Lily Smith is a second-year undergraduate at BGSU from Oregon, Ohio. She is majoring in Sport Management with a Marketing minor. In her spare time, she is an intern in the BGSU Athletics Marketing department, a BGSU Campus Tour Guide, and an avid reader. She is passionate about all things women’s sports, and all things women in sports.
Coming up in just a few short days, I will be departing for New Orleans. I am going with the BGSU Sport Management Alliance, the pre-professional group for Sport Management majors to volunteer and work experiences in and around Super Bowl LIX. I am beyond excited for this opportunity, as this is not something just everyone gets to experience.
Growing up, I have always been fully immersed in the NFL. Every year, for about 45 years, my family hosts a Super Bowl party. Hosting has been passed down and moved around, but the tradition still remains. These days, the party is hosted at my parent’s house, and is the biggest event of the year for my family. We usually order pizza, drink a lot of pop, and of course, the biggest tradition, the Super Bowl cakes.
I have no idea when this tradition started, but it has been going on for as long as I can remember. We go over to my Grandma Deb’s house, and my dad, sometimes my Uncle Brian, and sometimes my other cousins, and I decorate these helmet shaped cakes based on the two teams competing that year.
Grandma Deb, myself, and my dad in 2022.
I am sad to miss out on these traditions, but I know I will be gaining experience during the trip. We have so much planned and so many fun things to do. I have never been to Louisiana before, so I am so excited about our trip to New Orleans and the surrounding areas. My family is disappointed that I will not be there for our party, but they know that this is something that I may never get to experience again.
Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing my experiences and lots and lots of pictures. I will be using Maxwell Media Watch almost like a travel blog or diary for my Super Bowl LIX experience.
Sam Darnold sitting on the bench as a former backup quarterback for the Carolina Panthers
By: Sam Morris
Sam Morris is from Madison Heights, Michigan, and is an undergraduate student at BGSU majoring in Sports Management. He has a passion for sports writing and journalism. In his free time, he also performs, writes, and produces his own raps for the music industry club at BGSU.
October 11, 2024
The “Franchise Quarterback” Dilemma
The NFL quarterback is one of the most important and high-pressure positions in all of sports. Football games revolve around quarterbacks and their ability to make plays. From something as simple as a running back handoff to something as difficult as an 80-yard ‘Hail Mary,’ quarterbacks are involved in every single play.
Because of this level of importance, NFL GMs are hard-pressed by ownership to constantly be on the lookout for their next “franchise QB” who will lead them to the Super Bowl. This quarterback carousel can sometimes lead to teams getting QB’s that will last for decades and lead their team to success. Some of these would include Tom Brady with the Patriots, Ben Roethlisberger with the Steelers, Eli Manning with the Giants, and Pat Mahomes with the Chiefs. However, more often than not, a dilemma arises when the “franchise QB” that they thought they had is nowhere to be found. When this realization sets in after a few seasons, the team often moves on from their original candidate in one of two ways.
One proven way that teams move on is by adding other promising QB’s via trade or free agency, but a more recent trend that has been occurring is drafting QB’s out of college in the NFL Draft. This is mostly a hit-or-miss strategy that can lead to success stories like Jayden Daniels and C.J Stroud, but it can also result in complete busts like Trey Lance and Josh Rosen.
Former Arizona Cardinals first-round pick, QB, Josh Rosen, throwing on the 49’ers practice squad.
While it is important for NFL GMs to be constantly improving their rosters, I argue that teams give up on these young quarterbacks too early. Some of them are given just two or three years to develop and then are discarded when they are just hitting their stride in their low to mid-20’s.
I believe this theory is becoming more and more evident as three recent QB’s who their original franchises gave up on have taken the NFL by storm over the past few years. As you will soon read, the lesson GMs should be taking away from these three success stories is DON’T quit on your young drafted quarterbacks too soon.
Geno Smith
After a great 26-13 4-year career at West Virginia, Smith declared for the 2013 NFL Draft where he was the second QB off the board, picked in the second round by the New York Jets. Despite falling out of the first round, Smith was one of the most highly anticipated rookies coming out of the class.
Geno Smith playing with his former team, the New York Jets
He played 4 years with the Jets and had some success with the team. His rookie season he had a poor TD/INT ratio but led the Jets to an 8-8 record, which was an improvement from the Jets’ previous season. Despite this beginning success, Smith was benched on-and-off during the following year after some turnover struggles and replaced by Michael Vick.
Smith’s next two seasons in New York were riddled with multiple injuries and he barely played because of them. However, when he did play, he had success in New York during these two seasons and was only 26 by the end of the season when the Jets eventually let him go.
Smith spent a year with the Giants and a year with the Chargers, both as a backup, learning from Eli Manning and Phillip Rivers. This experience of gaining veteran knowledge allowed him to fully hit his prime when he entered the Seahawks organization in 2019.
Geno Smith with his current team, the Seattle Seahawks
Originally picked up as a backup for Seattle, he earned the starting job in 2021 when Russell Wilson got injured and he completely shocked the NFL with a yearly performance better than that of his rookie season 8 years prior with New York. The following year, after Wilson was traded to Denver, Smith improved so much that he became a pro bowler, won the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year award, and even took Seattle to a playoff game.
In 2023, Smith showed no signs of slowing down. He was selected to his second Pro Bowl in a row with Seattle and was in the MVP race for much of the season. So far in 2024, Smith has continued his success by leading Seattle to a current first-place tie with San Francisco in the NFC West.
Although the Jets didn’t give up on Smith as early as some of the other QB’s on this list, he was, in my opinion, not given a fair chance with New York. New York hasn’t had a consistent quarterback since Mark Sanchez and getting rid of Smith didn’t help them at all. I believe that had they kept him for a few more years, he would have been able to give them production and success similar to the years he has spent as a starter with Seattle.
Baker Mayfield
Mayfield, the Cleveland Browns overall draft pick out of Oklahoma in 2018, is another QB who has proven his original team gave up on him too early. Unlike Smith, Mayfield was the clear #1 QB in his draft class coming out of college, leading Oklahoma to an outstanding 33-6 record during his time with the Sooners. He was also the 2017 Heisman winner.
Mayfield won the starting quarterback job during week 2 of his 2018 rookie campaign. While he only led the Browns to a 7-8-1 start, it was at least better than their previous season when they went 0-16! Many Browns fans felt like they had finally found their quarterback of the future and that Mayfield would eventually lead Cleveland to a resurgence in the AFC North. Mayfield also came in second place in the Offensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2018 to former Giants RB Saquon Barkley.
Despite a regression in Cleveland’s 6-10 2019 season, Mayfield finally led the Dawg Pound back to the postseason with an 11-5 regular season record in 2020. In the postseason, he led the Browns to a Wild Card victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, their biggest rival, and barely lost to the eventual AFC champions, the Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs.
Baker Mayfield scrambles with the ball with his original team, the Cleveland Browns
The playoff excitement unfortunately didn’t last long for Cleveland, as they once again fell short of the postseason with an 8-9 record the following 2021 season. Because of injuries and the 3-win regression in 2021, Mayfield was let go to make room for their eventual trade pick-up from Houston, Deshaun Watson, after the conclusion of the 2021 season.
This decision seemed legitimate at the time, but looking back on it, it was an enormous mistake by the Browns. Mayfield gave the Browns a playoff berth and win in just his third year with the team, something that the Browns hadn’t done as a franchise since 2002! I believe they could have given him at least another year to develop. Also, when you look at the fact that Mayfield went through 4 different coaches and 4 different offensive coordinators in his age 23-26 seasons, it’s no wonder he struggled a little each year.
Once Mayfield got to Tampa Bay in 2023, he proved to Cleveland and to the NFL that the Browns quit on him too early. He made a Pro Bowl in his first year with the team, won the NFC South, won a playoff game against the Eagles, and almost won a second playoff game against Detroit which would have sent them to the NFC Championship.
Mayfield was supposed to be a transitional quarterback for Tampa Bay but he has now become part of their future plans as he signed a three-year contract extension in the 2024 offseason, and he currently has Tampa Bay in a tie with Atlanta for first place in the NFC South.
Baker Mayfield throwing the ball with his current team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
On the other hand, Cleveland is a mediocre 19-20 since Mayfield’s departure.
Sam Darnold
Sam Darnold throwing the ball for his current team, the Minnesota Vikings
Like Mayfield, Darnold was supposed to be a guy for Minnesota that they could play as a bridge-type quarterback while they wait for rookie J.J McCarthy to come back from injury next season. However, Darnold has risen to the occasion and has completely taken the NFL by storm.
Despite being in his 7th season and in the same draft class as Mayfield, Darnold is actually only in his age-27 season, making him 6 months younger than Joe Burrow. Darnold, from USC, was the third overall pick by the Jets in the 2018 draft. His college statistics for the most part were some of the best in the country, but his interceptions were a cause for concern with some scouts.
Darnold’s turnover problems continued into the NFL and essentially plagued him throughout his 3 seasons as a Jet. Darnold then bounced around the league, playing with Carolina and San Francisco before eventually landing with the Vikings this past offseason.
Darnold’s rise as one of the league’s best gunslingers has been nothing short of extraordinary and he is yet another reason why teams that draft young QB’s should let them develop instead of quitting on their talent too early.
Bryce Young and the Future of QB’s
Now that I’ve examined the three quarterbacks above whose teams have given up on them prematurely, I want to talk about someone whose team, I believe, is giving up on him too early, and that player is Bryce Young.
Bryce Young holding up his draft day jersey at the 2023 NFL Draft
Carolina was a pit stop for both Darnold and Mayfield above, and even though it wasn’t the place that originally gave up on both of the quarterbacks, the Panthers didn’t even consider bringing them on as future pieces and simply shipped them off as soon as the next year’s draft came along.
The Panthers could have had two of the NFL’s best players at the moment, but instead are stuck with an aging Andy Dalton as the QB and a rightfully upset Bryce Young as the backup. I think they would be making a colossal mistake by trading Young at the end of the season if they don’t let him play out the rest of the year to prove himself. Carolina is likely to miss the playoffs, so they have nothing to lose by playing Young the rest of the year to see if he improves. If they do trade him in his young age-23 season, they could just be the next victim of this “quitting on quarterbacks” trend a few years down the road with Young starring for another team like Mayfield and Darnold are doing right now.
As for the future of the quarterback position, I think we will continue to see teams draft franchise QB prospects in the NFL Draft and then move on from them in a few years if they don’t produce Mahomes-level results by age 25, 26, or 27. This is an easy trap to fall into in a league that is always in a win-now type of mindset. And while some of these players will truly become busts (Josh Rosen, Trey Lance, Mac Jones etc.), others (Darnold, Mayfield, Smith) may hit their primes just a few years later and prove to their former teams that they quit on them prematurely.
Sam Morris is from Madison Heights, Michigan, and is an undergraduate student at BGSU majoring in Sports Management. He has a passion for sports writing and journalism. In his free time, he also performs, writes, and produces his own raps for the music industry club at BGSU.
April 24th, 2024
Overview
The 2024 NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Michigan this year from April 25th through April 27th at the Hart Plaza. The event will feature Detroit-style concession stands, Motown music, youth activities, and a Play 60 Zone. Like recent drafts before it, the 2024 NFL Draft should be watched nationwide with considerably high ratings as NFL fans everywhere aren’t only excited to see who their team will pick but also what the rest of the league will do to improve their rosters.
As I did last year, in this mock draft I will predict who each first-round pick will be. I will also provide analysis and statistics as to why each player was selected at the spot they were taken and why it made sense for that specific team to draft that player into their organization. This mock draft won’t include any draft day trades and will be using rosters updated as of April 23rd.
Without further ado, the Chicago Bears are on the clock!
1. Chicago Bears
top team needs: QB, OT, DE
QB Caleb Williams USC
Chicago finished last year with a 7-10 record but ended up getting the top pick in this year’s draft from Carolina due to the DJ Moore trade last year. Along with Moore, the Bears also picked up WR Keenan Allen in a trade with the LA Chargers this offseason, further bolstering their weapons for a future QB. After trading QB Justin Fields to the Steelers, the Bears will certainly be picking a QB with this 1st overall pick, and USC QB Caleb Williams is a clear frontrunner. Williams had a 3,633 yard, 42 total TD stat line in 2023 and an even better 4,537 yard 52 total TD stat line in his 2022 Heisman season. Williams’s arm strength and accuracy should make an immediate impact in Chicago’s rapid rebuild next season, but will he be enough to silence the Justin Fields loyalists?
