Ryan Hughes NFL Mock Draft 2.0

Two weeks before the Super Bowl, I released my first mock draft for the first round of April’s NFL Draft in Detroit. In the time since I released it, the NFL Combine took place. Although some of the top names didn’t participate in the Combine drills, interviews and performances of lower-ranked prospects have made massive shifts. If you haven’t seen Mock Draft 1.0 and are interested, it will be linked here. With everything settled, the Chicago Bears are on the clock.

Pick 1: Chicago Bears (via CAR) – QB Caleb Williams – USC

I said in Mock 1.0 that the Bears would be making is mistake taking Caleb Williams when Justin Field improved over the second half of the 2023 season. However, it appears the Bears are going to draft Williams anyways. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Bears view of the former Heisman winner “shifted even more positively” after leaving the Combine.

Justin Fields is on the final year of his rookie contract; I hate this move less than I did in Mock 1.0. Caleb Williams goes number one, becoming the first Trojan to go number one overall since Carson Palmer in 2003.

Pick 2: Washington Commanders – QB Drake Maye – UNC

Drake Maye initially fell to Atlanta at 8 in Mock 1.0, but with Caleb Williams off the board at one and the Commanders in desperate need of a quarterback, Maye is their guy. A lot has been said about the Tar Heels inconsistent offensive line, and I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. I fear for him going to a team as dysfunctional as Washington has been. Hero Ball doesn’t tend to work in the NFL, and he’s had to play that at times for North Carolina.

I’ve said before he has the potential to be the bust of this draft, but if Washington can build around him—which they already have incredible receivers—Maye might actually be fine.

Pick 3: New England Patriots – QB Jayden Daniels – LSU

The 2023 Heisman winner exploded onto the scene and finds himself inside the top-3 of this year’s NFL Draft. Am I convinced that the Patriots will stay at three? No, but the Patriots would be idiotic to miss out on a player on Daniels’ caliber.

Daniels is incredibly mobile, he has a strong arm, and he’s balled out against some of the best competition.

A lot of Daniels’ weaknesses—according to PFF at least—are incredibly teachable. He does need to improve on pocket presence and not getting himself killed when he scrambles. With a defensive minded head coach like Jerod Mayo, the learning process for Daniels will be worth it.

Pick 4: Arizona Cardinals – WR Marvin Harrison Jr. – Ohio State

Any team that lands Marvin Harrison Jr will make a ton of money in jersey sales, and the Cardinals are getting him at 4. The son of Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison, the game of football is in his blood. While he didn’t participate in the combine, MHJ’s performances during the season were more than enough to see him be one of the top five picks in this year’s NFL Draft.

Harrison is a big, physical receiver at 6’4”, 205 pounds who is unafraid of contact. With the Cardinals in danger of losing their top two receivers in Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Greg Dortch, Arizona GM Monti Ossenfort needs to make a big splash as to avoid wasting another year of Kyler Murray’s career.

Pick 5: Los Angeles Chargers – TE Brock Bowers – Georgia

New head coach Jim Harbaugh loved throwing to his tight ends at Michigan. Brock Bowers is the best tight end prospect since Kyle Pitts. The Georgia tight end can do it all as a tight end, pass block, receive, run block, you name it, Bowers can do it.

Last year’s offense for LA was fairly simple to shut down, they either handed it off the Austin Ekeler or threw it to Keenan Allen. With Ekeler gone, Mike Williams declining rapidly, and Quentin Johnston struggling in his rookie season, the Chargers need a player like Brock Bowers.

Bowers would take pressure off of Johnston to succeed, block for whoever the Chargers next running back is (if this was a two-round mock I’d make the argument for Michigan running back Blake Corum), and be a security blanket for Justin Herbert.

Pick 6: New York Giants – OT Joe Alt – Notre Dame

The New York Giants allowed 85 sacks in 17 games last season. The teams tied for second—the Commanders and Panthers—allowed 65. As bad as their O-Lines performed, the Giants displayed a level of ineptitude I didn’t think possible.

What better way to fix this problem than getting the best tackle in the draft in Notre Dame’s Joe Alt? Physically, Alt is a mammoth of a human being. Standing at 6’8” and weighing over 320 pounds, Alt is a physical specimen. Fun fact, Joe Alt was originally a tight end before moving to offensive line meaning his hand movement and footwork are ridiculous. Alt is the blindside blocker the Giants need before they fix their problems elsewhere.

