In three weeks, we will be furiously debating which teams were first round winners and losers, and what players each team still needs to target. Last week, I did my first Bengals mock draft of the year, today I am going to dive into a full first round mock with all 31 picks. While this mock will be far from perfect, it is a great exercise to see one way the board could fall if teams pick a certain way. I did not do any trades in this mock. I factored in team needs and notable draft tendencies for each selection. Give me your feedback on anything you agree or disagree with, as I always enjoy hearing differing opinions on what teams may do. Without further ado, the Carolina Panthers are on the clock…

1. Panthers – CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State

I disagreed with Carolina’s decision to pass on Justin Fields in favor of Jaycee Horn in the 2021 Draft, and in a strange coincidence, Carolina gave up a haul to move up with Chicago (the team that did select Fields) to take his successor at Ohio State. Stroud seems like the safest choice at #1. He has prototypical height, an above average to good arm, some mobility, and elite accuracy that new HC Frank Reich will like. We finally saw him tap into his playmaking ability against Georgia in the CFP. If Stroud can continue to grow as a creator, it is hard to see how he could be a bust at the next level. My NFL comp for him is Dak Prescott.

2. Texans – Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

The other top QB in this class is a bit more polarizing because of the outlier size he possesses. At 5’10” and likely under 200 pounds playing weight, Bryce Young does not fit the typical QB body. As The Athletic’s Nate Tice pointed out, the only size comparison for Young is Doug Flutie. Size did not stop Young from winning the Heisman in his first year as a starter in 2021. Young thrives as a playmaker with elite pocket movement, processing, and creativity to maneuver through pressure and find space to make throws down the field. Young plays like a bite-sized version of 2019 Joe Burrow. He is also consistently accurate with a good but not elite arm. Unlike most short QBs, Young has no issues throwing over the middle (at least at the college level). The biggest concern will be long term durability. Young struggled with injury in 2022, and with his tendency to hold the ball and extend plays, he is bound to take more hits than most QBs. Are you willing to bet on such a big outlier to be the face of the franchise? Young is my favorite QB in the class, so I would be willing to do so if I were Houston.

3. Cardinals – Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama

I said it last year and it still holds true: if Will Anderson was Draft eligible in 2022, he would have been the #1 pick. In a Draft with real QB prospects, he falls to #3. After starting as a true freshman for Nick Saban, Anderson’s sophomore and juniors year featured backfield production that is almost unmatched in the history of college football. Per PFF, Anderson had 29 sacks and 98 pressures in 28 games over his final two seasons. His is not just a pass rush specialist though. He proved to be dominant in the run game as well, adding 48 Tackles For Loss over those two years. Anderson weighed in at 253 at the Combine, putting to rest concerns of his size, and ran a 4.60 40 yard dash (96th percentile for EDGEs). His body, athleticism, and production are eerily similar to former NFL DPOY Khalil Mack. This is a no-brainer for an Arizona team the needs desperate help in the trenches.

4. Colts – Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida

The Colts have kicked the rookie QB can down the road as far as possible, but at some point, GM Chris Ballard has to pull the trigger on one. Indy had a chance to move up to #1 and take a far better and safer prospect, but they didn’t and will now have to take a home run swing at one of Richardson and Levis. We all know the level of freak athlete that Richardson is. From running wild week 1 vs. Utah all the way up until he shattered just about every QB record at the combine, Richardson has shown he is unlike any player we have seen at the position before. The highs on film are high. There are not enough of them though, and the lows are quite low. He struggles with accuracy, decision making, and overall experience having started just one full season. He was too often fooled by basic concepts defenses threw at him this season. You can see the tantalizing upside of peak Cam Newton and current Josh Allen, but Richardson has a very long road to get there. New Colts HC Shane Steichen developed Jalen Hurts in Philly, so the hope will be that he can do the same with another mobile QB here, even though Hurts was significantly more developed as a passer coming out of Oklahoma.

