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“What If?” An All-Trades NFL Mock Draft

Posted on March 3, 2021 Updated on March 3, 2021

As many of you know, #MockDraftSZN is all about playing out different scenarios. Many times the quarterbacks will go higher than expected. Sometimes a team trades up for a player that many felt should have gone lower. The point of playing out different scenarios is because of the unpredictable nature of the NFL Draft. If you spit out the same scenarios in your mock drafts, you will likely miss out on many selections. 

With that in mind, I decided to put a unique spin on the traditional mock drafts that you see. Many mock drafts now include trades, as they should have from the jump. Trades happen in the actual draft, so they should be projected in a mock draft. To that end, what if every pick in the first round was traded?

This offseason is going to be unlike any other in the NFL. The amount of quarterbacks that are going to change teams will have a drastic impact on the upcoming draft, as well as the upcoming season. On top of that, free agency is full of top end talent at many positions, along with quality starters and some top end depth. The wide receiver group is loaded. Joe Thuney and Brandon Scherff can have a major impact on the offensive line of the teams that they sign with. Patrick Peterson, Matthew Judon and other star defensive players will draw big contracts. Long story short, it will be a wild two months in the NFL. 

The NFL Draft is going to have its fair share of unpredictable moments as well. Could Deshaun Watson move during the actual draft? Will a team select a player that is not pegged as a “round one prospect?” Where will the quarterbacks go, and which teams will look to select them?

When you combine the volatility of this year’s free agency and the craziness of the NFL Draft every year, you get the makings of a phenomenal offseason. Even though there’s quite literally zero chance that every pick gets traded, picks and players will definitely move throughout the three days of the NFL Draft. So let’s have some fun and put every pick in round one up for sale, shall we?

Now some of these will be plausible, and some of these might be out there. However, there are going to be plenty of moves this offseason that make fans perplexed. Subsequently, there will be plenty of moves during the draft that have fans and mock experts rattled. That’s why my personal feelings for prospects are held out of this mock. Selections will shock and disappoint me as well, which is why I’m using the media’s evaluation of players. This goes for the players being dealt, as well as the draft prospects.

It’s going to be a wild offseason, both in free agency and the NFL Draft. Therefore, this is a great time of year to play everyone’s favorite game… what if?

ROUND ONE

1) Dallas Cowboys (trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars): Trevor Lawrence, QB Clemson- The Dallas Cowboys seem committed to not paying Dak Prescott big money. If that’s the case, Jerry Jones could look to make a big splash in the draft at the quarterback position. 

The only scenario where the Jaguars do not select Trevor Lawrence is if Urban Meyer believes there is a better fit for his system at the quarterback position. If Dak Prescott was made available via a sign and trade, that might entice Meyer. Prescott is his ideal quarterback because of his mobility and accuracy in the short yard window. On top of that, Prescott fits the mantra that ownership has in Jacksonville. Shahid Khan has looked for the splash moves that will draw fans to games. Dak Prescott is a splash move.

The Trade: The Dallas Cowboys trade Dak Prescott to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the 1st overall selection, a 2022 2nd Round pick, and a 2023 conditional 4th round selection.

2) Cincinnati Bengals (trade with the New York Jets): Penei Sewell, OT Oregon- Obviously the overwhelming consensus is that if the Jets trade this pick, they will do so for Deshaun Watson or Russell Wilson. However, a different scenario is the Jets staying in the top five to get the quarterback they want, while still acquiring future assets. 

If the Bengals want Sewell, they might have to move up to do so. Miami is in the market for a tackle, and Atlanta could decide to cut Jake Matthews and take Sewell at four. Therefore, if the Bengals have their sights set on Penei Sewell to protect Joe Burrow, jumping up to the second selection is the move they should make.

The Trade: The Cincinnati Bengals trade the 5th and 37th overall selections to the New York Jets for the #2 and a 2022 6th round pick.

3) Carolina Panthers (trade with the Seattle Seahawks and Miami Dolphins): Zach Wilson, QB BYU- Let’s say the rumors are true and Russell Wilson truly wants out of Seattle. Is there a better situation for him, and the Seahawks for that matter, than what the Miami Dolphins could offer? They have a defense, they have the cap room to add offensive weapons after making the trade, and they have the draft assets to entice Seattle. 