Pick 7: Tennessee Titans – WR Malik Nabers – LSU

Nabers was a lot higher in Mock 1.0, but the fall of MHJ to four limits his stock here. Still, the Titans are getting a hell of a player here. Nabers is just as physical as Marvin Harrison Jr. and while he might not be the same size, he posted better stats than the Ohio State receiver this year.

Likewise, with former Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan taking over as Tennessee’s head coach, I expect the Titans to try and become more reliant in the pass game in 2024.

Nabers falling to Tennessee would be a favorable situation for all parties involved. Deandre Hopkins has one season left on his contract, and giving the LSU wideout the opportunity to learn from a generational talent should only improve his game and allow him to get comfortable before being the Titans wide receiver one in 2025.

Pick 8: Atlanta Falcons – EDGE Dallas Turner – Alabama

I had Dallas Turner far too low in Mock 1.0, and I can only apologize for my mistake. The Falcons are a team that has potential to take a massive step forward in 2024, and the 2023 SEC Defensive Player of the Year is going to play a key role in this team.  

Turner is a freak of nature with impressive speed, a relentless motor, and an incredibly high ceiling. Whether he was facing Georgia or Mississippi State, Dallas Turner brings the heat.

He’ll bring a sense of youth to this Falcons team, and much like Nabers with Hopkins, Turner will have the opportunity to learn under a grizzled veteran in Grady Jarrett.

Dallas Turner is the perfect pick for the Falcons, who look to build a new identity with new Head Coach Raheem Morris.

Pick 9: Chicago Bears – DI Byron Murphy II – Texas

The Bears had just 30 sacks last season—the second least out of all NFL teams. Montez Sweat—who was acquired midseason by Chicago—led the team in Sacks with 6.5. Fortunately for Chicago, they can fix this with one of the best pass rushers in the nation: Byron Murphy II.

Murphy was middle-of-the-round for me in Mock 1.0, but his combine numbers justify him jumping from Pick 23 to Pick 9. 4.87 40-Yard, the third fastest for a Defensive Lineman, and the fifth most bench reps with 28. He has an explosive first step, and had the highest pass rush grade out of eligible Interior Defensive Lineman on Pro Football Focus with a 91.5.

Even if Byron Murphy doesn’t show up in the stat sheet some weeks, his presence will be felt for the Bears defense.

Pick 10: Las Vegas Raiders (via NYJ) – QB J.J. McCarthy – Michigan

Why are the Raiders trading up three spots to get J.J. McCarthy?  Looking at the teams at picks eleven and twelve—Minnesota and Denver—if Las Vegas wants their guy, they’re going to have to move up. There has been talks of the Raiders moving up, but I don’t think any team inside the top-8 is willing to budge.

The Raiders are going to be stuck at ten, but they shouldn’t be complaining here. McCarthy is decent under pressure, though he got sacked 18 times, he has mountains of potential entering his professional career.

Also, if a small sample size didn’t stop Trey Lance from going third overall, it shouldn’t stop McCarthy from going 10th.

Pick 11: Minnesota Vikings – CB Quinyon Mitchell – Toledo

Quinyon Mitchell jumped up drastically from my first mock to my second mock. What truly sold me Mitchell’s potential was his combine performance. He’s rapid, has incredible footwork, and he can turn on a dime. He’s been consistent with Toledo over his three-year career, and he’s lined up all over the secondary.

A lot of the flack on Mitchell is his inexperience. To me, this means Mitchell is a “boom or bust” talent. He’s risen his draft stock to be the best Cornerback in the draft, he has a high IQ and continues to improve his game on the regular basis. It may not be pretty in year one but be patient with Quinyon Mitchell and he will reward the Vikings in due time.

Pick 12: Denver Broncos – WR Rome Odunze – Washington

Literally as I started working on this mock draft, the Broncos traded Jerry Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns for 5th and 6th round picks. With the Raiders taking J.J. McCarthy, they could trade down for Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr., but I’m convinced they’re going wide receiver now. Fortunately, they’re getting a good one. 

Rome Odunze has been an incredible deep threat at times, he’s another very physical wide receiver who can play all over the field. Odunze’s bread and butter is getting deep catches, which he ranked first out of all college wide receivers. Even if Russell Wilson isn’t coming back, and the need for a quarterback is still there, I don’t see how Denver doesn’t take Odunze here.

Pick 13: New York Jets (via LV) – OT Taliese Fuaga – Oregon State

The Jets should be looking more towards the run game for leading this offense this year. Taliese Fuaga was initially my pick for the Titans at 7, but that was before the Titans hired Brian Callahan. Likewise, the Jets are bringing out a 40-year-old quarterback who is coming off a torn Achillies. It could go way better than expected, but the Jets need to focus on keeping their players in the backfield alive.