5. Seahawks – Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech

Tyree Wilson’s size and length are sure to impress NFL coaches and GMs the second he walks in the room. He is reminiscent of Travon Walker, last year’s #1 pick, as both players have continued to ascend throughout the process due to their physical gifts. The Seahawks could desperately use another EDGE rusher, and although Wilson will not be ready to dominate day 1 like Will Anderson, his ceiling could be even higher. He will be able to win early on with sheer length and turning speed to power. His length also gives him a large tackle radius to make plays in the backfield. Seattle hopes to build off of last year’s awesome draft with their first of two picks in round 1.

6. Lions – Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia

I mentioned Carter in my Mock Draft 1.0 last year as being better than 2022 1st Round DTs Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt, and Carter proved that this season. Dominating everyone in front of him and putting himself in the conversation with Will Anderson as the best player in this class. Unfortunately, this Draft cycle has been a disaster for him. During the Combine he was pulled just before his media session after it was announced that an arrest warrant was out for him. A couple weeks later, he went to the Georgia Pro Day overweight, did not test in any of the timed drills, and looked sluggish in on-field drills before eventually having to quit early due to fatigue. It was an embarrassing performance. Before the red flags of the last couple months, his tape reminded me a ton of Titans All-Pro DT Jeffrey Simmons. In this scenario, Detroit is too tempted by his upside, and pairing Carter with Hutchinson could create an elite pass rush duo for years to come.

7. Raiders – Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois

The big question is would Vegas pull the trigger on QB Will Levis here? They brought in Jimmy G to start in the short term, but could easily move on from him after a year or two. I do not think they are in any rush to reach on a QB, so they take the best player on the board in Devon Witherspoon. Witherspoon is a fiesty man coverage Corner. He played over 75% of his snaps in man and dominated every matchup in 2022. The knock on him is he is a bit undersized at 5’11”, 181 pounds, but you would never guess with the way he plays. He is physical in press and lays the wood when hitting. Witherspoon can run stride for stride with any WR and has elite lateral quickness to break on the ball. He reminds me of Packers All-Pro CB Jaire Alexander. Vegas has a desperate need at outside Corner, and Witherspoon can be the face of the secondary for the foreseeable future.

8. Falcons – Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia

The Falcons elect to keep Nolan Smith in the state of Georgia at #8. The former #1 overall player in his high school class had good but not extremely productive college career before blowing up the combine by running a 4.39 40 yard dash and 41.5 inch vertical (both 99.9 percentile). One of the biggest knocks on Smith is size. At just 6’2″, 238 pounds, he is not built like most NFL EDGEs. Despite this, he was an elite run defender in college. Projection needs to be done as a pass rusher. Smith relied mostly on athleticism and was not all that productive as a rusher. He will be polarizing on different teams’ boards, but someone is bound to fall in love with the traits and take him early, hoping he can be similar to Eagles All-Pro Hassan Reddick as an undersized but explosive EDGE. Atlanta does that and adds a high upside EDGE to a unit that was 31st in sacks in 2022.

9. Bears – Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State

The Bears biggest needs are in the trenches after bringing in DJ Moore and Tremaine Edmunds in the offseason. With the top DL prospects off the board, Chicago selects LT Paris Johnson Jr. The Cincinnati native has not even scratched the surface of his potential. 2022 was his first year starting at LT after starting at RG in 2021. Paris proved to be a great run blocker and above average pass blocker at LT with room to grow. He stands at 6’6″, 313 lbs. with incredibly long 36.125 inch arms (96th percentile), but has the fluid movement skills of a much smaller player. He is unlikely to step into the league and dominate day 1 like Wirfs and Slater have in years past, but if he puts it all together he could be a perennial Pro Bowl talent. After getting Fields a legit WR1, they find him another Tackle to protect him over the duration of his time in Chicago.

