What I Would do as General Manager of Every Team

Mock draft season is here. Let it begin: the game of guesswork and terrible assumptions. Instead of sticking to the normal script and projecting what teams will do, in this mock draft, I get to play the general manager of each team. That means using each pick how I think it should be used.

1. Washington Commanders – Trade with Chicago Bears – QB Caleb Williams – USC

This is bound to become a popular hypothetical as spring rolls around and rumors start to fly in the NFL. But the Washington Commanders need a spark. By moving up and trading with Chicago, we give up a second-round pick in 2024, a second-round pick in 2025, plus a 2025 first-round pick. Sure, the price seems steep. But Williams is a franchise-altering player who’ll help this team finally turn things around. Looking at how the Houston Texans bet on themselves by trading away a future first-round pick last April, we like our chances of being instantly better with Williams in the fold.

2. Chicago Bears – Trade with Washington Commanders – QB Jayden Daniels – LSU

With Caleb Williams off the board, we have our pick of the next-best quarterback. Sure, Daniels has shades of Justin Fields in his game (which might scare some people) but Daniels is more polished as a passer and will enter the NFL with tons of experience under his belt. He’s explosive as a runner and is not afraid to let it rip on the deep ball. By sacrificing the top pick in this draft, that’ll make it three years in a row where we ended up with multiple first-round picks. Plus, we have our quarterback of the future. Not a bad way to turn around a struggling franchise.

3. Minnesota Vikings – Trade with New England Patriots – QB Drake Maye – UNC

Right before our eyes, the weakest team in our division just nabbed their quarterback of the future. With both the Packers and Lions trending upward behind their young offenses, it became clear that we need to keep up in the arms race. Giving up a future first-round pick, plus some, feels uncharacteristic of a GM (me) who relies heavily on analytics, but there was no use in waiting for the quarterback of the future to fall to us at pick 11. Besides, it has been suggested that Kirk Cousins is not the answer for this franchise, at least at that price. Moving up means landing a quarterback in Maye who instantly steps in and makes this offense exciting.

4. Arizona Cardinals – WR Marvin Harrison Jr. – Ohio State

There was a lot of sweat lost over this one, but all the buzz around the three top quarterbacks heading into the draft was enough to convince us that we would be happy with whoever falls to them here. We can say it now, but we’re not just happy with Harrison Jr., we’re ecstatic. Because while upgrading the offensive line was tempting, the Cincinnati Bengals are a perfect example of what happens when you juice the offense with a game-changing receiver and wait to build the line. MHJ has a high pedigree and will become a star in no time.

5. Los Angeles Chargers – WR Malik Nabers – LSU

Given the taste of success we’ve had over the year, plus that new coach we just hired, it’s easy to think this team is ready to contend. But, there’s a real chance that Keenan Allen or Mike Williams is not on the roster in August. (Hello, other teams, we are open for business). Surrounding Justin Herbert with weapons, thus, seemed like one of the most important ways for us to keep pace with the Chiefs, who are fielding one of the league’s best defenses and just won another Super Bowl. Instead of upgrading the offensive line, or building out the defense, this is all about juicing the offense. Nabers can step in right away and give Herbert a YAC machine.

6. New York Giants – WR Rome Odunze – Washington

Since no team gave us a good enough offer for this pick, the choice was made to address the offensive line later and select one of the draft’s top receivers. Odunze has the physical traits, smoothness as a route-runner, and football IQ to step in and become a number-one receiver in this offense. Daniel Jones has yet to play with one of those. This gives our very expensive quarterback a legitimate weapon and lets us not only maximize our investment in him but also decide if Jones is actually our franchise quarterback going forward.

7. Tennessee Titans – OL Joe Alt – Notre Dame

Another year. Another top offensive lineman that falls to us. Last year’s draft was all about reshaping our offensive identity. We feel pretty good about that quarterback that fell to us last year. Now, Alt gives us a solid building block opposite Peter Skoronski. He has the tools and frame to be a sturdy blocker at the next level, and comes from a strong lineage of NFL players. With Will Levis locked in as the leader of this franchise, Alt gives us one more reason to think we can reclaim this wide-open AFC South.

8. Atlanta Falcons – OLB Dallas Turner – Alabama

Our new coach is inheriting an ascending defense, but there are still glaring holes at linebacker and edge rusher on this team. Holes that were made even bigger once we let Bud Dupree walk. Adding Turner gives Raheem Morris and this defense the sort of impact player that Will Anderson had on the Texans. Anderson has similarities to Turner in his game. Since we have already found our quarterback of the foreseeable future before the draft, we can focus on maximizing their window for winning what will be a wide-open NFC South in 2024 by adding day-one starters to the defense. 

