USC
• Jr
• 6’1″
/ 215 lbs
Of course we can’t set this in stone yet. But I’m guessing the Cardinals would be perfectly content with this outcome. Williams in the desert, starting in 2024.
Ohio State
• Jr
• 6’4″
/ 205 lbs
This is the correct way for Arizona to rebuild the franchise. Elite quarterback prospect and then pair him with Harrison Jr. at receiver, who probably would’ve gone in the first round in April.
Penn State
• Jr
• 6’6″
/ 319 lbs
Fashanu is strong beyond his years and has supreme athletic gifts. Plus, he’s young. Still only 20 years old. Won’t turn 21 until December. With Harrison Jr. off the board, this is the proper way for the Colts to start constructing around Anthony Richardson.
North Carolina
• Soph
• 6’4″
/ 230 lbs
Maye has the athleticism and more importantly, the high-caliber arm talent and accuracy, to be selected this high and start Week 1 for the Titans as they move on from the rather successful Ryan Tannehill era.
Georgia
• Jr
• 6’4″
/ 240 lbs
Plenty of defensive options here. But with new ownership and a new young quarterback in Sam Howell, the Commanders are thrilled to land Bowers here at No. 5 overall. He looked like a top-half-of-the-first-round pick since his true freshman season at Georgia.
Notre Dame
• Jr
• 6’7″
/ 322 lbs
Projected Team
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PROSPECT RNK
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POSITION RNK
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The Buccaneers have to rebuild the offensive line, and Alt is the best option here. He can play right or left tackle and where he lands on Tampa Bay’s front will depend on how Tristan Wirfs fares at left tackle this season.
UCLA
• Sr
• 6’5″
/ 265 lbs
Projected Team
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PROSPECT RNK
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POSITION RNK
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Latu has an NFL-caliber body and started his 2023 campaign right where he left off a season ago — by being a continuous presence in the opponent’s backfield. With a mix of speed, power, bend, and advanced pass-rushing moves, Latu had a whopping 10 pressures in the win over Coastal Carolina. He can be a franchise cornerstone in Los Angeles for the Rams.
Florida State
• Jr
• 6’4″
/ 260 lbs
Projected Team
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PROSPECT RNK
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POSITION RNK
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The Bears picked three defensive tackles in the 2023 NFL Draft, and prioritizing the interior of their defensive line was a necessity. It’s time to focus on the edge. Verse is an explosive and flexible rusher with a nonstop motor.
Alabama
• Jr
• 6’1″
/ 195 lbs
Projected Team
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PROSPECT RNK
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POSITION RNK
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The Falcons need to incorporate a youth movement on the defensive side, and pairing McKinstry with A.J. Terrell would be an ideal start to that roster-building philosophy.
Illinois
• Jr
• 6’2″
/ 295 lbs
The springy, up-the-field Newton and 2023 second-round pick Keeanu Benton will complement each other marvelously in Pittsburgh for many years.
Oregon
• Sr
• 6’2″
/ 217 lbs
The Patriots may very well be in the quarterback market after the 2023 season, so Bill Belichick takes another swing at the position in the first round.
Duke
• Sr
• 6’5″
/ 314 lbs
The Packers don’t get too caught up on size on the offensive line, and Barton should have another rock-solid season as a run and pass blocker for the upstart Duke Blue Devils in 2023. This is a pick made with the future, post-David Bakhtiari in mind.
Georgia
• Jr
• 6’4″
/ 310 lbs
Bears GM Ryan Poles was in Kansas City when the club picked Creed Humphrey, and Van Pran will enter the 2024 NFL Draft with comparable experience and production against top-level competition.
Michigan
• Jr
• 6’3″
/ 202 lbs
Projected Team
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PROSPECT RNK
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POSITION RNK
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Unless Jimmy Garoppolo lights it up enough in 2023 to earn an extension, we have to think Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler will want to handpick their long-term answer at quarterback at some point soon. McCarthy has a very live arm and plenty of athleticism to create when protection breaks down.
Clemson
• Jr
• 6’1″
/ 230 lbs
Carter is built like an NFL linebacker right now and is probably the most purely explosive second-level defender in the country. He’s quarterback of the defense material, which is exactly what the Giants need.
Penn State
• Jr
• 5’11”
/ 191 lbs
More lengthy, dynamic cornerbacks for Brian Flores to deploy in a variety of ways in his defense for the Vikings.
Florida State
• Jr
• 6’4″
/ 215 lbs
Sean Payton worked wonders with the big-bodied Michael Thomas at the tail end of Drew Brees’ Saints career, and he sees a similar body type and rebounder mentality in Coleman.
Washington
• Sr
• 6’3″
/ 213 lbs
Seattle stays local with Penix, who’s burst onto the national scene and first-round radar after transferring to Washington from Indiana. The ball flies off his hand, and he has no hesitation ripping it through tight windows down the field.
Penn State
• Jr
• 6’3″
/ 250 lbs
Robinson erupts off the snap and tightly wrapping the corner seems effortless for him. The Saints have to start adding young pieces to the ever-important edge rusher position.
Ohio State
• Jr
• 6’1″
/ 206 lbs
Why not pair C.J. Stroud with a former Ohio State receiver with whom he already has established chemistry?
Houston
• Jr
• 6’7″
/ 315 lbs
If you’re the Dolphins, it’s never a bad idea to continue to invest in the offensive line given the injury history of Terron Armstead and Tua Tagovailoa.
Miami (FL)
• Soph
• 6’3″
/ 305 lbs
Taylor has an NFL-caliber frame right now and was borderline unblockable for long stretches in 2022. He can be the long-term lynchpin to the interior of the Chargers defensive front.
Clemson
• Jr
• 6’2″
/ 185 lbs
The Jaguars must continue to construct the secondary, and Wiggins has first-round traits galore.
Washington
• Jr
• 6’3″
/ 215 lbs
Odunze is the sizable, authoritative perimeter wideout the Lions need, particularly if Jameson Williams ultimately doesn’t work out.
Ohio State
• Jr
• 6’4″
/ 270 lbs
Tuimoloau is next in a long line of very polished first-round edge rushers from Ohio State. He’s exactly what the Ravens need on the outside of their defensive line.
LSU
• Jr
• 6’0″
/ 200 lbs
Nabers and Garrett Wilson would formulate such a fun duo of electric separators who double has nightmares to tackle in space.
Texas
• Jr
• 6’4″
/ 243 lbs
The Cowboys get their tight end for Dak Prescott to round out the offensive skill-position group.
Alabama
• Jr
• 6’6″
/ 360 lbs
More blocking reinforcement for Joe Burrow with the future of the right tackle position up in the air in Cincinnati.
Colorado
• Jr
• 6’2″
/ 215 lbs
Full circle for the Sanders family. Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch are capable of handling all the media attention that will come with this pick, and if Brock Purdy regresses in 2023, San Francisco will be back in the quarterback market. Plus, from an on-field perspective, Sanders is a rather calm, cool, and collected pocket passer who moves through his reads in a hurry. Nice fit in Shanahan’s system.
Clemson
• Jr
• 6’0″
/ 230 lbs
The Bills get a bouncy, fast, hard-hitting linebacker with NFL bloodlines to pair with Matt Milano.
Alabama
• Jr
• 6’4″
/ 242 lbs
The Eagles can’t stop, won’t stop adding ferocious pass rushers to their defensive line.
LSU
• Jr
• 6’1″
/ 295 lbs
Wingo, with his length and motor, would take some attention away from Chris Jones on the inside of the Chiefs defensive front.