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:
Washington Commanders: Washington is one of the worst teams in the NFL and badly needs an upgrade over Carson Wentz. If the Commanders land the No. 1 pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, the only question will be which quarterback they want to take.
Detroit Lions: The Lions looked vastly improved to open the season, and their offense has played well overall while the defense has really struggled. If Detroit lands the top pick or a high first-rounder in the 2023 NFL Draft, the team could look to upgrade over Jared Goff by taking Alabama’s Bryce Young or Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud.
Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers are 1-4, but they should be better in the second half of the season as Kenny Pickett gets more experience and T.J. Watt returns to the field. If Pittsburgh ends up with a high first-rounder in the 2023 NFL Draft, the organization will probably look to move down to load up on picks to rebuild around Pickett.
Carolina Panthers: Carolina was dropped to 1-4 by the 49ers. The Panthers look poised to have a high first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and they need a franchise quarterback. Baker Mayfield has struggled and clearly is not the answer as a long-term starter.
Las Vegas Raiders: Las Vegas plays in Kansas City tonight, and it would be surprising if the Raiders get a win over the Chiefs. Owner Mark Davis was a fool to not retain Rich Bisaccia, Greg Olson, and Gus Bradley after they led the team to the playoffs despite the Jon Gruden controversy, Henry Ruggs tragedy, and Darren Waller injury. It would not be surprising if the Raiders quit on Josh McDaniels over the course of the season.
Houston Texans: The Texans got their first win of the year as their defense had its way with Trevor Lawrence. Unless Davis Mills turns things around, 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.
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.
New England Patriots: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU 
The Patriots cruised over the Lions thanks to Jared Goff making some critical turnovers and the New England defense dominating Detroit on fourth-down attempts. Matt Judon had an excellent game, and the defense made it an easy afternoon for Bailey Zappe. While the Patriots leaned on the ground game, they clearly could use more weapons in the passing game. Johnston could give them a receiver with a No. 1’s skill set.
Johnston flashed in 2021, catching 33 passes for 612 yards and six touchdowns. Sources from around the league 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 shared with WalterFootball.com.
While Johnston still has more to prove with pro evaluators, they are high on him across the board and he could end up being the top receiver prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft. Johnston could make sense for New England’s first-round pick, if he gets that far.
New York Giants: Jordan Addison, WR, USC 
The Giants are a surprising 4-1 after dropping the Packers in London. Darius Slayton (6-79) had a solid game, but none New York’s other receivers had even 40 yards through the air. While Kadarius Toney has been injured, the Giants badly needs more receiving talent. Adding a wideout in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft would make a lot of sense for New York.
Addison has been a plug-and-play point-producer for USC this season, recording 32 catches for 479 yards and six touchdowns so far. 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. Addison would inject playmaking ability to the Giants offense.
Indianapolis Colts: Peter Skronoski, OT, Northwestern 
The Colts got an ugly win on Thursday night, but winning in Denver is difficult, and the victory helps then stay within striking distance in the AFC South. Thanks to Jonathan Taylor being out with an injury, the Colts were without their best offensive player, but this season, Taylor has yet to going, in part because the offensive line has not played as well in 2022. On Thursday night, Bradley Chubb had a multi-sack game against the Colts, and they could use a left tackle upgrade.
Playing left tackle for Northwestern, Skoronski impressed as the replacement for Rashawn Slater over the previous two seasons. “He’s athletic, moves well, and is smooth,” said an AFC Director of player personnel. “He has very short arms, like 32 inches – he plays with better length than he has – but he doesn’t have a tackle body and looks more like a guard. Some guys I have spoken with compare him to Jonah Williams and some others have said Jonah Jackson.” Some teams will project the 6-foot-4, 315-pound Skoronski to guard while others might think he can remain at tackle. Skoronski could be a left tackle for the Colts, and if he doesn’t work out there, he could be an upgrade at right guard.
