At the University of Michigan, football draft prospect Aidan Hutchinson was a defensive end. (1:40) You have heard that this is the most unpredictable draft in years. The top pick is not a given. You have read the latest mock drafts from Mel and Todd, but one in which they collaborated. As we close in on the first round of the NFL draft, it is time for our reporters to share their knowledge. The ABC/ESPN/ESPN App is available. The reporters from NFL Nation played general manager for the teams they cover and did a mock first-round draft. By the end, there were three quarterbacks taken, including one with the last pick of the round, and seven wide receivers. There were no trades allowed. The full results are here. Adan Hutchinson is from DE, Michigan. The offensive tackles and defensive end are in play, but the player who helps fix their biggest weakness is the pass rush. The Jets have sacked opposing quarterbacks 47 times over the past two seasons, but that is not going to happen in a conference with Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow. The addition of Hutchinson, who set a single-season record at Michigan with 14 sacks in 2021, means opponents will no longer be able to stop Josh Allen. Follow live with the draftcast.
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1. Jacksonville Jaguars
Kayvon Thibodeaux is from Oregon.
The Lions have a laundry list of needs and can go in a number of directions. They need a game change at No. 2. That is what will be brought to the franchise by Thibodeaux. He has an exciting first step that can help the Lions defense, which ranked 31st in points surrendered per game. During his junior season, he recorded seven sacks and was a unanimous All-American at the University of Oregon, where he was a teammate of right tackle Penei Sewell.
Evan Neal is from Alabama.
The Texans don't know if Davis Mills is their quarterback of the future, but they need to protect him to find out. Houston will keep Tytus Howard at guard, even though they didn't draft Neal and didn't trade left tackle Laremy Tunsil. The Texans offensive line allowed 44 sacks with a 40% team pass rush win rate last season according to research. Neal started at both tackle spots and left guard at Alabama.
Ikem Ekwonu is from NC State.
GM Joe Douglas sticks with his best player available philosophy, even though defensive end Travon Walker is tempting because he plays a need position and his measurables are off the charts. Ekwonu has the ability to start at left or right tackle and is a safe pick. He brings a lot of nasty to the running game. The Giants do not need a tackle, but that could change. George Fant is entering the final year of his contract while Mekhi Becton is coming off knee surgery. They have taken a lineman in the first round in the last three years. Overkill? Maybe, but this is how Douglas does business.
NC State OT Ikem Ekwonu is going to be a top pick in the NFL draft.
Walker is from Georgia.
With the way the board fell, the top two offensive tackles are gone, but perhaps the top edge player is staring at the Giants. Walker is hard to pass up. The Giants need an edge rusher, and they are enamored of Walker. The Giants have not had a top pass-rusher since trading Pierre-Paul. They have only had one edge rusher reach double-digit sacks. It's hard to believe given their previous dominance. Even though Walker was limited at Georgia, there is still belief that there will be more opportunities in the future.
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Liberty has a quarterback named Malik Willis.
Ideally, Carolina trades back to get a second or third-round pick. The most glaring needs are left tackle and quarterback. The highest ceiling among the quarterbacks was taken by the panthers with the top tackles gone. They are able to survive with Brady Christensen at left tackle. They cannot survive with Sam Darnold at quarterback. Ben McAdoo noted that Willis is a swing for the fence guy. This swing could be a long-term solution for a position that has been problematic for more than three seasons.
Ahmad Gardner is a CB in Cincinnati.
The fan base will not get a right tackle with either of these top-seven picks. It worked out that way. Charles Cross is an offensive tackle for Mississippi State. There are some people in the building. In three years at Cincinnati, Gardner didn't allow a receiving touchdown. With James Bradberry likely going by the end of the weekend, it makes a lot of sense to use a cornerback. It fills a major need and is a premium position.
Kyle Hamilton is from Notre Dame.
The Falcons need everything. The wide receiver was heavily considered here, but instead the selection is a versatile player who can make Dean Pees' system immediately better. Hamilton gives Atlanta a solid player and might have the highest floor of any draft prospect.
Kyle Hamilton is a former safety at Notre Dame.
DE, FSU, is Jermaine Johnson II.
Charles Cross and Stingley could address bigger needs in this scenario. Johnson is a better prospect than Cross and Stingley is a safer pick. It might matter to an organization that has made its share of early-round mistakes recently and can't afford to miss on its first top 10 pick since 2010. The Seahawks are looking for an outside linebacker who can play in their 3-4 defense, and Johnson is a good fit. Darrell Taylor, Uchenna Nwosu, and Jamal Adams are some of the pass-rushers that Pete Carroll can never have enough of.
