Alright, let’s not waste any time here: You’re probably not going to read this part. What we’re going to guess you’re about to do is scroll to your favorite team, see who we picked, skim our reasoning for it and go on about your day.
However, if you actually do decide to read everything we’ve got in this mock draft, we greatly appreciate you! This mock draft was simple: Quentin took the odd picks. Megan took the even picks. We selected players based on what we would do if we were the GM of that team, and we decided to not have any trades. Without further ado, the first annual Dorr/Corpuel totally 100% correct NFL mock draft.
- Carolina Panthers (via CHI): Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
QC: Yep, we’re doing it. We’re taking the leap, deviating from what many think the Panthers are going to do here. I truly believe Richardson is the best quarterback in this class. I’d feel a little better about this if the Panthers haven’t been in QB purgatory for several years and would understand why Young or Stroud (“safer” prospects) would be the pick here. But the bottom line is that Richardson can do things that no other QB in this class can do. You can’t teach being 6’4”, 220 pounds, having a rocket arm and elite mobility. He’s also far from the project many think he is. There’s a difference between raw and inexperienced. Trey Lance is raw; Richardson is simply inexperienced. The Anthony Richardson hype train is about to leave the station; I’d hop on before it’s too late.
2. Houston Texans: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
MD: The Texans have a young core that will give Young weapons to come up with as the Texans start “fresh” under Ryans. The Texans will get a former Heisman winner who is a smart player with a strong pocket presence.
3. Arizona Cardinals: Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
QC: I challenge you to name above-average players on the Cardinals. Can’t do it? Understandable! Considering the bleak state of Arizona’s roster, a trade down would be the most optimal choice. If they can’t get a deal done, Anderson is the best player available. He’s a walking electric factory off the edge who’ll give the Cardinals an impact player at an important position.
4. Indianapolis Colts: CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State
MD: The Colts need a quarterback, and Stroud is the best one left on the board, so it’s a pretty easy choice. Stroud has a smooth delivery and gets the ball out quickly.
5. Seattle Seahawks (via DEN): Will Anderson Jr, EDGE, Alabama
QC: With the top three quarterbacks off the board and a hole along the defensive line bigger than the ones Seattle was giving up last season, Carter is the easy pick here, albeit with some serious off-the-field issues. He’s an F-5 tornado on the interior that was arguably the best player on a Georgia front seven that featured Travon Walker, Jordan Davis, Devante Wyatt, Nolan Smith, Nakobe Dean, Quay Walker and Channing Tindall two seasons ago.
6. Detroit Lions (via LAR): Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech
MD: The Lions did a good enough job improving their secondary in free agency to make me feel comfortable selecting Wilson, who looks like one of those Pop Warner kids that’s 10x bigger than everyone else on his team. Adding an elite edge rusher opposite of Aidan Huthchinson would be a massive boost to a Lions defense that had a negative EPA in 15 of their 18 regular season games.
7. Las Vegas Raiders: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
QC: Outside of Maxx Crosby, there isn’t anyone on the Raiders defense that appears to be a long-term stalwart (Chandler Jones is 33). In a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, having a strong secondary is paramount. Witherspoon was statistically the best cover corner in college football last season according to PFF whose controlled physicality is a tone-setter; he’d bring life to a Raiders defense that hasn’t had an above-average season since they made the Super Bowl all the way back in 2002.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
MD: Robinson is going to be an immediate game changer because he adds such a threat in the run game. He breaks tackles easily, is difficult to bring down, and can be utilized in multiple ways.
9. Chicago Bears (via CAR): Paris Johnson Jr, OT, Ohio State
QC: Similarly to the Cardinals question I asked earlier, I challenge you to name one Bears offensive lineman. Can’t do it? Understandable! Let’s grab the best offensive tackle in this class to help protect Chicago’s franchise quarterback who spent a ton of time running for his life last season.
10. Philadelphia Eagles (via NO): Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
MD: The Eagles have a very solid roster, as they don’t have any glaring needs. This puts the birds in a position to draft the best player available, which to us is Gonzalez, arguably the best cornerback in this class whose immediate family is full of high-level college athletes (dad played college basketball at UTEP, one sister was an All-American track star at Texas as well as an Olympian, and another sister was a track star at Miami (FL)).
11. Tennessee Titans: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
QC: Similar to Tennessee native Morgan Wallen’s scheduled US tour for the upcoming months, the Titans are kind of falling apart right now. While they have a few more pressing needs than quarterback, there’s no guarantee they’ll be in this position to draft a quarterback of Levis’ caliber anytime in the near future, and they also don’t appear to be fully invested in Malik Willis long-term. Levis is like if Ryan Tannehill had a football son that was more athletic than him, and while his supporting cast isn’t super ideal, he’s still an upgrade over what we saw from Willis last season.
12. Houston Texans (via CLE): Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
MD: After getting their quarterback of the future, the Texans give Young a star pass catcher. Smith-Njigba is a great route runner who will be able to get open and make an impact after the catch.
