The process of creating mock drafts is layered and can become convoluted over time. It includes various amounts of deductive speculation and placing the appropriate amount of respect regarding players’ abilities and weaknesses.
Currently, the Bears have the first pick in the draft via their trade with the Panthers. So, would Chicago choosing a quarterback with its initial selection be “disrespectful” to incumbent starter Justin Fields? In Denver, have the fans and the Broncos’ front office garnered a newfound respect for embattled quarterback Russell Wilson? Wilson successfully led Denver to a four-game winning streak after beginning the season with one win in its first six games.
The college and NFL seasons are long, unpredictable, and nuanced. So, in creating these mock drafts, we just ask that you respect the process and enjoy the presentation.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Chicago sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
NOTE: For the draft order, we used tankathon.com's projected draft order.
1. Chicago Bears (via Carolina): QB - Caleb Williams, USC
A spectacular athlete, Williams has individually averaged three scores a contest (3.2), combining passing and rushing touchdowns with a Heisman Trophy Award to his credit. The allure of Williams might entice Bears’ general manager Ryan Poles to reset fiscally, drafting the Heisman winner and starting anew with a rookie contract.
2. Arizona Cardinals: WR - Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
Bears Draft
A unique talent, Murray is still extremely young but experienced, with his greatness potential still pointing upwards. Offensively, the Cardinals could be one dominant receiver away from competing consistently at a playoff level. Targeting Marvin Harrison, an elite can’t-miss prospect, and pairing him with Murray, could expedite Arizona’s designs to be Super Bowl-worthy.
3. New England Patriots: QB - Drake Maye, North Carolina
The Patriots may have to make several hard choices sooner than later, revolving around its head coach/general manager and third-year starting quarterback, Mac Jones. It’s possible the Patriots select quarterback Drake Maye in hopes that his four-to-one passing ratio (61 TDs/14 Ints) can translate into future wins in New England. Taking Maye might signify the end of the “Belichick Era” and signal the Patriots’ commitment to change.
4. Chicago Bears: OT - Joe Alt, Notre Dame
Alt possesses uncommon athleticism and agility for a man his size (6’8”, 315 lbs). Impressive lateral quickness helps Alt gain leverage at the point of attack, while his balance and grip strength allow him to manipulate pass rushers away from the quarterback. Chicago could solidify its bookend blockers by obtaining the 2023 Lombardi Award Finalist (top college lineman).
5. New York Giants: OT - Olu Fashanu, Penn State
An extremely athletic lineman with an impressive six-foot-six, 321-pound frame, Fashanu moves lithely but powerfully when engaging defenders. His rugged grip and long arms decisively maneuver pass rushers away from their intended targets. When attacking downfield, Fashanu’s agility allows him to maintain blocks onto the second level of defense.
6. Tennessee Titans: TE - Brock Bowers, Georgia
Bowers is a matchup conundrum for most defensive coordinators attempting to curtail his effectiveness on the field. His ability to block in-line and then release down the seam of a defense compromises many defensive coverages. An athletic pass catcher, he can also align anywhere on the field, leveraging his size against smaller pass defenders.
7. Washington Commanders: Edge - Laiatu Latu, UCLA
Latu is a no-nonsense pass rusher who attacks the offensive perimeter with determined focus and purposefulness. More quick than fast, Latu creatively sheds blocks and possesses an innate ability to maneuver between offensive linemen efficiently, slipping into opposing backfields and disabling plays. Latu’s 13 sacks currently lead all Power Five athletes and is tied for third throughout the entire FBS.
8. Atlanta Falcons: QB - Bo Nix, Oregon
Atlanta’s front office may be willing to move on from head coach Arthur Smith and the underwhelming Desmond Ridder at quarterback. If so, then targeting Bo Nix may make sense when restarting the clock on the Falcons rebuild. It's increasingly hard to ignore the consistent production Nix provides on a weekly basis. He leads the nation in pass completion percentage (78.1) and has thrown 35 touchdowns with just two interceptions on the season.
9. Green Bay Packers: CB - Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
The Packers struggle with inconsistencies in their secondary, allowing teams to complete 64.2 percent of their passes and only intercepting five passes in 10 games. McKinstry displays top-tier coverage skills and competes with the tenacity needed at the professional level. In addition, McKinstry also provides punt return skills, having averaged 15.8 yards a return last season.
