Mel Kiper – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Tyler Guyton taken in the first round of Mel Kiper’s latest NFL Mock Draft

In his latest mock draft for ESPN, Mel Kiper projects Tyler Guyton to go in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

In the 2024 NFL Draft, the Oklahoma Sooners have a great chance to go back-to-back with first-round offensive tackles. Anton Harrison was taken late in the first by the Jacksonville Jaguars last year and [autotag]Tyler Guyton[/autotag] could hear his name called on day one this year.

The Sooners’ offensive tackle has been projected at the end of the first round of NFL mock drafts quite regularly. As draft day approaches, Guyton continues to get first-round buzz, this time from ESPN’s NFL draft guru, Mel Kiper.

In his latest two-round mock draft for ESPN (ESPN+), Kiper sent Guyton to the Dallas Cowboys.

This has to be a tackle, right? Tyron Smith is gone, and Tyler Smith, a first-round pick in 2022, has played extremely well at left guard. Would Dallas move Tyler Smith outside and take the risk that he’s only an above-average left tackle? If I was the general manager, I’d take Guyton, one of the most physically impressive players in this class. At 6-foot-7, 322 pounds, he moves like a tight end. He played mostly right tackle in college, but he could make the move to Dak Prescott’s blind side for the Cowboys. – Kiper, ESPN

The Dallas Cowboys have multiple needs along the offensive line, including offensive tackle. They could also opt to draft a center early. But taking Guyton would make a lot of sense given his upward trajectory. He’s still very young for the position but has developed at a rapid pace due to his plus athleticism and footwork.

If the Cowboys were to draft him, he’d have a bit of a transition on his hands moving over to left tackle. But as we saw in his short time in Norman, he’s got the athleticism to make it a smooth transition.

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2024 NFL draft: Breaking down the Steelers picks in new ESPN mock draft

The Steelers go offensive line and wide receiver in this new ESPN mock draft.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has a new two-round mock draft out and we always perk up when there is a Kiper mock out. The 2024 NFL draft promises to send a ton of young talent into the league and this draft will be vital for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pittsburgh has taken great care in rebuilding the roster and if they can land a pair of starters in this draft like they did in 2023, they could be right back in the mix for an AFC North crown.

Kiper’s mock kicks off with the Steelers selecting Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton in the first round. Here’s what Kiper had to say about the pick.

Cornerback, wide receiver, center — I wouldn’t be surprised with any of these positions for Pittsburgh, which has made a few intriguing additions this offseason. The Steelers parted ways with starting pivot Mason Cole in February, and taking Barton, my top-ranked center, might even be an upgrade. Barton played center as a freshman but spent the past three seasons at left tackle for the Blue Devils, and I see his pro future along the interior. He allowed just three sacks over the past two seasons.

Might be an upgrade? Cole was awful last season. Barton is a huge step up and sets up the team for the future at center.

Moving to the second round, Kiper has the Steelers selecting former Washington wide receiver Jalen McMillan. As Kiper points out, McMillan is a natural slot receiver in the NFL but I’m not sure that’s the target this early in the draft. After trading away Diontae Johnson, an outside receiver is a higher priority, especially with several veterans on the roster who can line up inside. McMillan’s former teammate, Ja’Lynn Polk who went two picks later might be a better fit.

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Panthers strike another trade with Giants in Mel Kiper’s new 2-round mock draft

Even after trading down, the Panthers manage to pick up a couple of studs in Mel Kiper’s newest two-round mock draft.

Did the game’s greatest draft expert just turn out the greatest 2024 draft projection for the Carolina Panthers to date?

Longtime ESPN draftnik Mel Kiper Jr. released his latest mock, one of the two-round variety, on Wednesday. To start the second round, he has the Panthers trading the 33rd overall selection to the New York Giants—who make the jump for Oregon quarterback Bo Nix.

So, Carolina begins their picking at No. 39—landing Georgia’s Ladd McConkey. Kiper writes:

McConkey is a versatile and shifty receiver who caught 119 passes and had 18 touchdowns over three college seasons. He can play inside and outside, and he has the speed — he ran a 4.39-second 40 at the combine — to blow by cornerbacks. The Panthers improved their receiving corps with the trade for Diontae Johnson, but they had one of the league’s worst units a year ago and should add more talent.

