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The first pick of this year’s NFL draft feels like a done deal. The Bears and general manager Ryan Poles are likely poised to select USC quarterback Caleb Williams.
But what happens after that is completely up in the air.
With the No. 2 overall pick, the Commanders seem likely to select a quarterback, but nobody can agree upon which quarterback that will be. North Carolina’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels are the most likely candidates, but reading the tea leaves has been difficult. Both QB prospects met with the Commanders in recent weeks.
Maye has long been seen as the No. 2 quarterback in this draft, but sports betting oddsmakers have flipped to make Daniels the favorite in just the past month.
In his first mock draft, Shaw Local Bears beat reporter Sean Hammond had the Commanders taking Maye with the No. 2 pick. But what if that’s not what the Commanders do? And what if one of the top three teams isn’t as set on drafting a quarterback as everyone seems to think?
Below is Hammond’s second mock draft.
| Team | Player, position, college | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bears (via Panthers) | Caleb Williams, QB, USC | The Bears do what everyone expects them to do. |
| 2. Commanders | Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU | The Commanders go for the athletic quarterback and 2023 Heisman Trophy winner. |
| 3. Vikings (mock trade with Patriots) | Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina | With Maye still on the board, the Vikings make an aggressive move up and grab their quarterback of the future. |
| 4. Cardinals | Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State | The Cardinals stay put and select the top wide receiver on the board. |
| 5. Broncos (mock trade with Chargers) | JJ McCarthy, QB, Michigan | The Chargers collect an extra 2025 first-round pick, while the Broncos jump in front of the Giants to grab McCarthy. |
| 6. Giants | Malik Nabers, WR, Washington | The Giants might consider McCarthy if he fell to them. But with four QBs gone, they go with a receiver instead. |
| 7. Titans | Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame | This feels like a slam dunk for the Titans if Alt is still on the board. |
| 8. Falcons | Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama | The Falcons take the first defender, going with a stud cornerback to bolster their secondary. |
| 9. Bears | Rome Odunze, WR, Washington | The Bears might consider trading down, but not with Odunze dropping to them at No. 9. |
| 10. Jets | Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia | The Jets find another pass catcher for QB Aaron Rodgers. |
| 11. Patriots (mock trade with Vikings) | Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State | The Patriots rebuild is going to take more than one year. They elect to move back and bolster the interior. |
| 12. Chargers (mock trade with Broncos) | Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo | The Chargers move back and grab one of the top cornerbacks in the draft. |
| 13. Raiders | Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington | Even with multiple teams trading up, the Raiders remain patient and nab the quarterback they wanted all along. |
| 14. Saints | JC Latham, OT, Alabama | The Saints bolster their offensive line with the hulking Latham. |
| 15. Bills (mock trade with Colts) | Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU | The Bills make an aggressive move in an attempt to reimagine their wide receiver room. |
| 16. Seahawks | Troy Fautanu, OG/OT, Washington | With a need at guard, the Seahawks grab one of the best overall linemen in the entire draft. Fautanu has the flexibility to play multiple positions. |
| 17. Jaguars | Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama | With the top four receivers gone, the Jaguars pivot and would be thrilled to land the top edge rusher. |
| 18. Bengals | Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State | Cincinnati beefs up the protection for quarterback Joe Burrow. |
| 19. Rams | Bryon Murphy II, DT, Texas | This is probably a dream scenario for Sean McVay, who needs to find a way to replace retired Aaron Donald. |
| 20. Steelers | Graham Barton, C, Duke | Center is the biggest need for the Steelers. It seems like a matter of which center they prefer. |
| 21. Dolphins | Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State | The Dolphins look to boost their pass rush. Verse doesn’t have to leave the Sunshine State. |
| 22. Eagles | Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa | The Eagles could be eyeing a cornerback here and DeJean’s stock is on the rise. |
| 23. Patriots (mock trade with Vikings) | Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA | After trading down, the Patriots add a top edge rusher and hold off drafting a quarterback until day two of the draft. |
| 24. Cowboys | Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon | The Cowboys address a huge need with one of the best centers available in this year’s draft. |
| 25. Packers | Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia | The Packers would love it if one of the top five offensive tackles drop to them at No. 25. |
| 26. Buccaneers | Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson | The Bucs seem poised to take the best available corner or edge rusher. In this scenario, it’s Wiggins. |
| 27. Cardinals (via Texans) | Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State | After going offense with their first pick, the Cardinals focus on finding help for the defense. |
| 28. Colts (mock trade with Bills) | Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama | The Colts could take a corner at No. 15, but instead they stockpile draft capital and still find a first-round corner. |
| 29. Lions | Marshawn Kneeland, Edge, Western Michigan | The Lions were impossible to predict during last year’s draft. Perhaps they surprise again? Kneeland is a Michigan native with tantalizing physical traits. |
| 30. Ravens | Jordan Morgan, OG, Arizona | Baltimore is in desperate need of help at the guard position. This feels like a no-brainer. |
| 31. 49ers | Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois | The 49ers begin the process of trying to replace defensive tackle Arik Armstead. |
| 32. Chiefs | Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas | The Chiefs land a speedy weapon for Patrick Mahomes. |
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