Spoiler alert: That quarterback is Justin Fields (via trade with Chicago for a 2024 second-round pick, plus a 2025 conditional second-round pick)

9. Chicago Bears – OL Olumuyiwa Fashanu – Penn State

Protecting that new quarterback of ours is now the main priority. We’ve seen what happens when a quarterback’s development gets stunted by poor offensive line play (again, sorry Justin Fields). That means Fashanu becomes a no-brainer for us with our second pick in the first round. After not being able to trade up a few picks with that extra capital, we stand pat and pick one of the blue-chip players in this draft. Even better, he fits one of our biggest needs. Things looked better up front for us last year, but we want that revolving door of faces to stop. And for as good as Jayden Daniels is, his slender frame means fortifying our offensive line becomes absolutely essential.

10. New York Jets – OL Amarius Mims – Georgia

Internal discussions in the building make this pick a heated debate. Outside of Garrett Wilson, the weapons on this offense do not inspire a lot of confidence for what the ceiling of this offense could be. But, we all saw how quickly the last season took a nose-dive when our quarterback went down. This means fortifying the offensive line takes precedence over adding weapons. Plus, as GM, I like the depth of this receiver class and feel very good about my running backs. Mims gives this offense a plug-and-play starter along the line, which means we’re on our way to being right back in the mix for the AFC East.

11. New England Patriots – Trade with Minnesota Vikings – TE Blake Bowers – Georgia

Call it luck. Call it patience. We like to think that good things come to those who wait. It can be assumed that the temptation was there for other teams to trade up for Bowers, who transcends the traditional tight end position and projects as a game-changer at the next level. But most of the teams drafting before us are pretty set at the position, meaning the Bowers slide becomes the second-best thing to happen to us on day-one of the draft. In case you were wondering, the quarterback position has been figured out—with Alex Van Pelt in the building, a Jacoby Brissett reunion made too much sense—which gave us room to build this thing out the right way. That means landing an X-factor like Bowers and extra draft capital for the future. (Jerod Mayo will have to wait to spend some of that cash).

12. Denver Broncos – CB Terrion Arnold – Alabama

We’ve had luck in Denver with Alabama cornerbacks. While it’s tempting to pull the trigger on a fast riser like Byron Murphy II to beef up the interior of the defensive line, our cornerback room is looking thin after letting Fabian Moreau walk. Our coach also spent the cash last year that we might have used to add more of our kind of guys. But make no mistake about it, Arnold is the kind of guy we want. He’s long and excels in press coverage, which should make Vance Joseph happy. The quarterback market is too spicy for our tastes, even though our fans should be stoked that we brought back Drew Lock to compete with Jared Stidham. That should help them cool off after that Russell Wilson whiff. 

13. Las Vegas Raiders – CB Nate Wiggins – Clemson

The narrative behind this pick isn’t great. Clemson cornerbacks, and first-round corners in general, have not exactly flourished recently in silver in black. The Jack Jones waiver pickup last year was savvy, but we can’t bank on Jones being as good as he was in 2023. Plus, beefing up the secondary is one way to help unlock Tyree Wilson in year two, and get the most out of Maxx Crosby. Since the depth at receiver in this class is strong, we’re able to confidently look towards the defense as we figure out the identity of this team going forward. Wiggins is one of the best cover corners in this class and isn’t afraid of contact. We love his game.

14. New Orleans Saints – OL Taliese Fauga – Oregon State 

To maximize this window we’ve kicked open by signing Derek Carr and keeping the receiver room flush with intriguing talents, the Fauga pick makes the most sense. Sure, the offense was middling last season and underachieved. But Pete Carmichael is out, and Klint Kubiak is in. The best part about that: Fauga is one of the best run-blocking tackles in this draft, and few coaches have stronger ties to iconic rushing schemes like Kubiak. Pairing the presumed zone-blocking scheme that Kubiak will bring to the Big Easy with the sort of skillset that Fauga possesses means that this offense can start cooking again in 2024. We promise.

15. Indianapolis Colts – DL Jared Verse – FSU

To the fans, our owner tried. We were on the phone all night, trying to move up for Blake Bowers. But the right offer never came around. So we shifted our focus to defense. After finding our quarterback of the future, it’s time to beef up the defensive line. Adding Verse gives this unit depth and a player who can set the edge as a run defender but also harass the quarterback. There’s a lot to like about Verse’s game, and we feel like he could make an impact like another former FSU player, Jermaine Johnson, who took a season to get his sea legs under him in New York before becoming a force on the edge.  

