I made a massive spreadsheet of programs with some criteria to help me identify programs I wanted to apply to. A few programs are missing from this list, but I figured it would be a good jumping off point for anyone else wanting to get started with their search.

School	Link	State	City
AdventHealth	https://www.ahu.edu/academics/doctor-of-nurse-anesthesia-practice	FL	Orlando
Albany Medical	https://www.amc.edu/admissions/nurse-anesthesiology-admissions/	NY	Albany
ASU Jonesboro	https://www.astate.edu/info/academics/degrees/degree-details.dot?mid=a852b138-3585-4f37-a1c1-963de7c7c194	AR	Jonesboro
Augusta	https://www.augusta.edu/nursing/dnp/nap.php	GA	Augusta
Barry	https://www.barry.edu/en/academics/health-sciences/post-baccalaureate-dnp-with-specialization-in-anesthesiology/	FL	Miami Shores
Baylor	https://www.bcm.edu/education/schools/school-of-health-professions/programs/doctor-of-nursing-practice-nurse-anesthesia	TX	Houston
Bellarmine	https://www.bellarmine.edu/lansing/nursing/graduate/dnp-na/	KY	Louisville
Boston College	https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/cson/academics/dnp-in-nurse-anesthesia.html	MA	Chestnut Hill
Bryan College	http://www.bryanlgh.com/NurseAnesthesia	NE	Lincoln
California State Kaiser	http://www.kpsan.org/index.php	CA	Pasadena
CAMC SOA	http://www.camcinstitute.org/anesthesia/default.htm	WV	Charleston
Cedar Crest College	https://www.cedarcrest.edu/sage/dnp/index.shtm	PA	Allentown
Central Connecticut State	https://www.ynhh.org/medical-professionals/sna.aspx	CT	New Haven
Clarkson College	https://my.clevelandclinic.org/departments/anesthesiology/medical-professionals/school-of-nurse-anesthesia#overview-tab	NE	Omaha
Cleveland Clinic Foundation	https://my.clevelandclinic.org/departments/anesthesiology/medical-professionals/school-of-nurse-anesthesia#overview-tab	OH	Cleveland
Columbia	https://www.nursing.columbia.edu/programs/masters-nurse-anesthesia	NY	New York
Drexel	https://drexel.edu/cnhp/academics/doctoral/DNP-NA/	PA	Philadelphia
Duke	https://nursing.duke.edu/academic-programs/dnp-program-nursing/nurse-anesthesia-dnp	NC	Durham
East Carolina	https://nursing.ecu.edu/dnp/crna/	NC	Greenville
Emory	http://nursing.emory.edu/admission-and-aid/doctoral-programs/anesthesia-dnp.html	GA	Atlanta
Saint Vincent College	https://www.excelahealth.org/careers/anesthesia-school/	PA	Latrobe
Fairfield Bridgeport	https://www.fairfield.edu/graduate-and-professional-studies/egan-school-of-nursing-and-health-studies/programs/doctor-of-nursing-practice-anesthesia/	CT	Bridgeport
FL Gulf Coast	https://www.fgcu.edu/mariebcollege/nursing/nurseanesthesiology-bsndnp	FL	Fort Myers
FL Gulf Coast 2	https://www.fgcu.edu/mariebcollege/nursing/nurseanesthesiology-bsndnp	FL	Miami
Florida State	https://pc.fsu.edu/nap/program	FL	Panama City
Frances Payne Bolton Case Western Reserve	https://case.edu/nursing/admissions/how-apply/dnp	OH	Cleveland
Franciscan Healthcare	http://mayoclinichealthsystem.org/locations/la-crosse/education/school-of-anesthesia	WI	La Crosse
Franciscan Missionaries	https://www.franu.edu/academics/academic-programs/nurse-anesthesia	LA	Baton Rouge
Geisinger	https://www.bloomu.edu/academics/programs/nurse-anesthesia-bsn-dnp	PA	Danville
Georgetown	https://nurseanesthesia.georgetown.edu/	DC	Washington, DC
Goldfarb Barnes	https://www.barnesjewishcollege.edu/doctoral-degree/nurse-anesthesia/	MO	St. Louis
Gonzaga	https://www.gonzaga.edu/school-of-nursing-human-physiology/departments/doctor-of-nurse-anesthesia	WA	Spokane
Hofstra	https://www.hofstra.edu/academics/colleges/nursing-physician-assistant/dnp-agacnp-crna.html	NY	Hempstead
Integrated Anesthesia Associates	https://iaapartners.com/education/nurse-anesthesia-program-of-hartford/	CT	Hartford
Johns Hopkins	https://nursing.jhu.edu/academics/programs/doctoral/dnp/dnp-anesthesiology/index.html	MD	Baltimore
Keiser University	https://www.keiseruniversity.edu/nurse-anesthesia-practice-dnap-entry-into-practice/	FL	Naples
La Roche College	https://laroche.edu/Admissions/Graduate/Requirements_and_Application/Doctor_of_Nurse_Anesthesia_Practice/	PA	Pittsburgh
Lincoln Memorial	https://www.lmunet.edu/caylor-school-of-nursing/doctor-of-nursing-practice/dnp-nurse-anesthesia/dnp-nursing-anesthesia	TN	Harrogate
Loma Linda	https://llu.edu/academics/programs/nursing-nurse-anesthesia-dnp	CA	Loma Linda
Louisiana	https://nursing.lsuhsc.edu/nap/	LA	New Orleans
Lourdes	http://www.lourdes.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions/nap/	OH	Sylvania
Loyola	https://www.loyno.edu/academics/colleges/loyola-online/doctor-nursing-practice-online-hybrid-options	LA	New Orleans
Marian	https://www.marian.edu/school-of-nursing/programs/doctor-of-nursing-practice/nurse-anesthesia-track	IN	Indianapolis
Marquette	https://www.marquette.edu/grad/nurse-anesthetist-dnp.php	WI	Milwaukee
Mary Baldwin	https://learn.marybaldwin.edu/programs/dnp-nurse-anesthesiology/	VA	Staunton
Mayo Clinic	https://college.mayo.edu/academics/health-sciences-education/doctor-of-nurse-anesthesia-practice-program-minnesota/	MN	Rochester
Univ of SC	https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/medicine/education/graduate_programs/nurse_anesthesia/index.php	SC	Charleston
Metropolitan State	https://www.nurseanesthesia.org/admissions	MN	Shoreview
Michigan State	http://www.nursing.msu.edu/DNP/Nurse%20Anesthesia/default.htm	MI	East Lansing
Middle Tennessee	https://mtsa.edu/academics/practicedoctorate/	TN	Madison
Midwestern	https://www.midwestern.edu/academics/degrees-programs/college-health-sciences/doctor-nurse-anesthesia-entry-practice-program	AZ	Glendale
Millikin	https://millikin.edu/academics/graduate/dnp/areas-study/nurse-anesthesia-program	IL	Decatur
Missouri State	http://www.missouristate.edu/bms/dnap/	MO	Springfield
Mount Marty	https://www.mountmarty.edu/academics/majors-and-programs/doctor-of-nurse-anesthesia-practice/doctor-of-nurse-anesthesia-practice/	SD	Sioux Falls
Murray State	https://www.murraystate.edu/academics/CollegesDepartments/nursing-and-health-professions/nursing/bsn-to-dnp/na.aspx	KY	Madisonville
National	https://www.nu.edu/degrees/nursing/programs/doctor-of-nurse-anesthesia-practice-dnap/	CA	Fresno
Newman	https://newmanu.edu/academics/graduate-programs/nurse-anesthesia-wichita/doctor-nurse-anesthesia	KS	Wichita
Northeastern	https://bouve.northeastern.edu/nursing/programs/doctor-of-nursing-practice-dnp-nurse-anesthesia/	MA	Boston
Northern Kentucky	https://www.nku.edu/academics/chhs/programs/graduate/nap.html	KY	Highland Heights
NorthShore	https://www.northshore.org/academics/academic-programs/other-programs/school-of-nurse-anesthesia/	IL	Evanston
Northwestern State	https://www.nsula.edu/nursing/nursing-programs/	LA	Natchitoches
Oakland	https://www.beaumont.edu/nursing-education/nurse-anesthesia	MI	Royal Oak
Old Dominion	https://www.odu.edu/academics/programs/doctoral/nurse-anesthesia	VA	Norfolk
Oregon	https://www.ohsu.edu/school-of-nursing/nurse-anesthesia	OR	Portland
Raleigh UNCG	https://nursing.uncg.edu/academics/graduate/dnp/post-bsn-dnp-na/	NC	Greensboro
Rhode Island College	https://www.sjhsna.com/	RI	North Providence
Rosalind Franklin	https://www.rosalindfranklin.edu/academics/college-of-health-professions/degree-programs/doctor-of-nursing-practice-entry-dnp/	IL	North Chicago
Rush	https://www.rushu.rush.edu/college-nursing/programs-admissions/nurse-anesthesia-dnp-crna-program?c=RushUnivLevel4Page&cid=1222091409137&pagename=Rush/RushUnivLevel4Page/Level_4_College_GME_CME_Page	IL	Chicago
Rutgers	https://nursing.rutgers.edu/academics-admissions/graduate/dnp/anesthesia/	NJ	Newark
Southern Illinois	https://www.siue.edu/academics/graduate/degrees-and-programs/doctor-of-nursing-practice/nurse-anesthesia/	IL	Edwardsville
Saint Mary	https://www.smumn.edu/doctor-of-nursing-practice-in-nurse-anesthesiology-dnp/	MN	Minneapolis
Samford	https://www.samford.edu/nursing/nurse-anesthesia	AL	Birmingham
Samuel Merritt	https://www.samuelmerritt.edu/college-nursing/anesthesia-doctor-nursing-practice	CA	Oakland
South College	https://www.south.edu/programs/doctor-of-nursing-practice-with-a-concentration-in-nurse-anesthesia/	TN	Knoxville
SUNY Buffalo	http://nursing.buffalo.edu/academic-programs/graduate-programs/dnp/post-bs-dnp.html	NY	Buffalo
Texas Christian	https://harriscollege.tcu.edu/nurse-anesthesia/dnap/admission.php	TX	Fort Worth
Texas Wesleyan	https://txwes.edu/academics/health-professions/graduate-programs/nurse-anesthesia/	TX	Fort Worth