10. Eagles – Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern

As tempting as it is to give Philly the top CB, WR, or even RB on the board here, GM Howie Roseman has proven time after time that he believes in taking trenches in round 1. They do it again here with Peter Skoronski. It is uncertain what position he will play at the next level, but he has the versatility to do it all if needed and allow a team to get their best 5 Lineman on the field. Originally a 5 star Center prospect out of High School, before Northwestern saw LT Rashawn Slater opt out of the 2020 COVID season. True Freshman Peter Skorosnki stepped in at LT and did not miss a beat, holding down the position for the next 3 years. His intelligence, feet, and hand placement are all arguably the best in the OL class. The only knock is his poor length (4th percentile arm length), which could kick him into Guard. If so, he could follow in the footsteps of another NFC East Tackle to Guard convert Zach Martin, who has been a perennial All-Pro at RG for Dallas. Skorosnki could slot in at RG right away for Philly, in between 1st Team All-Pros C Jason Kelce and RT Lane Johnson. Creating one of the most dominant OLs in the history of the NFL.

11. Titans – QB, Will Levis, Kentucky

I think the Titans are ready to pull the plug on the Malik Willis experience already. Levis is still a project, but with better tools as a passer. Let him sit behind Tannehill for a year and then take over in 2024. Levis is the classic “All Physical Tools” QB that is polarizing in the league. He’s big, can move well outside the pocket, and has a bazooka for an arm. His accuracy, timing, and overall ball placement at UK was too inconsistent. He looked better in 2021 with a real playcaller and team around him. I understand the upside, Justin Herbert also had a pedestrian last season at Oregon under similar circumstances, but there are plenty of toolsy QBs that have flamed out as well. That said, this might be the Titans best chance to pick a high upside QB.

12. Texans – Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State

Finally, an offensive weapon goes off the board. Houston gives Bryce Young a new top target in JSN. Despite an injury-riddled junior year that saw him barely play, Smith-Njigba wowed enough as a sophomore to be WR1 in this class. For the first time in a while, I am not very high on this WR class as a whole, but JSN would be worth a first rounder in any class. He is a well built WR that plays mostly in the slot. He is smooth, a great route runner, and has tremendous hands. He is also very good at breaking tackles and finding running room after the catch. He doesn’t have top end speed to stretch the field, but that is not really his game in the slot. He is not an elite jump ball WR either, but he excels at getting open in tight spaces consistently. His game is reminiscent of Chargers Pro Bowl WR Keenan Allen, and he would be a great duo alongside Young.

13. Jets – Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia

Pretty much every mock I have seen all year has had the Jets taking one of the top OTs. I am not straying from that here. They have put a premium on drafting OL recently, and Broderick will slide in at LT next to AVT at LG. Jones is not as polished as Skoronski or even Paris, but he is probably the best athlete of the 3. His ability to move in the run game is rare. He also has an incredibly strong punch when he can land it. He needs to find more consistency with his hands which should come with more experience (he only started about 1.5 years at Georgia). There could be some growing pains early, but his ceiling is sky high. New York would be happy to land any of the top OTs here.

14. Patriots – Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon

Ideally, New England would bring in an OT or WR to help Mac Jones after the offense struggled in 2022. I know they coached WR Zay Flowers at the Shrine Bowl and were big fans of him, but Christian Gonzalez is simply the best player available at this pick. Gonzalez is big, 6’2″, 201 pounds, and a freak athlete with a 4.38 40 yard dash and a 41.5 inch vertical. His sister is an Olympic track star, so it runs in the family. He is not just an athletic projection though. Gonzalez had a great junior year at Oregon and is still only 20 years old. He is a sure tackler and excelled in both man and zone coverage. He can be deployed in any defensive scheme and do well. He does not have the fiestiness or demeanor of Witherspoon, and can sometimes struggle with ball skills on contested catch situations, but he is pretty much a perfect prospect outside of that. This is likely the floor of where he could be drafted. Belichick would be happy to add a versatile CB1 to an already strong defense.

