 England's slot.
New Orleans Saints: WR Garrett Wilson, Ohio State
Two major stumbling blocks ahead of the New Orleans Saints' 2022 campaign have already been solved.
The team elevated defensive coordinator Dennis Allen to head coach as Sean Payton's replacement, and the front office reworked Michael Thomas' deal in a sign the two sides mended fences.
"A fresh start isn't a new place, it's a mindset," Thomas tweeted after news of his restructure became public.
The quarterback position remains the key to everything else the franchise does. With the 18th pick and the possibility of Jameis Winston's return, though, quarterback shouldn't be the priority. The Saints can build a short-term bridge and sink a significant asset into making the supporting cast better.
Ohio State's Garrett Wilson is a fascinating prospect because he falls somewhere between the class' top-rated and fifth-best wide receiver. The Saints should hope other organizations aren't quite as high on the playmaker. Wilson probably won't post the fastest 40-yard-dash time, but he's explosive, and the 21-year-old can be the perfect complement to fellow former Buckeye Thomas.
New York Giants: OL Ikem Ekwonu, North Carolina State
The best-case scenario for the New York Giants involves Alabama's Evan Neal or North Carolina State's Ikem Ekwonu at No. 5.
Of the two, Ekwonu seems more likely since Neal is the favorite to be the No. 1 overall selection. The first-team All-ACC performer may also be the better fit for the Giants.
The biggest difference between these prospects is that Neal is built like a traditional left tackle and is a more polished pass pass protector. Ekwonu provides inside-out versatility and dominated in the running game.
The Giants already have a top-five pick in place at left tackle. Andrew Thomas showed tremendous growth in his second season. The rest of the front five is a wreck.
Ekwonu could easily move to guard or possibly right tackle depending on how New York views him. The process will continue in Indianapolis, where the new Giants brass will get to see his movement skills in position-specific drills and how he's improved his technique while working both sides of his pass set.
New York Jets: CB Derek Stingley Jr., LSU
LSU's Derek Stingley Jr. is an enigma in this year's draft class.
Upon arriving to campus, Stingley established himself as an elite cover corner during the Tigers' 2019 national championship run. In fact, his grade during that campaign was the highest among SEC cornerbacks since 2015, according to Pro Football Focus.
Stingley didn't play as well the following year and suffered a Lisfranc injury last season. As a result, the 20-year-old won't participate in drills at the combine, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
The most teams will get from Stingley—and the most important part of his evaluation—will be his medical exam. If he is cleared, he should vault back among the top 10 prospects. However, questions about Stingley's ability to be "locked in" arose among scouts, according to ESPN's Matt Miller. His interviews with teams will be crucial as well.
The New York Jets need secondary help. As long as the potential red flags are quelled, Stingley should be in consideration for either of the team's top-10 selections.
Philadelphia Eagles: LB Nakobe Dean, Georgia
The Philadelphia Eagles haven't drafted an off-ball linebacker in the first two rounds since they picked Mychal Kendricks 10 years ago. In fact, Jerry Robinson in 1979 is the last linebacker the Eagles chose in the opening frame.
Obviously, the organization doesn't believe in spending significant assets on the position. This year should be different, though.
Philadelphia owns three first-round selections and could land the class' top-rated linebacker. Georgia's Nakobe Dean, Utah's Devin Lloyd and Alabama's Christian Harris are all in the conversation.
Dean is most intriguing on a couple of levels. First, he may be the fastest linebacker in the class and has excellent sideline-to-sideline range. However, he needs to show he is comfortable with coverage drops and has yet to decide whether he'll participate in on-field workouts. He was also the leader of the defense for national champion Georgia.
The Eagles should be interested in how Dean performs during drills and interviews and how he measures since a lack of length is a concern. The entire package could make him the first Round 1 linebacker drafted by Philadelphia in 43 years.
Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
The Pittsburgh Steelers seem to be set on Liberty quarterback Malik Willis, according to Pro Football Network's Tony Pauline.
