mock drafts – Syndication Server

Yes, Jason Licht reads your mock drafts

Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht admits to perusing NFL draft projections from the media

Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht is just like the rest of us.

Yep, this time of year, even the top personnel executive for an actual NFL team is scrolling through mock drafts.

“Yeah, I’m not going to lie,” Licht said when asked if he reads the plentiful predraft projections from various media outlets. “You just kind of want to see in general where guys may be. Somebody is talking to somebody that is putting the mock draft together, so you like to think that there is something there, but you never rely on it.”

Licht probably gets far more insight from his sources throughout the league that he’s likely to garner from a random mock draft, but he particularly enjoys the media projections that connect the Bucs with a player they’re not actually targeting in real life.

“Sometimes,” Licht said when asked about seeing the same player mocked to the Bucs over and over. “When it’s the guy that we’re not targeting, I love to see it.”

What about when a mock draft does have the name the Bucs are actually going after in the first round?

“We do what we can to make sure that name isn’t on there again, you know,” Licht said with a hearty laugh.

So, keep churning out those mock drafts, folks. At least one general manager is getting a kick out of them, one way or another.

[lawrence-related id=86610]

Cory Bonini’s 2024 NFL mock draft 1.0

Make sure to check out Cory Bonini’s first mock draft of 2024.

Here’s my first 2024 NFL mock draft. Be sure to check our NFL Draft Central page for the rest of our mocks, player scouting reports, and post-draft analysis of every key pick relevant to fantasy football.

Where Jayden Daniels goes as CBS Sports projects QB trade in top five in latest mock draft

Could trades in the top five affect Jayden Daniels’ landing spot?

As we approach the 2024 NFL draft, the stakes for the quarterback position seem clear.

The top three teams in the draft all need signal-callers, but there are no guarantees all three of those teams stay in place. In the latest NFL mock draft from CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli, he projects the Vikings trading up to take a passer.

It’s not [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], however, as he’s already off the board by the third pick. Fornelli has Washington staying in place at No. 2 to draft its quarterback of the future in Daniels.

Here’s Fornelli’s breakdown of Daniels’ fit with the Commanders and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

I’m confident Caleb Williams will go first, but as for the second QB off the board, it’s anybody’s guess. Opinions vary across the league on who the best QB is in this class after Williams. In this mock, the Commanders are lured by the tantalizing playmaking and potential of Jayden Daniels.

Fornelli projects [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] going a few picks later to the Giants at No. 6.

I don’t know how Giants fans would feel seeing this flurry of action in front of them, but when the dust settles, they still have excellent options available to fill multiple needs. For me, the value of adding Malik Nabers to an offense with a serious devoid of playmakers is too much to pass up.

Meanwhile, he has [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] falling to the New England Patriots, who trade back from No. 3 to No. 23 in this mock.

Moving down from the third spot nets the Patriots a new left tackle in Olu Fashanu and a deep threat in the passing game who could evolve into much more in LSU’s Brian Thomas. In this scenario, it’s possible the Pats would take a quarterback with their second-round pick.

Things could get wild with trades in the first round, but it seems the general draft range for the three LSU stars is set.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Jets land Oregon State tackle in latest Pro Football Network mock draft

The Jets may not be locked into selecting an offensive tackle with their first pick of the draft at No. 10, but it wouldn’t be the worst idea to still consider the position even with the additions of Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses.

The latest mock draft from Lorenzo Reyna of Pro Football Network does just that, sending Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga to the Jets with the 10th pick of the draft.

While the New York Jets addressed offensive tackle in a big way by signing perennial Pro Bowler Tyron Smith and trading for Morgan Moses, that only addressed a short-term tackle need. There’s the long-term to address.

Taliese Fuaga is a massive mauler who can set an angry tone in the Jets trenches –- which should be to the liking of QB Aaron Rodgers and RB Breece Hall.

The Jets still could use both a swing tackle and, as Reyna noted, a long term option at tackle. Both Smith and Moses are only locked in for one season.