15. Packers – Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa

Sure the Packers could take a pass catcher in round 1, but when have they ever shown an interest in doing that? Instead they go with the big, athletic EDGE from Iowa, Lukas Van Ness. The Packers missed Za’Darius Smith’s presence on the edge last year, especially when Rashan Gary went down with a season-ending injury. Gary is the exact success story that will make them believers in Van Ness. Both were big, fast, physical Big 10 EDGEs that never fully put it together in college. The flashes were there for Van Ness even though he mostly relied on bull-rushing opposing OTs. Gary has a near identical body type and has become one of the best young pass rushers in football. Adding LVN alongside Gary, Kenny Clark, and Devonte Wyatt could help Green Bay’s defense get back to being a top 5 unit after a disappointing 2022.

16. Commanders – Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State

That collective groan you hear is the sound of Steelers fans missing Joey Porter’s son by one pick. Washington’s biggest need is at Corner, and Porter is a perfect fit. Porter Jr. is 6’2″ with 34 inch arms (98th percentile) and ran a 4.46 40 yard dash. Unsurprisingly, he is a press man corner that tries to win with physicality at the line of scrimmage. He is going to bully WRs all game long and make them earn it on every route. He will never be a high interception total player, but he has very good ball skills and uses his long arms to break up intended passes very well. He can get too grabby and get called for penalties and is not the quickest to make cuts in tight spaces, but you can live with that considering his skillset. He can step in and be an immediate starter on the outside for Washington for a long time.

17. Steelers – Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee

My dream pick for the Bengals at 28, unfortunately makes it nowhere close, as the Steelers snatch up Darnell Wright at 17. It is not secret that the Steelers have needed OL upgrades for some time now. The last two offseasons, they have brought in some solid interior OL to keep it from being a disaster. They still could use an OT, and reports were that they were interested in Orlando Brown Jr. in free agency. After missing on him, the best place to find a Tackle is round 1 of the Draft. A former 5 star recruit, Wright was a pedestrian LT before moving to RT his final season and becoming one of the best pass protectors in the country. His best performances came against the best competition, pitching a near shutout vs. Will Anderson Jr. and BJ Ojulari. Wright also had an impressive combine, testing as a great athlete, even in his 330 pound frame. Wright dominates with his strength, and would be a great fit for a team that runs a gap power run scheme.

18. Lions – Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland

Detroit would have been happy to take either Witherspoon or Gonzalez if Jalen Carter did not fall in their lap, so they take CB Deonte Banks at 18 instead. Banks has some of the best physical tools of any CB ever. At 6’0″, 197 pounds, Banks ran a 4.35 with a 42 inch vertical. His tape shows that elite long speed and explosiveness as he can consistently recover when beat downfield. He has great short area burst as well and rarely misses open field tackles. Most of his flaws can be fixed with more coaching and experience. He has bad whiffs in press technique that can lead to getting beat, and he can sometimes have poor discipline in zone coverage or on double moves. If his technique can get better, the sky is the limit. The Lions should feel good getting a Corner of his ability at 18.

19. Buccaneers – Calijah Kancey, DT, Pitt

The Bucs could truly go in any direction. They are in a weird spot where their roster is mostly older guys from their Super Bowl team, but they still have some great players in their prime. With no good QB prospects left, taking the best player available in Calijah Kancey seems like the best move. Undoubtedly, some teams will say Kancey is too small to fit what they want to do. Admittedly, his run defense will never be better than average. But the hardest thing to find on the interior is elite pass rush ability, and Kancey offers that. He ran the fastest 40 of any DT ever and his first step was elite on tape. Not only is he athletic, Kancey has a large repertoire of moves that he uses to win on the inside and combos them extremely well. With Vita Vea being an elite run stopping Nose Tackle, teams will be unable to double Kancey and dominate him in the run game, allowing him to play more on early downs, while pinning his ears back on passing downs.

