Week 6 of the NFL season is almost in the books, as the only games remaining are on Monday Night as the Bills, Falcons, Commanders, and Bears are all yet to play. While several teams are still riding high, feeling like they'll make the Playoffs and compete for the Super Bowl, it feels like more teams than normal are already turning their attention to the offseason.
The New York Jets remain the only winless team in the NFL as their season is becoming a disaster. There are 5 teams that are still sitting with just one win, while there are 12 teams with a below .500 record. Whether your season has fallen apart due to injuries or the team is just terrible, several fanbases are already looking to the mock drafts to see where they can get better.
Week 6 NFL Mock Draft: Fernando Mendoza jumps to the 1st Overall Pick
The New York Jets put together another truly sad performance on Sunday Morning in their loss to the Denver Broncos. Justin Fields passed for just 45 yards in the team's loss as it's becoming clear he's certainly not the answer. Fernando Mendoza has been the best quarterback in the Country this season and would give the Jets a clear future if the franchise.
It's still too early to tell if Dillon Gabriel is going to be the answer or not, but they have plenty of other areas to address. The Browns need to improve on the offensive line if they're going to start building a capable offense, and a cornerstone offensive tackle is a great place to start. Spencer Fano has experience at both tackle positions and could be a plug-and-play upgrade for the Browns.
The Baltimore Ravens have been derailed by an injury to Lamar Jackson and when he returns, the team could take off, but they still have clear issues. The Ravens lack a premier pass rusher who can take over games, and it's something they'll need to finally get over the hump in the Playoffs. Rueben Bain has been a monster for the Miami Hurricanes and could be a 10+ sack player as soon as he enters the league.
Until the Miami Dolphins choose to move on from Tua Tagovailoa, their top priority is going to have to be protecting him. The Dolphins have been trying to build up their offensive line for years and they need to finally land a blue-chip offensive tackle. Francis Mauigoa has been dominating for the Miami Hurricanes in the stadium and has the potential to hit another level as he continues to develop.
This offseason, the New Orleans Saints hired Kellen Moore to lead the franchise, and now he needs to land his quarterback to build with. While Dante Moore has plenty of areas to improve in, this season he's shown that he belongs in the conversation for the best quarterback in the Country and this Draft class.
The Tennessee Titans have been tough to watch as 1st overall pick, Cam Ward, is constantly running for his life while his weapons aren't helping him much. The Titans need a receiver who can get open while pulling defenders out of the box, as teams are loading the box every game. Carnell Tate has the speed to stretch the field and the route-running ability to give this team a massive lift on offense.
Whenever the Bengals play without Joe Burrow, it becomes clear how important he is to this team as the entire offense falls apart. The Bengals have spent a ton on the skill positions but, this offseason they need to help protect him. Alabama's Kadyn Proctor is an elite offensive tackle at the college level and if he isn't able to translate to the NFL, he has the size to be a great
As Pete Carroll looks to get the Las Vegas Raiders back on track, it's clear this team needs to add blue-chip players. No one fits that billing more than Ohio State's Caleb Downs, as he'll jump to the NFL and instantly be one of the best defensive backs in the league.
The New York Giants appear to have hit on their pick of Jaxson Dart, and now the top priority will be surrounding him with the pieces he needs to succeed. Before Malik Nabers went down, the Giants had a shortage of wide receivers, and it's clear the team needs to add another star target. Jordyn Tyson has been one of the biggest stars in the Country at Arizona State, and he'd join a young, exciting Giants team.
The Arizona Cardinals need to bulk up on the defensive line, as the defense as a whole lacks some of the elite pieces you need to push for the Playoffs. While Clemson has been disappointing this season, Peter Woods is the most talented interior defensive lineman in the Country and would be a massive boost to a defensive line needing blue-chip pieces.
The Houston Texans are still in the middle of an offensive line rebuild, and the top priority has to be protecting CJ Stroud. Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu doesn't get the attention he should garner with Spencer Fano on the other side of the line, but he's a first-round talent who'd be a great addition to this group.
The Dallas Cowboys have all the talent you need on offense, but the defense has been a problem the entire season. After trading away Micah Parsons, the Cowboys' top priority needs to be adding an elite pass rusher. Clemson's TJ Parker hasn't had the season everyone thought he could after an 11-sack season last year, but it's clear that he's a first-round talent.
Bryce Young is starting to show signs of improvement, which is great news for the Carolina Panthers as they can look elsewhere in the NFL Draft. The Panthers' defense has struggled getting after the passer and they need to add a star to rush the passer. Keldric Faulk is one of the best pass rushers in the Country, and adding him to this young defensive line would help the other edge rushers.
The Kansas City Chiefs haven't been as explosive over the past few seasons on offense, which has put a ton of pressure on Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs' running back talent has fallen off, and the team could certainly use a star in the backfield. Jeremiyah Love is the most talented running back in the Country and would bring a new element back to this offense
Under Ben Johnson, the Chicago Bears are finally clicking on offense, which brings attention to the other side of the football. This team could desperately use a great pass rusher opposite of Montez Sweat and that's where they should look in a great defensive line class. Matayo Uiagalelei is a proven commodity rushing the passer and could help this defense get after the great quarterbacks in this division.
