in that area of his game in order to bolster his draft stock.
Jaren Hall, QB, BYU Year: 5th-year junior Opponent: vs. #9 Baylor (Saturday at 10:15 pm ET on ESPN) This looks like it is going to be an epic fight in Provo on Saturday. If you need an extra reason to stay up late if you are an East Coaster, Hall has you covered. The fifth-year junior is in his second season as the starter. His mobility is a huge strength and he looks comfortable throwing on the move. He is already showing some improvement from a year ago. His accuracy was a bit spotty last year, but he completed 25 of 32 passes to open the season against South Florida. Baylor has a much better defense and should force Hall into some tougher situations. He is a good improviser and will need to be at his best to take down the Bears. If Hall plays well and BYU picks up the win, he is going to be talked about a whole lot more moving forward.
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Week 1 of the 2022 college football season is in the books! It was a thrilling first week of action from Pitt’s wild win over West Virginia on Thursday night through a tense Clemson-Georgia Tech showdown on Monday. We had some outrageous finishes in Boone, Gainesville and New Orleans in between.
I had a chance to watch a bunch of games over the weekend and there were a bunch of players who really impressed me and several others who fell short of the mark. I won’t pretend I watched every game, but here was my watch list so far from the weekend: Pittsburgh-West Virginia Georgia-Oregon Syracuse-Louisville Michigan-Colorado State Florida-Utah LSU-Florida State Clemson-Georgia Tech
I still have several more that I want to watch, including NC State-East Carolina, UNC-App State, Coastal Carolina-Army, Penn State-Purdue and Oklahoma State-Central Michigan.
Each week, I am going to write this column to highlight which players I think boosted their draft stocks and which players are trending in the wrong direction. Not every player that I liked is going to get a shoutout and not every player that I was underwhelmed by will be mentioned. I am also limiting this to draft-eligible players for 2023. So while Drake Maye and Malaki Starks looked great, neither is going to be on this list.
Without further ado, here is my stock up and stock down after Week 1.
Stock Up
Bryce Ford-Wheaton, WR, West Virginia 5th-year junior Week 1 stat line: 9 catches, 97 yards, 2 TDs While West Virginia came up short on Thursday night to open the season, Ford-Wheaton caught everyone’s attention with a fantastic performance. He showcased his size, ability to adjust to the ball in the air and solid hands. It looks like he will be JT Daniels’ go-to target in this offense. What’s more, finding the end zone twice is a huge improvement for a player that has yet to top three touchdowns in a single season. There is a long season ahead to prove that this wasn’t a fluke, but it was about as strong a start Ford-Wheaton could have hoped for.
Tiyon Evans, RB, Louisville 3rd-year junior Week 1 stat line: 13 carries, 89 yards, 1 TD, 2 receptions, 2 yards The stat line might not look like much at first glance. However, averaging 6.8 yards per carry against a Syracuse defense that allowed 2.7 combined to all other rushers in the game. Evans was about the only bright spot for a Louisville offense that struggled to get anything going. I liked what I saw from him at Tennessee and it seems like he has picked up right where he left off with the Cardinals. I would love to see a bit more production out of the backfield, but this was a really good start.
Stetson Bennett, QB, Georgia 6th-year senior Week 1 stat line: 25/31, 368 yards, 2 TDs, 2 carries, 8 yards, 1 TD It turns out that Bennett might just have an NFL future after all. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. He is still nowhere near the level of Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud, but he looks like he could be a capable starter in the right system. Todd Monken put him in some very easy positions to make plays, but Bennett made the correct decision every time. He is mobile and crafty. He had some truly special plays in this game and posted a new career-high in passing yards. Bennett still has a number of questions to answer when it comes to arm strength, but he is winning over doubters.
Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State 3rd-year sophomore Week 1 stat line: 3 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, blocked field goal What a coming out party for the Albany transfer! Verse absolutely dominated LSU’s offensive line, frequently getting himself into the backfield. He won with a variety of pass-rush moves and made life very difficult for Jayden Daniels. The blocked field goal early in the game was simply icing on the cake. For anyone wondering if Verse would be able to adjust to playing Power 5 football after transferring from an FCS program, it seems like the transition has not been an issue.
Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida 3rd-year sophomore Week 1 stat line: 17/24, 168 yards, 11 carries, 106 yards, 3 TDs Richardson lit the world on fire with a stunning performance in the Swamp. He flashed that incredible ability last season, but now he stepped into the full-time starter role. So far, so good for the Gators. He had some plays against Utah that were just absurd. Most of the damage was done on the ground. Richardson might be the best running quarterback in the country, although LSU’s Jayden Daniels would like a word. I would still like to see a bit more in the passing game from Richardson, but he does more than enough to make me think he is trending towards being a top-10 pick in the upcoming draft. He still has a very small sample size to draw from, but plenty of opportunities left to prove he is a special kind of player.
K.J. Henry, EDGE, Clemson 5th-year senior Week 1 stat line: 7 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble There are about half a dozen Clemson defenders I was already monitoring this year. Henry was not one of them entering Monday night, but he is now. He dominated this ball game against Georgia Tech. He made the Yellow Jackets offensive line look foolish for much of the night, perfectly executing pass-rush stunts and routinely showing his ability to use his hands to find separation on the edge. Entering the game, he only had 9.5 sacks combined in his first four seasons. He could be primed for a breakout year that sees him landed in the middle rounds of the NFL draft. Keep in mind, he was ESPN’s No. 6 recruit back in 2018. Looks like he might finally be living up to his potential.
Garrett Shrader, QB, Syracuse 4th-year junior Week 1 stat line: 18/25, 236 yards, 2 TDs, 16 carries, 94 yards, 1 TD So full disclosure, I am a Syracuse alum, but wow, I was blown away by the development seen from Shrader. A year ago, he struggled to complete passes, looked wildly inaccurate and seemed overmatched by the competition in the ACC. It was just one game, but he looked poised, showing greatly improved accuracy and continuing to be a threat with his legs. He has to repeat this type of performance several times this season to warrant being drafted, but he started the weekend nowhere near the radar. He at least has the attention of scouts now heading into a three-game stretch against UConn, Purdue and Virginia.
Stock Down
Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon 3rd-year sophomore Week 1 stat line: 3 tackles I had very high expectations for Sewell heading into this season. He featured in my most recent mock draft as a late first-round selection. It certainly does not look like that will be the case through one week. I went back and watched Sewell closely after Georgia stomped Oregon. Sewell routinely looked lost. He was missing reads, falling for the window dressing that the Bulldogs were running with misdirections and players in motion. There were still a couple of plays where he flowed downhill and got to the football, but the bad definitely outweighed the good in this one. It was a huge stage for Sewell to prove himself. He definitely fell flat and will have some questions to answer moving forward.
Cade McNamara, QB, Michigan 4th-year senior Week 1 stat line: 9/18, 136 yards, 1 TD, 1 carry, -8 yards It is looking more and more likely that McNamara will lose his starting job in the coming weeks. He struggled early against Colorado State, missing open receivers regularly. His touchdown pass came on a busted coverage on a swing pass. For a quarterback that already seemed like he was on the fringes of the draft conversation, this just further indicates that he does not have an NFL future. Michigan’s offense looked better when he was not in the game. McNamara seemed to settle in a little bit as the game went on, but with J.J. McCarthy set to start in Week 2 against Hawaii, I wouldn’t be surprised if McNamara loses the job.
Trevor Reid, OT, Louisville 4th-year senior Week 1 stat line: Uhhh… The JuCo transfer is now in his second season as Louisville’s starting left tackle. His 2022 campaign got off to a rocky start. He was flagged for holding on a couple of occasions. He also whiffed on several pass block reps and struggled to set the edge in the run game. The 6’5″ senior has the build that folks were hoping he could take the next step and enter the draft conversation. It looks like he is headed in the opposite direction at the moment, which could prove costly for Cardinals quarterback Malik Cunningham, who has legitimate draft hopes as a dual threat player. Reid will need to step up moving forward, especially with a trip to UCF up next followed by a visit from Jared Verse and Florida State.