2. Washington Commanders
top team needs: QB, OT, DE
QB Jayden Daniels LSU
One of the quickest risers up draft boards, LSU’s Jayden Daniels is easily the most versatile and athletic QB in this year’s draft class. Daniels was an Arizona State transfer before going to LSU and he ended up playing 5 years of collegiate football, giving him valuable experience. Last year was by far his best season, throwing for over 3,800 yards and rushing for over 1,000. He also had a spectacular TD/INT ratio, getting 50 total TD’s while only throwing 4 interceptions. Daniels should immediately improve Washington’s offense that has no #1 option at QB after sending Sam Howell to the Seahawks.
3. New England Patriots
top team needs: QB, OT, WR
QB Drake Maye North Carolina
It is highly likely that there will be three QB’s drafted with the top three picks in this year’s draft. This would be only the 4th draft in NFL history that this would occur, only after the 1971, 1999, and 2021 drafts. Like the Bears and Commanders, the Patriots traded away their previous young QB (Mac Jones). Jones will land as a backup QB to fellow 2021 draft class pick Trevor Lawrence while the Patriots are left with no true option at QB. After a failure to make a move for either Kirk Cousins or Russell Wilson in the offseason, it is evident the Patriots will take a QB at 3. The question is whether they will take JJ McCarthy or Drake Maye at this spot if the top 2 picks are as I predicted. Despite New England being known to pick Michigan QB’s, I’m giving Maye the slight edge over McCarthy in that he is bigger, stronger, slightly more agile, and has been able to showcase his arm talent more at the college level. While not his fault, McCarthy played in a run-heavy offense. Maye’s UNC offense on the other hand ran through him and he rose to the occasion; amassing over 3,600 yards and 33 TD’s.
4. Arizona Cardinals
top team needs: WR, DE, CB
WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Ohio State
The Cardinals badly need a wide receiver in their struggling offense. Their current depth chart has no true #1 wide-out as they have Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch, and Chris Moore listed as their current presumptive starters. Marvin Harrison Jr. out of Ohio State is heads and shoulders above the rest of the 2024 wide receivers as a draft prospect and the Cardinals shouldn’t even hesitate on picking him here. Harrison Jr. was a 2023 Heisman finalist and put up back-to-back 1,200+ yard seasons while also getting 14 TD’s in each season! That type of production is unheard of through a 12 game schedule and the Cardinals would be getting a potential future superstar if they were to select him.
5. Los Angeles Chargers
top team needs: WR, DE, OT
WR Rome Odunze Washington
Although the Cardinals got the first and best WR off the board in Harrison Jr, the Chargers are by far the team that needed a WR the most out of this draft. LA is losing both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams in the offseason and will go into this draft with arguably the worst WR room in the league. I believe it will be between Rome Odunze and Malik Nabers with this pick but I went with Odunze, the Washington prospect, because he’s a taller, slightly faster option for Herbert to throw to over the top. While maybe not as good a route runner as Nabers, Odunze still put up a 1,640-yard, 13-TD season at Washington last year and will make a much-needed immediate impact in LA for Justin Herbert’s offense.
6. New York Giants
top team needs: OT, QB, WR
OT Joe Alt Notre Dame
The Giants have the first “big decision” in this year’s draft. While the pick selections are up for debate in the top 5 picks the position should be pretty set in stone. However, when it comes to the Giants at 6, the rest of the draft could be determined by which route they decide to go. The two main options are to take a QB as Daniel Jones’ contract will run out or take an O-Lineman to help rebuild one of the league’s worst protecting units to help Jones. Although I could see them going either way with this, I think they will more likely pick the first offensive lineman off the board here. They paid Jones so much money and still have faith in him as an organization that he can win in the future. Alt will be an enormous (literally) help for the Giants to protect Jones. He is 6 ft 8, 315 pounds, and is extremely agile and quick on his feet. Although Alt is the big name O-Lineman in this draft, there are about 5-7 at the position that are of his caliber; this draft class is loaded with talented offensive lineman.
7. TennesseeTitans
top team needs: OT, CB, WR
OT JC Latham Alabama
Speaking of offensive lineman, JC Latham becomes the first Crimson Tide player to come off the board in Nick Saban’s final year. Latham will immediately improve the worst-graded offensive line in the league with his 6 ft 6, 360-pound frame. He could easily slide in as the week 1 left tackle to protect Will Levis. The other direction Tennessee could go with this pick would be at CB, but at this high, I don’t think a CB in this draft is that talented to be justifying drafting them in the top 10. While Latham isn’t the flashiest brand-name player in the draft, I think 5-10 years down the road Tennessee fans could look back at the draft and be extremely happy with this pick.
8. Atlanta Falcons
top team needs: DE, LB, OT
DE Dallas Turner Alabama
After signing Kirk Cousins, Darnell Mooney, and Ray-Ray McCloud in the offseason, Atlanta is quietly becoming a top offense in the NFC South. Their biggest struggles will be on the defensive side of the football, particularly in the fact that they have one of the weakest front 7 in the NFL. To combat this, Dallas Turner could make a mini-Alabama run in the draft here and help Atlanta out with his versatility to play both the defensive end and linebacker position. Turner is a fierce competitor who had a whopping 53 tackles, 2 forced fumbles and 10 sacks last season as a junior. Turner is neck and neck with Verse and Latu as the top front- 7 player in the draft but Turner’s high ability to sack the QB will be enough to sway Atlanta to select him over the others.
9. Chicago Bears
top team needs: OT, DE, G/C
OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu Penn State
At 6 ft 6, 320 lbs, Fashanu is slightly smaller than Alt and Latham, but strong in his own right. The Bears drafted RT Darnell Wright out of Tennessee with the 10th overall pick last year and he has solidified the right side of the line. However, in order to help the future QB on both sides, the Bears will need a LT of the future as Braxton Jones is seen as more of a temporary placeholder until his contract expires to free agency. Fashanu could be a great value pick at #9 for this future LT spot and he has all the intangible skills to succeed for Chicago.
10. New York Jets
top team needs: OT, TE, QB
TE Brock Bowers Georgia
The Jets need another offensive weapon for Aaron Rodgers next season. They just got Mike Williams from the Chargers and have a plethora of running backs who can catch well, but the receiving core is still mediocre with just Garrett Wilson and Williams on the outside. Multi-talented, two-time national champion TE, Brock Bowers, would fit perfectly with this offensive makeup. Bowers would be able to help on inside, crossing, outside, and deep routes, and would be able to help protect Rodgers as a blocker as well, something that current TE Tyler Conklin has struggled with as part of his game. Bowers brings to the table three straight 700 + yard seasons as a TE and 31 total career TD’s in college.
11. Minnesota Vikings
top team needs: QB, CB, DT
QB J.J McCarthy Michigan
The first of two picks in this year’s draft for Minnesota, the Vikings will be picking McCarthy as the 4th QB taken off the board. Minnesota had a very disappointing 2023 season finishing tied with the Bears in the division after winning the NFC North the previous year. As disappointing as the regular season was, the offseason may be looking even worse for Vikings fans right now as Kirk Cousins is now an Atlanta Falcon. On the bright side, Minnesota signed Aaron Jones to be the next starting RB and the WR duo of Jefferson and Addison is one of the best in the league. McCarthy will be able to help with this offense as he could either start over the newly acquired QB Sam Darnold or start on the bench and become the starter of the future. While the defense needs help in all three levels, a top 4 QB is urgent for Minnesota with a poor current QB room. McCarthy brings agility, underrated arm strength, and arguably the best accuracy in this 2024 draft class as he only threw 11 interceptions COMBINED in his three-year career at Michigan. This lack of turnovers will pay dividends in the NFL and will likely be the reason McCarthy goes in the top 5 QB’s drafted.
12. Denver Broncos
top team needs: QB, DE, DT
DE Jared Verse Florida State
There may not be a team (besides the Panthers) in a worse draft position than the Denver Broncos. Denver was essentially forced to let go of QB Russell Wilson so they will no longer be able to say “Broncos country, let’s ride.” Wilson’s absence means the QB room currently includes Jarrett Stidham as the QB1 and Zach Wilson as QB2. The dilemma for Denver is that by picking #12 they will most certainly have the #5 QB in the draft class if they were to select one. Denver also needs help pretty much everywhere in the front 7 on defense as well. Weighing these options, I believe that come draft night Denver will trade down in the draft and gain additional assets as opposed to staying and reaching for a QB at 12, such as Michael Penix Jr or Bo Nix. However, since I’m not doing trades in this mock draft, I believe Denver could also pick a talented Defensive end to help out with their atrocious run defense, and that player would be Jared Verse. Verse’s determination and work ethic are unmatched in this draft class as he skyrocketed from the University of Albany to Florida State in just 2 years. Verse put up monster numbers once he was in the ACC, getting 9 sacks each of the last two seasons, with 88 tackles combined between the two years. Verse will have a big impact on Denver’s run defense scheme.
13. Las Vegas Raiders
top team needs: CB, DT, QB
CB Quinyon Mitchell Toledo
Another team potentially vying for a QB, Las Vegas has officially moved on from Jimmy G and straight into Aidan O’Connell. Poor DaVante Adams isn’t even playing with his Fresno State teammate Derek Carr anymore and instead has locked himself into a situation with a rocky QB battle. While many Raiders’ fans want the organization to look for a new franchise QB, O’Connell didn’t do too badly last year in the short sample size, and it is believed that he will continue to be tested this upcoming year, especially because they pick down at #13. With this being said, the Raiders need major help in their secondary (as they often do) and will do so by picking the speedy CB out of Toledo, Quinyon Mitchell. In a class loaded with CB talent, Mitchell stands out in that he ran a 4.33 40-yd dash while having exceptional route coverage skills to back up the speed. The concern with Mitchell is the lesser MAC competition, but the on-field skill should speak for itself and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he was the first CB off the board.
14. New Orleans Saints
top team needs: WR, DE, OT
WR Malik Nabers LSU
The Saints need another weapon for Derek Carr to throw to as their offense became stagnant down the stretch of the season, causing them to have a mediocre 9-8 record and to miss the playoffs. Nabers would be a steal in the middle picks and he would compliment Chris Olave perfectly in this spread-out New Orleans offense. Nabers had back-to-back 1,000 + yard seasons in 2022-2023 and had 14 TD’s in 2023 as well. His collegiate production will hopefully translate to the NFL as a lanky red zone target for Carr to throw the ball up to in contested tight window situations.
15. Indianapolis Colts
top team needs: DE, CB, WR
CB Nate Wiggins Clemson
The Colts were one of the most surprising teams last season because they finished with a winning record without their top draft pick QB Anthony Richardson. Eager to build upon this success, Colts fans may want them to double down on offense here and build more of a receiving core. If Nabers doesn’t go a pick earlier I think Indianapolis would pick him here, but there is an enormous drop off from the top 3 WR’s in this class and the Colts still need another CB badly. Wiggins is the only CB to run a faster 40 yd dash time than the aforementioned Quinyon Mithcell at 4.28. This pick would help solidify two quality starters in the Colts secondary and allow them to build a back end of the defense based on speed and aggressiveness to match the powerful front 7 they already have in place.
16. Seattle Seahawks
top team needs: DE, DL, G/C
DT Byron Murphy II Texas
Byron Murphy II is one of the most fun-to-watch defensive players in this draft and his attitude perfectly encapsulates what the Seahawks have branded their defensive style as. At 300 pounds, he is big enough to take on NFL offensive linemen, but he is only 6 ft so he will definitely be playing on the interior in the NFL. That means this pick makes even more sense for the Seahawks since they have only 1 nose tackle on their entire active roster as it is currently constructed. If he is still available when Seattle picks, I would be shocked to see them pass him by (although this is what I said about Jalen Carter last year and they let him slip to Philadelphia, so what do I know?).
