NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Picks 16-31

Mock drafting is an imperfect process, with reports emerging every day of new players' visits and rumours of character concerns casting doubt on some players. But the draft remains almost as interesting as the Super Bowl for some, so the speculation remains an intriguing part of the process. WIth that said, let’s take a look at how the second half of the first round could go.

Head coach Ron Rivera has voiced his support of second year quarterback Sam Howell and given his youth, there is an argument to be made for giving him a go in 2023. Regardless of who is under centre, there is a dearth of talent along the offensive line making any QB’s life more difficult. Without a truly elite tackle since Trent Williams departed, Washington could do a lot worse than taking Darnell Wright here.

The Steelers are all in on Kenny Pickett at QB for the 2023 season after he surprised many, showing flashes of natural talent in the pocket. There isn’t a true star WR on the roster, but George Pickens offers size and physicality to ensure there isn’t a complete lack of talent there either. Jones is a great pass protector with great size and good feet, he should be an immediate help to Pickett and the Steelers offense.

The Lions are going big on offense here, with a WR taken in the top ten and Robinson here in the middle of the first round. This is a worthwhile strategy for the Detroit side as it will bolster their talented attack in 2023 and provide a nice landing spot for a quarterback if Jared Goff departs in the next few years. Robinson is a complete back with size, speed, and receiving ability out of the backfield. The Lions will be a hell of a watch in 2023 with this pick.

With the top four QBs off the board and Hendon Hooker looking like a risky pick in the first round, the Bucs will have to roll with one of Baker Mayfield or Kyle Trask in 2023. As a general rule NFL teams value edge rushers as a second or third priority, behind only QB and offensive line, so when the board doesn’t fall your way, take the best available pass rusher, who in this instance is Van Ness. A freak athlete who hasn't quite worked out his technique yet, the Iowa prospect could well develop into a top pass rusher.

Seattle has a really fun offense right now, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett operate completely differently giving them a nice balance in the passing game, adding a super athletic TE could help take them over the top. In a draft class with a decent number of TE prospects, Kincaid may well be the best. Fast enough to be a legitimate threat down the field and with good route running underneath, he makes a lot of sense in Seattle

This draft class needs to be about adding speed to the Charger's offense, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are a nice pairing but neither are consistent field stretchers, Allen is also entering the later stages of his career so help is needed. It comes in the form of the ex-Horned Frog, Quentin Johnson. Johnson was a big part of why TCU made the National Championship game last season, adding this dynamic weapon will open a lot of things up in LA.

 I think it’s safe to assume Lamar Jackson will be playing in Maryland this season, with the signing of Odell Beckham Jr. reportedly at his request going some way to bridging the gap between player and team. The Ravens are a team with an identity, and it usually involves having a large collection of talented pass rushers on the roster. Murphy offers them size and athleticism off the edge, which added to a defense including Roquan Smith, could be a very scary prospect.

With most of the wide receivers gone by this point, the Vikings could well be taking a risk by reaching for someone lower on their board, or they can take one of the cornerbacks still available. Ringo is probably the pick of the bunch still left, although Cam Smith or Joey Porter Jr. could be options too. Ringo has size, speed, and a National Championship-winning pedigree coming out of Georgia. He gives the Vikings a chance to reset the outside of their defense from day one.

Brian Branch is a do-it-all defensive back, able to play in the slot or deeper at safety. This versatility could well be a valuable asset to the Jags who don’t have much stand-out talent in the defensive secondary. Whilst an offensive lineman might be the ideal pick here, getting someone as talented as Branch this late in the draft could be a real gift to a Jags team looking to push on from last year’s playoff season.

The Giants could go in a few directions here with the wide receiver being an obvious need, but there is a lack of quality in the defensive backfield, something which can be remedied by picking the big CB from Penn State. Notoriously physical, sometimes to a fault, Porter Jr is an in-your-face type of player who can bring a real attitude to a side that made a surprise run in the playoffs last year.

Dallas had a good but not great receiving group in 2022, with Ceedee Lamb leading the way. After acquiring Brandin Cooks in a trade, they will be looking to make life as easy as possible for Dak Prescott, so giving him a reliable TE to both catch those underneath balls and path the way for Tony Pollard makes a ton of sense. Mayer is exactly that guy, drawing comparisons to Jason Witten, the Dallas crowd will immediately take to the ex-Notre Dame player.

Linebacker could be in play here after the Bills let Tremaine Edmunds walk in free agency, but perhaps they showed their hand with that move and they don’t value the position quite as much as previously thought. Every team values good pass defenders though, which is exactly what Cam Smith is. Sean McDermott has shown time and time again he can call a good defense, so giving him the right tools is a sensible decision by the perennial Super Bowl hopefuls.

Washington is a monstrous human being, standing over 6’7” tall and weighing around 270lbs, he could well be mistaken for a defensive end. Unfortunately for defenders, he’s a TE who knows how to make plays when called upon. Used as an auxiliary lineman at times for Georgia, his production was limited, but the Bengals need an underneath threat, and taking Washington gives them that, whilst also shoring up the pass blocking as well.

Calijah Kancey is an explosive interior pass rusher who would fit into the Saints’ system right away. With Cam Jordan nearing the end of his career, new blood is needed along the defensive front, and whilst not a direct replacement for Jordan, Kancey could take some of the attention away from the veteran pass rusher. This pick being a defensive lineman seems a certainty at this point.

After lucking into possibly the best player in the draft in Jalen Carter, the Eagles can take a bit of swing here and find themselves with a fun new tool in the toolbox. New defensive coordinator Shaun Desai will be able to play around with Sanders, who is solid at both a traditional inside linebacker position or as a pass rusher. Adding someone of this quality to the Eagles defense will make them very tough to compete against.

Jahmyr Gibbs is probably not needed by the Chiefs who found a very solid running back in Isaiah Pacheco last year, but when you have Patrick Mahomes you have the freedom to make any selection you like and it looks pretty good. Adding a running back who runs a 4.36 40 to the Chief's offense just doesn’t seem very fair. Andy Reid will certainly have some fun moving him around and finding him space on the field.