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:
Jacksonville Jaguars: Arizona dropped the Jaguars to 0-3, but the Jaguars had a lead or were close for a lot of the game. New head coach Urban Meyer and rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence have received a rude welcome to the NFL, and clearly Jacksonville is a young team with a lot of holes on the roster. The Jaguars should get better throughout the season, but they could be a top candidate for the No. 1 pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. If Jacksonville lands the top pick, it would make sense to trade down with a team that needs a quarterback and load up on picks to help the rebuilding process.
New York Jets: The Jets lost to Denver to fall to 0-3, but they’re a young team that will improve as the season progresses. They are in for some growing pains, but they should be a better team in the back half of the season. If the Jets were to land the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, they probably would look to trade down and load up on picks to help their rebuilding process.
New York Giants: Atlanta won in New York and dropped the Giants to 0-3. The Giants are a bad team, and it looks like it could be a long-year for them. I’m not confident, however, they will be bad enough to land the No. 1 pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. If they were to land the No. 1 pick, it would mean that Daniel Jones probably has not panned out and they would look to replace him with a new quarterback.
Detroit Lions: Baltimore needed a NFL record 66-yard field goal on the final play of the game to get the win in Detroit. The 0-3 Lions are deep in rebuilding mode after previous general manager Bob Quinn and previous head coach Matt Patricia did a terrible job of drafting. It will take some time for Detroit to rebuild the roster new general manager Brad Holmes and new head coach Dan Campbell inherited. Hence, it could be a long year for the Lions, but Holmes is a phenomenal talent evaluator who will build a talented team.
If the Lions land the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, what they do with it will depend on how Jared Goff plays this season. If Goff plays well enough, they could maybe trade down for a big package of picks. If Goff struggles, they could replace him with the top quarterback. Detroit has two first-round picks in each of the next two drafts, so the franchise already has good resources thanks to the haul that Holmes landed for Matthew Stafford. If the Lions don’t take a quarterback, wide receiver and edge rusher could be their top considerations.
Top General Manager Candidates:
Top Head Coach Candidates:
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.
Las Vegas Raiders: Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma 
The Raiders’ defense is vastly improved this year with more talent on their defensive line and better coaching with defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. Las Vegas has used a defensive tackle rotation well, but they could use a three-down difference-maker. Winfrey would be a great fit for the team’s first-round pick.
Winfrey has recorded 11 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2021. He has a ton of upside to continue to improve as he is a fast and athletic interior rusher. Winfrey (6-3, 298) came on strong for Oklahoma late in the 2020 season. The junior college product has a really good skill set and has shown versatility, playing a variety of techniques for the Sooners in 2021. For the NFL, he would fit best as a three-technique pass rusher in a 4-3 defense, and that would make him a great fit for Gus Bradley in Las Vegas.
Los Angeles Chargers: Drake Jackson, DE, USC 
The Chargers pulled off an upset of the Chiefs, and Los Angeles was able to come up with some clutch turnovers to deny Pat Mahomes in the red zone. The Chargers had an opportunistic defense, but they could use another edge rusher to go with Joey Bosa.
In 2021, Jackson has 10 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and an interception. He has shown pass-rushing talent off the edge and plays hard. USC has hurt his production by moving him around, playing some outside linebacker, dropping him into coverage, and reducing his pass-rushing opportunities. Following the change in head coach, it sounds like they plan to play Jackson as a more traditional defensive end.
Jackson played well in 2020, recording 20 tackles, two sacks and an interception. He was more disruptive than the numbers illustrate that season. Jackson (6-4, 275) had an impressive debut for the Trojans in 2019. He showed some pass-rush potential alongside quality size and speed. With his skill set, Jackson has the upside to improve his production as he gains more experience. He could be a nice edge rusher to complement Bosa.
New Orleans Saints: Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama 
The New Orleans defense played really well against the Patriots, leading the Saints to their second win of the season. Even if Michael Thomas comes back playing well, they need to add more receiving weapons for Jameis Winston. Without their first-round pick, the Saints could land help for their offense by targeting a receiver in the second round.