Here is where the trade gets interesting. If the Seahawks jumped into the top five, the logical conclusion is for them to select a quarterback. However, Tua Tagovailoa is part of the trade package that Miami would offer to land a star quarterback. The skill set that Tua Tagovailoa possesses would be extremely attractive to Pete Carroll and company. Therefore, the Seahawks use their newfound assets and proceed to trade down from three, in an attempt to continue to build their roster.

Carolina is mixing it up in every quarterback market, but the value of a rookie quarterback is immeasurable in terms of the salary cap flexibility it provides. Moving up for Zach Wilson makes sense schematically, and in terms of their future endeavors for building out this roster.

The Trade: Seattle gets the #8, #18, #39, Tua Tagovailoa, a 2022 2nd round pick from Miami and a 2022 2nd round pick from Carolina. Carolina gets the 3rd Pick (Zach Wilson) and the 150th overall selection. Miami gets Russell Wilson.

4) San Francisco 49ers (trade with the Atlanta Falcons): Justin Fields, QB Ohio State- The irony of the Falcons handing Kyle Shanahan his quarterback of the future would be all over networks for a long time. However, it is a deal that benefits both teams.

If the Falcons truly want to run with Matt Ryan for the next few years, they should hold this pick for ransom. San Francisco seems to be interested in getting a young quarterback on a rookie contract to provide themselves some flexibility in terms of the salary cap. They have a lot of players on their roster in need of contract extensions, and Shanahan has the ability to bring out the best in just about any quarterback. This is an extremely realistic scenario for both teams come April 29th. 

The Trade: The San Francisco 49ers trade the #12, #43 and a 2022 2nd round pick to the Atlanta Falcons for the 4th and 131st overall selections. 

5) Houston Texans (trade with New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals): Trey Lance, QB North Dakota State- An “all trades mock draft,” could not happen without finding a different landing spot for Deshaun Watson. Following the Jets sliding down and acquiring a few extra assets, they then proceed to use those assets and convince the Texans to move on from their star quarterback. It’s the only way the Jets can get around trading Quinnen Williams in this deal. 

See? Told ya the Jets could trade down and get the quarterback they wanted.

The Trade: The New York Jets trade the #5, #23, #37, a 2022 1st round pick and a 2023 2nd round pick to the Houston Texans for Deshaun Watson.

6) Los Angeles Chargers (trade with the Philadelphia Eagles): Rashawn Slater, OL Northwestern- While it’s unlikely the Chargers will have to move up this far for Slater, you never know what kind of buzz is generated in the weeks leading up to the draft. Slater is already being talked about as potentially the top offensive linemen in this draft, which is why he’s being presumed as a top 10 lock. Therefore, the Chargers move up for their left tackle, and Philadelphia moves back to acquire more assets for a rebuild. 

The Trade: The Los Angeles Chargers trade the #13, #47 and #108 to the Philadelphia Eagles for the 6th overall selection.

7) New York Giants (trade with the Detroit Lions): Ja’Marr Chase, WR LSU- The Giants are in a great position to land a pass catcher at 11. Having said that, they’re also in a position to move up the board and land the guy they want, assuming pass catchers start to fall. In a draft where quarterbacks dominate the early selections, the Giants could get away with paying less in draft pick value to land the pass catcher they covet. That is what they accomplish here. 

The Trade: The New York Giants trade the #11 and #76 to the Detroit Lions for the 7th overall pick.

8) Seattle Seahawks (trade with the Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins): Christian Darrisaw, OT Virginia Tech- In a cruel twist of irony, the Seahawks use one of the first round selections to take the offensive line help that Russell Wilson was clamoring for. Darrisaw is viewed by many as a franchise left tackle, and likely will not make it out of the top 10 come April. Seattle took Tua Tagovailoa in the deal with Miami, meaning they now move on to their next need on offense; protecting him. 

The Trade: Seattle gets the #8, #18, #39, Tua Tagovailoa, a 2022 2nd round pick from Miami and a 2022 2nd round pick from Carolina. Carolina gets the 3rd Pick (Zach Wilson) and the 150th overall selection. Miami gets Russell Wilson.

9) New England Patriots (trade with the Denver Broncos): Mac Jones, QB Alabama- Would it really surprise anyone if Bill Belichick’s pick to succeed Tom Brady was a quarterback that his buddy Nick Saban produced? Jones can do everything Belichick would ask him to do. He protects the ball, he creates with his legs (at least that’s what some think), and he can effectively manage games. New England is a candidate to trade up anyway, but the potential to get Mac Jones would be something that would make Belichick giddy. 

