Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - 2024 Locked On NFL Mock Draft: Episode 3 – Cardinals, Broncos, Raiders, Saints, Colts and Seahawks select
Episode Date: April 18, 2024The 2024 Locked On NFL Mock Draft episode three sees the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts make their selections for the first round of th...e NFL Draft. Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, J.J McCarthy, Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze, Joe Alt, Malik Nabors, Dallas Turner and Olu Fashanu are off the board. Who will go in picks 11-16? Get expert analysis from our national shows with Locked On NFL Draft, Peacock and Williamson and Locked On NFL Scouting. Fantasy advice from Locked On Fantasy Football and Locked On Dynasty Football and local insight from every Locked On NFL team. Once you finish this episode, find all 6 episodes of this binge-worthy series on Locked On NFL Draft or Peacock and Williamson.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Monopoly GO!Get in the game and join your friends. Download MONOPOLY GO! now free on The App Store or Google Pay. The mobile hit twist on classic MONOPOLY.Yahoo FinanceFor comprehensive financial news and analysis, visit the brand behind every great investor, YahooFinance.com.eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotos.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFL. Terms and conditions apply.BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDON today to get 10% off your first month.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase.FanDuelFanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning GUARENTEED That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – win or lose! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
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Welcome in to the 2024 Locked On NFL Mock Draft Special.
Yeah, you can have pennies, Patricia.
Who says I want them?
I had to put a chip down of one player in this draft to go to the Hall of Fame.
Who's my pick? And it's Marvin Harrison Jr.
The Locked On Podcast Network presents
the 2024 NFL Mock Draft Special.
Sponsored by LinkedIn.
Welcome to the 2024 Locked On NFL Mock Draft Special.
This is episode three of a six-episode series that will take you through the entire first round
of the NFL Draft with unparalleled insight
from the local experts of all 32 teams
here at the Locked On Podcast Network,
your team every day.
And don't worry if your favorite team doesn't select in the first round.
We've got you covered, too.
Every team's top selection, whenever that may be.
An inside look from all 32 of your local NFL shows
and several of our college shows as well.
We'll also get team-building insight from the draft dudes
and fantasy insight from our Locked On fantasy experts
for some of
the biggest selections in this year's draft. And of course, we are your hosts. I'm Brian Peacock,
NFL analyst and co-host of the Peacock and Williamson NFL Show and Locked On 49ers. Here
with me are my co-host, former NFL scout Matt Williamson. And this year, things just keep
getting better. Joining Matt and I are NFL Draft Exper, Keith Sanchez and Damian Parson from the outstanding Locked On NFL Draft Podcast.
This Locked On NFL Mock Draft special is sponsored by LinkedIn.
LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the right people for your team faster and for free.
Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com slash Locked On NFL.
Terms and conditions apply.
And we are on the clock now.
Alex Clancy of LockedOn Cardinals getting ready to go with the 11th selection in this mock draft for the Arizona Cardinals.
And you might be wondering why they're picking 11.
Well, swung a trade.
The Minnesota Vikings moved up in a previous episode of this mock draft
to go from 11 to pick number four to get their quarterback of the
future and just to remind you of those picks before we get going with the first of three
cardinal selections now in the first round of this mock draft no surprise at all at number one the
chicago bears selecting caleb williams cornerback out of usc washington commanders jayden daniels
going qb lsu new england patriots drake Drake May, back-to-back-to-back-to-back quarterbacks
with those Minnesota Vikings moving up to four and selecting J.J. McCarthy there.
Los Angeles Chargers going with Marvin Harrison Jr.
with the fifth selection in this mock draft.
New York Giants selecting Roma Dunze at number six.
The Tennessee Titans coming back with Joe Ault,
the first offensive lineman off the board at pick number seven.
Malik Neighbors, the third wide receiver in this draft,
going to the Atlanta Falcons at pick number eight.
And the first defensive player off the board to the Chicago Bears,
Dallas Turner, edge rusher out of Alabama at nine.
Then Olu Fushanu off the tackle from Penn State to the New York Jets,
which brings us to pick number 11.
And gentlemen, before we get to the Arizona Cardinals
at pick number 11,
going through those first 10 selections in this draft,
do you think it's possible that the Chicago Bears,
who are kind of running this thing with the first pick
and having two picks in the top 10,
is it possible they turn their entire franchise around
with this class,
getting potentially what the Houston Texans got last year
with a superstar quarterback and then following it up with a dynamic edge rusher,
the two most important positions on the football field.
I saw a little reaction from you, Damian, there.
Is that too lofty of a goal for the Chicago Bears in this draft?
Combining what they did in free agency, I don't think so, right?
Being able to get
keenan allen uh from the from the los angeles charge of bringing in deandre swift now having
caleb williams walk in bringing you know you already have montez sweat from the mid-season
trade last year i think this team is vastly improved uh through free agency and from what
they've done through the first two picks that they have in the 2024 NFL draft that we can see them battling with the
Packers and the Lions for not just the top of the NFC North,
but a playoff.
I don't think it's crazy.
I mean,
Houston had a new head coach too.
I mean,
it was a total makeover from the doldrums where they were at in the Watson
era and all that.
But this bears team too,
I mean, kind of the underreported story was their defense was exceptional in the second half of the
season, especially after the trade for Sweat. And now they've added to it. There's a lot around a
young quarterback. So yes, I mean, it's going to be a franchise altering draft one way or another
without question. Yeah. And I think when you can talk about the
player and the skill set right but it's also a mentality right like it's a culture change and i
think that's what we've seen happen in houston and i think that's going to be the questions right
caleb williams stepping into chicago and then can dallas turn them have that never see die
uh type of mentality that we've known will anderson to have so i think it's going to be more
so which can those guys step in the building as rookies and say, you know what we have, you know,
we're going to become the voice of the locker room.
We want to become, you know, the Kings of the North and win the NFC North.
So much draft capital now for the Arizona Cardinals.
You mentioned the culture change in Houston and in Chicago.
And we've seen that over the last 12 months or so with the new regime with the Arizona Cardinals.
Now they've got three picks to work with in this class.
What do you guys like for the Cardinals as the board fell here at pick number 11?
Matt, what is the plan for the Cardinals with these three picks?
You just going best player available?
They have a lot of needs.
That's the thing.
I mean, so no matter who they take here, though, yes, they have a ton of draft capital.
And they have a lot of draft capital outside of round one, even before this trade down.
So, they're going to make a lot of picks.
They have a lot of flexibility to trade back up if they so choose, etc., etc.
Now, no one knows when you trade down who you're going to get.
But I kind of look at this with a little bit of hindsight saying,
wouldn't I just rather have Marvin Harrison and just have a total superstar,
you know what I mean, as opposed to a bunch of pieces?
Agreed.
100% agreed, Matt.
That's where I was going to go with it as well.
Trading down from 4 to 11, when you already have, what,
five to six top 100 picks, you got two first-round picks, one in the top five,
the other one, you know, in the top 32 as well.
And, like, trading back and getting an extra pick,
we've seen this happen.
We've seen the Cleveland Browns have, what,
three first-round picks before and kind of blow through.
We've seen other teams do that.
More opportunities doesn't always mean more opportunities
just for success.
It means more opportunities for failure.
And when you trade out, not only did you miss on Marvin Harrison, guys,
you missed on Malik Nabors and Roma Dunze.
And one of your biggest weaknesses is receiver.
Kyler's looking at the Chargers like, well, you guys,
they clearly care more about Justin Herbert than you guys care about me
because they gave Herbert Marvin Harrison, Jr.,
and now we'll see what they gave Kyler Murray.
I agree 100%.
That's exactly where I was going with that, Damien,
is that just three opportunities to get it wrong, right?
And sometimes we know that sometimes there's elite-level players,
and if you have opportunity to get it, let's forget all the wheeling and dealing,
stay put at pick four, right, and get who you want to get.
And my point also is that this is
kind of a weird spot right unless you're going offensive line is like are you completely sold on
taking a cornerback are you willing to bump one of these wide receivers up do you feel comfortable
with taking an interior defensive lineman and my answer is kind of no no and no so i'm sitting here
and i'm like hey while i have more draft capital i would have liked to just have more of harrison
well for the cardinals the key is that 2025 first-round pick
because the Minnesota Vikings are a team that's going to start
either Sam Darnold for some or all of the season
or a rookie quarterback.
That might be a pretty high pick.
So maybe you get your Marvin Harrison Jr. Jr. in the 2025 class.
I don't know.
That's a big key to me.
You guys are the draft experts.
Who are you looking at next season?
That's your year three, though, already, of the rebuild.
Pretty soon, you've got to start winning games.
That's how I win.
You know what I mean?
You're going to be packing your boxes.
Let's find out
what Alex Clancy is going to do here with the
first of his three first-round selections
in this draft, and then we'll wait a year to find out
what he does next year in the 2025
mock draft special with potentially a high pick from the Minnesota Vikings Alex Fancy ready
to go with the 11th selection in the 2024 Lockdown NFL mock draft special after trading back with the
Minnesota Vikings to acquire the number 11 and number 23 picks in the 2024 draft and a first round pick in 2025. With the 11th pick, the Arizona Cardinals
select Quinion Mitchell, cornerback, Toledo. Long have been the days that the Arizona Cardinals
have been without a bona fide cornerback one. 2015 Patrick Peterson was almost a decade ago. And while the former regime pretty
much punted on building talent in the cornerback room, Monty Osborne and Jonathan Gannon know
where they need their talent dispersed. And the Cardinals may have taken the best corner in the
draft dropping to 11 because the quarterback heavy front of this draft the Cardinals
have found an absolute gem who is poised to lead the cornerback room into actual relevancy
infusing talent youth and probably the best corner in the 2024 NFL draft
Quinion Mitchell cornerback out of Toledo he He is ace. The pre-draft process,
senior bowl workouts at the combine.
Fantastic prospect as a listener of locked on NFL draft.
I know you guys kind of disagree,
maybe who the top corners are and maybe the evaluation to some of these
guys.
And I think every team's draft board is going to be different with some
of these cover guys.
Damien is Quinion Mitchell,
the next Patrick Peterson.
That's a, those are big shoes to fill bp uh i don't want to go and say that but i will say this he is my highest great
tie for my highest graded corner right now along with clemson's nate wiggins at the moment but for
me it's like looking at him and putting him in this jaunt again in defense he can play press
man he can play off man he can. Outstanding eyes and vision and discipline, ball skills, trigger, athleticism, size. He has everything you want to be a number one corner in the NFL. And I think the developmental upside is also there in his favor as well as you start putting him in more of those tight man-to-man at the line of scrimmage situations and with everything he has in his at his disposal with his skill set with his intelligence um i really like the pick like i said if you can't get one
of these receivers you do need to get a difference maker in the secondary and that was something that
they've been missing since patrick peterson your best db has been buda baker which is a great thing
but you still got a cover on the outside and i think that quinn y Mitchell gives him that. Not your CB1, Keith?
No.
And so I have a group of guys who CB1, right?
And that may be part of my issue with this pick.
And it was something that Alex said at the very end, right? He said that this is probably the best cornerback in the draft, right?
That stuck with me too.
Patrick Peterson wasn't probably the best corner in the draft.
Right.
Right.
And if I'm moving off of Marvin Harrison Jr., who i know for sure can step in right and be one of the best wide receivers in
the nfl if i'm going to take a cornerback and he's the first corner off the board i don't want to
feel probably i want to know for sure that this guy's the best cornerback in the draft so not an
issue necessarily with the player like quinn young mitchell for every reason that dp just outlined
but maybe potentially i would want to potentially trade back even more
if I can get more draft capital.
And then there's a group of guys that I feel like can probably, you know,
I guess come up with the same results that a Queen Yann Mitchell could come up with.
And BPA, one last thing to throw in here too is we talk about this on our show.
I've brought it up many times that if you're the team or the second team
or even the third team in this particular
draft, taking defenders
off the board, I don't think you're super
comfortable with it. Because these aren't Patrick
Peterson. This isn't Nick Bosa.
They're good players,
but I don't
love the first defender off the board
teams in this draft.
The debate in the locked-on
NFL war room is who is cornerback one? Just as we're debating here in this draft. The debate in the locked on NFL war room is who is cornerback one.
Just as we're debating here in this class,
Louie DiBiase from locked on Eagles starts making the case.
I think he's right there with Terry and Arnold,
where you can say he's CB one in this class. Yeah.
I mean, that's a little higher than I thought he was going to go,
but after he showed his ability to play like press man coverage at the
senior bowl, cause he was mostly his own quarterback or corner in college yeah I'm totally cool with this pick
I remember watching Ohio State last year to watch CJ Stroud and I watched their game against Toledo
and I was like who is this random corner who's sticking with Marvin Harrison like Harrison Jr.
was still beating him like don't get me wrong but I was like who is this random corner who is
sticking with him and like contesting
everything and then a year later everyone's talking about Quinion Mitchell it's like oh
that was the guy you know a top 10 top 15 type guy makes a lot of sense but yeah Quinion Mitchell he
gets he gets after it was was killing it the senior bowl uh tested out of his out of this
world I mean he's just been killing this pre-draft process really really good player not some random
corner out of Toledo put some respect on his name first round cornerback the first off the board Quinion Mitchell cornerback
going now to the Arizona Cardinals at 11 that brings us to the Denver Broncos at pick 12 guys
and is this where we see the fifth quarterback off the board is it too early for Bo Nix is it
too early for Michael Penix uh guys Keith where, where are you guys at on the next group of quarterbacks in this class?
And if not a quarterback, what direction do the Broncos go here?
Yeah, if you look at value, we're talking about big boards, right?
Then the next set of quarterbacks probably wouldn't come off for me until the 20s, right?
Somewhere in that range.
But if you look at the Denver Broncos as currently constructed they have to go quarterback in this situation right they were not extremely active
in free agency you got rid of Russell Wilson Sean Payton is there the wide receiver core is
completely obliterated from when Sean Payton stepped in and it's this offense just simply
needs a direction so I think they have to go quarterback now whether they go Michael Penix
Jr. or they go Bo Nix it has to be somebody that Sean Payton is completely confident in and one thing we know
with those NFL coaches right is that if they deem themselves as guys that can develop you know the
Drew Brees and I had you know a couple decent years with James Winston I feel like he looks
at either one of these quarterbacks and say hey I can get this out of that quarterback and develop him into a really good football player.
Bo Nix, Matt, is it too early?
Are you forcing it if you're putting a quarterback here
just because you have the big move?
You can move down here.
You can move up later.
You don't have to force the quarterback
if you don't believe him.
I do like the fit, though, potentially with Bo Nix,
maybe even more than Pennix, just for Sean Payton's sake.
For Payton, I do too.
But I'll be honest.
I mean, I lump these next two teams together all the time.
Denver and Vegas.
They're both in Mahomes' division.
They're both in quarterback no-man's land.
I think they both could be in contention for the first overall pick next year.
I mean, like, I would not want to be the GM of either one of these teams right now.
They have needs galore.
And I think they might do something what I think is foolish or stupid
and overdraft a quarterback in some way, shape, or form.
That's not for me throwing them into this situation.
Before we crush the Broncos too hard,
let's find out what the actual pick is here from Locked On Broncos. Sarah Bettinger ready to go with the pick at number 12 in the 2024 Locked On NFL Mock Draft special.
With the 12th pick in the Locked On NFL Mock Draft, the Denver Broncos select Brock Bowers, tight end from Georgia.
Now, why would the Broncos pick a tight end in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft
without a franchise quarterback in place? Well, obviously in this mock draft, the quarterbacks
flew off the board early. And while there is a chance that Sean Payton and George Payton,
the brain trust in Denver could end up falling in love with somebody like Bo Nix of Oregon.
You got to take the best player available here and potentially try and get
yourself that quarterback a little bit later on. Now the Broncos are in a tricky position. They
don't have a second round pick. So in an ideal world, maybe they could take a Brock Bowers here
and trade up for Bo Nix at the end of the first round of this draft. And that's not entirely
impossible, but what are you getting here? You obviously need weapons for your quarterback no matter when and where you get him, right?
So you need to have a tight end.
As George Payton said at the NFL Combine, the Broncos need a tight end that can work over the middle of the field.
And Brock Bowers can do a lot more than that.
This is a guy that could take on a high volume of targets.
He can win after the catch.
He can win at the catch point.
He can win in the red zone.
He's very crafty in the open field. The Broncos just need playmakers offensively. And if the Broncos are really as confident in Jarrett Stidham as they're making it seem, this guy will help the offense get to another level this coming season. So let's pass on the quarterback here. It's tough. It's a tough pill to swallow, but Brock Bowers out of Georgia,
he's the right type of player.
If you're going to do that in this scenario.
See,
we got some smart folks here on the locked on podcast network.
They're not going to force the quarterback going BPA.
Fantastic fit,
right?
Matt for Sean Payton's offense with the tight end out of Georgia,
Brock Bowers.
Yeah.
I like this approach a lot and I haven't seen Bowers linked to Denver,
but I like it quite a bit. I wouldn't have crushed them if they went corner if they went any o-line i mean
those are premium positions for a team that needs everything and like the raiders i'd much rather
these guys be the will levis situation like end the beginning of where on round two maybe trade
up and get pinnix or nix if they're still there. Be patient.
Those guys aren't franchise changers enough for me to do that.
But kind of as you mentioned, I mean, Hayton will scheme the heck out of Bowers.
That works for me.
He's not the most impressive height, weight, speed individual out there, Keith.
Can you paint the picture of what kind of prospect Brock Bowers is and why everyone loves him so much?
Yeah, I absolutely love Brock Bowers as a prospect. All of the George Kittle comps I'm right there for it
I think this guy uh with the right volume be a top five tight end in the NFL you're talking about
run after the catch ability um the ability to adjust to football if you want to know who Brock
Bowers is just cut on the Auburn film the guy uh pancaked one of the defenders he had two one-handed
catches run
after catchability i just think i think he's a special prospect honestly i like him a whole lot
now this is the thing right and this is where the denver broncos place themselves is that
we're still wondering what are they going to do at the quarterback position and it's unfortunate
and may you talked about the second round right they don't have a second round pick so the question
is will spencer radler or one
of these guys be there in the third round for you to snatch up so it's it's not so much about the
prospect i love the prospect but i'm still looking at the denver broncos and matt i'm right there
with you that this could be a team picking in the top three next year because of how how many holes
they have in the quarterback position not being solved it may have been a team that needed to
trade back so he could get a second round pick you know i mean right sold it may have been a team that needed to trade back
so he could get a second round pick you know i mean right just it's a such a tough situation
it keeps we always talk about it on the draft is like preparing your team to draft a quarterback
so i'm glad they didn't take one because i don't think they're ready for one right now and i don't
want to put a rookie quarterback who nine times out of ten if you really make it an open competition
beats out a jared stidham in camp to where you're like, what's the phrase?
If it's close, you go with the rookie?
That's typically what happens.
If you're in camp and you're looking at Jared Stidham versus a rookie QB
and the rookie QB is right out nipping at his heels,
you're going to go with the rookie QB nine times out of ten.
But this team is nowhere near prepared to battle with Mahomes
or anyone in the AFC at the top to really make a berth for the playoffs right now.
So getting Brock Bowers, a guy like Matt said, that Sean Payton can scheme up.
I view him more of – I don't view him as a traditional tight end.
At 6'3", 230, I view him more as a power slot.
You detach him from the line, and you just give him those volumes.
If you're going to run block him, pull him off the line of scrimmage, let him be that slice
blocker on all the split flow action,
stuff like that. I don't want him a lot of man-to-man
blocking, but his pass-catching
prowess is going to make whoever's
their quarterback easy, the way that Sean
Payton can scheme things up.
The nest being built for the future quarterback, whenever
that may come for those Denver Broncos.
Some past Sean Payton
trauma coming back to bite
and maybe some ghosts, some past ghosts for Locked On Saints host Ross Jackson
with this pick.
Let's check in on the Locked On NFL world.
That is such a Sean Payton pick.
Such a Sean Payton pick.
This is first round Adam Troutman without having to trade away your entire day three to the Minnesota Vikings.
I forgot all about that.
That trade is why the Vikings have like an insane free agency this year because they lost like 30 players because all those rookie deals finally expired.
Yeah.
So I like it because, you know,
I know he hasn't done a lot right since he's been in Denver,
but I like it because we always talk about players.
I always say more organizations ruin players
than players ruin organizations.
So this dude has a history of knowing how to use
outlier type players, right?
With the tight end and Jimmy Graham,
who's a basketball player.
And then the kid down there, that's a running back,
fullback, tight end, linebacker, whatever he
is, you know, Ross's favorite player down there.
So he knows how to get the
ball into guys' hands
in certain positions. And Brock Bowers,
whatever you want to say about him,
he is a football player.
For this fantasy football impact
of Brock Bowers to Sean Payton and
the Denver Broncos, let's check in with Marcus Mosher of Locked On Dynasty Football.
It wouldn't be that surprising to see Brock Bowers go to the Denver Broncos with the number 12 pick.
They need more playmakers.
Sean Payton has a history of producing big-time fantasy production from the tight end position.
And Brock Bowers is one of the best overall prospects in this class.
He's widely expected to be a top 15 selection.
But going to the Denver Broncos,
who do not have a stable quarterback situation right now,
with Jared Stidham as the starter, as of now,
would be a big hit for his fantasy production.
We believe that Brock Bowers is one of the most pro-ready tight ends
he entered the NFL in the last several years.
But even though he's going with a coach that is known for producing fantasy talent
at the tight end position, not going with an established quarterback
does ding him quite a bit.
Lower him in your fantasy rankings, especially in redraft leagues.
Expect him to be a low-end tight end, too, as a rookie.
And then hopefully in your dynasty leagues,
the Broncos can figure out the quarterback situation
and get him somebody that can accurately get him the football down the field.
So overall, this is a bad destination for Brock Bowers' fantasy value,
but it is a good pick for the Broncos here at number 12.
All right.
Marcus knows his stuff.
The Locked On Dynasty podcast is a premier, premier podcast on the Locked On Network,
especially on Wednesdays.
You should chime in there as well.
But I disagree.
I mean, I don't see, I think Bowers might lead the Broncos in receptions next year.
I mean, they're going to be losing all the time.
I have no hope for this team next year.
I don't think there's much competition in terms of pass catchers.
And Peyton's going to scheme them up to no end.
I mean, this is his guy.
I trust Sean Peyton and I trust Bowers.
I don't care about the quarterback.
Should be some targets there for Brock Bowers, even as a rookie.
Even though it does take some time, tied in some time in the NFL to develop.
The Broncos surprised some by not taking a quarterback.
Will the Las Vegas Raiders follow suit or will we see a fifth passer off the
board at all?
We've got your boy Q from locked on Raiders standing by to make his selection
next.
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Quarterback here, it's kind of the same conversation, right,
with where these organizations are.
Pick 12 with the Broncos, pick 13 with the Las Vegas Raiders.
I don't know if it's any more likely that a quarterback goes here at number 13.
Keith, what's the biggest needs for the Raiders here?
Where do you go?
What's best player available now as we get to the 13th pick in this mock draft?
Yeah, if I'm the Las Vegas Raiders,
I probably try to continue to establish a culture of toughness
under head coach Antonio Pierce.
And I think the safest pick or safest value at this part in the draft is they need a quarterback but i probably go
offensive line and i just choose to reboot my offensive line continue to get you know i guess
improve at that position so i'm going offensive line right here if i'm the las vegas raiders
still some phenomenal offensive linemen on the board too we've only seen two off the board it's fashion new and it's uh it's joe waltz so this could be where our run begins with that position
group do you have a favorite offensive lineman left damian in this class to pair with keith
talked about running be physical and add more physicality you gotta think about oregon state
right tackle felice fuwaga one of the more physical and violent guys in this draft on the offensive line
in terms of run blocking heavy-handed he's an outstanding competitor we saw him down at the
senior bowl willing to take on any challenge in one-on-ones I think about either him or J.C.
Latham you know talking about the guy with the most torque in the run game you know be able to
really body defenders and move guys and displace guys I think either one of two, if you're the Raiders and you want to improve this offensive
line, especially wanting to run the ball with Zemir White heading into the 2024 season,
no Josh Jacobs, I think either Fuaga or JC Latham will be an outstanding fit for them.
Your boy Q ready to go with the selection for the Las Vegas Raiders at pick 13 in the
Locked On Mock Draft Special. Q ready to go with the selection for the Las Vegas Raiders at pick 13 in the locked on mock draft special.
With the 13th pick in the locked on NFL mock draft, the Las Vegas Raiders select Terion Arnold, cornerback, Alabama.
Now, I went with Terion Arnold from Alabama at the number 13 overall pick after multiple efforts to get up to the number two spot for the Raiders to select their quarterback of the future in Jaden Daniels but it was a no-go when it comes to the Washington Commanders and the Raiders coming
to an agreement so I thought why not go ahead the way that the mock draft is shaken out and go get
an alpha dog at the secondary position the Raiders had a really good defense in 2023 head coach
Antonio Pierce has mentioned talked about multiple times how he needs that alpha dog across from Jack
Jones and Nate Hobbs,
a couple members of the Raiders secondary that they have right now.
You get Terry on Arnold, a guy with all the confidence in the world, a guy with a lot of ball production.
All of a sudden you have a very stingy secondary to go with that defensive line led by Christian Wilkins, Max Crosby,
and last year's number one overall pick, well, seventh overall pick in the first round, round Tyree Wilson so the Raiders get an alpha dog in their secondary with cornerback
Terry on Arnold out of Alabama and it is cornerback going defense is the Las Vegas
Raiders at pick 13 Terry and Arnold cornerback out of Alabama Damian you talked about your
corners and how you had them ranked where does Tyrion Arnold fit in here with this group?
Is he worthy of a top 13 pick in the NFL?
I think he's up there, right?
He's one of my – he's probably in that third, fourth spot,
battling it out over there with his teammate, Kool-Aid McKinstry.
I think what he brings is toughness, right?
A guy that's very willing to tackle in a run game.
You pop on.
I think it was the SEC Championship game against Georgia.
They try – it's like four for one.
They throw a toss, sweep out to his side.
He blows up the block, makes a big tackle on a bigger running back
that's trying to work downhill on him,
a guy that's really fluid in terms of his movement,
being able to swivel and flip his hips, turn,
and be able to run with receivers.
But he's got really good ball skills, really competitive.
And a guy who's played safety and corner.
You can throw him into the nickel.
You can do a lot of different things with him in terms of coverage.
I like the pick.
I think it would be a Antonio Pierce type of pick
if he's trying to add another corner to his room.
Matt, they've been trying to fix that secondary for a long time in Las Vegas,
and even though it's not a big player that they drafted,
still some toughness.
How do you like the fit for Arnold with the Raiders?
I don't have a lot of qualms with it.
