Some sleeper prospects slip into the end of the first round
21. Los Angeles Chargers – Michael Mayer, Tight End, Notre Dame
The Chargers need to get a pass catcher whether that’s a wide receiver or a tight end. Jordan Addison would fit here, but I’ve seen Michael Mayer connected to them a lot and he is the type of tight end that teams will love because he is a great separator and a good blocker.
22. Baltimore Ravens – Deonte Banks, Cornerback, Maryland
Deonte Banks is a very talented cornerback who may not make it this far. His athleticism and instincts in coverage are awesome and good enough for him to go top twenty. If he falls to this spot, it would be hard for the Ravens to pass up on him. He’s a great player who plays a premium position and fills a need. The Ravens are a smart organization and they’d love to have a guy like Banks.
23. Minnesota Vikings – Jordan Addison, Wide Receiver, USC
It’s well known that the Vikings are very interested in a quarterback. However, they aren’t able to trade up in this scenario, so they have to stick and pick at twenty three. In this spot, they’ll probably target a wide receiver or a cornerback and Jordan Addison would be a nice fit next to Justin Jefferson. Both of them have alignment versatility and are good at creating separation. Addison could thrive as the WR2 in this offense.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars – Brian Branch, Safety, Alabama
I’m pretty sure every single mock draft has Brian Branch going to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The reason why is the Jags need a cornerback and a safety and Branch can fill both roles. Branch played a lot of slot corner at Alabama and he is great in man coverage and he is a really good tackler despite having a small frame.
The Jaguars could target an offensive tackle since Cam Robinson just got suspended. However, there aren’t any tackles remaining who would be good value at this spot, so the Jaguars stick with their guy and take Brian Branch.
25. New York Giants – O’Cyrus Torrence, Guard, Florida
The Giants need a wide receiver like human beings need to breath air, but I don’t think Quentin Johnston is a good fit in their offense whatsoever. That leads me to their offensive line, where they could use some help on the interior. O’Cyrus Torrence is the top interior offensive lineman on the consensus big board and there has been some chatter that Torrence could slip into the first round.
26. Dallas Cowboys – Dalton Kincaid, Tight End, Utah
The Dallas Cowboys lost Dalton Schultz in the offseason so they could use this selection to replace him. I believe they do just that, taking Dalton Kincaid to boost their passing attack. Kincaid is an older prospect who is dealing with an injury, but he is so good as a receiver and it’s hard to see him falling out of the first round based purely on talent.
27. Buffalo Bills – Quentin Johnston, Wide Receiver, TCU
Let’s have some fun here and give the Bills a big, athletic receiver who plays on the outside and is dynamic with the ball in his hands. Johnston has slipped down the draft board recently and there have been rumors that he could fall out of the first round entirely. He’s too talented for that and he would be an exciting addition to the Bills offense, which struggled at times last season.
28. Cincinnati Bengals – Emmanuel Forbes, Cornerback, Mississippi State
The Bengals need a cornerback and there have been rumors that Emmanuel Forbes is not making it out of the first round. Forbes is a skinny cornerback, but he is physical and was a great cover corner in college. Teams seem to love his playstyle and mentality, and the Bengals could be a good fit.
29. New Orleans Saints – Myles Murphy, Edge Rusher, Clemson
Myles Murphy is a polarizing prospect, but he has great size and he’s an awesome athlete. On top of that, the NFL seems to be higher on him than draft Twitter, so he’ll likely go higher than people expect. The Saints need to fix their defensive line and they like bigger edge rushers. If Murphy makes it this far, the Saints would be a good spot for him.
30. Philadelphia Eagles – Calijah Kancey, Defensive Tackle, Pittsburgh
Calijah Kancey has a lot of fans in the media, but it seems like teams don’t like him quite as much. Kancey is a small defensive tackle with short arms, but he is a historically good athlete who destroyed opposing guards as a pass rusher in college. He may not be the best run defender at the next level, but has clear strengths and the Eagles would love to add him to their defensive line.
31. Kansas City Chiefs – Jahmyr Gibbs, Running Back, Alabama
There have been rumors that Jahmyr Gibbs will not make it out of the first round and one team that has been connected to him is the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs may have PTSD after taking Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the first round in 2020, but Gibbs is a different prospect and would give the Chiefs an incredible receiver out of the backfield. If there is one team who could get the most out of Jahmyr Gibbs, it’s the Chiefs.