We usually don’t publish at all during Valspar Championship Week, but in 2021 we’ve only missed one day.  Today’s will be brief, before the world changes tonight with the Draft.

NFC NORTH

GREEN BAY

On Draft Day comes word that QB AARON RODGERS’ career as a Packer is in Jeopardy!

When news surfaced this afternoon that the 49ers offered the third overall pick to the Packers for Aaron Rodgers, it wasn’t news to Rodgers.

Rodgers knew about the offer. And wanted the Packers to take it.

A league source tells PFT that Rodgers wanted the Packers to take the 49ers’ offer, which was for the third pick and more. It’s unclear where Rodgers would go from here.

The teams Rodgers would like to be traded to include not just the 49ers, but also the Raiders and Broncos. Rodgers would love to move closer to the West Coast, where he grew up, where his fiancée Shailene Woodley lives and where he would have more television opportunities, including the possibility of hosting Jeopardy.

The Packers are continuing to insist that they will not trade Rodgers.

More from Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com:

Aaron Rodgers is disgruntled.

Rodgers is so disgruntled, in fact, that he has told people within the Packers franchise that he does not want to return to Green Bay for the 2021 season.

According to the report, multiple people within the organization have talked to Rodgers to try to get him on board and excited to be back, but so far he has not been placated.

Rodgers has reportedly been unhappy for a full year, since the Packers traded up in the first round last year to draft quarterback Jordan Love. Rodgers thought the Packers should have prioritized drafting players who could help him win another Super Bowl, not draft a quarterback who would take his place.

The Packers say Rodgers isn’t going anywhere. Rodgers may have other ideas.

NFC SOUTH

NEW ORLEANS

The Saints may be heading to the top of the draft.  NFL.com:

Uncertainty coming off a pandemic-abrupted college football season has made for a top-heavy 2021 NFL Draft. As such, the trade chatter ahead of the selection process has been quieter than a normal season.

One team angling to make some noise tonight? The New Orleans Saints.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Thursday morning that the Saints appear to be the team doing the most groundwork for a potential trade up, per sources informed of the situation.

New Orleans has even called into the top 10 to gauge value, per Rapoport.

The Saints own eight draft picks heading into Thursday night, including two third-round comp picks.

With a hole opposite Marshon Lattimore, the Saints have been projected to select a corner in the first round. Sitting at pick No. 28, it’s unlikely one of the top CBs lands in their laps.

AFC WEST

DENVER

Her is the report from ESPN.com on the acquisition of QB TEDDY BRIDGEWATER:

The Carolina Panthers have traded quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to the Denver Broncos for a sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, it was announced Wednesday.

The Panthers will pay $7 million to Bridgewater; the Broncos will pay him $3 million, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

“Acquiring Teddy Bridgewater adds competition, experience and a strong veteran presence to our quarterback room,” Broncos general manager George Paton said in a statement. “He’s a talented player and leader who’s had success in this league in a number of different situations.”

The trade will not take the Broncos, who have the No. 9 overall pick, out of the market for a quarterback in Thursday’s draft, a source told ESPN.

Paton saw several of the top prospects in person at each of their pro days in recent weeks, and the Broncos had representatives at the second pro days for North Dakota State’s Trey Lance and Ohio State’s Justin Fields.

Broncos quarterback Drew Lock had his best game of the 2020 season in a 32-27 win over the Panthers on Dec. 13 in Bank of America Stadium, completing 21 of 27 passes for 280 yards and four touchdowns without an interception.

Paton, who was hired in January, has consistently said the team likes Lock’s potential, and he has praised the quarterback’s work this offseason. Lock, who is 8-10 in two seasons as starter, tied for the league lead with 15 interceptions in 13 starts for the Broncos last season, and his passing rating ranked 32nd.

“We’re still going to look at the quarterback position,” Paton said during his pre-draft news conference last week. “I’ve said since I’ve gotten here that we want to bring in competition. That’s the goal, and we plan on doing that.”

Since 2015, the Broncos have the worst Total QBR (45.2) in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Denver hasn’t been to the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50.

Bridgewater, who signed a three-year, $63 million deal with the Panthers before last season, threw for 3,733 yards in 2020, with 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. By renegotiating the final two years of Bridgewater’s deal, the Panthers will save $6 million in 2021 and $26 million in 2022, a source told ESPN’s David Newton.