16. Pittsburgh Steelers – Trade with Seattle Seahawks – QB JJ McCarthy – Michigan

We see the Rams lurking and make the call to move up. McCarthy isn’t everyone’s flavor at quarterback, but his game does resemble Kenny Pickett’s in ways. We like the floor but we love the ceiling. This type of aggressiveness is a little out of character for us, but we weren’t expecting Mason Rudolph to sign that lucrative contract in free agency. With stars to pay, now we’re looking for cheap competition in the quarterback room. This is about pushing Pickett, but it’s also about maximizing the window for competing because we haven’t been this excited about an offensive coordinator since Todd Haley was in the building. The window is now. McCarthy could help us keep it open and remain a perennial contender in the AFC.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars – CB Kool-Aid McKinstry – Alabama

The AFC South is getting better, and there’s no use in telling ourselves we are still the only team with a franchise quarterback in the division. This means finding ways to attack the quarterback. Or, shutting down his best receivers by bolstering the secondary. A tough choice between T’Vondre Sweat and McKinstry left some people in the building unhappy, but McKinstry gives us a sticky cornerback to pair with Tyson Campbell. McKinstry has the tools to be good at the pro level and comes from the Alabama factory of cornerbacks. He’s tight in coverage and can allow us to scheme up ways to let Josh Allen and Travon Walker eat.

18. Cincinnati Bengals –  WR Brian Thomas Jr. – LSU

This one caused a bit of a riff in the building. But we’re excited to see another LSU Tiger take the field for this offense. Thomas is a big-bodied receiver who compliments Ja’Marr Chase perfectly. He gives Joe Burrow a red zone threat like Tee Higgins, who we couldn’t come up with the cash to pay. While beefing up the offensive line is also necessary, there’s depth at that position. Alpha receivers don’t come around too often, so Thomas won out as the choice here. He’s got the speed to break the big one loose but also can do what it takes to gain separation and move the chains.

19. Los Angeles Rams – EDGE Chop Robinson – Penn State

Coming into this season, Robinson was seen as a potential early top-ten pick. His 2023 campaign at Penn State was limited by an ankle injury, but we know that once he’s in our system, he’ll thrive. A menace off the edge, Robinson has the burst and power to become a legitimate star. He can do a bit of everything and even lined up on the interior of the defensive line at Penn State, so we’re excited about what he brings to this defense that needs some juice on the edge. 

20. Green Bay Packers – Trade with Seattle Seahawks (via trade with Pittsburgh Steelers) – CB Cooper DeJean – Iowa

All that extra draft capital (thanks, Aaron Rodgers and Rasul Douglas) means we can move up the board to address a real need. After letting Rudy Ford walk but resigning Darnell Savage on a low-risk deal, this team needs help at safety. DeJean played cornerback at Iowa, but people in this building see him as an ideal slot corner who can be moved around. Maybe that means being a stud safety. Micah Hyde, a former Hawkeye, had success in a similar role—DeJean is more athletically gifted and incredibly smart. He’ll play right away.

21. Miami Dolphins – DT T’Vondre Sweat – Texas

As much as we’d love to keep Christian Wilkins around forever, we had to settle on the franchise tag. That means we could be staring down a big hole on the defensive line sooner than later. Add Sweat: a massive tackle who moves like an edge defender at times. Sweat gives this defense a plug-and-play player who can occupy space, play the well run, and also help out in passing situations. Even if he doesn’t fall this far, we’ll do what it takes to move up to get him.

22. Philadelphia Eagles – CB Quinyon Mitchell – Toledo

Between the secondary and the receivers, this team needs more depth. When injuries and attrition hit both units in 2023, the team suffered. Adding Mitchell means more help opposite Darius Slay, or James Bradberry since both are aging and could be playing their final seasons in Philadelphia. The sticky coverage Mitchell plays, plus his ball skills and length should drive plenty of intrigue around draft time, so we might have to move up for him. Regardless, he embodies what we like out of our cornerbacks in Philly, and would be a strong fit.

23. Houston Texans – DT Jer’Zhan Newton – Illinois

For as young and promising as this team is, 2023 was a year of overachievement. That’s not to take anything away from our coach, quarterback, or offensive coordinator, but we still have work to do. Having a guy like Newton step in would help shore up the front seven, especially with a ton of key veteran free agents hitting the open market. This coaching staff has been a big reason for the turnaround of this team, and they’d love to have Newton, who comes from a strong program at Illinois. He’s got the intangibles and power to become an impact player right away.

24. Dallas Cowboys – EDGE Laiatu Latu – UCLA

There’s a very good chance Latu goes early—like, top-ten early. But since the medicals are still his biggest red flag, we can’t be sure Latu doesn’t slide. No matter what, most teams would be thrilled to land Latu. We’re looking for depth, because Micah Parsons can’t take on the world himself, and Dorance Armstrong just got the bag on the open market. With a few defensive tackles off the board, the next best thing to do is upgrade the edge position. Latu has incredible burst and quickness, and he will make an instant impact at the next level.