20. Seahawks – Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College

The Seahawks took a freakish EDGE in Tyree Wilson at pick 5, and will add a WR here. Zay Flowers is an undersized WR that lined up all over the field for Boston College. Unlike most guys his size, he is not just a slot WR or just a gadget WR. Flowers wins deep downfield and is a menace after the catch. The common comp for him is former Colts 4-time Pro Bowler TY Hilton, who was a similar size but excelled on the outside. With DK Metcalf a mainstay as Seattle’s X Receiver, Flowers and Lockett can be moved around in many different roles in an explosive Seahawks offense.

21. Chargers – Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah

The first TE off the board will depend what style of player the team looks for. Most would agree that Kincaid is the most dynamic pass catcher of the group. The Chargers, who are looking for more juice in the passing game, add him to Justin Herbert’s arsenal of receivers. He has speed to attack down the seam and is a better route runner than most NFL TEs. At the catch point is where he Kincaid really shines. He has a huge catch radius and is able to contort his body to make tough catches in traffic and on the sideline. He goes up and gets the ball. He is also good at making guys miss and getting yards after catch. Kincaid will likely never be a good inline blocker. He does not have the size or functional strength to hold up in those situations. He is willing and able to move and make blocks on DBs in space, but never leave him against a DE. Utah used him more in the slot rather than inline as the year progressed. He also has been nursing a back injury since the Rose Bowl that caused him to miss the Combine and his Pro Day. Teams will have to make sure their medical teams clear him before using a top pick on him. As long as that checks out, the Chargers should feel good adding him to an already good offense.

22. Ravens – Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU

Who knows who will be under center for Baltimore in 2023 with the uncertainty surrounding Lamar, but regardless of who is, the Ravens need to add another real WR. Johnston moves well for a 6’3″, 208 pound WR. His game is best encapsulated by his long TD in the CFP against Michigan where he caught an underneath route, made a guy miss, and sped 80 yards for a score. His size and explosiveness consistently makes him a problem for defenses after the catch. Weirdly, his biggest knock is he plays smaller than his build would suggest. Johnston struggled with press-man coverage and often let CBs disrupt his releases too often. He has also been below average in contested catch situations, which you wouldn’t expect for a player his size. Still, Johnston possesses the highest ceiling of any WR in this class, and could be the dominant X WR that Baltimore has searched for for so long.

23. Vikings – Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia

Minnesota could go WR or DT here, but CB seems like the most glaring need. They drafted Andrew Booth Jr. in the second round but he was injured and only played snaps in 6 games last year. They brought in Byron Murphy in free agency who can play outside or in the slot. That’s about all they have right now, with Booth still being a major question mark. They add the big, fast Georgia product, Kelee Ringo, to the room at pick 23. At 6’2”, 207 with a 4.36 40 time, he possesses a rare size/speed combo. This was on display in his pick 6 on Bryce Young to seal the 2021 National Title. Ringo can stay with any WR on deep routes and is a hard hitter and sure tackler in run support. His biggest flaws are his below average change of direction and short area quickness. Shiftier WRs can get good separation on him, and while Ringo has elite recovery speed, sometimes it is too much ground to make up. He can also struggle with finding the ball when its in the air, leading to limited ball production and allowing too many contested catches for a Corner his size. Ultimately though, it is rare to find CBs built like him. He reminds me of 2022 rookie star Tariq Woolen. If you put him in the right situations early, he could produce right away.

24. Jaguars – Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson

Murphy has a lot of room to grow, but at the back end of the first round, this feels like great value. If we learned anything from Jaguars GM Trent Baalke last year, it is that he loves long, athletic EDGEs. While not quite as freaky as Travon Walker, Murphy is not too far behind. After his freshman season, many might have expected Murphy to be in contention for the #1 pick. He never really progressed much from then but has always been a solid player and is still just 21. Murphy relies on elite length and strength to overpower OTs. He is an excellent run defender but has very little when it comes to pass rush moves. He is going to need good coaching and a couple years to reach his ceiling, but if the Jaguars can do that, they may have the scariest pass rush in the league in a few years.

