After one week of college football, we got a good look at which prospects took the next steps in their development and which may have leveled off. If there's one thing that's for sure after one week, it's that the race for QB1 is still a wide-open contest with no easy choices at the top.
The draft order below was determined using Super Bowl odds but in reverse order.
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NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
James Pearce Jr.
EDGE
Tennessee
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 243 lbs
Pearce has a first step that'll strike fear in even the most athletic tackles. Combine that with his 6-foot-5 frame, as well as the flexibility of a wide receiver, and you have a defensive end who could be the first since Myles Garrett to go No. 1 overall.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Mykel Williams
EDGE
Georgia
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 265 lbs
The top of the edge class sits two of the most absurd athletes you'll ever see in two different molds. While Pearce is a lightning bolt off the edge, Williams is a sledge hammer. He's got absurdly long arms with enough pop behind them to control any lineman he faces.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Quinn Ewers
QB
Texas
• Jr
• 6'2"
/ 210 lbs
Ewers played with a level of comfort in Texas' Week 1 win that we hadn't seen from him in his first two years with the Longhorns. The five-star pedigree shined through with numerous high-level anticipation throws.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Will Johnson
CB
Michigan
• Jr
• 6'2"
/ 202 lbs
Johnson had one of the highlights of the weekend when he jumped a bubble screen and took it back the other way for a pick-6 against Fresno State. He's a far cry from Commanders former first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes from a physicality perspective as Johnson bullies opposing wide receivers.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Abdul Carter
EDGE
Penn State
• Jr
• 6'3"
/ 252 lbs
Carter was a tough man to pin down in his very first start on the edge for the Nittany Lions after switching from off-ball linebacker. His elite short-area quicks were on full display against a future NFL offensive lineman in West Virginia's Wyatt Milum.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Colorado
• Sr
• 6'2"
/ 215 lbs
No one will be questioning Sanders' toughness in the pre-draft process after the performance the Colorado quarterback had in Week 1. Sanders' ability to deliver strike after strike down the field under heavy pressure is the definition of an NFL-translatable trait.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Arizona
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 212 lbs
The true junior wideout had the prospect performance of the weekend against New Mexico when he hauled in an outlandish 10 catches for 304 yards and 4 scores. The full skillset was on display for the lanky wideout with an NBA wing build and elite ball skills. That's the kind of target you want to give your young potential franchise quarterback in Bo Nix.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Nic Scourton
EDGE
Texas A&M
• Jr
• 6'4"
/ 285 lbs
If the Cardinals 2024 draft was any indication, they want physical defensive linemen. Scourton fits that profile to a 'T.' He collapses opposing offensive tackles on contact and bowls right through outstretched arms.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Mason Graham
DL
Michigan
• Jr
• 6'3"
/ 320 lbs
Defensive tackle looks like the most underpowered spot on the Vikings roster at the moment with a bevy of journeymen commanding snaps. Graham would immediately give them a playmaker on the interior with a surprisingly complete skill set for only a junior defensive tackle.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
Deone Walker
DL
Kentucky
• Jr
• 6'6"
/ 345 lbs
Walker is a behemoth of a defensive tackle who harkens back to giant defensive tackles of yesteryear. At 6-foot-6 and 345 pounds, Walker is darn near impossible to corral one-on-one. That would make one imposing pair with Bryan Bresee.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Colorado
• Jr
• 6'1"
/ 185 lbs
This one would make sense at either corner or wide receiver where Chris Godwin is set to hit free agency. Hunter's got elite ball skills no matter where he's lined up and a knack for making big plays.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Notre Dame
• Jr
• 6'0"
/ 190 lbs
Morrison might be the cleanest all-around cover corner in the draft. He plays a ton of press-man in Marcus Freeman's scheme and lives in hip pockets.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
LSU
• Jr
• 6'6"
/ 323 lbs
With the injury issues the Seahawks have had at tackle, getting some insurance there would be a welcome addition for Geno Smith. Campbell is a battle-tested pass-protector in the SEC who's been starting on the blind side since he was a true freshman.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Carson Beck
QB
Georgia
• Sr
• 6'4"
/ 220 lbs
Odds are the Steelers will have to get up higher than this to secure Beck's services, but as it stands there aren't too many quarterback-needy teams ahead of them. Beck is a quick processor and consistently accurate timing passer. He's got the kind of game that should translate to the NFL quickly.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Georgia
• Jr
• 6'1"
/ 205 lbs
Starks had one of the highlights of the weekend with his leaping, back-shoulder interception as he matched a slot fade stride for stride. He's the most complete safety to come out in the draft since Derwin James.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
Texas
• Jr
• 6'4"
/ 320 lbs