I mean, the back seven, particularly corner, needed a dress,
and this is a team that has plenty of needs,
but they did fix their defensive line, spent money there.
I think the offense, as we talked about before they made the pick,
is really weak on the right side of the O-line.
I mean, I think D.J. Fluker is penciled in as a right guard.
I mean, I didn't even know he was still in the league.
And, you know, Fawaga or Latham would have been my pick.
But splitting hairs, Arnold's a good fit as well.
A lot of NFL fans didn't really know much about Terryon Arnold
until the combine, so for more on what he brings to his new team,
let's check in with Luke Robinson of Locked On Bama. Terryon Arnold until the combine. So for more on what he brings to his new team, let's check in with Luke Robinson of locked on.
Terryon Arnold.
Look,
there are a lot of guys to love on this Alabama team.
Jalen Milrow became certainly a fan favorite at times.
Obviously Kool-Aid McKinstry,
Dallas Turner,
all great players.
Don't get me wrong,
but Terryon Arnold may be my favorite player on this team,
not just for his athletic prowess.
And he is super athletic.
He also is still learning this position while making All-American honors.
That's a big deal.
And I think that's huge for an NFL team that may draft him thinking, OK, he's not a finished product.
He can get a lot better.
And we are the ones that can mold him the way we want to mold him.
I think that's important.
But he's fast enough, 4'5".
He's not a blazer, but 4'5 is still very fast.
But the thing you're going to love about Terryon Arnold is he's going to be a pillar of whatever
community he goes to.
People are going to latch to him and gravitate towards him, and he's going to be a team leader.
You cannot dislike Terryon Arnold as a person, and you really can't dislike him very much as a player.
High praise for Terryon Arnold from Luke Robinson there of Locked On Bama. We're halfway through
this episode of the Locked On NFL Mock Draft Specialist here from Kyle Krabs and Joe Marino,
the draft dudes, the Locked On NFL Scouting Podcast for their analysis through 13 picks.
Joe, we have a mini corner run starting here just outside the top 10
with Quinion Mitchell and Terion Arnold of two of the last three picks. How do you feel that value
lines up for those players relative to what we saw go off inside the top 10? I think the value
is fine. I thought Quinion Mitchell had a chance to be the first defensive player off the board.
I think the range for him is fine. And I also think that Terry and Arnold going number 13 to the Raiders makes a lot of sense
to me as well.
It's just a matter of did those teams maximize their opportunities with these draft selections
where I always find myself being nervous about the trenches.
And I feel like both of those teams had opportunities, whether it was Arizona and the defensive line
or Vegas and their defensive line or Vegas
and their offensive line, where that right side just makes me all kinds of concerned.
I wonder if maybe there was some different directions that I would have went with those
selections. Although I do think the valuation of both those corners is perfectly fine here,
just outside the top 10. I think that's what makes it tough, right? Is Arizona and Las Vegas are teams that have multitude needs.
And, you know, corner is considered a premium position, just like the offensive line. And
we kind of saw the first tier of offensive tackles come off the board. You certainly
don't see a lot of interior offensive linemen go off in this range of the draft. So
I think addressing needs is fine. And then you have the total inverse of that with Denver drafting perceived best player available,
just allowing the board to come to them and pick them a player in Brock Bowers' tight end.
Certainly they have a vacancy in that position, but the consensus best player available pick for them,
whoever's going to be playing quarterback amidst the changing of the
guard at wide receiver for them after the jerry judy trade and kind of shuffling the deck at wide
receiver they now get brock bowers in the mix there for them as a primary pass catcher yeah
the question now becomes if bo nicks doesn't go to denver at 12 does he have a spot in this first
round that's going to be a fascinating storyline to pay attention to but is Greg Dolcich still there I mean are we have we forgotten about him and how
good he was as a rookie I'm excited to see what he looks like coming back but it's hard to argue that
they just didn't pick the best player available and Brock Bowers is a really exciting prospect I
think he aligns with so much of where this tight end position in the NFL is gravitating towards
and just kind of has a Sean Payton feel to it, if we're being honest about that selection.
Yeah, so Brock Bowers, a couple of corners.
It would be fascinating to see where this draft takes its next turn
as we've kind of started to see the levees open for the defensive side of the football,
some non-premium positions, you're outside the top 12, the levees open for defensive side of the football,
some non-premium positions. You're outside the top 12,
and it kind of becomes a more no-holds-barred type of approach
at this stage of the draft.
That brings us to the New Orleans Saints,
who are picking 14 in this NFL draft,
and those sneaky Saints always moving around.
Do they ever select in their normal spot every year?
They tried to get up earlier.
Ross Jackson, locked on Saints.
I noticed some talks about him going up to try to get an offensive tackle.
Still some good offensive linemen on the board.
But the Philadelphia Eagles were trying to trade up with this spot with the Saints as well.
So let's go to the locked on war room here.
Locked on Eagles host Gino Camilleri.
He's talking, him and co-host
Louis DiBiase. They're trying to
trade up here to pick number 14.
I don't know if they're going to be successful.
Yeah.
The Eagles want 14.
Alright, what are you thinking?
Lou, drum it up.
So, I was going to offer pick 22,
the 120th pick in the
fourth round, and a third in 2025.
Let me consult my trade charts.
I'm feeling like that's going to come in a little low.
You said 22.
You could throw in a fifth as well, if you'd like.
You said 22, 120.
The fourth.
You could throw a fifth rounder in there and then a third in 2025.
Oh, man, I think you can come off of one of them.
I think you can come off of 22 and 53, can't you?
You know what your general manager gave up for Trevor Penny, right?
I know what my general, I know what, I know what Mickey Loomis gave up.
You're talking to Ross Jackson.
Oh, we do Jackson. We do business
different.
I don't think I want to move 53.
No.
I
think I'm
good.
Love that insight. Ross the boss.
He's not playing around.
You got to come off 53.
I like that.
Do you think you guys think the Saints should move down here?
Not exactly what they do.
Right.
I think there was value.
I think there's value if they move down.
But this was so much bigger than draft picks.
Right.
Ross had to stand on business for the entire Saints organization because we know what the Eagles did in the past couple of years, fleecing the New Orleans Saints out of draft picks and then turning those
into jailing Carter and those type of guys while we went and got Trevor
Penning.
So Ross had to stand on business for the New Orleans Saints organization.
I wonder what the Eagles are going up to try to get.
I really feel like it's Wiggins.
I mean, two corners just fell.
I think they want to go get that corner.
Okay.
The Saints guys, it looks like they are going to stay here
and not trade out of pick number 14.
Two offensive tackles are on the board.
Obvious need.
I think there's some value here, right?
We've already brought up multiple names of offensive tackles
that could potentially be a fit for the Saints.
They could use a guy on the left side or the right side now.
And that's the conundrum they're in, right?
You need a tackle for both sides right now because Trevor Penning hasn't worked out.
Ryan Ramchick has the injury that we don't know when he's going to be fully cleared
to return to football activities and be game ready to play.
So you kind of look at the situation like, well, if we're going to be here,
I'm going to draft a tackle at either spot.
It doesn't really matter whether it's J.C. Lath talese fuaga you have still have you know troy faltanu um there's kasey sue matia from byu
tyler guyton amarius mims it's a litany of tackles that are still available that can play both sides
so i think that that offensive line has to be the pick for you yeah i think that's what made that
pick 54 so important right and i think if the
eagles were willing to give that up for this year i would have been with the trade right because then
you can address offensive tackle in the first round and then you can go back to the well again
in the second round like you said potentially pick up one of these offensive tackles that fall
and have a left tackle and a right tackle moving forward and by the way guys the saints have not
traded back since 2007.
So, yeah, it's been a while.
We're going to get close to 20 years since they've gone backwards. They go up.
And Ross Jackson standing on business at pick number 14.
That pick is in.
Let's go to the Locked On Saints War Room and host Ross Jackson.
With the 14th selection in the 2024 Locked On NFL Mock Draft, the New Orleans Saints select Troy Fitanu,
offensive lineman out of Washington.
This guy was a target for me coming into the draft.
He's got tackle guard versatility,
but with those 34 and a half inch arms,
should quiet a lot of the concerns
about him being able to play tackle at the next level.
Six foot three though,
maybe doesn't necessarily fit there for you,
but the thing that I really like about Fatano
is that you have the choices, right?
The New Orleans Saints, they went in,
they drafted Trevor Penning a couple years ago.
The experiment has not worked out thus far,
and so finding somebody
that's got that guard tackle versatility
when you have another guy that is starter quality
and James Hurst already on the roster
with that tackle guard versatility as well
just gives you a lot of options. And the other thing that I love about Fotano is that he is
the epitome of what the New Orleans Saints offensive line wants to be going into 2024
with their new wide zone offensive system. He's athletic. He's explosive. He's got the long arms.
He checks a lot of the boxes. And in my opinion, he was a top 15 player coming in to
this draft because there was no way he was getting past pick 14. Troy Faltano, offensive tackle from
Washington. And we talked about needing a left tackle, needing a right tackle. Faltano is the
most versatile offensive lineman in this draft. He's got five position versatility potentially,
but I like him at left tackle tackle i think he should stay right where
he was in college ross laid it out perfectly he's got that arm length and so i don't think length
is a problem even though he's sub six foot four he's got great feet he moves like a running back
through the hole when he's trying to you know get on the move and block on the move so i love that
he's got the long arms and athleticism to hold up on the edge.
And at the very least, you let him fail there first before we move him inside.
Keith, am I crazy for thinking that Faltano is a left tackle to start his career in the NFL?
Nah, man.
They say great minds think alike, right?
And I feel exactly that way.
And listen, the threshold or the floor is, is he better than Trevor Penning, right?
Because you need to improve the left side of the offensive line and I think that he immediately comes in
and he's better than Trevor Penning and then when you have multiple needs along the offensive line
I think drafting those versatile guys allows you to put them wherever and then you work work on
filling the other holes so now you get your best five out there and try to significantly improve this offensive line. So I like
the Troy Fontano pick.
Damien, what's the scouting report here
on Fontano? How did you like him coming into this
class versus the other tackles potentially
available? For a while, he was
kind of one of my sleepers. I felt like no one was
giving enough love to because people was like,
oh, he's shorter. There's question marks
about his arm. And I remember tweeting it out
a couple months ago. I was like, I just need to know his arm length.
And Jim replied, 34 and a half.
I said, I'm sold because the footwork is there.
He can mirror him and match rushers.
He can get to his set points.
He's got really strong hands.
He has, I don't even know if I'll say arguably, he has the best snatch trap maneuver in this class
when you're talking about offensive linemen.
I think the main thing for him with his heavy handed, you know,
continue to work on his latch and making sure he engages that and starts that early.
But I think this is a guy, especially with Derek Carr in the backfield,
you want him to feel comfortable when you have speed like Chris Olave
and the different playmakers on this on the Saints offense,
be able to push the ball down the field.
I think Troy Faltano brings that in.
You have Kendrick Miller.
I think they had Jamal Williams last year and Alvin Kamara.
You want to run the ball, he's going to help you do that as well.
Body bias is not shaking our locked-on NFL war room hosts,
especially locked-on Cowboys host Landon McCool.
Love this guy.
I think he's being talked about as a guard because he is perfect guard-sized,
but I think that he could easily play tackle in a lot of different schemes,
and I honestly think he could play all five spots.
My only complaint is that I think he's more physical than he is strong at times,
but I love his game so much, and I think especially in a zone-based scheme,
he could play all five spots probably.
The Indianapolis Colts are expecting a big year in 2024 with the return of Anthony Richardson.
How will they help him out? The Indianapolis Colts are on the clock in the locked on NFL
mock draft special. I've been told I'm a competitive person and yeah I do have a
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Download Monopoly Go now free on the App Store or Google Play. Here we go. Pick 15 in our mock draft
guys and it's the Indianapolis Colts. You're looking on the offensive side. You're looking
on the defensive side. Matt, put your GM hat on uh what direction are you headed we know chris
ballard loves himself some high-end athletes any high-end athletes out there you're eyeing for the
colt to pick 15 yeah i think corner would have been in the mix um this team doesn't have a lot
of glaring needs but they also don't have a lot of superstars either you know i mean they have a lot of glaring needs, but they also don't have a lot of superstars either. You know what I mean? They have a lot of second-round pick type guys.
You sort of mentioned it.
What I do know for certain is he's going to be big enough to ride the ride.
He's going to look the part, whoever this pick is.
And there's a couple options.
You know, some D linemen maybe could still go with one of the corners.
Is it too early for a receiver?
I don't have a great feel for where to go here.
I think Mitchell or Arnold would have been the obvious choice.
Yeah, I think Mitchell, Arnold, Brock Bowers, if he fell to this spot,
would have been a big pick for them because that's a spot that they need to improve
on the offense, but defensively, I think secondary is a big concern for them because that's the spot that they need to improve on the offense but defensively i think secondary is a big uh concern for him you're hoping that you see consistency with health and
play from juju brent so they drafted in round two of last year's draft in 2023 they drafted darius
um i forget the kid's last name but he wasn't seeing you bowl last i think shaw somewhere
from south carolina the cornerback but he didn't stay on the roster. So they still need cornerback help. Maybe Cooper Dijon
here, in terms of fitting into that defensive system very well.
It almost fits like a glove, whereas if he came off the board here, I don't think
many people would question it. Yeah, height, weight, speed, Cooper Dijon,
scheme fit, could see that one. Keith, is there a player that stands out to you that could
help Anthony Richardson the most? most that's interesting because you want to look at the height weight
and if there's a player to help him out maybe azalea get just because we've seen the indianapolis
coast they draft these big body guys right you talk about alec pierce you're talking about
pitman right um so potentially maybe another big y receiver that that would be my guess for the Indianapolis Colts.