The financial concessions by the Panthers for the 2021 season were key to the deal. The Broncos largely sat out the quarterback derby during free agency, with Paton saying he didn’t want to “force it and bring a guy in or overpay a guy to come in and he’s not as good as the guy we have and maybe he’s not good enough to compete.”

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Despite injuries, the Chargers have picked up the fifth year option of S DERWIN JAMES:

Safety Derwin James has been missing for most of the last two seasons, but that didn’t stop the Chargers from picking up their option on his contract for the 2022 season.

Albert Breer of SI.com reported the move on Thursday afternoon. The move guarantees his $9.052 million salary for next season.

James had a strong rookie season for the Chargers that ended with a trip to the Pro Bowl, but he suffered a stress fracture in his foot the next summer that caused him to miss the first three months of the season. His five games that year were five more than he managed in 2020 as a torn meniscus needed season-ending surgery in September.

James had 139 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and three interceptions in his first 21 games and the Chargers will be hoping that the next two seasons feature a lot more of him than the last two.

THIS AND THAT

MOCK DRAFTS FROM THE ATHLETIC ANALYZED

Greg Auman of The Athletic provided the invaluable service of reviewing 32 different Mock Drafts:

It’s finally time for the NFL Draft, and to help you get ready, beat writers for all 32 teams were each tasked by The Athletic’s editors to post a seven-round mock draft for their teams, showing how they thought the board might fall. We’ve compiled every draft and found some interesting trends.

Some of the most widely discussed prospects weren’t picked in a single mock draft (hello, Mac Jones).

Add them all together, and you’d think you might have a full 259-pick mock draft, but because all 32 are done independently and without consultation with the other writers, you actually get something more interesting. There’s quite a bit of overlap, as we discovered nearly a month ago when we did the same study of the last batch of seven-round mocks.

How much overlap? Out of those 259 picks, we mentioned only 163 players, with 64 showing up on more than one mock draft, some as many as five times. This makes sense; some players are inherently more well-known than others, or even more intriguing, and given the choice, a writer will want to float an exciting or unusual name as a better conversation piece.

This allows us to do a bit of mock-draft anthropology. If a writer is given the same assignment twice a month, how much will they change the selections from one version to the next? If there’s an entire story written about which players are most popular with a writing staff, will those players continue to show up frequently, or vanish entirely?

You might be surprised by the results.

The most popular

This was curious: The six players who showed up in four or more mock drafts this week weren’t a big part of the last round of mocks. They were mentioned a combined 27 times this time, but last time, they were mentioned just seven times. Three of the players were not included at all.

Dayo Odeyingbo, DL, Vanderbilt: Somehow the player tied for the most mock-draft inclusions is a prospect who … tore his Achilles tendon during a workout in January. He’s a popular choice as a bargain pick who might not be immediately available. In last month’s mocks, he went at 80 and 90, but in this week’s, he fell to as low as 139 to the Patriots.

Jaelon Darden, WR, North Texas: Dane Brugler’s No. 29 receiver, speedy but short at 5-foot-7, showed up in five mocks, with three in the fourth round and two putting him in the sixth. He had video-game numbers last season, catching 19 touchdown passes in nine games after getting 12 the year before. “His foot quickness and home run gear will leave defenders in his dust,” Brugler wrote in his draft guide, listing him with a 4.44 in the 40-yard dash.

Zech McPhearson, CB, Texas Tech: A month ago, he wasn’t in any of our mocks, but this time, he made five, showing up all over the map. Our Rams writer liked him enough to take him in the third round at No. 88, but our Texans writer thought he still might be there in the seventh round at 233. He had four interceptions last year and scored touchdowns on a 56-yard fumble return and a 90-yard blocked field goal, so there’s big-play potential, wherever he’s drafted.

Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern: How about getting picked in the first round four times? Newsome was the most popular first-round choice, showing up more often than Jaycee Horn (twice), Patrick Surtain (once) combined. Again, that points to expectations of the others being gone and off the board earlier in the draft, as much as it is excitement for Newsome’s upside.

Brady Christensen, T, BYU: Christensen redshirted and took a two-year mission to New Zealand, so he’ll turn 25 in September, but Brugler has him as the No. 8 tackle and No. 62 prospect in this draft. Christensen shows up in a tight cluster in the mid-third, getting picked four times between No. 74 and 86.

