The Overhang: NFL mock draft edition

Why not celebrate Thanksgiving Eve with the first mock draft at The Overhang! Thirty-two picks to fill you up before you venture out to see everyone back in town and eat thirty-too many things at Thanksgiving with your family.

It’s a mock draft, so I’m sure you know the rules. I matched a player with a team in a situation and fit that makes sense (or that I least want to see in my head canon) for the NFL Draft that’s in five months (but slowly getting closer). I did not include any trades in this mock draft! Those are for a later date when these draft spots are more solidified.

Anyway, the Bears are now on the clock in The Overhang. Starting with a hit of the gong at the top:

Yahoo’s Charles McDonald released his first 2024 NFL mock draft earlier this month

Sports 1. Chicago Bears (via Carolina Panthers) — Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

Maye being the No. 1 pick shouldn’t be a shock to anyone. He has been my QB1 since this spring and numerous talent evaluators in the NFL and in the media, including The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, considered Maye in the same tier as Caleb Williams before this season started. Most considered it a 1A/1B-type of situation.

Maye is a prototype for the quarterback position, combining size, athleticism, arm strength, creativity and the ability to win in and out of the pocket. He has no qualms with pushing the ball down the field or into tight spaces, but also shows finesse with his touch and ability to layer throws over defenders — all while still maintaining zip on the throw.

He is also incredibly efficient as a scrambler. Maye has earned a first down on 52.4% of his 42 scrambles, the highest rate of any quarterback in FBS.

With Justin Fields having a strong game against the Detroit Lions in Week 11, the Bears will remain a fascinating team to watch the rest of the season and into the offseason. I am still a fan of Fields and can’t wait to see how the rest of his 2023 season goes because there are signs of progress happening. If he plays well — which I think is a possibility in the last month or so — the Bears will have incredibly difficult decisions to make. Do you take Maye and reset the rookie quarterback contract, which would mean you could trade Fields for even more draft capital? Do you hold onto Fields and work a trade, staying low in the draft to grab Marvin Harrison Jr. or another one of the strong wide receiver or offensive tackle prospects (although I think the Bears need a center more than anything)? The possible storylines have me giddy.

Right now, I would go with Maye. This will probably change by the week.

Maye is the type of prospect who doesn’t require much squinting to see the path to stardom and is the type of guy who can alter a franchise at the moment of selection. That doesn’t need much explanation to justify No. 1 overall. But keep an eye on how Fields looks with the best surroundings he’s ever had in his young career. Because there are signs of him tapping into some of that star potential as well, which would make this thing a whole beautiful mess.

Sports 2. Arizona Cardinals — Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

If Kyler Murray keeps playing like this post-injury, which is to say, very close to Kyler Murray pre-injury, then he’s going nowhere this offseason.

In this scenario, the Cardinals hold onto Murray and look to add more offensive talent around him. The Cardinals appear to have already hit on 2023 first-round draft pick Paris Johnson Jr., who looks like a building block at right tackle (and likely will move to left tackle in a post-D.J. Humphries world in Arizona) and put on a clinic against Texans rookie edge Will Anderson Jr. in Week 11.

Rookie receiver Michael Wilson has had some encouraging stretches, and Murray and second-year tight end Trey McBride are developing very real chemistry, so why not add one of the best wide receiver prospects in recent memory to Arizona’s arsenal. Harrison is as clean of a wide receiver prospect as there can be. He checks all of the boxes of a modern ace WR who provides a matchup advantage every single week. He has the size, hand-eye coordination, catching range and strength to win isolated on the outside or in the red zone, with plenty of speed to win down the field. Harrison’s footwork and route-running are where the namesake speaks loudest, showing off the polish and nimbleness of a veteran slot merchant, and not of a 6-foot-4 true junior. His ability to win inside and out (he has been asked to play in the slot more this year) and at all three levels makes Harrison the rare player who can not only start as a rookie but be among the top dozen at his position by the time his inaugural campaign has wrapped up.

