[Stryker]

Part 2

Pick 16 all the way to our pick @ 32...

16. Seattle Seahawks
Troy Fautanu, OT, Washington

The Seahawks' depth chart has zero left guards listed right now. So I have Fautanu -- a college left tackle -- sliding inside, where he has the talent to be an All-Pro guard. Lining up Charles Cross and Fautanu on the left side immediately boosts the run game and keeps Geno Smith cleaner for the deep passes new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb loves. (Fautanu played for Grubb at Washington, too.) The Seahawks are always seeking value when it comes to the draft, and Fautanu is my No. 16 overall player, so Seattle can fill a need without reaching.


17. Jacksonville Jaguars
Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

With four WRs gone and the full cornerback class available, I think general manager Trent Baalke targets the latter position here. He loves players with elite traits (such as Travon Walker), and Mitchell fits the bill there. The 6-foot, 195-pound senior ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the combine and benched 225 pounds 20 times. He's fast and physical, and he wins at the line of scrimmage. And his stats speak to his ball-hawking abilities; he broke up 32 passes and picked off six over the past two seasons. Pairing Mitchell with Tyson Campbell -- another corner with great traits -- forms a really good duo.


18. Cincinnati Bengals
Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

After signing right tackle Trent Brown in free agency, the Bengals are cleared to address the defense in Round 1. Teaming Arnold up with DJ Turner, Cam Taylor-Britt and Mike Hilton gives Cincinnati's secondary a chance to compete with any team in the AFC. Arnold was a five-star safety prospect but made the move to cornerback, where he started for two seasons and collected six interceptions and 21 pass breakups. He also ran a 4.5-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot and 189 pounds, and he is feisty and physical at the line of scrimmage. In short, he has the skill set of a true CB1 and future Pro Bowler.


19. Los Angeles Rams
Jared Verse, DE, Florida State

The Rams are pretty free to attack value with a "best player available" approach in Round 1. The retirement of Aaron Donald looms large, but breakout rookie Kobie Turner will slide into the 3-technique spot. Where the Rams really need help in the pass rush is off the edge, and that's where Verse would come in. He is relentless with high-effort production -- Verse helped lead FSU to an undefeated regular season with nine sacks and 50 pressures. He's a plug-and-play 4-3 defensive end starter with Trey Hendrickson-like ability.


20. Pittsburgh Steelers
Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon

The Steelers did not tend to the offensive line in free agency, so this first-round selection has to be focused up front. Powers-Johnson is a dominant center prospect with exceptional power at 328 pounds. He started 17 games at Oregon and didn't allow a single sack. He's pro-ready and fits what Pittsburgh needs with his strength in the pass game and mobility in the middle of the field on run plays.


21. Miami Dolphins
JC Latham, OT, Alabama

Salary cap concerns have forced the Dolphins to remake their the offensive line, and Latham could fit well. He's a handful for defensive linemen at 343 pounds and has excellent grip strength. Latham was a two-year starter at right tackle for Alabama (two sacks allowed) but has the potential to play either tackle or guard in the pros; he would likely push right guard Robert Jones out of the starting lineup as a rookie.


22. Philadelphia Eagles
Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

The Eagles were middle-of-the-pack in most defensive passing stats after a rough finish to the 2023 season, and their nine interceptions tied for 25th. They signed veteran nickel C.J. Gardner-Johnson and should get Darius Slay and James Bradberry back healthy, but there's no doubt Philadelphia needs an infusion of top-end talent at cornerback. Wiggins has legendary speed (4.28-second time in the 40-yard dash) that shows up on tape in man coverage situations. He had two interceptions last season, and his combination of length, wheels and hustle would get him on the field early in Philly.


23. New England Patriots (via CLE/HOU and mock trade with MIN)
Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa

After landing Olumuyiwa Fashanu with the first of two acquired first-rounders from the mock trade, the Patriots can now get a versatile defensive back who was a certified playmaker in college. DeJean grabbed seven interceptions over the past two seasons, returning three for TDs. The Patriots have last year's first-rounder Christian Gonzalez returning from a torn labrum, and I like this pairing a lot. DeJean missed his combine workout while recovering from a broken leg suffered late in the 2023 season, but he should be ready to roll in Week 1.