Thomas Jefferson	https://www.jefferson.edu/academics/colleges-schools-institutes/nursing/degrees-programs/doctor-nursing-practice/post-bachelor-science-dnp-anesthesia.html	PA	Philadelphia
Truman	https://www.universityhealthkc.org/education/nursing/school-of-nurse-anesthesia/	MO	Kansas City
Univ of Al Birmingham	https://www.uab.edu/nursing/home/academics/doctoral/dnp/bsn-to-dnp-nurse-anesthesia	AL	Birmingham
Akron	https://www.uakron.edu/nursing/academic-programs/graduate-programs/msn/anesthesia.dot	OH	Akron
Arizona	https://www.nursing.arizona.edu/academics/doctor-nursing-practice-dnp/specialties/nurse-anesthesia	AZ	Tucson
Arkansas	https://nursing.uams.edu/future-students/academics-and-admissions/dnp/	AR	Little Rock
Cincinnati	https://nursing.uc.edu/academic-programs/dnp/nurse-anesthesia-bsn-to-dnp.html%22,%22University%20of%20Cincinnati.html	OH	Cincinnati
Detroit Mercy	http://healthprofessions.udmercy.edu/programs/crna/	MI	Detroit
Evansville	https://www.evansville.edu/majors/nurse-anesthesia-program/	IN	Evansville
Iowa	https://nursing.uiowa.edu/anesthesia	IA	Iowa City
Kansas	http://www.kumc.edu/school-of-health-professions/nurse-anesthesia-education.html	KS	Kansas City
Louisville	https://louisville.edu/nursing/academics/dnp/nap/admission-requirements	KY	Louisville
Univ of Michigan Flint	https://www.umflint.edu/graduateprograms/anesthesia-entry-level-dnap	MI	Flint
Maryland	https://www.nursing.umaryland.edu/academics/doctoral/dnp/dnp-nurse-anesthesia/	MD	Baltimore
Miami	http://anesthesia.sonhs.miami.edu/index.html	FL	Miami
Twin Cities	https://nursing.umn.edu/academics/doctor-nursing-practice/specialty-areas/nurse-anesthesia	MN	Minneapolis
Mobile	https://umobile.edu/school-of-nurse-anesthesia/	AL	Mobile
Florida	http://www.unf.edu/brooks/nurse-anesthesia/	FL	Jacksonville
New England	https://www.une.edu/wchp/sna	ME	Portland
North Dakota	https://cnpd.und.edu/nursing/nurse-anesthesia-dnp.html	ND	Grand Forks
Pennsylvania	http://www.nursing.upenn.edu/crna/Pages/CRNA-Welcome.aspx	PA	Philadelphia
Pittsburgh	http://www.nursing.pitt.edu/degree-programs/doctor-nursing-practice-dnp/bsn-dnp-nurse-anesthesia-onsite	PA	Pittsburgh
South Florida	https://health.usf.edu/nursing/graduate/programs/crna-dnp	FL	Tampa
Scranton	https://www.scranton.edu/academics/graduate-education/programs/pcps/nursing/dnp-nurse-anesthesia.shtml	PA	Scranton
South Carolina	http://anesthesia.med.sc.edu/index.asp	SC	Columbia
South Dakota	https://www.usd.edu/Academics/Graduate-Programs/Nurse-Anesthesia-Practice	SD	Vermillion
Southern California	http://keck.usc.edu/anesthesiology/training-education/nurse-anesthesia-program/	CA	Los Angeles
Southern Mississippi	https://www.usm.edu/graduate-programs/nursing-nurse-anesthesia.php	MS	Hattiesburg
UTN Chattanooga	https://www.utc.edu/health-education-and-professional-studies/school-of-nursing/nurse-anesthesia/admissions	TN	Chattanooga
UTN Knoxville	http://gsm.utmck.edu/anesthesiology/nurseanes.cfm	TN	Knoxville
UTN Memphis	http://www.uthsc.edu/nursing/academic-programs/DNP/nurse_anesthesia/	TN	Memphis
Tulsa	https://healthsciences.utulsa.edu/nursing/nurse-anesthesia/	OK	Tulsa
Wisconsin Oshkosh	https://uwosh.edu/con/graduate/doctoral/anesthesia/	WI	Oshkosh
UC Davis	https://health.ucdavis.edu/nursing/academics/programs/dnp-nurse-anesthesia.html	CA	Sacramento
UNC Charlotte	https://atriumhealth.org/education/graduate-medical-education/school-of-nurse-anesthesia	NC	Charlotte
Union	http://www.uu.edu/programs/nursing/dnp/bsndnp/anesthesia/	TN	Jackson
UPMC Hamot	http://www.hamotschoolofanesthesia.org/	PA	Erie
UT Houston	https://nursing.uth.edu/programs/dnp/nurse-anesthesia/admission-requirements	TX	Houston
UT San Antonio	https://uthscsa.edu/nursing/programs/graduate/post-bsn-to-dnp-nurse-anesthesia	TX	San Antonio
Villanova	https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/nursing/programs/graduate/doctor_nursing_practice_program/dnpanesthesia_track.html	PA	Villanova
Virginia Commonwealth	https://nrsa.chp.vcu.edu/	VA	Richmond
Wake Forest	https://school.wakehealth.edu/education-and-training/nursing-programs/nurse-anesthesia-crna-program	NC	Winston-Salem
Wayne State	https://cphs.wayne.edu/nurse-anesthesia/	MI	Detroit
Webster	https://www.webster.edu/science-health/nurse-anesthesia/nurse-anesthesia.php?utm_source=find_your_program&utm_campaign=gmc_navigation	MO	St. Louis
West Virginia	https://nursing.wvu.edu/students/graduate-programs/dnp-nurse-anesthetist/	WV	Morgantown
Western Carolina	http://www.wcu.edu/learn/departments-schools-colleges/HHS/nursing/grad-programs/msnanes/index.aspx	NC	Asheville
Westminster College	https://catalog.westminsteru.edu/current/graduate/admission/program-admission-reqs/admission-doctor-of-nursing-practice-nurse-anesthesia-dnpna.html	UT	Salt Lake City
York College	http://yorkcrnaprogram.com/	PA	York
Youngstown	https://ytowncrnaschool.com/	OH	Youngstown

Source/methodology: University of Toronto http://downtownrecovery.com
Good work San Jose.
Oakland is a resilient city (with a ton of housing downtown) and will come roaring back like it was pre-pandemic.

Pictured: Deputy Chief Curt Lawson, West Bloomfield Police Department; Lt. Russ Yeiser, Oakland County Sheriff’s Department; Wayne State University Police Chief Anthony Holt; Steve Cooper, director, Oak Park Public Safety; Capt. Dan Edwards, Bloomfield Hills Township Police Department; Gary Sikorski, security director, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
Recently, I had the privilege of representing Wayne State University and the greater Midtown area as a member of the Law Enforcement/Federation Security Detroit delegation. Our group of six joined other delegations in Israel hailing from Cleveland, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.
Funded by the Israel Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, the seven-day training regimen proved to be one of the most intense and eye-opening immersion activities that I have experienced during my 42-year law enforcement career.
The daily 10-hour training covered a wide swath of topics, including coping with terrorism threats, anti-Semitism as a global terror threat, connection between community and security/emergency forces, terror in the State of Israel from the perspective of a senior commander in the field, Judaism in the diaspora, simulation exercises and numerous other critical points of discussion.
We participated in several facility tours, including the Police Control Center for Jerusalem (Old City) and a police security training center. I was particularly moved by briefings from a Pittsburgh Police Department SWAT commander and a Jewish Federation security director regarding the Tree of Life synagogue shooting.
There were numerous lessons learned and other takeaways that emerged from the training sessions. Overall, I developed a deeper understanding of how to employ situational awareness — being aware of our surroundings throughout the day and watchful of any warning signs.
I am reminded of a particularly gruesome and heartbreaking story regarding a type of suicide bombing. Terrorists have employed the horrific practice of strapping a bomb around a child in a stroller and then leaving the stroller unattended. Unsuspecting bystanders approach the child to offer assistance; then the bomb is detonated, killing the child and several onlookers.
Also included as part of the situational awareness training are the targets of opportunity, the destinations and venues that are popular for terrorists to practice their deadly maneuvers. In Israel, buses, light-rail stops and the entry gates to the Old City of Jerusalem are prime targets. These locations have been singled out for knife attacks, vehicular attacks and the use of improvised explosives.
Israel’s leadership, military, law enforcement agencies and citizens represent an international model for preventing and battling the challenges of terrorism. Israel, as a nation, is top tier in terms of prevention and overall security. Other nations around the globe can learn from Israel’s law enforcement practices and overall preparedness of the citizens.
Poring over my notes on the long flight home, I was reminded of the importance of preparedness and situational awareness — not just in Israel, but also globally and locally.
At Wayne State University, the safety of our students and staff has always been a priority, a charge that our police department (WSUPD) focuses on 24/7. The reach of WSUPD includes not only the campus, but also the greater Midtown Detroit area — all neighbors and members of our community.