He’s that good.

Sports 3. New England Patriots — Caleb Williams, QB, USC

All right, let’s do this one last time.

The Patriots haven’t selected inside the top three since taking quarterback Drew Bledsoe first overall in 1993. The last time they were selecting so high in the draft, they took Hall of Fame defensive tackle Richard Seymour sixth overall in 2001. It’s been a while! So that’s good.

But this Patriots season has been a long, long way from good. Or even “fine.” Or even “meh.” Whatever happens with the Patriots at basically every spot in the organization this offseason is of course a major thing to keep an eye on. But it does feel like the merry-go-round at quarterback that the Patriots have done with Mac Jones, his doppelgänger Bailey Zappe and apparently now Will Grier (?) leads us to this selection of a player who can instantly be a franchise-alterer.

Williams’ creation ability would provide plenty of NFL offenses a spark, and that ability to work off-script and ad-lib yards and points would give a Patriots offense something to launch off. He is the antithesis to what Jones brings right now as far as ability to extend (although Jones has always been an underrated and efficient scrambler). Williams’ quick throwing motion and ability to throw off-platform would also help mitigate some of the muddy pockets that he would likely have to navigate early on behind a Patriots offensive line that has faced a litany of issues and injuries this season.

Williams has had some inconsistent performances this season, with some being an issue of his tendency to hold onto the ball in the pocket and some of it being on USC’s offensive structure (and also just having to constantly do something to overcome the Trojans’ defensive ineptitude). When you take out some of the wonkiness of USC’s offense and grade the types of plays that translate, Williams shows the ability to make all of the throws required at the next level, within and outside the confines of the play:

Williams’ height (6-foot-1) does not hinder his play and he has a sturdy build to withstand the punishment at the next level. His true “defining trait” is his contact balance, which is excellent. He is constantly bouncing off defenders behind and past the line of scrimmage, and will drive his legs and find extra yards or extend the play for another half-second, showing off his competitive drive and toughness at key moments.

Mac Jones has been put in some tough situations and I still think he can be a fine starter in the NFL that a team can win with. The difference is Williams has the makings of a guy a team wins because of.

Sports 4. Chicago Bears — Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State

While Joe Alt or Olu Fashanu are more than worthy of being selected this high, and I heavily lean toward offensive tackles over wide receivers in position value tiebreakers, I think the Bears already have their franchise offensive tackle pairing for the next decade in Braxton Jones and 2023 first-round selection Darnell Wright. And this team could look more for interior help to build out their offensive line later in the draft. (PLEASE RYAN POLES, I BEG OF YOU, DRAFT A CENTER).

With the top of the draft tilting heavily toward offense, and after the Bears traded for DE Montez Sweat, this team will instead add another wide receiver to their stable of pass-catchers. Coleman provides a large frame and twitchy athleticism that helps any quarterback, but especially those who like to push the ball down the field or into tight quarters — like Drake Maye (or Justin Fields). Coleman constantly shows off his basketball background with his high-flying style that will make him a top-tier red zone threat as soon as he steps onto an NFL field. DJ Moore has been very good for the Bears this season, with not only downfield ability but creating big plays after the catch on a weekly basis. Pairing Moore with Coleman would give the Bears their best wide receiver pairing since Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery.

Sports 5. New York Giants — Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

Tommy DeVito’s big game vs. the Commanders on Sunday may have cost the Giants a clean path to Drake Maye or Caleb Williams. If this were truly the draft order, the Giants’ regime would likely be constantly barraging the Bears and Cardinals with trade offers to move up. Luckily for the Giants, there is still plenty of time to lose more games. But, as of right now, they are at No. 5.

First, you have to look at the offensive line that has been mostly in tatters for the 2023 season. Andrew Thomas had a star turn during the 2022 season but has battled injuries in 2023 (along with seemingly every other player who has set foot in New York’s offensive line room) and 2022 first-round selection Evan Neal has struggled mightily in his second year. This regime, the same one that selected Neal, is going to give him many chances to figure it out.