Houston Texans: Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa 
Trevor Lawrence really struggled against the Texans, and the Houston defense pitched a second-half shutout to lead their team to its first victory of the season. The Texans were fortunate Jacksonville got away from the run, as Lawrence dropped back 47 times while Travis Etienne and James Robinson each had only 10 carries. Etienne also had success as a receiver. The Houston linebackers have not been as good since Benardrick McKinney and Zach Cunningham were a tough tandem.
Team sources like Campbell and think he will go in the first three rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft. They call him a taller version of Chad Muma. The 6-foot-5, 243-pound Campbell has good size, strength, and enough athleticism to be a three-down starter. In 2022, he has 49 tackles with one pass batted. In 2021, Campbell had 140 tackles with a sack, forced fumble, two interceptions and five passes defended. Campbell could be a very good second-day pick for Houston in the 2023 NFL Draft. He could help the Texans to defend Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor, and the Jacksonville tandem.
New Orleans Saints: B.J. Ojulari, OLB, LSU 
New Orleans’ three-game losing streak came to an end with its much-needed shootout win over Seattle. Geno Smith, Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf continued to play well for the Seahawks, having their way with the New Orleans defense. Cam Jordan logged 1.5 sacks for the Saints, but they need more pass rush help to go with him. Marcus Davenport is in the last year of his contract, and Payton Turner has not shown signs of being a good starter yet.
Thus far in 2022, Ojulari has 20 tackles, one forced fumble and 3.5 sacks. The NFL advance scouts expected Ali Gaye to be the top edge defender for LSU in 2021, but he ended up getting hurt and leaving the role to Ojulari, who put together an excellent season with seven sacks and 54 tackles. In his 2020 season, the 6-foot-3, 244-pound freshman recorded four sacks, one forced fumble and 16 tackles. Ojulari could be a good fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL or designated pass rusher in a 4-3. In the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Ojulari could be good fit for New Orleans.
New York Jets: Antonio Johnson, S/CB, Texas A&M 
The Jets took advantage of playing a third-string quarterback to notch a win over Miami. New York did a nice job of limiting Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, while Raheem Mostert (18-113-1) ran well for the Dolphins. Johnson would be a great first-round pick for the Jets as he is a hybrid safety and corner who is one of the leading tacklers in the SEC. He could help New York’s run defense and pass coverage.
Johnson has 48 tackles, a sack and one pass broken up thus far this season. The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder is a massive slot corner who broke out for the Aggies in 2021. The sophomore recorded 79 tackles, an interception and five passes defended on the year.
Johnson has phenomenal length and size to match up against NFL receivers while also showing fabulous instincts and tackling ability as a safety. Johnson has also lined up as a slot corner and dime linebacker. He is an outstanding defensive back who is a Swiss Army knife to solve coverage problems for his defense. In Robert Saleh’s defense, Johnson could be a great fit.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame 
The Buccaneers ended their two-game losing streak with a home win over Atlanta. Leonard Fournette had a huge day, and Tampa Bay was able to overwhelm the Falcons offense. Tampa Bay could use a tight end weapon for Tom Brady right now, and it could make sense for the Bucs to offer a first-round pick for Detroit’s T.J. Hockenson. With Rob Gronkowski retired, O.J. Howard let go, and Cameron Brate having dealt with injuries, help is needed now, and Hockenson would be an immediate contributor. After this season, Tampa Bay could target a tight end upgrade like Mayer in the early rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft.
In 2022, Mayer has 33 catches for 351 yards and five 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. He has a good skill set and has surpassed Tyler Eifert as the most productive tight end in Fighting Irish history. Mayer could be a great fit for Tampa Bay.
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.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence really struggled in his rookie season with the Jaguars, and more so than the NFL media let on. It wasn’t all Lawrence’s fault though, as former head coach Urban Meyer was a disaster and Jacksonville lacked talent on both sides of the ball after years of bad drafting by former general manager Dave Caldwell, which had depleted the roster. However in 2022, the Jaguars are improved and more competitive in the AFC South. If they can fix a few more issues, their growth could speed up tremendously.