Our highly trained officers engage the community, patrol campus and surrounding areas, offer important safety resources and respond to emergencies. WSUPD plays a vital role in making Wayne State a welcoming home, school and workplace for thousands of people.
It is gratifying that Israel and the United States continue to share law enforcement strategies in the fight against terrorism. The cooperative spirit that we experienced as part of the Detroit delegation in Israel was outstanding.
I am grateful to all of the parties, in particular the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, for their efforts in making the training available.

Not bad at all. Must be because of all the housing built downtown?

https://preview.redd.it/o6qzp0mkspwc1.jpg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c41787a07ab0b0b815e292a3e36557c264a98102
We open with a recap of last week's show as Masato Kojima took on Keith Yang. The match was back-and-forth with Kojima picking up the victory with a Kojima Kutter on Yang. We then see "The Number One Pick" LeJuan Jones taking on The Olympians' Jordan Angle. The match was intense and hard-hitting, but it would be Angle winning the match with an Olympic Slam. After the match, Kojima announced the stipulation of the upcoming match for the CPWA World Heavyweight Championship.
Masato Kojima: You...Me...No Disqualification...HARDCORE HELL!!!
"The Number One Pick" looks on in shock as the recap ends.
The package ends and we open with a 30-second intro highlighting all of the stars of CPWA as The Roots' "BOOM" plays in the background. The intro ends with "The Number One Pick" LeJuan Jones holding the CPWA Heavyweight Championship belt over his head. Pyro goes off in the arena for a few seconds, followed by cheering from the crowd.
Brian Kinsley: We welcome you to CPWA Octane! We are coming to you live from Cleveland, Ohio! Brian Kinsley along with Anthony Harris and Sir Samuel Stewart, and we have a terrific show for you tonight! We have The Odenkirks taking on the Mortician and Mangod, Lightning Achara will be in action as well as Money Mark.
Anthony Harris: We will also see "The Dominican She-Devil" Ivy Fernandez taking on Ferial Singh and The Olympians do battle against The Commonwealth.
Sir Samuel Stewart: Let's take it to the ring!
Buckshot, Skyzoo, Promise, and Sean Price's "I'm Better Than You"plays in the arena as "The Number One Pick" LeJuan Jones, along with Brother Julius make their entrance to address the crowd. Lejuan and Brother Julius enter the ring and address the crowd.
LeJuan Jones: Last week, I was denied a chance to enforce a stipulation that would benefit me in retaining my CPWA World Heavyweight Championship, but I was wrongfully denied, thanks to a nosy Olympian like Devon Gatlin-Tyson. Brother Julius went to appeal to GM Ronny Sharpe about a redo main event match, but we were denied because our GM doesn't want to see greatness shine. Now, I don't know what Hardcore Hell is supposed to be, but if this is Kojima's answer for his getback, he will surely come up short once again.
Big K.R.I.T.'s "Reign On" plays in the arena as GM Ronny Sharpe stands on the entrance stage.
GM Ronny Sharpe: Lejuan, the more you make excuses for yourself, the more arduous your life continues to be, even if you are CPWA World Heavyweight Champion. I just got done talking with Masato Kojima about the Hardcore Hell match and I am here to announce that there will be a contract signing tonight for the match itself.
The crowd cheers.
GM Ronny Sharpe: Furthermore, since you're blaming Devon Gatlin-Tyson for his involvement in your match, how about next week, you will face him in a non-title match! Should DGT win, he will be given a guaranteed title shot for your CPWA World Heavyweight Championship at any given time that he desires!
Brian Kinsley: That is big news!
Anthony Harris: I'm sure DGT is somewhere thanking God for this opportunity.
We cut to the backstage area and we see Jordan Angle being interviewed by Kimberly Reynolds. Jordan Angle says that he couldn't be anymore happier for DGT to get such an opportunity and that he will train him as much as possible. Lord Phillip Byron IV walks into the interview and says that DGT doesn't deserve such an opportunity when someone such as himself is more deserving. Angle refutes Lord Phillip Byron IV's claim by saying that DGT is more than deserving, especially after having a successful last year. Lord Phillip Byron IV scoffs and asks Jordan Angle what DGT is doing now, to which Angle responds by saying that DGT is doing far better than you and will be the next CPWA World Heavyweight Champion.
We cut back to the ring.
Announcer: The following contest is scheduled for...
Crowd: ONE FALL!!!
Mashup Maloney's "Adon's Beaming" plays in the arena.
Announcer: Introducing first, accompanied by Mai, from Kagoshima, Japan, he is Tiger Kazama!
The March of Death theme plays in the arena.
Announcer: And his opponent, from Guadalajara, Mexico, this is El Colibri.
​
Match 1: Tiger Kazama vs. El Colibri
After two segments that had the Cleveland crowd clamoring, the cruiserweights did what they did best and that was put on classics. This match was no different as Tiger Kazama and El Colibri once again did battle in the ring. Kazama was working with some underhanded tactics during the match, and even Mai got involved in the match, attempting to distract the referee. Thankfully, El Colibri managed to overcome this by bouncing Mai off the ring apron with a Tiger Feint Kick to her butt, followed by placing Tiger Kazama in the La Mistica to get the win.
FIVE STARS!!!!!
We cut to a graphic hyping up a match between The Olympians (Ryan Phelps and Devon Gatlin-Tyson) and The Commonwealth (Owen Benoit-Jericho and Kelly Lawton). We then cut to a graphic hyping up a match between Clarissa Yang and Lightning Achara. We then cut to a graphic hyping up a match between "The Dominican She-Devil" Ivy Fernandez and Ferial Singh.
***Commercial Break***
We come back from commercial break and we see Devon Gatlin-Tyson being interviewed by Kevin Meyers. DGT jovially expresses how much an opportunity to not only have a chance to beat "The Number One Pick" for a title opportunity but also a possibility to become CPWA World Heavyweight Champion. DGT is interrupted by Owen Benoit-Jericho, who tells him that he needs to worry about surviving his match tonight.
We cut back to the ring.
Announcer: The following contest is scheduled for one fall with a 25-minute time limit.
DaniLeigh Ft. Fivio Foreign "Dominican Mami" plays in the arena.
Announcer: Introducing first, from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, she is one-half of the CPWA Women's Tag Team Champions, "The Dominican She-Devil" Ivy Fernandez.
Panjabi MC's "Jogi" plays in the arena.
Announcer: And her opponent, from Bollywood, she is Ferial Kapoor.
​
Match 2: "The Dominican She-Devil" Ivy Fernandez vs. Ferial Kapoor
A decent yet solid match that featured a lot of storytelling, seeing how the rivalry between "The Dominican She-Devil" and "The Bollywood Princess's" teams have gone. Despite some minor hiccups, the match ended smoothly with a Bollywood Ending from Ferial to get the win.
3 out of 5 stars.
We cut to the backstage area and we see Money Mark getting ready for a match tonight. Brother Julius approaches Money Mark and tells him that he knows who he will be facing tonight and that he can provide some leverage for him. Money Mark tells Brother Julius that he doesn't need any help tonight, and that he can win all by himself.
We cut back to the ring.
Announcer: The following contest is scheduled for one fall with a 25-minute time limit.
Leo Arnaud's "Bulger's Dream" plays in the arena
Announcer: Introducing first, representing the Olympians, the team of Ryan Phelps and Devon Gatlin-Tyson.
Blood Brothers' "Replica" plays in the arena
Announcer: And his opponent, representing The Commonwealth, the team of Owen Benoit-Jericho and Kelly Lawton
​
Match 3: The Olympians (Ryan Phelps and Devon Gatlin-Tyson) vs. The Commonwealth (Owen Benoit-Jericho and Kelly Lawton)
A very wonky match with no kind of flow or chemistry. Neither team could get out of first gear and the Cleveland crowd was flat for the match. Kelly Lawton ended the match with an Outlaw Cutter on Phelps to get the win for his team.
1 out of 5 stars.
After the match, OBJ brawls with DGT, causing referees and road agents to break up the fight.
We cut to a graphic hyping up a match between Money Mark and his mystery opponent. We then cut to a graphic hyping up the main event between The Odenkirks (William and Jake) taking on the Mortician and Mangod. We then cut to a graphic hyping up a match between Clarissa Yang and Lightning Achara.
***Commercial Break***
We come back from commercial break and we see OBJ and DGT still fighting backstage. Members of the Commonwealth and the Olympians come through to break up the fight, only for it to escalate into a brawl between the two factions.
We cut back to the ring.
Announcer: The following contest is scheduled for one fall with a 25-minute time limit.
Leo Arnaud's "Bulger's Dream" plays in the arena
Announcer: Introducing first, representing the Olympians, from Seattle, Washington, she is Clarissa Yang.
The lights in the arena turn off. We then hear thunder and lightning sounds emanate throughout the arena. Suddenly Teriyaki Boyz' "Tokyo Drift" plays in the arena as the lights turn back on as Lightning Achara makes her entrance
Announcer: And her opponent, from Bangkok, Thailand, she is the CPWA Women's Champion, Lightning Achara!
Match 4: Clarissa Yang vs. Lightning Achara
Along with the opening match, this match was the match of the night, filled with intense grappling sequences and counters, hard-hitting kicks, and long submission holds. After several near falls, Clarissa Yang won the match with a Rolling German Suplex Pin.
FIVE STARS!!!!!
After the match, Clarissa Yang did a title belt motion at the hard cam, hinting at the possibility of being the next challenger for the CPWA Women's Championship.
We cut to a video package highlighting The Odenkirks (William and Jake), which lasts for a minute. The video package ends and we cut back to the ring.
Announcer: The following contest is scheduled for one fall with a 25-minute time limit.
Almighty 3's "To The Other MC's" plays in the arena.
