Luke's AFC North Mock Draft 2.0
- Luke Yates
- Apr 11, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 16, 2023
Time for round two of a mock draft around the AFC North with some new, interesting fits in this one.
Steelers
17: Alabama S Brian Branch
Branch has some of the most fun tape in the class and fills a need that will be hard for Pittsburgh to fill for the rest of the draft as the safety class as a whole is not the best. Branch provides the Steelers with a fun weapon to move around the field as they have done with their safeties in the past.
32: Michigan DL Mazi Smith
Smith has been linked to the Steelers a lot and would be a nice fit in the middle of their defensive line. Smith has both run stuffing body size and play strength and has pass rush upside.
49: Syracuse CB Garrett Williams
Pittsburgh was probably comfortable letting Cam Sutton go in after Agency because of how unbelievably loaded this corner class is. Williams is one of the best outside corner prospects in the class. He’s undersized but possess elite technique and most importantly, he trusts that technique and doesn’t get grabby or overcompensate when the ball is in the air.
80: Maryland OT Jaelyn Duncan
Sorry to be a Terps homer for a second, but Maryland has been putting out absolute studs in the draft recently, and this year is no different. Duncan is a big 3 year left tackle starter with great fluidity and agility. He will at the very least provide Pittsburgh with some high level competition at their LT spot.
Ravens
22: Maryland CB Deonte Banks
Another Terp to the AFC North. Banks is one of my favorite players in the entire class, especially after his 10.00 RAS scored combine performance. Banks is a sticky man corner who actually reminds me a lot of another Ravens corner, Marlon Humphrey. Banks would give Baltimore a day 1 starter next to Humphrey should they decide to let Marcus Peters walk.
86: Ole Miss WR Jonathan Mingo
Now that the Ravens have finally made a big splash at WR, signing Odell Beckham Jr. to a 1 year 18 million dollar contract, the Ravens are more free to take a high upside WR later in the draft. That is exactly what Mingo is. Mingo has the explosiveness that has been so common with recent Ole Miss WR prospects, but requires further development that the Ravens were not previously equipped to give a WR. Now that they have a decent amount of startable WRs, they can gamble a bit with the development of Mingo which, if it works out, will be a big add for Baltimore.
Bengals
28: Texas RB Bijan Robinson
This is most likely Joe Mixon’s last season in Cincy, given his approaching contract expiration and his legal situation. So why not take one of the most explosive and talented running backs in years? Now, I don’t think Bijan will be here, but if PFF is gonna let it happen I’m just going to go with it. This addition would make the already lethal Bengal offense even more deadly.
60: Alabama CB Eli Ricks
Ricks is a great fit for the Bengals because Lou Anaroumo runs complex coverage schemes very similar to Ricks’ former coach, Nick Saban. Here the Bengals get a guy who they can be confident in when it comes to picking up the smaller details that come with playing corner in the NFL. The whole reason Alabama defensive players tend to work out is because they play in a very complex system that is NFL-adjacent. Ricks can help shore up a questionable corner room in Cincy.
Browns
74: Tulane LB Dorian Williams
Poor play and injuries at the linebacker position have long been a problem for the Cleveland defense. Williams alone I don’t think can fix that but what he does add is a strong experienced and stable presence in the linebacker room. Williams has 3 years of starting experience at Tulane and also tested very well at the combine. He profiles very similarly to Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah so his role will be familiar to the Browns defense.
98: Wake Forest DT Kobie Turner
Even though they signed Dalvin Tomlinson, the Browns still have work to do to fix their front 4 alongside him and Myles Garrett. Turner is one of the late round gems of this class and would provide the Browns their first serious front 4 lineup since Larry Ogunjobi left a few years ago. If the Browns are going to compete in the AFC North and the larger AFC as a whole, their defense has to stop being sorry, and Kobie Turner will help that transformation.
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