Richie Grant, S, Central Florida: Grant was in three mocks last time around and was in four this time, including two different mocks that had him going No. 33, one to the Jaguars and one to the Raiders after a trade with Jacksonville.

First-round favorites

If those 32 mock drafts were to interlock nicely anywhere, you’d think it’s in the first round, where much of draft speculation is focused. And yet we still play favorites, with six prospects showing up as first-rounders with multiple teams.

Newsome, who wasn’t in anyone’s mock draft last month, showed up four times in the first round, going to the Bears (20), Titans (22), Browns (26) and Bills (30) in different mock drafts. This could be a response to him being a hot name; by comparison, Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley (who underwent a microdiscectomy last month) wasn’t in any of our new mocks.

The same is true at quarterback, as North Dakota’s Trey Lance got picked three times in the top 10, with the 49ers taking him (over Alabama’s Mac Jones) at 3, the Patriots trading up to get him at 7 and the Broncos taking him at 9. Nobody picked Jones, though it could be that everyone presumed he was going to San Francisco at 3, that is, except the writer actually picking for the 49ers.

Want an offensive tackle in the second half of the first round? Three of our writers picked Oklahoma State’s Teven Jenkins, who went to the Colts at 21, the Raiders at 25 and the Ravens at 27. USC guard Alijah Vera-Tucker went to the Cardinals at 16 and the Jets at 19. By comparison, nobody picked Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater — again, that could point to an acceptance that he’s already gone rather than any suggestion he isn’t coveted by teams.

Biggest disparity for when a first-rounder will go? Miami edge Jaelan Phillips was matched with the Dolphins (20) and Saints (30) in trades, but also as low as 40 to the Broncos. Alabama center Landon Dickerson made it into the first round with the Vikings in a trade at 32 but also made it all the way to the Packers in the second round at 62.

How much do you change your mock draft?

Most of our team beat writers wrote three or four seven-round mocks this spring, so there’s a natural question as to how much you change up your picks from one mock to the next. Give us your best guess: What percentage of the players from the last wave of mocks were paired with the same team in this week’s final editions?

The correct answer? The repeats accounted for just 39 of 259 picks, which works out to 15 percent. And of course, sticking with a choice is more likely at the top of the draft, as we did with five of the top seven picks — the Jaguars and Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence at 1, the Jets and BYU quarterback Zach Wilson at 2, the 49ers and Lance at 3, the Bengals and LSU receiver Ja’Marr Chase at 5. Our Patriots writer Jeff Howe had New England trading up for Lance in both drafts, going to 6 a month ago and 7 this week.

But only two other first-round picks were repeated, eight second-round picks were the same, and from the third round on, the percent who went to the same team was just 12 percent. To have so much change is logical, as in the real world, when teams test themselves by playing out hypotheticals, the players available when they’re on the clock will change greatly based on the picks ahead of them. Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht, accustomed to picking much higher than No. 32, said last week that it seems like there are “8,000 scenarios” just at the end of the first round.

We pointed out the six most popular players in the last round of our mock drafts, and perhaps as a result of that, those six were much less popular this time around. Those six — listed a combined 25 times in the previous mocks — appeared on just six mock drafts this time around. Syracuse safety Andrew Cisco went from five mentions to one; Wisconsin-Whitewater center Quinn Meinerz went from four to one, and Iowa edge Chauncey Golston and Oklahoma center Creed Humphrey each went from four to none. Boston College linebacker Isaiah McDuffie and Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard both went from four picks to two.

Prospects with the least/greatest disparity where chosen

McPhearson not only showed up in five different mock drafts, he did so in four different rounds: the third, fourth, sixth and seventh. His difference from highest to lowest was 145 picks, easily the most of any prospect. The next closest was Ole Miss tight end Kenny Yeboah, whose picks ranged by 100, from the early fifth to the third-to-last pick of the draft. Of the 41 prospects to show up twice, the largest disparity was Penn State edge Shaka Toney, who went 127th to the Vikings and 209th to the Rams, a difference of 82 picks.

On the other end of things, seven prospects showed up twice and within a span of just four picks or less. That’s not unusual with a first-round pick like Horn (11th and 15th) or Vera-Tucker (16th and 19th), but it’s stranger with Arkansas defensive lineman Jonathan Marshall, chosen three picks apart at the end of the fifth round.