17. Jacksonville Jaguars
top team needs: WR, OT, DE
OT Taliese Fuaga Oregon State
Jacksonville will be picking the 4th offensive tackle of the draft with this pick in Taliese Fuaga. Fuaga is 6 ft 6, 325 lbs, and has just over a 5-second 40-yard dash. One of the quickest o-lineman prospects, he will be able to efficiently protect Lawrence’s right side while Cam Robinson continues to protect his blind side. Last year’s first-round pick, RT Anton Harrison, struggled at times last season and could get moved into his natural position of interior guard. Adding Fuaga as an extra offensive line piece to a decent line already would give Lawrence and the Jags a huge advantage against other teams in the AFC South.
18. Cincinnati Bengals
top team needs: OT, DT, CB
DT Jer’Zhan Newton Illinois
Newton will be filling a much-needed hole in the Bengals defense at nose tackle. A Sheldon Rankins – BJ Hill duo is probably not sending fear into many opposing QB’s eyes as their speed and agility just are not there. Newton would be able to improve this core defensive tackle group with his ability to sack the QB at a high clip. Newton collected 18 total sacks over 4 years at Illinois and he also had 112 total tackles. I foresee Newton in a rotation with Rankins as the starting nose tackle opposite BJ Hill.
19. Los Angeles Rams
top team needs: CB, G/C, OT
CB Cooper DeJean Iowa
Coming off a surprising wild card playoff appearance in a supposed rebuild year, Sean McVay and the Rams are right back in the NFC hunt. The biggest issue last year in the regular season and in their playoff loss to Detroit was their secondary’s route coverage ability. Highly talented CB Cooper DeJean out of Iowa would help the Rams with this problem as a week 1 slot cover nickle-back type of starting CB.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers
top team needs: CB, OT, G/C
OT Troy Fautanu Washington
The o-lineman trend continues with the Steelers as Fautanu will become the 5th offensive tackle already picked up off the board. The Steelers have a need at CB opposite last year’s draft pick Joey Porter Jr. This is especially true after trading Cam Sutton to the Lions last year (who I will be talking about later). Despite these secondary struggles, I think the left tackle position is the most urgent. Dan Moore Jr. just hasn’t been cutting it when protecting Kenny Pickett, and now that Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are in Pittsburgh, the Steelers will need a better option to protect for long scramble packages and designed runs. Fautanu presents a better option as he did just the thing for Michael Penix Jr’s designed runs and QB scrambles on deep fade routes.
21. Miami Dolphins
top team needs: OT, DE, G/C
DE Laiatu Latu UCLA
The Dolphins were one of the NFL’s hottest teams in the first three quarters of the season. However, once the calendar hit December, the usual winter curse plagued Miami. The Dolphins ended the season horrifically, especially with their run defense, and ended up not winning the division and losing 26-7 to the Chiefs, while their run defense struggled once more. Latu will be a quality addition to the defensive line and will hopefully for Miami fans get to Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers. Latu’s a big, strong, 6 ft 5, 265-pound man whose strength and speed allowed him to get double-digit sacks in each of the last two seasons, including 13 last year.
22. Philadelphia Eagles
top team needs: DE, CB, S,
DE Chop Robinson Penn State
Fletcher Cox’s absence in the front 7 of the Eagles’ defense will be sorely missed for Philadelphia. This, along with the fact that Brandon Graham will probably be next to go means that it’s time to find the next generation of defensive lineman for Philadelphia. The first d-lineman for the Eagles should be picked in the first round because they got CJ Gardner – Johnson and Darius Slay back for the secondary. Chop Robinson is an intriguing Penn State prospect that has experience and a versatile run/pass defensive coverage skillset to match perfectly with Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter’s lack of experience. I think Robinson will be a big steal for Philadelphia this low in the draft.
23. Minnesota Vikings
top team needs: QB, CB, DT
CB Terrion Arnold Alabama
Since I have Minnesota taking a QB with their first pick, I believe that they will go on the opposite end of the spectrum with their second pick to address their many needs in the secondary, particularly at CB. With Mitchell, Wiggins, and DeJean off the board, Terrion Arnold becomes one of the next logical players to choose. While Arnold isn’t quite as fast as the previous three defensive backs already off the board, he was just as productive in the college game with a 5-interception, 63-tackle 2023 campaign.
24. Dallas Cowboys
top team needs: RB, G/C, DT
RB Jonathon Brooks Texas
Dallas came up short in the playoffs again and they have one glaring positional weakness heading into this year’s offseason: running back. Their current #1 RB on the depth chart is Rico Dowdle, with 5 ft 6 Deuce Vaughn as his backup. I know it’s the first round and teams don’t usually pick RB’s that high, but Dallas NEEDS the best RB they can find from this draft. That RB is fittingly enough a Texas player, Jonathon Brooks, who had a massive 2023 season. Brooks had over 1,100 rushing yards, 286 receiving yards, and 11 total touchdowns. His ability to be a power runner while also being able to catch the ball out of the backfield will be invaluable to the Cowboys now that Pollard is with the Titans.
25. Green Bay Packers
top team needs: CB, S, G/C
S Tyler Nubin Minnesota
It was another disappointing end to the season for the Packers in 2023 that came at the face of a familiar foe, the 49’ers. However, last year felt different for Green Bay fans. They were surprised at the success QB Jordan Love had and the young team as a whole improved as the season went on. Fans went into the offseason hopeful and ownership delivered more hope with a Josh Jacobs signing. The biggest holes left in this quick rebuild are at safety and left tackle. I think Green Bay will end up going the safety route however as they would now be picking the 6th left tackle off the board, whereas they could get the best safety now and a decent offensive lineman later. Additionally, current left tackle Rasheed Walker is only 24 years old and could get another year or two to see if he improves. Minnesota prospect Tyler Nubin is the safety I think Green Bay lands. Nubin is worlds ahead of any other safety in this draft class with 13 interceptions over 5 years in college, 204 total tackles, 11 pass deflections, and 3 forced fumbles. The turnovers are especially what I think will stand out to the Packers as their secondary has been towards the bottom of the league in this category in recent years.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
top team needs: DE, QB, CB
DE Chris Braswell Alabama
I think Tampa Bay will aim to get either Penix Jr or Nix in round 2 as a future QB to backup Baker Mayfield, but for now Mayfield has been doing fine, and he led them to a playoff win last season. Where Tampa Bay needs the most help is in their defensive line depth. Chris Braswell, yet another Alabama player, will definitely be able to make an impact with the Bucs out of the gate as he played every year in college at a high level. Braswell totaled 76 tackles in his 3 years, 4 forced fumbles, and 11 sacks (including 8 of them in the last year). Braswell is a threat to opposing offenses because he can be set up for Tampa Bay on the edge of the d-line or as an outside linebacker as well.
27. Arizona Cardinals
top team needs: WR, DE, CB
DE Austin Booker Kansas
Like Minnesota earlier, I think Arizona will elect to go with the offense’s biggest need first and then turn to the defenses. For the Cardinals, the defensive line pass rush is by far their biggest need. I picked them to get Will Anderson Jr. last year before there was the draft trade that gave the Texans the 3rd pick and Arizona this one because they needed defensive line help last year as well. Since it went un-addressed, it is important they get someone they can count on right away. I believe Booker can be that person for Arizona. Booker is 6 ft 6, 245 pounds. He is extremely agile laterally and he had a massive 56 tackle, 8 sack, 2 forced fumble stat line last year.
28. Buffalo Bills
top team needs: WR, CB, S
WR Brian Thomas Jr. LSU
Although all levels of the secondary, the interior defensive line and the interior offensive line are points of weakness with the Bills, it is their usual strong suit – wide receiver – that needs the most immediate attention. Stefon Diggs is now in Houston and Gabe Davis is in Jacksonville. With the top 3 WR’s gone so far, Buffalo needs to get someone at the end of the first round that other people may be sleeping on that they see #1 WR potential out of. For me, Malik Nabers’ LSU counterpart Brian Thomas Jr. is this “sleeper pick” that I would take if I was Buffalo’s GM. Despite playing second fiddle to Nabers, Thomas Jr still had a 68 reception, 1,177 receiving yard season with 17 touchdowns, the most by a WR in this mock draft. At 6 ft 4, Thomas Jr. will be a huge red zone presence for Buffalo for the upcoming future.
29. Detroit Lions
top team needs:CB,DT,G/C
CB Kool-Aid McKinstry Alabama
The second Alabama CB on this list, Kool-Aid McKinstry, will provide much-needed help at the CB spot for the Lions next year. I would be shocked if Detroit doesn’t pick a CB with their first-round pick considering Sutton and CJ Gardner-Johnson are gone now. McKinstry is a little slower laterally than some other CB’s higher up in this draft board, but he is still a terrific coverage guy, and he rarely gets stuck in one spot on a route. The Lions need a young and talented CB like McKinstry because their secondary has been slow in recent years and is just now reviving back up.
30. Baltimore Ravens
top team needs: LB, DT, OT
LB Junior Colson Michigan
Wow, talk about an offseason! It was a crushing loss to Kansas City in last year’s AFC Championship game for the Ravens, but to everyone’s surprise, they went out and got Derrick Henry from Tennessee for the next year. While Henry was a major addition to the team, Patrick Queen was a major subtraction to the linebacker core. Junior Colson is my pick for Baltimore because he is the top-rated true linebacker in the draft and because of the Harbaugh connection between brothers Jim and John that has brought many Michigan players to Baltimore in the past.
31. San Francisco 49’ers
top team needs: OT, DT, WR
DT Braden Fiske Florida State
San Francisco still has one of the deepest rosters in the league, but they do have a few glaring weaknesses that they need to address through the draft. If Aiyuk leaves, they will definitely need another WR, they need an offensive tackle to eventually replace future hall-of-famer Trent Williams, and they need to replace Arik Armstead in the interior of the defensive line. I think the interior defensive line is the most important to address first for the 49’ers because they run their heavy number of blitz packages through the nose tackles. Braden Fiske is someone whose energy level and attention to detail match what the 49’ers culture of accountability tries to teach its players. Fiske will be able to bring more pressure to the QB than the current Arik Armstead replacements would. He has 191 collegiate career tackles and 19.5 career sacks.
32. Kansas City Chiefs
top team needs: WR, OT, S
WR Ladd McConkey Georgia
Chiefs fans and the media are going crazy on the rumor that Kansas City wants to end round 1 by picking Xavier Worthy of Texas as a “Tyreek Hill part 2” with his world record 40-time. However, I don’t see Worthy helping the Chiefs’ real problem. Their problem is that the wide receivers that they do have can’t catch the ball and/or run routes correctly. Ladd McConkey fits this mold more. McConkey went to Georgia where his coach was always making sure he ran routes and caught properly, so he’d be perfect for Patrick Mahomes to throw to in the open field.
Keely Dinn is a second-year undergraduate at BGSU from Trenton, Ohio. She is majoring in Sport Management with a Journalism minor. Professional football and college football are her primary interests, but she is willing to look at many more.
The 2024 NFL Draft is approaching and who will be going number one?
Marvin Harrison Jr.
Caption: Marvin Harrison, Jr.
“MHJ” is an American football wide receiver who had an amazing collegiate career in just three seasons with The Ohio State Buckeyes. But the latest season will probably go down in history with the Bucks. He is arguably the greatest receiver in Ohio State history. In the 2023 season, he had 67 receptions, 1,211 total yards and 14 touchdowns. Many people thought of him as unstoppable.
Michael Penix Jr.
Caption: Michael Penix Jr.
Michael Penix Jr. is one of the most mysterious prospects for this draft due to the fact that he was a transfer student to the Washington Huskies. In two seasons with the Huskies, he had a total of 9,544 yards. In the 2023 season, he had 36 touchdowns and led the Huskies to the National Championship against the Michigan Wolverines. After the loss, Penix, Jr declared for the NFL Draft. Recently, there have been speculations that several teams could move up in the draft to try to draft Penix.
