Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - NFL Mock Draft: 49ers, Cowboys, Dolphins, Colts, Falcons and Cardinals are on the clock!

Episode Date: April 17, 2025

Who will the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, and Arizona Cardinals select in the 2025 NFL Draft? Will Campbell, Matthew Golden, Jahdae Barron, Jihaad Campbell, Mike Green, and Will Johnson come off the board. Locked On’s seven-episode Mock Draft is here. For every episode of the 2025 Locked On NFL Mock Draft, search Locked On NFL Draft wherever you get your podcasts. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Amazon Fire TV Stick 4kDid you know your Fire TV is also an Xbox? Turn any TV into your gaming and entertainment hub with Fire TV Stick 4K devices — no console required. Head to Amazon.com/firetvlockedon to get started. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and compatible controller required.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNFL at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year.FanDuelRight now, new customers can get TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as non-withdrawable free bets that expire 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)

It's that time of year. It's the Locked On NFL Mock Draft special. Our hosts decide for all 32 teams who their next cornerstone player will be. Who will reach? Who will fall? Find out now. Here we go. We're back with episode 3 of the 2025 Locked On NFL Mock Draft special. The most comprehensive mock draft you'll find is even bigger and better again this year. The seven episode series will take you through the entire first round of the NFL draft, unparalleled insight from all of our local experts

of all 32 teams right here at the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day throughout this binge worthy special, you'll get each selection and an inside look from all 32 of our local NFL shows. We'll also get team building insight from the draft dudes Kyle Krabs and Joe Marino of Locked on NFL Scouting and fantasy insight from our Locked on Fantasy experts for some of the biggest selections in this year's draft. And the final episode will be an NFL squad reaction to the mock draft providing insight and maybe some insults, guaranteed some insults

from a group of our locked on NFL local experts on this year's selections. And of course, we are your hosts. I'm Brian Peacock, NFL analyst, cohost of the Peacock and Williamson NFL show and Locked on 49ers podcast. Here with me are a fantastic panel, my cohost, former NFL scout, Matt Williamson from PNW.

And this year, it's getting better and it always gets better. Love talking with my guys, Damian Parson and Keith Sanchez of the outstanding Locked On NFL Draft podcast. So let's get into it. We are now at pick 11, the top 10 is in the books. You're gonna have to go listen to the first two episodes here of this mock draft special

to find out those selections. And look, it is the San Francisco 49ers guys, the team I cover that are on the clock now at pick number 11. And I just want to say my cohost Eric Crocker, who's on the clock for locked on 49ers. I don't want to take responsibility for whatever he does right here because he can do it and he can go road at times. But as you look at the draft and the way this thing has fallen, um, Keith, I know you've been a proponent of, of, of Will Campbell throughout a lot of this mock draft and you just think it's a trust the tape draft, right?

It's it's what it is. WTF, right? Watch the film. Watch the film. Is he your best player available for the 49ers here? Would you go with the defense of lineman which is a massive need for the 49ers? I would say this. I think they can go either way but I think to kind of sure up that offense with obviously Brock Purdy coming down the pipeline with having to pay him right and then all of the turnovers right away

from Debo Samuel trying to see what's going on with Brandon Ayuga. I think getting back to the run game and I and having identity on the offensive side of the football of being able to move people will Campbell should be that guy. Dame who is the best defensive lineman the Niners have essentially one starting defensive lineman right now in Nick Bosa. They could add an edge.

They could add a tackle. They could act add all different styles of defensive tackles to that defensive line. It's really what this regime and what this team was built around in San Francisco. And that has fallen off recently. And they've let the veterans that they've had at those positions go from last year's football team, only Abdul Carter. And is that it only Abdul Carter, the only defensive lineman, the one God, yeah, Mr. Graham as well, sorry, Mason Graham. Mason Graham. So Carter, two Giants at three.

Graham to the Jags at five, are the only two defensive linemen off the board. Is there a defensive lineman you'd like for the Niners potentially here at 11? Walter Nolan, you know, his ability to play at three tech. Ole Miss played him out of position, played him at zero, one, and two I, but he said, senior boy, I'm a three tech,

four I type of guy. And when you watch him, you see that now he was able to handle double teams, play the run in a position that he wasn't really familiar with. That wasn't his natural position. And I think about just a third and 10, you know, games on the line and you got him at three tech lined up beside Nick Bosa and you got to slide protection that direction. Now, Robert Sala you can get really creative with some blitzes backside bringing up guys to get free runs on the quarterback because the offensive line will have no other choice but to slide protection to that direction that has Walter Nolan and Nick Bosa. If they wanted to go D-line to me the pick would be Walter Nolan.

Jalen Walker has been selected as well. Is he a linebacker? Is he an edge? I think that has been debated. He would probably play a little bit of both to a team like this. He is already off the board as well. There's so many different shapes and sizes. Matt, who do you like here for the Niners at 11? Well, I wanted to let these guys in our audience know that I do have a little insight of hosting a podcast with you every day that Michael Williams is somebody that you're quite fond of, but you opened the show basically saying that Croc wears the pants in the relationship. So I'm not sure you have any say in this. Well, look, I didn't want to have insider trading going on here.