Fuaga is the best run-blocker in the draft. He has the third highest grade (90.9) out of all players, and two ahead of him played a fraction of the snaps as a run blocker. 6’6” 334 Pounds, Fuaga never allowed a sack in college.

I don’t see many flaws in Fuaga’s game, and as long as the turf at the Meadowlands doesn’t kill him, the Jets have an incredible player on their hands.

Pick 14: New Orleans Saints – WR Brian Thomas Jr.

With the news that Michael Thomas is gone in New Orleans, the Saints are in danger of becoming an offense reminiscent of the Chargers in 2023. Run with Kamara, pass to Olave, repeat ad nauseum. Brian Thomas—though maybe a little high for some people—is the best receiver left on the board. He’s a big, physical receiver who balled out with Heisman winner Jayden Daniels, and with teammate Malik Nabers also putting up numbers.

Thomas can play outside; he can stretch over the middle of the field if he needs to. He does really well deep, he’s not the best yards after catch guy, but he’d be huge to get this Saints offense moving.

Brian Thomas Jr. had a really good combine performance as well. 4.33 speed, didn't drop much, he has the potential to be a dynamic playmaker. I expect an incredible pro-day out of him, hence why he’s jumping up the board from being in the late 20s from Mock 1.0 into the top-15 picks.

Pick 15: Indianapolis Colts – CB Nate Wiggins – Clemson.

Nate Wiggins could genuinely be the number one cornerback off the board in this year’s draft. He has improved every year, and his 4.28 40-yard dash was stunning to watch. My big knock is that he did injure himself running the 40. It’s shades of John Ross, but Wiggins was a first-round lock before the injury.

Wiggins is an incredible corner who can be effective on run defense as well. He makes incredible reads and is able to make up for his mistakes with his lightning speed. He’s an absolute menace, and the Colts need secondary help.

Nate Wiggins is a match made in heaven for Indianapolis, as we approach the halfway point of the NFL Draft.

Pick 16: Seattle Seahawks – EDGE Laiatu Latu – UCLA

I’m incredibly high on Laiatu Latu. He would be the first edge rusher off the board if it wasn’t for Dallas Turner’s sky-high potential. The UCLA standout is one of the most explosive prospects I’ve seen in the past two years. Latu’s tape had my jaw hitting the floor. He’s explosive from his first step.

Latu can have three guys on him, and he is still going to find a way to get the sack. He can get beat in the backfield, and he’ll recover and make the tackle fifteen yards up field. The UCLA edge rusher is relentless.

Seattle could use an explosive player on their defensive line to complement their young secondary. One of my friends is a Seahawks fan, as said that he wants them to take another “Bobby Wagner” style player. I don’t know if the comparison works, but Latu’s aggression makes him a player you just can’t miss with.

Mark my words, the Seahawks have gotten the steal of the first round with Latu at 16.

Pick 17: Jacksonville Jaguars – CB Terrion Arnold – Alabama

Arnold shone at Alabama and finds himself going to a team losing four cornerbacks in Free Agency this season. The Crimson Tide cornerback went up against first round receiver Malik Nabers and Combine 40-yard record holder Xavier Worthy and held his own.

Arnold’s numbers don’t look as pretty, but teams were actively avoiding Kool-Aid McKinstry this year. His combine performance locks in this pick for me. We’d love for every corner to have Nate Wiggins speed, but 4.5 is respectable.

What stood out to me is his hip movement, his ability to change his body’s direction looked effortless and he doesn’t lose any distance when he changes direction.

Alabama is quickly becoming Defensive-Back University, and Terrion Arnold is just the next first rounder in that list of Crimson Tide quarterbacks.

Pick 18: Cincinnati Bengals – OT Olu Fashanu – Penn State

Jonah Williams might be gone in free agency this time next month. The worst thing the Bengals could do in this draft is leave without an anchor at tackle. Fashanu was a right tackle at Penn State, who does have some technique issues. His hands stay pretty low, and that’s going to result in a few pancakes in the NFL. It’s something that can be coached out of somebody.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that in his over 1000 snaps on the offensive line, Fashanu allowed exactly zero sacks. He has the potential to be the anchor the Bengals need in order to keep Joe Burrow alive.

Pick 19: Los Angeles Rams – CB Cooper DeJean – Iowa

Cooper DeJean has been one of the best corners in the country over the past two seasons. Dejean has made his name as a Swiss army knife type of player for one of the nation's best defensive units last season.  DeJean could prove to be a steal in the right system, and if anyone is going to get the best out of him, it is Sean McVay. The Hawkeyes corner has played a bit of special teams as a gunner and return man, only elevating his draft stock.

