The Daily Briefing Thursday, April 10, 2025

AROUND THE NFL

AFC WEST

KANSAS CITYNate Taylor of The Athletic on why DE CHARLES OMENIHU re-signed with the Chiefs: He waited longer than he wanted. He waited days, then a couple of weeks, before knowing which team he would play for in the upcoming season. As an unrestricted free agent, defensive end Charles Omenihu didn’t want to sign a one-year, prove-it deal. Every team that was interested in Omenihu, however, shared two concerns with him last month during the opening days of NFL free agency: The last time he played a full season was 2022, and he played just nine games last season after rehabbing from tearing the ACL in his right knee, the most significant injury of his career. “There’s a time where you … you do what makes football sense,” Omenihu said Wednesday. “You throw your ego out of it and you think about what’s going to be the best (decision) long term. I found it to be coming back to an organization I know, coaches I know and a system I know. If I do well, we all do well.” Once Omenihu realized he would be restricted to a one-year deal, he chose to return to the Chiefs, his employer the past two seasons, on a contract where he can earn up to $7 million if he achieves certain incentives. “I wanted to come back and I love being here,” he said. “It wasn’t too much of a hard decision when the opportunity presented itself to do that.” Back with the Chiefs, Omenihu is optimistic that having a full offseason to train for the regular season — instead of rehabbing his knee — will present him with an opportunity he’s never had in his six-year career: earning a starting role. Omenihu wants to maximize an increase in snaps, too, by having a career year in 2025, surpassing the seven sacks and 11 quarterback hits he had in just 11 games in 2023. “I had my career year in a shortened season,” Omenihu said, referencing starting the 2023 season after serving a six-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. “I’ve improved as a player, so I foresee that continuing, this year being my third year in the system.” The biggest moment in Omenihu’s career came in the Chiefs’ victory over the Ravens in the 2023 AFC Championship Game. Omenihu flashed his speed from the edge and strip-sacked quarterback Lamar Jackson, a fumble that was recovered by fellow defensive end George Karlaftis. But on the Ravens’ next offensive snap, Omenihu tore his ACL when he tried to tackle Jackson. Omenihu spent most of the tedious, grueling days during his nine-month rehab with Tiffany Morton, one of the Chiefs’ athletic trainers, and Greg Carbin, the team’s assistant strength and conditioning coach. The toughest part of his rehab was during training camp in July and August when he was trying to rebuild the strength in his right knee. “Obviously, it would be difficult for anybody to look the same from the injury and after the injury,” he said. “Seeing the growth and progress I’ve had in the offseason, I definitely could see that it was kind of crazy that I was playing (last year), to be honest. But I wanted to do anything to be on the field with the guys and to help the team.” Even though he wasn’t at his athletic peak, Omenihu’s return still helped the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl. His presence and versatility on the defensive line boosted the Chiefs’ pass rush, with Karlaftis the biggest beneficiary. Omenihu also allowed Chris Jones to rush more often from the edge. Omenihu finished the regular season with six tackles, one sack and one forced fumble. In the final minute of Chiefs’ win over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game, Omenihu delivered a loud message while standing on the Chiefs’ sideline, one that was more for himself than his teammates or the fans. “I get to play in the Super Bowl!” Omenihu said, in a moment captured by NFL Films. “I get to play in a Super Bowl!” But two weeks later, Omenihu said he was devastated when he walked off the field after the Chiefs were blown out in Super Bowl LIX by the Philadelphia Eagles. Omenihu finished with three tackles. “Every play matters, and you’ve got to come ready to play from play one,” Omenihu said of the lesson he learned from the Super Bowl. “That’s the biggest thing because there’s not much margin for error in that type of game. The motivation is to get back to the top.” The Chiefs will begin their offseason program in less than two weeks. Voluntary practices will start in late May. Omenihu plans to participate in the team’s on-field activities. Even earlier this week, he said he noticed during workouts that his explosiveness, athleticism and strength are continuing to improve, which should set him up for a pivotal season in his career. “God willing, I’ll be able to play the (season) opener,” Omenihu said. “I haven’t played Game 1 since my fourth year in the league. I’m going on Year 7. I know I’m a talented player. It’s like you climb the hill, climb the hill and then a rock hits you in the face. Now, hopefully, I can climb this hill and I don’t have too much debris hitting me. “(I want to) give this organization a full (season) to be like, ‘OK, this is Charles Omenihu.’”

