Themes from an ESPN Mock Draft: Travis Hunter, Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, Ashton Jeanty and More

I love mock drafts. Everyone loves mock drafts; that's why they're all over the internet. It's a great chance to learn about the prospects who are seen among the best in the class and get an idea of what positions each team might be targeting.

There's also another less popular truth: Mock drafts are pretty worthless in terms of true analysis. We usually get a good idea of what the top teams are going to do, but the certainty fades quickly, and even the guys who spend their lives picking apart the draft are wrong in most of their predictions.

The draft is about hope, though, and even more hope exists before the picks are actually made. Right now, the Raiders at No. 6 could get their quarterback of the future, a top-tier offensive or defensive lineman, or a lockdown corner. It's a can't-miss proposition.

Of course, many draft picks won't work out as expected, and the negative vibes can start as early as draft night. No one wants to think about that right now, though. As a Raiders fan, I'm ensconced in all the paths to greatness with the sixth pick, not the possibility that they could make the worst pick of the draft.

Mock drafts usually follow several themes, as certain positions seem to be loaded with early talent while others are scarce at the top, and many analysts get the same information from team and public sources. ESPN released a mock draft (ESPN+ subscription required) on Tuesday from Field Yates, one of their draftniks who has been on this class since last year's event ended.

Let's look at a few of the themes of this early mock and how it compares to popular predictions. A lot is going to change over the next 10 weeks. The combine and pro days will take place in that time, and free agency and trades will shift team needs, maybe even to the surprise of the teams themselves. This is a good chance to see where some things stand early in the offseason, though.

1. Tennessee Titans – WR/CB Travis Hunter, Colorado

2. Cleveland Browns – Edge Rusher Abdul Carter, Penn State

The biggest note here is that both teams could theoretically draft a quarterback but skip the position in this scenario. Hunter and Carter are generally seen as the best players in the class, and they will likely be the top two non-quarterbacks drafted.

Another team could trade up for a QB, or one of these teams could decide to go that route, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see Hunter and Carter go off the board in some order in the top two picks.

3. New York Giants – QB Cam Ward, Miami

Another general consensus is that the Giants are the most likely team to draft a quarterback. The duo of GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll inherited Daniel Jones as their starting QB, and Jones accidentally had his best season, leading the team to sign him to a new contract.

Things have gone downhill ever since, and the GM/coach team were in danger of losing their jobs after a three-win 2024. They will get their chance to succeed with a quarterback of their own choosing; this is the biggest decision the franchise will make since at least that Jones contract and maybe even as far back as trading for Eli Manning on draft night.

6. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

And here's the other passer virtually guaranteed to go in the first round. I joked about the Raiders above, but nothing about the past 20 years has been worth laughing at (unless you finally lost your mind and now just cackle at the misery, as I sometimes do). Vegas is in dire need of a spark, and a new quarterback could be that shot in the arm.

Sanders, the son of Deion, is more of a pocket passer than Ward, who uses both his arm and legs to make an impact. Sanders is more like C.J. Stroud, while Ward is more of a Jayden Daniels type player, to analogize using two recent players. Each has a chance to succeed, but that's far from a guarantee if they end up on the Giants and Raiders, as in this example.

14. Indianapolis Colts – TE Tyler Warren, Penn State

22. Los Angeles Chargers – TE Colston Loveland, Michigan

Tight end is usually seen as more of a secondary position rather than the premier spots, like wide receiver. The past two seasons have seen rookies burst onto the scene: after Sam LaPorta had 86 receptions for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2023, Brock Bowers went on to break all kinds of records on his way to 112/1,194/5.

With two tight ends going in the first round here, I wonder how much is a product of those two excelling and how much is about these guys truly being studs. There are also several Day 2 picks that scouts like; this class has a lot of TE prospects entering the league with hype.

20. Denver Broncos – RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State

Speaking of secondary positions, running backs have been devalued more than anyone else as the league leans more into the passing game. Jeanty is different, though. He came in second in Heisman voting after running for over 2,600 yards, and he's seen as the best running back prospect since Saquon Barkley.

When I looked at possible landing spots for Jeanty a few weeks back, Denver was one of my favorite predictions. He is seen as a top-10 prospect in the class, so a team getting him this low can be seen as tremendous value, even with his devalued position.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers - QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

Dart isn't seen as a first-round prospect, but quarterbacks always find their way up the board. Pittsburgh might be hesitant to pull the trigger on another iffy QB after the Kenny Pickett experiment went up in flames, but Dart could be the third passer off the board. Teams at this point and later will surely be checking in to see if anyone (Dart or someone else) can warrant that late first-round pick.

A lesson from the Eagles?

In a conversation with a friend a few days before the Super Bowl, I was talking about how I don't really like Philadelphia, but I can't argue with how they built their roster. If I owned an NFL team, I would want my GM to build it the same way the Eagles have.

A big part of that is the focus on the offensive and defensive lines. Outside of quarterback, those are arguably the most important people on the field, as every play relies on offensive timing and the defense trying to throw that off.

This draft class has a lot of talent on the lines. The mock draft projects 18 offensive linemen, defensive linemen, and pass rushers out of the 32 picks. That's not a fluke, either, as many experts see it the same way. Building through the lines isn't a new concept; the Eagles are far from the first team to focus on pressuring/protecting the quarterback.

After watching the big men help lead Barkley to 2,000 yards and then win the Super Bowl with relentless pressure on Patrick Mahomes, though, teams were surely given a clear reminder that many battles are won in the trenches. Everyone wants a new quarterback or the best skill players, but look at the most successful teams, and you'll notice that good play on the offensive and defensive lines is paramount.