Ali Gaye, EDGE, LSU 5th-year senior Week 1 stat line: 1 tackle Gaye was one of the more under-the-radar draft prospects I really liked and was excited to watch coming into this season. He has good physical tools and a great first step. He really needed to up his production in 2022 as a fifth-year senior. His season got off to a disastrous start. LSU struggled to get off the field on third down all night. Gaye was not generating much pressure until he got a free run at Jordan Travis in the third quarter. He ended up headbutting Travis right in the helmet well after he threw it on a vicious hit, which earned him an early trip to the showers and will cost him the first half of the Tigers’ next game. It looked like a play of pure frustration that proved to be very costly.
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Guess who’s back. Back again. Football’s back. Tell a friend.
The college football season starts in earnest on Thursday night leading us into a massive weekend of games. While Georgia vs. Oregon and Notre Dame vs. Ohio State will steal most of the headlines, there are a ton of great games to watch and hundreds of draft prospects to keep an eye on.
Unfortunately, some of these games are going to be at the same time, so break out the tablet or set your DVR if you want to watch all of the amazing action from this weekend.
I wanted to highlight a few of the draft-eligible players I am most excited to watch this weekend. Sure, I will want to watch Jalen Carter face off with Oregon’s offensive line and C.J. Stroud battle Notre Dame’s secondary, but those are the matchups that everyone will be watching anyway.
What about the under-the-radar guys? Perhaps that is a bit of a misnomer. Many of these players fans of college football have likely heard of. However, these are not the guys you will likely see in a first-round mock draft at this point. So rather than just tell people to watch the games they already know to turn on, let’s take a look at some players who might not be household names yet, but could very well be Top 100 players at the end of the season.
JT Daniels, QB, West Virginia Year: 5th-year junior Opponent: at #17 Pitt (Thursday at 7:00 pm ET on ESPN) A former five-star quarterback making his debut for third school in a rivalry game? Sign me up for that! Daniels has shown flashes of being an NFL-caliber quarterback. He has the size, arm talent and solid mobility. His injury history is the biggest hurdle he needs to overcome. He will be facing a talented Pittsburgh defense full of NFL talent. This is also the return of the Backyard Brawl, which dates back to 1895 and has not been played in 11 years. It is going to be a raucous environment for Daniels to prove himself. I’m excited to see how he does in Neal Brown’s offense especially under the circumstances.
Lew Nichols III, RB, Central Michigan Year: 4th-year sophomore Opponent: at #12 Oklahoma State (Thursday at 7:00 pm ET on FS1) College football’s leading rusher from 2021 is back and he will get a stiff test to open the 2022 season. The senior running back packs a punch at 220 pounds and has shown he can be a threat in the passing game as well. He finished this past season with 40 receptions for 338 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Now, he will get a chance to showcase his abilities against a stout Oklahoma State defense. The Cowboys were third in yards allowed and eight in points allowed last year as a team. They definitely lost a few key contributors with Malcolm Rodriguez, Devin Harper and Christian Holmes all getting drafted, but they bring back five starters from a year ago. This will be one of two huge opportunities for Nichols this season. Central Michigan will play Penn State the final weekend of September as well.
Andre Carter II, EDGE, Army Year: 4th-year senior Opponent: at Coastal Carolina (Saturday at 7:00 pm ET on ESPN+) One of the most intriguing prospects in this draft class just so happens to play for Army. Carter is a 6’7″ edge rusher who recorded more sacks than Aidan Hutchinson a year ago. In fact, the only player with more sacks in 2021 was Will Anderson Jr. There is no question Carter has not faced the same level of competition as Hutchinson or Anderson, but he will get a chance to prove himself against a good team in Coastal Carolina on Saturday night to open his season. I can’t say I know a tremendous amount about the Chanticleers’ starting tackles, Donnell Wilson and Antwine Loper, but they are both veteran players attempting to protect a potential first-round quarterback in Grayson McCall. That’s enough to get me to tune into this matchup.