Announcer: Introducing first, from Opa-Locka, Florida, he is Money Mark!
The arena lights go out and we hear an ominous female voice.
Ominous Female Voice: Pretty Boy...oh Pretty Boy...punish...them...all!
Glitter Wasteland's "Cold War (Nightcrawler Remix)" plays in the arena as blue and red lighting fill the arena.
Announcer: And his opponent, he is Pretty Boy!
Match 5: Money Mark vs. Pretty Boy
Pretty Boy came out with a mission and that was to not only win back the CPWA Hardcore Championship but to also brutalize anyone and everyone in his path. Money Mark put up quite a fight, but Pretty Boy delivered his onslaught, beating Money Mark and putting him away with a Tombstone Piledriver.
2 out of 5 stars.
After the match, Pretty Boy continued beating down Money Mark. The referee attempted to break up the beatdown, only for Pretty Boy to deliver a chokeslam and Tombstone Piledriver on the referee.
We cut to a video package highlighting the Mortician and Mangod, which lasts for a minute. The video package ends and we cut back to the ring.
Announcer: Our main event is a tag team match scheduled for...
Crowd: ONE FALL!!!
Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out" plays in the arena.
Announcer: Introducing first, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, they are William and Jake, the Odenkirks
An organ cover to Runaway Casket plays in the arena
Announcer: And their opponents, introducing first, from the Resting Peace Funeral Home, he is The Mortician.
Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" (Elliot Loud version) plays in the arena
Announcer: And his tag team partner, from God knows where, he is Mangod.
Brian Kinsley: IT'S MANGOD!!!
Anthony Harris: Brian, for the love of God.
Main Event: The Odenkirks (William and Jake) vs. The Mortician and Mangod
The main event was not only a nod to the old-school days of wrestling with no frills and nobody pulling punches, but both teams put on a show. The match ended with Mangod hitting a Glorious Headbutt from Hell on Jake to get the win for his team.
FIVE STARS!!!!!
After the match, The Odenkirks shook hands with the Mortician and Mangod, much to the approval of the Cleveland crowd.
We cut to a graphic hyping the contract signing between Masato Kojima and "The Number One Pick" LeJuan Jones.
***Commercial Break***
Brian Kinsley: Next week, CPWA will be in Cincinnati, Ohio for Octane. We will see The Olympians' Ryan Phelps take on Owen Benoit-Jericho, Cynthia Steele takes on Michelle Bluefeather, King Shaka defends the CPWA Television Championship against Miguel Sandoval Jr., and Devon Gatlin-Tyson takes on "The Number One Pick" LeJuan Jones.
We cut to the ring and we see GM Ronny Sharpe standing in the middle of the ring with a negotiating table and two chairs next to him.
GM Ronny Sharpe: Ladies and gentlemen, Fatal Alliance is a few weeks away and the CPWA World Heavyweight Championship will see "The Number One Pick" LeJuan Jones defend his title against Masato Kojima.
Buckshot, Skyzoo, Promise, and Sean Price's "I'm Better Than You" plays in the arena as "The Number One Pick" LeJuan Jones, along with Brother Julius make their entrance. LeJuan sits at one side of the negotiating table.
D12's "Fight Music" plays in the arena as Masato Kojima makes his entrance. Kojima sits at the other side of the negotiating table. GM Ronny Sharpe: As both of you know, the CPWA World Heavyweight Championship match will be a Hardcore Hell match. To illustrate what a Hardcore Hell match looks like, Masato Kojima put together a video package of what all of us will expect to see at Fatal Alliance.
We cut to a video package illustrating what a Harcore Hell match looks like. Hardcore Hell is a Hell in A Cell type match with hardcore weapons and blowtorches scattered around ringside and attached the cell itself as we see highlights of the matches that took place primarily in Japan, some featuring Masato Kojima himself. The video package ends and we see "The Number One Pick" with a perturbed and shocked look on his face.
Masato Kojima: That's only a taste of what I will do to you come Fatal Alliance. I'm ready to sign the contract! (Sore wa, chimei-teki dōmei ni kite watashi ga anata ni okonau koto no hon'no ichibudesu. Keiyakusho ni shomei suru junbi ga dekimashita!) (それは、致命的同盟に来て私があなたに行うことのほんの一部です。 契約書に署名する準備ができました!)
LeJuan Jones: Not so fast! I'm not going to be a part of some deathmatch without any insurance or compensation.
GM Ronny Sharpe: You don't need to worry about any insurance or compensation because you have Number One Enterprises, which by the way, will be barred from the main event at Fatal Alliance. Furthermore, should you lose the CPWA World Heavyweight Championship on top of next week's match, you will not be allowed to challenge for the UWC World Heavyweight Championship! Now sign the contract.
Masato Kojima signs the contract and slides it to "The Number One Pick." LeJuan looks at the contract and signs it.
Brian Kinsley: The match is official!
"The Number One Pick" wastes no time flipping over the table and attacks Masato Kojima. The two brawl, leading to referees and road agents to break up the fight. As LeJuan and Brother Julius exit the ring, Masato Kojima flies through the ropes with a plancha dive onto LeJuan to continue the brawl.
Brian Kinsley: This is complete and utter madness! Fatal Alliance can't get here any sooner and we know it is going to be a maelstrom of violence when Masato Kojima and "The Number One Pick" LeJuan Jones are locked inside Hardcore Hell! For Anthony Harris and Sir Samuel Stewart, this is Brian Kinsley saying goodbye everybody!
Octane fades to black.
The results from FedSimulator.com
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2024 NFL MOCK DRAFT. 1st Round

(pff list with no explanations at bottom)

1. Chicago Bears- Caleb Williams. This is obviously the pick, it’s not even worth explaining why. But I will say this: Caleb is probably the only QB prospect you could compare to Patrick Mahomes where you don’t sound like a jackass making the comparison. Their playing style, the way they move, is actually similar. This isn’t some Zach Wilson bs, this is the real deal.
2. Washington Commanders- Jayden Daniels. Toss up between him and Drake Maye so I will differ to what’s more heavily speculated to happen. The Heisman winner has drastically improved throughout his college career, showing his ability to adapt and learn, an important skill in the nfl. His rushing ability is also a huge plus in today’s game, but Washington knows from experience that such a skillset can backfire, especially with Jayden’s smaller frame and inability to qb slide when necessary. Washington is hoping they are drafting the next Lamar Jackson and not the next RG3 or Justin Fields. It’s risky, but you can’t blame them for betting on such elite traits. Jayden wants to be a Raider or Viking, but I’m sure he’d rather throw to Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson than Patriot’s Pop Douglas and Kendrick Bourne.
3. New England Patriots- Drake Maye. The Pats are lucky to land Drake here and would be wise to avoid JJ McCarthy, but it is a possibility. Still, right now I’d have to think this is the move. Drake Maye carried his offense and boasts a powerful arm, all his problems are fixable, he’ll just need to work on his footwork and throwing motion, common issues for an nfl rookie. His scouting report is eerily reminiscent of studs like Justin Herbert and Josh Allen, he’s got all the traits you want to take a chance on. The Pats need many positions, but they might as well get the qb first since a good one falls to them here.
4. Arizona Cardinals- Malik Nabers. Lots of possibilities here, and we know Monti Ossenfort is never afraid to trade down (and then back up again). Still, Arizona needs a receiver, and it’s possible the JJ speculation is overblown and Minnesota (or whoever) can wait to take him or at least not have to trade up so far. Arizona just lost Hollywood Brown, and Nabers would serve as not only a replacement but maybe an improvement. His ability as a deep threat would pair well with Kyler Murray, who likes to improvise and show off his arm.
5. Los Angeles Chargers- Joe Alt. The pick should be a WR here, but new coach Jim Harbaugh can’t seem to shut the hell up about improving the offensive line. I’ll bite, as the Chargers could use a new RT, Alt could move (it worked for the Lions and Penei Sewell) or they could slide Rashawn Slater over, either way it would represent the overhaul of the oline that Harbaugh seems dead set on. Slater seems to be hurt often anyway, and Alt seems like a special prospect, with a unique blend of size, speed, and iq that you want to see from top 10 picks. He has only allowed 4 sacks in his career, three of which were in his freshman year.
6. New York Giants- Marvin Harrison Jr. Any WR or even a QB is likely the move here, but the Giants would be lucky to get Marvin Jr. Marvin too blends size speed and iq, and he has shown improvement every year, learning to push off less and improving his yac-ability. His route running ability is already NFL tier, he feels like an extremely safe pick with a high floor and ceiling as well. He should be the next great receiver to come out of Ohio St, following former teammates Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. The Giants are desperate for a true #1 receiver like this, and they will be praying that the Chargers go with Alt or trade down for a team that wants JJ. I believe they would be happy with Nabers as well though, and maybe Rome Odunze too.
7. Tennessee Titans- Rome Odunze. I have no idea what Tennessee does here. They need a new RT, but just drafted one in the first last year. They also just gave Calvin Ridley a bag, but between him, an aging DeAndre Hopkins, and a slacking Treylon Burks, the WR feels just questionable (and injury-prone) enough where this pick is warranted, considering they will want to surround Will Levis with as many weapons as possible. Taliese Fuaga, JC Lathan, or even Amarius Mims is possible here, or they could even trade down, but Odunze seems like the safest pick here, he is a sharp route runner with good speed and the size and body control to win 1 on 1s. He is like a faster, more shifty Kenny Golladay.
