Kgreene829 Mock Draft 4.0

[kgreene829]

I just couldn’t stay away so here is my mock draft 4.0 my final mock for the 2024 SimNFL Draft.

1-TEN: DT Logan Lopez, Houston
3.0 Pick: RB Richard Bianchi, Hawaii
2.0 Pick: WR Paul Canha, Alabama
Jets 1.5 Pick: WR Paul Canha, Alabama
Jets 1.0 Pick: QB Andrew Solano TCU

After a ton of speculation and attempts I have a defensive player going 1st overall. I think Logan Lopez is a great player and with this being the Titans only pick on day 1 they decide to go with a player who has proven time and time again that he is an absolute force on the line. I think the WR class is deep enough that the Titans can get a solid WR later in the draft and they can rely on the RBs currently on the roster to be solid options. With an aging D-line the Titans grab someone who can dominate from day 1 to his final game in any way they need him too.

2-MIA: ILB Kenny Daniel, Wake Forest
3.0 Pick: WR Paul Canha, Alabama
2.0 Pick: DT Logan Lopez, Houston
1.5 Pick: DT Logan Lopez, Houston
1.0 Pick: ILB Kenny Daniel, Wake Forest

I think the Dolphins would have loved Lopez; they have a glaring hole at DT and Lopez would have been the perfect fit. I can see the Dolphins going ILB or DE here since those are the biggest holes for them. With ILB Michael Berger on an expiring deal and being 33 years they grab his replacement out of Wake Forest. To the Dolphins Daniel is the next best thing behind Lopez. If they can’t replace their aging star DT with one of the best prospects in the draft they will replace their aging star ILB with one of the best prospects in the draft. 

3-CAR: WR Paul Canha, Alabama
3.0 Pick: ILB Kenny Daniel, Wake Forest
2.0 Pick: ILB Kenny Daniel, Wake Forest
1.5 Pick: ILB Kenny Daniel, Wake Forest
1.0 Pick: RB Clayton McGee, FSU

The theme of this mock is disappointment. The Panthers would have loved to grab Kenny Daniel. The Panthers just traded for a shiny new WR1 and their biggest hole is ILB but it’s just not to be. With that being said the Panthers are completely unhinged and I can even see them taking a CB and just rolling into the season with 11 CBs. So they take Paul Canha and give Dekoda Link enough weapons to be the 2nd SimFBA QB to go to war with the United States Military (shoutout Matt Howard)

4-NYG: RB Clayton McGee, FSU
3.0 Pick: DT Logan Lopez, Houston
2.0 Pick: RB Clayton McGee, FSU
1.5 Pick: RB Clayton McGee, FSU
1.0 Pick: DT Logan Lopez, Houston

The Giants at 4 might be the first happy team in this mock. After trading for Matthew Madden they don’t need an elite #1 WR but they could still use some WR help with only 3 WRs on the the roster and the other 2 being below 60 overall. RB is another position that could make sense but those are their only two needs that make sense here. John Knigthen is good but is 34 and on an expiring contract. The Giants will look at grabbing another WR later but for now they grab RB Clayton McGee to be their John Knigthen replacement.

5-CAR: DE Whit Wilson, Oklahoma State
3.0 Pick: SS Garrett Smith, Baylor
2.0 Pick: DE Whit Wilson, Oklahoma State
1.5 Pick: DE Whit Wilson, Oklahoma State
1.0 Pick: SS Garrett Smith, Baylor

The Panthers did a bit of draft trickery here, wanting both Whit Wilson and Paul Canha; they took Canha at 4 since the Giants don’t need DE at 4. If they had gone Wilson first the Giants could have easily scooped up Canha at 4 and ruined their plans. Instead the Panthers get a guy that can be a force and a long term upgrade on expiring DE Eric Stephens and avoid having to re-sign him.

6-NO: CB Sam Voth, Illinois
3.0 Pick: CB Sam Voth, Illinois
2.0 Pick: SS Garrett Smith, Baylor
1.5 Pick: QB Hiram Maronde, UCLA
1.0 Pick: CB Sam Voth, Illinois

The Saints need to grab a CB and they do just that with the best DB in the draft..

7-HOU: QB Hiram Maronde, UCLA
3.0 Pick: QB Hiram Maronde, UCLA
2.0 Pick: QB Hiram Maronde, UCLA
1.5 Pick: OG Alex Hitchens, Arkansas
1.0 Pick: QB Andrew Moncrief, Auburn

Don’t need to overthink this one the top QB in the draft falls to them and with no QB on the roster they take him.