The Rams have a pair of 1st Round Picks in this draft, and one of them should be spent trying to find a successor to Matthew Stafford. Alabama Quarterback Ty Simpson is starting to look like an elite talent, and his style of play and accuracy would fit perfectly in the Sean McVay offense, especially if he can learn behind Stafford.
Jayden Daniels is a star on a rookie contract which makes giving him all the pieces he needs the top priority. Zach Ertz is starting to show his age a bit, and while he can still be a productive player, the Commanders can't put all of the pressure on him. Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq is one of the biggest athletic freaks in the Country, and he'd give Jayden Daniels an elite piece to work with.,
Minnesota has an incredibly talented team, but the talent in the secondary is the clear area of weakness for this group. The Vikings should take a swing at cornerback, and they could end up getting the best cornerback in the draft later than most drafts. Jermod McCoy hasn't returned from injury, but when he returns, if he can reach the same level he played at last season, he's arguably a Top 10 talent.
Drake Maye is starting to look like one of the best young quarterbacks in the league, and it's time for the Patriots to start building a winner around him. The first area the Patriots should look at is at wide receiver, giving their young star a new weapon he can grow with. USC star Makai Lemon can impact the game in so many different ways and would be a great chess piece with Josh McDaniels.
Sean Payton's defense continues to look like the best in the NFL as they completely shut down the New York Jets offense. As Payton continues to build this roster, they should continue to build on their strength, especially in a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert. Anthony Hill Jr would give this team an elite chess piece who can make plays in the middle and rushing off the edge.
The Cleveland Browns have two first-round picks in this year's draft, and the first pick should be used on the best player available. When the Browns get to their second pick, they can take a swing on a quarterback, and LaNorris Sellers would make a ton of sense. Sellers has all the tools to be a star in the NFL, but he's still very raw and could be best served by sitting behind a QB and learning the game.
The Rams have built one of the most impressive front sevens in the NFL over the past few NFL Drafts, which has given them a new identity. After nailing pick after pick on the defensive front, it's time for the Rams to start building a younger defensive backfield. Mansoor Delane would've been a Day 2 pick in the 2024 Draft, and after this season, he could be the top cornerback drafted.
The Detroit Lions' injuries to their secondary have hurt them, especially as GM Brad Holmes would've loved to evaluate where this group stands. Detroit still needs to level up at cornerback, and Clemson's Avieon Terrell is the type of player that can jump to the NFL and instantly give this passing defense a massive boost.
The Seattle Seahawks seemingly nailed their move from Geno Smith to Sam Darnold, and now the Seahawks have a chance to build a winner. The biggest hole on this team when healthy is at linebacker, where this team could use a star. LSU linebacker Whit Weeks is the high-energy player a defensive coach loves, and he can jump right into the NFL and perform at a high level.
The San Francisco 49ers continue to have one of the most upsetting seasons as every week, one of their biggest stars suffers a long-term injury. It's hard to gauge where this team needs to add pieces, but cornerback stands out as one position where this team needs to add pieces. Penn State star AJ Harris is potentially the best cornerback in the class, but he's had a disappointing run in Big Ten play.
Jim Harbaugh loves to build his teams through the trenches, and they'll likely get lucky that one of the best defensive players will fall in this draft. When healthy, Caleb Banks is arguably a Top 5 pick, but he's missed a ton of time this season with injury, which will likely cause him to slide in the NFL Draft.
Year after year, the Philadelphia Eagles lose key pieces in the trenches via free agency, and it's come back to hurt them at times this season. The Eagles need that feared rusher off the edge like they had for so many years in Brandon Graham, and it'll be a top priority in the Draft. Texas Tech star David Bailey is starting to look like the best pass rusher in the Country and would be a great addition to this team.
The Buffalo Bills have done a nice job with so many different pieces at wide receiver, but, at times, it becomes clear that Josh Allen would be well-suited with a go-to wide receiver. Washington's Denzel Boston burst onto the scene in 2024, and this season, he's going to follow that season up with an even more productive campaign.
Part of what made trading away Micah Parsons so crazy was the fact that he could disrupt the opposing offense from so many different areas. Ohio State's Arvell Reese is becoming a similar prospect as he's burst onto the scene for the Buckeyes, making plays in the middle while showing a ton of promise coming off the edge.
The Pittsburgh Steelers brought in Aaron Rodgers this offseason, and while he has the team off to a great start, they need to find a long-term solution. Oklahoma's John Mateer looked like the best quarterback in the Country before his injury, and if he returns to form down the stretch of the season, he's going to be one of the most interesting players in the NFL Draft.
The day will eventually come when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to replace Lavonte David who's been one of the NFL's best linebackers for a long time. Ohio State star Sonny Styles is the type of player who can have an impact next to David like Devin White did before taking over the role long term.
Daniel Jones has the Indianapolis Colts rolling and it's showing just how talented this roster has been while needing just average quarterback play. One of the areas where the Colts could afford to get younger is at linebacker, and CJ Allen looks like the next great linebacker that Georgia is going to send to the NFL.