Chicago has essentially let teams know publicly and privately that the No. 1 overall pick is up for the highest bid. There is no shortage of teams that could be in the quarterback market, but there is a finite supply of potential quarterbacks; that is good for a Bears organization trying to move down. In today's thought exercise, one of those possible trade scenarios is explored.
The draft order below is now the official order based on team records and tiebreakers. There are only 31 picks as a result of the Dolphins' pick being forfeited due to tampering violations.
Without further ado, let's kick this off!
For more draft content, check out our latest prospect rankings and mock drafts, as well as our new weekly podcast, "With the First Pick," featuring former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman. (Check out the latest episode below.)
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Mock Trade from
Chicago Bears
Round 1 - Pick 1
CBSSports' R.J. White updated his trade value chart recently and came up with the following scenario in a trade up: No. 4 overall, No. 36 overall, No. 80 overall, a 2024 first-round pick and a 2024 second-round pick going to Chicago in exchange for the No. 1 overall selection. With that choice, the Colts select Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Houston watched as their division rival leap-frogged them for the No. 1 overall selection. The Texans respond by selecting Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud. It would be the fifth time since 2010 that quarterbacks have gone 1-2.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
The news that came out Wednesday regarding Jalen Carter could have an impact on his draft stock, but it is still unclear to what degree. Arizona has the opportunity to take the first non-quarterback off the board. Faced with a decision between adding an interior defender or an edge rusher, the Cardinals opt for the position more difficult to fill in defensive-minded Jonathan Gannon's first season as head coach.
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Mock Trade from
Indianapolis Colts
Round 1 - Pick 4
Chicago was able to trade out of the No. 1 overall selection without sacrificing the chance to select a top defender in the class. In a trade-back scenario, Arizona is likely to take the first non-quarterback but the Bears should be more than satisfied with their consolation prize.
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From
Denver Broncos
Round 1 - Pick 5
I envision a scenario where Seattle takes a quarterback. It makes too much sense in the long-term scope of the organization but, how much does Pete Carroll's advanced age and desire to win impact their decision-making? In this scenario, they draft the lengthy edge rusher from Texas Tech.
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Mock Trade from
Detroit Lions
Round 1 - Pick 6
Most in the media think that Carolina is going to be comfortable taking whichever quarterback is left. What if they want a particular quarterback projected to be taken higher? The Panthers do not owe anyone to stay put at No. 9 overall. They trade up ahead of the Raiders to select Kentucky's Will Levis.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Las Vegas has the decision taken out of their hands with Will Levis off the board. Anthony Richardson has more upside than any quarterback in the class but it is going to take patience for him to reach that point.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Atlanta has several needs and that could be a reason why the Falcons do not trade up this year. Quarterback remains a need. If available, they should at the very least consider that player. If they are not a fan, then they are not forced to take him. Similar to Las Vegas, the decision is out of their hands with all of the quarterbacks off the board. They add edge rusher Myles Murphy instead.
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Mock Trade from
Carolina Panthers
Round 1 - Pick 9
Detroit traded back from No. 6 overall, allowing Carolina to trade up and select a quarterback in the process. The Lions add draft capital and Clemson's Myles Murphy is the only non-quarterback to come off the board in that time. General manager Brad Holmes adds a tail, fast cornerback to the secondary.
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From
New Orleans Saints
Round 1 - Pick 10
I love the athletic and cultural fit of Devon Witherspoon in Philadelphia. Veteran cornerback James Bradberry is a free agent and the Eagles have a lot of difficult decisions to make, particularly on defense. Witherspoon has the traits to play man coverage and the awareness to play zone coverage, but his fiery personality is what will endear him to the city.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Tennessee has already moved on from left tackle Taylor Lewan and the right tackle position was already a position of need. The Titans need to come away with a starting-caliber offensive tackle in Round 1 and Peter Skoronski is at the top of my personal list.
