If we don't see a quarterback elevate his game and distance himself from the field, we could see a draft that includes exactly zero passers in the top 10. The last time that happened? Back in 2013, when EJ Manuel went to the Bills at No. 16, and the next quarterback didn't go off the board until the Jets selected Geno Smith 39th overall.
And while Carson Strong remains our QB1 for now, we could envision a situation where someone like Matt Corral ends up as the first quarterback selected. That's a conversation for another time. For now, here's our latest mock draft, which features two defensive players going No. 1 and No. 2 overall, and three of the first four picks on the defensive side of the ball, a 180 from last spring when the first seven picks, including three QBs, were all offense.
Keep reading to see how all 32 picks unfold.
One other thing, and this is important: the draft order below was determined using SportsLine's Super Bowl odds but in reverse order. We know folks are going to be very angry about why we have their team picking so high but it's not our fault. These are your team's current odds of winning a Lombardi Trophy.
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
There is no obvious, must-take quarterback at the top of this draft so the Texans opt for the most talented player in this class.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Just like the Texans, the Lions opt to go in a direction other than QB here, in part because there's no slam-dunk choice at QB, but also because Jared Goff looked pretty good in Week 1. Hamilton has the ballhawking skills of Ed Reed but in a 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Neal is a an athletic marvel who has excelled at several O-line positions for the Crimson Tide. The Jags have to make protecting Trevor Lawrence a priority and Neal would be a layup here.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
The Jets could go O-line here, too, but instead choose the best CB in this class, and perhaps in any of the recent draft classes.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Green started as a true freshman and has only gotten better each year. He consistently moves defensive tackles off the line of scrimmage, a trait which translates to any level. He's moved to tackle for the Aggies in '21 after the O-line lost four starters.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Orginally a defensive end, Leal, at 6-foot-4, 290, has the versatility and athleticism to play up and down the line. He has the potential to be really, really good in the NFL and through three games of A&M's '21 campaign he already has 2.5 sacks.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Elam has the size (6-foot-2, 190) and athleticism to be one of the best draft-eligible corners in '21. He had an up-and-down effort against Alabama over the weekend but he's a physical playmaking presence in the secondary.
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From
Chicago Bears
Round 1 - Pick 8
Hutchinson can take over games and he gave University of Washington left tackle Jaxson Kirkland, a likely top 50 pick in the spring, all he could handle earlier this month.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Booth has all the athleticm and tools to be special, he just doesn't have much in the way of experience. The Panthers drafted Jaycee Horn in Round 1 last spring and with Donte Jackson in the final year of his deal, restocking the position makes sense.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
This is all going to come down to the medicals on Strong's knee. He's the most consistent QB in this draft class if healthy, and if the Falcons are ready to plan for life after Matt Ryan, he could be the first passer off the board.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Ekwonu is a monster, and more importantly, could slide into the hole left by veteran Brandon Scherff, should he leave in free agency. And while QB makes sense here, if WFT is happy with Taylor Heinicke, they'll bolster other positions on the depth chart.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Olave is a polished route runner who would give Derek Carr some much-needed options beyond Darren Waller, one of the best players on the planet. The problem is that when defenses double (and triple) team Waller, the offense grinds to a halt.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
In Minnesota, Danielle Hunter is one of the league's best pass rushers but he could use some help on the other side, and Enagbare is a quick-twitch athlete who will only get better with experience.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Corral has the tools to be a Lamar Jackson/Trey Lance/Josh Allen-type quarterback but he's still incredibly raw. That said, the Broncos will likely be in the quarterback business this offseason if Teddy Bridgewater or Drew Lock don't prove they're long-term solutions.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Harris could end up being the best of the recent crop of linebackers to come out of Alabama, and it would surprise exactly no one if the Patriots turned to the Crimson Tide to fill a first-round need.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
Quarterback is an option here, sure, but Carson Wentz looked good in Week 1 and the biggest issue facing the offense was the O-line. Kirkland had his hands full with Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson a few weeks ago, but Hutchinson is a first-round talent.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Injuries and the pandemic saw him play limited snaps in '20 but Karlaftis was nearly impossible to stop in '19 when he recorded 17 TFLs and had 7.5 sacks. The Titans, meanwhile, have to get better pressuring the QB, something that was nonexistent in '20.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
Linderbaum is one of the best offensive linemen in the country and the Steelers need to continue to improve a unit that has four new starters this season. Third-round pick Kendrick Green is the starting center but he also played guard at Illinois.
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From
Miami Dolphins
Round 1 - Pick 19
Wydermyer was one of Kellen Mond's favorite targets for a reason: he's reliable and almost always open. This is almost certainly Zach Ertz's final year in Philly and Dallas Goedert is in the final year of his deal, though it's hard to imagine he's not re-upped. Either way, yet another weapon for Jalen Hurts.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
Kendrick was in the conversation as a first-round pick in the 2021 draft before returning to Clemson and then entering the transfer portal. He's now at Georgia and a strong season will likely make him one of the first defensive backs selected next spring.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb are locked up long term, but Michael Gallup is in the final year of his deal, and while Drake London may not have the straightline speed, he's one of the best route runners in this class.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
Spiller as RB1, is a threat in both the run and pass game, and he would upgrade an already high-octane offense in Arizona.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
Rattler has had an inconsistent 2021 campaign, which again reiterates the volatility of this QB class. Jameis Winston had an awful Week 2 after his spectacular Week 1 performance for the Saints and Sean Payton could groom Rattler to take over the job at some point down the road.
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From
Seattle Seahawks
Round 1 - Pick 24
Bonitto is a quick-twitch, high-energy edge rusher who had a two sacks vs. Nebraska on Saturday. He's always around the ball, something the Jets need more of near the line of scrimmage.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
This is something of a luxury pick for the Browns but -- and we're not joking -- there aren't many holes to fill on this roster. Wilson is an explosive, do-it-all wide receiver who is a Day 1 contributor.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Faalele, who opted out last season, weighs in the 380-pound range but moves more like he is a hundred pounds lighter. Given the importance of the running game to the Ravens offense, adding an earth mover seems logicial. Added bonus: Faalele is a solid pass protector, too.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, Burks is a Grown Man. And while you may not have heard much about him nationally, he has all the tools to eventually be WR1.
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From
San Francisco 49ers
Round 1 - Pick 28
Ross missed the 2020 season because of a neck injury but he was on track to be a first-round pick. He's off to a slow start in 2021, in part because Clemson is living in a post-Trevor Lawrence world, but after DeVante Parker and Jaylen Waddle, the Dolphins have five WRs in the final year of their current deals.
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From
Los Angeles Rams
Round 1 - Pick 29
If Howell can live up to the expectations -- and he's been up and down through three games this season -- the Lions would think long and hard about the UNC product, especially at the bottom of Round 1.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Even though McDuffie plays cornerback, we get Tyrann Matthieu vibes when we watch him. We love him as a slot corner who serves as an enforcer in run support and locks down short and intermediate routes, something he does regularly for the Huskies. In Buffalo, Levi Wallace and Taron Johnson are in the final year of their contracts.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
There aren't many holes on this Bucs roster but they could stand to add depth in the secondary, especially with Jordan Whitehead and Andrew Amos potential free agents in the spring.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Sanders, who has explosive traits but will also need to get stronger at the point of attack, hasn't logged a sack yet this season but he racked up 11 the last two years for the Bearcats.
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