Wilson is a receiver for Ohio State.
The Jets need to draft a wide receiver in the first round if they don't trade for Deebo Samuel. Wilson has the edge because of his separation ability and his explosiveness, but Drake London has the advantage because of his size and catch radius. He would fit in nicely with the other two. Brandon Marshall was a Pro Bowl receiver for the Jets. They are due. They really like Jameson Williams, but this could be too high for a player coming off an injury. He is in play if they trade down.
Drake London is a USC player.
The Commanders would probably consider tackle Charles Cross and receiver Jameson Williams if they were confident that he would come back from a torn knee. Washington likes London and would like a big target among its receiving corps. He provides a wide catch range for quarterback Carson Wentz so he doesn't always have to throw the ball. The Commanders like how London makes contested catches, for some it shows an inability to create separation but for others it shows the type of catches players have to make all the time in the NFL. Washington's offense hasn't ranked in the top 10 in points or yards since the beginning of the year.
The CB is from LSU.
The Vikings have drafted three Cornerbacks in the first round in the past seven drafts, but none of them remain with the team. The position needs Stingley's energy, but the Vikings re-signed Patrick Peterson and added free agent Chandon Sullivan. Stingley has injury issues, but he is a top-five prospect without them. The risk at No. 12 is more than reasonable.
Chris is a receiver for Ohio State.
This pick strengthens the need for the Texans. Brandin Cooks and second-year pro Nico Collins will have another strong option with the addition of Olave. In four college seasons, the former Ohio State star never had more than 1,000 receiving yards, but he did have 13 touchdown. The pick improves the position of need for Houston. The Houston offense ranked 29th in Football Outsiders pass DVOA last season, so adding protection in Neal and a player like Olave should help improve that.
Chris is a top prospect in the upcoming NFL draft.
Jordan Davis is from Georgia.
The Ravens have more pressing needs at pass-rusher and corner, but they can't pass on Davis, who is their top-rated player on the board. Baltimore loves big, quick and intimidating linemen, and no one fits that description better in this draft than a nose tackle nicknamed Godzilla. There will be high expectations for Davis, who was a run-stopper in college. The only other interior defensive lineman drafted by the Ravens was five-time Pro Bowl player and relentless game wrecker, Haloti Ngata.
Williams is from Alabama.
If Baltimore had not snatched him, Davis would have been the pick. It would be a good idea for Roseman to make a small trade up for the line wrecker. Picking a receiver in the first round for a third year in a row is not ideal, but Williams is the best player available. His game-changing speed will be worth the wait as he recovers from his knee surgery. The addition of Williams, who averaged 19.9 yards per reception and racked up 15 touchdown last season, will make the Eagles offense even more exciting.
Charles Cross is from Mississippi State.
If one of the top four prospects fell, Kenny Pickett would be a consideration. The value with Cross is too high to pass up. It wouldn't be surprising to see the Saints trade up for one of the top tackles in this draft after losing Terron Armstead in free agency. Cross proved himself as an elite pass-blocker last year, and he could become the kind of cornerstone that Armstead was for the next decade.
Penning is from Northern Iowa.
The potential of a deep playoff run must be realized by protecting quarterback Justin Herbert. Last year, the Bolts selected Rashawn Slater with a first-round pick. They fill a hole at right tackle with the selection of Penning. Penning is known for his physical attributes, but also for being a bruiser. He is expected to be a capable starter.
Trent McDuffie is a CB for Washington.
If the Eagles don't pick a defensive lineman with one of their two first-round picks, it will be a mild upset. This spot has made sense for both George and Devonte. Maybe they will have a discussion about Kenny Pickett at this pick. The defensive back is screaming. The Eagles are without a starting corner. Should they land a CB early, they have kept the spot open. McDuffie didn't fill up the stat sheet at Washington, but he did play with a physical style that will speak to the defense.
Kenny Pickett is a quarterback for Pitt.
The Saints are not a sure thing to draft a quarterback. They could use both first-round picks to support Jameis Winston with a left tackle and wide receiver. New Orleans would be a great fit for him with an offense that has always relied on rhythm and timing under Pete Carmichael Jr.
Kenny Pickett is capable of being a franchise quarterback in the NFL.
Georgia's Devonte Wyatt is a defensive tackle.
