Finally, my favorite time of year. The NFL Draft is only a few days away, and I will be running you though some of my draft predictions. These will not only include my favorite players in this year’s draft, but also some sleeper picks who could prove to be great day 2 and 3 guys.

Round 1 Overview and Picks 

The trend of this year’s draft is teams with multiple first rounders. Seven teams including the Texans, Jets, Giants, Eagles, Saints, Packers, and Chiefs are all in excellent positions to build their teams.

Top 10 Picks

At the top of the draft sits the Jacksonville Jaguars. It is widely believed they will select a pass rusher with the first overall pick, but which one? The popular name atop boards is newcomer Aiden Hutchinson from Michigan. The more surprising option is Travon Walker from Georgia. Walker is a player who had little attention in college, but he drew a lot of attention due to his physical physique and athleticism.

I believe the Jaguars could lean either way, and whoever is not selected first overall will most likely go number 2 to the Detroit Lions. I’m pretty set with the rest of my top 10, but I do believe there’s a strong chance the Panthers pass on  quarterback. They will need to build their atrocious offensive line, but head coach Matt Rhule will likely fold under the pressure, picking Heisman runner-up Kenny Pickett.

One player I strongly believe could jump into the top 10 is Jermaine Johnson II, the pass rusher out of Florida State. Some good fits for him in the top 10 would be the Giants at either 5 or 7 or the Atlanta Falcons at 8.

The Rest of the First Round

Some other picks I would like to talk about that may be a bit surprising start with the Chargers at 17. Justin Herbert is a special player and could use some more weapons. Is a receiver necessary? No, but such players who do fill that need like Trevor Penning, the Tackle from Northern Iowa, and Jordan Davis, the nose tackle from Georgia, are already gone, putting the Chargers in the position to take the swift Williams out of Alabama. They also need to afford a recovery from his unfortunate ACL tear from the National Championship.

Another one is at number 20 where I have the Steelers taking Malik Willis, the quarterback from Liberty. Sure, Willis has so much potential, possessing a cannon for an arm and incredible mobility for a quarterback in his class, but his mental errors may worry some teams which allowed the Steelers pick him up this late in the draft.

My biggest surprise but a pick I love is Desmond Ridder, the quarterback from Cincinnati going to the Tennessee Titans at 26 to be the their quarterback of the future. With a pretty solid roster the Titans can afford to draft the athletic and accurate QB who has a stellar 30-4 record over his four years starting at Cincinnati.

Another pick I need to talk about is the Green Bay Packers selecting Wide Receiver George Pickens from Georgia. With the departure of Devante Adams this off season the Packers cannot afford to ignore a need that they haven’t addressed in the first round since 2002. Pickens could have been the number 1 receiver in the class if not for a knee injury sustained late in his sophomore season, making him miss most of his junior year. However, his hands and route running are first round caliber, and the Packers would greatly benefit from a true receiver like Pickens.

Rounds 2-7 overview 

These last six rounds of the draft have been a make or break for teams. So many good players and key contributors have been found as hidden gems in the later rounds. For example, Tom Brady was a sixth round pick in the 2000 draft. So, I will give one player at each position who may go on day 2 or 3, and I believe has a chance to be a a great contributor as a rookie.

Offensive Sleeper Picks

For the quarterbacks, my eyes go immediately to the Bailey Zappe who broke numerous records in his one year at Western Kentucky.

A running back who stands out is Dameon Pierce from Florida, who did not receive a great deal of opportunities in college, but he proved success when he was on the field. As more of a powerful and strong runner, he projects more as a power back.

Regarding wide receivers, I really like Calvin Austin III out of Memphis. I believe his speed can help him win a spot as a teams starting slot receiver and he could have Tyreek Hill type potential, another late round pick with incredible speed who blossomed in the NFL.

For Tight Ends, I like Isiah Likely out of Coastal Carolina as he plays the game hard in his routes and run blocking and is sure handed. He could be a young quarterback’s best friend as a safety blanket to dump the ball off to. My favorite late round offensive linemen is Cam Jurgens out of Nebraska. He plays physical and finishes blocks but also shows exceptional athleticism and can get to linebackers easily which is a hard block for most centers, but not for Jurgens.

Defensive Sleeper Picks

On the defensive side of the ball my favorite later round defensive linemen who play even sneak into the first round is Logan Hall from Houston. He has been labeled by many as a “tweener” because he is too big for a defensive end and too small for a defensive tackle. I think this plays to his advantage as he is very versatile, and an NFL team can put him where they need him to play.

Leo Chenal is a name that comes to mind when I think of day two linebackers. He reminds me a lot of Micah Parsons, the Cowboys all-pro rookie, as he is elite at rushing the passer so I think he could thrive in a role similar to Parsons. A player I really like and someone who isn’t being talked about enough is cornerback Coby Bryant from Cincinnati. He was one half of the best corner duo in college football and won the Jim Thorpe award for the nations best defensive back. I believe he can come into the league and make an immediate difference.

Special Teams Sleeper Picks

Last but not least, Special teams. My favorite late round specials teams player is Matt Araiza from San Diego State. He is by far the best punter prospect in years and his ability to kick 70 yard punts down the field and flip the field is something crucial to NFL teams.

This 3-day event brings hope to NFL franchises and allows fans to meet and see their future stars. It is a very entertaining experience and makes for a great debate. 

Stay tuned to The Roundup for more NFL news!