Brant Kuithe, TE, Utah Year: 5th-year senior Opponent: at Florida (Saturday at 7:00 pm ET on ESPN) This should be a really fun game to watch in its own right, but I’m going to be keyed in on a number of draft prospects in this game. Kuithe stands out from the group though for me. He is coming off a season where he posted 50 catches for 611 yards and six touchdowns. While he is a bit undersized, the fifth year senior is not afraid of contact and fits the mold of today’s NFL. He is a mismatch with his speed for a lot of linebackers, but he is too big and athletic for a lot of safeties to handle. Kuithe will get a really good test though against a Florida defense that brings back nine starters from a year ago, led by linebackers Brenton Cox Jr. and Ventrell Miller. The Gators also hired Billy Napier, whose Louisiana squad finished 11th in scoring defense in his final year. I have a feeling that Utah quarterback Cameron Rising is going to target Kuithe early and often. We will see how Florida plans to slow him down.
Jammie Robinson, CB, Florida State Year: 4th-year junior Opponent: vs. LSU (Sunday at 7:30 pm ET on ABC) Florida State has a good history of producing NFL-caliber corners. Robinson could be the latest one to make the jump. He earned some preseason recognition from the AP, landing on their All-American second team. He had a really strong junior season, his first with the Seminoles. He had four interceptions and two forced fumbles to go with 84 total tackles. He had a strong start to the season against Duquesne with two pass break ups. Standing at 5’11”, he meets the requisite size for an NFL corner. He will also get a chance to go up against one of the best receivers in the country in Kayshon Boutte. That is going to be one heck of a matchup and a huge opportunity for Robinson to prove himself.
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The NFL season is nearly here and college football had its soft opening this past weekend. We will get the full slate of college action Labor Day weekend followed by the NFL kickoff a few short days later.
Not surprisingly, I’m already thinking about the 2023 NFL draft though. This is my first mock draft since my way-too-early edition, which I published right after the draft in May. While a lot of time has passed, not a ton has changed. I’ve had a chance to watch a bit more film in the offseason, but with no games being played, there is very little new information to impact a players’ draft stock.
This draft class is shaping up to be an exciting one, with tons of quality quarterbacks and one of the best edge rushing prospects we have seen in a few years.
With that in mind, I did not create the draft order, so don’t get at me if you don’t like where your favorite team is picking. These odds are the latest from Vegas Insiders’ consensus. Tiebreakers were determined by strength of schedule.
1. Houston Texans (+29000) – C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State As much as I personally like Davis Mills, it is going to be hard to justify passing on a quarterback. Especially when it is in as talented a quarterback class as this one. Heading into the season, Stroud is my top-rated passer. He passes the eye test. Plus, he put up monster numbers a year ago and has an NFL-caliber arm. Houston will be able to use all of the additional picks from the Deshaun Watson trade to surround him with talent and put him in a position to succeed.
2. Atlanta Falcons (+23000) – Bryce Young, QB, Alabama This is another tricky one. The Falcons could ride it out with Desmond Ridder, who they drafted in the third round in 2022. However, I think he would have to show a lot of promise for Atlanta to pass up on Young. The 2021 Heisman winner is incredibly accurate and a plus athlete. He is a bit undersized, but that hasn’t stopped him from lighting up SEC competition so far. Kyle Pitts, Drake London and the impending return of Calvin Ridley would give Young a strong set of receivers to grow with.
3. Seattle Seahawks (+17000) – Will Levis, QB, Kentucky Geno Smith just won one of the least compelling quarterback battles in NFL history. He beat out Drew Lock, who arrived as part of the Russell Wilson trade this offseason. In short, the Seahawks need a quarterback. Levis is my third at the position for me entering 2022 and worthy of being a top-three pick. He checks all of the physical boxes and played better than just about anyone against Georgia during the regular season last year. He will need to cut down on turnovers and prove he can consistently perform at a high level. I like his upside a lot.
4. Chicago Bears (+14400) – Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama Chicago lucks their way into the best player in the draft at this spot. This really is a best-case scenario for the Bears, who will have no reason to consider moving on from Justin Fields. Instead, they can find a replacement for Khalil Mack. Anderson, in my opinion, should have won the Heisman last season. That’s how good he was. His stats look like something out of NCAA Football 14 and he is built to play on Sundays. No need to overthink this one.