AFC NORTH

CLEVELANDEveryone is counting QB DESHAUN WATSON out, except Watson.  Kevin Patra of NFL.com: The Deshaun Watson experiment in Cleveland imploded, with the quarterback perpetually injured or ineffective. The most recent injury, which is expected to wipe out his entire 2025 campaign, finally led Browns owner Jimmy Haslam to admit the club “took a big swing and miss” with Watson. The belief is that Watson is washed up at this stage, but the former Pro Bowl quarterback isn’t planning on simply walking away with his millions. The 29-year-old quarterback posted a video on Instagram of himself working out in Browns gear, suggesting that he’ll make a comeback, noting that, at this point, he doesn’t “have anything pretty much to lose.” “Everyone is doubting me. Everyone don’t believe in me,” Watson said in the video. Everyone don’t think I can get back to where I was. But I know, and I believe the work that I put in, that I believe in myself… I know, I’m gonna be way better than before.” All professional athletes must approach the job with a backs-against-the-wall mentality. It’s simply the nature of the business. In Watson’s case, it’ll take more than simply hard work in the gym to revamp his standing. When the Browns eventually move on, the QB’s off-field issues, which included more than 20 women alleging sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions, could make him unemployable for some owners. The on-field problems compound the issue. In three seasons in Cleveland, he played in 19 games due to suspension and injury. He was scattershot, missed reads, wasn’t elusive or calm in the pocket, and showed no signs of the dynamic ability he displayed in Houston. Assuming he isn’t able to suit up in 2025, since 2020, he’ll have missed 66 of a potential 85 games over five seasons. Can anyone overcome so much missed work, particularly at the most difficult position in sports? There is a reason Watson has — as he said — so many doubters.

PITTSBURGHEDGE T.J. WATT has the media (and Steelers fans) scrambling to decipher an Instagram post. It’s hard to imagine T.J. Watt in anything other than Steelers black and gold, but it’s a reality Pittsburgh fans might need to come to terms with. While there is no official word on what the future holds for the team’s star linebacker, he posted something on social media that had fans spiraling, thinking the four-time Pro Bowler could be packing up soon. On his Instagram account, Watt posted a photo of him in his Steelers uniform, holding up two fingers. Athletes have used social media as a tool for as long as it’s been around and in their posts, often give hints to what’s to come, good, bad or otherwise. Watt didn’t add a caption to the post and as of Wednesday night, didn’t have any other posts on his Instagram story or main Instagram account. Here’s a look at the post: ESPN.com: Colts veteran offensive tackle Braden Smith missed the final five games of last season because of a personal matter. Now, he’s detailing just how intense the situation was. Smith, in an interview with the Indianapolis Star published Tuesday, said he has a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder that prompted him to spend 48 days in a treatment facility and to ultimately turn to a psychedelic drug that he believes helped save him. He was so tormented, Smith said, that he contemplated suicide. “I was physically present, but I was nowhere to be found,” Smith told the newspaper. “I did not care about playing football. I didn’t care about hanging out with my family, with my wife, with my newborn son. “I was a month away from putting a bullet through my brain.” Smith, 29, said he was eventually diagnosed with a condition known as religious scrupulosity. According to the International OCD Foundation, religious scrupulosity differs from the healthy practice of religion because it is driven by anxiety over engaging in actions that might offend God or be seen as blasphemous. This creates obsessive behavior — including constant prayer or repeated repentance — that can begin to dominate a person’s daily life. “There was only one person that was ever perfect, and that was Jesus,” Smith, a second-round pick in 2018, told the Star. “When you’re trying to live up to that standard, actually live that out, it’ll drive you nuts.” Smith began seeing a psychologist early last season after confiding to his wife, Courtney, that he was planning to retire after the season if his condition didn’t improve. Smith eventually checked in to