His high football intelligence and freakish athleticism will be on display regardless of his role on the Rams.

I do have fears that DeJean is a product of the system, Iowa’s defense was one of the best in the nation last year. Moreover, other corners balling out in the combine while he didn't participate lowers his position in the 2024 draft.

Pick 20: Pittsburgh Steelers – C Jackson Powers-Johnson – Oregon

If it was up to Arthur Smith, this would probably be a tight end. The Steelers have a need on the interior offensive line, and Jackson Powers Johnson fits that need to a tee. Impressive on the run game, JPJ could be the anchor this team needs to allow Najee Harris or Jaylen Warren to expand in the run game--or maybe Russell Wilson?  Could he switch over the being a guard? Possibly. However, the Steelers current center is Mason Cole. No disrespect, but JPJ is definitely going to be an upgrade.

What makes Jackson Powers-Johnson stand out as a first-rounder at Center? He's a bully on the offensive line. He loves the physical contact, is vicious when picking up blocks, and creates lanes for backs. JPJ never allowed a sack in college, and his stability will be important for a Steelers unit looking to solve their issues at quarterback.

Pick 21: Miami Dolphins – OT JC Latham – Alabama

Terron Armstead had a decent season, but he was on the injury report more often than not in 2023. He’s getting older, and father time always wins. For a team that’s Super Bowl window really is as long as Tua and Tyreek Hill are healthy, they need to invest in the future. Latham is an incredible pass blocker, allowing just two sacks after keeping the Crimson Tide’s quarterbacks upright for the entirety of 2022.

Latham is a bit more of a project, hence why he is lower on the board than other tackles. Learning under Terron Armstead would help him polish the issues in discipline that scouts fear will plague him in the NFL.

Pick 22: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (via PHI) – EDGE Jared Verse – Florida State

Every draft there is one player that falls and causes a team to readjust their draft plans to trade up and grab him. Jared Verse is that player this year. He has incredible hands and a motor that truly never stops running. There’s one play from Verse’s time in college that shows what he could be. Against Wake Forest, Verse gets by the offensive guard, then the tackle, and brings down the quarterback. He’s too quick, he’s a bully on the line, and with the Buccaneers no longer in need of a quarterback, they can look elsewhere.

He may not have the ceiling of Dallas Turner, or the explosiveness of Laiatu Latu, but Jared Verse is going to be an incredible NFL Player one day.

Pick 23: Houston Texans – DI Jer’zhan Newton – Illinois

Newton is one of my biggest falls from Mock 1.0 to Mock 2.0. Newton is fairly undersized for a defensive lineman, but I don’t expect him to fall completely out of the first round. The Big Ten defensive player of the year put his relentless motor on display, doubling his sack total from 2022.

Regardless of his size, going to DeMeco Ryans could be huge for him. The Texans have begun to build up that defense, and while secondary is also an option, they could be pleasantly surprised to see Jer’zhan Newton still on the board at this point in the draft.

Newton doesn’t need to make an impact in the stat sheet, but if he can make the impact allowing Will Anderson and company to bring down the quarterback, the Texans have a good pick here at 23.

Pick 24: Dallas Cowboys – T Troy Fautanu – Washington

Fautanu does pan out more as a guard or center than an offensive tackle, hence why I believe Dallas taking him isn’t out of the question. He’s played left tackle essentially all of his college career, but his hands could see him play wherever in the National Football League.

Fautanu is a big reason that Michael Penix Jr. didn’t go down at Washington, and Dallas would love to have him. He's a big dude who rarely gets beat on the line. I’m not sure if he commits nearly enough holding calls to fit in with the Cowboys, but he’s coming off the board here.

Pick 25: Green Bay Packers – T Amarius Mims – Georgia

Mims coming off the board at 25 is criminal to me, but I’ve said this same thing before in real life with Brian Branch being a round-two pick and Christian Gonzalez falling to seventeen in 2023. Mims has some incredible size at 6’7” 340 pounds, he's consistently able to overpower defenders on his strength alone.

I have concerns about his playing time, he’s never played over 400 snaps in a season, and never played more than 200 in run block or pass block. PFF compares him to Broderick Jones, the Georgia tackle who went to the Steelers last year, but I’m not going to.

The Packers need to start looking at life after David Bakthiari. He’s getting older, and his health is starting to become an issue. Building around Jordan Love is imperative, and with a deep receiver class, getting the future blindside blocker in Amarius Mims is a perfect pick for the Packers at 25.