5. New York Jets (+14100) – Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia Despite the buzz of potentially replacing Zach Wilson should the Jets end up with another high draft pick, I think he will get one more year to prove himself. New York’s biggest need will likely be at offensive tackle, but this is a weaker class at the position. Instead, Joe Douglas will go with the best player available, grabbing Carter from Georgia. Because the Bulldogs defense was stacked with NFL talent, Carter rotated in a lot. He will be featured much more heavily in 2022. It will give him the chance to wow fans and scouts with his incredible motor and physique. With Quinnen Williams set to play 2023 on his fifth-year option, Carter could either be his partner in crime, or his replacement.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars (+13000) – Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU Give Trevor Lawrence a true No. 1 receiver! Jacksonville has a good amount of depth at the position, but lacks a clear go-to playmaker. Boutte could be exactly that. He was off to a blistering start in 2021 with 509 yards and nine touchdowns in just six games before an ankle injury ended his season. He will have a new quarterback in 2022, but his size, speed and playmaking ability should keep him in the top-10 conversation.
7. Carolina Panthers (+12100) – Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson There is certainly a chance the Panthers take a quarterback if they are picking in the top 10. Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold are both on expiring contracts. I think Carolina could run it back with Mayfield if he can show signs of regaining his 2020 form. In that case, bolstering their linebacking corps would make a lot of sense. Simpson is a potential game-wrecker with good range and some pass rushing ability. He had 6.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss in 2021 and seems poised for an even bigger season.
8. Detroit Lions (+12000) – Grayson McCall, QB, Coastal Carolina Detroit has been linked to rookie quarterbacks for the past two drafts, but have instead opted to build their roster elsewhere. I think the time has come for them to grab a successor to Jared Goff. With the top three off the board, McCall is my next highest-rated quarterback at this point. He is incredibly accurate and shows good ability to improvise when the play breaks down. His numbers were fantastic in 2021 and I am excited to see what he can do this upcoming season.
9. New York Giants (+11800) – Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Miami Perhaps the Giants will go after a veteran quarterback in this scenario. Think Jimmy Garoppolo or Baker Mayfield. However, I still think there is one last quarterback worth going in the top 10. There is a lot of projection here with Van Dyke with only nine starts under his belt so far. However, he flashed more than enough upside and potential to warrant being in this spot at the end of August. He checks every box from a size perspective as well. It would be really interesting to see how he would develop under Brian Daboll.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (+8000) – Keele Ringo, CB, Georgia Pittsburgh definitely needs an upgrade along the offensive line, but it’s still a bit early for the offensive linemen in this class. Instead, they can rebuild a cornerback room that needs an injection of young talent. Ringo put himself on the national radar with a pick-six to close out the National Championship game. It capped a strong season from the redshirt freshman. He has great size at 6’2″ and moves really well, especially for a bigger corner. He would compete for a starting job in Pittsburgh as a rookie.
11. Washington Commanders (+7600) – Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina With five quarterbacks off the board already, it is hard to imagine Washington picking a sixth one this early. That might mean another year with Carson Wentz at the helm or potentially Sam Howell getting a crack. Instead, the Commanders can opt to retool their secondary. Smith dominated in 2021 with three interceptions and 11 pass deflections. He has great size at 6’1″ and should be a candidate to start from Day 1 or provide some much-needed depth.
12. New England Patriots (+4200) – Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State As a Jets fan, this might be my worst nightmare. New England has desperately needed a playmaking receiver for a few years now. There might not be a better option than Smith-Njigba. He racked up 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns as the third option in Ohio State’s offense. I can only imagine what kind of numbers he will put up as the top option this year. Mac Jones would greatly benefit from adding Smith-Njigba to the Patriots offense.
13. Houston Texans via Cleveland Browns (+3900) – Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson After grabbing a quarterback at the top of the draft, Houston shifts its focus to the other size of the ball. With Jonathan Greenard locking down one defensive end spot, Murphy would be a great player to pair with him. He put up some impressive numbers with 12 sacks and 25 tackles for loss through his first two seasons. His burst off the line is great and he has really good instincts. The Texans have a long rebuild ahead, so finding key players to build around is going to be important. I believe Murphy could be one of those blue-chip players.
14. Miami Dolphins (+3900) – N/A The NFL stripped the Dolphins of their first-round draft pick in 2023 as punishment for tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton.
15. Tennessee Titans (+3800) – Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson Another Clemson defender coming off the board in the first half of the first round. Bresee had his season cut short in 2021 due to injury, appearing in just four games. He had a good freshman season with four sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss. He has the size and strength to thrive in the NFL. For Tennessee, Bresee would create a talented from three with Denico Autry and Jeffery Simmons. Mike Vrabel would definitely love to solidify his front seven.
16. Philadelphia Eagles via New Orleans Saints (+3800) – Eli Ricks, CB, Alabama With the first of two picks in Round 1, the Eagles look to solidify their cornerback room around Darius Slay. Ricks is supremely talented and has good production from his first two seasons at LSU with five interceptions. He will get a chance to continue to grow his game playing for Nick Saban now at Alabama. There is some durability concern with Ricks. He missed the final six games of the 2021 season and had offseason back surgery. If he can clear those medical red flags, I think he is worth a first-round pick.
17. Las Vegas Raiders (+3600) – Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern The Raiders seem ready to end the Alex Leatherwood experiment at tackle with rookie seventh-round pick Thayer Munford likely starting at right tackle this year. Perhaps Munford will negate the need for a new tackle. If not, Skoronski definitely should. The Northwestern man put on a solid display to open the 2022 season against Nebraska. Pairing him with Kolton Miller would give the Raiders two really good tackles tasked with keeping Derek Carr upright.
18. Minnesota Vikings (+3600) – Akheem Mesidor, DL, Miami Minnesota has built depth in a lot of places on defense, but there is still room to improve their defensive line. Mesidor is one of my favorite prospects in this class. He is a dynamic pass rusher who excels at shedding blocks and collapsing pockets. He put together two strong seasons with West Virginia before transferring to Miami. I think he could start for Minnesota at defensive end as soon as next season.
19. Arizona Cardinals (+3500) – Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama This might seem a little bizarre given that James Conner is still under contract, but he will be in his final season of his contract in 2023. Plus, Arizona’s offense is all about speed and big-play ability. Gibbs brings that in spades. He would bring another element of dynamism to this offense. He is my favorite running back in this class at this point. The potential of him playing with Kyler Murray, DeAndre Hopkins, Rondale Moore and Hollywood Brown is enticing.
20. Philadelphia Eagles (+2280) – Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia The Eagles continue to retool their defense with Georgia prospects. After taking Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean in 2021, adding Smith feels fitting. Plus, he fills a need for this defense. Brandon Graham is in the final year of his contract and Philly does not have a clear successor to him at defensive end. Smith is a bit undersized for this role, but his speed and bend off the edge could make him a good fit.
21. Indianapolis Colts (+2240) – Clark Phillips, CB, Utah There are not a ton of areas where the Colts need to upgrade. Corner is probably the biggest one. Stephon Gilmore and Kenny Moore are both quality starters, but both will be free agents following the 2023 season. Phillips could provide some depth right away and projects as a future starter. He is a bit undersized, but he plays much bigger. I like his play style and I’m excited to see what he will do in his junior year at Utah.
22. Cincinnati Bengals (+2080) – Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame Cincinnati lost C.J. Uzomah this offseason and never found a true replacement. Hayden Hurst is only on a one-year deal and Drew Sample has yet to provide much production. Mayer would fix all of that and give Joe Burrow yet another weapon to work with. He is a proven receiver and a solid blocker. Picking up an asset in the passing and running game while filling a position of need feels like a great option.
23. Dallas Cowboys (+2000) – Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State Dallas’ offensive line has quickly become an issue. Tyron Smith is injured again and La’el Collins is now in Cincinnati. Johnson will get a chance to showcase his talents at tackle after kicking inside to guard last year for a few appearances. He has the right build for an offensive tackle at the next level, standing 6’6″, 315 pounds. He will definitely get tested in the Big Ten this season. If he can hold up against the best the conference has to offer, don’t be surprised if he is the first tackle off the board.