What about comparing picks to our Consensus Big Board, looking for the biggest reaches and most optimistic guys still available? McPhearson pops out here as well, going 88th in one mock with a consensus ranking of 242 for a difference of 154 spots. Close behind is Texas A&M guard Jared Hocker, taken 148th in one mock with a consensus of 295 for a +147 score. Other bold picks include Michigan tight end Ben Mason and Boston College linebacker Isaiah McDuffie, both 107 above consensus, and Central Florida tight end/receiver Jacob Harris, 106 spots higher than the consensus.

On the opposite end, Miami’s Jaelan Phillips is 19th on the consensus and went 41st in one mock, and Alabama’s Dickerson went 29 spots later than his consensus ranking, with Kentucky corner Kelvin Joseph (41 after consensus), Syracuse’s Cisco (42) and Louisiana Tech defensive lineman Milton Williams (46) among the most hopeful selections.

DANIEL JEREMIAH’S MOCK DRAFT

With the 2021 NFL Draft set to kick off on Thursday in Cleveland at 8 p.m. ET, here’s my final projection for Round 1.

1 – Jacksonville Jaguars

Trevor Lawrence

Clemson · QB

Nothing changed wire to wire. Lawrence was the obvious pick when Urban Meyer took the head-coaching job in January, and Lawrence is still the obvious pick today.

2 – New York Jets

Zach Wilson

BYU · QB

It seems like this is a forgone conclusion. Wilson has the perfect skill set for Mike LaFleur’s offense.

3 – San Francisco 49ers

Mac Jones

Alabama · QB

Kyle Shanahan covets accuracy and good decision-making. Those are Jones’ best qualities. In my gut, I still feel like Trey Lance could be the pick here even though all signs are pointing to Mac.

4 – Atlanta Falcons

Kyle Pitts

Florida · TE

If Trey Lance is still available, this pick becomes a coin flip between him and Pitts. Ultimately, Terry Fontenot hits a home run with his first selection as Atlanta’s GM.

5 – Cincinnati Bengals

Penei Sewell

Oregon · OT

I have been thinking Ja’Marr Chase would be the pick here for a while, with Cincinnati waiting to add offensive line help in the second round. However, it’s starting to look like we could see a major run on offensive tackles late in the first round, which could force the Bengals to take Sewell at No. 5.

6 – Miami Dolphins

Ja’Marr Chase

LSU · WR

The Dolphins would be relieved if Chase fell to them at No. 6. There’s a very real chance that both Pitts and Chase could be selected before Miami is on the clock.

7 – Denver Broncos (Mock Trade with Detroit)

Justin Fields

Ohio State · QB

There are a lot of rumblings about the Broncos’ interest in Fields, even after the trade to acquire Teddy Bridgewater. It would make sense for them to position themselves ahead of the Panthers to make sure they get him.

8 – Carolina Panthers

Patrick Surtain II

Alabama · CB

Matt Rhule has been building a long, athletic and fast defense. He adds the best defensive player in this year’s class with the selection of Surtain. Keep in mind that Donte Jackson is due to become a free agent in 2022.

9 – Detroit Lions (Mock Trade with Denver)

Rashawn Slater

Northwestern · OT

The Lions trade down and still land my top-rated offensive lineman in the draft. Slater can step in at right tackle and help protect Jared Goff.

10 – Dallas Cowboys

Jaycee Horn

South Carolina · CB

Everyone around the league seems to believe the Cowboys are locked in on the draft’s top two corners. There’s a dropoff at the position after Surtain and Horn, so Dallas strikes to land the best CB remaining. Horn’s a plug-and-play guy opposite Trevon Diggs.

11 – New England Patriots (Mock Trade with Giants)

Trey Lance

North Dakota State · QB

I think there’s a very real possibility Lance will be the third or fourth overall pick. If he somehow gets to this point in the draft, I think multiple teams will be competing to move up for him. The former NDSU QB has a lot of qualities the Patriots value.

12 – Philadelphia Eagles

DeVonta Smith

Alabama · WR

Ideally, you don’t pick a wide receiver in the first round in consecutive years, but Smith is too good to pass up at No. 12. He gives the Eagles the true No. 1 WR they’re lacking.