a mental health facility in Colorado in November. But after spending weeks there, Smith saw only minimal improvement. He later turned his attention to a psychedelic called ibogaine, which is not legal in the United States but has shown some promise in treating mental health in scientific studies. Smith traveled to Mexico to undergo treatment with the substance. After the treatments in Mexico and his ongoing therapy, Smith says he is in a good place. “I wasn’t here last year. I was physically here, but I wasn’t. I want to be me again here, and I want the people around me to experience that, because I do feel like I do have something to offer the people around me.” “I don’t do compulsive prayers at all anymore,” he told the newspaper. “I don’t do the replacing the good with the bad. If I have a bad thought, it’s just, like, OK, that’s one of many thoughts. I’ll just move on with my day and don’t let it affect me. I used to spend like 3 to 5 hours a day in my head, doing compulsions. It was so exhausting.” The Colts are comfortable with where Smith is at. “Braden Smith is back and he’s in a great spot,” general manager Chris Ballard said last week. “I think people forget how good Braden is.” Given Smith’s original salary cap figure of $19.75 million for 2025 and his recent history of knee issues, the Colts asked him to come back under a restructured deal. Smith agreed to a return for an $8 million salary, lowering his cap figure to $10.4 million. Smith said he agreed to the terms because he has unfinished business in Indianapolis. “I wasn’t here last year,” he told the Star. “I was physically here, but I wasn’t. I want to be me again here, and I want the people around me to experience that, because I do feel like I do have something to offer the people around me.”

JACKSONVILLENick Shook of NFL.com with an update on QB TREVOR LAWRENCE: Trevor Lawrence’s 2025 season will be a pivotal one in his NFL journey, but before he can dive into the work new coach Liam Coen has planned for him, he has health benchmarks to clear as he returns from shoulder surgery. As of now, Lawrence doesn’t have a firm deadline or targeted date for his return. He said Wednesday he’s “very optimistic” he’ll “be perfectly good for the season,” but is focusing on “pacing ourselves.” “The amount of throws might be a little lighter to start and work our way up, just until I get really, fully back,” Lawrence said of his offseason plan. “I imagine that and maybe just some handoff stuff will be a little limited, but besides that I think that won’t last too long. I’m throwing and obviously progressing my way up, further distance, more throws, just trying to be smart and not jump into the deep end right away. Just trying to work up to it.” Lawrence is returning from surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder to repair an AC joint injury, and while it isn’t the shoulder he uses to throw, it’s still an important element in playing quarterback. He has a few months between now and the start of camp, but his timeline remains paramount because Coen wants to fix Lawrence’s footwork with the goal of finding a new level of consistency as a passer. Attempting to do so while rehabilitating an injury isn’t the easiest task. Lawrence knows it will be crucial to his adjustment to Coen’s system, which relies on a foundation of consistent footwork in order to work through progressions and find open targets. “There’s some things I’ve known about my footwork over the years of playing that I felt like have been a little bit of a weakness,” he said. “So, there’s some things that we’ve talked about of just, what are those things? What are we identifying as things to work on? And then the system is built around timing and tying your feet to your progression and playing on time. So it allows you to get back side, it allows you to get to checkdowns or whatever it may be, and you can feel comfortable playing on time. More than any system I’ve ever learned, it’s structured and based off that. “And it takes some work. Flipping my stance, just some little things like that that are small that many people wouldn’t notice, but I have so many banked reps of the other way, I’ve got to just get all of these on my own and work them so once camp comes around I’m ready to go.” Although he’s not yet at 100 percent, Lawrence will be working with Coen on these details during OTAs. As he said Wednesday, he’s “getting there.” Jaguars fans will hope the destination arrives well before the games start to matter.