I'm hosting this. Spread his wings and do his thing. And we'll see. We hope he gets it right. I do like Michael Williams though, just because with this class and how many stand up rushers there are, there's just so few guys who check all the boxes of floor ceiling character prototype height, weight, speed,

and he's kind of one of the few. So I wouldn't be shocked if he goes high in this draft. And I don't know where crock is going. So let's find out because the pick is in Eric Crocker ready to go host co-host of Locked On 49ers. The better looking of the hosts of Locked On 49ers ready to go with pick 11. With the 11th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft the San Francisco 49ers select Will Campbell, office alignment at Louisiana State University. The 49ers select 6'6", 319-pound offensive lineman. And we call him an office lineman because he had played,

offensive tackle, and did a terrific job. And we think that his movement skills identify that of which the 49ers were really coveted. But he has short arms. At the NFL combine, he measured in at 32 and five-eighths arm lengths. At his pro day, 33-inch arm lengths. So ideally, in a field, they want 34-inch arm lengths

or better, 33 acceptable, 32, five-eight. You are an NFL guard. And that works for the 49ers, because at left guard, they lost Aaron Banks. You plug in Will Campbell. You still have Dominic Pune. You dropped it last season. Your tackles are set with McKibbitt and Big Dog Trent Williams.

So the 49ers now both start up their offensive line to protect their young asset quarterback Brock Purdy. Let's go Niners. Will Campbell is the selection for the San Francisco 49ers at pick 11. I had confidence in Croc. I knew he was going to do the right thing. Well done, Croc. Nice pick there for the San Francisco 49ers at pick 11. I had confidence in Croc. I knew he was going to do the right thing. Well done, Croc. Nice pick there for the San Francisco 49ers. I envision Will Campbell as someone who could jump right in. You know, he's one of the highest floor players in this draft. Watch the film. WTF. He's just a really good football player. You probably think

he's a tackle if you take him in the top 11 picks, but if he is a pro bull guard, I think you're okay with that as well. He could start at guard next to Trent Williams on the left side. He could play right tackle instead of Colton McKibbitt's on the right side at right tackle. I would probably envision him as a left guard. And the big question here is the arm length. So Dame, Keith, I'm sure you guys have talked about this a lot and locked on NFL draft.

Where are you at on arm length? I mean, if it's like well below the threshold, I get it. But I always look at, you know, I mean, Keith talked about this in the part. I always look at O-line, D-line play like boxing. Like, you got to know how to use the length, not just have it. You know what I mean? And it's like, I think with him, he

knows how to time his punches up. He's strong handed, heavy handed guy. And when he makes contacts, he can slow down the rush. And I think for the Niners, in fact, you have Trent Williams and you have McKibbitt's and you feel like, okay, we're good at tackle. We're solidify that tackle. Then you, you really good because now you put Will Campbell at that left guard spot. I think he said it before, you know, in the pre-pick analysis, get the run game going again,

give Brock Purdy the run action, the play action, and let him be comfortable. I think this is a great pick for the Niners. Yeah, I agree with that. I understand, you know, if some people are concerned, but I just try to not to, try not to over-evaluate this, right? Like this is a guy who's played SEC football for three years

and up into this year, right? Like he was considered one of the best offensive tackles in his class since his freshman year. I just think that he'll figure out how to get the job done. And like I said, if you're a San Francisco 49ers fan and you don't have maybe he's not all pro left tackle, but he's all pro left guard. I think you take that and you're extremely excited about that also. I couldn't agree more, especially for this fit. You just stick him in a left guard, learn a thing or two from Trent, either take over or don't. But I will say, if you watch his tape against Landon Jackson,

and a very long edge player, it gave him problems. And he's going to have more of those body types to go against next year and going forward than he did in the SEC. And Kennard at South Carolina as well, who measured in with 34 inch arm length. So you know there might be something to it. It's not nothing,

but he did get that 33 inches at the pro day, which I think is very important for him. And lands himself a top 11 selection here with the San Francisco 49ers. That brings us to the Dallas Cowboys who are on the clock at pick number 12 as the board has fallen. What do you like for the Dallas Cowboys? I could see clock at pick number 12 as the board has fallen.

What do you like for the Dallas Cowboys? I could see them going in a number of directions here. Matt, we talk every single day, but I think the Cowboys are one of the teams we're having a little bit of trouble figuring out here at pick number 12. I just think they have a lot of directions they could go. I mean, there's multiple places on defense. Mazzie Smith has not worked out at the tackle. Another edge guy opposite Parsons. The

back seven is far from secure. Another offensive lineman wouldn't break my heart. They've been linked to running backs forever, but I think I would go with some sort of pass catcher. I mean, I think both Tet Macmillan and Golden very different would both be fine complements the land. I agree with that. I think they also could look at, you know, I think we'll Johnson still on the board. They need a corner. Trayvon Biggs coming off the ACL, Doron Bland, you know, was able to be a ball hawk. But like when you're not catching interceptions, how are you playing at the cornerback position?

They can still go defense here as well. But I'm kind of in, in, I'm in lockstep with Matt. They got to get another receiver. Yeah. Past catcher period, where it's tight end receiver. It can't just be CD Lamb and Dak Prescott. Jerry Jones has to get out of his own way and make the right selection here. If they went wide receiver, who's the best fit?