Pick 26: Philadelphia Eagles (via TB) – S Tyler Nubin – Minnesota

The Eagles defense fell apart at the end of their season. After starting 10-1, the Eagles made Matt Patricia the defensive play caller, and immediately they became one of the worst defensive units in the league. At Minnesota, Tyler Nubin cemented himself as a hard-hitting safety with a tremendous football IQ.

He’s prone to hitting too hard, but the Eagles need an enforcer in the secondary of their defense. While probably not the same player, he brings an intensity like Brian Dawkins. You don’t want to be on the business end of his tackles. Nubin is explosive, and if the Eagles want to be the feared defensive unit they need to be, adding this beast in the secondary will be highly important.  

Pick 27: Arizona Cardinals – LB Payton Wilson – NC State

Payton Wilson jumps up the board for the Cardinals to select him with their second pick of Round 1. The Cardinals run defense was putrid last season, leading to an NFL-worst 38.2 grade from Pro Football Focus. Wilson was an absolute beast for the Wolf Pack, having a major impact on both the run game and in the pass rush. He’s explosive, relentless, and would be a piece for the Cardinals to build around.

Wilson does have a history of injuries and is a bit older for a first-round pick, but the Cardinals are a team in need of talent. Anything will do.

Pick 28: Buffalo Bills – T Tyler Guyton – Oklahoma

We are at the point in the first round where these picks are more a long-term investment than immediate success. After 2024, the Bills have just two tackles under contract. Oklahoma's Tyler Guyton is the best tackle left on the board, and someone the Bills could look to replace one of those pending free agents.

Guyton has incredible size—something to be said about a lot of tackles in this draft—at 6’7” 320 pounds.

He looked really impressive at the Senior Bowl, very quick first step, has a ferocity in stopping defensive ends. He’s a raw prospect, needing he might need time to develop, but once he does, he could be an incredible pick in this draft.

Pick 29:  Detroit Lions – CB Kool-Aid McKinstry – Alabama

The Detroit Lions have dogs all over the field, and Kool-Aid McKinstry is just another name to add to the list. McKinstry would definitely be a lot higher had teams actually targeted him. Teams were scared to throw in the Alabama cornerback’s direction, and that shows a lot about the player Kool-Aid is. Had he participated in the Combine, he’d be a lot higher on the board.

The Lions cornerback room is the worst part of the team this year. I have a soft spot for Ifeatu Melifonwu—he’s also from Massachusetts—but this team doesn’t have the lockdown corner that other teams do. McKinstry would be that guy, and he’s definitely a Dan Campbell “GRIT” player.

Pick 30:  Baltimore Ravens – WR Ladd McConkey – Georgia

The Ravens make stand pat, and it pays off. There’s a lot of receiving talent at the back end of the draft, and with Nelson Agholor and Odell Beckham Jr. expected to walk in free agency, they need a receiver. Ladd McConkey is my pick over receivers like Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell here.  McConkey works outside and is an impressive route runner.

Pairing him with Zay Flowers gives the Ravens another option in the pass game. McConkey may not be the fastest receiver in the draft, but he has hands and even his cons on PFF don’t seem like they are going to tank his draft stock.

Pick 31: San Francisco 49ers – T Graham Barton – Duke

What does a team that has everything need? You can never go wrong with more offensive line help.  NFL Scouts do expect Barton to move back to center, but even if he only goes to guard, the 49ers are getting a player that could be a sneaky valuable piece to their team.

Barton has some good initial movement, though his next steps aren’t the best, hence why they see him moving to guard in the first place. Offensive line versatility is huge in the NFL today, and the 49ers are just getting more as they push to get back to the Super Bowl.

Pick 32: Kansas City Chiefs – WR Adonai Mitchell – Texas

Another year, another wide receiver drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs. Adonai Mitchell is ridiculous as a deep threat, and while he isn’t as fast as his teammate Xavier Worthy—who isn’t in round one for me—he’ll work great with Patrick Mahomes. With the Chiefs parting ways with Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and being up against the cap, Adonai Mitchell might be the guy for the Chiefs to pick up.

Mitchell rarely drops the ball. Going to a team that could have lost it all because of dropped passes, Andy Reid will find ways to use Adonai Mitchell in his offense alongside Rashee Rice, Skyy Moore, and Travis Kelce. For Kansas City, this pick isn't part of any rebuild, it's about reloading and going for the first three-peat in NFL History.

This is the end of the first round of the NFL Draft. I will be live on April 25th alongside many others to talk our live reactions to the first round. You can find us on YouTube at "STN Channel 2." We hope to see you there!