24. Dallas Cowboys
Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

Dallas let Tyron Smith walk with no obvious replacement on the roster -- at least without creating another hole elsewhere. Mims is easy-moving with elite agility, length and power. He has only started eight games in college after waiting his turn behind 2023 first-rounder Broderick Jones and missing time last season with an ankle injury, but those eight games of tape are beautiful. The Cowboys could play Mims at guard and move Tyler Smith to tackle ... Or keep Smith inside and play the ascending Mims on the blindside. In an offseason where Dallas was the last team to sign a free agent, there are more questions than answers right now, so the draft will be crucial.


25. Green Bay Packers
Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma

The Packers love drafting premium positions early, and Guyton could be a starter for them at left tackle or right guard after they lost Jon Runyan and David Bakhtiari this offseason. He started 14 games for the Sooners over the past two seasons after transferring from TCU and could thrive at multiple positions in the pros. The 6-8, 322-pounder has great length and moves like a tight end.


26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Laiatu Latu, DE, UCLA

You won't find a more productive pass-rusher in this class. Latu put on a clinic in pass rushing the past two years at UCLA, posting 23.5 sacks and 112 pressures. He has excellent hand usage and really good upper-body strength in his pass-rush moves. And with his 6-5, 259-pound frame, first-step quickness and the bend to execute on all three downs, he would slot in well as a standup rusher with the Bucs' 3-4 scheme. Latu reminds me of the Bucs' 2021 first-rounder Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, whose fifth-year option decision for 2025 is due right after the draft.

27. Arizona Cardinals (via HOU)
Graham Barton, C/G, Duke

Newly signed veteran tackle Jonah Williams will play opposite last year's first-rounder Paris Johnson Jr., but additional support on the interior is needed. Barton started five games at center in his freshman season before moving to left tackle for the final three years of his college career. The Cardinals would love that versatility and potential inside. Barton allowed three sacks over his final two seasons and has the talent to replace Hjalte Froholdt (currently projected to start) in his rookie season.


28. Buffalo Bills
Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas

Let's maintain this high-flying Buffalo offense around quarterback Josh Allen with Mitchell, who would start out as a WR2 but could eventually become the WR1. (Stefon Diggs is 30 years old.) Mitchell is a 6-3 vertical threat with 4.33 speed. He had 11 touchdowns and just one drop last season, and he could be the deep threat the team lost in Gabe Davis -- but with more consistent hands.


29. Detroit Lions
Chop Robinson, DE, Penn State

The Lions stick to their board. In 2023, that meant going running back and off-ball linebacker in Round 1. But I think Detroit targets a premium position this year. Robinson has electric speed (4.48 in the 40) and first-step quickness, getting on offensive tackles right off the snap. His production in college was limited -- just four sacks last season -- but this is a bet on his burst and potential. I like his skill set opposite Aidan Hutchinson.


30. Baltimore Ravens
Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia

With Zay Flowers looking like a true WR1 in his rookie season (77 catches, 858 yards, 5 TDs), the Ravens have to feel good about their developing passing game. But let's keep building, especially since Rashod Bateman hasn't emerged and Odell Beckham Jr. is a free agent. McConkey is a precise route runner with 4.39 speed and the stop-start quickness to dominate on underneath routes. Coming off an ankle injury in 2023, McConkey had a really strong Senior Bowl week and dominated his combine workout; he's a Round 1 target on my board.


31. San Francisco 49ers
Jordan Morgan, G/OT, Arizona

The 49ers were active in free agency, but they didn't do much regarding the offensive line, which struggled throughout the postseason. To me, that signals that the front office sees the draft class as a good opportunity to build there. Morgan played left tackle at Arizona, but he is seen by scouts as a potential guard at the next level. He has 37 games of experience and is a great mover in space. Morgan is a plug-and-play fit in the 49ers' scheme.


32. Kansas City Chiefs