The Jets got a close look at Fuaga down in Mobile, Alabama at the Senior Bowl as defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich was one of the head coaches for the week.

In this case, Joe Alt (No. 5 to Chargers) and Olu Fashanu (No. 7 to Titans) were both off the board for the Jets. Tight end Brock Bowers, another popular pick now for the Jets, was also off the board, going to the Bears at No. 9.

Fuaga was certainly more than just a consolation prize for the Jets in this scenario. Fuaga can give the Jets a fine backup option initially behind Smith and Moses and would eventually take over as one of the starting offensive tackles.

Given the state of the roster on paper, the Jets can now go in multiple directions with their first pick. Fuaga would certainly be a fine direction.

Panthers mock draft roundup 2.0: Tracking the latest 2024 projections

Once again, there are plenty of wideouts to go around in the latest mock draft projections for the Panthers.

Now that the 2024 edition of the underwear olympics is completed, are the experts forecasting anything different for the Carolina Panthers in the upcoming draft?

Here are the latest, post-combine projections for the team’s first pick of the spring:

Three Tigers go in the first round of ESPN’s latest mock draft

Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. were all chosen in the first round of the mock draft.

ESPN recently released its latest mock draft which has been updated since the NFL combine and three LSU Tigers players made the first round of the mock draft.

[autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] were all chosen in the first round of the draft, here is who ESPN thinks will choose them. With the third pick of the 2024 NFL draft, the New England Patriots select [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], quarterback, LSU.

The Patriots have a plethora of problems. A franchise that used to be the standard for winning championships is now a franchise that has descended into madness. They’re hoping a new quarterback can save the day.

With the fifth pick in the [autotag]2024 NFL Draft[/autotag], ESPN has the Chicago Bears trading up to No. 5 (After drafting Caleb Williams at No. 1) and selecting [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag], wide receiver, LSU.

If the draft goes how most experts expect it to, the Bears will need some talent to surround their new franchise quarterback. They would get that in Nabers.

With the 30th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens select [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag], Wide Receiver, LSU.

Thomas is a player who was on the fringe of being a first or second-round pick. After how he performed at the NFL combine, I think he will be a first-round pick. At 6-foot-3, 209 pounds, Thomas ran a 4.33 40-yard dash. The Ravens need a downfield threat and Thomas would be great in that role for Lamar Jackson.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Panthers mock draft roundup 1.0: Tracking the latest 2024 projections

Early (multi-round)mock drafts are sending some of the nation’s top wideouts to Carolina.

In case you haven’t heard, the Carolina Panthers don’t have a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft.

Yeah, yeah, we know. This is a particularly tough year not to have one considering, well, it’d be the No. 1. Alas, we shall trek and track forward.

So, instead of tracking mock drafts this offseason for Carolina’s first-round projections (because we can’t), we’ll search for the predictions on their second-round pick—their first of the spring.

Here is our opening edition of the 2024 mock draft roundup:

2024 NFL mock drafts: Experts zeroing in on 7 players for Jaguars

A handful of players are frequently landing at No. 17 overall to the Jaguars in mock drafts.

The 2023 season is officially in the books and the Kansas City Chiefs are again champions.

In a month free agency will begin and the 2024 NFL draft is scheduled to get started on Thursday, April 25. For the Jacksonville Jaguars, there are a few potential avenues to upgrade the roster after a disappointing finish.

The interior offensive line jumps out as the team’s biggest weakness, but the wide receiving corps, cornerbacks, and defensive line could all use help too.

That has meant there’s no consensus about what direction the Jaguars will go with the No. 17 overall selection in April. Still, there’s a handful of prospects who are starting to be frequently paired with Jacksonville in mock drafts. Here’s seven who are standing out most:

ESPN drops another mock draft with Jayden Daniels going second overall

Field Yates has three Tigers in the first round of his latest mock draft.

Just a few weeks ago, [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] was widely viewed as QB3 in the 2024 NFL draft.