If it wasn't a cornerback like the guy like Nate Wiggins, who, you know, ran a blazing 40 time at the corner position.
The pick is in. Zach Hitz standing by with the pick for locked on Colts at number 15.
With the 15th pick in the locked on NFL mock draft the Indianapolis Colts select Brian Thomas
Jr. wide receiver from LSU look the Colts need to get more explosive on offense and Brian Thomas
Jr. is exactly that over 17 yards per catch last year for the LSU Tigers over a thousand yards
and led all of college football with 17 receiving touchdowns Brian Thomas Jr. is an explosive
vertical threat that would pair well with quarterback
Anthony Richardson with the Indianapolis Colts.
I mean, look, Richardson's got this fantastic arm.
Let's let him use it here with a player like Brian Thomas Jr.
He would open up the field for receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs and be a good
complementary player to the overall Colts system that is based around that North Turner
vertical passing game.
Brian Thomas Jr. is still only, what, 21 years old?
This would be a fantastic addition to a young Colts team that is looking to get
younger, better, faster, and more explosive.
So Brian Thomas Jr., wide receiver from LSU, makes this Colts offense one of the
better ones on paper going into the next season.
So Zach Hicks of Locked On Colts going with Brian Thomas Jr.
You're on to something there, Keith, with a linear downfield speedy receiver going Brian Thomas Jr. out of LSU.
By the way, Zach, love the Descendants hoodie with that pick.
One of my favorite bands from back in the day.
Keith, what do you think?
You know that LSU program. You were at the pro day four three speed six foot three what's not to
like about brian thomas jr surprising pick i don't have brian thomas ranked this high but i love the
situation for the player and the team reason b i always say i don't know if i would want brian
thomas to come in as my y receiver one immediately maybe not in my wide receiver two but with the wide receivers that's on this roster
already with Pittman Alec Pierce and then Josh Downs he can come in as a wide receiver three and
then be very specific in his usage as far as being a vertical guy that can take the top off then you
look at from the team perspective right all of the wide receivers are at least six three minus
Josh Downs but then you're talking about a Mo Ali Cox who's 6'5 then you're talking about our guy that Jelani Woods 6'7 tight end so we talked about Anthony
Richardson with potential accuracy issues right and how do you kind of negate for that you get
these these wide receivers who are big body pass catchers have wide catch radius and then if he
misses misses high you have 6'3 wide receivers so I've never seen Brian Thomas Jr. lock to the
mock to the
to the coats but i actually like it i actually like it a whole lot and then listening to zach
as he explained it i think it makes sense i mean big arm get the ball down the field for anthony
richardson could be some fireworks damian listen i i think this is a a really good fit for this
team right alec pierce has been really inconsistent as that deep ball stretcher for this offense.
He's a build-up speed guy.
I look at BTJ, Ryan Thomas Jr., he's going to give you more immediate speed.
That 4-3-3 is legitimate on tape.
But like he said, he also can play above the rim.
And I think also factoring in, this run game is going to be really good
with Anthony Richardson back in that backfield.
It was good in 2023 when you had Zach Moss and Jonathan Taylor.
But now a healthy Anthony Richardson, healthy Jonathan Taylor, that's a run game that you're going to have to rotate that safety down
and kind of flood the box, you know what I mean, and bring that eighth and ninth defender down low
to kind of stop that run game of first and second downs.
That's going to give them the explosive advantages in one-on-one situations.
And like he said, Josh Downs gets more open terrain to run to.
Michael Pittman Jr., who's more of a possession receiver,
he gets more opportunities in the short to intermediate game.
All about building your receiver core like a basketball team.
I like the way they're headed.
Over in the Locked On NFL War Room, Locked On Jags host Tony Wiggins
is taking off his Jags hat and putting a different hat on his head.
I guess this is my recruiting hat because I remember him as a five-star recruit.
He ended up doing everything I thought he was going to do.
He's kind of like A.J. Green where he plays.
Everything he does seems like it happens at the hash and outside.
I don't see a whole bunch of eating up that route tree on crossing routes
and all of that stuff.
But you know what?
I learned this a long time ago.
NFL coaches don't worry about what you don't do.
They worry about what you can.
And they just do that.
If all you got is one step, do that one step all night long
and we'll be fine. I think this is a great
pick for the Colts. You get Brian Thomas
going vertical with Anthony Richardson. You have
Michael Pittman doing all the other stuff. Josh
Downs doing all the other stuff. Just
you don't need Brian Thomas to run more than
three routes. Seven, eight, nine.
That's it. Throw it deep.
That's all you gotta do.
Sounds like they're predicting Randy Moss for Indianapolis.
If you got that dance step, man, use it.
I like it.
We got Caroline Fenton of Locked On LSU.
She's been busy in this year's mock draft.
Let's see what she has to say about Brian Thomas Jr.
and what he brings to the pros after a big season with the LSU Tigers.
Brian Thomas Jr. led all of college football in receiving touchdowns this past year,
and he was a nightmare for opposing defensive backs to deal with at LSU.
And I don't expect the NFL to be any different.
I'm Caroline Fenton of Locked On LSU.
And Brian Thomas Jr. I think is an offensive coordinator's dream
in the vertical passing game, in the deep passing game.
Because Brian Thomas Jr. has a combination of size and length, 6'3", 210 pounds.
But even at that size, he's not awkward.
He's not lanky.
He's still smooth with it.
But he's also got incredible speed.
He can stretch the entire field.
He can outrun really any DB that you might want to put on him.
And he's a great threat in the vertical passing game.
He's got the speed and he's got the ball tracking ability as well.
All right, guys, let's finish up this episode with the Seattle Seahawks at pick number 16
and Corbin Smith of Lockdown Seahawks standing by with that selection.
I see a lot of Troy Faltano projected here.
He's already off the board.
Ross screwed that up.
If they're looking interior offensive line, potentially he's one of the biggest needs for the Seahawks,
but they could go a number of directions.
New head coach, so you don't really know what he's exactly trying to put into place.
Matt, what do you think the objective is here for the Seahawks in this draft?
Yeah, I'm sure they're upset about not keeping Fatano in the Pacific Northwest.
I mean, that was a perfect pick with Washington's offensive coordinator now on board.
Put him at guard.
He could Zach Martin it up at guard, and that'd be fine.
You know what I mean?
More than fine.
Now, would you take a Latham or a Fawaga and bump them inside or maybe move them to right tackle when needed or keep JPJ in the
Pacific Northwest as well? Maybe that's, it might be a little early, who knows. But I also think
this is a defensive minded head coach that comes over from the Ravens. Maybe they see some Matabuke
in Byron Murphy, perhaps. Ooh, I like that one.