J.J. McCarthy
Caption: J.J. McCarthy
J.J. McCarthy played college football at the University of Michigan and led the Wolverines to three consecutive Big Ten Conference titles. In his senior year, he led the Wolverines to the National Championship title. There have been speculations that teams might move up to attain him as their pick. As a quarterback prospect, he has the ability to throw the ball smoothly to potential receivers. In the 2023 season McCarthy, he had 2,991 yards and 22 touchdowns. He might double that when he gets drafted, depending on the team (and coach).
Nick Sadowy is from Toledo OH, and is a Bowling Green State University student majoring in Sport Management with a minor in Journalism. Nick has a passion for sports and writing about sports.
February 14, 2024
OVERVIEW
The 2023-2024 NFL season comes to an end with the Kansas City Chiefs edging out a victory over the San Francisco 49ers with a final score of 25-22. This game had a very slow start with a 0-0 score at the end of the 1st quarter but had an exciting finish with the final play happening in the final seconds of overtime.
Chiefs
Travis Kelce (R) vents to Coach Andy Reid (L)
Kansas City wins back-to-back Super Bowls and their 3rd Super Bowl in 5 years. This win cements them as a dynasty led by their superstar Quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Early on in the game, the Chiefs struggled heavily, barely able to get a first down. Star tight end Travis Kelce had one catch for only one yard, basically getting shut down the whole first half. He took out his frustrations on head coach Andy Reid yelling at him in frustration to get himself more involved in the big game. Coach Reid seemed to game plan more around Kelce in the second half leading to Travis’ to finish with 9 catches and 93 yards, which were a big factor in the Chief’s victory.
49ers
Dre Greenlaw’s injury came with 9:26 left in the 2nd quarter
The San Francisco 49ers once again lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl for the 2nd time in 5 years. The 49ers seemed to have the worst luck with injuries in prior seasons just trying to get to the Super Bowl, and that same luck followed them into this game. Star linebacker Dre Greenlaw tore Achilles just from running onto the field to play defense. Greenlaw was one of the 49er’s best defenders this season and was a key member of the 49er’s defense.
The Niner’s offense seemed to struggle for the most part all game, only scoring 2 touchdowns in the entire game. The main playmakers for the 49ers got shut down for most of the game, with Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Brandon Aiyuk essentially being nonfactors for a combined total yards of 94. The only weapons that the 49ers utilized were the NFL’s offensive player of the year Christian McCaffrey and the unlikely use of Jauan Jennings. These two had the only 49ers’ touchdowns and had a total of 202 all-purpose yards.
2nd Half and Overtime
The 2nd half and Overtime of the Super Bowl is really where the game picked up from the entertainment factor. Most of the scoring occurred in both the second half and overtime. This was only the 2nd time in NFL history that the Super Bowl has gone to overtime and the first time ever that it implemented the new overtime rules where both teams have an opportunity to score a touchdown.
Mecole Hardman scores winning TD pass in OT victory for Chiefs
The 2nd half ended with a score of 19-19 which allowed the game to continue into overtime. The 49ers only ended with a field goal which made the score 22-19. This gave Kansas City an opportunity to score a touchdown and win the game. This is exactly what happened, Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs down the field to score a touchdown to Meccole Hardman to make the final score 25-22, making Kansas City 3-time champions in the Mahomes era.
Conclusion
Super Bowl LVIII started off as a game that could have been forgettable but turned out to be quite the opposite. This Super Bowl had one of the most exciting finishes in NFL history. Most likely we will be seeing Kansas City in the future as they try to go for a three peat. However, we may see the San Francisco 49ers sooner rather than later because of the talent on their roster.
Caption: CJ Stroud drops pack to pass in a game against the Saints
By Carsen Hageman
Carsen Hageman is from Liberty Center, Ohio and is a Senior at BGSU majoring in Sports Management. Professional & collegiate football are his main interests. Upon graduation in the spring, he hopes to pursue a career in professional and college football.
November 25, 2023
Surprises
Caption: Jared Goff throws a pass during a recent game against the Ravens
Lions
The Detroit Lions have surprised everyone this season. It all started with upsetting the defending champion KC Chiefs on the opening weekend of the season. Now, they have an 8-3 record and are currently the 2nd seed in the NFC playoffs. Armed with a top 10 statistical defense, a top 5 offensive line, and offensive weapons like Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs, the Lions look poised to make a deep run in the playoffs.
Caption: Christian McCaffrey celebrates after scoring a touchdown.
2. Christian McCaffrey
While his record-setting touchdown streak just ended, McCaffrey’s performance this year garnered early MVP attention. That talk has since subsided, but he is still arguably the top running back in the league and has been the workhorse behind the 49ers’ success this season. With a lack of a true deep threat at wide receiver, McCaffrey is the guy defenses key in on when playing the 49ers. Despite this focus, he leads the NFL in rushing yards.
Caption: Chiefs’ defenders celebrate.
3. Kansas City Chiefs’ Defense
It is no surprise that any team with Patrick Mahomes is doing well. But unlike previous seasons, the Chiefs’ Defense has been a large part of their success this season. Statistically, they are currently the 4th best defense in the league. With a 7-3 record, the reigning champs look primed for another long postseason run.
With outstanding performance after outstanding performance recently, Stroud has officially entered the MVP conversation. It is almost unthinkable that he is a rookie and putting up consecutive great performances. As a rookie, he is 2nd in the NFL in passing yards. For a team that held the second pick in last year’s draft, the Texans look like a sneaky good team as the AFC playoff picture heats up. They look to earn a wild card and make a Super Bowl run with Stroud at the center of their playoff push.
Disappointments
Caption: Head Coach Matt Eberflus and players react to a play.
Chicago Bears
The Bears, a team with all the hype heading into the season, have disappointed in almost every respect this year. Preseason expectations had them challenging for a division title and making a postseason run. Now, their QB Justin Fields has been hurt most of the year, their defense has struggled all year by giving up 20+ points in all but 2 games, and they have not had consistent production from their weapons. With the likelihood that they will be in contention for a top draft pick, some are questioning if they should pick a quarterback.
Caption: Patriots’ QBs Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe talk with Offensive Coordinator Bill O’Brien.
2. New England Patriots
With recent disappointing draft classes and poor coaching, the Patriots have been a mess this season. Perhaps the biggest story has been the lack of development of Mac Jones, their first-round pick from the 2021 draft. He has looked average at best over the past three seasons and has not looked good in general this season. It is because of draft misses like these that rumors of Bill Belichick’s departure have been swirling during their tumultuous season.
Caption: Giants’ QB Tommy DeVito gets sacked.
3. New York Giants
About everything that could have gone wrong for the Giants this season has gone wrong. As a Giants’ fan myself, I personally have watched as this season has unfolded. Starting with a 40-0 Sunday Night Football route by the Cowboys, it has all gone downhill for a team that won a playoff game last season. With injuries to about every key offensive player, their offense has looked inept most of the season. Now with a 3-8 record, they are in contention for a top draft pick. With a top 5 pick all but locked in, it looks likely the Giants will draft a quarterback after not even a full season has passed since they guaranteed Daniel Jones an $82 million contract this spring.
Caption: Raiders’ running back Josh Jacobs stiff-arms a Patriots’ defender.
4. Las Vegas Raiders
This season might not be a total wash since an in season coaching change appears to be the spark this team needed. Interim coach Antonio Pierce has guided the Raiders to a 2-1 record since Josh McDaniels’ departure and has this team playing harder than they ever did with McDaniels as their head coach. It is unfortunate that it took such a drastic move to get this team playing better. In the offseason, they looked like a team that could steal a playoff spot with newly acquired Quarterback Jimmy Garappolo, Davante Adams, and an improving defense.
Caption: Panthers’ QB Bryce Young prepares to pass.
5. Carolina Panthers
While preseason expectations did not have the Panthers making the playoffs, I don’t think anyone had the Panthers looking this bad. The biggest storyline for this team has been Bryce Young. With the Panthers trading for the first pick in the 2023 draft, they could choose from the cream of the crop of available quarterbacks. With the first pick, they choose Bryce Young out of Alabama. Young has looked like one of the worst in this class. The Alabama product has recorded 8 passing touchdowns with 7 interceptions and 29 sacks. By comparison, the No. 2 draft pick CJ Stroud has 15 passing touchdowns with 2 interceptions and 19 sacks. Without a first round selection in this year’s draft things are looking bleak for the Panthers. They could also head into next season with a new coach with rumors of Frank Reich’s job status in question.
Caption: Unanticipated Storylines after Week 2 of NFL 2023 play.
By Sam Morris
Sam Morris is from Madison Heights, Michigan, and is an undergraduate student at BGSU majoring in Sport Management. He has a passion for sports writing and journalism. In his free time, he volunteers in the strategic communications department at BGSU at various sporting events and he also performs, writes, and produces his own rap music.
September 23, 2023
Although the 2023-2024 NFL season is still very young, there have been many intriguing and shocking storylines in just the first two weeks. In this article, I will be summarizing and analyzing these storylines as they currently stand through these first two weeks and will predict how these storylines might develop as the season goes on. I will follow-up on this article and its predictions at the end of the regular season to describe how these early storylines developed throughout the year and how they affected the teams’ seasons that were involved. These storylines will be ranked by me below from 5 to 1 in terms of how surprising I feel the storyline is.
5. Sam Howell’s Success
Caption: Commanders tab Sam Howell as starting QB for 2023 NFL Season.
Sam Howell, a second year QB for the Commanders was selected in the 5th round out of UNC last year. Howell only played 1 game last season as Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinecke split most of the season as starters and he was looked at as more of a bridge QB for the franchise to pick someone in the top of the loaded QB 2024 Draft Class next year. However, the Commanders’ front office and coaching staff felt that Howell didn’t get a chance to prove himself last year and deserved at least another year to become the Commanders QB of the future. The decision to pass up on selecting a QB in the 2023 NFL Draft was in spite of fan pressure to select one of the top 4 QBs with their 16th pick.
Come draft day, with QB Will Levis still on the board, the Commanders selected Emmanuel Forbes, a CB out of Mississippi State instead. Because of this decision, Sam Howell has been under constant media attention during the offseason as a deciding factor for the Commanders’ regular season success. Despite many doubters, Ron Rivera and new OC Eric Bienemy strongly believe in Howell and gave him high praise throughout training camp, OTAs, and during the Commanders’ undefeated preseason.
In the first two weeks, Howell has proven the doubters wrong and has not only brought the Commanders to an early 2-0 record but has been a large reason why they have won both games. He’s in the top half of the league in passing yards with 501 (11th in NFL), total touchdowns, with 4 (11th in NFL), and in completion percentage by completing 65.7% of his throws (16th in NFL).
As of right now, Howell is certainly making his case to stay as the starter next season, however his talent and skill will truly be tested in the coming weeks. There’s no doubt that the Commanders’ schedule will get much harder than the Cardinals and Broncos as they play the Bills, the reigning NFC Champion Eagles twice, as well as arguably the best two NFC teams, the Cowboys and 49’ers. In my opinion, as good a start as this has been for Howell, I think he will start to be overmatched by the elite defenses they have to play. He could become a good QB in the future, but at this stage of his young career I would be truly shocked if he led the Commanders to a winning record this season. I’m predicting a decent season for Howell but anticipate that he will slow down as the season progresses, leading Washington to a 4th place NFC East finish.
4. NFC South’s Undefeated Teams
Caption: NFC South predictors did not anticipate 2-0 starts for Saints, Bucs, and Falcons.
Heading into the 2023-2024 season, many experts predicted the NFC South to be the worst division in football. Early into the season, the NFC South has instead looked like one of the best divisions, having a combined record of 6-2, which is second only behind the NFC East’s 7-1. The only team not currently undefeated in the NFC South is the Carolina Panthers, who have lost games to their NFC rivals, the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints.
The Saints offense on the other hand, has been below average. Although Derek Carr has given the Saints a veteran presence at QB and has led some game winning drives, he also has a 1:2 TD:INT ratio (28th in NFL) and a 47.5 QBR (21st in NFL). Despite Carr’s slow start, I expect him to bounce back in the upcoming weeks, especially once Kamara comes back from suspension and Jamaal Williams returns from injury, to give the New Orleans’ offense a more balanced attack.