AFC EAST

MIAMIA WR TYREEK HILL domestic dispute involved police on Wednesday.   Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN.com: – Police were called to the home of Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill and his wife for a domestic dispute Monday, although no charges were filed. According to a Sunny Isles Beach Police Department report, officers responded to a call from Hill’s mother-in-law, who told them Hill was “very aggressive and impulsive” and that she was “afraid for her daughter.” According to Hill’s mother-in-law, Hill and his wife, Keeta Vaccaro, got into an argument and he threw her laptop to the floor before grabbing their 4-month-old daughter and heading to the balcony of their 35th-floor apartment. Vaccaro told responding officers that she and Hill had been attending couple’s therapy due to their frequent arguments but that it hadn’t worked, adding that she was in the process of filing for divorce. She said Monday’s argument began when she told Hill he was not involved enough in their daughter’s life. told officers their argument Monday was not physical, but officers noted a visible bruise on Vaccaro’s chest. She told officers she probably sustained the bruise when Hill took their daughter at the beginning of their argument and described it as an accident. Officers said Hill and Vaccaro’s daughter was in good health, according to the police report, and they left without issuing any charges or citations. Vaccaro declined to write a statement about the incident, and Hill left the residence roughly 40 minutes after officers arrived. When reached for comment Wednesday, a Dolphins spokesperson issued this statement: “On Monday, we were informed that the police were called to Tyreek Hill’s home, and after conversations with Tyreek and members of his family, the police departed the residence without further incident and the case was closed. We have since been in communication with Tyreek and the NFL and will have no further comment on the matter.”

THIS AND THAT

DON’T DRAFT ASHTON JEANTY EARLYDrafting RB ASHTON JEANTY would make any team that did so instantly and significantly better, no waiting, but Austin Mock of The Athletic thinks improving your team instantly and significantly is a sucker’s move. The NFL Draft is just two weeks away, and unless this is the first draft story you’re reading, you already know Boise State star Ashton Jeanty is the unquestioned No. 1 running back prospect available. The Heisman Trophy runner-up ranks as the third overall prospect on our latest consensus big board and occupies the same spot on our draft guru Dane Brugler’s top 100 players. Frankly, you’ll struggle to find a big board that ranks Jeanty outside the top 10. But that doesn’t mean an NFL team with a top-10 pick should select him. In fact, that would be a mistake. Learning the wrong lessonThe perceived value of the running back position appears to be on the rise, largely buoyed, I suspect, by Saquon Barkley’s sensational 2024 season in which he rushed for 2,005 yards and helped deliver the Philadelphia Eagles a Super Bowl title. While Barkley is undeniably great — my projection model sees him as the best back in the league — he is not the reason the Eagles won a Super Bowl. He helped, of course, but Philadelphia already had constructed the best roster in the league before acquiring him. Barkley was the cherry on top. Before signing Barkley in free agency, the Eagles had done what most smart organizations do: They targeted premium positions (QB, WR, OT, DL, CB) with their premium draft picks. In fact, since 2015, every first-round pick the Eagles made was spent on a player who plays a premium position. Their past five first-round picks were: CB Quinyon Mitchell, DT Jalen Carter, Edge Nolan Smith, DT Jordan Davis and WR DeVonta Smith, all of whom played pivotal roles on their Super Bowl run this past season. It’s also worth noting that in 2023, the Eagles had a chance to draft running back Jahmyr Gibbs in the top 10 before the Detroit Lions ended up selecting the star running back at No. 12. Philly instead opted to trade up to No. 9 for Carter, who has blossomed into an interior game-wrecker on defense. The lesson to be learned here is that constructing a foundation with first-round talents who play premium positions remains the ideal way to build. Unfortunately, because Barkley played so well last season and helped push the Eagles over the top, I fear teams are going to fall into a trap by trying to take a shortcut to an elite running game and invest too much capital into a running back as they hope to “replicate” the Eagles’ success. Money mattersThe second factor to consider when thinking about taking Jeanty in the top 10 is the financial aspect. Let’s go back to Barkley, whose cap hit in 2024 was just $3.8 million — the equivalent to what the 14th or 15th pick in this year’s NFL Draft will be paid. Are we comfortable saying that a team picking inside the top 10 — so a team didn’t enjoy much success last season and likely has needs at premium