ExtremeRavens Posted 23 hours ago Posted 23 hours ago Doing a mock draft this time of year is silly. That doesn’t mean it isn’t fun. Along with the exact order of all 32 picks, there are so many questions around the league that will determine April’s selections. Not surprisingly, most of them involve quarterbacks. Is the Deshaun Watson era over in Cleveland? Is Aaron Rodgers going to retire? Will any veterans get traded or cut? How many new coaching and front office hires will there be? Even when we get those answers, this draft is shaping up to be an unpredictable one. Opinions are split on the quarterback class, which lacks high-end talent at the top. There will not be much clarity until teams start making selections April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It should make for a fascinating few months of debate. Let’s dig in. Here are The Baltimore Sun’s predictions for the first round (Note: picks 1-18 are official after conclusion of regular season; picks 19-32 are projected via Tankathon): 1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami The Will Levis experiment is officially over in Tennessee. Coach Brian Callahan gets a young quarterback to build around in the 6-2, 223-pound Ward, who has made a meteoric rise from a Wing-T high school offense to FCS Incarnate Word to Division I all-time touchdown passes leader. 2. Cleveland Browns: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado The Browns have a chance to mitigate some of the Watson disaster by drafting a quarterback on a cheap rookie deal. The 6-1, 198-pound Sanders has all the requisite star power to become the face of the franchise. Colorado’s Travis Hunter is perhaps the best player in the draft. (Thomas Simonetti/For The Washington Post) 3. New York Giants: Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado What do the Giants do if both top quarterbacks are off the board? Take the best player available. Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner, has a chance to be a Pro Bowl selection at cornerback or wide receiver. The question is whether the 6-foot, 181-pound prospect can play both positions at the next level. 4. New England Patriots: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona The Patriots already have a promising young quarterback in Drake Maye. Whoever replaces coach Jerod Mayo needs to build the best team around him. There’s a strong case to pick an offensive lineman here, but the 6-5, 210-pound McMillan is a unique talent at a position of need. 5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan The priority for returning general manager Trent Baalke should be fixing the defense. The 6-3, 320-pound Graham is a game-wrecker who could form a fearsome trio alongside Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. 6. Las Vegas Raiders: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State How badly do the Raiders want a quarterback? A trade up is certainly possible, but it will be costly. Perhaps this is a landing spot for a veteran? Either way, the running game needs to improve. The 5-9, 215-pound Jeanty is a budding star who is worth the price. 7. New York Jets: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan It’s a fool’s errand to predict what the Jets and Rodgers will decide this offseason. Regardless, it makes sense for the new regime to simply pick the best player. The 6-2, 200-pound Johnson can form a lockdown pairing alongside Sauce Gardner. 8. Carolina Panthers: Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State Bryce Young put any doubts about his future to rest with a tremendous finish to the season. Now the Panthers can focus on improving the rest of the roster, starting with the defense. Wearing the same No. 11, the 6-3, 250-pound Carter looks like a Micah Parsons clone. 9. New Orleans Saints: Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia The Saints are hard to figure out given the questions at quarterback and coach, not to mention an always bloated salary cap. When in doubt, give New Orleans a long, athletic pass rusher. The 6-5, 265-pound Williams fits the bill. 10. Chicago Bears: Will Campbell, OT/G, LSU Is there any other decision here? The Bears need to do a better job of protecting Caleb Williams, and that starts with improving the offensive line. The 6-6, 319-pound Campbell played left tackle in college but could kick inside to guard. 11. San Francisco 49ers: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT/G, Texas A lost season because of injuries gives the Niners a rare chance to reset. The 6-4, 325-pound Banks could step in immediately at guard before taking over at left tackle once Trent Williams decides to retire. 12. Dallas Cowboys: Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M Outside of Parsons, the Cowboys’ defensive line has been disappointing, to say the least. The 6-6, 290-pound Stewart can line up inside or outside and provide some punch up front. 13. Miami Dolphins: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia With Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer entering free agency, the Dolphins will need a new starting safety. The 6-1, 205-pound Starks is an instinctive and physical player who can become the leader of the secondary. 14. Indianapolis Colts: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan If the Colts are committed to Anthony Richardson, they need to give him every possible tool to succeed. The 6-5, 245-pound Loveland is a matchup nightmare with his size and speed. 15. Atlanta Falcons: James Pearce Jr., EDGE, Tennessee The Falcons have ranked 31st or worse in sacks in three of the past four seasons. The 6-4, 245-pound Pearce might not have the size or strength to be an every-down player, but his length and athleticism should make him a legitimate pass-rushing threat. 