The Trade: The New England Patriots trade the #15, #46 and a 2022 2nd round pick to the Denver Broncos for the #9 and #104 overall selections.

10) Tennessee Titans (trade with the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings): Kyle Pitts, TE Florida- The Titans are likely losing Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith to free agency, which puts them in the market for a pass catcher early in this draft. In a scenario where the top pass catches slide a bit, the Titans could get aggressive and look to move up the draft board for the pass catcher to compliment AJ Brown. Pitts would be a perfect fit because he helps soften the defensive front in the red zone against Derrick Henry, and he takes coverage away from AJ Brown all over the field.

There is a second portion to this trade involving the Minnesota Vikings, but more on that later.

The Trade: The Tennessee Titans trade the #22, #116 and a 2022 1st round pick to the Dallas Cowboys for the #10 and a 2022 3rd round pick.

11) Detroit Lions (trade with the New York Giants): DeVonta Smith, WR Alabama- Smith is the wild card among the top pass catchers because of his frame. Some think his frame will prevent him from being the top guy selected in April. Some think that his frame is irrelevant because of how physical he can be at the line of scrimmage and the catch point. No matter what side you are on, you probably agree that his floor is likely the 11th pick, just like it is here.

The Trade: The New York Giants trade the #11 and #76 to the Detroit Lions for the 7th overall pick.

12) Atlanta Falcons (trade with the San Francisco 49ers): Patrick Surtain II, CB Alabama- Interestingly enough, this is a real scenario that could play out in two months. Atlanta needs some assets to help them reload this roster in time to capitalize on Matt Ryan’s shrinking window. They need to rebuild their defense across the board. Therefore, they slide backwards, and selected the most NFL ready cornerback in the draft (at least according to most).

The Trade: The San Francisco 49ers trade the #12, #43 and a 2022 2nd round pick to the Atlanta Falcons for the 4th and 131st overall selections.

13) Philadelphia Eagles (trade with the Los Angeles Chargers): Jaylen Waddle, WR Alabama- If Jalen Hurts is to succeed in the NFL, he is going to need a room full of playmakers with the ball in their hands. The Eagles offense with Hurts at the helm is going to be the epitome of a west coast system; lots of quick, one read throws to allow their playmakers to create, along with the occasional deep shot. Waddle fits into this offense perfectly, making him a fun option for the Eagles in both this mock draft, as well as in the actual draft.

The Trade: The Los Angeles Chargers trade the #13, #47 and #108 to the Philadelphia Eagles for the 6th overall selection.

14) Dallas Cowboys (trade with the Minnesota Vikings): Caleb Farley, CB Virginia Tech- Dallas needs a top flight corner. Their defense suffered immensely from losing Byron Jones to the Miami Dolphins. In real life, Farley’s man cover skills will be very intriguing at the 10th overall selection. In a mock where every pick is dealt, they do some shuffling and take him at 14.

The Trade: The Dallas Cowboys trade the #22 and #44 to the Minnesota Vikings for the #14 and #109.

15) Denver Broncos (trade with the New England Patriots): Micah Parsons, ILB/OLB Penn State- The Broncos are choosing to part ways with Von Miller, which means they will need a pass rusher to compliment Bradley Chubb. However, they’re also in need of a three down middle linebacker to command the second level of their defense. Guess which prospect fills both of those needs at once?

The Trade: The New England Patriots trade the #15, #46 and a 2022 2nd round pick to the Denver Broncos for the #9 and #104 overall selections.

16) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (trade with Arizona Cardinals): Kwity Paye, EDGE Michigan- Tampa Bay is a team that could get very aggressive in the draft depending on how the board falls. They will likely let Ndamukong Suh and Shaq Barrett walk in order to preserve some of their offensive pieces. This puts Tampa Bay in a prime position to slide up for an impact edge rusher, should the opportunity present itself. With Paye still on the board, the Bucs get aggressive and move up for a guy that should dominate in Todd Bowles’ defense.

The Trade: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers trade the #32, #95 and a 2022 1st round pick to the Arizona Cardinals for the 16th overall selection.

17) Indianapolis Colts (trade with the Las Vegas Raiders): Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL USC- The Colts are losing Anthony Castonzo this offseason after Castonzo surprisingly announced his retirement a few weeks ago. The unfortunate part for them is that they do not have a replacement for Castonzo on their roster. 