McConkey, who could go at the end of the first round, is quite the steal for the Panthers here. But the heist only gets better.

Then, at No. 44, Carolina nabs Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson—who is considered the top prospect at his position:

I addressed Carolina’s wide receiver corps at No. 39, and let’s stay on offense with the pick from the projected trade with the Giants. Do the Panthers trust Austin Corbett to be an above-average starter after moving him from guard to center? I’m not so sure. Powers-Johnson might be an immediate upgrade on departed starter Bradley Bozeman. The Rimington Trophy winner allowed just two total pressures last season.

Filling two big needs with two potential first-round talents? Not bad at all.

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The latest 2024 NFL mock draft from ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has Giants, Rams trading up for QBs in Round 2

This would make for a fun Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft.

As the 2024 NFL Draft gets closer, the questions about how many quarterbacks are going in Round 1 continue to swirl.

It feels like Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy are virtual locks to go in the first round, perhaps in the first five picks. That’s true in the latest 2024 NFL mock draft from our Christian D’Andrea. He also has QBs Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. going in Round 2.

All of that is true in the latest mock draft from ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. — he’s got those big four names in the first. In the second? He’s got the New York Giants trading up to get Bo Nix with the 33rd pick … and the Los Angeles Rams (who need an heir to Matthew Stafford) getting up to No. 37 for Penix:

Yes, the Rams have Matthew Stafford. Yes, they brought in Jimmy Garoppolo. And yes, they drafted Stetson Bennett in Round 4 last year. But Stafford is 36 and has dealt with serious injuries in recent years, while Garoppolo is on a one-year deal and Bennett spent his rookie season on the reserve/non-football illness list. There’s a lot of uncertainty in L.A. past 2024.

Penix could be the future franchise signal-caller for coach Sean McVay and the Rams. He is accurate to every level of the field and is a great decision-maker. He had 67 touchdown passes and 19 interceptions in his two seasons at Washington. I have a Round 2 grade on him, just behind Bo Nix in my rankings.

Intriguing! Check out our latest two-round mock draft from Christian D’Andrea, along with the current NFL draft order for Round 1 and his NFL Draft Big Board with all his rankings.

The latest ESPN Mel Kiper Jr. 2024 NFL Draft big board has Jayden Daniels moving up

Seems like Jayden Daniels’s stock has gone way up.

Jayden Daniels won the Heisman Trophy this past season, but initial NFL mock drafts had the LSU QB not going as high as, say, Caleb Williams.

Now? It feels like he’s almost a lock for top-three, even with that weird elbow photo.

In our latest NFL mock draft from Christian D’Andrea, he’s got Daniels going to the Washington Commanders at No. 2 overall. And that fits exactly with the new NFL Draft big board from ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., who has Daniels moved up from No. 3 prospect to No. 2, right behind Williams.

Here’s his take on why he’s moved him up:

I went deep on Daniels’ future ahead of him taking home the Heisman Trophy. In short, he was consistent enough over the final two months of the regular season that I now feel comfortable moving him into my Big Board. I have a first-round grade on him, and he could go as high as No. 2. Over two seasons at LSU — after he transferred from Arizona State — Daniels threw 57 touchdown passes with just seven interceptions and added 21 rushing scores. He ranked No. 1 in the country in Total QBR last season (95.6), completing 72.2% of his passes while averaging 11.7 yards per attempt. Those are spectacular numbers.

Daniels has rare ability as a dual-threat playmaker. He can evade, elude and blow by defenders, but he also impressed with the way he can run through contact. But it’s his improvement as a passer that has him looking like a Round 1 selection. Yes, having blue chip wideouts Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. to throw to was a huge benefit, but they also were fortunate to have a passer like Daniels with a big-time skill set directing the offense.

Fascinating! Make sure to check out the latest NFL mock draft from Christian D’Andrea and also the official NFL draft order for the first round.