8-ATL: OG Alex Hitchens, Arkansas
3.0 Pick: RB Clayton McGee, FSU
2.0 Pick: OG Alex Hitchens, Arkansas
1.5 Pick: SS Garrett Smith, Baylor
1.0 Pick: OG Alex Hitchens, Arkansas

The Falcons need OG and maybe I over thought it last time. Let's just go with the straightforward solution: they grab the top OG Alex Hitchens.

9-SEA: RB Richard Bianchi, Hawaii
3.0 Pick: DE Whit Wilson, Oklahoma State
2.0 Pick: RB Richard Bianchi, Hawaii
1.5 Pick: RB Richard Bianchi, Hawaii
1.0 Pick: RB Richard Bianchi, Hawaii

I believe the Seahawks will grab a WR later in the draft and while I think a DE would be a great fit Wilson is off the board they settle for RB Richard Bianchi who I have gone over several times as a good fit for them.

10-LAC: DT T.Y. Hubbard, Syracuse
3.0 Pick: DE Vince Gresham, Oregon State
2.0 Pick: OT J’Mon Wolters, Utah
1.5 Pick: OT J’Mon Wolters, Utah
1.0 Pick: DE Whit Wilson, Oklahoma State

I think the Chargers want to run a speed man defense and to do that they need another pass rush DT T.Y. Hubbard is a great selection for them. In terms of unscouted overall it’s a bit of a reach but Hubbard showed at the combine that he should be considered one of the top DTs.

11-JAX: CB Stansly Alvarez, LSU
3.0 Pick: CB Stansly Alvarez, LSU
2.0 Pick: CB Sam Voth, Illinois
1.5 Pick: CB Sam Voth, Illinois
1.0 Pick: CB Rashard Hilliard, Georgia State

The Jaguars need CB and I feel like this is a strong CB class with a couple of CBs that I think can be CB2. I feel most confident about Rashard Hilliard being CB2. Hilliard is a man coverage CB which is what the Jaguars use but Hilliard is also great in zone coverage. I think his ability to be a great CB no matter what you want your CBs to do makes him CB2. With that being said I have the Jaguars taking Stansly Alvarez. Alvarez is slightly better in man coverage than Hilliard but worse in zone coverage. I think the Jaguars decide to take Alvarez because they are looking for a guy who can be their CB1 for the future and getting the better man coverage guy which is what they want to run would be more appealing. On top of that Alvarez being faster and smarter than Hilliard outweighs Hilliard being stronger, slightly more agile, and a better zone coverage CB.

12-NYJ: WR Arden Ejiofor, Louisiana-Lafayette
3.0 Pick: WR Marvin Thomas, LSU
Lions 2.0 Pick: CB Jonathan Parks, Ohio
Chiefs trade up 1.5 Pick: WR Logan Njoku, Kentucky
Lions 1.0 Pick: WR Logan Njoku, Kentucky

The Jets really like WRs and they grab my WR2 Arden Ejiofor. In the end I think his combine just shows too much upside. His catching ability is good but you would prefer better. I just think everything else about him screams top tier WR and the Jets get a great WR that as of now will be their WR4 but gives them a ton of options going forward with WR Donald Galligan.

13-NYJ: ILB Davis Covey, Charlotte
3.0 Pick: ILB Davis Covey, Charlotte
Giants 2.0 Pick: WR Logan Njoku, Kentucky
1.5 Pick: ILB Davis Covey, Charlotte
Vikings 1.0 Pick: ILB Davis Covey, Charlotte

The Jets are up again and another big need is ILB. The top guy is off the board but Covey is a good coverage LB which the Jets seem to like that can grow and develop to be their future ILB1.

14-GB: CB Giannis Wright, Air Force
3.0 Pick: CB Chandler McKay, Western Michigan
2.0 Pick: CB Rashard Hilliard, Georgia State
1.5 Pick: CB Rashard Hilliard, Georgia State
1.0 Pick: CB Jonathan Parks, Ohio

The Packers need CB and like before Rashard Hilliard is my CB2 but since the Packers use zone coverage CBs I just can’t see him being the pick here. It may be a reach based on overall but I think Giannis Wright is the best zone CB in the draft so the Packers take him. I also want to talk about a possible thought process for the Packers here to go a different position. I don't think it will happen but just to have some fun I wanted to share it. With QB Joseph Garibay on an expiring contract the Packers could be a dark horse to draft QB Andrew Solano. As of now the Packers have $78.48 million in cap space with a lot of expiring contracts and Garibay will be looking to get paid. I could see the Packers taking a shot on a rookie QB trading Garibay to improve the rest of the team and allow them to bring back everyone else they want to. Like I said I don’t think this is what they would do but it’s an interesting perspective that I wanted to point out since I have only mocked them CBs.

