Monday Morning Draft is back! This is a column that delves into the past weekend’s action from an NFL Draft perspective. As the season goes on, the draft picture and slotting will become more clear, but every Sunday will provide a few hints for next April.
By Charlie Campbell.
Send Charlie an e-mail here: [email protected]
Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell for updates.
Race for the No. 1 Pick:
Houston Texans: The Texans lost to the Commanders, and Houston strengthened its hold on the No. 1 pick with the Raiders getting their third win of the season. The Texans Houston got their first win of the year when the defense had their way with Trevor Lawrence. Given the Week 1 tie against the Colts, Houston would fall behind two-win teams if the team notches another win. Unless Davis Mills finishes the year well, Houston will need a true franchise quarterback to replace Deshaun Watson. It would make sense for the Texans to target Alabama’s Bryce Young or Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Las Vegas Raiders: The Raiders won at Denver to improve to 3-7 on the season. Owner Mark Davis made a regrettable decisions to let go of Jon Gruden and Rich Bisaccia. If the Raiders land the top pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, they can either start a rebuild and look to trade veterans like Derek Carr and Davante Adams who will be in their early 30s.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Pittsburgh fell to 3-7 with a home loss to the Bengals. The Steelers have struggled this year and clearly are in rebuilding mode. If they land a top-two pick, the Steelers should look to trade down with a quarterback-needy team. Pittsburgh has a lot of needs and could use the extra draft picks.
Carolina Panthers: The Panthers fell to 3-8 on the season by losing to the Ravens. Carolina is paying the price for having Matt Rhule run the franchise for the past few years. Owner David Tepper does not know football and his hiring of Rhule out of Baylor was misguided from the start. Hopefully for Panthers fans, Tepper stays out of football decisions like the next head coach and draft picks. General manager Scott Fitterer should be trusted to make those decisions over Tepper.
Detroit Lions: Detroit is on pace to have a high first-round pick beacuse the Rams fell to 3-7 and the Lions hold Los Angeles’ first-round pick from the Matthew Stafford trade. Detroit got a road win in New York to improve to 4-6 on the season with its third straight win. The Lions wisely traded away T.J. Hockenson, as he is overrated and not worthy of a big second contract. That has the team loaded up with two first-round picks and two second-round picks for the 2023 NFL Draft.
If Detroit lands the top pick or a high first-rounder, the organization could look to upgrade over Jared Goff by taking Alabama’s Bryce Young or Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. The Lions can hold onto Goff and let the rookie sit behind him for a year, or they can let Goff go without a salary-cap penalty. Detroit could also look to trade Goff, who could be worth a second-day pick because he is a better player than other quarterbacks like Carson Wentz or Matt Ryan, who were just traded for second-day picks last offseason. Aside from quarterback, Detroit badly needs some cornerback upgrades to go with Jeff Okudah.
Top General Manager Candidates:
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Let’s Play Matchmaker:
This section will look at some of the top talent in college football and match those prospects up with teams that have a dire need at the position.
Baltimore Ravens: Jordan Addison, WR, USC 
The Ravens were held to 13 points, but that was enough for them to beat the hapless Panthers, as they could only generate three points. Baltimore enjoyed a nice game from Demarcus Robinson, but the rest of the receivers struggled. In the 2023 NFL Draft, the Ravens could really stand to find a playmaker for Lamar Jackson.
Addison has been a plug-and-play point producer for USC in 2022, recording 51 catches for 765 yards and eight touchdowns. While playing for Pittsburgh in 2021, Addison benefited from quarterback Kenny Pickett having a phenomenal year to produce a massive sophomore season himself. Addison caught 100 passes in 2021 for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns. The 6-foot, 175-pounder displayed the speed to get vertical and threaten defenses downfield. For the NFL, he could stand to get stronger and fill out his frame, but he could be a playmaker who hits the ground running as a pro. Late in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Addison could be a solid value for the Ravens.
Washington Commanders: O’Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida 
After beating the Eagles on Monday night, Washington stayed hot and cruised over the worst team in the league, the Houston Texans. While the Commanders stayed committed to the ground game, they only averaged 3.8 yards per carry. It would make sense for them to add a run blocker to the interior of their offensive line over the offseason.
Torrence has blocked well for the Gators in 2022, being especially beasty in the ground game. The 6-foot-5, 335-pounder is a load who generates movement as run blocker with surprising athleticism and quickness in pass protection. Torrence was a 3-year starter at La.-Lafayette, but after the 2021, he transferred to Florida to continue his playing career under the same head coach, Billy Napier. Torrence could be a solid second-round pick for Washington who would be an asset to blast open holes for Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson.
Philadelphia Eagles: Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA 
The Eagles squeaked out a last-second one-point win in Indianapolis to narrowly avoid losing two in a row. While Jalen Hurts managed late-game heroics, Philadelphia really struggled to run the ball against the Colts. Miles Sanders ran for 47 yards on 13 carries, and he is entering free agency after the season. Even if he’s re-signed, the Eagles could consider adding a big power back to pair with him.