16. Arizona Cardinals: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri Give Marvin Harrison Jr. a running mate and watch this offense take off. The 5-11, 210-pound Burden can thrive in the role Greg Dortch has occupied in Arizona with his ability to win from the slot and pick up yards after the catch. 17. Cincinnati Bengals: Jalon Walker, LB/EDGE, Georgia If Tee Higgins doesn’t return, wide receiver becomes a top priority this offseason. But the Bengals’ defense is what ultimately cost them a playoff spot. The 6-2, 245-pound Walker can help solidify a weak linebacker room while providing some pop as a pass rusher. 18. Seattle Seahawks: Cameron Williams, OT/G, Texas The Seahawks need to do everything they can this offseason to improve the offensive line. The 6-5, 335-pound Williams is raw, but he has all the physical traits to become a star. 19. Houston Texans: Wyatt Milum, OT/G, West Virginia The Texans can’t let C.J. Stroud play another season behind a bad offensive line. The 6-6, 317-pound Milum was one of the nation’s most dominant blockers this past season and can help shore up the projection at guard or right tackle. 20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M Coach Todd Bowles’ defense should be looking for pass-rush upgrades. The 6-4, 280-pound Scourton didn’t quite live up to expectations with the Aggies after a dominant 2023 season at Purdue, but he’s a young, versatile player with plenty of room to grow. Penn State’s Tyler Warren is one of the top tight ends in the draft. (Barry Reeger/AP) 21. Denver Broncos: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State Imagine what coach Sean Payton could do with a tight end who also plays quarterback? Oh, right, we’ve already seen it with Taysom Hill. The 6-6, 255-pound Warren is a much better pass catcher and blocker who could help take the offense to the next level. 22. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama This would be a fascinating pairing. The 6-1, 225-pound Milroe has a lot of room to improve as a passer, but his rushing ability, big arm and play-making instincts would make him an intriguing rival to the two-time Most Valuable Player in Baltimore. 23. Los Angeles Rams: Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State The Rams could use a long-term option at tackle with Alaric Jackson hitting free agency and Rob Havenstein turning 33 in May. Assuming he’s fully recovered from his torn ACL, the 6-5, 310-pound Simmons has star potential. 24. Green Bay Packers: Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina The Packers could move on from Jaire Alexander, who has missed 10 or more games in three of the past four seasons and is coming off knee surgery. The 6-2, 200-pound Revel has his own injury concerns after tearing his ACL, but he fits the Green Bay mold with his size and speed. 25. Los Angeles Chargers: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan Giving coach Jim Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter a former Wolverine just makes too much sense. The 6-3, 340-pound Grant fits the team’s identity with his high motor and relentless pursuit. 26. Washington Commanders: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State Olamide Zaccheaus and Noah Brown have had nice seasons in Washington, but Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin deserve a better No. 2 wide receiver. The 6-1, 203-pound Egbuka has been quietly productive playing behind some big stars in Columbus. Oregon offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr. could be what the Ravens need. (Kyusung Gong/AP) 27. Ravens: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon Left tackle Ronnie Stanley’s future will be the most important offseason development in Baltimore. Even if he returns, the Ravens should plan ahead. The 6-4, 315-pound Conerly might need time to develop, but the payoff could be huge with the former five-star prospect. 28. Philadelphia Eagles: Mike Green, EDGE, Marshall It’s almost always the offensive or defensive line for the Eagles in the first round. The 6-4, 248-pound Green burst onto the scene this season with a nation-leading 17 sacks while earning a stellar 90.1 Pro Football Focus grade against the run. 29. Buffalo Bills: Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss Buffalo’s defense has been terrible against the run this season, particularly its interior linemen. The 6-3, 300-pound Nolen could be a steal after a breakout season with the Rebels that showed off his five-star potential. 30. Minnesota Vikings: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon When Jerry Tillery (career 49.2 PFF grade) is playing nearly 500 snaps at defensive tackle, you know it’s time to seek reinforcements. The 6-5, 310-pound Harmon is a disruptive force as both a run defender and pass rusher. 31. Detroit Lions: JT Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State This is a match made in heaven. The Lions need another edge rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson and get one in the 6-4, 269-pound Tuimoloau, who fits their culture with his toughness, energy and consistency. 32. Kansas City Chiefs: Jonah Savaiinaea, OT/G, Arizona Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid can seemingly win with anyone, but the Chiefs need to find a solution at left tackle (and could lose Pro Bowl guard Trey Smith in free agency). The 6-5, 330-pound Savaiinaea is versatile, giving Kansas City options to build its best five. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article Quote
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