Tampa Bay is possibly the biggest 2-0 surprise in the division. They’ve defeated the Bears by 10 and the Vikings by 3 while overperforming on both sides of the ball. Their secondary, despite being relatively inexperienced, has forced 5 turnovers (2nd in NFL), and offensively, the Buccaneers passing attack has been a force to be reckoned with. Mike Evans continues to prove why he will go down as one of the most consistent receivers in NFL history, as he is currently 4th in the league in receiving yards. The guy throwing Evans the ball has also been the best QB in the division through the first two weeks. Baker Mayfield has bounced around the league the past two seasons, going from the Panthers to the Rams, and now to the Buccaneers.
We saw a resurgence in Mayfield at the end of last season, when he was fighting for playing time in Los Angeles, and this new confidence has continued to grow through the first two games in South Florida. Mayfield ranks top 10 in the league in QBR, passing TDs, and completion percentage, all while committing zero turnovers. Although it is early, Tampa Bay is playing with a balanced, team-oriented energy, that isn’t relying on one superstar to get the job done. Their chemistry and competitiveness should be a great sign for Buccaneers’ fans as they transition into playing tougher opponents.
Overall, my prediction for these three 2-0 teams is that none of them will be true Super Bowl contenders simply because they each have major holes in one part of their roster (Atlanta’s inexperienced defense, New Orleans’ offensive line, and Tampa Bay’s rushing attack). I do think that each of these three teams will overperform their preseason expectations and that it will be a battle for the NFC South crown until the end of the year. I think the Saints will barely edge past the Buccaneers and Falcons because I think they have the most experienced and deepest roster in the division.
3. Vikings, Chargers, and Bengals Going Winless
Caption: Joe Burrow’s Bengals and and Justin Herbert’s Chargers have 0-2 records.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, three teams have started off the season 0-2 who all made the playoffs last season; the Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Chargers, and Cincinnati Bengals. The Vikings had a lot of skeptics heading into the season as to whether or not they would repeat as NFC North champions. This was mostly because the Detroit Lions were one of the most hyped teams the entire offseason, but also because they lost all three preseason games, and they won most of their games by one score last season.
All these fears have come true through the first two games for Minnesota fans. Not only have the Lions looked like the favorites early on, but Minnesota has flipped the script and lost both games by one score. The Vikings’ offense has become one-sided and predictable with Dalvin Cook out of the picture. Nobody can seem to stop the passing attack, with Jefferson leading the league in receiving yards and Cousins being top 5 in the league in completion percentage, TD:INT ratio, and QBR. But this isn’t enough to win them games when they have 69 total rushing yards as a team (Last in the NFL), only 2 rushing first downs, and a leading rusher who isn’t even in the top 50 for rushing yards. The defense also has major holes at cornerback and on defensive line.
Overall, if the Vikings want to repeat as NFC North champs, they need to figure out a way to get the run game going and also need to be able to stop the run on defense. In my opinion, I don’t see both of those things happening unless they trade for some major pieces on defense, and I am predicting the Vikings will fall short in the division and will not make the playoffs.
Although it is surprising for the Chargers to be 0-2, this is less shocking than the Vikings and Bengals because of the quality of their opponents (Dolphins and Titans). Even with these opponents, the Chargers have played really well on offense, losing 34-36 against the Dolphins and 24-27 to Tennessee in OT. Herbert and Ekeler have looked fantastic so far and Quentin Johnston has looked like a solid draft choice.
What Is really concerning for LA, especially with them being in the Chiefs’ division, is that they can’t execute in close games, and that their defense has been horrible. The late game execution was a big problem for the Chargers in their loss to the Jaguars in the playoffs and it has carried over to this season, as they have scored just 10 points in the 4th quarter through the first two games combined. The defense has also given up the 3rd most points in the NFL, just ahead of the Bears and Giants.
In order for the Chargers to reach the playoffs they need to fix both major issues quickly. In my opinion, I think the defense will begin to improve throughout the year and Herbert will be able to lead the Chargers to a 6 or 7 seed in the playoffs.
Lastly, the Bengals are trying to copy their team from last year and have once again started the year off 0-2. Last year, Burrow bounced back and took them to the playoffs and eventually the AFC Championship, where they barely lost to the Super Bowl Champion Chiefs. As the new highest played player in football, Burrow is attempting to lead them back to the playoffs this year, but right now it is not looking good. Burrow has struggled mightily thus far, ranking 30th in passing yards, throwing for just 2 touchdowns while throwing 2 interceptions, and ranking 22nd in QBR. Against the Browns, the Bengals’ offense tallied just 3 points as their offensive line caved in and defense was shredded by Nick Chubb and the rushing attack. The Ravens had a similar game plan with Lamar Jackson. If the Bengals want to make the playoffs they need to fix this run defense quickly and also need Burrow to get back on track.
Good news for Cincinnati is that the rest of the division is currently extremely low on depth. Baltimore, despite being 2-0 have a whopping 17 players injured, including stars, C Tyler Linderbaum and RB J.K Dobbins, while the Browns have lost 2 of their starters in the secondary as well as RB Nick Chubb for the season. Because of these injuries and my faith that Burrow will be able to regain his productivity, I am predicting that the Bengals make the playoffs. However, I do think the Ravens will win the division and that the Bengals will be the 5 seed in the AFC.
2. Puka Nacua
Caption: Rookie Puka Nacua has record 15-catch performance in LA Rams’ loss to 49ers
Where in the world did this guy come from? Puka Nacua, a WR out of BYU, was selected in the 5th round by the Rams in this year’s draft and he has not looked like a 5th round caliber player. So far, Nacua has 25 receptions for 266 receiving yards, along with 111 yards after the catch. These statistics have given him some historic NFL records. His 25 receptions is a new NFL record for a rookie through his first two games, his 15 receptions against San Francisco is the most receptions ever by a rookie in a single game, and he is the first player with at least 10 receptions and 100 yards in each of his first two games. He also has the most yards after the catch in the league as well as the second most receiving yards in the league, behind Justin Jefferson.
Nacua not only is having a great start to the year individually, but he has also propelled the Rams’ receiving core. His play has spaced out the field for Tutu Atwell and Ben Skowronek to be more productive, while giving Stafford a legitimate #1 WR while Kupp is dealing with injuries. When Kupp comes back, sometime around week 5, the Rams will have a scary 1-2 receiver punch, with a veteran QB, a talented young RB in Kyren Williams, and a defense anchored by Aaron Donald and Byron Young. Although the Rams are a young team that was predicted by many to be at the bottom of the NFC, I think they were overlooked and will shock some people throughout the year.
I am predicting Nacua to continue to be a great receiver after the catch and in open space this season. I think he will finish second in the rookie of the year voting to Bijan Robinson. As for the Rams, I see them hovering around .500 this year and just missing the playoffs by a game or two. If Nacua continues putting up these top 5 WR in the league type numbers though, I could easily see them sneaking in as a 7 seed.
1. Season-Ending MNF Injuries
Caption: Aaron Rodgers (Jets), Nick Chubb (Browns), and Cooper Cupp (Rams) injured
Despite there being many intriguing and shocking storylines so far, the Monday Night Football Injuries to Aaron Rodgers and Nick Chubb have by far been the most league altering. New York Jets fans spent the entire offseason waiting for Rodgers to save their team and for them to finally end the longest active playoff drought in the NFL. However, just one play into the Jets first drive, Rodgers dropped back and was sacked for a loss by the Bills LB, Leonard Floyd. On impact with the turf, Rodgers tore his achilles tendon and was later ruled out for the season.
This monumental loss leaves the Jets in disarray as backup QB Zack Wilson has arguably been one of the biggest draft busts in recent memory. Although Wilson led the Jets to a comeback victory Monday Night against Buffalo, he was absolutely decimated by the Cowboys’ defense in week 2. The Jets still have one of the best defenses and wide receivers in the NFL but without a quality QB, their Super Bowl hopes have been destroyed and I am predicting them to miss the playoffs this season. Since Rodgers is on a 3-year deal, he will likely return to the Jets next season, but all the hype and Super Bowl dreams will be delayed. Once Rodgers is healthy, the biggest worry for Jets’ fans will be if he can ever perform at an elite level again, which will depend on how well his achilles heals.
One week later, again on Monday Night Football, Nick Chubb, Cleveland’s superstar running back, suffered a season-ending knee injury. Steelers’ safety Minkah Fitzpatrick hit him low, causing his leg to twist sideways into the turf. The injury was so severe and gruesome looking that it wasn’t even shown on the broadcast. Browns’ fans watched as Chubb broke down in tears as he was getting carted off the field. Chubb had previously torn three ligaments in his knee causing him to miss the remainder of that season as well, so his career being shortened by this new injury is even more likely.
I personally know many Browns fans who have experienced a wave of emotions over the last two weeks as their team handily beat the Bengals but now sit at 1-1 with their best player on the sideline. Chubb’s absence is catastrophic for the Browns as he is essentially who their entire offense is based upon. Watson will have to be exceptional this year for them to make the playoffs, which I believe they will not.
Overall, these MNF injuries have sparked two additional storylines, the pressure by the players’ union to get rid of artificial turf and the increasing pressure to pay running backs more money, as they are extremely valuable to their teams.
To wrap up this article, it is safe to say that the NFL has brought us an exciting and shocking first two weekends of football. With 15 weeks remaining, it will be interesting to see which of these storylines becomes the most impactful, which will ultimately become flukes, and which will remain a steady topic discussed throughout the year.
Kalen is a fourth year BGSU student from Toledo, Ohio. He is a sports management major with a minor in journalism. His primary sports interests include football and tennis, but he also has an interest in a wide variety of other sports, from baseball to hockey. His dream job outside of college is to be a sportswriter for an organization like ESPN or Sports Illustrated.
August 25, 2023
The NFL season begins on September 7, the day when most fans will start to manage their fantasy football teams. As the Lion-Chiefs kickoff game approaches, some may still be looking at which players will elevate their team above their friends and league mates.
The good news for these fans is that they have come to the right place. The upcoming list will give these avid participants five players who will give a major boost to whichever fantasy team you draft them.
However, we will not be looking at the top of the draft order (yes, you should draft Travis Kelce if he is available). Instead, we are diving beyond the top ten for each division.
With that said, here are some players that you should pick up if they so happen to fall in your lap (All stats and fantasy projections are from ESPN):
ALEXANDER MATTISON
As the projected RB26, Alexander Mattison is slated to be the starting running back for the Vikings after Dalvin Cook’s departure to the Jets.
As the backup to Cook for the last four seasons, his workload is fairly light. Still, it is hard to ignore that Mattison performed well while Cook was sidelined.
In 2021, Mattison led the league in touches, rushing yards, and fantasy points in four games as the starter. This potential, along with being a part of a top-tier Minnesota offense, puts Mattison in a prime position to produce.
Alexander Mattison is a low-risk, high-reward option that is primed to do wonders in your RB2/FLEX position.
AARON RODGERS
Two seasons ago, Aaron Rodgers being a sleeper pick seemed like insanity. As the projected QB12, though, this scenario has become a reality.
It would not be far-fetched to call the Hall of Famer’s 2022-23 season the worst of his career. The Packers finished 8-9, and Rodgers finished as QB25.
A-Rod (12 INTs) and his receivers (29 dropped passes) were never on the same page, and the season ended on a sour note as the Lions ended any playoff hopes the cheeseheads had.
Now, Rodgers will begin perhaps his final chapter with the Jets, and New York will give #8 (the new number will take some getting used to) some of the best weapons of his career in Garret Wilson and the returning Breece Hall. We have seen what A-Rod can do with the right pieces, and it should be an offensive spectacle that Jets fans have been awaiting for years.
It is reasonable to think that 39-year-old Rodgers is set to regress, but the upside of the QB is large enough to take the risk.
RACHAAD WHITE
After the departure of Leonard Fournette, Rachaad White (projected RB19) has been handed the keys to the Buccaneers’ rushing attack. Tampa Bay is going through some major changes, which should be perfect for the former Sun Devil.
Tampa Bay is entering a post-Tom Brady era (for real this time), and the replacement for TB12 will most likely be Baker Mayfield. While this may sound like a major downgrade, the former top pick has opted for safer throws in recent years, which will benefit Rachaad White owners in PPR leagues.