8. TRADE- Minnesota Vikings- JJ McCarthy. I think this is a good spot for Minnesota to make their move for the QB they desperately need. They called the Giants bluff, and now move up three spots. The next three teams likely won’t be drafting a qb, but they don’t want Denver or Vegas jumping them. They could get a better deal by waiting too; here I have them trading 11 and 23 for Atlanta’s 8 and 79, so they keep their 1st for next year and actually walk away with an extra 3rd this year. JJ is a difficult prospect to judge, but he is a proven winner with a good arm and mobility, and Minnesota is the perfect landing spot for him, with an excellent offensive head coach in Kevin O’Connell and amazing weapons in Justin Jefferson (JJ to JJ), sophomore Jordan Addison, and beast tight end TJ Hockenson (when he returns from injury). JJ is also very young, so he has lots of room to grow.
9. TRADE- Indianapolis Colts- Brock Bowers. This might seem crazy, as Chicago could easily make this pick themselves, but Cole Kmet is solid and Chicago needs a DT and only has 4 picks in this whole draft, here they snag Indie’s 2nd (46), only losing this pick and next year’s 6th. Indie needs a weapon for Anthony Richardson, and their current tight end is Kylen Granson. Good te2, not a te1. Bowers is on the smaller side and needs to sharpen his route running, but other than that he is a dream prospect, with an incredible combo of speed and size. He can also block decently for his size and will improve in that regard I think. TE’s are tough to pick top 10 for their salary hit alone, but Indie is desperate for such a weapon and knows they may have to leapfrog the Jets to get who could be the next Rob Gronkowski or George Kittle.
10. New York Jets- Taliese Fuaga. An offseason spending spree gives the Jets some flexibility here, but one would have to think they go offense. They’d love to get a top three WR or Brock Bowers here, but lose out. I could really see Brian Thomas here, but Fuaga is the better player. He is a mauler in the ground game and improved his pass pro too. His versatility is really key here though, he can be a swing tackle, or play guard (maybe even over newly acquired John Simpson), he can do anything, and this Jets OLine is filled with injury-prone players. Keeping Aaron Rodgers upright has to be the biggest goal here. The Jets will see how the board falls though, as they could basically use any offensive position, even a QB technically.
11. TRADE- Atlanta Falcons- Laitu Latu, Originally Minnesota’s pick. Unless a top 3 WR is available at 8, I think Atlanta is the first team to pick a defender, and word is they love Latu, who was recently medically cleared, which is a big deal to these teams. While Latu may need to gain size for running plays, he is the best pure pass rusher in this class, with by far the most refined moves. I think Atlanta would like to move down like this too, as they still get the player I was going to mock to them at 8, and have pick 23 as well to address one of their many other concerns.
12. TRADE- Philadelphia Eagles- Quinyon Mitchell. I have no idea what Denver should do here and got this trade idea from a Tony Pauline rumor. Eagles trade up from 22, giving up their 2nd (53) and next year’s 2nd and getting Denver’s 4th next year. Denver missed out on the best QBs and don’t have a 2nd rounder, and their team needs help in multiple positions, so trading down makes sense. Trading up for Philly makes sense too as they are in win now mode and need a cb badly. Word is they like Mitchell and why not, the guy is an athletic gem and an incompletion machine. I think he will be the first CB off the board and could even go earlier than this. Word is also that the Raiders like him, so the Eagles would be smart to jump them.
13. Las Vegas Raiders- Terrion Arnold. The Raiders could trade back after missing out on the QBs and Mitchell, but I think Arnold is basically just as good, and they need a better secondary so Max Crosby and newly signed Christian Wilkins can have some time to get to the qb. Arnold needs some refinement, but this isn’t a win-now team anyway, and besides, his athletic traits are elite and worth betting on, and he was also a bit of a ball hawk. Not super confident in this pick to be honest, but only because Vegas has so many options. They could even pick Michael Penix here, but I think they will wait and trade up later in the first or in the early 2nd.
14. New Orleans Saints- Troy Fautanu. There is a good chance Ryan Ramczyk will medically retire, and even if he doesn’t he likely will soon, and the Saints need a guard too. Fautanu has the versatility to play either. While he needs to add weight in his lower half, he still has a lot of talent and played well against a studly Michigan team in the championship.
15. TRADE- Chicago Bears- Byron Murphy II. Originally Indianapolis’ pick. Chicago would love another weapon for Caleb, but they really need somebody to stuff the trenches on defense too. Byron is a member of Bruce Feldman’s “freak list” for good reason, he is a violent monster. Just above 300 lbs, he boasts incredible strength so fatter linemen shouldn’t size him down too much, and his speed is deadly as well. Just look at videos of the guy, he’s scary. DT is becoming a more important position too, I could even see them just sticking at 9 and picking him.
16. Seattle Seahwaks- JC Latham. Seattle’s line is a mess. They could go with Graham Barton or another tackle better suited for guard, but Abraham Lucas is a bit of a liability right now, he did not look the same after his knee injury.. Latham is young and perfectly sized to be a tackle, and moves well too. New coach Mike MacDonald cares a lot about the running game, so beefing up the trenches, and drafting a premium position, makes sense.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars- Brian Thomas. The Jags can’t seriously be entering the year with Marvin Jones as a starter, right? Even if they are, losing Calvin Ridley means this team needs another weapon, even if they did sign Gabe Davis. I could see them trading for Brandon Aiyuk or Tee Higgins, or even trading up for Malik Nabers (who they apparently love), but the simple answer is they draft Thomas, who should be going around this range anyway. Thomas would immediately become Trevor Lawrence’s tallest target, at 6’4, while also boasting very good speed. I keep saying it, teams love the size/speed combo. Can’t teach that!
18. Cincinnati Bengals- Jer'Zahan Newton. The Bengals surrendered 4.7 ypc against the run last year, tied for 2nd worst in the league with the Giants and Cardinals, only trailing the Broncos 5. These are not playoff teams, but the Bengals should be, they need to start clogging the trenches. Newton has some size concerns and can be easily double-teamed, but he shoots the gap well and can pass rush well too. If he booms, he could completely change this Cincinnati defense.
19. Los Angeles Rams- Dallas Turner. The Rams need to replace Aaron Donald’s impact on the QB and don’t have a premier edge rusher. Dallas was productive at Alabama and is very athletic with long arms. He’ll need to learn some more pass-rushing moves, but I think he could much earlier than this.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers- Graham Barton. Barton was a tackle who is projected to play guard or center because of his length and slower foot speed, and the Steelers need a center. There are other options here (guys more experienced at center), but word is the Steelers love Barton, and why not? He is athletic and a mauler in the ground game.
21. Miami Dolphins- Jackson Powers Johnson. Miami needs a new guard. Jackson is a barrel-chested MAN. Aside from short arms, this guy is an absolute unit.
22. TRADE- Denver Broncos- Bo Nix. Originally Philly’s pick, Denver trades back and gets the QB they wanted anyway. Nix is very experienced and has shown a ton of improvement after transferring to Oregon. He had the best adjusted completion percentage and turnover worthy play rate in all of college football. He is a straight shooter who also has the ability to run at least a bit. He relied heavily on screen (most screen yards in college football, 167th in ADoT) and needs to improve his footwork and ability to improvise, but Sean Payton would love to turn this guy into a true bonafide passer. At worst, he is the field general Sean probably wants.
23. TRADE- Atlanta Falcons- Cooper DeJean. Originally Minnesota’s pick (that they got from Cleveland), Atlanta doubles down on defense after going edge last time. They need help at corner and could use a safety to pair with FS Jessie Bates, so Dejean makes sense, plus they are getting amazing value for him. Dejean had 7 interceptions in his last two years, including two touchdowns. He has ball hawk ability and is a plus athlete. I could see him go much earlier than this.
24. Dallas Cowboys- AD Mitchell. Dallas could address the offensive line, but with CeeDee Lamb often manning the slot, their two outside receivers are Jalen Tolbert and Brandin Cooks. That’s…pretty bad. They also are yet to resign Lamb. Mitchell is a smooth moving athlete who is also 6’4. He had a great combine, and is a true endzone threat, with 11 tds for the Longhorns last year and only 1 drop. The Cowboys would be happy to keep him in Texas.
25. Green Bay Packers- Olumuyiwa Fashanu. Big drop here for a very talented player. Why? No real reason, though I feel he could be rated lower than some of the other tackles. Still, Fashanu is an incredible athlete who is great in pass protection, he never let up a single sack in college. He needs to add some weight to improve in the run game, but he is very young and will have the time. Meanwhile, Green Bay is happy to take advantage of an inexplicable fall and likely will use him at LT, replacing his former Penn St teammate Rashad Walker, who was decent but still upgradable.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Jared Verse. Another unexplained fall for a talented player. This one is an even better fit, as Tampa Bay is desperate for a pass rusher. Verse projects as a great power rusher who boasts strong hands and a great swim move. His short arms could hurt against the run, but his numbers as a pass rusher are hard to ignore, last year he had 11 sacks, 15 hits, 36 hurries, and 2 batted down passes. That’s right on par with Laitu Latu, who went 15 selections ago. This would be a steal for Tampa Bay, and I have a feeling this is another player who will go earlier than I am projecting here.
27. Arizona Cardinals- Nate Wiggins. Arizona went with a speedy skill player before, and I think they need more of that on both sides of the ball. Wiggins has a skinny frame, but otherwise he is a flawless prospect who could go much earlier, he can play in man or zone with great speed and twitchyness. The Cards have many other needs, but also have an early 2nd rounder and 3 3rd rounders.
28. Buffalo Bills- Xavier Legette. Any WR would be fine here, as there are plenty of solid ones left, though I think the Bills will try to trade up for Brian Thomas. If they can’t, I think Legette is as good an option as any. I don’t know if he fits the usual Bills mold (speed, good route running), Ladd McConkey or Troy Franklin perhaps do, but thinking about his potential with Josh Allen is so tantalizing. Legette has speed and the size/ability to go up for contested catches. His scouting profile is a lot like DK Metcalf’s, he has all the skills you can’t teach. I think the Bills will trust themselves to develop such a talent, and they need a big swing after trading Stefon Diggs.