positions — will be able to replicate the Eagles’ recipe for success when they’re paying Jeanty anywhere from $1-3 million more against the cap than what Barkley made in 2024? That seems silly. The other financial aspect to consider is how much teams would be limiting their cap savings down the line by drafting a running back in the top 10. Let’s assume for a moment Jeanty plays well enough to warrant a second contract. As the No. 10 pick, he’d make about $6.6 million per year over the four years of his contract. Right now, the top 10 running backs in the NFL make an average of $12.5 million per year, which means if Jeanty is a top-10 back, a team would only be saving about $6 million per year on his rookie deal. Compare that to wide receiver, where the top-10 players are paid an average of $31.5 million per year. A pick who plays at a top 10-level on his rookie contract would save his team about $25 million against the cap on his rookie deal. A top-10 edge rusher is paid $27.5 million per year, netting his team about $21 million in cap savings. As you can see, drafting a running back in the top 10 can have massive financial ramifications down the line. Help wantedBeyond the financials, there’s no guarantee the production will be there for Jeanty, given that none of the teams picking inside the top 10 have an offensive line that can reasonably compare to what the Eagles boast. Even the Lions’ Gibbs pick can be somewhat excused, too, because of their dominant offensive line. Teams picking in the top 10 this year almost assuredly won’t be able to replicate the success of the Lions or Eagles to see the payoff from an elite player at this position. Barkley and Gibbs ranked No. 1 and 2 in the league in yards before contact per rush in 2024 according to TruMedia (2.5 and 2.4, respectively), which is to say they were consistently provided huge holes to work with before unleashing their explosive playmaking ability in the open field. The league average yards before contact for running backs in 2024 was 1.4. Let’s go a step further and examine the teams picking inside the top 10. The average yards before contact among those teams is just 1.3. Taking things one step further, the Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints, and Chicago Bears seem to be the most likely teams to select Jeanty with a top-10 pick. Those teams posted yard-before-contact averages of 1.1, 1.5 and 1.5. Are we sure Jeanty is going to be worth the investment if he isn’t being set up to succeed like the best running backs in the league? Where are the wins?Another point against taking a running back in the top 10 comes when you look into the lack of success teams have enjoyed after taking one in the first round. Since the new rookie pay scale was introduced in 2011, 18 backs have been drafted in the first round; 15 have completed their rookie contracts, while three are still playing on them. Among those 18 players, only two of their teams have produced more than two wins in the playoffs (Sony Michel and Clyde Edwards-Helaire), and those two played alongside the most accomplished quarterbacks in postseason history, Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, respectively. In total, there have been 27 playoff wins among the first-round running backs on their rookie contracts, and 16 of those 27 wins came with future Hall of Fame quarterbacks under center (Drew Brees, Brady, Mahomes). Also notably, all three backs were selected with the 28th pick or later. Finally, the lack of longevity of the first-round running backs is pretty daunting. Since 2011, they’ve played an average of 4.7 seasons with the team that drafted them and have earned a second contract only 33 percent of the time — and even in those cases, most of the time it doesn’t work out well. The running backs that earned a second contract only averaged 0.5 more seasons with those teams. To be clear, I’m not suggesting Jeanty won’t be a good NFL running back. I think he could be great. But if you’re a team looking to pick him in the top 10, you’d better believe the rest of your roster is set if you want to see the payoff. And that brings me back to Barkley, who is actually the perfect example of why picking a running back in the top 10 is a bad idea. Barkley spent six long seasons languishing with the New York Giants, who drafted him with the No. 2 pick in 2018. They won just one playoff game with Barkley — in his fifth season when he was playing on his fifth-year option —  before he rose to Super Bowl prominence in Philadelphia. Do I believe Barkley miraculously got better in Philadelphia this past year? Of course not. Would he have enjoyed the same level of success with the Giants? Absolutely not. Teams shouldn’t learn the wrong lesson from Barkley’s success in Philadelphia. Running backs haven’t suddenly become more valuable than they were before. Yes, a great one like Barkley can elevate an already great offense, but for a team picking in the top 10 hoping Jeanty is going to change the franchise’s fortunes, well, that’s just not realistic.