I would have liked Tet Macmillan probably if you're just putting puzzle pieces together with CD Lamb. He did go earlier in this draft to the New York Jets at pick number seven. Keith, do you like a fit for the Dallas Cowboys here, whether it's a wide receiver or maybe another position? Yeah, and the best fit for them because they're sitting at 12, right? And Travis Hunter is off the board if you want to put him at wide receiver and

Ted McMillan is already off the board. The best fit is the best player, right? And you have to go with Matthew Golden. I think this guy is just scratching the surface of what he could be. Everybody, I think, is afraid of the production part because he was a back half of the season guy. But I just want to talk about, like, think about it, right? Isaiah Bond transferred into this program also, right? And I think the coaching staffs entered the year with Isaiah Bond potentially being the number one guy. And I think they got halfway through the season and realized, wait, this Matthew Golden guy is pretty doggone good. And they started drawing up plays for him as the number one player.

I think that's why you see the back half of the production spike and take off of Matthew Golden. I think we're just scratching the surface of what Matthew Golden could be. I think he's a great complimentary piece to CD Lam. He could be the vertical stretcher guy, but he can also work in between the numbers too. Let's find out Marcus Mosher ready to go with the picks with locked on Cowboys. Will they go with a running mate for CD Lam on offense or Micah Parson on defense?

Pick number 12 is in locked on Cowboys. With the 12th pick in the 2025 locked on NFL mock draft, the Dallas Cowboys select wide receiver, Matthew Golden, Texas. The Cowboys have been searching for a number two receiver to pair with CD Lamb for the past several years. And they finally get one here with Golden. While he's not the most consistent, reliable or productive receiver, he does provide something to this Cowboys offense has been missing

for the last several years. And that speed Golden ran a four to nine at the NFL Combine. And while he doesn't always play to that speed, you do see the big plays that he can make on tape. The Cowboys are obviously hoping that Golden can be a better receiver in the NFL than what he was in college. But Golden provides them a big time athlete. They can help stretch the field and Brian Schottenheimer's offense.

The Cowboys stay in state University of Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden. And first of all, I think we have to give credit where credit is due, guys. Dame Keith, as a listener of Locked On NFL Draft, I know that you guys were high on Matthew Golden and you were in on him early as a first round guy. Did you see the 429 coming at the combine though? I, the 429 is amazing, right? I would have believed that he was a four, three guy. And I think what happened was,

was the same thing that happened with Xavier Worthy last year, right? Quinn Newers, you know, just his deep ball, being able to push the ball 50, 60 yards down the field. I think that kind of made Matthew Golden have to slow up, right? And it was the same thing for Xavier Worthy. So 429, I wasn't expecting that,

but I thought he was a 4-3 guy. I seen the speed definitely. I just got to chime in though, watching the combine. When he ran it, I think he was as shocked as everybody else. He's like, I'm not running again, I'm done. Yeah, that's when you just go ahead and run home, man. You run from there and you run home. Yeah, I do that all along, I'm done. Well, let Coach Yeah, that's when you just go ahead and run home, man. You ready for that?

Yeah, like, oh yeah, I did that all along. I'm done. Well, let Coach Prime just run to the limousine, go back to your hotel room, book your flight and go home. Yeah, when you watch the tape, you see speed. You just don't see him be able to open up his speed to a full capacity.

I think he laid it out there like, yeah, like Quinn Hughes is an accurate quarterback, but he doesn't get the ball, unless it's an anticipatory throw, it's one read, get it out there early. He's not able to really push it the way those guys can keep that speed and stay stride stride up and be able to just run underneath the, running underneath the ball. Keith told me about him off of summer scouting. I got eyes on him and I'm like, yeah, this might be the best receiver at Texas. And then, you know, he went to the college football playoffs and absolutely ripped it up.

Yeah. That speed is just kind of the extra credit on the resume for Matthew Golden, who really is going to make his money. I think with the way he breaks off his routes and that's what I love about his tape there. So the Dallas Cowboys get themselves a speedy, wide receiver at pick number 12. Next we've got the Miami dolphins pick number 13. And I know there's been some conversations about trades behind the scenes. We'll see if one of those pops up on today's episode of the locked on the NFL

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Last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed. A lot of drama involving the Miami Dolphins and their current wide receiver situation. Talk about speedy wide receivers Tyreek Hill. Could he be on the move either before during or after the NFL draft? The Dolphins are up next in the mock draft with pick number 13 Kyle Krabs of Lockdown Dolphins standing by with the selections. Matt, Dolphins pick 13. Do you like a need?

Do you like a specific player here as we get through this mock draft into the teams? Not another team that does not have a shortage of needs. I mean, I think it's probably a little early to take the first safety off the board, but man, it'd be nice to find a Holland replacement. They never really properly replaced Christian Wilkins at the fence of tackle. If you pull up the depth chart at the tackle, it's really, really light. Wig and I had locked on NFL every Friday. We joke all the time that this team has too many Ferraris and not enough dump trucks.