In my latest mock 2023 NFL Draft, I have the Jaguars taking Tennessee wide receiver Cedric Tillman, as they could use a big receiver on the outside who has No. 1 potential to pair with Christian Kirk. As was obvious against the Texans yesterday, Lawrence needs a difference maker; Marvin Jones is a solid veteran, but he should not be leading the team in receiving. Tillman would give Jacksonville size on the outside and be a good partner with the small, shifty Kirk. The Jaguars may not be picking high enough in the 2023 NFL Draft for Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba or maybe TCU’s Quentin Johnston. Both of them are mismatch weapons who could be true No. 1 receivers in the NFL, so trading up for one of them might make sense for Jacksonville depending on how expensive it would be to move up. Other early-round receivers for the team to consider include LSU’s Kayshon Boutte and USC’s Jordan Addison.
Defensively, the Jaguars could use another starting corner. Shaq Griffin is a solid veteran, and Tyson Campbell is an emerging young talent who has upside but needs to grow more consistent. Jacksonville could use a third corner to team with them and potentially take over as the No. 1 corner for Griffin when he ages out. Some first-round corner options for the Jaguars to consider include Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr., South Carolina’s Cam Smith, Texas A&M’s Jaylon Jones and Utah’s Clark Phillips. Jacksonville also could consider cornerback/safety hybrids like Texas A&M’s Antonio Johnson or Alabama’s Brian Branch. Johnson would be an interesting pick because he is tremendous safety, slot corner, and dime linebacker. Johnson could be a nice help for defending division rivals like Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor and Dameon Pierce.
Jacksonville is definitely headed in the right direction, and continuing to improve the wide receiver talent to help the quarterback will boost the offense, while strengthening the coverage in the secondary would help solidify the defense. Either could be the right move for the Jaguars to continue to build their roster into a playoff contender.
Denver Broncos: After trading for Russell Wilson, signing Randy Gregory, and hiring Nathanial Hackett at head coach, there were huge expectations for the Broncos to vault into Super Bowl contender territory. I was not on that bandwagon, however. That is a lot of change for a team in a short amount of time, and it takes time to develop continuity with each other and for coaches along with players to master new schemes. Denver starting to click in the back half of the year and coming back better in 2023 would not be surprising. The Broncos will have to lean on free agency over the offseason though, because they are without a first- or second-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft due to the Wilson trade. Still, Denver might be able to land a contributor in the third round who helps them in 2023.
The Broncos have had issues at right tackle for years, and now will have Garett Bolles coming off a season-ending injury. Billy Turner is a free agent and is a cheap stop-gap veteran. In the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Denver could look for a permanent right tackle. Some options might be players like Wisconsin’s Jack Nelson, Georgia’s Broderick Jones and Washington’s Jaxon Kirkland. It would make sense for Denver to add a veteran too and have that rookie serve as a backup swing tackle to help provide depth behind Bolles. From there, the organization can hope that draftee eventually works their way into being the starting right tackle.
Another position Denver could address in the 2023 NFL Draft would be cornerback talent to go with Patrick Surtain II. Damarri Mathis could fit as a nickelback, and the Broncos could add another outside corner to form a talented young trio. Kansas State’s Julius Brents, Ohio State’s Lathan Ransom or Miami’s Tyrique Stevenson could be good options for Denver. The offensive line and defensive lines, however, might be more pressing.
Even though the Broncos drafted Nik Bonitto and signed Randy Gregory last year, they could consider adding more pass-rushing talent if Bradley Chubb is not signed to a contract extension. Chubb is playing well in 2022, so he will command huge money if he stays healthy and remains this productive. If he leaves, Denver could consider potential third-round edge defenders like Florida’s Brenton Cox Jr., Pittsburgh’s Habukkuk Baldonado and Tennessee’s Byron Young. It might make make more sense for the organization to target offensive line or cornerback over an edge rusher.
The Broncos are in a tough division in the loaded AFC, so they may come up short this year for being a deep postseason contender. That, however, could change in 2023 after they have more time to jell and create continuity. There is good talent on the roster, and they have a franchise quarterback in Wilson. While it may not happen in 2022, Denver could be a breakout team next year.
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