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: WR - Rome Odunze, Washington
Longtime Bucs wideout and all-time leading receiver Mike Evans (11,205 yds / 88 TDs) is an unrestricted free agent. Odunze, who possesses excellent size (6-3, 201 lbs) and speed (4.35 40-time) could be an affordable replacement. His ability to track long passes over either shoulder makes him a deep threat defenses shouldn’t underestimate.
11. New York Jets: OT - Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
One of the fastest risers on many draft boards is offensive lineman Talises Fuaga. According to PFF metrics, Fuaga is its highest-rated overall offensive tackle, combining run and pass blocking with a 90.2 rating. In over 1500 plus snaps, Fuaga has never surrendered a sack and provides immediate impact as a run-blocking mauler.
12. Los Angeles Chargers: DB - Cooper DeJean, Iowa
Extremely versatile and skilled, DeJean is an athletic defensive back who could literally play any secondary position and be a difference-maker (7 career interceptions) wherever he’s lined up. Los Angeles’ skill and depth in its secondary, especially the cornerback position, needs immediate improvement to seriously compete against the elite receiving talent in the AFC.
13. Los Angeles Rams: Edge - Dallas Turner, Alabama
Turner is a quick-twitch athlete with excellent length and bendability off the edge when rushing the passer. He is decidedly more explosive from a two-point stance, but his athleticism allows for some schemed alignment versatility. Turner has already exceeded last season’s totals in tackles for loss (10.5) and sacks (7) throughout the 11 games he’s played.
14. Las Vegas Raiders: QB - Michael Penix Jr., Washington
A strong candidate for this season’s 2023 Heisman Trophy, Penix is leading his undefeated Huskies for a run at the National Championship. Penix’s injury history prior to arriving at Washington (two torn ACLs in 2018, 2020) could be the main reason he’s not considered a top-five draft prospect.
15. Indianapolis Colts: DL - Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois
Arguably the best pro prospect on any given game day, Newton is an explosively quick interior defender with powerful hands and a knack for disruption. Throughout a disappointing season for the Illini, Newton compiled 47 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 11 games to date.
16. Denver Broncos: CB - Denzel Burke, Ohio State
Burke is a classic Ohio State defensive back whose coverage skills mix well in man-to-man or zone schemes. His long arms and active hands allow him to stymie receivers in press coverage, while his length and speed provide enough athleticism to stick closely with pass catchers downfield.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: WR - Malik Nabers, LSU
Cincinnati has already enjoyed amazing success with a receiver from LSU, two-time Pro-Bowler Ja'Marr Chase. Potentially targeting another LSU standout receiver like Nabers would offer position alignment versatility and an elite route-running element the Bengals could utilize. His ability to exploit defensive backs, combined with executing precise angled cuts, makes Nabers a reliable option for third-down conversions.
18. Buffalo Bills: Edge - Jared Verse, Florida State
A speed-to-power pass rusher, Verse attacks with improving counter moves and purposefulness that make him less predictable and difficult to block. He competes with a tenacity that matches his production over the past 23 games. His 23.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks illustrate how effective and impactful he can be for a defense.
19. New Orleans Saints: WR - Keon Coleman, Florida State
Coleman’s ability to create separation and leverage his wide catching radius against defenders projects favorably at the next level. Currently, Coleman is catching passes at a rate of 13.7 yards per reception while having caught 11 touchdown passes in just 10 games.
20. Minnesota Vikings: QB - J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
Aside from the fact that veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins is a 35-year-old, $35 million-a-year unrestricted free agent, he’s also done for the season due to an Achilles tendon injury. McCarthy is an athletic quarterback built similarly to former first-overall pick Alex Smith (2005) and plays with a veteran’s poise and leadership. Statistically, McCarthy is completing 73.8 percent of his passes with a four-to-one (18:4) touchdown to interception ratio.
21. Arizona Cardinals (via Houston): CB - Nate Wiggins, Clemson
The Cardinals play hard defensively yet are ineffective when forcing interceptions (8 picks in 11 games) and struggle to make impact plays to close out games. Both of Wiggins’ career interceptions resulted in defensive returns for scores. His length, sinewy strength, and football IQ make him a viable target for Arizona’s future defensive designs.