Mel Kiper has Broncos landing a QB in his most recent mock draft

ESPN’s Mel Kiper has the Broncos selecting Oregon QB Bo Nix in his most recent 2024 NFL mock draft.

With the 2024 NFL draft quickly approaching, many professional pundits are trying to put their finger on the pulse of each team’s future first-round pick.

One of the most prolific predictors is ESPN’s Mel Kiper, who has been doing mock drafts since the 1980s. This year, Kiper predicts that the Denver Broncos will choose a young, shapeable quarterback with the No. 12 pick in the first round.

Kiper suggested that Denver take University of Oregon quarterback Bo Nix with that pick in his most recent NFL mock draft.

“Nix isn’t going to be for every team, but [Broncos head coach Sean] Payton might see a little Drew Brees in him,” Kiper wrote on ESPN.com. “He’s a super-fast processor who can make every throw and was one of the most productive passers in college football the past two seasons. He had 74 touchdown passes and just 10 interceptions after transferring from Oregon.”

In this draft, Kiper had Nix as the fifth quarterback off the board, behind USC’s Caleb Williams, UNC’s Drake Maye, Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and LSU’s Jayden Daniels.

The Nix pick is a change from Kiper’s last mock draft that had the Broncos selecting UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu.

The 2024 NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.

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Mel Kiper Jr.’s mock NFL draft 3.0 has five QBs going in the top 12

What is being said about the top quarterbacks other than Caleb Williams?

Mel Kiper, draft expert, is a busy man right now, five weeks before the 2024 NFL draft. Kiper has a new mock draft in which five quarterbacks are in the top 12.

We have written a ton about Caleb Williams. What about Drake Maye? Commanders Wire offered this:

“Logan Paulsen said he strongly feels the Commanders should draft North Carolina QB Drake Maye if they keep the second overall selection in April’s NFL draft.”

Commanders Wire notes that some quarterbacks who sat and learned for one year became really good once they were given the keys to their team’s offense:

“(Aaron) Rodgers, (Jordan) Love, and Patrick Mahomes are very good examples of current quarterbacks who have sat for at least a season and reaped the benefits.”

Do the other quarterbacks in Kiper’s top 12 merit a 2024 season in which they sit and learn before taking over in 2025? It doesn’t seem that Caleb Williams fits that category. He will be expected to start from Day 1 in Chicago with the Bears.

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2024 NFL mock draft: ESPN’s Mel Kiper gives Bucs more speed at WR

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. makes a luxury pick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his latest first-round projection for the 2024 NFL draft

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers already have one of the best wide receiver tandems in the NFL with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, but would that stop them from spending their top pick in the 2024 NFL draft on another dynamic pass-catcher?

In his latest 2024 NFL mock draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has the Bucs using the No. 26 overall selection on Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who just broke the NFL Scouting Combine record with a 4.21-second 40-yard dash.

Here’s what Kiper had to say about the pick:

The Bucs are running it back from 2023, with quarterback Baker Mayfield, wideout Mike Evans and linebacker Lavonte David among the players re-signing. General manager Jason Licht has done well with a tough salary-cap situation — Tampa Bay held a $35.1 million dead-cap charge for Tom Brady last year — and his team should challenge again to win the NFC South (though Atlanta is improved too).

So how can the Bucs improve with this pick? I see room for a third wideout to take the top off the defense. And what better way to do that than with the fastest prospect in NFL combine history? At 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, Worthy is small, but he is electric with the ball in his hands. He’ll help Mayfield’s yards-per-attempt average just by running past corners on crossers. He had 26 touchdowns over three college seasons.

There’s no denying that Worthy would bring game-breaking speed and big-play potential to Tampa Bay’s passing attack, but the Bucs already have a budding young talent in Trey Palmer who has a similar skill set. Palmer showed off his own elite speed multiple times during his rookie season, and even had the fastest burst of any receiver in the league last year, according to Next Gen Stats.

Taking Worthy is the first round would be a luxury for a Bucs team that desperately needs upgrades in the starting lineup at multiple spots on both sides of the ball (left guard, center, outside linebacker, inside linebacker).

To check out Kiper’s full first-round mock draft at ESPN.com (subscription required), click here.

