I previously completed a perfect mock draft. You can read it here. This is just a slightly more perfect mock draft.

1. Carolina Panthers (from Chicago Bears): CJ Stroud | Quarterback | Ohio State

I still think Bryce Young is the most surefire quarterback prospect in this draft, but a lot of signs point to Stroud going first overall. For starters, Panther's new QB coach Josh McCown raved about Stroud in January:

CJ has had some ups and downs, but the talent is undeniable as was his 4 passing touchdowns against a Georgia defense that was essentially an NFL JV team. After several starts and stops over the past few years, Carolina finally has their quarterback of the future.

2. Houston Texans: Bryce Young | Quarterback | Alabama

I previously had the Texans foregoing the quarterback position to tank for Caleb Williams. However, there’s just no way the franchise can possibly pass on Bryce Young if he drops past the first pick. He weighed in at over 200 pounds at the NFL Combine, which should be enough to put some fears at ease about his size. He’ll never be the biggest quarterback, but his size is comparable to Drew Brees and Kyler Murray—his upside is as well.

3. Arizona Cardinals: Will Anderson Jr. | Edge | Alabama

The Cardinals' front office might pull a hammy while sprinting to deliver this pick. Absolute no-brainer.

4. Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Richardson | Quarterback | Florida

After a record-breaking-video-game-numbers combine, Richardson stock is way on the rise, with quite a few “experts” mocking him as high as #1 overall. I think he’s too risky of a pick to go that high, but I really love him being taken in this spot. New Colts coach Shane Steichen helped mold Jalen Hurts into an All-Pro quarterback. Richardson is essentially Hurts, except with like +5-10 in every attribute category. Given the Colts just signed Minshew (a Steichen favorite in Philly), Indy could draft Richardson in this spot without feeling pressure to play him early.

5. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver Broncos): Tyree Wilson | Edge | Texas Tech

The Seahawks are facing a full rebuild along the defensive line and Tyree Wilson is a great start. One of the most athletic players in the country, he was a consistent force at Tech.

6. Detroit Lions (from Los Angeles Rams): Jalen Carter | Defensive Tackle | Georgia

Carter has seen his stock sliding due to legal issues and reports that he was so overweight at his Pro Day he couldn’t finish some drillse. Not great!! But if the NFL has taught us anything, it’s that a few warts are worth overlooking for the right athlete. Dan Campbell is building a really strong culture in Detroit. If given the right coaching and surrounded by the right influences, Carter could become a perennial All-Pro next to 2022 Defensive Rookie of the Year Aiden Hutchinson.

7. Las Vegas Raiders: Will Levis | Quarterback | Kentucky

I had the Raiders moving up to No. 1 overall in my previously perfect mock draft. Now that that’s out of the cards, I think they stay put and pick Levis to learn under Jimmy G—who by all accounts, is a great teammate and a good dude. Good for him. We'll get him an offensive weapon here shortly — stay tuned.

8. Atlanta Falcons: Will McDonald IV | Edge | Iowa State

This is the first pick I have overlapping from my 1.0 draft (which I should reiterate, was perfect). The Falcons are bad and will probably be bad for a minute. But their leading pass rusher had 4 sacks last year. They need to get after the quarterback full-stop. McDonald is the all-time sack leader in Big 12 history and should be athletic enough to stay productive at the next level.

9. Chicago Bears (from Carolina Panthers): Nolan Smith | Edge | Georgia

Smith might have had the most impressive NFL Combine out of any player not named Anthony Richardson, running a 4.39 40-yard dash with a 41.5-inch vertical. That’s frankly terrifying, and he should promptly be hired to terrorize NFL quarterbacks.

10. Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans Saints): Bijan Robinson | Running Back | Texas

Miles Sanders just signed with the Panthers, leaving the Eagles with a big hole at running back. They could address this in the later rounds, but combining Bijan with Jalen Hurts might just be too tempting for Philadelphia.

11. Tennessee Titans: Peter Skoronski | Offensive Tackle | Northwestern 

This would be a great result for Tennessee, getting a new franchise left tackle to slide right into the vacancy left by Taylor Lewan. 

12. Houston Texans (from Cleveland Browns): Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Wide Reciever | Ohio State

With this pick, the Texans would completely re-shape their offense and create a tantalizing fantasy connection for years to come. Smith-Njigba impressed at the Combine despite not running the 40 (he will at his Pro Day). He would immediately give the Texans a WR 1 and give Houston some sizzle it's been lacking for years on offense.

13. New York Jets: Paris Johnson Jr. | Offensive Tackle | Ohio State

Gotta keep Aaron Rodgers upright. That’s it.

