NFL mock draft: Picks 25-28
If the Steelers pass on Tevin Jenkins with the 24th pick in the draft, Jacksonville could pounce on him at pick 25. Jenkins doesn’t have terrific feet, but there aren’t many 6’6”, 320-pound offensive linemen who put forth as much effort as he does on every single play. Jenkins is always looking for an excuse to drive a defender into the turf. Jacksonville will no doubt want to get better protection for Trevor Lawrence, and Jenkins fits the bill. He’s likely a right tackle in the NFL.
I know pick 26 seems like a steep fall for one of the best linebacker prospects to come out in years, but I think teams are going to knock Micah Parsons for his maturity issues that got him in some trouble at Penn State. However, there’s no denying the talent is all there. The Browns are a well-balanced team with very few needs. One of their biggest is at the linebacker position, and Parsons could be a nightmare for opposing offenses if he lands in Cleveland.
Quity Paye just screams ‘Ravens edge defender.’ Baltimore doesn’t have a lot of size thresholds their players must meet on the edge – which is good, because Paye has a stout stature and short arms. However, what he lacks in length, he makes up for with leverage and burst. Paye is said to be an incredible athlete with off-the-charts short-area quickness. He was built to play football for the Baltimore Ravens.
The New Orleans Saints have the single-worst cap situation in the entire league this offseason, as they sit at $69.5 million in debt, according to Over the Cap. While there are a number of different directions they could go with the 28th overall pick, I think wide receiver is going to be high on their draft board. Michael Thomas is still a go-to option but came back down to earth last season. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Sanders is the only other threat at wide receiver, but he turns 34 years old this month. Rondale Moore is one of the most explosive players in the draft this year, and Sean Payton could have a lot of fun utilizing his skill set.