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:
Detroit Lions: Detroit almost upset the Browns in Cleveland but lost 13-10. Last week, the Lions avoided a 0-17 season with a tie in Pittsburgh. That tie keeps Detroit holding onto the No. 1 pick. Earlier in the year, Detroit played the Rams tough on the road before Los Angeles pulled away in the fourth quarter. While the Lions are 0-9-1, they have had some bad breaks and lost to some crazy long field goals – Baltimore, Minnesota.
The 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 and the Lions are playing really hard for Campbell. This year is going to be painful, but the Lions have the staff to build a winner.
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 the top considerations.
Houston Texans: Houston notched its second win of the season yesterday with a shocking upset over the Titans. That win gives the Lions a comfortable lead for the No. 1 pick. Clearly, the Texans are one of the worst teams in the NFL, and they are paying the price for Bill O’Brien ruining one of the most talented rosters in the NFL. With Deshaun Watson on his way out of town, finding the long-term franchise quarterback is the priority for Houston.
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.
Cincinnati Bengals: Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State 
The Bengals cruised over the Raiders, but one issue the Bengals had early in the game was protecting Joe Burrow because Yannick Ngakoue and Maxx Crosby were able to eat up left tackle Jonah Williams. Cincinnati could select a true left tackle in the 2022 NFL Drafy and then move Williams to guard, right tackle or center to upgrade the offensive line at two spots.
The 6-foot-5, 310-pound Cross looks like a future starting left tackle in the NFL and has impressed team evaluators this season. He has excellent feet, athleticism, and the quickness to play on the edge. For the next level, sources say Cross needs to get stronger and bigger for taking on pro linemen, but that is not abnormal. They feel after a little developmental time, Cross could be a good pro left tackle. He could be a good first-round pick for the Bengals during the 2022 NFL Draft.
Indianapolis Colts: Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College 
The Colts got a huge road win over the Bills, as Jonathan Taylor scored five touchdowns while rolling for over 200 yards from scrimmage. Carson Wentz had an easy game, but the Indianapolis receivers were underwhelming versus Buffalo. With T.Y. Hilton aging and prone to injury, the Colts could use a young speed receiver for Wentz to go across from Michael Pittman Jr. and make teams pay for moving their safeties up to defend Taylor.
Flowers has 43 catches for 745 yards and five touchdowns so far in 2021. The 5-foot-10, 180-pounder was impressive in 2020, breaking out for the Eagles. He flashed some in 2019, but was significantly improved as a sophomore. Flowers does not have much size, but he possesses game-breaking speed and is threat to produce a big play on any reception. He could provide a big impact for the Colts as a second-day pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Houston Texans: Malik Willis, QB, Liberty 
The Texans shockingly upset the Titans, the team with the best record in the AFC. The Houston defense intercepted Ryan Tannehill four times, and Tyrod Taylor ran for two scores. The Texans struggled to pass and run, but the Titans’ turnovers gifted the win to Houston. With Deshaun Watson on his way out, the Texans need a playmaker at quarterback, and Willis has a cannon for an arm and running ability. He could be Houston’s quarterback of the future.
In 2021, Willis has completed 66 percent of his passes for 2,159 yards, 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He has nine rushing touchdowns as well. Willis broke out in 2020, completing 64 percent of his passes for 2,260 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also ran for 14 touchdowns and 944 yards on the ground. Willis started out his career at Auburn before transferring to Liberty.
For the NFL, Willis has a good skill set and talent to work with. His dangerous mobility makes him a threat to make plays off schedule, plus he is tough to sack. Willis really helps his offensive line with his escapability and is a tough runner. He also can throw a good deep ball, showing impressive strength, touch and placement. Team sources say Willis has issues with his height and gets blinded some times by the line. Willis has a good skill set and could be a star of the pre-draft workouts.
Minnesota Vikings: Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati 
The Vikings got a huge home win over the Packers on a last second field goal, but the Minnesota defense really struggled with Aaron Rodgers. He threw for 385 yards and four touchdowns, with Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling both topping 100 yards. The Vikings have blown first-round picks on the likes of Mike Hughes and Jeff Gladney, and as a result, cornerback remains a big weakness on the roster. Minnesota could look for a corner upgrade from the strong cornerback class of the 2022 NFL Draft next April.
