‘Fell In Love’ 1st-Round Mock Draft: Commanders, Chiefs, Cowboys stun

What happens in years where there aren’t very many elite prospects in the NFL draft? Normally, nothing is normal. Trades are more likely to happen as teams have glaringly different draft boards and they worry about not getting one of the few players they feel could be difference makers. When a team sees their first-round grades wiped out, they suddenly become open to trading down, while the team with just one name remaining are frantic to trade up.

Players are going to get selected at all types of unexpected spots come April, so fans should prepare for shock and awe. Here, in our first full first-round mock draft of the offseason, we try to capture that sentiment as best we can. Predicting trades in an exercise such as this is kind of futile, so no teams will be allowed to move in this exercise. Instead, everyone stays out and operates under the premise of “the front office fell in love with this guy pre-draft.” That suits the Dallas Cowboys situation to a tee most years, so they will feel right at home.

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1.1: Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

The obvious choice here, the front office didn’t have them tank for no reason, it was to select the Heisman winner. Nothing crazy will happen here.

1.2: New York Jets – LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State

A linebacker at No. 2 is pretty crazy, but after Aaron Glenn retained the job following a rocky first season as HC, adding Reese gives him a force multiplier to rebuild the defense around.

The Cardinals need a ton of help everywhere, but solidifying the offensive line for their free-agent QB acquisition will likely be their top priority.

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1.4: Tennessee Titans – Edge Rueben Bain, Jr., Miami

New head coach Robert Saleh gets his disruptor to lead the defense. Nothing crazy here just yet.

1.5: New York Giants – WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

The Giants make the first big swing of the draft, replacing high-volume Wan’Dale Robinson with the exciting Tyson from Arizona State.

1.6: Cleveland Browns – WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

The Browns have escaped the Kevin Stefanski era and immediately start to rebuild the offensive attack with a Wide Receiver U prospect.

Dan Quinn has to fix his defense, but what if he realizes how much better the offense could be by adding an unguardable tight end to the mix? Sadiq isn’t seen as a top-10 candidate, but Washington has fallen in love.

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1.8: New Orleans Saints – WR Makai Lemon, USC

Pairing Lemon with Chris Olave just makes too much sense for QB Tyler Shough as Kellen Moore rebuilds his Amari Cooper – CeeDee Lamb combo.

1.9: Kansas City Chiefs – RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

The Chiefs don’t normally figure into early RB draft picks, but Love dropping to No. 9 awakens something in their spirit. A game-changing RB to sit in the backfield will extend Patrick Mahomes’ window of dominance, bringing defenders into the box.

1.10: Cincinnati Bengals – DT Peter Woods, Clemson

The Bengals have to hit the reset button on their entire defense and no better place to start than inside out, up front to the back.

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1.11: Miami Dolphins – CB Mansoor Delane, LSU

The Dolphins will likely need to find a QB in free agency and may need a new WR, but Delane could be too good to pass up for new, defensive-minded HC Jeff Hafley.

1.12: Dallas Cowboys – Edge David Bailey, Texas Tech

The Cowboys have huge needs everywhere on defense, but make a calculated guess that the edge well will run dry before the defensive back well.

1.13: Los Angeles Rams – CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

LA may already have their replacement for Rob Havenstein in house, but they have no solutions for that secondary that gave up over 28 ppg in their last seven contests. McCoy should be fully returned from his season-long absence due to an ACL tear.

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1.14: Baltimore Ravens – DE Keldrick Faulk, Auburn

The Ravens aren’t used to picking outside the 20s, but they need to rebuild their defense from the inside out. With Minter’s 3-4 defense coming in, placing the young Faulk as their 4i/5T is a building block the need badly.

After 15 seasons of Lavonte David, the Bucs find their next star linebacker in Ohio State’s Styles. Makes too much sense.

1.16: New York Jets – DT Caleb Banks, Florida

The Jets offloaded their best defender midseason in trading Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys. Adding Banks to the interior of their defense will help rebuild the foundation and keep Reese clean.

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1.17: Detroit Lions – CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson

The Lions stand to lose a ton of snaps at corner in free agency, so adding to their secondary makes a ton of sense, especially with Terrell’s tenacity being a great fit for a Dan Campbell team.

1.18: Minnesota Vikings – Safety Caleb Downs, Ohio State

The team can smoothly transition from the Harrison Smith era to the Downs era, as somehow the best player in the draft in the eyes of many, slides all the way down this far.

1.19: Carolina Panthers – LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas

Hill is a downhill thumper and after spending most of last season in linebacker purgatory, the Panthers eschew more offensive weaponry and look to fix the defense.

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1.20: Dallas Cowboys – Safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo

The Cowboys know they need secondary help, and adding McNeil-Warren as a replacement for Donovan Wilson is a perfect place to start. Depending on what type of safety they grab in free agency, they might prefer Dillon Thieneman here.

1.21: Pittsburgh Steelers – WR Denzel Boston, Washington

The Steelers desperately need more firepower with their offense, and a tough, big-bodied receiver like Boston will be helpful both for the end of the Rodgers era and whomever follows him in the black and yellow.

1.22: Los Angeles Chargers – Guard Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

With the return of their tackles, adding an elite guard prospect should change the future of QB Justin Herbert in the best way. Easy fit here.

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1.23: Philadelphia Eagles – Edge Cashius Howell, Texas A&M

Even if they retain Jaelen Phillips, the Eagles will look to augment their pass rush in the coming draft. Bringing Howell in should speed up the clock on opposing QBs.

1.24: Cleveland Browns – OT Spencer Fano, Utah

The Browns have been a bumbling mess on offense for years, so after grabbing a top-tier weapon, they focus on creating time for their QB to get Tate the ball.

1.25: Chicago Bears – LB CJ Allen, Georgia

The Bears have the offensive firepower to compete already, but adding a defender like Allen would go a long way towards helping an opportunistic secondary.

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1.26: Buffalo Bills – Edge Akheem Mesidor, Miami

The Bills need to get Josh Allen weapons, but pairing Mesidor with former teammate Greg Rousseau would create a dominant edge rush scenario that will result in more opportunities for the offense thanks to turnovers.

1.27: San Francisco 49ers – WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M

There’s been an exodus of WR talent in San Francisco that will continue with Brandon Aiyuk’s departure. Adding Concepcion to Ricky Pearsall will help stem the tide.

1.28: Houston Texans – DT Kaden McDonald, Ohio State

Houston’s biggest problem might reside at the QB position, but it isn’t quite time for them to close the book on CJ Stroud. Instead, Demeco Ryans keeps fortifying the league’s top defense with a stud for the middle of the DL.

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1.29: Los Angeles Rams – QB Ty Simpson, Alabama

No brainer here. Getting a fifth-year option on Matt Stafford’s heir.

1.30: Denver Broncos – TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

Getting Bo Nix some additional firepower makes far too much sense.

1.31: New England Patriots – OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

Everyone saw the Super Bowl, right?

1.32: Seattle Seahawks – CB Brandon Cisse, South Carolina

Too many pending free agents at the position for the Seahawks to ignore cornerback, especially being able to get Cisse this late in the first round.

This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: ‘Fell In Love’ 1st-Round Mock Draft: Commanders, Chiefs, Cowboys stun