Jay Roosevelt

My predictions based on current rumors/info/common sense is: 1. TITANS: Cam Ward 2. BROWNS: Abdul Carter (God have mercy on Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson and whoever the Steelers trot out at QB) 3. GIANTS: Shedeur Sanders 4. PATRIOTS: Travis Hunter 5. JAGUARS: Mason Graham 6. RAIDERS: Ashton Jeanty 7. JETS: Armand Membou 8. PANTHERS: Jalon Walker

I want Jalon Walker because he is good at football.

I get that Mykel was injured last year, but I still don't see it for a top-10 pick. After a trade-down in the teens or 20s? Yeah, fine. Or MAYBE if Jalon Walker and Mason Graham are both off the board at #8, but I just can't see taking him at #8 over either of them. Mykel seems like so much more of a projection to me than Walker, which is not good given that Walker is the tweener LB/EDGE of the two. I will say Mykel profiles as the better fit in a 4-3 defense, but I've never been a big fan of drafting players based on scheme fit. Great players will play great in any scheme, especially on defense.

I'm in favor of trading down, but not too far without good compensation. I don't want to lose out on Walker and it's entirely possible that the Saints and/or Bears could take him if he doesn't go #8. So if a team wants to move up it's going to take a pretty good pick or package of picks.

1. Mason Graham 2. Trade Back 3. Jalon Walker 4. Tyler Warren 5. Jihaad Campbell

I mean, considering the stupid strategy they did generally draft good players.

1. Mason Graham 2. Jalon Walker 3. Tyler Warren

You spelled it wrong; it's PEZ, not PED.

A damn shame. I love him as a player.

I agree. We need to find a way to get him in the 2nd.

Thomas Davis wasn't a hybrid in the NFL, though. After his rookie season they basically just put him at OLB and that's where he stayed. Had they tried to turn him into some mythical position that doesn't exist he may have been a bust, too.

Having said all of that, it's a damn shame Mike Green has the off-field concerns because he would be a slam dunk choice at #8, IMO.

My order of (realistic) preference at #8: 1. Mason Graham 2. Jalon Walker 3. Jihaad Campbell 4. Tyler Warren 5. Mykel Williams There's an outside chance that Graham falls to us, but it's unlikely. I hope we don't have it in our heads to just take an EDGE no matter what because if Graham doesn't fall and for some reason Walker isn't there the BPA isn't going to be one of the other edge rushers. I'd much rather add Jihaad Campbell and get that stud ILB we've been lacking or even just go offense with Warren than reach for Mykel, Pierce or Stewart at #8. Even if we trade down to around the 12-15 range I feel like Campbell or Warren (or even one of the safeties) would be the better pick if Walker goes off the board. There's plenty of depth at EDGE in this class; absolutely no reason to box ourselves in to taking one in the 1st if the value isn't there

I hate that 2nd round pick.

This might be my favorite realistic mock draft I've done...

I feel like Carter is a safer pick than most players in the top-10 just because he can play off-ball linebacker at a high level, even if he doesn't pan out as an edge rusher.

Yes. Whether I'd actually take the deal depends on what we'd have to give up, but I think we have to call in that scenario.

I just hope they know how to use him properly. If they try to make him an off-ball linebacker that blitzes sometimes it'll be a waste, IMO. He needs to play EDGE, not linebacker.

Very little reason to have too much confidence in Legette, IMO. He cares more about catching rodents than he does catching footballs. Another player who will probably make a fortune as a podcast host/personality after they flunk out of the league.

Traded all the way down with Buffalo. Picked up their 1st rounder next year and then traded both 2nd rounders to move back into the 1st for Emeka Egbuka. Also traded up into the late 2nd for another pass rusher.

Something different; an offensive focused draft. Only one pick used on defense...