Title says it all. Going to suggest a player to be drafted in either the first or second round (or third for HOU at the moment) for each team, along with a player to target in free agency, and a player to potentially trade for.
Trying to avoid overlap as best I can, but some may have similar targets. Resources used include PFF, The Draft Network, and OverTheCap. Enjoy!

Arizona Cardinals (8-8)

Trade Target: DT J.J. Watt, Houston Texans - The last deal between Arizona and Houston worked out well. Why not try again and add a serious piece to their pass rushing arsenal in Watt. An ideal interior fit for Arizona, Watt would help them push for the playoffs in his final seasons in the league.
Draft Pick: C Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma - Reuniting Kyler Murray with his old center for the Sooners would be an excellent move. The Cardinals currently have Mason Cole at center, but could easily slide him over to guard to make room for Humphrey if they wanted a significant upgrade at an underrated position.
Free Agent Signing: TE Jonnu Smith, Tennessee Titans - Arizona would be wise to look at adding Jonnu Smith into the equation on offense. One of the NFL's best after the catch at the TE position, he'd be another fun weapon to slot alongside Murray and Hopkins.

Atlanta Falcons (4-12)

Trade Target: S Tracy Walker, Detroit Lions - With a new regime coming in, Detroit is headed towards an extended rebuild, and acquiring assets for up-and-down players like Walker could be a consideration. Now, still young, Walker has plenty of potential for the Falcons, and if the price is right, could be a tremendous bargain.
Draft Pick: QB Justin Fields, Ohio State - While Matt Ryan will remain the QB of the Falcons next season, due to his contract, the Falcons should plan for the future and add a Georgia native in Fields, one of the better QB's out of college football in recent years. He'd be able to develop behind Ryan under the tutelage of new head coach Arthur Smith.
Free Agent Signing: CB Mackensie Alexander, Cincinnati Bengals - The Falcons do not have positive cap space at the moment (currently projected $30 million over the limit) so even after reworking deals and cutting some players, they'll be bargain shopping more than anything else. PFF projects Alexander to fetch a deal of about 2-years, $6 million, which could be feasible for the Falcons. He'd be a solid veteran presence across from CB A.J. Terrell.

Baltimore Ravens (11-5)

Trade Target: OLB Whitney Mercilus, Houston - I list him in "trade target" as he's technically under contract in Houston going into 2021. However, it's 99% more likely that the Texans cut him and Baltimore pursues him as a newly released free agent. Kind of cheating on my listings, but I like the idea of Mercilus in Baltimore after Houston cuts him. It'd be a coup for Houston if they could get a pick for him. Mercilus is a veteran pass rusher who could step into a role in Baltimore should OLB Matt Judon depart for greener pastures...green meaning money of course.
Draft Pick: WR Rashod Bateman, Minnesota - The idea of Bateman in Baltimore remains one of my favorite potential pairings for any player likely to be selected in the first round of the draft. Similar to Keenan Allen in my opinion, Bateman could become the go-to wide receiver the Ravens lacked last season.
Free Agent Signing: G Jon Feliciano, Buffalo Bills - The Ravens need to bolster the middle of their offensive line, and a tough veteran like Feliciano could be ideal target for the Ravens. With a big contract committed to LT Ronnie Staley, a cheaper veteran like Feliciano could match price tag with talent. Good value for the Ravens.