25. Giants – Jordan Addison, WR, USC

WR is the #1 need for the Giants. They were bringing in guys off the street last year to catch passes. They took undersized slot WR Wan’Dale Robinson in the 2^nd round last year, so ideally, they’d like a bigger outside WR here, but this class does not have any guys like that at the top outside of Quentin Johnston. Addison can do a bit of both, however. He played primarily in the slot at Pitt before transferring to USC and playing mostly on the outside in 2022. He is probably more of a WR2 than a WR1, but he could be #1 in New York as a rookie. He is an elite route runner and gets a lot of separation. He can run the whole route tree from the outside or the slot. His biggest knock is his size. At the combine he weighed in at just 5’11”, 173 pounds, and ran a 4.49. Which is not slow, but for a guy that tiny you’d like him to at least be faster. Physical press corners can out-muscle him at the line of scrimmage and take him out of plays, so he will either need to get stronger or develop an elite release package (like Devonta Smith). Despite the limitations, he would be a nice upgrade for a weak WR room in New York.

26. Cowboys – Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas

The Cowboys have drafted very well recently, and Drew Sanders just feels like a player that Jerry cannot resist. For starters, he is like a poor man’s version of Micah Parsons coming out of Penn State. Both were edge rushers out of high school before converting to off-ball LB in college. Sanders’ first year playing the position was this past year. The second reason, is Jerry Jones is an Arkansas grad and massive supporter of the football program. He once took Arkansas RB Felix Jones in the first round despite being Darren McFadden’s backup. The Cowboys dip back into the well on the LB/EDGE hybrid with Sanders, who is at his best as a pass rusher. This is a little early for me, but Sanders has the side, speed, and upside of a first rounder. He is 6’4″, 235 and ran a 4.59 40 with a 37 inch vertical jump. Sanders recorded 37 pressures and 11 sacks last season and whatever team takes him is best off using him primarily as a blitzer early. He is a long, fluid athlete but still very raw. He will need to develop as a coverage backer if he ever wants to be valuable as a true 3-down LB. His also missed a lot of tackles this season, which will hopefully improve with experience at the position. Dallas can never have enough pass rushers and hopes Sanders can become even more as a chess piece.

27. Bills – Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas

The Bills end the slide of Bijan at pick 27, one pick before my hometown Bengals, who I think will be extremely interested based on their draft history if he falls to 28. Opinions will be all over the place for whatever team selects him, but I think at this point in the round, Bijan is the rare RB that is worth it. Robinson will only make around $3 million per year at this point in the Draft, and I see him being one of the top RBs in the league from Day 1. If so, that is around a $12 million surplus value per season compared to the league’s top 5 paid RBs. The other common projection for Buffalo is to pick a Tackle here. To get a similar surplus value, they would need whatever OT they take to be an above average to good OT to create $12 million surplus value as Taylor Decker, Jack Conklin, and Orlando Brown Jr all make around $15 mill per year. What do you trust more: the 5th best OT in this class to be above average to good, or Bijan to be great? It is close, but in a wide open title window, Bijan is more likely to do it from year 1 on. The Bills, who have struggled to run the ball, want to take hits away from Allen, and have just two (primarily receiving) backs on the roster make as much sense as any to grab the best RB prospect we have seen in several years. I can tell you about his elite production as a freshman, his freakish RAS score, or his ability as a receiver and blocker as well as a runner, but you are better off watching it for yourself. NFL scouts will unanimously tell you that he is the best RB prospect since one of Barkley, Elliott, or Peterson. They all went top 10. The Bills should have no issue taking Bijan if he finds his way to 27.