The best player available is what the Steelers have to look at. The defensive line was the only position that the Steelers addressed in free agency. Wyatt is a more versatile defender than Jordan Davis, the nose tackle for Georgia. The Steelers struggled against the run last season, and the addition of youth to an aging position group is a big boost. The arrest on family violence charges two years ago, which could drop him from draft boards, could prompt the Steelers to trade back in hopes of acquiring Desmond Ridder and extra draft capital.
Lloyd is from Utah.
Lloyd was the pick over Daxton Hill because of the possibility of landing the No. 1-rated linebacker this deep in the draft. Lloyd is similar to Jerod Mayo in that he is a four-down player and has potential to transform a defense in need of speed and physical ability.
Arkansas is home to a wide receiver named Treylon Burks.
The Packers have passed on first-round receivers for two decades. He is the last receiver on the Packers' board. He has the strength and size that the Packers lost in Davante Adams. That should make up for the lack of speed.
Christian is from North Dakota State.
Kyler Murray hasn't been given any help in the past two first rounds, so now is the time for the Cards to draft a player who can help immediately. The addition of a dynamic option to the offense will be made possible by the size and speed of the player. It isn't a bad way to enter the NFL if you learn from the likes of DeAndre Hopkins and A.J. Green.
Check out the best moments from Christian's football career at North Dakota State.
Zion Johnson is from Boston College.
While you could make a case for a receiver, pass-rusher or maybe even linebacker, the Cowboys have yet to fill their needs on the offensive line in free agency and have the chance to go with Johnson as a walk-in starter at left guard. The Cowboys have had four first-round picks on the offensive line since 2011. The Cowboys might have a vaunted offensive line again if he could duplicate what those guys have done.
Iowa State's Breece Hall is a running back.
The ideal situation for the Bills would be to trade up or down. Brandon Beane has historically invested top draft picks, but that is not a position where Andrew Booth is available. Instead, the Bills go for a player who immediately becomes the team's No. 1 running back and can help in the passing game. It's risky to draft a running back in the first round, but Hall immediately improves the offense.
Green is from Texas A&M.
Green is a nasty offensive lineman who finishes blocks and plays with a mean streak. He has played four different positions along the offensive line. Green is a good fit for the Tennessee because he is a natural left guard and the team needs that. Green has 35 career starts and is a plug-and-play prospect.
Lewis Cine is in Georgia.
There are needs at defensive tackle and guard, but they don't know the status of Rob Gronkowski. Cine and Daxton Hill were the best fit to replace Jordan Whitehead, who the Bucs lost in free agency, because of Cine's skill set. Cine is a versatile thumper who can cover a wide range of terrain. They signed Keanu Neal in free agency, but he has a history of injuries and has a one-year deal. On Day 2, they could still find help.
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George is from DE, and is from Purdue.
Gutekunst loves defense in the first round. He has made five previous first-round picks and four of them have been on that side of the ball. There is a need for another pass-rusher who can rush both inside and on the edge.
Daxton Hill is from Michigan.
The free-agent addition of Justin Reid is only part of the solution because of the void in the secondary left by the departure of Tyrann Mathieu. The ability of Hill to cover at the back end of the defense is an important part of the system.
George Pickens is from Georgia.
There is still playing time available for wide receiver this season, even after signing JuJu Smith-Schuster. Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman are going to be free agents at the end of the season, so the Chiefs will need more than one player. It would be up to the Chiefs to get the high-end ability out of him.
Check out the best highlights that contributed to a stellar college career.
Andrew Booth Jr. is a CB.
Cincinnati doesn't have to find an immediate starter in the draft. After the Super Bowl loss, an area team executive identified an issue with the depth of the CBs. The ability to play the ball in the air and good speed are some of the qualities the Bengals are looking for in an outside corner. The last part is very important for a team that won the AFC and nearly the Super Bowl because of its defensive turnovers. Booth had three picks up in his three years at the school. With Eli Apple and Chidobe Awuzie projected as Week 1 starters, Booth has the luxury of working his way into the rotation and finding his footing in the NFL.
Ridder is a quarterback for Cincinnati.
The current Lions quarterback is no secret, and maybe even next year. The quarterback depth on this roster can be overlooked. The Lions need to address this position badly because both David Blough and Tim Boyle haven't proven they can run the show. Ridder ended his college career with the third-most wins by a quarterback in college football history with 44. The Lions are in the midst of a rebuild and need that mentality.
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