2025 DRAFTJosh Edwards of CBSSports.com has this Mock Draft: The 2025 NFL Draft is officially three weeks from today and there is still little clarity at the top of the order. Most assume that Miami quarterback Cam Ward will be the No. 1 overall selection to the Tennessee Titans but there have not been any concrete reports as such.  Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders has been linked to both the Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants at points during the pre-draft process but it is also possible, if not likely, that each franchise opts to take the best player available rather than settle on the quarterback. In today’s thought exercise, we explore a small slide for Sanders. It also appears likely that the Steelers will sign veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers, which could take them out of the market for a quarterback in the first round. It is becoming more and more likely that three quarterbacks will not be taken in the first round, which would only be the second occurrence in 10 drafts.  Without further ado, let’s kick this off! 1  TENNESSEECam Ward QBMiami (FL) • Sr • 6’2″ / 219 lbsTennessee could be engaged in an elaborate smokescreen to drive up the price for the No. 1 overall selection, but I am convinced the interest in Cam Ward is genuine. The Titans have shown zero interest in free agent quarterbacks and invested heavily in the offensive line so that could be indicative of the team’s desire to address the position at No. 1 overall. 2  CLEVELANDTravis Hunter ATHColorado • Jr • 6’0″ / 188 lbsI am moving off my stance that the Browns will take Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter, because they could conceivably use Travis Hunter as both a wide receiver and cornerback. Alternatively, they signed pass rusher Joe Tryon-Shoyinka in free agency and have seen promise out of Alex Wright. It is easier to see the vision at pass rusher than it is at wide receiver, which has Jerry Jeudy, but essentially no one else established. 3  NY GIANTSAbdul Carter EDGEPenn State • Jr • 6’3″ / 250 lbsI do not believe that the Russell Wilson signing has any impact on what the Giants will do at No. 3 overall, but I could see them drafting an impact performer to improve this season’s roster and waiting until Day 2 for the quarterback. 4  NEW ENGLANDWill Campbell OTLSU • Jr • 6’6″ / 319 lbsIn an ideal world, New England would be able to trade back a bit and still get the left tackle of the future. There is not going to be a rush to climb the draft order with Cam Ward, Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter off the board, however. 5  JACKSONVILLEMason Graham DLMichigan • Jr • 6’3″ / 296 lbsAfter a week’s hiatus, I have returned to a common prediction. The addition of Mason Graham would give them a higher pass-rush upside and more depth at a critical position. A year ago, new Jaguars general manager James Gladstone was part of a Rams front office that used a top-50 pick on defensive tackle Braden Fiske. 6  LAS VEGASAshton Jeanty RBBoise State • Jr • 5’9″ / 211 lbsMany were quick to associate Ashton Jeanty with Las Vegas after the Raiders acquired Geno Smith. The Raiders are clearly trying to position themselves to compete in the next few years and they need more explosiveness on offense. It may be too rich to take a wide receiver here, so a way to address need without steering wide of value is to take Jeanty. 7  NY JETSArmand Membou OTMissouri • Jr • 6’4″ / 332 lbsMorgan Moses departed in free agency, so the Jets play Olu Fashanu at left tackle, Armand Membou at right tackle and hopefully forget about having to address the position for a decade. New York will probably try to establish the run game and Membou gives the Jets a better chance of doing that. 8  CAROLINAJalon Walker EDGEGeorgia • Jr • 6’1″ / 243 lbsCarolina needs difference-makers on defense since trading away Brian Burns. Jalon Walker is not of prototypical size but his quickness will apply pressure on the opposition. 