As owners of the 20th pick, the franchise may not be in a position to select Willis. The Denver Broncos, Washington Commanders and New Orleans Saints all select before Pittsburgh.
The Steelers can't become blind to other options. Whether or not it's Willis, Pittsburgh must find a quality option to be Ben Roethlisberger's successor.
Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder is QB1 in Bleacher Report's draft rankings. The class is considered weak compared to previous iterations. Still, Ridder would be a solid value, particularly for a team such as the Steelers with a strong supporting cast. Ridder helped elevate a Group of Five program into uncharted territory, showed the capability to make NFL throws from the pocket and displayed excellent athleticism.
Willis may be the Steelers' target, but the franchise should look at Ridder.
San Francisco 49ers: Edge Myjai Sanders, Cincinnati
Trey Lance is the San Francisco 49ers' de facto first-round pick. Despite limited playing time as a rookie, last year's No. 3 pick will be the future of the franchise. Once the organization is finally on the board in the second round, it can address another premium position.
That could be cornerback or edge-rusher. The Niners have needs at both spots, and this year's class of pass-rushers is extremely deep. It would be arguably the best attack plan for a team that won't choose until the 61st pick.
Cincinnati's Myjai Sanders is a highly disruptive defender with a slender frame. At the Senior Bowl, he measured 6'4" and 242 pounds. How he can add mass over time will be an interesting aspect to his evaluation. Even so, Sanders is lightning quick off the snap and much stronger at the point of attack than his size indicates.
Arik Armstead found a home inside with the 49ers. Sanders may not come into the league as an every-down defender, but he can be an explosive sub-package defender from the get-go.
Seattle Seahawks: RB Breece Hall, Iowa State
The Seattle Seahawks have a problem if they still plan to feature a physical rushing attack.
Rashaad Penny and Alex Collins are pending free agents. Chris Carson projects as the starter with one more year remaining on his deal. But the 27-year-old required disk fusion surgery on his neck last season.
Furthermore, the Seahawks don't own a first-round pick after the Jamal Adams trade.
The team will open its draft weekend with the 41st selection. Seattle could look at multiple different positions of higher value, particularly left tackle depending on pending free agent Duane Brown's status, but the best value could very well be at running back.
The devaluation of ball-carriers is no secret. A team without a first-round pick can take advantage of a perceived market inefficiency and nab a top-notch prospect.
Iowa State's Breece Hall has the best vision of any running back in the class. The 20-year-old shouldered the Cyclones offense over the last three years with 3,941 rushing yards.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: RB Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in a transitory phase.
Quarterback Tom Brady and guard Ali Marpet have retired. Meanwhile, the roster is littered with free agents, including Leonard Fournette, Rob Gronkowski, Chris Godwin, Ryan Jensen, Alex Cappa, Ndamukong Suh, Jason Pierre-Paul, Jordan Whitehead and Carlton Davis III. The organization does have some financial wiggle room with $21.3 million in projected salary-cap space.
Basically, the draft is an opportunity to lay the groundwork for a different identity. Considering the team doesn't have a solid option behind center and owns the 27th pick, Tampa Bay can build a new-look offense.
Michigan State's Kenneth Walker III can provide excellent value at the bottom of the first round as the class' RB1. Also, the Bucs can become a run-heavy team with Walker leading the way as they figure out a long-term quarterback plan. A running back should be near the top of their list.
Tennessee Titans: CB Trent McDuffie, Washington
Washington's Trent McDuffie is the antithesis of Caleb Farley, which is exactly why the Tennessee Titans should closely watch the former.
The Titans chose Farley with last year's 22nd pick despite his lengthy injury history, which included a torn ACL and two back surgeries. Still, the 6'2", 197-pound cornerback presented elite traits.
Farley's rookie campaign ended on injured reserve with a second torn ACL.
As a prospect, McDuffie brings what Farley couldn't. The first-team All-Pac-12 performer might be a little undersized at 5'11" and 195 pounds. But he's reliable