Gardner (6-3, 200) is a tall cornerback who has good length to battle outside receivers in the NFL. To go along with his size, sources say Gardner is fast and has ball skills, but he is a little raw. Over the past three seasons, Gardner has been a productive and steady cover corner. In 2019, he collected 31 tackles, three interceptions and 11 passes defended. In 2020, he had 28 stops, three interceptions and nine passes broken up. Thus far in 2021, Gardner has 25 stops, three interceptions and two passes batted. He could be a good fit for Minnesota in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
San Francisco 49ers: Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida 
The 49ers cruised to a win over Jaguars, who struggled to much of anything offensively. San Francisco had some success with its receivers, and cornerback has been an issue this season. The 2022 NFL Draft is deep for cornerback talent, so San Francisco could find some good options in the second round.
In 2021, Elam has 23 tackles, three passes broken up and an interception. He 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 quickness. He could stand to fill out his frame, but considering he is only a true junior, he the time to do it. With his skill set and upside, he could be a very good pro. Elam is on the bubble of the late first-round and early second-day pick, so he could be a good value for the 49ers in Round 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Cleveland Browns: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas 
Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland passing attack really struggled going against a terrible Lions defense. Nick Chubb came through with a huge game to carry the Browns’ offense, and this offseason, they must upgrade their receiving weapons. Odell Beckham is gone, while Jarvis Landry’s contract could lead to him leaving. Even if Landry returns, Cleveland needs more playmakers for Mayfield.
Burks has 59 receptions for 975 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2021. In 2020, he made 51 receptions for 820 yards and seven touchdowns. Burks is a big possessional receiver for the next level. The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder is tough, physical, and dangerous after the catch. Burks is a phenomenal jump-ball receiver who uses his height, strength and frame to get good position while showing an innate ability to high point the ball with strong hands to make acrobatic leaping grabs. In a torching of the Alabama secondary, Burks showed the speed to separate from NFL defensive backs. He would be a good value for Cleveland in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
New England Patriots: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama 
The Patriots rolled Atlanta on Thursday Night Football, and their defense pitched a shutout. Once again, the New England wide receivers were underwhelming, with not a single receiver recording 43 yards or six receptions versus a vulnerable Falcons pass defense. Clearly, the Patriots need more receiving weapons for their offense.
Williams has been an electric playmaker for the Crimson Tide this season, averaging 20.6 yards per catch for 1,218 yards and 13 touchdowns on 51 catches. The 6-foot-2, 189-pound Ohio State transfer has quality height and explosive speed alongside suddenness and a burst that catches defensive backs by surprise. Williams has put himself in contention to be a late first-round or early second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Considering the relationships with Bill O’Brien and Nick Saban and the Patriots coaching staff, one can see where Williams would be recommended to New England. He would be an immediate plug-and-play upgrade to add a fast, explosive receiver to an offense that badly needs that kind of receiver.
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.
Kansas City Chiefs: The NFL is very competitive, and even great players or superb teams can have rough stretches. So Chiefs fans should not be worried; their team remains a top Super Bowl contender in the AFC. With Pat Mahomes in the prime of his career, Kansas City has a Super Bowl window that will be open for many years to come, so drafting well could lead to the team adding another Lombardi Trophy in short order.
In my latest mock 2022 NFL Draft, I have the Chiefs taking Washington State right tackle Abraham Lucas, who he would be a plug-and-play improvement for them. Kansas City has used veteran Mike Remmers at right tackle and has 2020 third-rounder Lucas Niang, but the line would be much better with a new right tackle and Niang moving inside or serving as a swing tackle backup. Other than Lucas, there could be other good right tackle options in the first round, including Kentucky’s Darian Kinnard and Minnesota’s Daniel Faalele.