15-CLE: DE Vince Gresham, Oregon State
3.0 Pick: DE James McKinnon, Miami(OH)
2.0 Pick: DE Vince Gresham, Oregon State
1.5 Pick: DE Vince Gresham, Oregon State
1.0 Pick: DE Ty Bogdanovic, Indiana

The Browns need DE so they take the 2nd best DE in the draft in Vince Gresham.

16-BAL: OT DeVonte Logan, Michigan
3.0 Pick: OT Burch Ramos, California
2.0 Pick: OT Francisco Smith, Washington
1.5 Pick: OT Francisco Smith, Washington
1.0 Pick: OT J’Mon Wolters, Utah

The Ravens take DeVonte Logan my OT1 as they look to fill their final offensive need.

17-NE: DE Hunter Suh, FSU
3.0 Pick: DE Ty Bogdanovic, Indiana
2.0 Pick: OT Brad Adams, San Diego State
1.5 Pick: OT Brad Adams, San Diego State
1.0 Pick: DE Vince Gresham, Oregon State

I have the Patriots taking DE Hunter Suh. Suh’s stock has shot up recently and with DE as a need they decide to grab the rising Suh over the falling Bogdanovic.

18-BUF: OG Justin Cooper, Troy
3.0 Pick: C Ruben Shazier, Alabama
2.0 Pick: OG Corey Cabrera, San Jose State
Panthers trade up 1.5 Pick: CB Jonathan Parks, Ohio
1.0 Pick: OG Corey Cabrera, San Jose State

The Bills O-line is getting older with 2 key pieces being 29 and in the last year of their deal one of them being an OG. The other OG for the Bills is 32 so they grab an OG as a replacement. The Bills reach a bit down the board and grab Justin Cooper who put up the highest score in the pass block drill at the combine as well as 40 reps on the bench press. Cooper is only a B overall but I expect him to be a great pass blocking OG that will help keep QB Yusei Asencio from being sacked

19-TB: C Ruben Shazier, Alabama
3.0 Pick: C Jorge Jacobs, Wake Forest
2.0 Pick: DE Ty Bogdanovic, Indiana
1.5 Pick: C Ruben Shazier, Alabama
1.0 Pick: C Ruben Shazier, Alabama

The Buccaneers still need a center so no shame in grabbing the best O-lineman in the draft with pick 19 in center Ruben Shazier.

20-PHI: WR Marvin Thomas, LSU
3.0 Pick: ILB Carlos Blacknall, North Carolina
2.0 Pick: ILB Davis Covey, Charlotte 
1.0 Pick: WR Trevor Wood, USC

The Eagles are consistently the best and worst team to mock. I love looking through their team and figuring out what I think would be best for them because they can go a couple different ways but at the same time they don’t really need anyone so everything is a luxury. However because they can go so many different directions it makes it so hard to figure out what they are going to do. I think at the end of the day the Eagles will take whoever they think is the best player available but I am going to give them a WR. Marvin Thomas is a great WR who fits the mold that the Eagles are looking for in a WR perfectly.

21-CHI: FS Kyle Reimold, Central Michigan
3.0 Pick: FS Kyle Reimold, Central Michigan
2.0 Pick: FS Kyle Reimold, Central Michigan
1.0 Pick: FS Kyle Reimold, Central Michigan

I don’t have too much to say the Bears need FS and they take the top FS in the draft.

22-SF: QB Andrew Solano, TCU
3.0 Pick: QB Andrew Solano, TCU
2.0 Pick: QB Andrew Solano, TCU
1.0 Pick: C Ryan Wiggins, California

Like I said before I love the fit of Solano with the 49ers.

23-DET: OLB David Brown Jr., Central Michigan 
3.0 Pick: OLB David Brown Jr., Central Michigan 
Jets 2.0 Pick: WR Trevor Wood, USC
Giants 1.0 Pick: OLB Rasheed Downs, Notre Dame

Like I said in my last mock the Lions like OLBs who can pass rush and David Brown showed that he is an amazing pass rusher at the combine.