Charbonnet (6-1, 220) has taken 171 carries in 2022 for 1,240 yards – a 7.3-yard average – and 13 touchdowns. He also has caught 33 passes for 299 yards. Charbonnet ran well in 2021 as well, ripping off yards in large chunks for the Bruins. He has a strong build and a burst to accelerate into the secondary. In 2021, Charbonnet averaged 5.6 yards per carry for 1,137 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also made 24 catches for 197 yards. Some team sources have said they like how hard Charbonnet runs alongside his surprising speed and receiving ability. In the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Charbonnet could be a good fit for Philadelphia.
New England Patriots: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU 
The Patriots won 10-3 thanks to a late punt return for a touchdown, but their offense was pathetic against the Jets, generating only three points. With this win, the Patriots stayed in the playoff race, but they clearly do not have the firepower to match up with the Chiefs, Bills, Bengals or Dolphins. New England is paying the price for Bill Belichick taking N’Keal Harry in the 2019 NFL Draft over Deebo Samuel, A.J. Brown, Mecole Hardman, Diontae Johnson, D.K. Metcalf and Terry McLaurin.
So far in 2022, Johnston has 49 receptions for 764 yards and five touchdowns. He flashed in 2021, catching 33 passes for 612 yards and six touchdowns. Sources from around the NFL are high on his skill set. “He’s 6-foot-3, 215 pounds and can win on all three levels. He puts up 20 yards per catch, runs great routes, is super smart, an alpha, and the hardest worker on the team,” an area scout told WalterFootball.com. He has the skill set of No.1 wide out with mismatch potential. Johnston would be a plug-and-play upgrade for New England.
Atlanta Falcons: Will Levis, QB, Kentucky 
The Falcons have had some close losses this year, but they held on to come away a narrow win over the Bears in Atlanta. Marcus Mariota had a decent performance, but clearly he is not the long-term starter. With this win making it even more unlikely, the Falcons will probably miss out on the top two quarterback prospects of Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young. Hence, they may have to settle for the third option in Will Levis.
Levis has completed 66 percent of his passes this season for 2,218 yards, 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He has a good skill set and could be a riser throughout the draft process. The 6-foot-3, 232-pound Levis has a cannon for an arm and easy velocity to push the ball downfield. He thrived running the Kentucky offense during 2021. Levis completed 66 percent of his passes that season for 2,826 yards, 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He also had nine rushing touchdowns.
For the NFL, Levis projects as a big-armed pocket passer. He needs to cut down on the interceptions and continue to improve at reading the field to close out 2022. Levis has the arm talent to get the ball to Kyle Pitts and Drake London.
New Orleans Saints: Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford 
The Saints got a much-needed win as Andy Dalton did enough to support their defense, which knocked Matthew Stafford out of the game. New Orleans has tried Dalton and Jameis Winston as its starters, but clearly the team needs a long-term starter. Without a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, that becomes a more difficult objective, but there could be some quality options in the second round for New Orleans.
While Stanford has struggled this season, McKee has impressed some NFL evaluators. The 6-foot-6, 230-pounder has excellent size to go along with a strong arm capable of firing the ball downfield. In 2022, McKee has completed 60 percent of his passes for 2,634 yards, 12 touchdowns and eight interceptions. In 2021, he completed 65 percent of his passes for 2,327 yards, 15 touchdowns and seven picks. Some team sources believe McKee could be a late first-round or early second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. McKee could be riser in the draft process by showing off his arm in workouts and having good interviews and visits. McKee could be in contention for New Orleans second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, or the team could consider moving up into the late first round for McKee.
Tennessee Titans: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame 
The Titans pulled off a win over the Packers on Thursday night football, with Ryan Tannehill tearing up the Green Bay defense and a breakout game from rookie wideout Treylon Burks. Tennessee has tried some veteran stop-gaps at tight end, but it would make sense to find a long-term starter who can provide another mismatch receiver for the offense.
Mayer has 59 catches this season for 711 yards and seven touchdowns. He recorded 71 receptions for 840 yards and seven touchdowns in 2021. As a freshman, the 6-foot-4, 251-pound Mayer stepped in for Cole Kmet, and the Fighting Irish didn’t miss a beat in the transition. Mayer caught 42 passes for 450 yards and two touchdowns in 2020. To go along with his size, Mayer has some athleticism and runs good routes. He is excellent after the catch and is a real weapon to pick up yards with his feet. Late in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Mayer could be a safe and solid pick for Tennessee.
Team Draft Report:
In this section, we take a deeper look at specific teams and where they stand in regards to the 2023 NFL Draft.
New York Giants : Entering the season, the consensus opinion was that the Giants would be more competitive, but nobody was picking them to be one of the best teams in the NFC. Rookie head coach Brian Daboll has received huge praise and deservedly so. He has gotten Daniel Jones to be an efficient quarterback while leaning on a healthy Saquon Barkley to run all over defenses. The defense has played complementary football, and New York is in great position to make it to the postseason. To keep the Giants trending in the right direction, another good draft could make a big difference.
This will be an interesting and challenging offseason for the Giants because both Barkley and Jones are entering free agency. If either one leaves, that will leave a huge hole in the team’s offense. It would make sense to target one for a contract extension before free agency and then put the franchise tag on the other veteran. Barkley is the better player, so it could make more sense to sign him to a long-term deal, but the franchise tag for a quarterback is very expensive and will give Jones a massive 1-year deal. On the flip side, signing Jones to a long-term contract carries risk if he reverts to his 2021 form. Thus, it will be a challenging offseason and general manager Joe Schoen will face some difficult decisions to figure out. If I were in Schoen’s position, I would extend Barkley on a multi-year deal and franchise tag Jones.
In my latest mock 2023 NFL Draft, I have the Giants taking Texas A&M cornerback Jaylon Jones, and he would make sense for New York. DeAndre Baker was a bust as a first-round pick; James Bradberry was let go; and Adoree’ Jackson is expensive and aging. Hence, the Giants could use young talent at the critical position. Jones is a big corner with quickness and athleticism. He would be a great scheme fit for New York. Other late first-round candidates for the Giants at cornerback include Utah’s Clark Phillips and Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon. Perhaps one of Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez or South Carolina’s Cam Smith will slide to the Giants, and either of them would be a great pick.
Offensively, the Giants badly need help at wide receiver. Kenny Golladay has been a bust as a free agent addition. They gave away a talented receiver in Kadarius Toney for only a third-round pick, and clearly they need more playmakers at wideout to go with rookie Wan’Dale Robinson. Late in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Giants could have options like USC’s Jordan Addison or Tennessee’s Cedric Tillman. Tillman would give them a big outside receiver, while Addison is smaller and more of a speed threat. Given what New York has in Robinson, it could make more sense to take a bigger receiver to pair with him.
On the second day of the 2023 NFL Draft, it could make sense for the Giants to add more to their offensive line with interior talent. Some good interior offensive linemen who could be good values for New York in the second round include Notre Dame’s Jarrett Patterson, TCU’s Steve Avila and Florida’s O’Cyrus Torrence. Any of those three could be a plug-and-play contributor at guard, while Patterson and Avila have the flexibility to play center.
Given these needs, the organization’s best route could be to take a wide receiver and cornerback in their first two picks and then look for some interior offensive line help in the third round.
The Giants are definitely vastly improved this year, and they play gritty, tough football. However, the decisions made this offseason regarding Jones, Barkley, and the franchise’s next draft picks will prove whether the team is definitely headed in the right direction or if it is just a 1-year wonder and a mirage.
Green Bay Packers: The Packers sitting at 4-7 entering Thanksgiving is one of the biggest surprises in the NFL this season. Green Bay has struggled all year at playing complementary football. Offensively, the Packers have not found their typical groove, while the defense has had breakdowns at critical times. They have to rectify things quickly in order to compete for a championship before they are faced with replacing Aaron Rodgers.
In my latest mock 2023 NFL Draft, I have the Packers taking Ohio State left tackle Paris Johnson. With Johnson, they could have him bookend with David Bakhtiari and, in time, they could move Johnson to left tackle when Bakhtiari is done. The Green Bay offensive line seems to struggle with injuries and depth every year. Adding improved blocking upfront would make sense to help the Packers establish more consistency on offense.
Elsewhere on the offense, the Packers could consider adding young talent at tight end. There is not a tight end worthy of the team’s first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, but Green Bay could target some good options on Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft with the likes of Oregon State’s Luke Musgrave, Iowa’s Sam LaPorta and Georgia’s Darnell Washington.
The Packers have avoided taking a wide receiver in the first round, and they have done a good job of finding receiver talent on Day 2. They could look to Day 2 again to find replacement candidates for Randall Cobb and Sammy Watkins. Some wide receivers who could make sense include Iowa State’s Xavier Hutchinson, Wake Forest’s A.T. Perry, Boston College’s Zay Flowers and Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt. Any one of those wideouts could be a nice addition from the second-day of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Defensively, the Packers have a lot of young talent, but it could makes sense for them to add another pass rusher. Preston Smith is an expensive veteran, while Rashan Gary will be coming off a serious injury next year. In the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, there could be some good options for Green Bay. Texas Tech’s Tyree Wilson, Notre Dame’s Isaiah Foskey or Clemson defensive end Myles Murphy would be a great addition. All of them have good skill sets and could be a force for Green Bay in combination with Rashan Gary, which would give the franchise some long-term defensive ends.
While this season has gotten away from the Packers, they definitely are candidates to bounce back and be among the top teams in the NFC next year. A good 2023 NFL Draft and some additions in free agency could have Green Bay right back into the playoff race next year.
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