22. Seattle Seahawks: Edge - J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State
Tuimoloau is a game-wrecking edge rusher who is just grazing the tip of his potential and may yet develop exponentially over the course of the season. His ability to diagnose screen-plays is advanced, as is his knack for penetrating behind offensive lines. Impressively, Tuimoloau registered 20.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, and seven passes defended in just 34 games played.
23. Pittsburgh Steelers: CB - Kalen King, Penn State
One of the Big Ten’s more formidable tacklers, King has registered 43 solo tackles in his last 23 games played. He is adept at zone coverage as well as providing sticky man-to-man defense regardless of the offensive formation and/or personnel. King’s twitchy short-area quickness and astute spatial awareness propelled him last season into leading the Big Ten Conference with 18 passes defended.
24. Houston Texans (via Cleveland): DL - Leonard Taylor III, Miami (FL)
Head coach DeMeco Ryans is a former inside linebacker (Texans) and coached within a 49ers system that believed in rotational depth along its defensive front line. Taylor is a disruptive, thick-bodied interior defender with a good initial burst off the snap of the ball. His ability to shed blocks and penetrate behind the offensive line is evident by his 22.5 tackles for loss and six sacks over the course of 28 collegiate games.
25. Miami Dolphins: S - Kamren Kinchens, Miami (FL)
Kinchens is the type of versatile coverage defender defensive coordinator Vic Fangio desires for his schemes. An intelligent surveyor of the field, Kinchens’ instincts and preparation are integral to his success. In his last 21 games played, Kinchens has tabulated 11 interceptions along with 11 defended passes.
26. Dallas Cowboys: OT - J.C. Latham, Alabama
Veteran offensive tackle Tyron Smith’s effectiveness as a bookend protector has trailed off a bit, plus his age (32) and free agency status dampen his chances of being retained. Latham is a limber 326-pound pass protector whose knee-bending flexibility allows him to stay leveraged behind his pad level. He’s improved overall as a blocker and significantly decreased the amount of penalties called against him.
27. San Francisco 49ers: S - Calen Bullock, USC
Bullock provides an immediate injection of athleticism and explosive game-breaking coverage skills. His ability to intercept passes (nine career picks) and flip field position (averages 23.7 yards on interception returns) makes him a threat across the gridiron. An intelligent surveyor of the field, Bullock’s instincts and preparation are integral to his success.
28. Jacksonville Jaguars: WR - Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
Egbuka is a strong route-runner and pass catcher, and over the past 21 games, he’s tallied 13 receiving scores with a career average of 13.3 yards a reception. Over the past several years, under the tutelage of former Buckeyes’ wide receiver coach Brian Hartline, Ohio State wideouts have excelled in the pros. Egbuka may have the most untapped potential of them all.
29. Kansas City Chiefs: DL - Maason Smith, LSU
Statistically speaking, quarterback pressures consist of all plays that create hurries, knockdowns, and sacks. When completely healthy, there may be no one currently in the college game equally stout against the run and troublesome to passing schemes as Smith.
30. Detroit Lions: CB - Josh Newton, TCU
Newton is an extremely experienced defensive back, having appeared in 58 games to date. A transfer from Louisiana-Monroe, over his last 26 games, Newton registered 50 solo tackles while boasting a career 35.4 average in interception return yards.
31. Baltimore Ravens: WR - Xavier Legette, South Carolina
There have been durability concerns with Baltimore’s receivers over the past several seasons. Should the Ravens target Legette, they’ll be acquiring a physical six-foot-three, 227-pound boundary wideout with a playing style comparable to the Eagles’ primary receiver, A.J. Brown. An exceptional athlete, Legette set the school record for kick-off return yards averaging 29.4 per return last season.
32. Philadelphia Eagles: OT - Amarius Mims, Georgia
The Eagles basically employ the highest percentage of former Georgia Bulldogs currently playing in the NFL, so potentially acquiring Mims is just par for the course. Mims is a massive six-foot-seven, 330-pound behemoth of a man whose physical traits are attention-getting. He plays to his size, showcasing an unapologetic mean streak backed with powerful arms and a balanced base.