9. Seattle Seahawks- Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU
Long, lanky, and incredible ball skills. You know who’s going to love somebody like Derek Stingley Jr.? Pete Carroll. Stingley is an impressive prospect, but weirdly enough, it feels like his best days might be behind him. His best tape was in 2019, and I have some effort concerns. But that being said, if there’s anyone who can get the best out of him, and try to make him into the new Richard Sherman, it’s Carroll.
10. New York Jets- Drake London, WR, USC
There’s a lot of smoke around this pick, and although I’m not the biggest fan of the prospect myself, it’s easy to see the team fit. London is a great “above-the-rim” player, has a ridiculous catch radius, and can run away from defenders at a higher clip than most guys his size. Zach Wilson is going to have a blast throwing up some deep shots for London.
11. Washington Commanders- Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
If it were up to me, I’d take a quarterback for Washington here. The Commanders are a piece away on offense and Carson Wentz is not it. That being said, Kyle Hamilton is just such good value here at No. 11. Hamilton might be the best player in this entire class, regardless of position, and he’s certainly ranked that way. I’ve got him graded as a 9.15 out of 10, good for best in the class. Ron Rivera is going to know exactly how to deploy him as a game-breaking chess piece.
12. Minnesota Vikings- Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
Here’s the thing. This is a little bit of a reach on McDuffie. If you read my “My Guys” article, you know that I absolutely love the former Husky, but No. 12 is a bit too rich for my blood. That being said, the Vikings need a cornerback more than almost any team in the league. They’ll love McDuffie’s aggressive nature and cover skills, and I don’t think they’ll mind reaching a bit.
13. Houston Texans- Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia
The Texans continue building through the trenches here by grabbing one of the rarest athletic freaks of all time. Georgia’s Jordan Davis, if you’re not aware, is 6’6, 341 pounds, and gets down the field at nearly running back speeds. The Texans are getting big, fast, and strong. They’re going to out-athlete you, and there’s nothing you can do about it. I love this pick.
14. Baltimore Ravens- Jermaine Johnson II, DE, Florida State
The Ravens getting Jermaine Johnson is just unfair. Pairing him with Odafe Oweh? Well, as a Browns fan at heart, I have to say that it makes me very upset. Johnson has everything you’d want in an edge rusher, honestly I’m viewing this one as maybe the steal of the draft so far.
15. Philadelphia Eagles- Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
The Eagles invested in wide receiver in the first round in 2020 with the misguided decision of Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson. The Eagles invested in wide receiver in the first round in 2021 with DeVonta Smith. Now, they’ll do it for a third straight year to see if they can maybe give Jalen Hurts enough of a supporting cast to make a push. Or, at the very least, they can see if Hurts has what it takes to be the long-term starter.
16. New Orleans Saints- Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
This might be a little bit of a slide for Cross, who some consider to be the draft’s best pure offensive tackle. While I’m not as high on Cross as most, I can’t deny that he has elite potential at the position. The Saints are in rebuilding mode right now, and with Jameis Winston at the helm and no Sean Payton, they’re going to need all the help they can get.
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