Most think that Alijah Vera-Tucker is very similar to Rashawn Slater. Both players could be excellent guards, but they also possess the athleticism to stay at left tackle in the NFL. Indianapolis moves up a few spots to protect the blind side of their new franchise quarterback, Carson Wentz.

The Trade: The Indianapolis Colts trade the #21, #117 and a 2022 4th round selection to the Las Vegas Raiders for the 17th overall selection.

18) Seattle Seahawks (trade with the Miami Dolphins): Jaycee Horn, CB South Carolina- The final portion of the Russell Wilson blockbuster sees the Seahawks select a top flight corner that deserves to go much earlier than he will on draft day. Horn has the length and physicality that Seattle looks for in their cornerbacks. He’s also solid in off coverage because of quality footwork.

The Trade: Seattle gets the #8, #18, #39, Tua Tagovailoa, a 2022 2nd round pick from Miami and a 2022 2nd round pick from Carolina. Carolina gets the 3rd Pick (Zach Wilson) and the 150th overall selection. Miami gets Russell Wilson.

19) Cleveland Browns (trade with the Washington Football Team): Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, ILB/OLB Notre Dame- There are major needs across the entire front seven for the Cleveland Browns. The Browns need an edge rusher to play opposite Myles Garrett, and the need to replace Larry Ogunjobi in the middle, who is likely walking in free agency. On top of that, they also need a middle linebacker that can play on every down and cover.

Based on what’s available in free agency, the optimal scenario is landing defensive line players in March, and selecting their three down linebacker in April.

The Trade: The Cleveland Browns trade the #26 and #89 to the Washington Football Team for the #19 and #207.

20) San Francisco 49ers (trade with the Chicago Bears): Gregory Rousseau, EDGE Miami- Obviously the Bears are in the market for a quarterback with the release of Mitch Trubisky. While they have been linked heavily to Sam Darnold, the more likely scenario might be Jimmy Garoppolo. Garoppolo does come with a contract, but he’s further along mentally than Darnold. He knows how to manage games and he fits Matt Nagy’s offense. 

San Francisco has the money to replace a few defensive pieces, but Solomon Thomas is likely walking in free agency. Rousseau can kick Arik Armstead back inside while keeping the ideology up front the same for the Niners. Plus, the Niners can take Nick Foles to back up and compete with Justin Fields.

The Trade: The Chicago Bears trade the 20th overall selection and Nick Foles to the San Francisco 49ers for Jimmy Garoppolo and the 107th overall selection.

21) Las Vegas Raiders (trade with the Indianapolis Colts): Christian Barmore, IDL Alabama- Vegas needs help in the middle of their defense. They lack defensive tackles to stop the run, and a three down linebacker in the middle. In a scenario where they move backwards, they would be in perfect position to take Barmore, who will go higher than expected because of the lack of depth among the interior defensive line class.

The Trade: The Indianapolis Colts trade the #21, #117 and a 2022 4th round selection to the Las Vegas Raiders for the 17th overall selection.

22) Minnesota Vikings (trade with the Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys): Jaelan Phillips, EDGE Miami- Phillips is flying up draft boards because he is the most polished edge rusher in the draft class. He has a solid move set and the ability to dip and bend off the edge. Minnesota slides down, but selects a player that might just go in the top 15 when it’s all said and done. 

The Trade: The Dallas Cowboys trade the #22 (acquired from the Tennessee Titans) and #44 to the Minnesota Vikings for the #14 and #109.

23) Houston Texans (trade with the New York Jets): Kadarius Toney, WR Florida- Should Houston land one of the young quarterbacks through a Deshaun Watson trade, expect them to build their offense through the draft assets they acquire. With the pending loss of Will Fuller to free agency, Toney can replenish their receiving core immediately. He compliments Bradin Cooks very well. Cooks can take the top off the defense, whereas Toney wins in short yardage situations with terrific footwork. They would make an excellent pairing. 

The Trade: The New York Jets trade the #5, #23, #37, a 2022 1st round pick and a 2023 2nd round pick to the Houston Texans for Deshaun Watson.

24) Kansas City Chiefs (trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers): Dillon Radunz, OT North Dakota State- Kansas City has to address the holes along their offensive line if they wish to get back to the promised land in 2021. Pittsburgh needs some assets to rebuild an aging offense and a receiving core that’s likely losing its top target. The trade makes sense for both teams. 

As for the selection, the NFL is going to love Radunz because of his intelligence. In a draft with a lot of offensive linemen, a player’s mental makeup could allow them to go higher, or lower, than draft experts may realize. Radunz falls into the category of the former.