In a Week 12 game against Cleveland, White played 91% of the snaps and finished with 14 carries for 65 yards along with 9 catches for 45 yards. This resulted in 19.9 fantasy points (in basic rule PPR leagues), a number that could now pop up every week.
While he may share a few snaps with Chase Edmonds, his dual-threat ability should elevate any fantasy team that drafts him. Rachaad White will make a high-quality RB2 or a low-end RB1.
JUWAN JOHNSON
As quick as a blink of an eye, Juwan Johnson (projected TE21) went from do-not-draft lists to one of the top fantasy scorers of the 2022-23 season. He finished as TE15 last season, and his 7 touchdowns were the fourth-best out of all tight ends.
However, with great performances, comes great inconsistency. Johnson frustrated his fantasy owners last season by ending a game with zero catches and yards just a week after a multi-TD performance.
The switch from Jameis Winston to Derek Carr at QB could fix the TE’s spottiness. Carr is used to his quality tight ends, after all.
Juwan Johnson may be the riskiest draft choice out of all the players on this list, but making him a TE2 will surely bail your team out in a few games.
GEORGE PICKENS
Now, you may have seen George Pickens on a few ‘poised to breakout’ lists, along with his quarterback Kenny Pickett, but his current projection of WR31 would make you think otherwise.
His rookie season was filled with highs and lows, but he became the deep threat of the Steelers offense as the season progressed. He will want to raise his targets, though, as he finished 48th in that category last season.
Kenny Pickett has shown an increase in confidence in his throws during the preseason, a sight that everyone in Pittsburgh should love to see. The Pickett-Pickens connections have been a charm, and they will look to bring this into the regular season. George Pickens will continue to share targets with Dionte Johnson, but a big step for the Steelers offense seems to be in fruition. Pickens will be a steal for the flex position.
Sam Morris is from Madison Heights, Michigan, and is an undergraduate student at BGSU majoring in Sport Management. He has a passion for sports writing and journalism. In his free time, he volunteers in the strategic communications department at BGSU at various sporting events and he also performs, writes, and produces his own raps for the music industry club at BGSU.
April 27, 2023
This year’s NFL draft will take place outside of the Union Station Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri, home of the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs. The draft is set to be one full of excitement with many rumors of draft day trade scenarios regarding QB’s and key contention pieces. As usual, teams toward the top of the draft tend to have glaring needs that must be addressed quickly if they hope to be in playoff contention in the coming year. With this Round 1 Mock Draft, I will be showing who I think each team should draft at their respective slots and why they should do so. Below are all 31 of my mock picks in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.
Teams Without a Pick:
Dolphins (Lose first round pick for Tua Tagovailoa malpractice concussion protocol violation)
Browns (DeShaun Watson trade)
Broncos (Russell Wilson trade)
49’ers (Trey Lance trade)
Rams (Matthew Stafford trade)
1st Round Mock
(I won’t include any draft trade predictions)
Carolina Panthers (from Chicago)
QB Bryce Young (University of Alabama)
After letting Baker Mayfield go to the Rams and Darnold to the 49’ers, the Panthers are no doubt going with a QB with their newly acquired first overall pick. This pick was acquired via a trade with the Bears where Carolina gave Chicago their top WR DJ Moore, their 9th OVL pick, their 61st OVL pick, a 2024 1st round pick, and a 2025 2nd round pick. It’s safe to say that giving up this much draft capital is surely for a new franchise QB. This pick is ultimately between Bryce Young and C.J Stroud. I ultimately went with Young because despite his shorter stature, he has more running ability and a more accurate arm. The Panthers are slowly building something in Carolina with this pick and newly acquired RB Miles Sanders, especially since they play in the worst division in the NFL, the NFC South.
2. Houston Texans
QB C.J. Stroud (Ohio State)
At the #2 pick I have the Texans picking who I think is a slightly less talented QB than Young in Ohio State’s C.J Stroud. Although the Texans recently drafted Davis Mills out of Stanford, he is clearly not the answer as he has posted just a 33.1 QBR in his 2 years in the league which ranks 29th among NFL QB’s and a 32:26 TD/INT ratio which ranks just 25th. Although Mills may be a solid backup his .178 win percentage will not get it done as a starter. Stroud will be an instant upgrade in his arm strength and running ability. Although his accuracy and turnover ratio isn’t as strong as Young’s, Stroud posted insane passing yard and touchdown numbers at Ohio State that should transfer nicely into the NFL.
3. Arizona Cardinals
DE Will Anderson Jr. (ALA)
The Cardinals need some major help on both sides of the line of scrimmage but with D.J Humphries resigning at LT and the fact that they play the 49ers, Seahawks, and Rams offenses twice a year, they may lean toward this year’s consensus top defensive talent, Will Anderson Jr. Anderson will more than make up for the retirement of J.J Watt as he is an agile and versatile defensive end who can play linebacker as well. Anderson will provide the Arizona defensive line with an instant improvement on the tackling and playmaking front.
4. Indianapolis Colts
QB Anthony Richardson (University of Florida)
The Colts also need a franchise QB as they have essentially been in a QB carousel ever since former #1 overall pick Andrew Luck retired. Indianapolis was one of the more disappointing teams last year as Johnathon Taylor had an egregiously bad year compared to 2022 and the once top-notch defense struggled. They again got swept by Jacksonville, who actually came away with the division title and a playoff win, something the Colts haven’t done since Peyton Manning played for them. Anthony Richardson should fix at least one of these issues as he has risen up scouts’ ranks with an impressive pro and scout day and has had two great last seasons playing for Florida. He is one of the biggest QB’s in terms of size in this draft at 6’4, 230 and has arguably the best arm accuracy of anyone on the board. The Colts would love to get him at #4.
5. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver)
NT Jalen Carter (University of Georgia)
Surprisingly, it looks like the Seahawks have won the Russell Wilson trade so far. Not only has Wilson been better at coming up with catchphrases than playing football for Denver, but the Seahawks have re-ignited Geno Smith, gained an offensive weapon in TE Noah Fant and now have a top 5 pick in this year’s draft. This pick in my opinion is the easiest for me to predict in the draft as the Seahawks will likely go for a defensive lineman. Tyree Wilson and Jalen Carter are who I believe Seattle have their eyes on with this pick and while their EDGE rush has been brutal in recent years, with the departure of nose tackle Al Woods to free agency, Seattle has only one defensive tackle on their entire roster, Bryan Mone. For this reason, I think they will pick the highly talented Nose Tackle out of Georgia, Jalen Carter. Carter is a quick swim-move type D lineman who should be able to come in and start immediately for the struggling Seattle defensive front. Despite his insane strength and talent, Seattle needs to keep an eye out for his character issues as he has been suspended multiple times in his college career.
6. Detroit Lions (from L.A. Rams)
DE Tyree Wilson (Texas Tech)
The Detroit Lions were one of the biggest surprises from the 2022 NFL season, turning their “Hard Knocks” offseason buzz and ridicule by the media toward their unfiltered coach Dan Campbell into a successful season. The Lions barely missed the playoffs after a 1-6 start, finishing 2nd in the NFC North, and a half game back from the 7 seed, behind the aforementioned Seahawks. While Goff and the offense scored at ease, the defense (aside from Hutchinson, Rodriguez, and Walker) severely struggled. Detroit solved the Safety issue by bringing pro bowler CJ Gardner-Johnson in from Philly but still have glaring holes at Corner as well as on the edge and interior of the D-Line. Although Carter would be a better fit than Wilson in Detroit as his body-slamming antics against LSU definitely fit the “bite their knee cap” mentality of Dan Campbell, his suspension issues would be a major problem as Detroit already has 4 players suspended this season for gambling violations. With Seattle likely taking Carter a pick earlier, the Lions will settle for Wilson who will give them a ferocious defensive end duo with last year’s 2nd overall pick, Aidan Hutchinson. Wilson is 6’6, 275, giving the Lions much needed length on their EDGE rush. Wilson also created 50 QB pressures this season which is exceptional college production that should translate quickly into the next level. With many quality NT prospects this season the Lions should have no trouble finding one to add depth in the later rounds while stealing one of the top edge rushers in the draft here at #6.
7. Las Vegas Raiders
CB Devon Witherspoon (University of Illinois)
While some are predicting Vegas pick Levis or Richardson with the 7th selection to fulfil a long term QB need, I think the more obvious and more immediate glaring need is anywhere on defense, especially at CB. Bringing in veteran Jimmy Garoppolo from SF will do more than suffice at QB as Jimmy G has proven he’s a winner. Despite having phenomenal weapons at San Francisco, he hasn’t had anything like the combo of Josh Jacobs and DaVante Adams, which makes me think the Raiders will be just fine on offense. Because they have to play Mahomes, Herbert and Wilson 6 times in a season, CB should be where they focus. Getting Witherspoon or Gonzales makes sense here at 7. Ultimately I went with Witherspoon out of Illinois because I feel like he is more proven with the Big 10 competition going up against guys like Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr, and Ronnie Bell, but honestly, it could be a toss up between those two CB’s. As a side note, the Raiders have an early second round pick at 38th that they could potentially use to get Hendon Hooker for a long-term QB solution.
8. Atlanta Falcons
DE Lukas Van Ness (University of Iowa)
Atlanta is unlikely to take a QB here with Ridder only playing for one season. This was one of the toughest picks for me to make because they have needs in a lot of other areas including interior O-Lineman and D-Lineman, their WR depth is low after last year’s 8th OVL pick Drake London, and their RB room lacks depth. However, I ultimately went with Lukas Van Ness, a Defensive End because their pass rush was one of the worst in the league last season. Van Ness should be an impact player with his pass and rush defensive abilities, especially in one of the weakest QB leagues that includes Derek Carr, Baker Mayfield, and likely the #1 OVL pick as the other three starters. Although I don’t think this is the right pick here, I could also see Atlanta selecting RB Bijan Robinson here at 8 just because he is such a highly talented prospect.
9. Chicago Bears (from Carolina)
LT Peter Skoronski (Northwestern)
As previously stated, the Bears got a ton of picks as well as D.J Moore from the Panthers for the #1 pick which they surely were not using on a QB with Justin Fields as an emerging star. Because of this, the Bears have landed the 9th pick in the first round which they will most likely use to help protect Justin Fields. The best LT in the draft is close for me between Skoronski, Wright, and Johnson Jr., but I ultimately went with Skoronski out of Northwestern. Like his former teammate, Chargers LT Rashawn Slater, Skoronski is a big but agile tackle who should become a quality starter. The NFC North is one of the worst pass rushing divisions, so adding a good blocker like Skoronski should increase Fields’ ability to get out of the pocket even more in the future.
10. Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans)
DE Myles Murphy (Clemson)
As the reigning NFC Champs, the Eagles have very few weaknesses. After signing Rashaad Penny and having Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott as quality backup RB’s, I don’t think the Eagles will pick Bijan Robinson this early in the draft, despite being one of only two teams to offer him an official visit. Their D-Line depth is the more pressing issue in my opinion. In terms of their D Line, Fletcher Cox is the only NT who has started in the NFL consistently on Philly’s roster with the highly talented Javon Hargrave gone to San Francisco. They do have an emerging prospect in last year’s first overall, NT Jordan Davis, but they still lack a proven starter on the edge opposite Brandon Graham. Myles Murphy will meet this need as he, along with fellow draft prospect Bryan Breese, anchored one of the best D Lines in the country in terms of rush defense last season at Clemson. At 6’5, Murphy will give the Eagles additional size on their D line that should pair well with the aging pro bowlers Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox. Murphy will be able to play as an edge rusher and rotate in at NT to give Fletcher Cox some rest. This addition could be huge to help improve what was already one of the best D Line units in the country last season.