This is why I think the Giants will pass on one of the elite tackle prospects of this year’s class and instead select the third wide receiver in the first five picks. It’s an unprecedented run that reflects the talent of this year’s WR class and my refusal to not trade picks for this exercise.

So, instead, the Giants go back to the well that was so fortuitous before: they select a wide receiver out of LSU in the first round. Nabers is as explosive as they come and is a walking, talking big play machine with the ability to win underneath and create yards after the catch, but also take the top off of defenses. He is a receiver with real gravity in his play who can win on the outside, something the Giants desperately need to add to their playmaker corps to complement a plethora of inside-base options.

Sports 6. Tennessee Titans — Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State

Whether it’s wide receiver or offensive tackle, the Titans would happily oblige by writing their name down and giving it to Roger Goodell in April. One option could be Rome Odunze, who is another highly touted wide receiver prospect from Washington (and one I could make a case for being WR2 after Marvin Harrison Jr.) that I liken to Chris Godwin because of his ability to win with grace or grit. But I finally tab Fashanu as the first offensive lineman off the board here. Fashanu is a player who could make a case to be the top selection in some drafts that didn’t have difference-making quarterbacks (or even in this one if a tackle-needy team ends up on top).

Fashanu has the length, size, foot quickness, balance and football intelligence of a bona fide blindside protector. Putting Fashanu on the left side next to this year’s first-round pick, Peter Skoronski, could help turn a weakness into a strength. Giving QB Will Levis another year at the helm and adding more offensive playmakers later (remember, the wide receiver class is deep) could put this offense on a path toward sustainability after Derrick Henry.

Sports 7. Washington Commanders — Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

After trading away Chase Young and Montez Sweat before the deadline, I guess the Commanders could restock the defensive end position with another first-rounder. But, I think they’ll turn to the other side of the trenches. While Charles Leno is still throwing junk-ball pitches out there in his early 30s and the Commanders signed Andrew Wylie this offseason, neither should preclude the Commanders from bolstering their front with the talented Alt. He has closed the gap on Olu Fashanu in the race to be the first offensive tackle selected in next year’s draft.

Alt has a tight end background and has constantly gotten better throughout his college career, with light feet and consistent technique that maximizes his length and ability to latch onto defenders. The Commanders are another organization that could go in so many different directions this offseason. A Pro Bowl-quality offensive tackle who could play on either side of the ball is a steady choice.

Sports 8. Atlanta Falcons — Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama

Our first defensive player of the draft finally lands. The 2023 Falcons defense has been a Coke Zero version of the personnel the New Orleans Saints have trotted out in recent years. More specifically, they’re using big, mauling defensive linemen up front to constantly push the pocket on quarterbacks and squeeze the space to work with. While it may make QBs uncomfortable, it can also not result in a ton of sacks. Turner would give the Falcons a different flavor than the Calais Campbells and Bud Duprees of the world that they have been using on the edge in 2023. Here’s to throwing a little bit of chaos into the more straight-lined oriented Falcons pass rush.

Turner is a long and disruptive defender who can impact the game when given a one-on-one on the outside or as a penetrator on stunts. He is twitchy and plays with shockingly strong hands that will give offensive linemen a pop. He is still getting better as a player, but has been productive throughout his time in college. Turner will be instantly useful as a professional, with even more upside to give the Falcons to build a pass rush plan around.

Sports 9. Green Packers — Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

Have you seen the Packers’ cornerbacks room? After Rasul Douglas was traded, and with Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes missing games, it can have you turning your head sideways.

The Packers will invest in their defense with the draft, so it will be interesting to see if they continue to bolster this side of the ball. Wiggins is a springy athlete who can stay sticky with receivers throughout the route. He already shows the consistent ability to play the ball in the air and make it difficult on receivers and can time breaks to create interceptions. Plus, he plays with game-changing effort:

The Packers could give themselves an offensive tackle to help solidify the left side after the David Bakhtiari saga, but I doubt they will select a wide receiver. The Packers don’t typically lean to wide receiver in the first round and they also have several young players who have flashed this season, including rookies Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks.

