ESPN NFL Mock Draft: Draft Week Edition
Well folks we are just a few days out from the NFL draft which begins Thursday evening. The draft will run the first round only on Thursday starting at 5 PM PST. It will be televised on ESPN/ABC and the NFL Network.
Mock drafts have been running for months now. The consistency has gotten more noticeable of where picks might land in the last month.
One of which includes Oregon quarterback Bo Nix. A number of drafts have had Nix connected to the Denver Broncos at the No. 12 pick. Meanwhile center Jackson Powers-Johnson has bounced from first to second round. Wide receiver Troy Franklin has hovered from a late first rounder to the second round.
ESPN NFL draft analyst Jordan Reid has published his full seven round mock draft. And he’s got some interesting twists in his latest update.
Here are his top ten picks in the upcoming draft on Thursday.
- Bears: QB Caleb Williams
- Commanders: QB Jayden Daniels
- Patriots: QB Drake Maye
- Cardinals: WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
- Chargers: OT Joe Alt
- Giants: WR Malik Nabers
- Titans: WR Rome Odunze
- Vikings: Trade Up to Draft QB JJ McCarthy
- Bears: EDGE Dallas Turner
- Jets: TE Brock Bowers
As for Oregon quarterback Bo Nix, he still has him going to the Broncos, but not at No. 12.
22. Broncos: QB Bo Nix
The correlation between Nix’s skill set and that of QBs who have played under Denver coach Sean Payton is impossible to ignore. Nix is accurate, poised and decisive — all traits Payton covets. I would be shocked if Denver enters next season with just Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci at the position, and it’s clear neither is the long-term answer under center. After the trade back, this a more reasonable range for Nix, and it’s a big win for the Broncos. They can land a great scheme fit at QB and add a pick in Round 2, where they currently don’t have any selections.
As for center JPJ, he’ll have to wait until Friday to hear his name called. The second and third rounds will draft on Friday, also on ESPN.
33: Panthers: Center Jackson Powers-Johnson (Round 2, Pick 1)
Carolina spent big on its offensive this offseason, signing guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, but there’s still room for improvement. Guard Austin Corbett is entering the final year of his contract, so Powers-Johnson would not only be competition but also a potential long-term solution to solidify the Panthers’ interior front. JPJ has strong hands and can anchor against pass-rushers.
48: Jaguars: Wide Receiver Troy Franklin (Round 2, Pick 15)
Let’s get Trevor Lawrence some vertical speed to target down the field. Franklin is a slender (176 pounds) but explosive pass-catcher with 4.41 speed.
Interesting Pick of Note:
44. Raiders: QB Michael Penix Jr.
This makes too much sense. Neither Aidan O’Connell nor Gardner Minshew are the Raiders’ long-term answer at quarterback, and Penix could even find himself starting at some point during his rookie season. He isn’t the most mobile QB prospect, but his deep ball is fantastic. Las Vegas passers had 18 interceptions (tied for fifth worst), completed 62.5% of passes (eighth worst) and averaged 6.6 yards per attempt (tied for seventh worst) last season.