13. Green Bay Packers (via NYJ): Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
QC: The Packers have a rare opportunity to make both the most logical as well as the funniest pick in the first round here at 13. After failing to supply Aaron Rodgers with adequate pass-catching weapons outside of Davante Adams over the past few seasons, Green Bay shall use a first round pick on a pass-catcher for the first time since they took Javon Walker in…2002! Who’s blasting Nickelback right now? Although Megan stole my pick, Mayer is an ultra-reliable pass-catcher who can block fairly well and can easily become Jordan Love’s most targeted weapon this upcoming season.
14. New England Patriots: Joey Porter Jr, CB, Penn State
MD: Porter Jr.’s tall frame and long arms makes him excellent at defending in coverage.
15. New York Jets (via GB): Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
QC: The Jets have a pretty complete roster outside of offensive tackle, where Mekhi Becton and Max Mithcell present real question marks. Despite moving down a couple of slots in the Aaron Rodgers trade, Gang Green still lands an elite offensive tackle who only allowed six pressures all of last season according to PFF.
16. Washington Commanders: Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
MD: The Commanders weakest offensive position is tight end, and this gives new offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy a new weapon to work with. Kincaid is so big and muscular that he will create huge mismatches. He only played one year of football in high school, so there’s still lots to unlock.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
QC: In the pursuit of protecting Kenny Pickett, giving Najee Harris any kind of running lanes and hopefully unlocking Pittsburgh’s aerial attack, an elite offensive tackle is the best move here for the Steelers. Although Jones is a little smaller than one may prefer for an NFL offensive tackle, the former high school basketball star is incredibly mobile and didn’t draw a single holding penalty in his three seasons at Georgia.
18. Detroit Lions: Bryan Bresee, DL, Clemson
MD: The Lions defense is what has been holding them back, and Bresee will beef up the defensive line. Breese is a former No. 1 recruit and has lots of potential that can still be unlocked.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
QC: In case the Bucs can’t trade up for a quarterback (which would be ideal considering that their current signal-callers are Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask), shoring up the right side of the offensive line would be a good choice for a team that’s still talented in a muddled NFC South.
20. Seattle Seahawks: Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson
MD: Seattle needs to improve their defense, and Murphy will bring an explosive first step and long arms on the edge.
21. Los Angeles Chargers: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
QC: One of the perks of having Justin Herbert as your quarterback is that he can throw the ball really far and very accurately. The only issue is that the only fast receiver currently on LA’s roster is Jalen Guyton, who’s coming off of a major knee injury. The Chargers have done a good job thus far investing in Herbert while he’s still under his rookie contract, and with the final year of that deal being this upcoming season, we’ll continue that trend by giving him not just a fast receiver, but a dominant one who could easily line up on the outside.
22. Baltimore Ravens: Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
MD: The Ravens have yet to resign their top CB, Marcus Peters, so a cornerback will be needed. Banks has decent size and athleticism with good anticipation in coverage.
23. Minnesota Vikings: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
QC: I love K.J. Osborn as much as the next guy, but I’d much rather have him as the third wideout option in Minnesota’s aerial attack. While I might be a little biased because Johnston and I have the same semi-unique first name, the TCU star is stunningly quick and agile for someone who’s 6’3” and almost 220 pounds and would be a nice compliment across from Justin Jefferson.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa
MD: The Jaguars really struggled to get sacks despite getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Van Ness has 13 sacks in 26 games as a Hawkeye and combines size, length, and power.
25. New York Giants: Brian Branch, S, Alabama
QC: As an intern wind sprints to the table with Brian Branch’s name on the draft card, Brian Daboll shotguns a Bud Light as “Bugatti” by Ace Hood blares in the background. Julian Love is a sneakily important loss for an already-thin Giants secondary, and Branch provides high-level versatility, a rare trait for a defensive back. Branch’s prowess in the backfield (14 TFL’s last season) would make blitz-happy DC Wink Martindale overjoyed.
26. Dallas Cowboys: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
MD: After cutting Eziekel Elliot, Dallas’s offense could use a strong running back. Gibbs is not only a strong runner, but can be such a threat in a passing game because he has very natural receiving skills.
27. Buffalo Bills: O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida
QC: While offensive guard may not be extremely high on the positional value list, having a strong interior offensive line is a very nice thing to have. As a Giants fan, watching Big Blue’s interior offensive lineman continuously get destroyed for years was not very fun. Although Megan stole my pick again, Torrence beefs up an already pretty good Bills offensive line.
28. Cincinnati Bengals: Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
MD: The Bengals could use depth at cornerback, and grab Forbes since he is still on the board. Forbes is a strong mental processor and was great at creating turnovers in college.
29. New Orleans Saints (via SF): Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia
QB: I’m not quite sure how Smith fell this far; well, I am sure, because we’re the ones in control of what happens in this mock draft, but my point is that Smith is likely not falling this far in real life. If I were the Saints, I’d pounce on the opportunity to take Smith despite already having Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson.
30. Philadelphia Eagles: Jordan Addison, WR, USC
MD: With this pick, the Eagles wide receiver core now includes AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Jordan Addison. After giving Hurts the contract extension, the Eagles are going all in on their offense.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
QC: The Chiefs really enjoy running two tight end sets, so how about instead of having Noah Gray and Blake Bell be the second tight end, we give Andy Reid a real-life Transformer to fill that role? That feels a little illegal! I’d be wildly excited to see what Reid concocts with a 6’7”, 260-pound tight end who can make defenders disappear as a blocker and with the ball in his hands.