13 – Los Angeles Chargers

Jaylen Waddle

Alabama · WR

I could see the Chargers trading back and drafting an edge rusher. If they stay put at No. 13, Waddle would be the perfect complement to Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

14,- Minnesota Vikings

Jaelan Phillips

Miami · Edge

Phillips is the most talented edge rusher in this year’s class and wouldn’t be available this late if not for his injury history. The Vikings ranked 28th in sacks last season, but the pass rush should be more productive with Phillips and a healthy Danielle Hunter in the fold.

15 – New York Giants (Mock Trade with Patriots

Micah Parsons

Penn State · LB

I know I joked recently about Giants GM Dave Gettleman never trading down, but hey, there’s a first time for everything! The team has added some nice pieces up front and at cornerback in recent offseasons, but Parsons gives them the difference-maker they need at the second level of the defense.

16 – Arizona Cardinals

Zaven Collins

Tulsa · LB

The Cardinals are currently without a third- or fourth-round pick, so I’ll be surprised if they don’t trade down and acquire more draft capital. Collins is someone they could target at No. 16 or a little later in the round if they do make a deal. Arizona has embraced hybrid defenders who can line up at multiple spots like Isaiah Simmons, and it adds another one here.

17 – Las Vegas Raiders

Alijah Vera-Tucker

USC · OL

Las Vegas continues to remake its offensive line. Vera-Tucker is one of the best and safest players in the draft.

18 – Miami Dolphins

Kwity Paye

Michigan · Edge

The Dolphins add to one of the NFL’s best defenses after addressing the offense with their first pick. Paye is going to benefit from having some positional stability off the edge in Miami.

19 – Washington Football Team

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

Notre Dame · LB

Washington still has major needs on the offensive line, even after trading for Ereck Flowers this week. However, head coach Ron Rivera has a track record of taking athletic linebackers in the first round (Luke Kuechly, Shaq Thompson). Owusu-Koramoah’s speed and intelligence will be highly coveted.

20 – Chicago Bears

Greg Newsome II

Northwestern · CB

The Bears could use offensive line help, but they also need to fill the void left by Kyle Fuller. GM Ryan Pace doesn’t have to travel far to find Newsome, who fits the bill.

21 – Indianapolis Colts

Joe Tryon

Washington · Edge

I could see the Colts trading down before selecting an offensive lineman or pass rusher. Tryon has all the traits teams look for in an edge defender.

22 – Tennessee Titans

Elijah Moore

Mississippi · WR

This could be a spot for a cornerback, but after losing Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith this offseason, the Titans need another weapon. Former Ole Miss stars Moore and A.J. Brown reunite in Tennessee.

23 – New York Jets

Travis Etienne

Clemson · RB

The Jets could go in a number of directions here. Trading up for an offensive lineman or trading down for a cornerback would make sense. If they stay put, Etienne would be a perfect fit for the outside-zone run game they employ.

24 – Pittsburgh Steelers

Teven Jenkins

Oklahoma State · OT

There’s a lot of buzz about Najee Harris going to the Steelers, but Pittsburgh opts to fill a hole on the front five before finding a running back to help an offense that ranked last in rushing in 2020.

25 – Jacksonville Jaguars

Christian Darrisaw

Virginia Tech · OT

We always have some surprise matches in the first round, and this could be one of them. With Cam Robinson receiving the franchise tag, Darrisaw can be the left tackle of the future or perhaps even the present. This pick could free up Jacksonville to trade Robinson.

26 – Cleveland Browns

Jamin Davis

Kentucky · LB

The Browns need more speed and athleticism at linebacker. Davis provides both.

27 – Baltimore Ravens

Jayson Oweh

Penn State · Edge

Oweh wasn’t highly productive last season (zero sacks), but he was highly disruptive. He’s a freakish athlete, and Ravens defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale is an expert at finding favorable matchups for his players.

28 – New Orleans Saints

Tyson Campbell

Georgia · CB

New Orleans has a huge need at corner. Campbell is still a little bit raw, but his physical tools are enticing.

29 – Green Bay Packers

Dillon Radunz

North Dakota State · OT

If Elijah Moore were to fall, I think the Packers would take him, even though it’s been 19 years since they picked a wide receiver in Round 1 (Javon Walker, 2002). With Moore off the board in this scenario, Green Bay finds a fit on the offensive line in Radunz, who is one of the most underrated players in the draft. He is very similar to David Bakhtiari from a size and athletic testing perspective.

30 – Buffalo Bills

Asante Samuel Jr.