And by that, I just mean a bunch of speed serves, but they don't have the grinded out type players and maybe take the top guard on the board or banks. I mean, O-line needs a lot of work and Armstead just retired too. So I would lean somewhere on the O-line. Yeah. Can I jump in there real quick BP? If I'm the Miami Dolphins GM, right? It's just time to look at and see who's the

toughest guy on the board. Right? Yeah. Who's the toughest, right? Who would I want to go to a bar fight? I love that. Um, and I agree with you, Matt, from bringing up the Christian Wilkins absence, and this may be a position that I would kind of look at Kenneth Grant, right? Do I take a big defensive tackle and somebody to kind of man the trenches? I mean, this is getting fun at this portion of the draft because I could see this kind of a pick

and a lot of these picks coming up because I think a lot of these grades for teams are going to be very similar on a lot of these players in the middle of the first round and could go a number of directions. So the pick is in, I can't wait to see what Kyle Krabs does here. Pick number 13 of the Locked on NFL mock draft special, Locked on Dolphins, ready to go.

With the 13th selection in the 2025 Locked on NFL mock draft, the Miami Dolphins select defensive back Jade Baron from the Texas Longhorns. Miami has a vacant spot in vacu after moving on from Kendall season and they've strugl going with former second r cam smith that leaves the opportunity to add a diver who could potentially play play outside or he could p some safety and with the Dolphins and how they like to change the picture on opposing

quarterbacks last season, they often inverted coverages where nickel corners were pushing to play deep half or they were pushing to the flat and then the corner would take deep half responsibilities or alternatively they would play matchups and move some guys around and try to play skill set versus skill set depending on the week. So Miami needs more options in their secondary if they're going to make things bounce back the way they want it to and build upon a strong first season under defensive coordinator, Anthony Weaver. Baron has the goods.

He's got the versatility. He's got the football IQ and he's got the football IQ, and he's got the tackling skills to be an asset, regardless of where the Dolphins choose to implement him. Back to back Texas products here at pick 12 and 13 in the Lockdown NFL mock draft. Matt, you talked about defensive back and maybe too early for a safety.

Maybe he's not a safety. Maybe he's not an outside corner maybe he's not a outside corner. Kyle called him a defensive back. He does meet some of the toughness criteria you talked about as well, Keith. But Matt, what do you think? Jode Baron, I struggle with this

one because I think his best spot is Nickel. Nickel is more valuable now than ever, but the league still doesn't draft these guys high. We saw Brian Branch go pick 45. Last year we saw Cuper saw Cooper Jean go pick 40. That's where I struggled with Jody Baron, because I think he's a really good player

and he's probably worth a mid first round selection. Will NFL teams view him that way? Is my question. You would hope the league learned their lesson from letting Branch and the Jean fall that far and even Sanis drill to a lesser degree. All really good football players, immediate impact. And Kyle obviously made really strong points, and he obviously has a big time draft background as well as Dolphin, so he knows what he's talking about.

I don't know that this would have been my toughest guy for the bar fight. Not that he's a wuss or anything, but he's a little bit smaller. And I also think that both lines of scrimmage probably were a little bit bigger need. Yeah, I think, you know, I took Kyle's point. I could looking at their cornerback depth, just a corner, not even safety. We know he lost of Holland is Jalen Ramsey, Dennis Cater Co who Storm Duck, Cam Smith, Artie Burns. Yes, kind of a weird cast of characters in that corner back room. So I understand why he would want to go this direction.

Walter Nolan still being available and knowing that you lost Christian Wilkins. I feel like that would have been a very talk about toughness and physicality and bar fights. This is a guy that could absolutely walk into that defensive line room and be your best interior defensive lineman. But Jody Baron, Swiss Army knife as a defensive back, good pick. Just again, kind of could have worked the trenches a little bit. Look, Dave, we will not stand for storm duck disrespect here. On NFL mock draft special. Let's move along here to pick number 14 because Jake Arthur standing by and the locked on Colts podcast is on the clock at the number 14 selection in The locked on NFL mock draft special Keith

What are you looking at for the Colts and look if you have any other takes on on any of the past picks? you can hit us with those as well, but The Colts have been really kind of locked into a tight end with this pick which makes me think it's not gonna happen because What we always expect and what becomes consensus before the draft usually gets thrown on its ear by the time we get to draft it. Yeah, 100 percent. I don't think there's been a team that's been mocked to a tight end, right?

In the past five years, more than the Indianapolis Colts have. So obviously, tight end wise, I look at Colston Loveland. I absolutely love Colston Loveland, what he can provide for whoever the quarterback is, right? Whether it's Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones. But I also look on the defensive side of the football and just the Indianapolis coach making strides forward, right? Do they try to get a linebacker, right?

Do they try to get another edge rusher? So I think we're really at the point in the draft where a lot of these teams have a lot of different holes and we can see them going multiple ways. So I probably obviously go tight in first and they may be some type of air rush linebacker with G. Campbell losing E.J. Speed was a big was a big loss for them. The anxiety of Franklin, you know, I know that Campbell had nothing was a torn labrum. The surgery evolved. You know, I know that Campbell had, I think was a torn labrum. He had the surgery. If all you get the all clear from the medicals that he's going to be ready for training camp. I think he puts a, you know, hit that pairing of him and Zaire be really good for that second level of that defense.

