Pick 1, The Pittsburgh Steelers Select WR/CB Travis Hunter from Colorado
I think this is what will happen at 1, Hunter is a speedy WR and elite CB prospect wrapped in to one. It is a shame that he won’t be able to play both ways in madden. His athleticism is off the charts and many of his skill ratings are As as well. He might be the highest overall player in the class at two positions.
Pick 2, The Carolina Panthers select DT Mason Graham from Michigan
I would be absolutely shocked if this happens. Graham fits a need and is a great prospect, but is anyone taking a DT with the second pick? My guess at #2 is Jalen Milroe, but even if the Panthers don’t take a QB I don’t think Graham would be in their top 5 players.
Pick 3, The Cincinnati Bengals select DE Nic Scourton from Texas A&M
Scourton is an interesting prospect, he seems like a tweener between DT and DE at 283 pounds. He has solid physicals but the same thing as Mason Graham, are you really willing to take a tweener DL with a top 5 pick? At least the Bengals have a lot of premium positions filled already like QB, WR, CB. The Bengals could use this pick somewhere else and get a DL at the top of round 2.
Pick 4, The New York Jets Select DE James Pearce Jr. from Tennessee
The Jets picked up this pick in exchange for Sauce Gardner, and though I like Pearce as a player, I think they spend this pick on a QB. Pearce makes more sense in the top 5 than Graham or Scourton to me however. Pearce is an elite athlete with a defined role as an edge rusher. His strength even comes in relatively high for a player with his speed and quickness.
Pick 5, The Tennessee Titans Select WR Luther Burden III from Missouri
This pick has been traded to the Seattle Seahawks for DK Metcalf, so madden at least got the position right for how Tennessee would use this pick. Burden is an elite athlete who can create separation while also being a problem to tackle in space. I like Burden as the second WR off the board but he may fall further than this in the actual draft.
Pick 6, The Houston Texans Select HB Quinshon Judkins from Ohio State
I would be shocked if this pick happened. Judkins is a good prospect, but he should not be the first running back off the board, and he should definitely not be taken by the Texans. Houston just has bigger needs than to be taking a RB when they still have Joe Mixon on the roster. I would expect this pick to be spent somewhere on defense, since they already have 3 good WR.
Pick 7, The Chicago Bears Select OLB Mykel Williams from Georgia
Williams is a great prospect, but I think the Bears have their eyes on another position here. I could see them taking a WR, TE, or DB here. I think the Bears are in a spot to get a very good player that may fall due to them having very unpredictable people picking before them. The Bears have multiple second round picks and I think they could take a DE in that range.
Pick 8, The Carolina Panthers Select CB Will Johnson from Michigan
Madden has the Panthers taking both Michigan defenders at picks 2 and 8. Johnson could potentially have the best coverage stats of any DB in the class, but will have average athleticism ratings which could cause him to slide. I think with the Panthers having already selected their QB at pick number 2 they will take a player for them to have fun with at number 8, either a WR to pair with Legette, a HB, the top TE, or a different CB.
Pick 9, The Los Angeles Rams Select LT Will Campbell from LSU
I think the Rams almost have to go QB at this pick. The roster is aging, but this may be your best chance at a franchise QB. Campbell could very well be the best lineman in the draft, but we don’t see a lot of them going in round 1, let alone the top 10. I think this pick ends up being the best QB left on the board.
Pick 10, The Miami Dolphins Select WR Tetairoa McMillan from Arizona
The Dolphins have bigger issues than WR3 when they have Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle on the roster. I think they almost have to spend this pick on defense based on their cap situation, and they could spend it anywhere they want on defense and have it be ok. This could be where Mason Graham or Nic Scourton come off the board.
Pick 11, The Baltimore Ravens Select DE Landon Jackson from Arkansas
Landon Jackson looks like an absolute monster at 6’7 282 pounds. He could play inside or outside and has the ability to beat blocks at a high level. I think it would be interesting to see him go this high, but I would not hate the pick. Given the way the Ravens have been talking I could see them going WR here, even though I do not think they need to.
Pick 12, The San Francisco 49ers Select CB Benjamin Morrison from Notre Dame
I think this would be a home run pick for the 49ers. Morrison is a great athlete who could be potentially the top CB from this class. He fits a need and would slot in to the CB1 role that Charvarius Ward filled before he was traded.
Pick 13, The Washington Commanders Select RE Deone Walker from Kentucky
Walker I would assume profiles as a DT since he is 350 pounds, but he seems like an absolute nightmare for offensive lines. Though he is slow, he could be the strongest player in the class. The Commanders traded away their DT star Jonathan Allen for a first round pick, and could potentially pick up his replacement here. Good pick for Washington.
Pick 14, The New York Jets Select HB Ashton Jeanty from Boise State
I expect Jeanty to be the first or second HB off the board in the draft, but not to the Jets. Breece Hall has been on the block but hasn’t been moved yet. Braelon Allen is a good back up as well. I think the Jets look to a different position at this pick. Jeanty’s performance in real life may shoot him up draft boards, but I don’t think the Jets are the ones to take him.
Pick 15, The Arizona Cardinals Select DE Abdul Carter from Penn State
I could see this pick happening. I think the Cardinals either take a defensive lineman or WR at 15, it is just their preference at that point. Carter is an elite athlete, similar to previous rushers at Penn St like Micah Parsons and Odafe Oweh. Fills a need with a good player.
Pick 16, The Denver Broncos Select TE Colston Loveland from Michigan
Loveland is probably the top TE in this class, but I think pick 16 is a little rich for the TE position. The Broncos have plenty of needs on defense and I think one of those gets addressed at this pick. The offense was fine last season, and though they could use help in their receiving core, I think this pick is spent on defense.
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