29. Detroit Lions- Kool-Aid McKinstry. The Lions are never afraid to go against the grain on draft day, but their secondary was already lacking before losing Cam Sutton. McKinstry would be a solid replacement, he lacks long speed but has solid length and size and has proven an intelligent player. No need for Detroit to get fancy here, as the rest of their roster is very solid.
30. Baltimore Ravens- Ladd McConkey. The Ravens have more holes than I expected, but as usual WR is the biggest. Zay Flowers had a good rookie year, but they still need a compliment, as Rashod Bateman is not getting it done and is often hurt. Ladd can work from the slot (which they need) or outside, who is a very sharp route runner and is fiercely fast with the ball in his hands.
31. San Francisco 49ers- Amarius Mims. The 49ers will be happily surprised to not have to trade up for a solid new RT. Mims lacks experience but is otherwise as good a tackle prospect as almost anybody. He is a bit raw, but the 49ers can sit him at first if need be, they don’t have many holes on their roster, so if this is a luxury pick, that’s fine.
32. Kansas City Chiefs- Jordan Morgan. KC would love to get a WR like Xavier Worthy here, but they seriously need a tackle, their starters right now are Wanya Morris and Jawaan Taylor. Morgan needs to add strength, and despite Kansas City’s lack of a proper gym, I am sure Andy Ried and co can coach and size him up, he has the proper athletic frame to work with long term.

Some final notes:

• The Raiders could easily trade up for Michael Penix, but they might not have to until round 2, perhaps with one of the teams that picked a qb in round 1 like the Commanders
• I could see a lot more teams trading up for offensive tackles. Fashanu likely won’t fall this far
• It feels weird to see edges and corners going so late, neither is picked until 11. I think it’s realistic, but we will see
• The Giants passing on JJ McCarthy might surprise some, including Minnesota who may not want to give them the chance. But I have a feeling JJ could be this year’s Will Levis, the king of smoke. But I’m not sure
• I think the order in which the receivers are chosen may surprise some including me
• I have no idea what Tennessee is going to do if Alt is already gone.. Could see them trading back or picking Fuaga or somebody, maybe even Fashanu. I know that makes no sense based on where I slotted him, but as I said, the draft can be weird sometimes.

Thanks for reading! Hope everybody enjoys tomorrow.
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Hey everybody! I released my ultimate mock draft a couple of days ago in video format, but because I love you guys, I took the time yesterday to write it all up for you guys to read, because I appreciate that people actually take the time.
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I only had enough characters on here for the write-ups on the half of the first round + the three picks for the non-first-round teams. You can listen to the rest here and any support with the algorithm is greatly appreciated!
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Putting this thing together was as challenging as I can ever remember at this point, because of the uncertainty starting so early. I’m not going to shock anybody with the first overall pick here, but number two appears to be a coin-flip and then from three to six, we could see a bunch of movement, which of course dictates everything that follows.
So I might still talk about some potential adjustments that may be coming based on more information coming out, but let’s have some fun here! This is going to be a predictive exercise, meaning based on what I hear, read and believe will happen, rather than what I think teams should do. For my thoughts on about the 150 top prospects, I have detailed scouting reports on all of them at my site halilsrealfootballtalk.com, and in my most recent video, I talked about some of my personal favorites.
Here, we’re going to make our way through the top-32 selections plus fits for the three teams who don’t currently own a first-round pick.
And as I already teased, I’m not going for any hot takes or shockers here first overall …
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1. Chicago Bears – Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Because of all the intrigue around who will be QB2 and some wide-ranging opinions on how these six names generally discussed as first-round picks will ultimately come off the board, there actually hasn’t been a ton of talk about Caleb Williams on the field at least. To me, he’s the best quarterback prospect I’ve personally evaluated in the eight years I’ve really done work on the draft. The backyard-style of play and Houdini-like play extension stuff is truly special and why he gets a lot of the Patrick Mahomes comparisons, but what isn’t discussed enough is how clean his mechanics are, the fact he fights to stay within the pocket and how well he can operate within structure, if he has answers for what the defense is doing. Last year, the protection and receivers he was working with at USC, along with head-scratching offensive designs, have blurred the mind of some people. But I would be shocked if he didn’t at least turn into a quality starter in Chicago for a long time, with the infrastructure they’ve now built around him, and he has a chance to be called the best signal-caller in the franchise’s history by the time he signs his second contract. Hope is coming, Bears fans!
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2. Washington Commanders – Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
This is where things get interesting, because we’ve had three different front-runners to go second overall since Caleb became the overwhelming favorite in terms of betting odds. Right now, I believe it’s a toss-up between North Carolina’s Drake Maye and LSU’s Jayden Daniels, and since I have Maye graded significantly higher, that’s what breaks the tie for me. I’ve been saying that he is the most overthought prospect in this draft. In terms of size, arm talent, composure and mobility, this is what the NFL is always looking for. Yet, all of a sudden, he’s the guy people nit-pick like crazy when it comes to things like locking out his front-foot, not always having his base aligned and some of the oddly missed throws. The high-level stuff he brings in terms of layered throws down the field, the off-platform deliveries and the timely chain-moving runs easily make me look beyond those and I can live with him being a little bit too aggressive of a decision-maker. With the continued investments into the offensive line and the pass-catching crew they’ve assembled, I think he has the pieces around him to be successful. I’m just worried about what we’ll get from Kliff Kingsbury, who coincidentally was responsible for some of the issues we saw on Caleb Williams’ tape as the OC for the Trojans, which can induce more hero-ball tendencies, as we discuss these top two names. But Maye to me has been QB2 for a calendar year now.
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3. New England Patriots – Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
We’ve heard about the Patriots being “open for business” with this third overall pick, kicking off what could be three or four straight trades, but I actually think they stick and pick here. Unless the Giants love whoever the Commanders don’t take and move up three spots here, New England will likely be in contact with one of the three teams just outside the top-10 and that probably takes them out of the range for Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt and the trio of top wide receivers. So in this scenario, I don’t think they get an offer that blows them away and take the slam-dunk player in Marvin Harrison Jr. He has nimble feet off the line, is really strong to break free from physical corners, weirdly flexible in his ankles to make precise cuts for being 6’4”, 205 pounds, tracks the ball exceptionally well and his body-control at that composition is just bonkers. He doesn’t have elite long speed and the reason some people have Malik Nabers ahead of him as the top receiver is that he doesn’t offer a lot of creativity in the open field, but he’s as complete and pro-ready a pass-catcher as we’ve seen enter the league in a decade. The Patriots haven’t built up the support system for a rookie QB yet, but this is a critical building block for if they end up picking early again next year, as they finally get a legit number one, to go with the complementary pieces they have in place.
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4. Las Vegas Raiders (via ARZ) – Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Alright, let’s get this party started! The Cardinals have been connected as the Marvin Harrison team pretty much since the draft order was locked in. If he’s available for them, I’d think it would take massive draft capital to move off him, but in this case he’s off the board and general manager Monti Ossenfort will be very happy to trade down. The Vikings have the highest draft capital to offer here and there could be some other teams in the mix, but I have the Raiders jumping them and taking Jayden Daniels. In this scenario, to move up nine spots, they also need to throw in the 44th overall pick and their first-rounder next year. However, I had to take the connection between Daniels and the guy who originally helped recruit him at Arizona State in now-Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce. I’m not sure if they would be this aggressive for any other QB, but I think the Heisman trophy winner lighting up the “Death Star” in Vegas should also have owner Mark Davis on board. I don’t know if this is a plug-and-play team yet, but they’ve looked at themselves differently, handing out a huge contract to Christian Wilkins in free agency and Davante Adams still there as a star receiver, who I imagine catching a bunch of the slot fades we saw Daniels air out for those LSU guys. I’m a little concerned about the development plan of offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, coming over from Chicago, where he was working with a similar type of profile as more of a one-read-and-go player in Justin Fields, but this possibility isn’t talked about enough, I believe.
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5. Minnesota Vikings (via LAC) – J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
And we keep the train rolling, as the Chargers at number five have been the obvious trade-down candidate the entire way pretty much. Could they just stick here and take the top offensive tackle or whoever they prefer as WR2 on their board, if they don’t love any of the offers made to them? – Sure. But, they’re motivated to add more shots here and the Vikings didn’t set themselves up this way if they didn’t want to get their guy from Michigan. No team has been linked more frequently to McCarthy than Minnesota, and even though I believe that if Drake Maye is available at number three, they’ll absolutely be calling New England, this just makes way too much sense. They swap their two first-rounders (11th and 23rd overall) plus a second next year for this pick and if there’s a team set up to get the most out of J.J., it’s them. Anybody who’s taken a look at my personal big board (which you can check out at halilsrealfootballtalk.com), knows I’m significantly lower on him than consensus and I think it’s crazy that we talk about him in this range, but with how long this has been in the works seemingly, this doesn’t feel like a Will Levis-type of smokescreen. This is one of the best situations we’ve seen a rookie QB dropped into, where he has star receivers, a good offensive line, linked at the hip with a tremendous young play-caller and having Sam Darnold there, to not force him into the action right away. McCarthy’s willingness to attack the middle of the field and the ability to deliver the ball accurately on the run with his flexible arm, when they move the pocket, would fit very well.