And then need somebody that can play the run, hit the edge, blitz and drop off in coverage. And Gihard Campbell can do all of them. The massive scheme coordinator change for the Colts on defense. You could always think almost any spot there would make some sense. And I understand tight end, but isn't Pittman Downs, Pierce, et cetera, enough for a team that's going to be a run centric Jonathan Taylor running quarterback type of team that also just lost their starting center and guard. I mean, maybe a Booker here just to run behind and bully people.

No, 100%. I think that's a good point too. And I mean, with those receivers, you got to, that Titan Room was probably one of the worst in the league. It's a lot of that. Yeah. It's a very, very rough group. But like you said, getting a guard like Tyler Booker, maybe a great sable somebody to him to influx, uh, inject some, some athleticism, some

strength, some versatility when that old line, they got a couple different directions. They can go with this pig. Jake Arthur of locked on Colts is ready to go. The 14th selection in the locked on info mock draft special is here. Jake Arthur with the pick with the 14th selection, the 2025 locked on the the the the the the value is also there. Without this labrum surgery, he may not even be available outside the top 10.

So this is a guy who is a blue chip player for the Colts, again, at a position of need. He plays off-ball linebacker at an elite level. He rushes the passer better than most off-ball linebackers, moves very well out in space. We love the tenacity that he plays and the assuredness of what he sees. Can get himself skinny through the trenches as well.

And it's just overall one of the pound for pound better off ball linebacker prospects there's been in the last few years. Jake taking the long view here for the Indianapolis Colts, Matt, you talked about a new defensive scheme with Lou Anne Arumo coming to town and G. Hawk Campbell. It really doesn't matter what scheme you run.

He's a guy that can fit. And one of the few prospects where you look in, we talked about checking boxes and some of the guys are missing some of those boxes. You know there's the labrum concern but as far as height weight speed and what kind of player Jihad Campbell can be scheme fit there's no questions there. No and Damian nailed it with this. I mean I think that's it makes some sense you know you're gonna bring in a new coordinator give me a guy that I can go probably green dot him. I don't know if that would happen or not. Who knows? But I mean, just a versatile middle of the field piece that can also come off the edge.

Sure. It adds up. What's the scouting report on on Jihad Campbell, guys, is he that type of you start looking at his height, weight, speed, measurables like this is he's on the borderline of a freaky. Does he match up with some of the top linebackers in the NFL? Yeah, I'll say from a past Russian perspective, I think we're just he's just scratching the surface of what he could be. I think if you go back to the LSU game, that was the game that really opened my eyes to it.

Like, hold on. Like, this might be one of those guys that we we don't talk about moving down right to the to the edge. Russia position in the same light with Abdul Carter and Jalen Walker. Maybe he's much like Michael Parsons where he enters the NFL and he's a solid off ball backer, but he puts on a little weight, keeps the explosiveness. And then we look up and he's a double digit set guy because he's playing the edge rusher position.

I like Jihad Campbell a lot. I think there's a lot there to him. Yeah. Versatility is this thing. And I think for me, BPs, I'm going to use them based on the offense we're facing. Like if we're playing the pass, happy off pass, happy offense that targets the middle of the field, this guy can drop off, drop back in coverage.

He gets good depth. He reads routes well. He can also pick the ball up. He talked about the LSU game. You go into the low redred and you got you know receiver in the slot working and running around against him and he blankets it so his ability to be a Three down player but a multifaceted player kind of like that five tool baseball player. He can give you a little bit of everything I think that's what G hot Campbell gives Look and I might even buy the argument that Jihad Campbell is actually what people are talking

about Jalen Walker being, because I think he's got more utility as a pure linebacker, and also brings some of that abilities of pass rusher. Just wasn't quite featured there as much at Alabama as Jalen Walker was at Georgia. So a player I've come to like quite a bit in Jihad Campbell with his varied skill set and physical attributes, and actually threw down a 40 time

unlike Jalen Walker. So what's he trying to hide? Let's talk about pick number 16, 15. Where are we? Where's the Atlanta Falcons? We're rolling on here. Pick 15 in the Lockdown Mock Trap special. Matt.

B.C. do you mind if I just hijack this for a second? Oh yeah, by all means, please. Okay. Every day on the Falcon Williamson. That's true. I'm good at interrupting you. They were only one team had fewer sacks than the Falcons last year. I mean, that's not great.

But listen to this. Over the last five years, the Falcons have the fewest sacks in the league. Not super surprising. Over the last 10 years, the Falcons have the fewest sacks in the league. Pretty surprising. Over the last 20 years, the Falcons have the fewest sacks in the league. A lot of our listeners don't even remember that far back. Can we generate some pass rush any way possible, please?

I'm in. So, Dane, Keith, who is it? Who is the best pass rusher left at pick 15 for the Falcons? I'm gonna jump in real quick and I'll say, Matt, I appreciate your stats and the Falcons may be on a different brand of football, right? They may think that not sacking the quarterback and they're playing mind games by saying,

you know what, we're not gonna even hit you. That's some hell of a stats to lead the league the last 20 years of not s second the quarterback. But man, the best pass rushers available. This I think this can go to what do you want in need right, especially for the Atlanta Falcons and I look at them and I see a guy potentially like Mike Green, right? A guy that can do it all. We've seen he had the big-time play at the senior bowl right when he blew

up. I believe that was Josh Connelly. They need a well rounded player. In the past, they've drafted guys like Arno Ebbichetti, who've been kind of fastball guys, right? But they didn't have the power to them. So I think you want to get a guy that has some speed, that has some power, that could convert speed to power, and has the upside to be a double-digit set guy.

