It was not too long ago that I was mocking a quarterback to the Panthers seemingly every week. Bryce Young was on the bench, and his play in the NFL to that point didn't garner much excitement for his future as an NFL starter.
Since his return to the field in Week 8, Young has been as close to completely transformed as I've seen at the quarterback position within one season. Before his benching, Young hadn't thrown a touchdown pass and had tossed three interceptions. His yards-per-attempt average was an almost unfathomable 4.6.
It feels like we've been watching a stunt double after his return to the starting lineup in Carolina. He has seven touchdown to four picks and his yards-per-attempt average is 6.2. The Panthers have scored 20 or more points in four of the six games. Young isn't suddenly an elite-level quarterback, but there are signs of life every single week. He came within a few plays of beating the Chiefs, and made a gorgeous throw to Xavier Legette that should've given the Panthers a last-minute lead over the Eagles in Philadelphia in Week 13.
Therefore, the mocks from me with the Panthers going quarterback are officially a thing of the past.
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NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
Colorado
• Sr
• 6'2"
/ 215 lbs
The Raiders would probably love this scenario playing out, landing Sanders with the No. 1 pick. And it seems like Sanders would love to start his career in Las Vegas.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Cam Ward
QB
Miami (FL)
• Sr
• 6'2"
/ 223 lbs
The Giants have no choice but to go with a quarterback with this selection, and Ward has demonstrated steady growth as a signal-caller in his long collegiate career.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Travis Hunter
ATH
Colorado
• Jr
• 6'1"
/ 185 lbs
What a boon this would be for the Patriots, landing Hunter at No. 3 overall to give the offense a dynamic receiving option who doubles as a sticky, instinctive cornerback.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Arizona
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 212 lbs
McMillan would be the ideal boundary, back-shoulder, rebounder type with plus YAC skills to provide to Bryce Young at the start of his third professional season.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Will Johnson
CB
Michigan
• Jr
• 6'2"
/ 202 lbs
Prime trade-down location here for the Jaguars, but if they stay put, they'll need another plus talent at the cornerback position for what has been an atrocious defense in 2024.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
LSU
• Jr
• 6'6"
/ 323 lbs
The Titans may have the worst offensive line in football, so they pick the consensus best offensive tackle in the class in Campbell, who started at left tackle for LSU for three consecutive seasons.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Jalen Milroe
QB
Alabama
• Jr
• 6'2"
/ 225 lbs
If Aaron Rodgers returns for 2025 with the Jets, I'd love New York to pick a high-upside quarterback who needs development to learn under him. That's precisely what they'd get here with Milroe.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Abdul Carter
EDGE
Penn State
• Jr
• 6'3"
/ 252 lbs
The Browns need plenty, and Carter has a case as the best player on the board at this juncture with at reasonably high positional value.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Missouri
• Jr
• 5'11"
/ 205 lbs
How about another weapon for Caleb Williams? Burden has looked like a first-round pick since his first season at Missouri.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
Emeka Egbuka
WR
Ohio State
• Sr
• 6'1"
/ 205 lbs
With plenty of uncertainty surrounding the football-playing future of Chris Olave given his vast concussion history, the Saints have to add another high-caliber receiving talent to the offense.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Texas
• Jr
• 6'4"
/ 320 lbs
The offensive tackle position for the Bengals needs to be bolstered. Banks, a premier pass protector, would provide youthful stability.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Boise State
• Jr
• 5'9"
/ 215 lbs
At this point, I'd be surprised if Jeanty isn't the selection for the Cowboys whenever they pick in the first round.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Georgia
• Jr
• 6'1"
/ 205 lbs
Best player available for a team that has some needs in the secondary. Starks is a three-down stud.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Michigan
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 245 lbs
The Colts provide Anthony Richardson the top tight end prospect in the class with plus receiving capabilities.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
James Pearce Jr.
EDGE
Tennessee
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 243 lbs
Pearce looks like a top-15 pick, and the Falcons make him one here. He's long, explosive, deceptively powerful and put together two magnificent seasons in the SEC.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
Nic Scourton
EDGE
Texas A&M
• Jr
• 6'4"
/ 285 lbs
The Cardinals get another versatile defensive lineman to improve the pass rush for 2025 and beyond.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Josh Simmons
OT
Ohio State
• Sr
• 6'5"
/ 310 lbs
Simmons has significant upside because of his size and athletic traits. He'd be a sensible heir apparent to Trent Williams in San Francisco.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
Wyatt Milum
OT
West Virginia
• Sr
• 6'6"
/ 317 lbs
Sean McVay gets an NFL-ready blocker to step in to the left tackle gig right out of the gates as a rookie.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
Princely Umanmielen
EDGE
Ole Miss
• Sr
• 6'4"
/ 255 lbs
Umanmielen is a chiseled but reasonably explosive and bendy rusher who'd be a welcomed addition to the Buccaneers outside pass rush currently anchored by Yaya Diaby.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
Jalon Walker
EDGE
Georgia
• Jr
• 6'2"
/ 245 lbs
The Commanders get a physically gifted edge rusher who can also play off the ball if necessary.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Jalen Royals
WR
Utah State
• Sr
• 6'0"
/ 205 lbs
Another early-round receiver for Justin Herbert. If Royals tests reasonably well in Indianapolis, he has the production to go this high in April.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
Minnesota
• Sr
• 6'6"
/ 330 lbs
The Broncos replace Garett Bolles with Ersery, a dancing bear on the edge of the offensive line.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
Mykel Williams
EDGE
Georgia
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 265 lbs
The Seahawks stop Williams' fall and love that they're getting an incredible physical specimen this late in Round 1.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Mason Graham
DL
Michigan
• Jr
• 6'3"
/ 320 lbs
Graham and Nnamdi Madubuike would be quite the ferocious interior tandem on Baltimore's defensive front.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
Tyler Booker
IOL
Alabama
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 325 lbs
Watch a Texans game, and you'll first notice how shoddy the interior of the offensive line is. Booker is the best pure offensive guard in this class.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
LSU
• Jr
• 6'1"
/ 225 lbs
When healthy, Perkins would give the Packers speed and positional flexibility in the front seven of their defense.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
Texas
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 335 lbs
More investment in the offensive line for the Steelers, which seems most sensible given how shaky Dan Moore has played this season.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
T.J. Sanders
DL
South Carolina
• Jr
• 6'4"
/ 290 lbs
Sanders has been a havoc-wreaking interior player for South Carolina this season and has an NFL-ready frame.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
Ashton Gillotte
EDGE
Louisville
• Sr
• 6'3"
/ 275 lbs
The Bills plan for the future at edge rusher with Gillotte, who's been borderline unblockable around the corner the past two seasons for the Cardinals.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
LT Overton
DL
Alabama
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 283 lbs
When in doubt, Howie Roseman drafts defensive linemen. And Overton was a breakout star on Alabama's defense this season with a unique, oversized body type.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
East Carolina
• Sr
• 6'3"
/ 193 lbs
Revel, when back from injury, would give the Chiefs another long, athletic and feisty man-to-man cornerback.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Tyler Warren
TE
Penn State
• Sr
• 6'6"
/ 261 lbs
Warren and Sam LaPorta would be a tremendous combination in Detroit catching passes from Jared Goff.
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