9  NEW ORLEANSShedeur Sanders QBColorado • Sr • 6’2″ / 212 lbsNew Orleans has to break the cycle and take Shedeur Sanders rather than waiting to add another Day 2 quarterback to a pile of mediocrity. There is no guarantee any first-round pick is successful but even if Sanders gives them the comparable play, it is at a much less expensive rate than Derek Carr. 10  CHICAGOTyler Warren TEPenn State • Sr • 6’6″ / 256 lbsThere has been conversation about Chicago needing to add another wide receiver to go along with DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, but Ben Johnson may just lean into the run game and play more 12 personnel with Cole Kmet and Tyler Warren. 11 SAN FRANCISCOMike Green EDGEMarshall • Soph • 6’3″ / 251 lbsSan Francisco is almost certainly going to take a trench player with its first-round pick; edge rusher, defensive tackle or offensive line. Mike Green gives the 49ers another pass rusher opposite Nick Bosa. 12  DALLASMatthew Golden WRTexas • Jr • 5’11” / 191 lbsDallas has not had a consistent complement to CeeDee Lamb since Amari Cooper. The Cowboys stay in the state of Texas to address that need with Matthew Golden. 13  MIAMIWill Johnson CBMichigan • Jr • 6’2″ / 194 lbsJalen Ramsey is not going to play forever and they do not have a good option on the other side of the field. Will Johnson, Kader Kohou and Ramsey is a strong starting unit. 14  INDIANAPOLISColston Loveland TEMichigan • Jr • 6’6″ / 248 lbsIndianapolis has made it known that Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones will compete for the starting quarterback position. The Colts have invested heavily in that wide receiver room but make Colston Loveland the face of a newly renovated tight end corps. 15  ATLANTAShemar Stewart DLTexas A&M • Jr • 6’5″ / 267 lbsAtlanta signed Leonard Floyd in free agency but that is a short-term fix at best. Shemar Stewart is an unrefined but talented prospect. If the production matched the athletic potential, he would be a top-five pick in the draft. 16  ARIZONAJahdae Barron CBTexas • Sr • 5’11” / 194 lbsJahdae Barron probably has similar versatility to Trent McDuffie in that he can play on the boundary or line up in the slot. He is best suited playing the field and some teams may have a ceiling on where they would draft that player, but Jonathan Gannon comes from Philadelphia where Cooper DeJean changed that defense not only with his play but his spirit. 17  CINCINNATIMykel Williams EDGEGeorgia • Jr • 6’5″ / 260 lbsTrey Hendrickson has not signed a contract extension in Cincinnati, so one would think he stands by his trade request. If the Bengals honor that request, then they are left with Myles Murphy and Joseph Ossai after Sam Hubbard retired. Mykel Williams adds some excitement to the room. 18  SEATTLEMalaki Starks SGeorgia • Jr • 6’1″ / 197 lbsHead coach Mike Macdonald is looking for accountability from the safety position. He wants an extension of himself on the football field. Malaki Starks did not test like an elite athlete but his instincts allow him to offset any of those concerns. 19  TAMPA BAYJihaad Campbell LBAlabama • Jr • 6’3″ / 235 lbsJihaad Campbell is an elite athlete who can provide pass rush from an off-ball role. Tampa Bay has a cerebral veteran linebacker, so the hope is that Lavonte David can download what he has learned into the rookie. 20  DENVEROmarion Hampton RBNorth Carolina • Jr • 6’0″ / 220 lbsDenver has addressed most of its pressing needs this offseason but running back is not among them. Javonte Williams signed with Dallas this offseason. Ashton Jeanty is probably more in line with what Sean Payton wants out of the position, but the Broncos would have to trade up to turn that dream into reality. 