But there's another guy out of the Pacific Northwest in Michael Penix.
What do you think?
Maybe a sneaky quarterback spot here?
Damian, Keith?
It could be, right?
Like, you know, Gino, whatever quarterback you're bringing in,
they're definitely going to be sitting on the bench behind Gino Smith for this year.
And that wouldn't be a bad situation, right, where you could kind of bring them in.
They learn how to be a pro, hold that clipboard while Gino plays out the rest of what is guaranteed
money from that two-year, let's say it was a two-year deal that they gave him.
I definitely think interior offensive line, right?
Because coming from Baltimore, Mike McDonald understands the value of running the football.
And when you have Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet in that backfield,
you're going to want to make sure the interior offensive line not only can open running lanes for them,
but also protect your quarterback.
On to the pick.
The pick is in.
Corbin Smith ready to go for locked on Seahawks in the 16th selection in the 2024 Locked On NFL Mock Draft Special. With the 16th pick of the 2024 Locked On NFL Mock Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Jackson
Powers Johnson, center from the University of Oregon.
Jackson Powers Johnson only was a one-year starter for the Ducks, but he was utterly
dominant both as a pass protector and a run blocker last season in Pac-12 play.
Didn't give up a single quarterback pressure, according to Pro Football Focus.
He's got great athleticism.
It also packs a mean punch off the line of scrimmage, making him an ideal fit for an NFL offense that's going to be running both zone and gap concepts. He has started games at guard as well as center,
making him a flexible piece that could be a day one starter at either position,
considering that the Seahawks lost both of their starting guards during free agency,
including Damian Lewis going to the Panthers.
They've got gaping holes on both sides of their center,
who is likely to be a first-time starter as well in Olu, Olu, and Timmy.
They need a veteran presence most likely but they also need an infusion of talent and Powers Johnson has the
charisma attitude and talent that this team desperately needs in the middle should be a
day one starter immediately making this a home run pick for the Seahawks physicality on the inside
we're just 30 330-pound center.
We don't see a lot of those anymore.
The college game's given us smaller and smaller guys,
and JPJ, Jackson Powers Johnson, fits the bill of physicality inside
for the Seattle Seahawks, man.
Yeah, I got no qualms with it.
I mean, you could say it's a little early for a center,
but he's a pretty unique player.
He is the power power he has the aggression
he has a tone sending mentality for this offense they are going to run the ball a lot take deep
shots the metcalf lock it etc skill position players are pretty good shape to begin with
so no i i really can't pick a lot of nits with this one yeah i i agree with you matt i think
this is a very talented football
player right and if you're talking about position list football and just grading a football player
he's one of the higher ranked football players so to grab him at this situation be really good i
think it's a culture type um you know fit right he's going to come in there he's going to get
back to that seattle seahawks where they were gritty uh you talked about mike mcdonald dp with
you know wanting to run the football.
So I think it's a home run pick in one of those selections that pay huge dividends,
maybe not on draft night because it's super sexy,
but when you talk about you getting into the months of November and December
and the Seattle Seahawks are sitting atop the NFC West,
we're going to say it's because of picks like this.
Gino Camilleri might be the co-host of the Locked On Eagles,
but you can see that Orenkin, Doug's hat he's wearing.
Doug's fan there.
Locked On NFL Draft War Room.
Let's go check out the conversation there.
He's excited about this pick for the Seahawks.
Stinks that he's going up to the state up north,
but man, you talk about somebody that's going to be a 10-year pro
at multiple positions
between center and right guard.
People talk about him as a center.
They forget on that line the year before,
he was a right guard next to Alex Forsyth, who was just as good at center.
He's smart.
He's physical.
And you're talking about the best player at the Senior Bowl was a junior.
JPJ is a true pro.
Great pick by Seattle.
To wrap up this episode of the Locked On NFL Mock Draft Special,
let's see what the draft dudes, Joe Marino and Kyle Krabs
of Locked On NFL Scouting, have to say about these last three selections.
A trio of picks that I absolutely love with these latest three selections.
Troy Fittano, the offensive lineman from Washington, going to the Saints.
Brian Thomas Jr., receiver out of LSU, going to the Colts.
And the Seattle Seahawks getting offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson.
Kyle, I feel like this batch of picks is a tremendous example of teams
filling arguably their biggest need with great value in all three selections.
The Saints, with what's going on with their tackle
situation whether it's the recent news with Ryan Ramchick and his availability for 2024 in question
and the lack of development from Trevor Penning at left tackle this gives them a legitimate answer
I mean one of my favorite offensive linemen in this entire class that feels like a home run and
I know you've been nervous about the Colts and their pass catchers Brian Thomas is a nice addition and then of course the Seattle Seahawks have really just their entire
interior offensive line from last year no longer in the mix they had some succession plans in place
but Jackson Powers Johnson has the makings of an absolute pillar for that unit for years to come
here's the take for you uh getting Troy Fitton who as offensive tackle three when he's a top three tackle and he's not
three in this year's class is outstanding value for the New Orleans Saints. He's an outstanding
football player, man. He is really, really special talent from a functional athleticism standpoint,
from a play strength standpoint, from a pass protection, likes to get hands on you early.
I think he has a chance to be one of the best football players in this year's class, period.
For the Colts, they've had a ton of stability with their front office.
You got Chris Ballard, who went out and drafted Michael Pierce as a height, weight, speed type guy
to kind of be that down-the-field explosive play type weapon.
Lack of route tree has really bothered him since he's come into the league.
Can't really separate with any level of consistency.
I think Brian Thomas Jr. is a more dynamic player.
I certainly think that helps them as they look for putting a bunch of explosive weapons
around a young quarterback in Anthony Richardson.
You like what that can do, particularly when now you're in conflict of,
well, we got to play with our eyes in the backfield
because we got to make sure that we are not letting Richardson get loose
and carry the football.
We need all eyes on the quarterback,
and then you're really going to have the ability to space
and manipulate zone coverages with some of this high-weight speed
that these guys have.
And then Powers Johnson, stylistic fit through the roof for a team manipulate zone coverages with some of this high weight speed that these guys have and empowers Johnson
stylistic fit
through the roof for a team that has
always wanted to run the football
you get a guy who
has rare athleticism at 330
pounds to be an anchor in the keystone
of your offensive line I agree with you
this is three very logical selections
in succession that all feel like
value and fit that intersect.
That is episode three of the 2024 Locked On NFL Mock Draft special sponsored by
LinkedIn Upcoming. The second half of round one, tune in to find out who your team will pick.
And don't forget, you can find the entire special on both audio and video at the Peacock and
Williamson NFL Show, Locked On NFL Draft and Locked On NFL podcast feeds.
For Matt Williamson, Damian Parson, and Keith Sanchez, I'm Brian Peacock.
We'll see you for the rest of the first round in the next few episodes
of the Locked On NFL Draft special, part of the Locked On Podcast Network,
your team every day