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From
Cleveland Browns
Round 1 - Pick 12
Houston first added quarterback C.J. Stroud and now provide him with a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses. Quentin Johnston has the height, weight and speed to be an elite boundary wide receiver in the NFL. He needs to refine his route-running skills to buck the trend of Big 12 wide receivers taken early in the NFL Draft to fail.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Brian Branch may have played college football but he carries himself and prepares as if he is already a professional. New York adds an accountable, competitive leader to the back end of the secondary to go along with a much-improved cornerback room.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Starting left tackle Isaiah Wynn is scheduled to hit free agency this offseason. The buzz supports the idea that the Patriots will part ways with the Georgia product. His play has not necessarily matched what he is likely to receive on the open market. New England fills the need through the draft with Paris Johnson Jr.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
After a few offseasons of speculation, could this finally be the year that Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers part ways? If Jordan Love is the team's choice moving forward, then it needs to surround him with the talent that a veteran like Rodgers didn't necessarily need to be successful. Dalton Kincaid is a fantastic outlet as a pass-catcher.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
Washington has needs along the offensive line and in the secondary. The Commanders fill one of those voids with Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Pittsburgh has not invested a first-round pick into its offensive line since 2012. The Steelers have used 10 of their 15 first-round picks on the defensive side of the ball. The gap had been even wider three years ago before they had selected Najee Harris and Kenny Pickett. He has picked two offensive linemen over the same time period -- David DeCastro and Maurkice Pouncey. It is time for them to return to the offensive line.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
Detroit moved on from T.J. Hockenson ahead of the trade deadline last year. They add a tight end back to the roster with the selection of Michael Mayer; a player whose style will endear himself to head coach Dan Campbell.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
The Tampa Bay roster is going to look a lot different next year. It just is. Tom Brady is gone and many others, including cornerbacks Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean, are scheduled to hit free agency. They need cheaper contracts on the payroll and the selection of Cam Smith allows them to start over at that position.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
Former Vikings general manager and "With the First Pick" co-host Rick Spielman has compared Jordan Addison to DeVonta Smith. Two former Ole Miss teammates, A.J. Brown and DK Metcalf, now have their own DeVonta Smith.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Dawand Jones is a mammoth of a human being. His sheer size represents a problem for edge defenders. Los Angeles has invested heavily in the offensive line in recent years with Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson and now Jones. It is a small price to pay for Justin Herbert to remain upright and capable of doing what he does best.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
The best available complement to Rashod Bateman at wide receiver is Tennessee's Jalin Hyatt. Baltimore finds better value elsewhere, however.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
No cornerback can contest Emmanuel Forbes' production over the course of his career with 14 interceptions and six being returned for a touchdown.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
It is difficult to justify Jacksonville adding another front-seven player with a first-round pick. Five of the team's eight first-round selections since 2018 have been used to address the defensive front seven. The long-term plan from the interior defensive line remains in question and Bryan Bresee addresses that need.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
New York could explore wide receiver help and Tennessee's Jalin Hyatt would be one to consider. He is a go-ball pass-catcher who is still developing his route-running. However, defensive coordinator Wink Martindale needs lengthy man-coverage cornerbacks to make his scheme work.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Trenton Simpson should perform well at the NFL combine so it is reasonable to think he could ascend. Simpson has a versatile skill set that defensive coordinator Dan Quinn should be creative with alongside Micah Parsons.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
Tremaine Edmunds is a potential free agent this offseason so this selection is really dependent upon what happens with him later this month. Drew Sanders has the versatility to fit run gaps or provide some spot pass rush as well.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Cincinnati has been able to supply some pressure around the edge but this is a team that is competing for a Super Bowl every year. Calijah Kancey is a vulnerable run defender but he is someone who can apply pressure up the middle in critical situations.
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From
Denver Broncos
Round 1 - Pick 29
As New Orleans moves toward the future, finding inexpensive contributors will help long term as the Saints try to regain salary cap health. Marcus Davenport may price himself out of town and adding a player like Lukas Van Ness allows them to maintain that depth and playmaking ability on the edge.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
In reality, Bijan Robinson is likely to be long gone by the time Philadelphia comes on the clock for a second time. It is just difficult to pinpoint who that team will be. If Robinson makes it this far, the Eagles would be nuts to pass on him, especially if Miles Sanders moves on in free agency.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Jalin Hyatt has track speed to stretch defenses and open up the field for the likes of Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore and Travis Kelce. The addition would theoretically allow the team to move on from Marquez Valdes-Scantling and save $7 million toward the salary cap in the process.
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