Sports 10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

I’m not sure how the Buccaneers are going to navigate their wide receivers (or quarterbacks) room in the future, with Mike Evans a pending free agent and Chris Godwin becoming one in 2025 (and with a $27 million salary-cap hit in 2024). So, rather than go with the next Godwin in Rome Odunze, let’s go with a game-changing tight end who has all the makings of having the capital “P” word that brings even the toughest of football guys to their knees: “Positionless.”

Bowers is a true needle-mover with the ball in his hands. He can quickly get north after the catch and a true ability to play across the formation. He has winning snaps from in-line, off-ball, in the slot, backfield and isolated outside, creating damage that translates no matter the offensive scheme. So, rather than forcing a successor in the WRs room, it gives the Buccaneers a chance to pivot to a new build for their offense.

I stayed away from taking a tackle here because Luke Goedeke has had a promising second year on the right side after Tristan Wirfs’ (highly successful) shift to the left. So I don’t think a player like JC Latham will be in the cards for the reconfiguring Buccaneers.

Sports 11. New York Jets — JC Latham, OT, Alabama

Exhale, Jets fans. A tackle. A very good one, too! Latham is a monster on the right side for the Crimson Tide with excellent strength that makes him an asset in the run game, and he still plays with good foot and lateral quickness that lets him stay balanced in his pass sets.

Latham can play left tackle, but at the very least the Jets know they have one of those spots solidified after what this group has gone through. I don’t think a wide receiver, even if it’s needed, would be a prudent choice, especially with how this season has shaken out (there is some sort of poetry or irony of how the Jets retained this pick and it being used on an offensive tackle).

Giving this incredibly talented Jets defense a refurbished offensive line with a hopefully returning Aaron Rodgers could give New York a widening sliver of hope for better times ahead. Certainly more than a Tim Boyle Black Friday.

Sports 12. Los Angeles Chargers — Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa

The Chargers need help throughout their defense, but the Lions and Packers exposed their spine like a Sub-Zero fatality in recent weeks. While defensive tackle would be preferred, there aren’t any, at least at this time, who can match DeJean’s impact.

DeJean is one of the best athletes and defenders in the country. His versatility, with a valid case being made that he can be an impact player at outside cornerback, slot or safety, makes him more like Jalen Ramsey than any other prospect in recent years. He’s even a fantastic punt returner (although with the Chargers his return ability wouldn’t be needed because of Derius Davis on the roster).

DeJean suffered a “lower leg injury” during a Iowa practice last week that will keep him out for the rest of the season. I am not too worried about the long-term effect of the injury. It does not seem like one that will hinder DeJean’s ability to participate in the pre-draft process nor affect him long-term.

The Chargers need defensive help in the worst way. DeJean would give them a difference-maker on that side of the ball, no matter where he lines up (or who lines him up).

Sports 13. Los Angeles Rams — Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

The Rams have been punching above their weight a bit this season, buoyed by hitting on several of their 2023 draft selections in Steve Avila, Byron Young, Kobie Turner and of course Puka Nacua. Having Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald helps, too. Adding McKinstry would give them a defensive player with shutdown outside ability to help out right away and give this defense a young player with actual draft pedigree. He’d be a great player to straddle the timelines of the young and old players who make up this Rams team.

Offensive tackle could also be in play here for the Rams, especially with some of the options that remain at the position.

Sports 14. Las Vegas Raiders — Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

I wasn’t ready to take the plunge yet with another quarterback off the board. Besides, who knows how the Aidan O’Connell experiment will unfold (or what the Raiders will do). The Raiders’ defense has put together a recent stretch of positive performances, but cornerback and defensive tackle could be in play. (I don’t think the Raiders would go Laiatu Latu a year after taking Tyree Wilson. But it is the Raiders.) Instead, let’s give the Raiders an offensive tackle with tippy-top upside. Mims is the prototype at offensive tackle, with length, athleticism and power that could launch him into the elite status at his position if he lands at the right spot.