Yeah, as Mike Green for me as well, I think for me it's the process that show man knows how to get after the quarterback. You could tell he has a plan. He has a, a variety of moves too. Now, not just a speed, the rush speed, the speed, the power bull rush, but also dip and bend around the edge. He throws a nice ghost and dip move around the end as well.

And then if you turn that Ohio state tape, right. It's usually when those kind of smaller school guys, what do you do against big time competition? He has one of the cleanest spin moves in this past, in this group of pass rushes, man. So I listen, and I think Keith can attest this. I've been pounding the table for Terry Fontenot to leave offense alone and go get the edge rusher.

It's been bad since John Abraham left. It's time to since John Abraham left. It's time to fix this problem. And we're ready to go. Aaron Freeman, what is the pick locked on Falcons host ready to go at number 15? With the 15 selection in the 2025 locked on NFL mock draft, the Atlanta Falcons select Mike Green, edge rusher, Marshall by mission, finding the Atlanta Falcons a pass rusher that they can build around for the future.

Falcons finished 31st in the sacks last year, and it doesn't matter which parameters you look at, whether it's five years, 10 years, or 20 years, the Falcons have been the NFL's worst pass rush in terms of getting sacks. Their disease is pressuring the quarterback, and hopefully their cure is Mike Green, the nation's leading sack artist with 17 last year in Marshall,

and the hope is that that production will translate directly to the next level. sure is Mike Green, the nation's leading sack artist with 17 last year and Marshall. And the hope is that that production will translate directly to the next level. Initially, I wasn't that sold on Mike Green, given a lot of his production came against a lower level of competition. But he has absolutely convinced me through this pre-draft process, starting with his performance at the Senior Bowl, the Combine and through the pro days, I've steadily become more and more convinced that Mike Green is the guy that can begin this process to solving the Falcons pass rush woes. Green alone won't do it, but he can become a defensive cornerstone for a team that just lost a defensive coordinator stone and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett this off season.

And who knows five, 10, maybe even 20 years down the road, we'll be talking about the Atlanta Falcons having one of the NFL's best pass rushes. And it all begins thanks to this selection of Mike Green. It's all about sex. And they got the guy with the most of them coming into this draft in Mike Green. I think everyone agrees that it was really the only way to go for the Atlanta Falcons here.

It to be honest with you, I love Mike Green. was really the only way to go for the Atlanta Falcons here. To be honest with you, I love Mike Green. I think the way he's like water downhill is the way I see it. He's got so many varied ways to get to the quarterback. And when his initial move is thwarted, he's got another move ready to go. He shows speed. He shows power.

I think he's a great fit for the scheme in Atlanta as well. They can utilize a guy that could stand up, put his hand in the ground, do a lot of different things coming off the edge. So Matt, maybe we might have to finally and Aaron talked about that that similar stat there. Yeah, I did. Look, you just don't have you don't be the best. Just don't be the worst in the league and getting after the opposing quarterback, right?

Yeah, and I think Aaron mentioned something like, well, maybe over the next five, ten, twenty years, they'll be one of the best. I'm not sure I'm there yet, but this is a good start. Adding 17 sacks a year could could absolutely help there. There's some off field stuff as well, guys, with with Mike Green, which is which makes it difficult to kind of place him. But as far as the tape, do you see him as an easy top 15 guy? Yeah, so easy top 15. I'll see. I see him as a top 15 guy. And I'm glad you brought that up, because the rest of the guys

that's on the board, right, is, you know, James Pierce, right. And there's obviously conversations around him. But then you jump into Shamar Stewart and Mike Williams. And those are projections, right? Those are, I'm hoping that this guy develops into something. So I think what Aaron did, he sat there and he said, Hey, who is the proven pass rush guy, right? Who checks the most boxes for me? And that was Mike Green at the moment. And I agree with the pick and in this situation. Yeah, for sure. And I think also keep an eye on if you pair Mike Green with Braylon

Treisley drafted last year, you might have yourself a pass rush do that can get you from being, you know, 32nd in the league to maybe 22nd. Yeah, there we go. Jump into the middle third of the NFL in sack production. And look, they've had plenty of projects, too. So get the guy who's already developed with pass rush skills. It is pretty important to the Atlanta Falcons. Up next, we got the Arizona Cardinals.

They're on the clock. The outlook for the cards feels like it's finally on its way up. And let's see if they can keep the momentum going in the 2025 Lockdown NFL Mock Draft Special. This episode of the Lockdown NFL Mock Draft Special is brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs. As a small business owner, your work doesn't end when the clock hits five. Your business is always on your mind, which means when it's time to hire, you need a partner

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to double your reach to qualified candidates. No wonder 72% of small businesses say LinkedIn helps them find high quality hires. So post your job for free at linkedin.com slash lockdown NFL. That's linkedin.com slash lockdown NFL to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. to post your job for free terms and conditions apply. So we finished up this episode with pick number 16 in the Arizona Cardinals and Alex Clancy is a guy I talked to a lot. We do our crossover episodes with 49ers versus Arizona Cardinals every year. And, uh, and Clancy is a, is another wild card here.