Buffalo Bills (13-3)

Trade Target: DT Malcom Brown, New Orleans Saints - The Saints are in cap space purgatory, and thus could be looking to offload some decent players like Brown simply to get back under the cap. He's a solid starting DT who could be available for cheap in the Saints push to real in their financial situation. A strong fit next to Ed Oliver on the inside.
Draft Pick: LB Chazz Surratt, North Carolina - Given their limited cap space, the Bills may have to decide between re-signing OT Daryl Williams and LB Matt Milano. If so, a replacement like Surratt could be a smart move for Sean McDermott and co. as Surratt is a quick backer who excels in space and has shown plenty of promise in coverage.
Free Agent Signing: DE Romeo Okwara, Detroit Lions - The Bills aren't loaded with cap space (barely above 0 if the cap stays down at $175 million), but I'd imagine they'll find some ways to free some cap up. If they do, they may want to consider Okwara, a rising pass-rusher, as a replacement for some of their own departing edge rushers. He tallied 10 sacks this season after hitting 7.5 sacks in 2018 in Detroit. While not elite, Okwara's likely a solid value pass-rusher for a contender like the Bills.

Carolina Panthers (5-11)

Trade Target: DT Akiem Hicks, Chicago Bears - The Panthers just drafted DT Derrick Brown, but pairing him and Hicks together could become a dominant duo in the middle of that defense. And with DT Kawann Short a likely cut candidate, Hicks could be an instant upgrade for Carolina.
Draft Pick: LB Micah Parsons, Penn State - Forget the QB position, if the Panthers have the opportunity to land Parsons at 8th overall, they should pull the trigger. He'd be an immediate boost of speed, instincts and athleticism into their linebacker corps, a strong replacement for Luke Kuechly.
Free Agent Signing: TE Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Rams - More of a move tight end than a traditional in-line blocker, Everett could be an exceptional value signing for someone, as he's not likely to command as much money as Hunter Henry or Jonnu Smith, but is a very good player himself.

Chicago Bears (8-8)

Trade Target: QB Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers - Unless the Bears are set to bring back Mitch Trubisky, who played a bit better to end the season but still not strong enough, the Bears should look at the veteran QB market. While Garoppolo has had some injury issues, he's a notable upgrade over Trubisky and could give them a steady veteran presence for a couple of more years.
Draft Pick: OT Christian Darrisaw, Virginia Tech - There's growing buzz that Rashawn Slater could join Penei Sewell in the top-10, leaving him just out of the Bears' grasp. But Darrisaw is quite the consolation prize as he's a first-round caliber offensive tackle himself who could fill a big need for the offense in the Windy City.
Free Agent Signing: WR Sammy Watkins, Kansas City Chiefs - Watkins and Bears head coach Matt Nagy did not cross paths in Kansas City, but a recommendation from Andy Reid could push the two together. The Bears are another team facing some cap complications, and thus may need a cheaper replacement for Allen Robinson on the outside. If so, Watkins has been a strong complimentary receiver who could pair well with rising youngster Darnell Mooney.

Cincinnati Bengals (4-11-1)

Trade Target: G Joe Dahl, Detroit Lions - Finding protection and weapons for QB Joe Burrow is the primary goal for Cincinnati this offseason before they enter the coaching carousel in 2022. Dahl is a strong pass protector who has grown into a quality starter. However, with large contracts for C Frank Ragnow coming up, along with big deals in place for Decker and Vaitai, Detroit may need to send Dahl out for picks.
Draft Pick: OT Penei Sewell, Oregon - There is buzz that Northwestern's Rashawn Slater may be viewed as OT1, and I get the hype, however, I'm sticking with Sewell for now. The Bengals should draft Sewell and get him ready to go as their franchise left tackle in 2021.
Free Agent Signing: CB Troy Hill, Los Angeles Rams - The Bengals have a healthy chunk of cap space, and should use of that to bring back CB William Jackson III. However, they should not stop there, they should also make a push for a quality veteran cornerback like Hill to bolster their defense in the meantime.