Florida State · CB

Bills head coach Sean McDermott looks to recreate the kind of success he had coaching Samuel’s father. Samuel Sr. had 16 interceptions with the Eagles from 2009 to 2010, the most in the NFL in that span (and five more than any other player) when McDermott was Philadelphia’s defensive coordinator.

31 – Baltimore Ravens

Liam Eichenberg

Notre Dame · OT

The Ravens need a right tackle to replace Orlando Brown. Eichenberg pairs with Ronnie Stanley to give Baltimore a pair of Notre Dame bookends.

32 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Najee Harris

Alabama · RB

Tampa Bay can afford to simply take the best player available. With Giovani Bernard, Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones due to become free agents in 2022, the Bucs find a long-term answer at RB in Harris.

DANE BRUGLER’S MOCK DRAFT

Another respected voice – Dane Brugler of The Athletic:

To be honest, I feel great about the first two picks, and then my confidence level declines rapidly. But based on my conversations with many around the league, this is how I mapped it out.

Note: No trade projections were part of this mock draft.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars — Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

Lawrence has been billed as a future No. 1 player since high school, and it finally comes to fruition.

2. New York Jets — Zach Wilson, QB, BYU

No last-minute changes for the Jets. With an impressive junior season, Wilson emerged as the second-ranked quarterback in this class for several teams around the league, including New York. There is no question about his talent, and now it is up to the new coaching staff to cultivate and develop his skills.

3. San Francisco 49ers (via Miami) — Mac Jones, QB, Alabama

Trey Lance was the name that popped into my head the moment the 49ers acquired this pick from the Dolphins last month. He’s the perfect fit for San Francisco. And there is absolutely still a chance he could be the pick here. But I am leaning toward Jones because I’m doing this mock draft based on what I’m hearing, not what I think they should do.

4. Atlanta Falcons — Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida

In a perfect world, the Falcons are able to trade back and load up on picks, adding young, cheap players for their cap-strapped roster. But if they stay put, Pitts is a hell of a fallback plan. I would jump at the chance to develop Lance behind Matt Ryan, but does Atlanta agree?

5. Cincinnati Bengals — Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU

Offensive tackle or wide receiver? All signs point to Chase as the Bengals look to replace A.J. Green as the downfield threat and true No. 1 target in the offense.

6. Miami Dolphins — Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama

With the Dolphins moving Robert Hunt inside to guard, Oregon’s Penei Sewell would be a logical fit for Miami at right tackle. But I still think they have their eyes on a pass-catcher who can help Tua Tagovailoa develop as a passer.

7. Detroit Lions — Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon

The Lions are open for business and would welcome a trade here — either from a team looking to upgrade at left tackle (Chargers) or draft one of the quarterbacks (Patriots). But if they stay put, Sewell makes the most sense for a rebuilding team as the immediate starter at right tackle and long-term answer at left tackle.

8. Carolina Panthers — Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina

A quarterback should not be ruled out here if Carolina looks to hedge its Sam Darnold bet with a draft-and-develop passer. But if they go non-quarterback and don’t trade back, cornerback makes sense, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Horn as the first defensive player drafted.

9. Denver Broncos — Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State

Yes, the Broncos acquired Teddy Bridgewater, but he is more of an insurance policy than the long-term answer. If the right quarterback falls to No. 9, Bridgewater will not stop Denver from adding a promising passer like Lance who can be part of an improved quarterback room and develop at his own pace.

10. Dallas Cowboys — Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama

Horn or Surtain? That is the question being asked among Cowboys fans right now as Dallas looks to upgrade the cornerback depth chart. But with Horn off the board in this scenario, the choice is made for them.

11. New York Giants — Kwity Paye, edge, Michigan

Is Paye the 11th-best player in the draft? Debatable. But several teams believe him to be the best pass rusher available, which is a position the Giants are looking to upgrade. The chance to draft his choice of pass rushers will likely be appealing to Dave Gettleman.

12. Philadelphia Eagles — DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama

It would not be surprising to see the Eagles trade up a few spots to nab a cornerback, but Smith isn’t a bad backup plan if they stay put. Nobody would be happier with this pick than his former teammate Jalen Hurts, who is entering a prove-it year as the Eagles’ starting quarterback.

13. Los Angeles Chargers — Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern

The Chargers will likely explore a trade up for Sewell, but there is also a possibility that Slater falls to them. The Northwestern left tackle would give Los Angeles an upgrade blocking Justin Herbert’s blindside.