Tolbert has 14 catches for 317 yards in 2021. According to team sources, advance scouts gave Tolbert (6-1, 194) a high preseason grade. He displayed some serious big-play ability in his previous seasons, averaging 17 yards and 19.3 yards per reception. Tolbert has a nice buzz and could be a riser with a 2021 strong season. It would also help him to impress at the Senior Bowl against a higher caliber of competition, but Tolbert has a good skill set, and in the second round, he could be a nice No. 2 receiver to complement Thomas.
Tennessee Titans: Travon Walker, DE, Georgia 
The Titans improved to 2-1 with a home win over the Colts. Tennessee allowed Jonathan Taylor to run for 64 yards on 10 carries, and the edge rush has been an issue for the Titans over the past few years. A defensive lineman like Walker could help them in both phases, and he would be an excellent addition to the Tennessee defense.
Scouts are buzzing about Walker, and he is shooting up boards for the 2022 NFL Draft. The junior is off to an impressive start in 2021, including a big performance against Clemson in the season opener. Thus far, he has 11 tackles and a sack. Team sources say Walker is big, athletic and speedy. The 6-foot-5, 275-pounder has the size to set the edge and is quick off the ball. They feel he is a well-rounded defender with a lot of upside. Walker could be a superb addition to go with Jeffrey Simmons and Bud Dupree.
Arizona Cardinals: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia The Cardinals improved to 3-0 dropping the lowly Jaguars after an early scare. Arizona had a tough time stopping the run, allowing James Robinson to total 88 yards and a touchdown over 15 carries. Adding a run stuffer like Davis would be a phenomenal addition for the Cardinals, as Davis is a stout run defender who eats up blockers and is tough to move at the line of scrimmage. He would help to free up Isaiah Simmons and while collapsing the pocket to help J.J. Watt and Chandler Jones off the edge.
Davis had an excellent game against Clemson to open 2021. He was a beast at the point of attack and led the Bulldogs tremendous run defense against the Tigers. Davis notched three tackles and a sack, but the numbers don’t illustrate how big of a force he was for Georgia. He has eight tackles and 1.5 sacks thus far in 2021. In 2020, Davis collected 16 tackles and one sack. He had 2.5 sacks and 18 tackles as a sophomore after recording 25 tackles and 1.5 sacks during his freshman season. Some league sources are extremely high on Davis and compare him to the Giants’ Dexter Lawrence. The 6-foot-6, 340-pound Davis is a mountain of a man with unique speed and athleticism.
Atlanta Falcons: Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida 
The Falcons were able to pull out a late win on the road in New York and get the first win for new head coach Arthur Smith. A.J. Terrell has played well for Atlanta so far this season, showing a lot of promise for a second-year player. Atlanta’s other cornerbacks, however, have been a weakness and were exploited in previous games. Adding a cornerback in the second round could make a lot of sense as it would provide a quality No. 2 corner while allowing their first-round pick to be used for another upgrade.
Elam had eight tackles, three passes broken up and an interception in 2021. Taking on Alabama, Elam was phenomenal blanketing and shutting down future NFL receivers. He also played well in 2020, recording 39 tackles, two interceptions and 11 passes broken up. The 6-foot-1, 187-pounder was fantastic as a freshman, flashing serious ball skills even though he had a part-time role. Elam has good height and length with enough quickness to become a potential starter.
Carolina Panthers: Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State 
The Panthers cruised over the Texans on Thursday Night Football despite losing Christian McCaffrey and Jaycee Horn to injury. While Carolina had an easy win over Houston, the Panthers’ issues on the offensive line were visible at times, with a sack-fumble from Jon Greenard, and they could not get a push on a fourth-and-1 in the first half. Adding more offensive line talent to protect Christian McCaffrey and Sam Darnold would make sense for Carolina in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Walker had a mixed outing against Wisconsin in the 2021 season opener, but he played better against Auburn. The 6-foot-6, 320-pounder is a large offensive tackle with further potential to improve as he gains experience. He could end up being a tough run blocker and reliable pass protector. Walker has a good skill set with size, speed and athleticism. He needs to eliminate, however, his tendency to bend at the waist and lunge after defenders. That leads to him having issues in pass protection at times, but Walker has all the physical talent to be a starting left tackle in the NFL.
Team Draft Report:
In this section, we take a deeper look at specific teams and where they stand in regards to the 2020 NFL Draft.