25. Seattle Seahawks – Trade with Green Bay Packers & Pittsburgh Steelers – OL Kingsley Suamataia – BYU

It was a bit risky, but moving this far back netted us some extra capital for later in the draft. Since we trust our new coach to infuse this defense with young talent, the decision to wait for Suamataia looks good on paper. This is a prospect we feel good about being able to move around the offensive line, and that versatility is essential. Last season the injuries struck the offensive line, so we wanted someone who could be thrown into the lineup in a pinch and still hold his own, and Suamataia has that sort of potential.

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – WR Xavier Legette – South Carolina

It was hard to let a legend like Mike Evans walk away. But we know this team is farther away from being back on top as 2023 might have shown. The value isn’t there for quarterback either, and we’re happy with the deal Baker Mayfield signed with us, plus the one we got Sam Darnold to sign as insurance. Another year of running it back with Mayfield means more weapons are needed for the offense. Legette is the real deal and will show a lot of people why he’s one of the sleeper prospects at wide receiver. As a physical receiver with good ball skills, we think he has what it takes to make a strong tandem with Chris Godwin. 

27. Arizona Cardinals – (via 2023 Houston trade) OL JC Latham – Alabama

Another year, another pick that goes towards fortifying the offensive line with a blue-chip player. Coming into college, Latham was a five-star prospect. He also played under one of the greatest college football coaches of all time. We think he has what it takes to be a long-term starter on the line, even if that means shuffling him around before finding his best fit. There’s a chance Latham’s slide doesn’t last this long, but we’ve got some extra draft capital to make sure we can go up and get him. He’s got star potential.

28. San Francisco 49ers – Trade with Buffalo Bills – OL Troy Fautanu – Washington 

(Trade details: Buffalo sends its 2024 first-round pick and 2025 third-round pick for Brandon Aiyuk)

The first shock of the draft season comes here: Buffalo called last night and offered us a first-round pick for Brandon Aiyuk. Letting one of the best young receivers in the game go was not easy, but it’s not the first time such a thing has happened. With free agency looming in 2025, Aiyuk was due for a payday. Even if Buffalo used the trade as a one-year rental, Aiyuk deserves it. Plus, we have too many stars to pay. The Bills knew all along what we just learned: Kansas City remains king. If anyone is going to dethrone the Chiefs, they’ll have to possess the firepower to outlast them. For us, that means protecting Brock Purdy and keeping Christian McCaffrey producing at a high level. Since Trent Williams is getting closer to retirement, the decision to find his replacement was made easy. Enter: Fautanu. 

29. Detroit Lions – DL Bralen Trice – Washington

Without a doubt, the defense needs to be improved. If there were a stud receiver still on the board, this decision might have been more difficult. But Trice brings a full set of skills to the table that should translate well to the next level. We know Aidan Hutchinson is a stud, but he can’t do everything on his own. Trice will give us depth at the position, but also a player who could blossom into an every-down player who can play the run as well as he does rush the passer. 

30. Baltimore Ravens – WR Adonai Mitchell – Texas

The Odell Beckham Jr. experiment didn’t exactly pan out. Beyond that, the cupboard just got thinner when Nelson Agholor took a better contract in free agency. For as good as Zay Flowers is, this offense needs a physically imposing receiver to play outside so that Flowers can fit into his more natural role as a slot receiver. Mitchell has a wide catch radius and is physical at the point of attack. His game has improved over the years, and we think he can step in right away and help take this offense to the next level. Our MVP quarterback will be happy with this pick.

31. San Francisco 49ers – WR Keon Coleman – FSU

The populous might not be as high on Coleman, but the people in our building (mainly, me) love his upside. He’s got the complete skill set that makes him a natural replacement for Brandon Aiyuk. Coleman can do a little bit of everything and is a jump-ball specialist. This helps us focus on paying guys like Christian McCaffrey and Chase Young while plugging holes on defense with veteran free agents, like we’ve been so successful at doing in the past. Plus, we just stole the player that the Chiefs were hoping fell just one more spot.

32. Kansas City Chiefs – OT Tyler Guyton – Oklahoma

For as great as Patrick Mahomes is, the Super Bowl was a good example of what can happen when one chain in the link is broken. Not having Joe Thuney almost turned out to be detrimental to our championship hopes, as Mahomes had to do more on his own than we would have liked. Adding reinforcements and depth to the offensive line will be a focus for us, whether that’s in free agency or the draft. Guyton could become an immediate starter, too, since Donovan Smith surprised us by taking better money on the open market.