Aside from the offensive line, the Chiefs have needs on the defensive side of the ball. Kansas City added Melvin Ingram, but the organization could use a long-term edge rusher to go across from Frank Clark. The 2022 NFL Draft is very deep with pass rushers, so the Chiefs could hope to have a good one slide to them in the first round. It is difficult to say so far away, but perhaps some of the group of Florida State’s Jermaine Johnson, Purdue’s George Karlaftis, Georgia’s Travon Walker and USC’s Drake Jackson will fall to Kansas City late Round 1. If the team waits for Day 2, some options to consider include Houston’s Logan Hall, Iowa State’s Wil McDonald and Florida’s Zachary Carter.
The Chiefs also could consider some cornerback help in the first round. This is a deep cornerback draft as well. Late in the first round, they could consider cornerbacks like Penn State’s Tariq Castro-Fields, Florida’s Kaiir Elam and Alabama’s Josh Jobe. There are also some options on Day 2 like Alabama’s Jalyn Armour-Davis, Missouri’s Akayleb Evans, Washington’s Kyler Gordon, Auburn’s Roger McCreary and Clemson’s Andrew Booth Jr.
Kansas City is fortunate that the 2022 NFL Draft looks deep and talented at the positions that are the team’s biggest needs. The Chiefs could fill some of these needs in free agency, and if they do, they could consider more best player available options and perhaps add more receiver talent for Mahomes. While the Chiefs may fall short of going to their third Super Bowl in a row, another good draft could lead to them going to more Super Bowls and winning more Lombardis in the years to come.
Tennessee Titans: Even though the Titans were upset by the Texans on Sunday, Tennessee head coach Mike Vrabel has to be the favorite for NFL coach of the year. Aside from Houston’s fluke win, Vrabel has done an amazing job of leading his team to comeback and fourth-quarter wins while dealing with an assortment of injuries to vital players. Obviously, the injury to Derrick Henry was a devastating blow, and losing first-round pick cornerback Caleb Farley was another gut punch. The Titans, however, have managed to keep winning, and heading into the final six weeks of the regular season, they are the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Vrabel deserves a ton of credit for what the Titans have managed to do. If Tennessee falls short of the Super Bowl this year, the team could be right back in contention next year with a healthy Henry and another first-round pick to help bolster the roster.
Thanks to the Julio Jones trade, the Titans do not have a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, so adding a good contributor is even more important to help fill a need on their roster. In my latest mock 2022 NFL Draft, I have the Titans taking USC edge rusher Drake Jackson, and they could be in position for an excellent value pick like Jackson late in the first round. The 2022 NFL Draft looks deep in terms of edge-rushing talent, so Tennessee could have some good options available in the first round and in a potential trade down. Adding another pass rusher to go across from Bud Dupree would make sense. Harold Landry is having a career season, but he is entering free agency. It might be tough for Tennessee to afford another big contract to an edge rusher after the money the franchise gave Dupree last year.
If the Titans were to trade down, they could have some good pass-rushing options on Day 2. Iowa State’s Wil McDonald and Oklahoma’s Nik Bonitto are both dangerous quarterback hunters who could be available on the second day of the 2022 NFL Draft due to being smaller and weaker run defenders. That was the same issue with Landry coming out of Boston College, yet the Titans have managed to turn him into a double-digit sacker in Year 4 of his career. Ole Miss’ Sam Williams would be another great addition of Tennessee. He is a first-round talent who is playing superb football this year getting after the quarterback. He is expected to slide because of character and maturity concerns, but if those get straightened out, Williams could be a huge steal. After dealing with the bust of Isaiah Wilson however, the Titans may not be willing to take a chance on a player like Williams.
Speaking of Wilson, he was drafted to replace Jack Conklin but became a mega bust and an embarrassing pick on the record of general manager Jon Robinson. The Titans drafted Dillon Radunz in the second round last year, but he hasn’t locked down the right tackle position and could be a better fit at guard in the NFL. At the end of the first round, there should be some excellent right tackle prospects available to Tennessee. Kentucky’s Darian Kinnard, Minnesota’s Daniel Faalele, Washington State’s Abrahama Lucas and Penn State’s Rasheed Walker could all be worthy of the organization’s consideration.
The Titans are among the elite teams in the AFC. If they can put together one more good draft, that might be enough to help push them over the top to land their first Lombardi Trophy.
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