Baltimore Ravens: The Ravens are one of the most interesting teams in the NFL thanks to the consistent highlight-reel play of young franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson. Baltimore has been one of the best front offices in the NFL since Ozzie Newsome came to the franchise, and the franchise is consistently among the best drafting teams in the league. With a few more good drafts, the Ravens could win their third Super Bowl and have an elite quarterback like Jackson entering the prime of his career.
In my latest mock 2022 NFL Draft, I have Baltimore adding some help for Jackson with young offensive line talent in the form of Minnesota’s Daniel Faalele. Last offseason, the Ravens traded away right tackle Orlando Brown, and they could use a replacement to go with Ronnie Stanley. Taking a right tackle at the end of the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft could make sense, and Baltimore could have some good options with Faalele, Washington State’s Abraham Lucas, Kentucky’s Darian Kinnard and Penn State’s Rasheed Walker. The Ravens won’t be picking high enough for Alabama’s Evan Neal, but a young right tackle would definitely make sense.
Baltimore could also consider adding more talent to its defense. The games versus the Raiders and Chiefs illustrated that the Ravens’ stop unit is not the dominant defense it has been in the past and could use more talent. Jayson Oweh is off to a good start, but Baltimore could use an edge rusher across from him. Late in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Ravens could consider the likes of Georgia’s Travon Walker, USC’s Drake Jackson, Virginia Tech’s Amaré Barno or LSU’s Ali Gaye.
Another need that the Ravens could consider would be a third cornerback to go with Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters. Jimmy Smith is aging, and all good defenses need a third corner. Targeting some cornerback help on Day 2 along with more youth for the defensive line could make sense, especially if Baltimore is able to add more edge rush or offensive line help in free agency. The Ravens have young talent on their roster that could develop into starters as well, so they could lean toward more best player available consideration at some picks.
The Ravens have a good young core of talent on offense and defense, and they just need a few more pieces to help push them over the top. It would not surprise this analyst at all if Jackson leads them to their third Super Bowl championship in the next few years.
Houston Texans: There is no team in the NFL that is further way from winning a championship than the Houston Texans. The Texans are dealing with the devastation that was inflicted on the franchise by former head coach Bill O’Brien. I could write a long book on how O’Brien’s temper and ego ruined the franchise, but we all know those mistakes and don’t need to review recent history. O’Brien had one of the best scouting staffs and rosters in the NFL, but O’Brien squandered it and decimated the Texans’ front office and roster. New general manager Nick Cesario has a huge rebuilding project on his hands.
The Deshaun Watson saga is the monkey on the franchise’s back. Eventually, the Texans should get a good return in a trade for Watson. If Watson lands a large suspension from the NFL, which seems very possible, it will hurt his value. Regardless of what Houston gets for Watson, the top priority if finding a franchise quarterback to replace him. At the top of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Texans could tie consideration to Ole Miss’ Matt Corral or Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler. Perhaps another candidate will emerge, but if the Texans don’t like either Corral or Rattler, they could give more time to Davis Mills and look to go for a quarterback in 2023.
Looking at the Houston roster, there are few positions of strength, and right now, there are maybe less than a handful of players who are likely to be starters for the team five years from now. The offensive line might be the only spot that has some quality NFL talent.
In my latest mock 2022 NFL Draft, I have the Texans taking Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks in the second round because getting help for their young quarterback is going to be a necessity. Houston has some veteran journeymen receivers, but could use some long-term starters and some size at the position. Aside from Burks, the Texans could give consideration to other receivers like Penn State’s Jahan Dotson, Boston College’s Zay Flowers and Alabama’s John Metchie.
The Texans also need more edge-rushing talent, and adding a difference maker to their defense is a necessity. If they don’t take a quarterback in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, they should have some good options available high in the first round with the likes of Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux, Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson, Georgia’s Adam Anderson, Florida State’s Jermaine Johnson and Georgia’s Travon Walker. There could be some good options early in the second round as well.
The Texans also need help at cornerback, running back and linebacker. Cesario could consider going with the best player available at a lot of picks because they need help all over their roster. The quarterback decision and a game changer in the front seven, however, are the most critical needs. Houston shouldn’t have to right now, but because of the incompetence of O’Brien and Cal McNair, the team has to find replacements for Deshaun Watson, J.J. Watt and DeAndre Hopkins. It will a few years of good drafts and free agency signings to get Houston back into playoff contention.
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