11. Tennessee Titans
LT Paris Johnson Jr. (Ohio State)
The Titans are one of the teams many predict could trade up in the draft to possibly get a QB like Anthony Richardson. If I was to do pre-draft trade predictions, I could see Tennessee trading with Arizona to get their preferred QB. However, although QB Malik Willis didn’t play all that well last season for Tennessee he is only going into his second year. If the Titans don’t trade up to take Richardson, I think they will wait for next year’s stacked draft class and instead draft a LT to help bolster what was arguably the NFL’s worst O Line unit last season. Paris Johnson Jr. would fit perfectly in Vrabel’s run heavy offense as he is a swing tackle who can play either guard position as well in order to maximize Derrick Henry’s talent.
12. Houston Texans (from Cleveland)
WR Quentin Johnson (Texas Christian University)
Houston’s weak WR room will almost certainly be addressed with their 12th selection via the DeShaun Watson trade. The question will be which WR will they choose as the first to come off the draft board. For me, it depends on who they take 2nd OVL, assuming they take a QB. If they end up taking Young, I could see them getting Stroud’s teammate, Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Smith-Njigba is the fastest WR in this class and would fit well with Young’s rollout/PA bootleg style of football that he plays. This is because Smith Njigba is gifted at improvising routes after a scramble breakdown, something I think Young does considerably better than Stroud. If they pick Stroud, as I predict, I think Quentin Johnson from TCU is the way to go. Like former Texan, DeAndre Hopkins, Johnson has the ability to catch any ball thrown at the high point in his catch radius. Johnson’s height and sure hands make him a perfect fit for Stroud who currently lacks elite NFL accuracy. Although Smith-Njigba is Stroud’s former teammate and probably a more talented receiver than Johnson, I think Johnson is overall a better fit for the Texans’ situation should they get Stroud at #2.
13. Green Bay Packers (from NYJ)
TE Dalton Kincaid (University of Utah)
The blockbuster Aaron Rodgers trade finally allows the Packers to start the Jordan Love era. Unfortunately for Love, the Lions and Vikings are surging and the Packers offensive skill weapons are not what they once were. Adams and Tonyan are gone and after the pick swap with New York, Green Bay should either take an O-Lineman developmental prospect or take a skill player for Love here at 13. Although a Watson, Dobbs, Toure trio isn’t the best WR core out there at the moment, I think TE is where Green Bay goes here as their current starter is Josiah Deguarra, a 4th year player who has just 2 career touchdowns. Dalton Kincaid is in my opinion by far the best receiving Tight End in this draft class as he was Utah’s top receiver last season. Kincaid is both an excellent route runner and blocker who can help Green Bay’s offense from day one.
14. New England Patriots
CB Christian Gonzalez (University of Oregon)
The Patriots had one of the best overall defenses, surprisingly, in 2022 with their linebacking duo of Matthew Judon and Josh Uche sending QBs out of the pocket on a regular basis. However, since Stephon Gilmore’s departure to Indianapolis their CB position has been very weak. Jabrill Peppers fills in at RCB when he doesn’t play FS for New England, but even then he is more of a pass rusher, which doesn’t really help New England with one-on-one coverage. Christian Gonzales of Oregon is arguably the #1 CB of the draft so it is a no-brainer to me that New England pick either Witherspoon or Gonzalez with this #14 pick.
15. New York Jets (from Green Bay)
LT Darnell Wright (University of Tennessee)
After landing Rodgers from Green Bay and remarkably still attaining a first round pick in this year’s draft, the Jets would happily take an O Lineman here to protect their new face of the franchise. Darnell Wright is a perfect fit here in New York as he is the biggest O lineman projected to go into the first round at 6’5 335, and will have to go up against top notch D Lineman every time he plays an AFC East defense, including the aforementioned Patriots’ linebacking duo, the Bills’ Gregory Rousseau, and Miami’s Bradley Chubb. Wright is in the top tier of O lineman in this year’s draft and just because he is third on that list doesn’t make him any less valuable to New York.
16. Washington Commanders
S Brian Branch (University of Alabama)
Washington has, in my opinion, the most interesting pick in this year’s draft because if Vegas and Atlanta pass on QBs then the 4th QB will still be available at Washington’s pick. Will Levis would be a very intriguing prospect with elite arm strength for Washington but I think Washington will pass as they have stated that they have faith in their second year starter out of UNC, Sam Howell. Head coach Ron Rivera told his new Offensive Coordinator, Eric Bienemy, after he was hired that Washington would be “set to roll with second-year QB Sam Howell under center in 2023.” Additionally, because of Washington’s talented offensive skill players and dominant front 7 on their defense, there is speculation that the front office in Washington feels like they are a playoff contender and could eventually try to get a veteran QB via trade. With QB off the table, I believe Washington should turn to their secondary, specifically safety, which struggled mightily as a position group last season. Brian Branch is the consensus best safety of the draft as he is versatile enough to play cornerback, has great route reading ability, and intercepts/pass deflects at a high rate.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers
RT Broderick Jones (University of Georgia)
Although I could totally see the Steelers going the defensive back route with this pick due to the underwhelming production Akhello Witherspoon has had over the past few seasons, the addition of veteran Patrick Peterson from Minnesota and Minkah Fitzpatrick’s consistent success creates an overall average to above-average secondary. The Steelers have struggled the most in recent years is protecting the QB with their O-Line, especially from the tackle positions. Ever since Alejandro Villanueva retired, the Steelers have failed to find a left tackle capable of reaching a pro bowl caliber level. With both LT Dan Moore Jr and RT Chukwuma Okorafor now in their 4th and 5th seasons and still underperforming, I think Pittsburgh will take whomever is the best O Line prospect remaining on the board, in this case Broderick Jones. Jones is the second of three Georgia players I have going in the first round and he was a huge reason behind their enormous success these past two seasons. Despite being a sophomore, Jones’ draft stock rose enormously after having a great second season, not only a single sack against the pass rush all season. He may fall this late in the first round of the draft because he is still just 20 years old, but Jones’ talent, ability to play both tackle positions, and raw strength is undeniable and would be too much for Pittsburgh’s struggling O Line to pass up on.
18. Detroit Lions
CB Joey Porter Jr. (Penn State)
After addressing their biggest need at NT with Jalen Carter, the Lions will most likely either go with a big-bodied WR to go along with the smaller Amon Ra St Brown and Jameson Williams or go with a CB after trading former 3rd overall pick Jeff Okudah to Atlanta in the offseason. If Houston were to pick Smith-Njigba at 12 instead of Johnson, I would have Detroit picking Johnson as he fits what they need for their #3 WR. However, with Houston taking the TCU star, I have Detroit taking Joey Porter Jr out of Penn State. Although there is a clear drop-off in production and speed from the top 2 CBs (Witherspoon and Gonzales) and the rest of the CBs taken in this first round mock, like Witherspoon, Porter Jr. has proven his value against some of the best teams in the country out of the BIG 10 whereas SEC CB Cam Smith and BIG 10 CB Deonte Banks didn’t fare as well against top ranked opponents like Alabama and Michigan. Porter Jr. has elite speed and allowed just 143 reception yards in his 10 games in 2022. He should be an immediate starter ahead of current starting CB Chase Lucas and will make the Lions secondary pretty scary on the right side with the addition of C.J Gardner-Johnson from Philly.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
QB Will Levis (University of Kentucky)
With Tennessee passing on a QB earlier in this mock, this leaves the door open for Tampa Bay to take the 4th QB off the board in Kentucky’s Will Levis. Although Tampa just signed Baker Mayfield and lacks O-Line depth, 4 of the top O-Lineman are already off the board and the QB position currently only consists of Mayfield and Kyle Trask. While Trask hasn’t had an opportunity to play, he doesn’t have the raw talent or prospective upside that Levis brings to the table. Why this pick also makes sense is that Levis is a developmental type of QB, like Malik Willis and Trey Lance, who likely will need a year or two under his belt to work on his accuracy. This means Tampa can keep Mayfield under contract while developing Levis’ skills to become their new franchise QB of the future in a division that is near the bottom of the NFL. Levis overall has incredible arm strength and for that reason, the Texans have offered him an official visit for their #2 spot so if he falls to 19, it would be a great situation for the Bucs. What this pick will likely depend on is if the Tennessee Titans are willing to wait until next year’s draft class to pick a QB and stick with second year QB Malik Willis much like Washington will be doing with Sam Howell. If the Titans pick Levis 11th I would expect Tampa to go after either a CB or an interior offensive lineman.
20. Seattle Seahawks
LG O’Cyrus Torrence (University of Florida)
With Tampa selecting a QB and not an IOL, Torrence becomes the first interior O-Lineman drafted and he will become a Seahawk. The 6’5 350 pound guard is a perfect fit to help what might be the NFL’s worst Offensive Line outside of Tennessee. The Seahawks started two rookie offensive tackles last season in Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas. Although they both performed reasonably well, the offensive line as a whole still gave up the 10th most sacks in the league at 46 and the most sacks in the red zone in the entire NFL. These numbers had less to do with the inexperience of their two rookie tackles however, and more to do with their two guards, Damien Lewis and Phil Haynes, who consistently let Geno Smith get under pressure going up against pro bowl interior defensive lineman in their division like Aaron Donald and Arik Armstead. Because Seattle picked up Evan Brown from Detroit, Torrence would fit in nicely on the LG position, giving Seattle a young but much more quality Offensive Line heading into next season.
21. Los Angeles Chargers
NT Bryan Breese (Clemson)
Miles Murphy’s partner in crime at Clemson, Bryan Breese was an absolute star in his own right. Although Breese is over 300 pounds, he is extremely agile and his bench and deadlift numbers at the combine and pro days have drawn comparisons to the likes of the projections that Aaron Donald and Bradley Chubb had going into their respective drafts. While the Chargers are an extremely talented team they have weaknesses in running back depth and on their entirety of the defensive line besides Joey Bosa. Although Austin Ekeler has stated he wants a trade I don’t expect Los Angeles to take Bijan Robinson here as their D-Line has been decimated both by injuries that have exposed their depth and by the release of NT Breiden Fehoko to the Steelers. While Fehoko isn’t necessarily a household name he brought a mental toughness and a sense of physicality to the Chargers that they severely lack with his absence. While Breese may not become a pro bowler anytime soon he will round out this D-Line and help the Chargers attack the star QBs of their loaded AFC West division.
22. Baltimore Ravens
WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Ohio State)
This pick will likely go one of two ways: the Ravens will either pick a CB to replace Marcus Peters or get the WR 1 of the future for Lamar Jackson. Considering they have Marlon Humphrey as one of their CBs and two above average safeties I think the Ravens go with the latter of the two options. Baltimore signed OBJ in the offseason and is currently in contract negotiations with veteran WR DeAndre Hopkins, but even with both of these options they still need someone that Lamar Jackson can turn to as a true number one option for the long term, especially if they want to keep Lamar in Baltimore. Jaxon Smith-Njigba would be just the guy the Ravens would want to acquire as this “true number one” as he is both the fastest deep threat WR in the draft class and has some of the best hands of any WR in the draft class. This would be a dream come true for Baltimore if J.S.N doesn’t get picked by Houston because he has been the most highly graded WR by scouts in this draft class and one of the highest graded WR prospects in the last 5 years, drawing comparisons to Jaylen Waddle, JaMarr Chase, and Justin Jefferson. He would be just the type of WR Baltimore would need to push their offense to the next level in a close race in the AFC North.