Sports 15. Indianapolis Colts — Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

Colts general manager Chris Ballard loves players with size and traits. With Michael Pittman Jr. set to be a free agent and Alec Pierce looking more like a role-play vertical threat, the Colts take the dynamic Odunze.

Odunze is a very good player. He can attack defenses vertically, but his hand-eye coordination and ball skills make him stand out. He is strong at the catch point, which helps him create receptions on contested throws in the red zone or against zone coverage. He has good size (6-3, 217 pounds) and plays like it, bullying cornerbacks as a receiver and blocker but also has the explosive ability to run past them on the next play. If you can’t tell, I’m a big fan of Odunze.

Putting Odunze with Anthony Richardson, Josh Downs, Jonathan Taylor and the Colts’ interesting group of tight ends could have this offense quickly going supernova.

Sports 16. Denver Broncos — Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA

The Broncos’ defense has been playing well lately, with some inspired performances over the past month, including Patrick Surtain II completely wiping out Stefon Diggs during their Monday night matchup.

So let’s drop in a little bit more of pass-rushing juice on this team. While Latu isn’t an overwhelming athlete, what he does have is a collector’s set of pass rush moves that help him win and constantly disrupt the opponent’s passing game, while also playing with the motor and hand strength to sideswipe the run game.

I would really like to watch Latu with the other pieces this defense has and the newfound energy it has been playing with.

Sports 17. Cincinnati Bengals — Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma

The Bengals’ defense has been a glaring weakness for the past few weeks, and probably would be a bigger storyline if something terrible didn’t happen to this team. Like, you know, its franchise quarterback being lost for the season.

(I was tempted to add Penn State’s Chop Robinson here, but his pass rush-first, run defense-optional style doesn’t seem to mesh with the players they currently have. Still, this team could use another difference maker on this side of the ball to go with its current high-floor players.)

It’s another season where the offensive line is a question mark. Luckily, this draft class is loaded with tackle prospects. With right tackle Jonah Williams entering free agency (after an unhappy offseason last spring), I am giving the Bengals one of these talented players to help build around their talented skill players. Guyton is a bit of a home run swing, but he has traits teams covet. He would provide the Bengals with a high-upside player at a position where they have desperately needed one.

Sports 18. Buffalo Bills — Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

The Bills are another team that could look to their offensive line, but I’m going to send this offense to the moon.

Thomas is a wide receiver with very good size and excellent athleticism. He has some work to do as a route runner, but has already shown much improvement in the area. Even during this season. He is a valid threat to win deep on every single snap and he can consistently track throws down the field. While also having the ball skills and after catch ability to create damage on short and intermediate routes. Thomas’ arrow is pointing only up, and putting him with Stefon Diggs, Dalton Kincaid and bumping down Gabe Davis in the pecking order (or Khalil Shakir up it) could provide this offense and Josh Allen with an incredible amount of answers to what defenses throw at them.

Plus, how awesome would it be to watch Allen launch throws down the field to Thomas every single game?

Sports 19. New Orleans Saints — J.T. Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State

A pretty clean player and team fit here! The Trevor Penning experience is not going well in New Orleans, so I am unsure if they will double down with another offensive tackle in the first round. Instead, I’m going with the strong-handed Tuimoloau to slot right in on the Saints’ defensive line.

Tuimoloau brings it on every snap and would bring even more youth to this thumping defensive line that extended Carl Granderson on a breakout year and added Bryan Bresee in the first round of the 2023 draft. Tuimoloau would also give Cameron Jordan a possible successor to his style on the Saints’ front.

Sports 20. Minnesota Vikings — Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

QB3 finally comes off the board! And it’s the Vikings keeping Daniels in purple-and-gold to be their quarterback of the future. Daniels has been a name on the draft radar for quite a while but has leveled up in both seasons in Baton Rouge.