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Two big draft analysts say this prospect should replace Trevor Penning

Two big draft analysts picked the same prospect to replace Trevor Penning. Penn State left tackle Olu Fashanu may not get past New Orleans in April’s draft:

It’s always interesting when mock drafts are in agreement and a consensus starts to build — even unpredictable teams like the New Orleans Saints can tip their hand during the lengthy process leading up the annual NFL draft. And when major media outlets are linking the Saints to the same prospect ahead of the 2024 draft, it’s time to sit up and pay attention.

Both ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah, two of the longest-tenured draft analysts around, have the Saints targeting a replacement for Trevor Penning. The third-year left tackle hasn’t shown much through his first two seasons, having lost his rookie year to injuries before being benched just six games into his sophomore campaign. He’s flirting with bust status.

And both Kiper and Jeremiah have the same player in mind to upgrade that left tackle spot: Olumuyiwa Fashanu from Penn State. Here’s what Kiper had to say of the situation:

As I mentioned last month, the Saints have seen 2022 first-rounder Trevor Penning struggle for two seasons; how much longer will they trot him out there at left tackle? In a deep and talented tackle class, they could upgrade in Round 1. Fashanu, who only turned 21 in December, has fantastic movement traits as both a pass- and run-blocker. At 6-foot-6, 312 pounds, he looks like he could play tight end. He started 21 games on the left side in college.

New Orleans might also be in the market for a wideout to pair with Chris Olave, who has put up back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons to start his career. Brian Thomas Jr. (LSU) and Xavier Worthy (Texas) are the next receivers up in my rankings.

Jeremiah was more succinct, writing that “2022 first-rounder Trevor Penning has not worked out for the Saints. Fashanu is the new solution at left tackle.”

The Saints have expressed optimism that Penning can still develop into a starting-quality left tackle under the team’s new offensive coaching staff. But if Fashanu is the highest-rated player available when they’re on the clock, they shouldn’t hesitate to draft him. Penning can move to the right side and back up Ryan Ramczyk (who might be out of football in the next year or two, depending on how well his bad knee holds up) or learn a new position at left guard and compete to start there. Fashanu is the real deal, and the Saints would be lucky to have him.

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Packers get UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu in new Mel Kiper Jr. mock draft

Mel Kiper Jr.’s new mock draft for ESPN has the Green Bay Packers getting UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu at No. 25 overall in the first round of the 2024 draft.

Kiper considered giving the Packers an offensive tackle but instead settled on Latu, who he said has “elite pass-rushing skills” with double-digit sack potential at the next level. The one problem? Latu has a big medical red flag in his draft profile.

From Kiper:

Latu put up 111 quarterback pressures over the past two seasons, racking up 23.5 sacks. He has elite pass-rushing skills and is already advanced in his technique. The reason he’s not a surefire top-15 pick is because he has some medical questions; he medically retired from football due to a neck injury when he was at Washington in 2021. I love his fit with the Packers, though.

If the Packers can get comfortable with Latu’s medicals, the pick could be a slam dunk. Latu is 6-5 and 259 pounds with a Relative Athletic Score of 9.30. According to Pro Football Focus, he was the most productive pass-rusher in college football over the last two seasons, including a 61-pressure season in 2023. He had elite marks in pass-rush win rate and pass-rush grade.

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared Latu to T.J. Watt. The talent is undeniable, and top pass-rushers don’t usually get to the bottom half of the first round. The medical red flag would be the only reason he’s still available for the Packers at No. 25.

The Packers don’t have a big need at edge rusher, but the defense is transitioning to a 4-3 front, Preston Smith is likely entering his final season in Green Bay and Kingsley Enagbare could miss a big chunk of the season while recovering from a knee injury. At the very least, Latu could develop as a fourth rusher behind Smith, Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness in 2024 before expanding his role in Year 2.

Great defenses have great rushers. And great rushers can transform a defense.

Think back to 2009. The Packers were moving to a 3-4 front under Dom Capers. Ted Thompson picked Clay Matthews late in the first round, and the defense went from good to great.

Could Latu be a similar type of addition for Jeff Hafley?