21  PITTSBURGHLuther Burden III WRMissouri • Jr • 6’0″ / 205 lbsI would not be surprised if George Pickens were moved at some point before the season. Pittsburgh acquired DK Metcalf and the skill sets overlap. Plus, Aaron Rodgers and Pickens would be an unstable mixture. Luther Burden III is a better match for the Steelers offense. 22  LA CHARGERSTetairoa McMillan WRArizona • Jr • 6’4″ / 219 lbsIt would not be all that surprising if NFL teams overthought Tetairoa McMillan after running a mediocre 40-yard dash time. Drake London never ran the 40-yard dash but I doubt anyone expected him to run sub 4.5 seconds and that did not stop him from going No. 8 overall. 23  GREEN BAYWalter Nolen DLOle Miss • Jr • 6’4″ / 296 lbsOdds are good that Green Bay will use its first-round pick on the defensive side of the ball, and the defensive line is a good place to start in the wake of T.J. Slaton’s departure. 24  MINNESOTANick Emmanwori SSouth Carolina • Jr • 6’3″ / 220 lbsCam Bynum is off to Indianapolis and Harrison Smith is not going to play forever. The Vikings make an investment in the future with the selection of South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori. 25  HOUSTONKelvin Banks Jr. OTTexas • Jr • 6’5″ / 315 lbsThe signings of Cam Robinson and Laken Tomlinson, plus the acquisition of Ed Ingram, does not excite me about the future of Houston’s offensive line. However, it gives the team some options with extensive experience starting in the NFL to the point where it could go best player available. Offensive line will be a priority for the Texans and a really good one happens to be available. 26  LA RAMSTrey Amos CBOle Miss • Sr • 6’1″ / 195 lbsHistory suggests Los Angeles does not value secondary players at this stage of the draft, but a long-term answer at cornerback has evaded the Rams since parting with Jalen Ramsey. Trey Amos has a quality combination of production and athletic ability. 27  BALTIMOREDerrick Harmon DLOregon • Jr • 6’5″ / 310 lbsBaltimore returns to its roots as it uses a first-round selection on the defensive line. Derrick Harmon and Nnamdi Madubuike can be a pocket-shuttering duo in the AFC North. 28  DETROITDonovan Ezeiruaku EDGEBoston College • Sr • 6’3″ / 248 lbsZa’Darius Smith has exited the building and Aidan Hutchinson will be returning from injury. Donovan Ezeiruaku does not necessarily have the power profile that Dan Campbell has sought in that role but he was incredibly productive last fall. 29  WASHINGTONGrey Zabel IOLNorth Dakota State • Sr • 6’6″ / 312 lbsIt will be interesting to see if Brandon Coleman ultimately settles at right tackle or guard. If he moves inside, then the Commanders may not look to add additional interior offensive line help. If he moves to right tackle, then I could see them bringing Grey Zabel to start at offensive guard and give them insurance at center. 30  BUFFALOKenneth Grant DLMichigan • Jr • 6’4″ / 331 lbsCornerback and interior defensive line are probably the two most pressing needs for the Bills. One of those weaknesses is addressed at No. 30 overall with the selection of Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant. 31  KANSAS CITYMaxwell Hairston CBKentucky • Jr • 5’11” / 183 lbsKansas City does not usually invest premium draft assets into the cornerback position, but that is also why that unit was a problem, at times, last season. Corrective measures lead to the selection of Maxwell Hairston in the first round. 32  PHILADELPHIAMason Taylor TELSU • Jr • 6’5″ / 251 lbsDallas Goedert has been the topic of trade discussions. The situation is similar to when Philadelphia had Zach Ertz and drafted Goedert in the second round. Mason Taylor, the son of NFL legend Jason Taylor, is brought in as the heir apparent at tight end.