Seven Days Until the Draft: Mock Experts Are All Over the Place on the First Round

One week to go, and outside of the Las Vegas Raiders grabbing quarterback Fernando Mendoza from Indiana at No. 1, literally nothing feels locked in. The Jets, Cardinals, Titans, and Giants all have massive holes to fill, and depending on which way each of those teams jumps, the entire first round could shift. It's the kind of cascading chaos that has draft experts texting each other at midnight, changing their mocks by the hour.

This week, USA TODAY Sports' Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, NFL.com's Gennaro Filice, and CBS Sports' Mike Renner all dropped their latest projections. Here's how they see the first round shaking out.

The Consensus Picks: Where Everyone Agrees

All three experts lock in Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders at No. 1. USA TODAY Sports says "Mendoza has given every reason for the Silver and Black to believe he'll be a quick study in Klint Kubiak's scheme," while NFL.com notes "it feels like this selection has already been made, with everyone envisioning the reigning Heisman Trophy winner in silver and black for months now."

The chaos begins at No. 2. Middlehurst-Schwartz has the Jets taking edge David Bailey from Texas Tech, but Filice has them pivoting to Ohio State's Arvell Reese. CBS Sports also backs Bailey for Gang Green, with Mike Renner arguing "Aaron Glenn needs a pass rusher right now, and Bailey fits the bill with an FBS-leading 14.5 sacks last year." The flip from Reese to Bailey happened fast. USA TODAY notes "From January through March, the consensus opinion had Arvell Reese was pegged for the spot. Now, Bailey is the hot name linked to Gang Green."

Where the Experts Diverge: The Wild Cards

Arizona at No. 3 gets interesting. Middlehurst-Schwartz and CBS Sports both expect Reese to land there, while Filice throws a curveball with a mock trade. He has Dallas swooping in at No. 12 and No. 20, flipping those picks to Arizona for the third overall slot to snag Bailey instead. Filice's reasoning: "What if Jerry (Jones) ultimately decides to flip those two first-rounders for the third overall draft slot, where he can snatch up last season's FBS co-leader in sacks?"

Tennessee at No. 4 is split too. USA TODAY and NFL.com both project Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, described as a 6-foot-5, 244-pounder who "can get wherever he needs to be in order to snuff out a play." CBS Sports goes running back Jeremiyah Love from Notre Dame instead, calling him "a difference-maker perfectly suited for the modern game."

The New York Giants at No. 5 show similar disagreement. Middlehurst-Schwartz and Filice both like Love at this spot, with NFL.com's Filice saying John Harbaugh "has openly expressed his belief that you have to take the best player available when you hold such a lofty draft pick ... Love is universally viewed as one of this draft's elite prospects." CBS Sports pivots to Miami left tackle Francis Mauigoa instead.

Cleveland at No. 6 features another mock trade from Filice, who has Kansas City swapping its third-round pick (No. 74 overall) to jump three spots and grab edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. from Miami. USA TODAY has wideout Carnell Tate from Ohio State landing there, while CBS Sports goes with Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor.

Washington rounds out the expert consensus at No. 7, with USA TODAY and NFL.com both projecting safety Caleb Downs from Ohio State. CBS Sports goes linebacker Sonny Styles instead, calling him "the freakiest linebacker to come out in some time, maybe ever."

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.