Daniels’ footwork and timing continues to get better. He constantly puts the ball out with anticipation and accuracy that helps his explosive playmakers create big plays.

He is on the skinnier side, but is tough (almost too much so) and plays with good pocket movement and sense of timing to get the ball out. That helps mitigate sacks and negative plays.

This Vikings team has a ton of offensive firepower with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson and have a strong offensive line. Plopping Daniels and his mature play, along with the incredible creation ability he provides with his legs, could give him a chance to hit the ground running at the next level.

Sports 21. Arizona Cardinals (via Houston Texans) — Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State

After tabbing Harrison early in the draft, the Cardinals use their second first-round selection on a pass rusher who can create wins at the snap of the ball. Robinson has the quick-twitch athleticism, bend and upside as a true double-digit sack defender that a lot of other edge prospects in this draft do not possess.

The Cardinals do some wonderfully funky stuff on defense under first-year defensive coordinator Nick Rallis. That is often at times because they do not have the horses up front to win by themselves, despite some flashes from rookie BJ Ojulari and a breakout season from 29-year-old Dennis Gardeck. Robinson gives them something to add to the stable.

Sports 22. Seattle Seahawks — Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois

Devon Witherspoon is working out so well for the Seahawks, they decide to tap right back into the Illinois pipeline with the gap-shooting Newton. He’s a classic penetrating defensive tackle who doesn’t have ideal size, but wins with quickness and explosive hands.

Newton would give this Seahawks front a complementary skill set to what they currently have: more bigger-bodied tweeners. Newton gives Seattle the quick-hitting disruption to go with its brawling style.

Sports 23. Pittsburgh Steelers, Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State

First-round rookie Broderick Jones has started to get his feet wet on the right side of the Steelers’ offensive line. In this scenario, the Steelers go back-to-back drafts with offensive tackles as their first selection, with Jones now kicking over to the left side and Fuaga sliding in on the right.

The Steelers could address other areas of their offense with this pick, either at wide receiver or even quarterback if they don’t think Kenny Pickett is their answer (although the evaluation period might get extended after the firing of offensive coordinator Matt Canada). When in doubt, default to the beef. It’s something the Steelers are more than OK with doing with a strong and tough blocker like Fuaga.

Sports 24. Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns) — Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State

Tough class to need an off-ball linebacker! That’s what the Texans look like they could use right now. Instead I’m adding to their surging defensive front, which has played very well against the run as of late and have started to get after the quarterback as well.

Verse has plateaued a bit this year after bursting on to the scene after transferring from Albany to Florida State in 2022. He has a limited pass rush arsenal but wins with physicality. He could be a perfect fit here as a secondary pass rusher and strong run defender to join with Will Anderson Jr. and Jonathan Greenard. I wouldn’t like Verse as the top pass rusher on a team, but his at-you style of play could be very useful for a team like the Texans that have other strong pieces around him.

Sports 25. Miami Dolphins — Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona

Morgan’s potential to stay outside or even kick inside could be a benefit to a Dolphins team that seems to have to churn through offensive linemen. With a chunk of the offensive line potentially moving on this offseason, whoever remains (or is brought in) can help put Morgan at whatever spot he can help the team the most.

Morgan is a more than solid athlete who has gotten better every year. He shows off the ability to operate in space on screens or on zone running concepts, with enough strength to provide power when he gets his hands on defenders. His potential to play along the line and move a bit fits well with a Dolphins team that needs linemen to keep its high-octane offense going.

Sports 26. Dallas Cowboys — Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State

Egbuka has been battling injuries this season, but he projects as a true “Z” wide receiver at the next level. Strong at the catch point with a feel for beating zone coverages, he can be a reliable chain mover underneath and would surely be peppered by Dak Prescott on third downs if he were to end up a Cowboy.

Egbuka is useful and would be a fantastic complement to the inside-outside nature of CeeDee Lamb’s game. He’d basically take over the role Brandin Cooks has been keeping warm this season. Egbuka doesn’t have true game-breaking speed, but he is a reliable target who would suit a quarterback who likes reliable answers.