And so I don't know what direction Alex Clancy is going to go for the Arizona Cardinals. I think there's still plenty of needs on this team. But Matt, I would probably lean toward the defensive side of the football. Yeah, I still think almost every level of defense could use attention. I give this franchise a lot of credit, though. I mean, over the last two years, this regime took a talentless team to respect ability and they put a lot of resources and draft pick in the line. Maybe one more guard Booker comes to mind would complete that side of the ball, but really maybe just best defensive player available, whoever that might be.

Yeah, I agree. I agree with Matt on the situation you could because you lost. I think Will Hernandez through free agency. So they do need to protect Kyler and everything like that, but definitely improving. Whether it's, I think, the interior defensive line, you could, I know they brought in Davin Thomason, you could get a more true pass rusher, like a Walter Nolan to throw in there. But also I look at corner, man, like I don't think they have that in a division that has Cooper Cup, Devontae Adams, Jackson Smith and Jigba, Ricky Pearsall, Brandon Nyuk, who's your guy at corner? I don't think they have that on the roster right now. Keith, is there a defensive player that stands out to you?

Yeah, I was sitting there and I'm pretty sure, I'm actually surprised to even say this, that Will Johnson is still sitting there, right? That means that we had Jadé Baron go before Will Johnson. And maybe that had to do with the questions and concerns of the 40 times. But DP brought this up and I wasn't even trending towards corner. But after he said that, and I went back and looked at the board, Will Johnson, I think this he's we probably walk away from this draft and look back in five

years and say that he's probably one of the more overthought prospects. Just from an instincts perspective, I just think he understands how to play football, right? And he's done it since his freshman year at Michigan. He forces turnovers, he plays man to man. He does it all. He can play off, he can play press. So if they end up with Will Johnson, I think the Arizona Cardinals should be happy. And to your point, Matt, you talk about building a respectable team. You do it by just drafting good football players, right? And you potentially have a lockdown corner. Offense, defense, BPA.

Alex Clancy is ready to go. Let's find out what the pick is at number 16 from locked on Cardinals. With the 16 selection of the 2025 locked on NFL mock draft, the Arizona Cardinals select will john michigan. The Arizona Card up much faster than peopl last season. The emergence is one of the better corne Max Melton showing his me

and Buddha Baker, Jalen T Taylor Demerson is emergin safety groups in football. The Arizona Cardinals strengthening a strength is something they absolutely could not pass up with Will Johnson falling into their laps in need of a cornerback who wanted to play on the outside, grouped with Garrett Williams and Max Melton, partnered with an improved pass rush and interior defensive line that will get pressure on the quarterback that was pretty much non-existent last year. The Arizona Cardinals defense is now ready to rock. They are on the precipice of becoming elite. They're on the precipice of surprising a lot of people and partnered with the

offensive. The Cardinals already have, they're ready for perpetual relevance. And with Will Johnson following to them at 16 This was a no-brainer even though they have needs at pass rush defensive line and offensive line Will Johnson is going to be a great partner to Garrett Williams Potentially one of the better young duos and football and the Cardinals haven't had a one-two punch a corner in the last 20 years And the Cardinals haven't had a one-two punch a corner in the last 20 years, which made this pick a no-doubt.

Perpetual relevance for the Arizona Cardinals going with the best player left on the board here. Cornerback, Will Johnson out of the University of Michigan. And the big question with him has been speed, declined multiple times, whether it was a tight hammy or whatever at his personal workouts and pro days to not run a 40-yard dash time. Damn, Keith, Matt, correct me if I'm wrong.

I can't remember a first round cornerback that didn't have a 40 time. Does that worry you at all? I know this is a big WTF. Watch the film draft, Keith. No 40 time for a corner is interesting. Incomplete picture, I think, for Will Johnson, which is why he's still on the board here at 16. Yeah, selfishly right as a talent evaluator, you want as many data points as possible. Right. But we have to ask ourselves, is this becoming a trend?

Right. Because last year was Marvin Harrison, Jr. without the 40 time. Then this year, I mean, it's it's Will Johnson, but it's also Ashton Gentey, right? And we're still seeing these guys go high. So is unfortunate what I like to see Will Johnson run a 40 time. Yes. But I have plenty of matchups of him versus Marvin Harrison Jr. in college, right? Just if I'm looking for a baseline and a foundation to kind of go off of. What if they're both slow though, because he didn't run a 40 time either? a foundation to kind of go off of. What if they're both slow though? Cause he didn't run it 40 times either.

Hey, that's the question, right? That's the question. I'm I'm the 40th time. Of course, like I think he put it perfectly. You can selfishly want to see him running. The thing I have with the 40 and I've talked about this a lot. These guys are in track stance. When are you ever in a track stance as a corner on the NFL field? The only time that translates for edge rushers,

they're actually in that stance when they play. I don't worry about it as much. If it, if it doesn't show up on film where you're getting beat vertically, I can't remember which game it was. He had a rep where he's on the backside of the play and he runs the play down from backside catches up to the ball carrier, keeps him from scoring a touchdown. That doesn't show you that he does have some quality of speed. I really don't know what does.