With Jedrick Wills set to hit free agency and no news on extension talks in Cleveland, the Browns could be in the left tackle market next offseason. Banks' toolset isn't too dissimilar to Wills as a hyper-athletic and explosive offensive tackle.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Missouri
• Jr
• 5'11"
/ 205 lbs
With one of the most unproven receiver rooms in the NFL, the Chargers could look to add early in next year's draft. Burden would be a steal if he falls this far as he's got unique play-making ability. He consistently creates with the ball in his hands and has easy one-cut separation along his routes.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
LSU
• Jr
• 6'6"
/ 315 lbs
Jones would fit in swimmingly amongst the burly offensive line that's been built in the Windy City. Jones has the kind of anchor that would give Caleb Williams massive pockets to step into.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
JT Tuimoloau
EDGE
Ohio State
• Sr
• 6'5"
/ 269 lbs
With Matthew Judon only a one-year rental, the edge position in Atlanta is far from addressed long term. Tuiomoloau is a power-rusher like Judon who can collapse pockets with relative ease when he wants to.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
Denzel Burke
CB
Ohio State
• Sr
• 6'1"
/ 193 lbs
Burke is a four-year starter for the Buckeyes who's closing ability pops off the tape. You saw it over the weekend as he ripped an interception away from an Akron receiver at the catch point. Burke would give the Rams an NFL-ready transition plan from either Darious Williams or Tre'Davious White.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Isaiah Bond
WR
Texas
• Jr
• 5'11"
/ 180 lbs
The athletes Mike McDaniels covets offensively don't grow on trees making it all the more important for the Dolphins to prioritize them in the draft. With Tyreek Hill on the wrong side of 30, it may make sense for the Dolphins to go after his replacement. While Bond doesn't have quite the juice that Hill and Jaylen Waddle possess, the junior wide receiver is in the tier right below that.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
Michigan
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 245 lbs
Loveland may not be an elite tester, but when you flip on the tape you see a very young tight end make getting open look easy. He was demolishing Fresno State cornerbacks over the weekend one-on one running wide receiver routes. That's what you want a first-round tight end to look like.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
Emeka Egbuka
WR
Ohio State
• Sr
• 6'1"
/ 205 lbs
Egbuka is ready-made No. 2 wide receiver to pair with CeeDee Lamb. He's already an advanced route-runner who's savvy beyond his years. The senior receiver looked completely recovered in Week 1 from the injuries that plagued him in 2023.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
East Carolina
• Sr
• 6'3"
/ 193 lbs
This year's Quinyon Mitchell? Like Mitchell, the Senior Bowl may play a big part in Revel's draft stock given his level of competition. There's nothing on tape, though, to suggest Revel will struggle as the competition improves. He's a big, fluid athlete (6-foot-3, 193 pounds) with an easy ability to find the football.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
Boise State
• Jr
• 5'9"
/ 215 lbs
Jeanty had one of the stat lines of the weekend with 267 yards on 20 carries and 6 scores. It looked like high school tape the way he tore through Georgia Southern's defense. He's a true do-it-all running back.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
South Carolina
• Jr
• 6'3"
/ 227 lbs
Gone are the Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde safety duo that keyed so many Bills defenses. Emmanwori has the kind of freakish physical skillset to make impact plays at every level of the defense. At 6-foot-3 and 227 pounds, Emmanwori can be a modern chess piece for Sean McDermott to deploy against elite offenses.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
Tre Harris
WR
Ole Miss
• Sr
• 6'3"
/ 210 lbs
Harris has the ranginess to replace Tee Higgins in the Bengals offense given he likely walks after playing a season on the franchise tag. Harris started hot out the gate for the Rebels with 8 catches for 179 yards and 2 scores against Furman on Saturday.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Arizona
• Jr
• 6'5"
/ 336 lbs
The Lions aren't going to shy away from making their strengths even stronger. Savaiinaea is the type of guard to consistently move the line of scrimmage in the run game. Him fitting a double team with Lions right tackle Penei Sewell would be carnage.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
Jalon Walker
LB
Georgia
• Jr
• 6'2"
/ 245 lbs
With Brandon Graham's retirement imminent, Walker can be the stout, bull-rusher off the edge in the Eagles' third-down packages. He's playing a mix of on- and off-ball linebacker for the Bulldogs this season.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Oklahoma State
• Jr
• 6'2"
/ 225 lbs
Gordon has the kind of power-rushing skillset to transition the Ravens smoothly from Derrick Henry. 6-foot- 2, 225-pound running backs with Gordon's footwork don't come around often. That's a skill set worth using a first-rounder on to pair with Lamar Jackson for the next half decade.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Ohio State
• Sr
• 6'3"
/ 327 lbs
Williams is a true defensive line cornerstone on the interior. He is a block of granite in the run game who holds the point at an elite level already. The 49ers can't afford to let their defensive line dominance slip.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Arizona
• Jr
• 6'4"
/ 190 lbs
Davis has the pterodactyl-esque wingspan that Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo loves to deploy in press coverage. He broke up double-digit passes as a sophomore in 2023.
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