However, there’s a growing sentiment that the former LSU quarterback and 2023 Heisman winner could be the second-best quarterback on the board, behind Caleb Williams.

Recent mock drafts, particularly from ESPN, have started to reflect that. Field Yates indeed has Daniels going second overall in his latest mock draft to the Washington Commanders, where he’ll join the new regime led by Dan Quinn.

Here’s what Yates had to say about Daniels’ fit with the organization, where he would replace 2023 starter Sam Howell next season.

Daniels did as much as one could possibly do during the 2023 season to boost his draft stock, as he skyrocketed up boards on the heels of 40 touchdown passes, 4 interceptions and 1,230 rushing yards (not including sacks) on his way to the Heisman Trophy. He’s the best dual-threat quarterback in this class and changes the math for a defense every time he steps on the field. In Washington, Daniels would have an exciting wide receiver unit and could help build stability under center for new coach Dan Quinn.

Meanwhile, Yates has [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] heading to the Giants with the sixth pick.

The Giants can land the most explosive player in the draft with Nabers, the former LSU star who plays at a warp speed that no defender can match. This would provide a huge boost to a Giants offense that had the second-fewest passing yards in the NFL last season and just 44 passing plays of 20-plus yards (better than just six other teams in the league).

Nabers is a massive play waiting to happen, with his vertical speed to stretch the field on deep shots and with his run-after-catch ability. He averaged 120.7 yards per game last season and caught 14 TDs. Daniel Jones needs that kind of production outside.

Nabers isn’t the only LSU receiver Yates has in his mock. He also projects that [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] will sneak into the first round to the Bills at pick 28.

No player scored more receiving touchdowns in 2023 than Thomas (17), and his deep speed and acceleration might be unparalleled in this class. The Bills have relied on Gabe Davis as a deep threat in recent seasons, but he is a free agent and has been an up-and-down contributor (nine games last season with two or fewer catches). Thomas would provide a vertical spark for Josh Allen and a Buffalo offense that did not produce a single play of 20-plus yards in its divisional round loss to Kansas City.

The trio of former LSU players will hope to hear their names called on draft night on April 25.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Jayden Daniels projected to go 2nd overall in post-Super Bowl CBS Sports mock draft

The Jayden Daniels QB2 movement is growing.

With the Super Bowl behind us, the NFL media industrial complex is turning its attention to the next major event on the calendar: the 2024 NFL draft.

It should be an eventful draft for former LSU players as three of them are widely projected to go in the first round. The one everyone will have their eyes on is quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag], the 2023 Heisman winner.

Perhaps no player in college football boosted their draft stock more this season than Daniels, who is now universally viewed as a top-five pick. He could go even higher, however.

In the first post-Super Bowl mock draft from CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson, Daniels is the second player (and quarterback) off the board, joining the Commanders with the second pick. He’s one of five quarterbacks projected to go in the first round.

No player did more for their draft stock in the fall than Jayden Daniels, who went from possible Day 3 pick to first-round prospect. He reminds me of Lamar Jackson, and it’s not crazy to think that, five years from now, we’ll look back and say that Daniels was the best player in this class.

Wilson also has [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag] being selected in the first round. He has the former heading to New York to join a Giants offense in desperate need of help at pick No. 6.

Offensive line could be a consideration here, but the Giants opt for Nabers, a big-play receiver who is a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball.

Thomas, meanwhile, is likely to go later in the round. Wilson projects he will be taken 26th by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he would join an already loaded receiver corps.

Baker Mayfield had to go to Tampa to rediscover his game, and he’s playing some of the best football of his career. If the Bucs bring him back, they can focus on other parts of the offense, specifically, wide receiver. Brian Thomas flew under the radar for LSU, which is what happens when you play alongside Malik Nabers and Jayden Daniels. But he a legit first-round talent who won consistently on vertical routes and dominated at the catch point.

Only time will tell how accurate these projections prove to be, but one thing is clear: All three of these players are widely viewed as first-round caliber prospects.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno