5th Quarter Mock Draft Volume III

With Dexter Lawrence to Cinci shaking up the draft board, I can see a few more moves coming as a result of that trade.

1. Las Vegas Raiders: Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza – As I mentioned in my last mock, this has been locked in for quite some time. I’m not going to try to be different and predict a crazy turn of events.
2. New York Jets: Ohio State linebacker/edge Arvell Reese – This has also been unchanged since my first mock. I can’t see the Jets going anywhere else with this pick, Reese is simply too special of a talent to pass up.
3. Arizona Cardinals: Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa – If Mauigoa is the pick for the Cardinals, I could see them trading back with the Giants and picking up an extra pick. Mauigoa is the best tackle in the draft and the Arizona takes him to pair with Paris Johnson Jr., hopefully locking down the perimeter of their offensive line for the future.
4. Tennesee Titans: Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love – I wanted to stray away from this pick again, but Robert Salah has seen what a high level back can do for an offense from his time in San Francisco. Not saying Love is CMC, but pairing Cam Ward with a guy like Love will make his life easier.
5. *TRADE* Kansas City Chiefs: Texas Tech edge David Bailey – The Chiefs trade picks 9 and 29 for picks 5 and 105 from the Giants to move up and take Bailey. There are reports about the KC’s interest in Bailey, and here they take a swing to move up and get him.
6. Cleveland Browns: Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling – Freeling has been moving up draft boards over the past couple of weeks, which makes sense. He’s massive and has the ceiling to be a perrenial Pro Bowler on the offensive line. As I’ve said in past mocks, the Browns need to find out who he’ll be blocking for, but locking down Freeling is a good start.
7. Washington Commanders: Miami edge Rueben Bain Jr. – The board falls beautifully for Washington here and they have their pick of Bain Jr., Sonny Styles or Caleb Downs. I would rather go with one of the Buckeyes, but I think the Commanders want to start to build their defensive line back up. As said many times before, it’s a question mark as to where Bain Jr. makes his money in the NFL, but I think he becomes a playmaker wherever he lines up.
8. New Orleans Saints: Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles – The Saints could go best player available here, which in this case turns out to be a position they need. Styles has crazy versitility but I think he is going to become a full-time inside linebacker, creating matchup nightmares for offenses. New Orleans could go a lot of different ways here and I’d be onboard with almost anything they do.
9. New York Giants (via Kansas City): Ohio State safety Caleb Downs – This is another pick I can’t stray away from. Even with the injury concerns and positional value, Downs is too good of a talent in my eyes to pass up. As I’ve said in previous mocks with Downs going to the Giants, we saw how important Kyle Hamilton was to the Ravens defense, I think Downs can be that for the Giants.
10. New York Giants (via Cincinnati): Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate – This isn’t the first time I’ve had the Giants taking Tate, but I like it even more now after the team’s trade back. As I said when I previously had Tate to the Giants, Malik Nabers should be fully recovered from his ACL tear, but adding Tate to take some of the load off while he returns to form would be great. This duo could be a top five receiver duo by the end of next season.
11. Miami Dolphins: Arizona State wide receiver Jordan Tyson – Maybe the most interesting stock fluctuations in this draft process, but Tyson lands at 11 in this mock. His talent is legit, maybe the best receiver in this class. We’ll see how much his injury history affects his draft selection, but I have the Dolphins taking a risk on the upside of a top 10 receiver.
12. Dallas Cowboys: LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane – I’ve swapped cornerback picks at 12 for the Cowboys, but Delane is looking more and more likely to be the top corner taken. As said countless times, the Cowboys need to add to the defense, I’m not a huge fan of taking any of the available defensive lineman at this spot, leaving Delane as the choice.
13. Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta): Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq – I’ve liked the idea of a wide receiver here, but I’m starting to like the idea of Sadiq more. He has the athleticism to be a receiver, but can also hold his own blocking when needed. Adding a weapon like him to a Sean McVay offense seems too fun to not do.
14. Baltimore Ravens: USC wide receiver Makai Lemon – The Ravens have still not done a great job of getting Lamar Jackson true difference makers on the outside. Zay Flowers has been solid, but he is due for an extension leaving his future in Baltimore undecided. Even if he walks after the 2027 season, getting two years of that duo should help the Ravens compete in the AFC.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Penn State guard Olaivavega loane – I still don’t hate the CJ Allen pick here, but the Bucs take who should be a high floor player in Ioane. Cody Mauch has been solid, but with him entering the last year of his deal unsigned, maybe they draft his replacement at 15.
16. New York Jets: Georgia linebacker CJ Allen – If one of the big three wide receivers fall to 16, I think the Jets should pounce on that, but with all three of them gone, Allen is a safe pick. The team brought back Demario Davis, but he isn’t a long term answer at the position. Outside of Davis, their linebacker room is pretty bad, making Allen a possible year one starter.