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6. New York Giants – Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
The top four quarterbacks are off the board and while the noise around the Giants being ready to move on from Daniel Jones seems to be getting louder, I don’t think they love either of the two still available at this point. So instead I’m going to go chalk here and give them with what would be the number one receiver in the vast majority of draft classes in Malik Nabers. There’s been some discussion around how well his personality would fit in with a big-market team, especially with how the marriage between the Mara/Tisch franchise and Odell Beckham Jr. eventually came to an end, but Nabers provides a dynamism on the offensive side of the ball that this team has been severely missing since they moved on from OBJ. They already have a bunch of designated slot receivers on the roster, which is where this guy primarily operated from in 2023, but while I prefer him off the ball, I don’t have too many questions about play-strength and I think he would be an awesome flanker. The instant acceleration pops off the screen, the way he either threaten vertically and then snap off routes or lure defenders into stopping their feet momentarily and then blows by them is rare. His focus and coordination to haul in passes even through contact at just six foot stands out and then he’s an absolute game-breaker once the ball is in his hands.
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7. Tennessee Titans – Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
Who have thrown their names out as another potential trade-down candidate, but I’ll take another lay-up in what otherwise is a highly challenging draft to project. Personally, I have Olu Fashanu just ahead of Alt in my offensive tackle rankings, but this is still where he stacks up for me on the big board and I’d think he’s number one for the majority of NFL teams. 6’9”, 320 pounds, with just over 34-inch arms, checked all the boxes from an athleticism standpoint at the combine and then he’s still improving, as a 21-year-old former tight-end, who has only been a full-time offensive lineman for the last three seasons with the Fighting Irish. Tennessee has let us know what they think of themselves, throwing big money at Calvin Ridley, still a solid sum for Tony Pollard, trading for and locking up L’Jarius Sneed on the defensive side of the ball – they want to see what they have in Will Levis during this rookie QB contract window. New Titans head-man Brian Callahan hands a potential future All-Pro to his dad and one of the great O-line coaches in Bill Callahan. No need to overthink this or get cute here.
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8. Arizona Cardinals (via LV and ATL) – Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
At number eight we would typically see the Falcons making their selection, but I have the Arizona Cardinals repeat what they did a year ago, when they allowed the Texans to trade up to third overall for Will Anderson Jr. but then popped back up for the offensive tackle of their choice in Paris Johnson. This time around they secure themselves the last of the “big three” wide receivers. For the move up by 5 spots, they give up the first of their 3 third-rounders at 66th overall plus one of their fives. The reason they have to do this, is that I can’t really see Rome make it past the Bears or Jets as the next two teams up and this way they still secure themselves a legit number one, with what they currently have at the position. Odunze is incredibly smooth at 6’3”, 210 pounds, who can elude press-attempts but also has the strength to fight through contact. Looking at the Reception Perception profile from Matt Harmon, he finished between above-average-to-elite on every route he ran and then his body-control and ball-skills are just insane. The way he adjusts to passes down the field and hjow he positions himself to win through contact is illustrated very well by the fact that he had a 75% contested catch rate. While he’s not quite as physical, we’ve already seen this type of profile match very well with Kyler Murray when he was working with DeAndre Hopkins and now the other receivers they have in Arizona slot into their more natural pecking order.
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9. Chicago Bears – Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
This of course really throws off the Bears here and they may be scrambling a little bit, because Rome would’ve been pretty much perfect to round out their receiver room. With just four total picks in this entire draft, they certainly can’t give up any more however and if anything should be moving back. Where do I have them going is the presumptive EDGE1 based on consensus boards across the league. Once Montez Sweat arrived in Chicago at the trade deadline, this defense went from 30th overall all the way up to 5th over the final nine games in terms of EPA per play. They locked up their All-Pro corner Jaylon Johnson and brought in free agent safety Kevin Byard, but by allowing Yannick Ngakoue to walk, they’re looking for that more bendy speed-rushing profile across from Sweat. Dallas Turner tested well above the 90th percentile in the 40 and the jumps, to pair with 34.5-inch arms and a lot of jolt in those hands for that physical stature. That’s why I actually believe he could be a high-quality run defender and at this point he’s actually best converting speed-to-power as a pass-rusher. If he continues to improve his hand-combats to win at the top of the rush, with his explosion up the field and quicks to cross-face blockers or create softer edges by threatening inside, he could be a double-digit sack producer in multiple years of his rookie deal.
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10. New York Jets – Troy Fautanu, OT/IOL, Washington
Rounding out the top ten, I really thought about closing the chapter on the premiere pass-catchers with tight-end Brock Bowers, who seems to be the clear favorite to be the pick here, but if the Jets are serious about winning this year and honest with themselves about where they could once again be vulnerable, they need to continue investing into the offensive line and I have them going with the versatile blocker from Washington. They have their choice here of OT2 and could go several different directions, but I believe Fautanu presents the most logical choice here. Looking at Gang Green’s currently slated starting five, you can win with that group if you have it for a full 17, but Tyron Smith has played a total of 30 games over the past four seasons combiined and Alijah Vera-Tucker has only logged 12 starts since his rookie year in 2021. So even if whoever they select here doesn’t start day one theoretically, you probably need him to fill in at one of those spots sooner rather than later. And that’s where I love the match with Fautanu, because while all but two of his 31 career starts came at left tackle, I feel best about his ability to take snaps at four of the five spots at least, because of the easy movement skills he presents, whether that’s sliding laterally to mirror pass-rushers or climbing up into the defensive backfield in the run game.
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11. Los Angeles Chargers (via MIN) – J.C. Latham, OT, Alabama
This sets off our run on offensive linemen to some degree, with seven of 15 selections from pick ten onwards being from that group. The Chargers were already linked to this player early on and I wouldn’t be shocked if they took him fifth overall, but in this case they can add two more valuable selections and still get J.C. Latham. They could certainly go Brock Bowers here without a difference-making tight-end on the roster or take their top corner, but the messaging by Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz has been clear, wanting to become a “bigger, more physical team”. Well, how does a 6’6”, 340-pound All-SEC right tackle from Alabama sound? Latham packs a ton of raw force in those 11-inch hands and can unlock that lower half to dig defenders out of the lane, 35-inch arms extend his range as a pass-protector and when he puts those clamps on you, he puts you in a cage. Funnily, a couple of bad plays from their College Football Playoff game against Harbaugh’s Wolverine is what people refer to negatively with him, but he played a really good game otherwise and I think offensive Greg Roman is licking his chops at the possibility of swapping out Trey Pipkins – off a regression year – for this guy.
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12. Jacksonville Jaguars (via DEN) – Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
This is where I make another trade and of the ones I’ve done so far, this is not cleanest one to predict. However, there’s no player that truly sticks out to me for the Broncos in terms of a need they want to address and where value exists. They could absolutely target this player here themselves, but I think Jaguars GM Trent Baalke will be even more intrigued with this profile and be willing to trade up the top corner in this class. And the Broncos should be very interested in getting a second-round pick back (since they don’t currently own one themselves) in exchange for their fourth plus one of their two fives, as they move down five spots. Mitchell is right there in terms of the measurables you’re looking for at the position, has 4.33 speed, major ball-production, dominated at the MAC level and absolutely rocked this pre-draft process. The two days he spent at the Senior Bowl were as clean as I’ve ever seen for a corner, with how easy he could de- and re-accelerate, wants to locate and make plays on the ball and while he played a lot of off-zone coverage, he has 10-inch hands and the mirror skills to project as someone who could become very effective in press. So while they have Tyson Campbell on the final year of his rookie deal with a decision looming, Quinyon can jump into the spot of Darious Williams – who they shockingly released early on this offseason – playing off, with vision on the quarterback in that field-side role he also excelled at with the Rockets.
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13. Atlanta Falcons (via ARZ and LV) – Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA
So the Falcons move back five spots in this scenario, because while EDGE is the clear favorite in terms of positions they want to address, they probably feel confident that they can get one of those big three names at the top here still – and with how this played out, Alabama’s Dallas Turner is the only one off the board. So the decision here came down to Florida State’s Jared Verse and the guy I actually picked for them is the reigning Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. Who if you take away the injury concern, I believe has a very strong case to be the best defensive player in this draft at this moment. His technical advancement with all the different hand-combats in his toolbox, how he counters the approach of tackles against him and is able to build up comprehensive rush plans in those individual matchups, is about as good as you’re going to find from a college player at that position. Not the type of freakish athlete or has the length of Turner, but I don’t have any concerns with the functional movement skills. He’s not a firm edge-setter by the book in the run game, but the block-deconstruction and ability to create quick stops are on display. Latu gets to reunite with his former defensive coordinator at Washington in Jimmy Lake, who along with Raheem Morris will value his ability to peel off into coverage occasionally, on top immediately becoming their best true edge rusher.
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14. New Orleans Saints – Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State
You kind of know this pick is going to be an offensive tackle or that power-profile edge defender they love so much. I went with the former, because of how pressing a need it is, giving them the All-Big Ten left tackle from the Nittany Lions. The Saints’ tackle situation somewhat quietly is an absolute catastrophe. Trevor Penning unfortunately has been even more problematic in his first season of action than I thought he might be when they traded up for him in the draft two years ago, getting benched eventually, with Andrus Peat moving out to left tackle from guard – whose only remaining presence on the roster is his 13-million-dollar dead cap hit. And then, we recently got news on Ryan Ramczyk on the right side with his degenerative knee issues, which could lead to an early retirement. Fashanu is actually my number one tackle, right there with Notre Dame’s Joe Alt, and he would’ve been a top-ten pick in last year’s draft by all accounts. Fashanu is one of those names who has just been overthought during the process and while he didn’t show a whole lot of improvement in the run game, where he’s still more of a positional blocker than a road-grader, he doesn’t have many missed assignments in that regard and then he has the ability to become an elite pass-protector, thanks to his impeccable balance and quick hands, even if they are weirdly small. My high-end comparison for him is Texans Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil.