24-ATL: OLB Rasheed Downs, Notre Dame
3.0 Pick: OG Alex Hitchens, Arkansas
2.0 Pick: OG Felix Rodriguez, Temple
1.0 Pick: ILB Joe Yanda, Utah State

With the Falcons trading for ILB Todd Bunch and taking OG Alex Hitchens earlier in the draft they have several needs that they can look to address but I have them going OLB. The Falcons like LBs that can drop into coverage so they go ahead and grab someone who showed out in the LB coverage drill in Rasheed Downs.

25-DAL: SS Garrett Smith, Baylor
3.0 Pick: OT J’Mon Wolters, Utah
2.0 Pick: OT Tony Varvaro, Northern Illinois
1.0 Pick: ILB Carlos Blacknall, North Carolina

The Cowboys don’t have any huge holes on their team which gives them a lot of options but I am giving them SS Garrett Smith. I think SS is their 2nd biggest need and OLB which I think is their biggest need would be a reach. The Cowboys get the best SS in the draft.

26-MIA: OT Burch Ramos, California
3.0 Pick: SS Shaq Ryan, Colorado
2.0 Pick: TE Hakeem Judd, Texas State
1.0 Pick: DT Phillip Bell, Bowling Green

The Dolphins are tough, their biggest needs are TE, SS, DT, OT, and OLB. I am going to give them an OT. With OT Michael Johnson being 33 he is going to retire soon so they grab his replacement with the best balanced OT in the draft.

27-KC: WR Matt Zavala, Oregon State
3.0 Pick: WR Arden Ejiofor, Louisiana-Lafayette
2.0 Pick: WR Matt Zavala, Oregon State
1.0 Pick: WR Matt Zavala, Oregon State

The Chiefs grab WR Matt Zavala because they need WRs and based on their roster they want to have possession WRs. 

28-ARI: OT J’Mon Wolters, Utah
3.0 Pick: OT Mike Hubbard, TCU
2.0 Pick: ILB Joe Yanda, Utah State    
1.0 Pick: ILB Tyler Bradley, Ohio State

The Cardinals need OT and with a balanced offense they grab a guy who has been slipping in J’Mon Wolters who I have as the 2nd best balanced OT in the draft.

29-PIT: DE James McKinnon, Miami(OH)
3.0 Pick: ILB Joe Yanda, Utah State
2.0 Pick: ILB Carlos Blacknall, North Carolina
1.0 Pick: CB Giannis Wright, Air Force

The Steelers need DE and sadly 3 are already off the board so they grab James McKinnon to play opposite of their current run stopping DE Krzysztof Leatherman.

30-JAX: OLB Ja’Wuan Gray, California
3.0 Pick: DT T.Y. Hubbard, Syracuse
2.0 Pick: ILB Tyler Bradley, Ohio State
1.0 Pick: OLB Beau Martin, Alabama

The Jaguars could use another OLB and they like guys who are good at stopping the run. With Bau Martin the best run stopping OLB in the draft off the board they grab Ja’Wuan Gray. Gray had the 3rd highest OLB run stop drill score but is better in coverage, stronger, more agile, and faster than both of the OLBs who scored higher than him. Gray is the strongest OLB in the class along with being one of the most agile and is in the top half of speed of OLBs that attended the combine. All of that combined with being a good run stopper makes him my OLB3.

31-JAX: ILB Malik Opara, UMass
3.0 Pick: OLB Beau Martin, Alabama
2.0 Pick: OLB Beau Martin, Alabama
1.0 Pick: WR Arden Ejiofor, Louisiana-Lafayette

The Jaguars look set up to run a defense that requires 2 ILBs and the best archetype is a run stopper. Opara had a great combine and rose up my draft board and is a great choice he’s got the physical attributes you're looking for in a run stopper ILB and after his combine and a great senior season at UMass he is a great pick for the Jaguars.

32-LAC: OLB Jourdan Conner, Oregon State
Panthers 3.0 Pick: OLB Rasheed Downs, Notre Dame
Panthers 2.0 Pick: OLB Rasheed Downs, Notre Dame
Panthers 1.0 Pick: CB Chandler McKay, Western Michigan

Again if I am right about the Chargers wanting to run a speed man defense they need another OLB. The scheme fit archetypes are speed and coverage OLB so they grab speed OLB Jourdan Conner who also had the 3rd highest LB coverage drill score of all OLBs to attend the combine.

Edited February 23 by kgreene829
I said attributes instead of archetypes :'( had to add Garrett Smith