17. *TRADE* Los Angeles Chargers: Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman – The Chargers move up to 17, sending picks 22 and 55 for 17 and 118 from Detriot. LA jumps the Vikings to take Thieneman, who I think is the pick for them if he makes it to 18. A pairing of Thieneman and Derwin James should be a problem for offenses.
18. Minnesota Vikings: Auburn edge Keldric Faulk – With Thieneman gone, the Vikings take a chance on one of the more interesting prospects in the class. I like the idea of Faulk in a Brian Flores defense, being the hybrid edge rusher that we see in Jonathan Greenard. Also if there’s anyone that can get the most out of Faulk, it’s Flores.
19. Carolina Panthers: Miami edge Akheem Mesidor – I had this pick in my previous mock, and I don’t feel bad about repeating it. Carolina added some key pieces to their defense in the offseason that I really liked. Adding Mesidor is a cherry on top of a great offseason. If Bryce Young can continue to improve, I really like the Panthers to win the NFC South again.
20. Dallas Cowboys: Texas A&M edge Cashius Howell – This may be a bit higher than people think Howell will go, but he’s the best pass rusher on the board for the Cowboys at 20. The team added Rashan Gary this offseason and spent a second-round pick on Donavan Ezeiruaku last offseason, but adding depth to the defensive line is never a bad thing. Gary is only on a two-year deal and Ezeiruaku didn’t have a great rookie campaign, why not add another pass rusher to the rotation.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Utah tackle Spencer Fano – With Broderick Jones’ future in Pittsburgh up in the air, Fano could be a direct replacement. He has played right tackle his past two seasons at Utah, but he started a season at left tackle in 2023. It would be an adjustment, but he has experience playing left tackle, he’s a good enough athlete to play the left side of the line.
22. Detriot Lions: Alabama tackle Kayden Proctor – The Lions trade back and still get a great talent in Proctor. He has a very high ceiling at left tackle, which is where they need someone. The talent is there, it’ll just be a question of if he can play tackle at the next level.
23. Philadelphia Eagles: Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion – An A.J. Brown trade seems imminent at this point, meaning the Eagles will need a receiver. Concepcion offers something the Eagles haven’t had in the Jalen Hurts era, consistent success between the numbers. He can win quick across the middle and help a struggling passing attack.
24. Cleveland Browns (via Jax): Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. – The Browns stay on offense with their second pick, taking Cooper Jr. He may not ever be a true WR1, but he can be a great complimenting receiver. Similarly to what I said about their Freeling pick, they need to figure out who’ll throw Cooper Jr. the ball, but with Harold Fannin Jr. and Quinshon Judkins having productive rookie years, the Browns could form a really solid group of playmakers.
25. Chicago Bears: Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy – McCoy slides a bit in this mock, leading to a pick the Bears would likely love. Tyrique Stevenson’s time in Chicago seems to be over after this season, leading to McCoy being the pick. Even if he doesnt play a ton this season, it wouldn’t be the worst thing as he tore his ACL in 2024.
26. Buffalo Bills: Toledo safety Emmanual McNeil-Warren – With the Bears not going safety, McNeil-Warren is the pick for Buffalo, and they should be estatic. He would be a great pair with Cole Bishop, allowing him to play in the box a ton while Bishop mans the back-end.
27. San Francisco 49ers: Clemson tackle Blake Miller – Even with the 49ers reaching an extension with Trent Williams, Miller wouldn’t be a bad pick here. He can be a swing tackle for a year or two before possibly taking over for Williams. Could definitely see the 49ers going with an edge rusher here as well now that the extension is done.
28. Houston Texans: Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks – Banks is a massive human who could see a lot of success in a Houston defense that flies around. He isn’t the best pass rusher, but he doesn’t need to be in Houston.
29. New York Giants (via KC): Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell – With a weak cornerback room, Terrell would come in and instantly upgrade it. Their two projected starting cornerbacks also aren’t locked in long term, adding Terrell would give you control over that position for at least five years, hopefully more.
30. Miami Dolphins (via Denver): Oregon guard Emmanual Pregnon – The Dolhpins make a safer pick here with Pregnon. He’s a great run-blocker who has played a lot of football. He’d be able to come in and start day one in Miami and should deliver solid play for a while.
31. *TRADE* Arizona Cardinals: Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson – In possibly the biggest move of the night, the Cardinals trade 34 and 104 to the Patriots for pick 31. Simpson along with this trade-up has been linked to the Cardinals as of late and it makes sense. He isn’t a crazy good quarterback prospect, but if he doesn’t pan out, the Arizona isn’t exactly on a ticking clock in terms of needing to win. Moving up three spots to get him may seem pointless at first glance, but I think they make this move so they get the fifth-year option.
32. Seattle Seahawks: Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods – Capping off the first round, the Seahawks take a high ceiling player in Woods. This pick makes the interior defensive line a bit crowded, but it may only be for a year. Leonard Williams is on an expiring deal and Jarran Reed is turning 34 this season. Woods can play a multitude of positions on the interior defensive line and if he reaches his potential, this pick would be a home run.