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15. Indianapolis Colts – Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
Corner is certainly something GM Chris Ballard could be looking to address, after they were just throwing day-three picks and UDFAs out there last year, to see who sticks. Yet, this is where the Brocks Bowers slide stops. This has been one of the more fun pairings I’ve envisioned throughout the process, between Bowers and head coach Shane Steichen. The Colts have a couple of young tight-ends they like in Jelani Woods, Kylen Granson and even Drew Ogletree, along with veteran Mo Alie-Cox still under contract. So this doesn’t jump out as a spot on the depth chart, where they don’t have anybody of note. With that being said, that designation doesn’t do Bowers justice and it’s more about the ways I can imagine him being used by a creative offensive coordinator. He can obviously stretch the seams and run away from guys on crossing routes, but he can split out as a single receiver on the backside of the formation and win on all three levels with the way he can efficiently break off routes. The hand-eye coordination and strong hands in tight areas stand out, but then it’s that extra gear after the catch and the horsepower to drag tacklers along with him that made him a man amongst boys even in the SEC. Now you add him to those two towers they have on the outside in Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce, Josh Downs as a quick-footed player in the slot and a guy in Bowers who can eat over the middle of the field, for Anthony Richardson to work with in year two, this offense could really take off.
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16. Seattle Seahawks – Byron Murphy II, IDL, Texas
When we get to the Seahawks in these mock drafts, typically you see them go offensive line or with the edge rusher that falls to them, but I actually think they address the interior defensive line with who established himself as the top guy on NFL boards once he tested off the charts at the combine. There are still a couple of offensive tackles from what I believe is the top-six available here, but with Mike Macdonald coming over from Baltimore to take over this franchise, I believe he wants to bring them back to the glory days of the Legion of Boom and what you do on the back-end doesn’t matter as much when you feel like you’re constantly being compromised by having to put more focus on the front. Seattle has finished 26th and 29th respectively in rush EPA defensively these past two years, thanks to a combination of front dynamics, slow linebackers and a lack of consistent play from the nose-tackle spot. And I’m not saying Murphy is going to be lining up at zero-technique for them primarily and single-handedly fixing their run defense, but he actually spent more time there than his teammate T'Vondre Sweat, who has a good 60 pounds on him. This guy has an innate feel for where pressure is being applied from and you see him at times with his body contorted, knee just inches off the ground anchoring against double-teams. Then if the offense spreads them out, he can line up in the B-gap, come off the ball like a submarine under the reach of the guard or take that guy into the quarterback’s lap. Right now, he’s playing a little bit out of control, but you let him learn from Leonard Williams and Dre’Mont Jones, he could turn into a legit game-wrecker.
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17. Denver Broncos (via JAX) – Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
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18. Cincinnati Bengals – Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
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19. Philadelphia Eagles (via LAR) – Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
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20. Buffalo Bills (via PIT) – Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
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21. Miami Dolphins – Graham Barton, IOL, Duke
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22. Los Angeles Rams (via PHI) – Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
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23. Los Angeles Chargers (via MIN) – Jer’Zhan Newton, IDL, Illinois
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24. Dallas Cowboys – Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
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25. Green Bay Packers – Jackson Powers-Johnson, IOL, Oregon
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26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State
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27. Arizona Cardinals – Darius Robinson, EDGE/IDL, Missouri
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28. Pittsburgh Steelers (via BUF) – Cooper DeJean, Defensive Back, Iowa
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29. Kansas City Chiefs (via DET) – Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
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30. Baltimore Ravens – Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona
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31. San Francisco 49ers – Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
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32. Detroit Lions (via KC) – Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
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That brings the first round to a close, and you can read over it here again, but I did want to just briefly hit on a couple of …
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Other players I considered:

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Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington – I could absolutely see a team jump back into the first round to select him, secure the potential of a fith-year option, but with Penix you already have a guy that is 24 years old as a rookie and we know plenty about what he is, even though we may not be fully sure what the transition to the pros looks like, and the injury history at Indiana is of course concerning. 34 to the Patriots is very much possible or I could see the Raiders potentially trading up early in the second round, if they don’t end up making a move early, very much in the mold of what happened to Will Levis coming out of Kentucky last year, as the second pick of day two.
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A few other receivers I was thinking about, but we’ll get to one here in a second. Just felt the need to mention Xavier Worthy from Texas, because the NFL obviously loves speed and this is officially the fastest man to ever enter the league – so I don’t expect him to hang around for very long if he doesn’t actually go in the first round.
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Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama – My number 3 corner, worthy of going somewhere in the 20s. I was kind of going back and forth with him and Wiggins – who is just ahead in my rankings – for who the Lions would pick at 32 and with how much single-high they like to run, he would’ve also made a lot of sense for the Steelers, but recovering from the foot surgery and not having done the agility drills at his pro day, as good as I think he is at anticipating routes and disrupting receivers off the line, in this case he has to settle for early 2nd round.
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And two longshots that I wanted to bring up here quickly:
Marshawn Kneeland, EDGE, Western Michigan – Had an excellent Senior Bowl week, followed up by some great combine testing at 6’3”, around 270 pounds. Someone with incredible play-strength and untapped potential as a player who wasn’t always put in position for major production.
Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M – In a fairly underwhelming linebacker class, he stands out in terms of athletic ability and some of the high-end plays he put on tape, as a guy that can shoot gaps & create TFLs in the run game, blitz from different angles & has the loose movement skills to make plays in coverage. N.C. State’s Payton Wilson I have just ahead of Cooper as LB1, but of course he comes with a pretty scary medical history
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But now let’s still show some love to the …
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Teams outside the first round:

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33. Carolina Panthers – Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
This is very much in-line with what you see out there in mock drafts, with Ladd being a guy right on the fringe of late first/early second round. I think there’s enough out there by now with people being clowned for comparing him to all the other well-known white receivers we’ve watched in recent years. He can certainly win on option routes and pick away against matchups in the slot, but he played nearly 80% of snaps on the outside last season and will be lining up at Z in two-wide receiver sets. Threatens vertically off the line, great ability to alter speeds and giving defenders false indicators, solid hands, routinely makes the first man miss after the catch and a smart, invested blocker. He’s my WR6. I also strongly considered Ricky Pearsall from Florida (who I have right behind him) – another light-skinned dude who is labelled as a slot only, but brings the same kind of speed component and I think can absolutely play as a flanker. I just think Ladd projects as a little bit more of a volume guy for a team that has targets to spare, based on what they have on the roster currently.
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42. Houston Texans – Braden Fiske, IDL, Florida State
Looking at this Texans roster, there’s not a whole lot you’re considering as actual needs in terms of starting players, but rather depth on the offensive line and secondary – which I believe they can address later. Someone who could get on the field early and make real impact for them is Fiske. They brought in Foley Fatukasi and Denico Autry in free agency, along with Mario Edwards Jr. as another guy with inside-out flexibility. However, in terms of natural three-techniques playing on the edge of the guard and creating penetration – which DeMeco Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke have valued highly during their time in San Francisco – they don’t really have anybody that you’d project to play volume snaps for them currently. I believe there are some concerns about Fiske’s ability to deal with double-teams and being outreached by blockers at around 290 pounds with 31-inch arms. However, the ball get-off is right up there with Texas’ Byron Murphy for best in the class among the D-tackles, packs a nice club-rip move, capable of cross-facing guards and plays with a relentless motor. He may not even have to play a whole lot of first downs for this Houston team, but then he’ll boost that interior rush in designated passing situations.
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54. Cleveland Browns – Junior Colson, LB, Michigan
Finally, I did want to bring a linebacker into the equation, which was one of two positions – along with safety (unless you count Iowa’s Cooper DeJean as such) – where we might not see anybody get selected until this point. The Browns are very much like the Texans in terms of a roster where the starting-22 offense and defense combined is very complete. They just have more standout players I’d argue, but quarterback obviously is a much bigger question mark for them. As we look at this Cleveland defense, which finished first or second in pretty much every meaningful metric, they’re bringing back basically everybody from that group a year ago other than Anthony Walker Jr., who’s been the guy that’s been kind of a glue piece at middle linebacker, but they haven’t been willing to commit to, signing one-year deals each of the past three seasons, and he’s signed to Miami this offseason. Now you’re looking at Jordan Hicks or Devin Bush to fill that spot. Junior Colson should be an upgrade over either one of them, because he can actually stay on the field for all three downs. Rarely gets caught out of position, excellent short-area burst to fill gaps in the run game, sturdy to deal with bigger bodies in traffic, can cover backs and tight-ends in man, plus then he’s this rugged blitzer, who can help free up lanes as the actual set-up man on pressure looks.
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That wraps up this exercise for me and kind of puts a cap on the pre-draft season at least, as we’re just days away from the big show and I honestly can’t wait! Feel free to let me know how much you love or hate what I did for your team or anything else you’re interested in down in the comments!
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If you enjoyed this article, please visit the original video & feel free to check out all my written up content at halilsrealfootballtalk.com!
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You can follow along throughout all three days of the draft for my thoughts on some of the key/interesting selection on social media:
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Twitter: @ halilsfbtalk
Instagram: @ halilsrealfootballtalk
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Superman to film scenes with main cast in Cleveland this summer, casting call suggests
The Man of Steel is indeed returning to his hometown. Director Gunn will film scenes for DCs new Superman movie in Cleveland this summer, a Facebook post shared by the project’s local casting director provides new details about the shoot.
Angela Boehm Casting announced on Tuesday it is looking for background actors (extras) and stand-ins for Genesis which is the working title for Superman, previously confirmed.
The casting call says filming will take place in Cleveland from June 17 to July 16 before moving to Cincinnati on July 17 through July 18. The note says stand-ins will be working with our director and main cast.
That much combined with the length of the shoots suggests the Ohio portion of the production will be more involved