The Trade: The Kansas City Chiefs trade the #31, #94 and #132 to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 24th overall selection.

25) Atlanta Falcons (trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars): Najee Harris, RB Alabama- While the likelihood of a team trading into round one for a running back is small, you have to bend some rules in an “all-trades mock.” Atlanta needs a “bell-cow,” desperately, and Harris fits the kind of runner that new head coach Arthur Smith would want. Therefore, Atlanta moves up to take Harris, who can carry the rock 250+ times for a number of years.

The Trade: The Atlanta Falcons trade the #35 and #68 to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the #25 and #102.

26) Washington Football Team (trade with the Cleveland Browns): Landon Dickerson, IOL Alabama- Much like Dillon Radunz, the intelligence that Dickerson possesses will allow him to go higher than some people will project. Mel Kiper put Dickerson in the first round in his most recent mock draft, which means he’s likely hearing some buzz around Dickerson in the top 40. If Washington moves backwards, Dickerson could be a perfect replacement for Brandon Scherff, or start somewhere else along the interior should Scherff return. 

The Trade: The Cleveland Browns trade the #26 and #89 to the Washington Football Team for the #19 and #207.

27) Buffalo Bills (trade with the Baltimore Ravens): Jalen Mayfield, OT Michigan- The Bills are losing a few pieces along their offensive line. In a loaded draft class like this one, that is likely where they go with their first round selection.

Mayfield has the chance to make it to their pick at 30, but this is an all-trades mock draft. Buffalo moves up a few spots to ensure they nab a starting right tackle.

The Trade: The Buffalo Bills trade the #30 and #93 to the Baltimore Ravens for the #27 and #127.

28) New York Jets (trade with the New Orleans Saints): Azeez Ojulari, EDGE Georgia- I’ve been on record saying the Saints and Sam Darnold are a perfect match. It has been in a number of my mock drafts, as well as my podcast for the Say It Again Network (shameless plug, Empire State of Sports podcast for those that are interested). Once again, Darnold lands to New Orleans in this all-trades mock draft.

The Jets will look to address a lot of pieces in free agency, but they can’t possibly land all their needs. Ojulari’s ability off the edge would be an excellent fit in Robert Saleh’s aggressive defense.

The Trade: The New York Jets trade Sam Darnold and a 2022 conditional 4th round selection to the New Orleans Saints for the 28th overall selection.

29) Philadelphia Eagles (trade with the Green Bay Packers): Trevon Moehrig, FS TCU- Philadelphia needs second help early in this draft. The depth at the position falls off hard after day two. Moehrig is viewed as the best safety in the class, and possibly the only one worthy of a first round selection. He can make an immediate impact in Philadelphia’s lackluster secondary.

The Trade: The Philadelphia Eagles trade the #37 and #69 to the Green Bay Packers for the #29 and #92.

30) Baltimore Ravens (trade with the Buffalo Bills): Rashod Bateman, WR Minnesota- The buzz on Bateman has skyrocketed because of recent workouts. In my first big board installment, I mentioned how Bateman had the ability to stretch the field more than people realized (https://draftstock.net/home/https-draftstock-net-2019-12-31-jordan-katz-preliminary-2020-big-board/). Many think that his ability to do the little things in his routes, combined with the speed he has shown in workouts, make him a first round lock. If so, Baltimore is an ideal landing spot in round one. 

The Trade: The Buffalo Bills trade the #30 and #93 to the Baltimore Ravens for the #27 and #127.

31) Pittsburgh Steelers (trade with the Kansas City Chiefs): Wyatt Davis, IOL Ohio State- For a team that is looking to regain its physical edge up front, Davis is a perfect fit. He is a mauler at the point of attack, he has excellent grip strength, and he plays with an edge. Pittsburgh has to revamp their offensive line this offseason. Presumably, most of that will occur in the draft because of the offensive line talent in this group.

The Trade: The Kansas City Chiefs trade the #31, #94 and #132 to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 24th overall selection.

32) Arizona Cardinals (trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers): Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB Syracuse- Melifonwu’s length and athleticism will have him off the board fairly early come April. If he puts together strong side workouts before that time, he can find his way into the top 32. With the Cardinals in need of a true top corner to replace Patrick Peterson, they select Melifonwu to round out this mock draft. 

The Trade: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers trade the #32, #95 and a 2022 1st round pick to the Arizona Cardinals for the 16th overall selection.