14. New England Patriots: Christian Gonzalez | Cornerback | Oregon

A great result for the Patriots, locking down arguably the best cornerback in the draft this deep in the first round. I was tempted to have the Patriots trade down here out of principle, but I don’t think they could if Gonzalez was still on the board.

15. Green Bay Packers: Michael Mayer | Tight End | Notre Dame

While it would be funnier if the Packers traded to get multiple first-round picks and just took a bunch of receivers as a final petty sendoff to Aaron Rodgers, Mayer is the correct pick. The Irish have produced several great NFL tight ends over the years and he might just be the best. 

16. Washington Commanders: Joey Porter Jr. | Cornerback | Penn State

The Commanders also find themselves in the midst of a full rebuild and Joey Porter Jr. would be a more than satisfactory building block in the secondary. 

17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Devon Witherspoon | Cornerback | Illinois 

Witherspoon had 3 interceptions and 17 passes defended for the top-ranked Illinois defense last season. He didn’t get to test in all the drills at the combine, but he put enough on tape against quality Big Ten competition that it shouldn’t matter.

18. Detroit Lions: Myles Murphy | Defensive End | Clemson 

I had the Lions taking Murphy with the 6th pick in my first mock draft, and I think that take is technically still correct if they take him here. I was still right all along, remember that!

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Lukas Van Ness | Defensive End | Iowa 

Van Ness didn’t even technically start at Iowa but that doesn’t matter when you’re 6-foot-5, 270 pounds, and run like this:

People are okay assuming you’ll figure out the football part.

20. Seattle Seahawks: Bryan Breese | Defensive Tackle | Clemson 

Breese could theoretically go higher, but won’t because this mock draft is perfect and there are no changes needed. He tested really well at the Combine, but his athleticism has never been a question—he was one of the top recruits in the country coming out of high school. His health is a question mark however, with Breese missing significant time at Clemson with injuries. 

21. Los Angeles Chargers: Zay Flowers | Wide Reciever | Boston College

I had Zay Flowers going to Chargers in my first mock draft, and he still seems like the best pick in this spot because I’m really, really good at this stuff.

22. Baltimore Ravens: Quentin Johnston | Wide Reciever | TCU

Another repeat pick from my first mock draft, which, once again, was perfect (minus the slight imperfections I’m improving on).

23. Minnesota Vikings: Calijah Kancey  | Defensive Tackle | Pittsburgh

Not all undersized, ultra-productive college defensive tackles out of Pitt turn out to be Aaron Donald. But some of them do! This seems like enough to take a chance on Kancey here, especially given the loss of Dalvin Tomlinson.

24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Dalton Kinkaid | Tight End | Utah

Dalton Kincaid would be a perfect fit for the Jaguars and give Trevor Lawrence another big target to look toward in the end zone. It feels like Jacksonville really figured things out at the end of last season and will be a perennial playoff team moving forward. Nobody is Travis Kelce, but Kinkaid is the most Kelce-like player in this draft. 

25. New York Giants: O’Cyrus Torrance | Offensive Guard | Florida

I’m like 96% sure this pick is happening. Like it’s locked up. They’re drafting him. Get over it. 

26. Dallas Cowboys: Jordan Addison | Wide Reciever | USC

This would just be a disgusting pickup for the Boys at this spot, with Addison being arguably (ARGUABLY) the best receiver in the entire draft. He’d immediately slot in opposite Ceedee Lamb and Brandin Cooks and perfectly round out that Cowboys receiving corps that's been lacking since Amari Cooper went to Cleveland.

27. Buffalo Bills: Trenton Simpson | Linebacker | Clemson

After losing Tremaine Edmunds to the Bears, Buffalo needs another athletic freak at linebacker. Enter: Trenton Simpson. He put on an absolute show at the Combine, running a 4.43 40-yard dash. It won’t be a full replacement for Edmunds, but this pickup would soften the blow somewhat. 

28. Cincinnati Bengals: Brian Branch | Safety | Alabama

With Jessie Bates III signing for big money in Atlanta—and the Bengals investing in their O-line with Orlando Brown—Branch is the logical fit here as a replacement. 

29. New Orleans Saints (from San Francisco 49ers): Broderick Jones | Offensive Tackle | Georgia

I’ll level with you, kind of lost track of Broderick here. He’s a big guy, I’m not sure how it happened either. If he drops this far, new Saints quarterback Derek Carr will be extremely pleased. 

30. Philadelphia Eagles: Cam Smith | Cornerback | South Carolina

After having some fun with the #10 pick, Philly further bolsters its secondary by adding Cam Smith.

31. Kansas City Chiefs: Jahmyr Gibbs | Running Back | Alabama

I had this pick in my last mock draft, which was perfect LIKE I ALREADY SAID!


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