Watch the film, WTF, how about three letters, GPS? If you ain't slick, you can't know how fast you are, right Matt? And when are we gonna normalize getting that information to everybody in the world about the GPS times? Yeah, I mean, running at 40 is so much different than running on a football field. Maybe 10 years from now, they don't even do it. Who knows? But to Keith's point, before the pick was made, the fact that Will Johnson's still there,

it's kind of a gift. Just take it, you know? Let's check in with our team building experts. Locked on NFL scouting podcast. The draft dude, Joe Marino, the other draft dude, Kyle Krabs, who already made a pick on this episode for their thoughts on picks 11 through 16. Kyle got some surprises here and one that stands out to me is the Colts selection of Jahad Campbell, the linebacker out of Alabama. I love Campbell and he's a player that I just haven't been thinking about as an option for the Colts, but they've

actually had quite a bit of turnover in that room over the last several seasons. And now you've got one heck of a running mate here for Zaire Franklin with Luanna Rumo taking over this defense. You know, he likes those big linebackers. I'll tell you what, Campbell's got a lot of range to compliment the size and the downhill ability. So that's a very fun, versatile chess piece to add to that defense. And kind of excited to see how that comes together. That was a surprise pick that actually kind of like, I think the biggest surprise for me out of this block is the five teams that all in succession passed on

Will Johnson, a cornerback from, from, uh, Michigan who lands with Arizona at number 16, great fit when you consider Jonathan Gannon. The entire identity of that defense last year was really forged in the secondary. You get a long-term answer there for whatever you want to end up doing with Sean Murphy Bunting. They've made some free agent investments

in the defensive front. So I like the way that this is now all coming together for them, but Arizona had to be tickled to get on the board at 16 and see Atlanta, who could have used another corner. And the Colts, who potentially could have made an argument is best player, but it won't fit. The Dolphins getting today Baron kind of helps this happen where that fit for the Dolphins, a lot of added disguise

and ambiguity with their coverage shells. And Baron just kind of gives them a little bit more than that with Will Johnson as compared to him just authentically being an outside guy. But then Dallas with the Trayvon Diggs injury, and San Francisco needs corner. So the board felt very favorably for Arizona here. And Will Johnson clearing all of those land mines

makes for an awesome best player available fit for them. Yeah, no doubt. I t would be swooning if he w 16. That's a sprint to th for them. How about the 4 line? Obviously a big big Campbell. Well, Campbell lineman in this draft pos

cares guard or tackle, ge He's going to elevate tha a major position of need they might geters. And they might get the best offensive lineman of the class here and Will Campbell at pick 11. Locked on fantasy football expert Vinnie Eyre has a favorite pick from this group of selections and it's Matthew Golden, the wide receiver to the Dallas Cowboys. Here are his thoughts on Golden's fantasy impact. the the the the the the

the the the the the the the and the tight end is coming off a down season. So when you look at Golden skillset, it complements what C.D. Lamb does well, because C.D. Lamb is a great route runner.

He can open himself up in the middle of the field. Now you need somebody to take the top off of defense, stretch the field, make some big plays. And Dallas going to Austin, staying in state with the Longhorns star there is fantastic. Matthew Golden is a field stretcher. It's a bit of a luxury pick for Dallas here at number 12, but I think for fantasy purposes, it's very intriguing because again, Dak Prescott needs this type of receiver. Somebody can get open for this big place. He's got a big, strong arm. And that gives Golden a great opportunity.

And you know, with C.D. Lamb in the middle of field drawing attention from corners in the nickel and safeties that there are going to be a lot of favorable one-on-one opportunities for Matthew Golden. I believe with the Cowboys and their new offensive philosophy here with Brian Schottenheimer taking over as head coach that they want to pound the ball a little bit better, get that running game going, and then be able to stretch the field off play action with Dak Prescott's big arm.

And again, the technical aspects of CD Lam's game are going to open things up on the rest of field. They just haven't had a lot of people to take advantage of it, especially on the outside, especially using speed to stretch a field and make those big scoring plays. So I would be cautiously optimistic about Matthew Golden having a fantasy impact in his rookie season. He definitely has a skill set to do so. I think he's clearly going to be the Cowboys number two receiver. It's not a bad spot to have, especially with some questions about the Cowboys defense, which would in turn increase Prescott's passing volume. Golden's a little bit more of a deep threat. He can get open in other areas. So again,

if the targets after CD-LAM are limited here and they're trying to figure it out between the remaining wide receivers and tight ends, Golden has a chance to get a ton of them and really be fantasy relevant right away in 2025. We'll see how it plays out. But again, golden to the cowboys, a very interesting pick to fantasy, especially the same way that we saw with CD lamb have the impact as a surprise first round rookie in his own right onto the back half of round one now in the 2025 locked on NFL mock draft special. Your team every day here on the Locked On Podcast Network. 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, starting with pick 17 in the next episode of the Locked On NFL mock draft special, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day.