The Athletic's Dane Brugler reveals two-round mock draft with a surprise at No. 1

With the college football season over, NFL scouts are deep into the film to find their team’s next star. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler shared his two-round mock draft, which includes a stunner at the No. 1 spot.

At the top of his list, Brugler named NC State offensive lineman Ikem Ekwonu. Naturally, the thinking here is that the 6-foot-4, 320-pound tackle could help the Jacksonville Jaguars’ former first-rounder Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence took 32 sacks in his rookie season and threw 17 interceptions. The Jaguars will have a hard decision to make if they do take an offensive lineman first, between Ekwonu, Evan Neal and Charles Cross.

The NFL Draft starts on April 28 with the combine spanning from March 1 through March 7.

Check out this two-round NFL mock draft from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler.

First Round Projection

1. Jacksonville Jaguars — Ikem Ekwonu, OT, NC State
2. Detroit Lions — Aidan Hutchinson, edge, Michigan
3. Houston Texans — Kayvon Thibodeaux, edge, Oregon
4. New York Jets — Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU
5. New York Giants — Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
6. Carolina Panthers — Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
7. New York Giants (from Chicago) — Kyle Hamilton, DS, Notre Dame
8. Atlanta Falcons — David Ojabo, edge, Michigan
9. Denver Broncos — Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah
10. New York Jets (from Seattle) — Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
11. Washington Football Team — Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh
12. Minnesota Vikings — Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
13. Cleveland Browns — Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
14. Baltimore Ravens — Travon Walker, DL, Georgia
15. Philadelphia Eagles (from Miami) — Tyler Linderbaum, OC, Iowa
16. Philadelphia Eagles (from Indianapolis) — Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson
17. Los Angeles Chargers — Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
18. New Orleans Saints — Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
19. Philadelphia Eagles — George Karlaftis, edge, Purdue
20. Pittsburgh Steelers — Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
21. New England Patriots — Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia
22. Las Vegas Raiders — Drake London, WR, USC
23. Arizona Cardinals — Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia
24. Dallas Cowboys — Kenyon Green, OG, Texas A&M
25. Cincinnati Bengals — Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
26. Miami Dolphins (from San Francisco) — Jermaine Johnson, edge, Florida State
27. Buffalo Bills — Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
28. Detroit Lions (from Los Angeles) — Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
29. Kansas City Chiefs — Daxton Hill, CB/FS, Michigan
30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Logan Hall, DL, Houston
31. Tennessee Titans — Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State
32. Green Bay Packers — DeMarvin Leal, DL, Texas A&M

NFL Draft Second Round

33. Jacksonville Jaguars — Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida
34. Detroit Lions — Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn
35. New York Jets — Bernhard Raimann, OT/G, Central Michigan
36. New York Giants — Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
37. Houston Texans — Kenneth Walker, RB, Michigan State
38. New York Jets (from Carolina) — Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State
39. Chicago Bears — George Pickens, WR, Georgia
40. Denver Broncos — Myjai Sanders, edge, Cincinnati
41. Seattle Seahawks — Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota
42. Washington Football Team — Darian Kinnard, OT/G, Kentucky
43. Atlanta Falcons — Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
44. Cleveland Browns — Drake Jackson, edge, USC
45. Baltimore Ravens — Nicholas Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State
46. Minnesota Vikings — Kingsley Enagbare, edge, South Carolina
47. Indianapolis Colts — Carson Strong, QB, Nevada
48. Los Angeles Chargers — Phidarian Mathis, DT, Alabama
49. New Orleans Saints — Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama
50. Miami Dolphins — Damone Clark, LB, LSU
51. Philadelphia Eagles — Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming
52. Pittsburgh Steelers — Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College
53. Las Vegas Raiders — Christian Harris, LB, Alabama
54. New England Patriots — John Metchie, WR, Alabama
55. Arizona Cardinals — Cameron Thomas, edge, San Diego State
56. Dallas Cowboys — Jaquan Brisker, DS, Penn State
57. San Francisco 49ers — Lewis Cine, DS, Georgia
58. Cincinnati Bengals — Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State
59. Buffalo Bills — Sean Rhyan, OG, UCLA
60. Denver Broncos (from Los Angeles) — Marcus Jones, CB, Houston
61. Kansas City Chiefs — Arnold Ebiketie, edge, Penn State
62. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State
63. Atlanta Falcons (from Tennessee) — David Bell, WR, Purdue
64. Green Bay Packers — Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State