23. Minnesota Vikings
WR Jordan Addison (University of Southern California)
Minnesota has essentially the same situation as Baltimore (above) in terms of which positions they should be targeting in this year’s draft with CB and WR. Despite having needs on every level of the defense, the CB position is by far the weakest in Minnesota as Mike Hughes (who is now with Atlanta) got traded to Detroit last season. Although I think Minnesota should address this need and there are CBs still available like Deonte Banks or Cam Smith, because of their recent draft history of passing on defensive players until later rounds I think they will address their need at WR (like Baltimore). With long time Viking WR Adam Thielen no longer on the team, their depth at WR is extremely thin behind pro bowler Justin Jefferson. Their number 2 WR is 5’11 deep threat receiver K.J Osborn and their number 3 is Jalen Reagor, one of the biggest draft busts in recent memory after he went to Philly a few picks before Jefferson went to Minnesota. With many top-tier talented WRs still on the board Minnesota is able to get USC prospect Jordan Addison here in the late first round. Jordan Addison was the 2021 Biletnikoff Award winner (FBS’s best WR) and caught 25 TDs combined in 2021 and 2022 with Pitt and USC. Addison will surely provide much needed red zone production from a WR not named Justin Jefferson, something they currently lack.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
CB Deonte Banks (University of Maryland)
The 5th DB off the board is also the 3rd from the BIG 10 as Deonte Banks from Maryland goes here to Jacksonville. Jacksonville was by far the most pleasantly surprising team last season as they not only made the playoffs after having the worst record in back-to-back seasons, but they actually won a playoff game and came pretty close to beating the eventual Super Bowl Champions in the divisional round. Although they have more strengths on their team than they’ve had in quite some time, ever since the Jalen Ramsey trade, there has been a gaping hole at CB that remains to be filled. As previously stated in Detroit’s Porter Jr. pick, Banks struggled heavily against highly ranked opponents, including J.S.N and Ohio State as well as against Ronnie Bell and Michigan. However, many scouts attribute these struggles to the defensive scheme Maryland runs where the safeties play more man-to-man and less zone, allowing their CBs to get burnt one-on-one more often than other teams. With this being said, Banks still has enormous upside in the NFL as he has elite speed, running a 4.35 40-yard time in the combine. Banks also has great versatility similar to Brian Branch out of Alabama in the sense that he is a solid pass rusher and can get QB pressures like a nickelback or linebacker.
25. New York Giants
WR Zay Flowers (Boston College)
The 4th and final WR I have going in my first round mock draft is Zay Flowers out of BC. Out of all the teams in the NFL I think the New York Giants need a first round WR the most. After the Giants have essentially let both Kadarius Toney and Richie James walk to the Chiefs their WR depth is completely depleted. While the second rookie out of Kentucky, Wan’dale Robinson, was a bright spot last year, posting 23 rec and 1 TD in 6 games, he was injured two separate times and will likely start the year on the IR. Although they have some depth with veterans Jamison Crowder and Darius Slayton, a top 2 duo of Parris Campbell and Isaiah Hodgins is well below average talent wise. Despite Flowers being just 5’9, his deep threat speed game will be an improved version of what Richie James gave them last year. Flowers can also be a quality return man and is undoubtedly the best vertical route runner in this draft class.
26. Dallas Cowboys
RB Bijan Robinson (University of Texas)
Here we go… this has been the pick that I have been alluding to this entire mock draft, RB Bijan Robinson. Robinson is a 6’0 220 pound RB from Texas who is built like a FB but can run like a WR. He has by far the most hype and upside of any prospect in this draft but drafting a RB in the first round is always a scary thing to do given their short career spans and short primes. We have seen RBs like David Johnson and Todd Gurley get picked high in the draft and be elite in the league for a few years but then never pan out. However, we have also seen Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey have longer careers and still play in their prime after being drafted high. The Cowboys will be hoping the latter happens as this opportunity would be too good for them to pass up if he fell this far. With Zeke Elliott being released and breakout RB star Tony Pollard being both injured and on the last year of his contract, Robinson would help fill the biggest positional need that Dallas has on offense. Robinson’s combination of speed, strength, catching ability, and power running ability between the tackles make him an all-around threat similar to Derrick Henry. He would be a scary addition to an already potent Dallas offense. In my opinion, the teams Dallas needs to be most worried about snagging Bijan earlier in the draft are Atlanta, Philly, Detroit at #18, and Tampa. I could see Bijan going to either of these four previous destinations because they all lack RB depth and because if they don’t take him they know Dallas as an NFC rival will. Dallas should especially be weary of Philly as they don’t have any real glaring needs on their roster, have an arch rivalry with Dallas, and Robinson himself said on NFL Live that out of all the QB’s in the NFL he would most like to play with Jalen Hurts. Overall, Robinson is my most intriguing prospect of the draft and it will be exciting to see who drafts him.
27. Buffalo Bills
LB Drew Sanders (University of Arkansas)
The Bills main goal in this draft should be to bolster their offensive line which lacks quality backups to help protect Josh Allen in the future. But their round one pick will most likely be a LB as they are down a starter with Tremaine Edmunds going to Chicago. Either Drew Sanders or Jack Campbell would be good fits here for Buffalo but I ultimately went with Sanders because he is by far the more versatile of the two options. Sanders was an edge rusher for Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide before coming to Arkansas via the portal and so he has full seasons of experience both blitzing the QB and playing in coverage. Sanders was toward the top of the country in sacks with 11 last season because of this versatility. This should transfer into the NFL where positionless nickelbacks are becoming a must in today’s game.
28. Cincinnati Bengals
TE Michael Mayer (Notre Dame)
Although Mixon will likely be out of Cincinnati after this season or possibly by the trade deadline, with Robinson gone I’d find it highly unlikely they’d reach for a RB like Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round. Instead their more immediate need is at TE as Hayden Hurst is now in Carolina. Irv Smith Jr. is a solid TE who has spent his entire 3 year career in Minnesota up to this point but he lacks red zone production, posting just 9 TDs in 3 years and accumulating fewer than 100 receptions combined in his career. Mayer is probably the most experienced player in the draft as he started for 4 years at Notre Dame. Mayer will be able to come in and deliver in the red zone for Cincinnati and be a part of the young homegrown offensive core that the Bengals have built with Chase, Higgins, and Burrow.
29. New Orleans Saints (from San Francisco through Miami and Denver)
DE Nolan Smith (University of Georgia)
Because of a massive pick swap between the Saints and Eagles last season, the Saints #10 pick belongs to Philly. Despite this, New Orleans will still get one of the top D Lineman in this draft very late in the first round in edge rusher Nolan Smith. Smith worked opposite of top 10 projected pick Jalen Carter last season and he put up numbers that rivaled his teammate. In Smith’s 4 years as a Bulldog he had 113 tackles, 12 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and one INT, all while never playing a full season due to injuries. It is these injury setbacks that put some pause into GMs when selecting Smith, but his talent, statistical numbers, and agility as a 6’3 240 pound D-Lineman who can play for three downs will make the pick too good to pass up for New Orleans. This is especially the case in New Orleans because DE Carl Granderson has had a rough couple of past years opposite Cam Jordan. Smith would likely start off as a rotational guy but could eventually become a staple piece of the Saints 3-4 style front 7.
30. Philadelphia Eagles
CB Cam Smith (University of South Carolina)
After addressing their loss of Javon Hargrave with their #10 pick and with Dallas already picking Bijan Robinson, I have the Eagles taking the second Smith in a row with CB Cam Smith out of South Carolina. With Bradberry and Slay as their current primary corners, the Eagles would use Smith immediately as a rotational third CB. With Gardner Johnson gone in Detroit, Smith would also be helpful at safety as he has been known to be an exceptional zone coverage cornerback which historically translates very well into NFL safeties. This is what happened with Minnesota’s Harrison Smith and the aforementioned Gardner-Johnson who both played CB in college in a zone coverage and have turned into pro bowl safeties in the NFL. Smith is used to high expectations in South Carolina which has become an NFL DB machine lately with Jaycee Horn in Carolina, Stephon Gilmore in Dallas, and Keisean Nixon in Green Bay, so he will be more than up for the high expectations of the Philadelphia Super Bowl caliber defense.
31. Kansas City Chiefs
RT Anton Harrison (University of Oklahoma)
With Miami’s pick being forfeited, Kansas City’s 31st overall pick here will be the final pick of the first draft. With the clear top 4 WR’s being selected already, Kansas City’s first selection will go to the 6th O-Lineman taken in this first round, Anton Harrison. Despite Kansas City having one of the most productive offensive lines in the league last year they had to let go of Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie and only added Jawaan Taylor, leaving a wide open spot at right tackle. The clear best right tackle in this draft was Broderick Jones who already went to Pittsburgh in this mock so the Chiefs will get Harrison who is slightly smaller than Jones, although still big, at 6’5 315, Harrison hasn’t gotten much media attention with Oklahoma having an extremely underwhelming year in the BIG 12 but scouts love his ability to block both D-Lineman and Linebackers coming through the guard-tackle gaps. Harrison’s blocking ability on the edge is so good that his QB pressure percentage was the best in the country at a slim 2.01%. This statistic in particular should get the Chiefs excited as they want to do all they can to keep their generational talented QB Patrick Mahomes healthy and on the field.
Sam Morris is from Madison Heights, Michigan, and is an undergraduate student at BGSU majoring in Sports Management. He has a passion for sports writing and journalism. In his free time, he volunteers in the strategic communications department at BGSU at various sporting events and he also performs, writes, and produces his own raps for the music industry club at BGSU.
February 11, 2023
Super Bowl Overview
After my undefeated first round and a 3-1 second round, the conference championship games did not go as I expected as the Niners and Bengals both lost. The Eagles absolutely crushed San Francisco 31-7. The Niners’ offense slowed to a halt, losing both Brock Purdy and 4th string QB Josh Johnson to injury, and leaving them with no healthy QB’s available to play. However, this doesn’t take away from the amazing job that Philly’s offense did against the number one defense in the league. Although the Chiefs also pulled off the win, it was not without controversy as there were a few flags against Cincinnati late in the game that Bengals fans thought had cost them their chance to win. However, the Bengals had plenty of opportunities to put the game away beforehand and couldn’t get the job done. With all the upsets and crazy storylines in these 2022-2023 playoffs, the Super Bowl features the two overall one seeds and there is no consensus favorite amongst the media. Below I is my final breakdown of the playoffs with my prediction of the winner of Super Bowl 57.
Kansas City Chiefs (16-3) (AFC) VS. 1. Philadelphia Eagles (16-3) (NFC)
(Sunday, February 12th, 2023)
Breakdown: Super Bowl 57 has many interesting storylines to look for including the fact that this is the first Super Bowl where brothers (Jason and Travis Kelce) will be playing against each other. Being played in State Farm Stadium, one thing we know for sure about Super Bowl 57 is that there will be a lot of State Farm advertisements. Besides this, the Super Bowl outcome is anything but predictable. The Chiefs and Eagles overall have had the best seasons in their respective conferences, each amassing impressive 16-3 records to reach the Super Bowl. Because each of these teams has very few weaknesses, the Eagles are favored by just 1.5 points as of Saturday afternoon, making this the 4th shortest odds in any Super Bowl, according to CBS. These short odd are well-deserved, in my opinion, because of how close statistically these teams are to each other. On defense, the Eagles rank 1st (70) and the Chiefs rank 2nd (55) in sacks. Because these defenses are so similar and each quarterback has the ability to scramble, this game will be decided by which offense can put together consistently effective drives against the opposing powerhouse defenses.
In terms of offensive skill positions, the Eagles have a much better running game than the Chiefs behind Hurts, Sanders, Gainwell, and Scott. In fact, historically, the Eagles’ rushing game has the most rushing touchdowns in NFL History dating back to 1920, with 38 in total between the regular and postseason. However, I think the Chiefs’ explosive passing attack is better than Philadelphia’s with the chemistry and experience between the Mahomes-Kelce connection that can only be rivaled by Brady and Gronk. Adding Kadarius Toney has also been a sneaky signing because of his speed and ability to catch deep-ball fades consistently. The depth of JuJu Smith-Schuster and MVS (Marcus Valdez-Scantling) to the passing game also gives Mahomes quality second and third options to Kelce that I don’t think Devonta Smith and Quez Watkins match with the Eagles.
Although Mahomes is still working through the injury he suffered against Jacksonville, I believe the MVP’s talent and wealth of experience at such a young age will give him an overall advantage over Hurts in managing the atmosphere and pressure of the Super Bowl. Overall, it seems like Mahomes feels like he has something to prove against Hurts as Mahomes beat him for the MVP and has been consistently compared to him all year long. Mahomes also realizes that a second Super Bowl could put him in elite company among quarterbacks and help to solidify his ultimate legacy. To execute their game plan, the Chiefs need to score early and put pressure on the Eagles to throw the football, which is what the high-powered Chiefs offense is built to do. Although the Eagles are every bit as talented and deserving as the Chiefs to win the big game, I believe Mahomes and Andy Reid will execute their passing game plan against this dominant defense to win Super Bowl 57, giving Kansas City its 3rd Super Bowl victory in franchise history,
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