Welcome to Monday Mocks, where I’ll bring you…you guessed it, a new mock draft every Monday during the offseason. In my opinion, drafting is the best part of fantasy football, so I do as much of that as I can. This series will be filled with all types of mocks. We’ll draft startups, rookies, devys, and more.
While the rest of the dynasty world is focused on the recent Senior Bowl and preparing for the upcoming rookie class, I decided now was the perfect time to look ahead to next year. The sentiment felt through the dynasty community every year is “wait until next year!” This was supposed to be the one time that didn’t happen, but here we are, questioning and doubting every incoming rookie not named Bijan. Hmm, maybe next year will be different? Let’s find out!
I gathered a few friends around the industry to help me mock it out. We drafted based on a superflex, PPR league and here was the draft order:
Curtis Patrick, Rotoviz
Kane Fossell, Devy Marketplace
Ryan McDowell, Dynasty League Football
Jeff Bell, Footballguys
Felix Sharpe, Campus2Canton
Nick Whalen, Devy Report
Bruce Matson, Dynasty League Football
Shane Hallam, Dynasty League Football
Kevin Coleman, Footballguys
Scott Connor, Dynasty League Football
Travis May, Mojo
Rob Willette, Dynasty League Football
ROUND ONE:
1.01 – Caleb Williams, QB USC
After following his head coach from Oklahoma to Southern California, all sophomore Caleb Williams did was throw for over 4,500 yards and 42 touchdowns on his way to winning the Heisman Trophy, along with the Maxwell and Walter Camp Awards. We are weeks away from the 2022 NFL Draft and still uncertain who will ultimately be the QB1 in the class, but Williams may have already locked down that title for next year. In the superflex format, Williams is an easy pick at 1.01, and as of now, no one else is even close.
1.02 – Marvin Harrison Jr., WR Ohio State
With Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson off to the NFL and junior Jaxon Smith-Njigba missing time with injuries, it was Marvin Harrison, Jr. who stepped up to serve as the top option in the Buckeyes offense. Harrison obviously has the pedigree to succeed in the league, but he also has ideal size, reporting in at 6’4” and 205 pounds. Harrison has already become known as an excellent route runner, but can also play the physical game, fighting for the ball.
1.03 – Drake Maye, QB North Carolina
It may have been easy to project a super sophomore campaign for USC’s Williams, but the QB2 in the class was more of a surprise. Drake Maye enjoyed a breakout season for North Carolina, passing for over 4,000 yards and 34 scores. What really has dynasty players excited about Maye is his rushing ability, as he totaled over 800 yards on the ground. We’ve seen this play out with Tar Hell quarterbacks in recent years. Maye will play next season without his top wideout, Josh Downs. If he can once again perform at a high level, he’ll prove he should be among the top picks both in the 2024 NFL Draft and rookie drafts as well.
1.04 – Brock Bowers, TE Georgia
There is plenty of upside to find at the running back and receiver position but tight end Brock Bowers is among the safest options in this potential class while still possessing elite upside. Bowers has been a star since setting foot on campus in Athens, scoring 13 touchdowns as a freshman. His overall production did drop this season as he missed a couple of games, and the Bulldogs offense stalled at times. Footballguys’ Jeff Bell, who selected Bowers here with the fourth pick, suggests the Georgia tight end could be “the next great hope” at the position, and I totally agree.
1.05 – Raheim Sanders, RB Arkansas
His nickname is Rocket. Do you really need to know anymore? In what looks like it could be a down year for the running back position, Arkansas’ Raheim Sanders is the current favorite to be the first off the board. The 6’2”, 227-pound banger broke out as a sophomore this season, rushing for over 1,400 yards and ten scores. He also got it done in the passing game, adding 248 more yards on 27 catches. A size-speed freak, Sanders is the ideal back to have in the game on all three downs.
