I don't think Barkley slips past the Browns at No.4, but he could go as high as No.2 to the Giants. Penn State Football/Facebook
Here is my final mock draft and I have made several changes this week, to say the least. I think I have a better feel now for how the middle of the 1st round will play out, but we'll find out for sure tonight. Now, I certainly don't have the resume of Mike Mayock or Mel Kiper, but I do have the luxury of talking football with guys like NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, and have co-hosted draft shows in the Houston market the last few years. I watch as many players as I can, look at the needs and tendencies of every team, and get information from people I trust. So here we go. The NFL Draft is like Christmas morning for me, and I can't wait for this thing to get started.
1. Cleveland Browns- Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield
The Browns finally get their franchise QB. There's a lot of buzz about Baker Mayfield being selected here, so I'll trust what I'm hearing.
2. New York Giants- NCST DE Bradley Chubb
The Giants find a replacement for JPP, or they trade back.
3. New York Jets- UCLA QB Josh Rosen
I'm hearing that the Jets prefer Rosen over Darnold.
4. Cleveland Browns- Penn St. RB Saquon Barkley
Cleveland selects the best player in the draft. They could trade this pick to Arizona, Buffalo, or even Denver.
5. Denver Broncos- USC QB Sam Darnold
I can't believe it, but I think the Broncos can stay put and take Darnold at #5.
6. Indianapolis Colts- Virginia Tech OLB Tremaine Edmonds
The Colts add an incredible playmaker to their defense.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Ohio St. CB Denzel Ward
The Bucs get the best corner in the draft.
8. Chicago Bears- Notre Dame OG Quenton Nelson
The Bears get one of the best players in the draft and protect their young QB.
9. San Francisco 49ers- Georgia LB Roquan Smith
I'm going with Lance's advice and keeping Roquan Smith in my Top 10. If you missed Lance Zierlein shaming me, you can check it out here.
10. TRADE--------- Buffalo Bills via Raiders- Wyoming QB Josh Allen
The Bills trade with the Raiders to jump in front of Miami and grab their QB. Adam Gase and the Dolphins are rumored to be interested in a QB, so the Bills make their move.
11. Miami Dolphins- Washington DT Vita Vea
The Dolphins replace Suh, and give Tannehill another year.
12. TRADE--------- Oakland Raiders via Bills- Alabama DT Da'Ron Payne
The Raiders get some help on the d-line and add some picks.
13. Washington Redskins- Florida State S Derwin James
Washington gets a steal and adds to the secondary.
14. Green Bay Packers- UTSA OLB Marcus Davenport
The Packers are excited to get their pass rusher. Some compare Davenport to Lions DE Ziggy Ansah, but I see a lighter lowercase Jadeveon Clowney.
15. Arizona Cardinals- Alabama DB Minkah Fitzpatrick
Arizona gets great value and upgrades the secondary.
16. Baltimore Ravens- Notre Dame OT Mike McGlinchey
Now the Ravens have bookend tackles with McGlinchey and Ronnie Stanley. I was lucky enough to watch some coaches tape of McGlinchey, and this dude looks legit.
17. Los Angeles Chargers- Boise St. LB Leighton Vander Esch
The Chargers bolster their defense. This guy can PLAY.
18. Seattle Seahawks- Iowa CB Josh Jackson
Pete Carroll and John Schneider get their replacement for Richard Sherman. Jackson posseses size and terrific ball skills. He has Seahawk written all over him.
19. Dallas Cowboys- Florida DT Taven Bryan
The Cowboys could go Rahaan Evans or Calvin Ridley, but I'm betting they would take Bryan if he's available.
20. Detroit Lions- Boston College DE Harold Landry
The Lions get some help on their defensive line. Ziggy Ansah is playing on the franchise tag.
21. Cincinnati Bengals - Alabama LB Rahaan Evans
Evans fills a need and he's a terrific player.
22. TRADE---------Oakland Raiders via Bills- Louisville CB Jaire Alexander
The Raiders take the extra pick from the Bills and get some much-needed help at corner.
23. New England Patriots- UCLA OT Kolton Miller
The Pats need both tackle and corner, but this draft is thin at tackle. They can grab a corner at pick #31.
24. Carolina Panthers- Alabama WR Calvin Ridley
They get Cam a much-needed weapon outside.
25. Tennessee Titans- Texas A&M WR Christian Kirk
Kirk can help Mariota get the ball out fast, and that will help keep their QB healthy. They just took Corey Davis in the 1st round last year, but there aren't any LBs or pass rushers worth taking here. They may look to trade down.
26. Atlanta Falcons- Michigan DT Maurice Hurst
Dontari Poe left in free agency, so the Falcons add a DT.
27. New Orleans Saints- UTEP OG Will Hernandez
The Saints know the running game was a difference maker for them last year.
28. Pittsburgh Steelers- Stanford S Justin Reid
This dude can run and has Pro Bowl potential.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars- Louisville QB Lamar Jackson
Blake Bortles will have competition.
30. Minnesota Vikings- Texas OL Connor Williams
The Vikings spent a ton of money on Kirk Cousins, so they add some help on the line to protect him.
31. New England Patriots- UCF CB Mike Hughes
The Pats get lucky and grab Hughes to replace Malcolm Butler. Hughes should go sooner , but several of the teams in front of the Pats have bigger needs than corner.
32. Philadelphia Eagles- SMU WR Courtland Sutton
The Super Bowl champs add another toy for Carson Wentz, and Alshon Jeffery is recovering from a shoulder injury.
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Mar 21, 2025, 3:56 pm
Wichita, Kansas – Saturday, 8:40 p.m. EDT
The No. 1 seed Houston Cougars (31-4) take on the No. 8 Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-8) in a highly anticipated second-round showdown of the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars, dominant in the Big 12 with a 22-1 record, bring the nation’s top-ranked defense to the court, while the Bulldogs, the West Coast Conference powerhouse, counter with one of the most efficient offenses in the country.
Defense vs. offense: The ultimate battle
Houston boasts the best defense in the Big 12, holding opponents to just 57.9 points per game on 38.1% shooting. The Cougars will be tasked with slowing down a Gonzaga squad that averages 84.6 points per game over its last 10 outings and shoots an impressive 50.1% from the field.
On the other side, Houston’s offense is averaging 72.1 points per game in its last 10 contests, a figure that will be tested against a Gonzaga defense allowing 67.6 points per game. The Cougars have a slight edge from beyond the arc, making 8.1 three-pointers per game compared to Gonzaga’s 7.3 allowed.
Key players to watch
For Houston, LJ Cryer has been the go-to scorer, averaging 15.2 points per game, while Milos Uzan has stepped up recently, contributing 14.7 points over the last 10 games. The Cougars will also lean on their defensive intensity and ability to force turnovers to disrupt Gonzaga’s rhythm.
Gonzaga is led by Graham Ike, who is averaging 17 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Khalif Battle has also been a key contributor, posting 15.3 points and 1.6 steals per game in the past 10 contests. The Bulldogs’ ball movement will be crucial, as they average 20.4 assists per game in their last 10 contests, a stark contrast to Houston’s 9.0.
Game outlook
Houston enters as a 5.5-point favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, with the over/under set at 140.5 points. If the Cougars can impose their defensive will and limit Gonzaga’s transition game, they stand a strong chance of advancing. However, if the Bulldogs find their offensive groove early, Houston may be in for its toughest test of the tournament so far.
Expect an intense, physical battle where the team that dictates the tempo will likely punch its ticket to the Sweet 16.