9. New Orleans Saints - James Pearce Jr, EDGE, Tennessee
The New Orleans Saints simply need a rebuild, so they need to get young and cheap talent on both sides of the ball. James Pearce Jr being available to them with the ninth overall pick is something that the front office cannot pass up. If the Saints have another disappointing season, I would not be surprised to see GM Mickey Loomis lose his job.
10. Minnesota Vikings - Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
The Minnesota Vikings might be on the doorstep of being a competitive team. They did take JJ McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft and do have a solid roster on both sides of the ball. General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah might be on the cusp of building a great team, and one way to finish that off is to ensure his team is strong in the trenches, so with the 10th overall pick, they opt to beef that unit up with Walter Nolen.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did have a surprisingly good season in 2023, winning nine games, the NFC South title, and a playoff game. They re-signed both Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans, so they clearly want to run this thing back. Tampa also traded CB Carlton Davis to the Detroit Lions, so they could use some help in that unit.
12. New York Giants (via SEA) - Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
Who knows what position Travis Hunter is going to play in the NFL. Only time will tell what position is best for his long-term viability in this league. The New York Jets have done a nice job at re-tooling this roster to go all-in with Aaron Rodgers, but Jets GM Joe Douglas cannot neglect building the team for the long-term as well.
Travis Hunter could end up being one of the very best NFL Draft prospects next year.