Week 8 of the NFL Season is almost in the books, as only the Washington Commanders and Kansas City Chiefs are left waiting to play. While some of the games weren’t all too competitive, this weekend will have a massive impact on the NFL Draft, as we saw some bad teams help or hurt their draft stock.
Several fanbases would fast forward to the offseason if it was possible as their season has either been a disappointment or ruined by injuries. This weekend we saw the New York Jets win their first game shaking the entire top half of the NFL Draft.
Week 8 NFL Mock Draft: Jets win changes everything
On Saturday, the New Orleans Saints benched Spencer Rattler and replaced him with Tyler Shough, and both players struggled. After passing on a quarterback to draft Kelvin Banks Jr, Kellen Moore is going to want a quarterback he can develop. There hasn't been a better quarterback than Indiana's Fernando Mendoza this season, and he'd be a great player for the Saints to start building around.
The New York Jets won their first game of this season, but they will definitely have a quarterback change next season. Owner Woody Johnson trashed Justin Fields at the league meetings, which will pressure the Jets into finding a future for the program. Dante Moore is still developing, but he’s shown a ton that will have NFL scouts excited to take a chance on developing him.
The Tennessee Titans need a mass influx of talent, especially as a new Head Coach will be hired this offseason. Most of the offseason will be centered around improving the offense around Cam Ward, but the Titans can't afford to pass on the best player in the draft.
It's still too early to tell whether or not the Browns are going to be looking for a quarterback in the draft after picking a pair last draft, while Deshaun Watson will be back in the mix. The Browns should still be picking the best player available, and he may be right down the road at Ohio State. Caleb Downs would instantly give the Browns another terrifying defender who can help this team improve on the backend.
Every game that the Miami Dolphins win is great for Tua Tagovailoa, as it makes it harder for them to replace him. If Tua Tagovailoa remains the starter next season, the Dolphins need to protect him. Spencer Fano is the best tackle in the Country, and he’d help the Dolphins solve a revolving door at offensive tackle.
A lot of the New York Giants excitement around Jaxson Dart has been zapped with injuries to young playmakers Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo. Even before both players were injured it became clear that the Giants needed to add more weapons especially at receiver. Carnell Tate would be a great complement to Malik Nabers with his ability to win deep while also making plays in the short and intermediate areas.
The Baltimore Ravens finally snapped their losing streak, and with Lamar Jackson nearing a return, the Ravens will most likely end the season drafting in the back half of the draft. The Ravens still need an elite pass rusher, and a player like David Bailey, who's already racked up 10.5 sacks, would be the perfect addition for any team.
The Las Vegas Raiders need a massive influx of talent, as it's clear that Pete Carroll won't turn this team around overnight. In a division loaded with elite quarterbacks, Arvell Reese from Ohio State would be a home run pick as a disruptor at linebacker and rushing off the edge.
The Arizona Cardinals are a team that should continue looking at drafting the best player available, as this team lacks some of the blue-chip pieces you need to win. Calais Campbell continues to age, and the Cardinals would be smart to take Clemson star Peter Woods, who has the potential to dominate on the inside.
While Sunday's loss to the Jets only raised the level of concern for the Bengals on defense, the top priority remains protecting Joe Burrow. The Bengals need to invest in the offensive line, and Miami tackle Francis Mauigoa would be a plug-and-play upgrade at left tackle, giving the Bengals a duo to build around opposite Amarius Mims.
Sean McVay and the Rams have built one of the best young defensive fronts in the NFL, which has helped, as the offense isn't as explosive as it once was. With the young talent secured in the trenches, the Rams should take a swing at building up the secondary to make a dominant defense even tougher. Mansoor Delane went from a potential Day 2 pick to the best cornerback in the draft at LSU, and after locking up some of the best receivers in the SEC, he's NFL-ready.
Jayden Daniels' breakout rookie season accelerated the Commanders' rebuild, but this season is showing the aging veterans Washington invested in weren't the answer. The Commanders haven't ever replaced the threat of Montez Sweat, and betting on T.J. Parker's upside could help fill that void.
The Vikings may end up in the market for a quarterback if JJ McCarthy doesn't work out, but for now, their biggest need is at defensive back. The Vikings desperately need to add talent at cornerback, as the Eagles exposed the weakness two weeks ago. Jermod McCoy hasn't played this season, but when he's healthy, he's easily a Top 5-10 talent in the class.
The Houston Texans picked up a nice win on Sunday, but this offense still needs a ton of talent. The offensive line should be the biggest area that the Texans focus on as protecting CJ Stroud should be the top priority. Alabama's Kadyn Proctor has been solid in the SEC with the upside to blossom with further development.
The Dallas Cowboys need all the help they can get on defense, as trading Micah Parsons has exposed some of their other weaknesses. Both of the Cowboys' first-round picks should be used on drafting pass rushers, and Auburn star Keldric Faulk would be a great place to start. While Faulk is having a down season, he has all the traits to become one of the best pass rushers in the Country.