Sports 27. San Francisco 49ers — Patrick Paul, OT, Houston

It’s as a long-term plan for whenever Trent Williams moves on or to help fill the right tackle position that can be the one weak link on this explosive offense. Paul would be a high-upside swing at finding a high-end starter at tackle. He has excellent size and length, but his hands can be all over the place when attempting to strike defenders.

Paul will take patience to harness his raw talent, but at this point in the draft, the reward could be worth the swing for the 49ers.

Sports 28. Jacksonville Jaguars — Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon

Franklin has a body type that would match his new quarterback in Jacksonville: long, lean and twitchy. Franklin does his best work on the outside and in the red zone. He would give Lawrence the size and catching range the QB hasn’t had since his days at Clemson.

The Jaguars should re-sign Calvin Ridley, who has been up-and-down but has shown flashes with Lawrence, and the Jaguars’ coaching staff has started to use him more extensively in Week 11, showcasing his No. 1 option skills.

Franklin and Christian Kirk on the outside, with Kirk operating from the slot, would make the Jaguars even more dangerous and let Jacksonville move on from Zay Jones and keep Jamal Agnew as a bit player.

Sports 29. Kansas City Chiefs — Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington

Even before what happened Monday night against the Eagles, it felt like the Chiefs could use a wide receiver. The Chiefs certainly don’t have to skew to the defense because of absolutely crushing the 2022 draft on that side of the ball, giving themselves a bevy of talented players at all three levels.

So, the Chiefs invest to find a complementary player to Travis Kelce and the emerging (but still very raw) Rashee Rice. Polk is another good-sized wide receiver in this class (a notable difference from last year is the size — as in height and weight — of this year’s class). He plays inside and out for Washington and is another player with three-level ability. He plays with body control and an understanding of his routes, showing off the ability to tempo his movement to keep defenders off-balanced.

Most notably for Chiefs fans, Polk has reliable hands.

Offensive tackle could be another position looked at here. Or maybe one more defensive tackle to keep pesky run games at bay.

Sports 30. Detroit Lions — Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

Even after investing into the defensive backs room last offseason in free agency and the draft (Brian Branch is a keeper), I have the Lions taking Mitchell. He’s a MACtion alum who hits all of the height, weight and speed thresholds that teams love from their cornerback prospects and should keep rising up draft boards as the process heats up.

Not only does he have the physical traits that are prioritized, he is also highly aware and plays with fantastic eyes on the quarterback and route concepts. Mitchell constantly makes plays on the ball and makes turnovers happen. His aggressive style would fit right in with this Lions team under head coach Dan Campbell, and Mitchell is going to get only more fans as this process wears on.

Sports 31. Baltimore Ravens — Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State

The Ravens and their kaleidoscope defensive scheme and versatile players get another jack-of-all-trades type. Whose name also happens to be Jack!

Sawyer is a two-way player against the run and pass, and he can move across the defense depending on the defensive look. He does a lot of things well but is not overwhelming in any one area. Yet that ability to play the run, rush the passer or drop into coverage makes him a perfect type of modern front seven defender.

Even if I don’t think defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald stays around long enough to use him.

Sports 32. Philadelphia Eagles — Graham Barton, OG/OT, Duke

GM Howie Roseman is always going to prioritize line play early in the draft. So, while I was tempted to go with a cornerback here (Penn State’s Kalen King, Alabama’s Terrion Arnold and Ohio State’s Denzel Burke all made the shortlist), I ended up going with Barton.

He lacks ideal length but makes up for it with polished technique and footwork. Barton plays at tackle for Duke, but will likely bump inside at the next level. He has the ability to warrant a chance at tackle, possibly taking over after Lane Johnson finishes his fantastic career whenever that may be. But his positional versatility should also allow him to fill in at guard or even center if needed based on the Eagles’ offensive line timeline under coach Jeff Stoutland.