1.06 – TreVeyon Henderson, RB Ohio State
Buckeyes running back TreVeyon Henderson saw his stock take a hit as a sophomore as he missed time with a foot injury. While that is concerning, Henderson will have a chance to bounce back in a big way as a junior and remind dynasty managers why he was once considered the RB1 in the class. As a true freshman for Ohio State in 2021, Henderson totaled over 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns. He played in just eight games in 2022. If you play in a devy league, Henderson is an excellent buy-low trade target.
1.07 – Emeka Egbuka, WR Ohio State
The third Buckeye among the top-seven picks is wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. After playing sparingly as a freshman, Egbuka took advantage of his increased opportunity, totaling over 1,000 yards and nine scores. A natural pass-catcher and all-around impressive athlete, Egbuka has the versatility to do it all as a receiver, lining up all over the field and even serving as a strong blocker. Playing alongside Harrison, along with more four and five-star receivers coming in, Egbuka will have to repeat or improve on his 2022 numbers to earn this lofty draft position.
1.08 –Braelon Allen, RB Wisconsin
If we were projecting drafting this class a year ago, Braelon Allen would’ve easily been the top back selected and maybe the top player overall. As a true freshman, Allen rushed for over 1,200 yards and twelve touchdowns. While his numbers didn’t drop drastically in 2022, things totally fell apart for the Badgers as a whole. After a coaching change, Allen even briefly entered the transfer portal before returning to Wisconsin. Allen’s strengths remain, though, including size, patience, and burst. Allen has not been a large piece of the passing game, which could ultimately limit his dynasty value.
1.09 – Will Shipley, RB Clemson
Clemson back Will Shipley has been very productive in each of his first two seasons, including over 1,300 total yards and fifteen touchdowns in 2022. Shipley is smooth and elusive as a runner and has shown to be effective as a pass-catcher as well. Shipley has drawn lazy comparisons to Christian McCaffrey, but like CMC, Shipley can impact all facets of the game.
1.10 – Quinn Ewers, QB Texas
It has been a bumpy road for Quinn Ewers throughout his college career. Ewers left high school early to join the Ohio State Buckeyes. When he did not play in 2021, Ewers bailed for the Longhorns. Ewers played a total of ten games, passing for just over 2,100 yards and fifteen touchdowns. Quite simply, Ewers has not even come close to living up to the hype. What makes him a solid option in this range is the upside, especially in a superflex format. There is a huge drop-off after Williams and Maye, and as Scott Connor noted, “someone has to be the QB3.” If Ewers takes a leap in 2023, he’ll be a major value at this spot. If not, he is unlikely to be part of this class.
1.11 – Xavier Worthy, WR Texas
Coming off an impactful true freshman season in which he totaled 62 receptions for 981 yards and twelve scores, Worthy took a disappointing step back last season. Of course, part of that had to do with the previously drafted Ewers. The hope out of Austin is the quarterback improves and boosts the entire offense, including Worthy. Also, somewhat concerning for the receiver is his 163-pound frame. There are questions if he can overcome the slight size against bigger defenders.
1.12 – Malik Nabers, WR LSU
With 2023 rookie Kayshon Boutte disappointing this past season, Malik Nabors stepped up for the LSU Tigers, leading the way with over 1,000 yards on 72 receptions, easily leading the team in both categories. DLF’s own Rob Willette notes that it took many a while to take notice of Nabers, saying the wideout “torched defenses all year” and the receiver is “an explosive talent with the tools to crush at the NFL level.”
ROUND TWO
2.01 – Troy Franklin, WR Oregon
2.02 – Dorian Singer, WR USC
2.03 – Rome Odunze, WR Washington
2.04 – Donovan Edwards, RB Michigan
2.05 – Devontez Walker, WR North Carolina
2.06 – Devin Neal, RB Kansas
2.07 – Blake Corum, RB Michigan
2.08 – Michael Penix, QB Washington
2.09 – Bucky Irving, RB Oregon
2.10 – Oronde Gadsden II, WR Syracuse
2.11 – Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE Texas
2.12 – AD Mitchell, WR Texas
We’ll be back next week with another Monday Mock!
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Really enjoyed this! Love that you got input from a variety of analysts in the space.