This weekend was big for Bryce Young as the Panthers looked lifeless on offense without him. The defense needs to improve a ton, especially at edge rusher as they don't have an elite playmaker off the edge. Matayo Uiagalelei would be a great addition to a young edge room, as he's shown all the potential to be an elite player in the NFL.
The Chicago Bears shockingly lost to a Ravens team without Lamar Jackson, as some of their weaknesses were exposed. Among the needs for the Bears is a pass rusher opposite Montez Sweat to help get after stars like Jordan Love and Jared Goff. Cashius Howell went from a star at Bowling Green to a player with 10 sacks in the SEC in dominant form.
When Rashee Rice returned to the lineup last week, a ton of the concerns about the Chiefs' big play ability went away. Where the Chiefs offense can hit that next level is by adding an elite running back, as they haven't had a big-play threat since Isaiah Pacheco's injury. Jeremiyah Love is clearly the most elite running back in the Country, and adding him to an offense with Pattrick Mahomes would seem unfair.
If the Cleveland Browns are going to spend additional resources on drafting a quarterback, they have to be sure he can play right away. Using the second of their two first-round picks on Alabama star Ty Simpson could provide that. Simpson has been a high-IQ passer for Alabama with impressive arm ability, which could finally bring a spark to this Browns offense.
The San Francisco 49ers have been ravaged by injuries this season as it will most likely keep them from being a Super Bowl contender. While it’s hard to judge where this team needs to add players due to the injuries, wide receiver should be addressed as Brandon Aiyuk’s future is uncertain. Jordyn Tyson has been arguably one of the best receivers in the Country the last two seasons and he’d give Brock Purdy another elite target.
This season has felt like the breakout year the Chargers have been looking for out of Justin Herbert, as he looks like one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Adding weapons for Justin Herbert should be key, and adding an athletic freak in Kenyon Sadiiq at tight end would only make this offense scarier next season.
On Sunday Night Football, the Country watched Jordan Love shred the Steelers' secondary for 360 yards and 3 touchdowns. Some of the Steelers' veteran additions in the secondary haven't panned out like they would've liked. Avieon Terrell is one of the best cornerbacks in the Country and pairing him with Joey Porter Jr would give this team a cornerback duo to build around.
The Detroit Lions seemingly haven't lost a step after losing both coordinators and some key pieces. As the Lions look to keep building this team to be one of the toughest in the Country, they need to add a pass rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson. LT Overton has been a solid pass rusher for the Lions and could make a great impact against the run.
If the Rams are going to roll with Matthew Stafford in 2026 and potentially even longer, they'll have to do whatever they can to protect him. The Rams could use an upgrade at either offensive tackle position, especially in the long term. Isaiah World has the physical tools to grow into an All-Pro caliber player and could even start the season learning behind the Rams' veterans until he's ready to step into the starting lineup.
When the Buffalo Bills do struggle at times on offense, it becomes clear that Josh Allen could use a go-to guy at wide receiver like he had in Stefon Diggs. Makai Lemon has been one of the best wide receivers in College Football over the last two seasons and would give Allen another threat on the outside.
Moving on from Geno Smith to bring in Sam Darnold has proven to be a massive win for the Seahawks, and now the team needs to build around him. One of the biggest concerns is the offensive line, which will need to be addressed this offseason. Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu could instantly step into the starting lineup, helping the Seahawks in a division with elite pass rushers.
Given how nasty the Denver Broncos' defense is, all attention should be on the other side of the football, helping Bo Nix develop. The Broncos offense could certainly use more help at wide receiver in a player who can get open on a down-to-down basis. Germie Bernard has been incredible for Alabama, and he can win in all areas of the field with an ability to play a role like Deebo Samuel.
At some point, the Buccaneers are going to need to replace Lavonte David, but until that point, putting a great player next to him should be a priority. Anthony Hill Jr is an elite playmaker who can make plays off the edge and at linebacker until the team has to finally fill a massive Lavonte David-sized hole.
The New England Patriots look like a potential contender as Drake Maye is thriving while Mike Vrabel has turned this group around. With a star in Christian Gonzalez at corner, the Patriots could further solidify this secondary adding a safety with ball-hawk ability and an attitude as a tackler in AJ Haulcy who’s proven he’s an elite player at LSU.
The Philadelphia Eagles have a massive need at edge rusher to the point where franchise icon Brandon Graham came out of retirement to help the team. The Eagles have lost plenty of talent over the past several years as part of the price of drafting and developing well. After transferring to Missouri, Damon Wilson has blossomed into a star, and with Georgia ties, you know that Howie Roseman will eye him.
Both of the Dallas Cowboys' first-round picks should be used on improving the defense, and after swinging at edge rusher with the first pick, linebacker should be the next area to address. Sonny Styles is arguably the best linebacker in the Country, and he'd help this team improve against the run in the NFC East that has star running backs in Saquon Barkley and Cam Skattebo.
The Indianapolis Colts have become world beaters this season as Daniel Jones has oddly proven to be just what this team needs. The Colts have such a talented roster that it's hard to pinpoint an area this team needs to address. USC defensive back Kamari Ramsey would be a great addition, as he can play a traditional safety role or nickel.