24. Baltimore Ravens (+1880) – Jordan Addison, WR, USC In case you haven’t heard, the Ravens need help at receiver. I actually really like both Rashod Bateman and the depth they have built, but they lack proven starters. Addison is obviously not proven at the NFL level, but he did tear up college football in 2021, claiming the Biletnikoff Award as Kenny Pickett’s top target with Pittsburgh. Now he will play that same role with Caleb Williams at USC. I expect he would be happy to have Lamar Jackson as the next quarterback he gets to play with.
25. Seattle Seahawks via Denver Broncos (+1700) – Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon Seattle is in full tear down mode right now. They have lost a lot of quality at linebacker in recent years, headlined by Bobby Wagner’s departure this offseason. Asking Sewell to replicate his production right away would be unfair, but he has the pedigree and skill to help cushion the blow. He is a physical presence in the middle of the defense.
26. Miami Dolphins via San Francisco 49ers (+1600) – Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas I was split here on grabbing a potential replacement for Tua Tagovailoa and continuing to build around him. I obviously opted for the latter with Robinson. He is a powerful runner who makes defenders pay for attempted arm tackles. When he plays fast and downhill, there are few running backs as productive as him in the country. He has great hands and shows signs of being able to pass protect. He would unquestionably be an upgrade over everyone Miami currently has on its roster.
27. Los Angeles Chargers (+1380) – Jaheim Bell, TE, South Carolina There is definitely a push in scouting tight ends to simply target traits and hope to coach them up at the next level. Bell doesn’t fall squarely into that category, but he definitely falls more in line with Mike Gesicki and Kyle Pitts when it comes to play style. He is a mismatch in space and uses his big frame to win contested balls down the field. I am excited to see him catching passes from Spencer Rattler this season. For the Chargers, he would be a long-term solution at the position after relying on free-agent stop gaps in recent years.
28. Green Bay Packers (+1140) – BJ Ojulari, EDGE, LSU After losing Za’Darius Smith this offseason, the Packers have very little depth at edge rusher. Preston Smith and Rashan Gary represent quality starters at outside linebacker. Ojulari could be a rotational option who eventually takes over for Smith, who will turn 30 in November. The LSU edge rusher is coming off a solid season where he had 7.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss. Receiver is still an option, but I think Green Bay will wait on the development of Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs.
29. Detroit Lions via Los Angeles Rams (+1100) – Brian Branch, DB, Alabama After taking McCall with their first pick in this round, Detroit should be relatively set on offense. Brad Holmes can turn his attention to the defensive side then, where linebacker and safety look like potential needs. Branch is a versatile playmaker who can move around the formation. I believe he could play either safety spot at the next level, but what makes him even more valuable is his ability to drop down and play nickel corner. He would bring a much-needed infusion of talent to this Lions secondary.
30. Kansas City Chiefs (+1020) – Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU Even after adding Skyy Moore and signing JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency, it feels like the Chiefs still have a need at receiver. It is important to remember Smith-Schuster is only on a one-year deal. Johnston would bring some size and big-play ability to this offense. At 6’4″, he is a vertical threat, but he has run after the catch ability as well. The Chiefs made it clear they don’t want to spend big money on the position, so adding receivers in the draft feels like a priority.
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+770) – Devin Leary, QB, NC State NC State is primed for a big season and Leary is a huge part of that. He balled out in 2021 with 35 touchdowns and just five interceptions. It was a huge jump from what we had seen in his first two seasons with the Wolfpack. Circle October 1st as a date to watch for when he gets his toughest test of the year against Clemson. For the Buccaneers, it feels more and more like this Tom Brady’s last ride. He had his mysterious absence from training camp coupled with a 40-day retirement and reports that he tried to join Dolphins ownership. Kyle Trask has shown no signs of being the guy, so it is time to find a new successor.
32. Buffalo Bills (+600) – Brandon Joseph, S, Notre Dame Jordan Poyer is in the final year of his contract. Micah Hyde will be a free agent after 2023. They are both 31 years old as well. It might be time for the Bills to start thinking about what is next in their defensive backfield. Joseph arrives in South Bend following a stellar junior season with Northwestern. He is a ballhawk with nine interceptions over his past two seasons. He is a proven tackler as well with the size needed to contend in the NFL.
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