Cleveland Browns (11-5)

Trade Target: LB Jaylon Smith, Dallas Cowboys - After looking like an elite linebacker from 2017-2019, Smith had a rough year under now fired defensive coordinator Mike Nolan. A fresh start in Cleveland could be ideal for both teams, as Smith is still young enough, 26 years, to be a strong piece to their defense for years to come.
Draft Pick: DT Daviyon Nixon, Iowa - The Browns are in a strong position at 26th overall to sit and see who the top defensive lineman on the board is. If they're lucky enough for it to be a high potential defensive tackle like Nixon, it'd be an ideal situation to bring him in the replace Ogunjobi. A defensive end like Jayson Oweh or Jaelan Phillips could also work here.
Free Agent Signing: S Marcus Williams, New Orleans Saints - The Browns could use a big upgrade on the back end, and Williams, at only 24 years old, would be a premium add for a team who finally broke through the playoffs. PFF projects Williams to command a deal around 4-years $57 million, and the Browns would likely have the money to make that happen, sitting tenth in cap space this offseason.

Dallas Cowboys (6-10)

Trade Target: CB Mike Hughes, Minnesota Vikings - Hughes was a first-round pick for the Vikings in 2018, but has not lived up to the billing so far. Dallas is in need of several new faces on its defensive backfield, and perhaps a new situation could be best for Hughes to turn his NFL career around. For Dallas, a cheap flier on defense.
Draft Pick: CB Patrick Surtain II, Alabama - The Cowboys defense is a mess at many levels, and so picking a premium defensive player like Surtain would be a wise for Dallas to get things straightened out. He's consistently been pegged as the top corner of this draft cycle and makes a lot of sense in Dallas.
Free Agent Signing: DT Dalvin Tomlinson, New York Giants - The Cowboys ranked 31st in total rushing yards surrendered in 2020, meaning they'll need to make it a priority to find a run-stuffer like Dalvin Tomlinson to get their defense back on track. While most teams are geared towards stopping the pass, you simply cannot be as bad in run stopping as Dallas was and expect to be competitive.

Denver Broncos (5-11)

Trade Target: QB Marcus Mariota, Las Vegas Raiders - An inter-divisional trade for a QB seems unlikely, but it's something for both sides to consider. The Broncos need to find a veteran QB to bring in to push QB Drew Lock, who has shown flashes in his first two years but has so far been too inconsistent to commit to long-term.
Draft Pick: EDGE Joe Tryon, Washington - More likely a second-round selection here, the Broncos should consider finding a player to develop into Von Miller's replacement, given all the complications with their star pass-rusher recently. Tryon has a high motor and excellent athleticism to develop across from Bradley Chubb.
Free Agent Signing: CB Quinton Dunbar, Seattle Seahawks - Dunbar was an excellent player for Washington previously, but did not meet expectations after getting moved to the Seahawks. Should he walk in free agency, perhaps putting him under a solid defensive coach like Vic Fangio could help him get back into the strong form that made him a coveted player in 2019.

Detroit Lions (5-11)

Trade Target: A Big Haul for Matt Stafford - We suggest one later on, but Detroit's in a full-on rebuild with Stafford wanting out. Peter King recently reported that at least five teams would be willing to offer their first-rounder for Stafford. Detroit should turn it into a bidding war and land as many draft picks as they can to bolster their rebuilding efforts.
Draft Pick: QB Trey Lance, North Dakota State - The Lions are moving on from QB Matthew Stafford after he understandably requested out. With Detroit picking at 7th, there's a very good chance that Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, and Zach Wilson are all off the board. Thus, unless Detroit makes a bold move up the board, chances are that they go with Lance, who has the potential to be available with their pick. He has plenty of upside to develop into a starting QB behind a veteran QB, say Tyrod Taylor, reuniting with new Lions offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn?
Free Agent Signing: LB Matt Milano, Buffalo Bills - If we were ranking worst position groups in the league, Detroit's LB corps is in strong contention. An outdated group of lethargic old-school thumpers, almost none of Detroit's LB's are capable of playing modern football at a high level. Detroit should invest some cash into someone who is, such as the Bills LB Matt Milano, an excellent backer with range and some ability in coverage.

