With the No. 3 pick, the Patriots select . . .
1. Chicago Bears
QB Caleb Williams, Southern California Not much to debate here, with Williams one of the most talented quarterbacks in the last five years and essentially a lock to be selected No. 1.
2. Washington Commanders
QB Jayden Daniels, Louisiana State Tough decision for the Commanders between Daniels and Drake Maye, and they go with the older, more experienced, and more dynamic dual threat.
3. New England Patriots
QB Drake Maye, North Carolina
He has a lot of room to grow and may need some time to sit, but Maye is the big, strong-armed, athletic quarterback the Patriots need as they move into a new era of leadership.
4. Arizona Cardinals
WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State They’ll probably get a lot of offers for this pick, but the opportunity to draft the best receiver — and arguably the best player in this draft — is too good to pass up.
5. Minnesota Vikings (trade with Chargers)
QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
The Vikings clearly are looking to move picks 11 and 23 to get a quarterback, and they land one of the draft’s best pocket passers after finding a taker in the Chargers.
6. New York Giants
TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
With Daniel Jones making $40 million and Drew Lock acquired last month, a quarterback doesn’t seem likely. Instead, with Darren Waller considering retirement, the Giants take the best tight end in the draft.
7. Tennessee Titans
OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame
Need a long-term solution at left tackle to replace Taylor Lewan from a couple of years ago, and race to the podium to take the best one in the draft.
8. Atlanta Falcons
DE Dallas Turner, Alabama
The Falcons fixed their offense in free agency with the additions of QB Kirk Cousins and WR Darnell Mooney, and now turn their attention to the defense, taking an AllAmerica pass rusher.
9. Chicago Bears
WR Malik Nabers, Louisiana State
Watch out for the Bears getting aggressive and trying to trade up from No. 9 for a receiver. But in this exercise, they don’t have to go anywhere and still land an elite weapon.
10. New York Jets
WR Rome Odunze, Washington
The Jets have two needs: Offensive line and wide receiver. In Odunze they get Aaron Rodgers a big-bodied playmaker and some insurance for Garrett Wilson.
11. Los Angeles Chargers (trade with Vikings)
LT Olu Fashanu, Penn State
The Chargers need better protection for Justin Herbert, and Jim Harbaugh is an oldschool coach who believes in building up the trenches, so with their first pick they take the Big Ten’s Offensive Lineman of the Year.
12. Denver Broncos
QB Bo Nix, Oregon
Probably a reach here, but the Broncos need a quarterback, don’t have a secondround pick, and Nix has the athleticism and quick release to fit with coach Sean Payton’s offense.
13. Las Vegas Raiders
QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington
Definitely a reach here, given Penix’s injury history and lack of mobility. I wonder if the Raiders might be able to get Penix with pick No. 44 or somewhere in that neighborhood. But they need a QB, Penix is the last one left, and he throws a great deep ball.
14. New Orleans Saints
OT JC Latham, Alabama
With concern lingering over the knee recovery for veteran RT Ryan Ramczyk, the Saints bolster their line with a massive right tackle and two-year starter at Alabama.
15. Indianapolis Colts
CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama
The Colts don’t have many glaring holes, so long as QB Anthony Richardson returns from his shoulder injury, but could use depth in the secondary and are able to snag the draft’s top cornerback.
16. Seattle Seahawks
OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
Seems that the Seahawks are always looking for offensive line help. In Fuaga they get a two-year starter who can plug and play at right tackle or either guard spot.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars
CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
The Jaguars need to fix a secondary that finished 26th in pass defense last year, and grab a three-year starter and North Florida kid who can be an immediate starter.
18. Cincinnati Bengals
WR Brian Thomas, Louisiana State
The Bengals have done well with LSU (Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase), and since they need a receiver to replace Tyler Boyd (and potentially Tee Higgins), reviving the LSU connection makes too much sense.
19. Los Angeles Rams
DT Byron Murphy II, Texas
The Rams waste little time finding a replacement for Aaron Donald, drafting a powerful, slightly undersized defensive tackle. (Good luck with the comparisons, kid.)
20. Pittsburgh Steelers
G Troy Fautanu, Washington
It’s tempting to grab a receiver here, but the Steelers usually do that in the second round. Russell Wilson is going to need all of the help he can get on the offensive line, and Fautanu can start immediately at left guard or tackle.
21. Miami Dolphins
DE Jared Verse, Florida State
Tempting to go with an interior player after the Dolphins lost DT Christian Wilkins and G Rob Hunt in free agency, but Dolphins instead go with a pass rusher to replace Emmanuel Ogbah.
22. Philadelphia Eagles
CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
The Eagles are getting a little old in the secondary, and in DeJean they get an athletic defensive back who can play cornerback or safety and return punts.
23. Los Angeles Chargers (trade with Vikings, via Texans)
WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia
After addressing the offensive line with their first draft pick, the Chargers get Justin Herbert a speedy weapon to help replace Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
24. Dallas Cowboys
WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas
The Cowboys only have Brandin Cooks and Jalen Tolbert behind CeeDee Lamb, and are even giving Martavis Bryant a shot. Taking a talented, lengthy receiver from Texas makes too much sense.
25. Green Bay Packers
DE Laiatu Latu, UCLA
The neck injury that forced him to briefly retire in 2021 causes him to drop, but the Packers could use more pass rushing help and take a gamble on potentially the best rusher in the draft.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson
The Buccaneers probably need another young receiver even after re-signing Mike Evans, but they have a more immediate need at cornerback and take a two-year starter with good size.
27. Arizona Cardinals (via Houston)
DE Chop Robinson, Penn State
After taking Harrison at No. 4, the Cardinals get to work fixing their defense, which finished 31st in points allowed and 30th in sacks. Robinson has the speed and versatility to play defensive end or linebacker.
28. Buffalo Bills
WR Keon Coleman, Florida State
Watch for the Bills to trade up for a receiver to replace Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. But it’s a deep year for receivers and at No. 28 they can still get an explosive, bigbodied receiver.
29. Detroit Lions
CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
The Lions don’t have too many roster holes, but need depth for a secondary that allowed the sixth-most touchdown passes last year, and McKinstry projects as an immediate starter.
30. Baltimore Ravens
OT Amarius Mims, Georgia
The Ravens might go receiver with this pick to replace Odell Beckham Jr., but they also have a need at right tackle and fill it with Mims, a 6-foot-7-inch behemoth.
31. San Francisco 49ers
OT Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma
Only started 15 games in college and may be a bit of a project, but the 49ers need a long-term right tackle since Mike McGlinchey left in 2023, and Guyton has great athleticism and a massive 6-7 frame.
32. Kansas City Chiefs
CB Mike Sainristil, Michigan
The Chiefs need another receiver, but they always wait until later in the draft. Instead, they have an immediate need at cornerback after trading L’Jarius Sneed, and go with Sainristil, a feisty, undersized corner from Everett.