14. Minnesota Vikings — Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT/G, USC

With all indications pointing towards Ezra Cleveland returning to left tackle, the Vikings will have an opening inside at guard. Vera-Tucker is a high-floor prospect who should start from day one.

15. New England Patriots — Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State

Whether Fields falls out of the top 10 or the Patriots make an aggressive trade to go get him, this feels like a great match for both sides. Fields would have the opportunity to learn under Cam Newton before taking over as the starter in New England.

16. Arizona Cardinals — Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa

The Cardinals have a history of drafting talented hybrid defenders, and they have shown a lot of interest in Collins. His ability to rush and cover makes him an intriguing fit in Arizona’s scheme.

17. Las Vegas Raiders – Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech

With Micah Parsons, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Jamin Davis still on the board, linebacker is certainly in play here. But the addition of Darrisaw to lock down the right tackle spot would be a substantial boost to Las Vegas’ offense.

18. Miami Dolphins — Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State

The Dolphins are eyeing a pass rusher at this spot, but Parsons could be one of those players who is too good to pass up. The Penn State product would be a natural fit in coach Brian Flores’ scheme, although there is plenty of chatter that this is where the first running back will be drafted.

19. Washington Football Team — Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame

Washington could go offense here with a left tackle or possibly trade up for a quarterback. But if they go defense, linebacker makes sense with either Owusu-Koramoah or Jamin Davis.

20. Chicago Bears — Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State

A few teams have expressed concern with Jenkins, but if the Bears want to upgrade the right tackle position, he makes sense here as a plug-and-play starter.

21. Indianapolis Colts — Jaelan Phillips, edge, Miami (Fla.)

The Colts would love to trade back from this spot and add extra draft capital, especially with their need to address left tackle. But if they stay put, a high-ceiling pass rusher like Phillips could be in play.

22. Tennessee Titans — Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss

The Titans have several obvious holes, including cornerback and right tackle. But Moore’s explosiveness and ball skills would add another dimension to Tennessee’s passing game.

23. New York Jets (via Seattle) — Landon Dickerson, OG/C, Alabama

There are medical concerns, but Dickerson just screams the type of player Jets general manager Joe Douglas loves and targets in a first-round pick. If the Jets are comfortable with his injury history, he provides an immediate and substantial upgrade on the interior offensive line.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers — Najee Harris, RB, Alabama

Rival teams expect the Steelers to consider offensive tackle (Teven Jenkins) or linebacker (Zaven Collins) here, but Harris fits like a glove in Pittsburgh.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (via LA Rams) — Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech

Farley is the wild card of the first round due to his medical history. He could go top 20 or fall out of the first round completely, but Jacksonville is one of the teams considering him on Thursday night.

26. Cleveland Browns — Greg Newsome, CB, Northwestern

The Browns could surprise (wide receiver?), but pass rusher or cornerback are the most likely picks here. With his athletic profile, football intelligence and age (20), Newsome would be an ideal fit in Cleveland.

27. Baltimore Ravens — Azeez Ojulari, edge, Georgia

Talented players tend to find the Ravens in the draft, so Ojulari falling to No. 27 makes all the sense in the world. There are a few questions medically, but several teams believe he still goes in the first round.

28. New Orleans Saints — Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky

With three picks on day two, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Saints trade up for a cornerback. There are several directions they could go if they stay at No. 28, including Davis.

29. Green Bay Packers — Alex Leatherwood, OT/G, Alabama

This is a strong offensive tackle class, but the Packers might not be willing to see if the position stretches until the late second round. Leatherwood has the position flexibility to help Green Bay at both tackle and guard.

30. Buffalo Bills — Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson

Buffalo has made it no secret that it covets a home run hitter in the backfield, which is exactly what Etienne could provide. If he is off the board, look for Buffalo to go pass rusher or corner and target North Carolina’s Michael Carter on day two.

31. Baltimore Ravens (via Kansas City) — Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota

Could Baltimore be in on the Julio Jones trade sweepstakes? That would obviously change this pick, but as it stands right now Bateman would give Lamar Jackson a dependable target from Day 1.

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Jayson Oweh, edge, Penn State

The defending Super Bowl champs bring back basically everyone, but Jason Pierre-Paul isn’t getting any younger and is in the final year of his deal. Oweh can be a sub package rusher as a rookie before stepping into the starting role in 2022.