28. Bengals – Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

Not a bad board here for the Bengals. As noted in my 7 Round Bengals Mock, OT Dawand Jones will be in serious consideration here. A few CBs could be in play as well, as Chidobe Awuzie returns from a torn ACL and enters the final year of his contract. I almost picked Clemson DT Bryan Bresee here. The Bengals clearly like Clemson guys early in drafts (Higgins 2020, Carman 2021). They also have significant ties to the Clemson DL. Star NT DJ Reader played at Clemson under Marion Hobby, who is the current Bengals DL Coach. Hobby maintains a great relationship with Clemson HC Dabo Swinney, who he worked for from 2011-2016. They will certainly have the inside scoop on the former #1 overall high school recruit, Bresee. However, the last DL the Bengals have taken Round 1 was Justin Smith in 2001. They opt to select the local product in TE Michael Mayer. Mayer, the best athlete out of Covington Catholic High School since 2016 Beer Die Grad David Wood, is the most well-rounded TE in this class. After tallying 450 yards as a 19 year old true freshman, Mayer shattered the Irish record books with 800+ yards per season and 16 total TDs in his next two years. He was the #1 option in a Notre Dame offense that lacked Power 5 QB and WR play, and still torched defenses. Mayer is a very good route runner and is the best in this class at making contested catches. He also is a very good blocker both inline and on the move. The Irish used him equally inline and in the slot while also giving him some reps on the outside. The main knock on Mayer is that he is not a freak athlete. Mayer is a good, not great athlete with no real weaknesses in his game. It is hard to see how he busts in the pros. Joe Burrow has never used a TE as a primary target in the passing game, but he has also never had a TE nearly as good as Mayer. Mayer is valuable because he can contribute as a blocker in the run game, while also helping fill the pass-catching void over the middle when Tyler Boyd inevitably leaves in 2024. The Bengals will not reach on a TE for the sake of it, but if a guy like Mayer falls in their lap, he’d be a fantastic addition to their offense.

29. Saints – Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson

Ask any Saints fan and they will tell you that their most glaring need is along the DL. They have lost pretty much every starting DL outside of an aging Cam Jordan over the past few years. Bresee is the highest upside player available at this pick. Bresee was the #1 recruit in the country out of high school and was an impact player from day 1 at Clemson. Injuries and tragic family battles led to less productive second and third years, but there have always been flashes. Bresee is about as freaky as an athlete as you will find at 3-Tech. He has the speed and strength to overpower many Guards. He relies on his gifts far too often though, and needs to develop an array of moves before he can become a dominant interior rusher. 300 pound men with his traits do not grow on trees though, so I cannot see him falling out of the top 40. Every team craves more interior pressure. The Saints add that at pick 29.

30. Eagles – Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina

After hitting the trenches at 10, Philly goes with a Corner at 30. Fortunately for them, Darius Slay and James Bradberry both chose to return. However, both are over 30, and the Eagles need to have a Corner waiting in the wings to take over at any time. They also have very little depth if either of those outside Corners go down. Cam Smith has some of the best ball skills in this class and has experience playing on the outside and in the slot. He is light at only 180 pounds, and needs to improve his tackling, but he tested better than expected running a 4.43 40 alongside great jumps. DL will also be a strong consideration here, but I like Philly adding a key secondary piece, especially after losing key members of their Safeties room this offseason.

31. Chiefs – Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma

The Chiefs have made protecting Mahomes their emphasis the last few offseasons. They continued that, giving Jawaan Taylor 4 years, $80 million this offseason. A bit of an overpay, but there is no price you can put on keeping Mahomes upright. However, they let both LT Orlando Brown Jr. and RT Andrew Wylie leave in free agency. So they take another OT here in 3-year starter Anton Harrison. Harrison has similarities to Jawaan Taylor as a player. He is a good athlete with quick feet. He lacks great strength when anchoring and can be overpowered by stronger EDGEs. He has not shown to be a great run blocker but allowed just 8 hurries and 1 sack in pass pro in 2022. It won’t be perfect early, but Harrison could be a vital piece for Kansas City, who has been great at drafting the right Offensive Linemen, moving forward.