Green Bay Packers

Trade Target: WR Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys - The Packers wide receivers performed quite well after all the criticism Green Bay received after not bringing in anyone for QB Aaron Rodgers. However, good is the enemy of great, and pairing Gallup with Davante Adams would give Green Bay an elite duo in terms of pass catchers.
Draft Pick: LB Nick Bolton, Missouri - If Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was here as well, I think he could be another strong option, but Bolton is an excellent linebacker who can fill gaps inside and fly from sideline-to-sideline.
Free Agent Signing: CB Gareon Conley, Houston Texans - Like the Falcons listed earlier, the Packers don't have positive cap space at the moment, and thus any free agent additions will likely be bargain bin deals. I like the example that PFF lists in their free agency preview, suggesting Conley could replicate Ronald Darby's return, taking a year deal with the aims of getting things turned around and landing a larger deal after that. An opportunity in Green Bay seems like a good start.

Houston Texans (4-12)

Trade Target: Every Pick they can get from the Jets - Even hiring a veteran coach like Culley to run the show and attempt to repair the relationship with Watson, it seems unlikely to me that Houston holds on, given the issues between Watson and owner Cal McNair. Thus, if forced to deal him, the Texans should aim to land at least three first rounders from a team like the Jets, who could see Watson as a better player than any of the QB's available behind Trevor Lawrence.
Draft Pick: QB Zach Wilson, BYU - This obviously assumes a trade with the Jets sends #2 overall to Houston. If so, Wilson looks like the next best bet behind Lawrence in my opinion. He, along with the boatload of additional assets that would come along in this trade, should be a solid foundation for Culley and co.'s rebuild.
Free Agent Signing: S Malik Hooker, Indianapolis Colts - The Texans will start their rebuild without any cap space, meaning that taking chances on younger guys like Hooker, 24 years old, to potentially find useful pieces is key. If they can land Hooker to play safety for them on a cheap 1-2 year deal, that'd be ideal for Houston.

Indianapolis Colts (11-5)

Trade Target: QB Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions - Easy one here. If the Colts had Stafford in 2020 they probably would have replaced the Bills in the AFC Championship Game. Stafford is only 32 years, meaning he still has a strong 4-5 years left to help the Colts' well-rounded roster make a championship push. Surrendering a first round pick and potentially a 2022 3rd (if there competition from others) is a gamble I'd definitely make if I were Chris Ballard.
Draft Pick: DE Patrick Jones II, Pittsburgh - Assuming the Colts use their first on the aforementioned Stafford deal, then finding a balanced edge rusher like Jones would be a great move for Indy. With players like Denico Autry and Justin Houston headed to free agency (and getting old), the Colts would get a terror on the edge with a tremendous motor and tools to develop.
Free Agent Signing: WR Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears - The Colts have a large amount of cap space, second in the league according to OTC's projections. Given that they will need to conserve some of that war chest for internal extensions, they would be wise to replace T.Y. Hilton with a more dominant receiver like Allen Robinson. An offseason adding Matt Stafford and Robinson together should make Frank Reich and Marcus Brady very excited for 2021.

Jacksonville Jaguars (1-15)

Trade Target: WR Odell Beckham Jr., Cleveland Browns - If the Browns are preparing to move on from Beckham Jr., then perhaps sending him down to Jacksonville to pair up with Urban Meyer could help get him playing elite football again. After posting 1,000 yard season in 3 of the previous 4 seasons, an injury once again cut his year short.
Draft Pick: OT Dillon Radunz, North Dakota State - Not at #1 overall obviously. We all know that will go to QB Trevor Lawrence. However, with the Rams 1st round selection (acquired via the Jalen Ramsey trade), the Jaguars should look to use it on an upgrade to their offensive line in the form of Radunz.
Free Agent Signing: OLB Shaquil Barrett, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Provided new defensive coordinator Joe Cullen brings a Ravens style 3-4 defense with him, then adding a premier OLB like Barrett while K'Lavon Chaisson develops would be a great move for Jacksonville. With the NFL's lead in cap space, Jacksonville could afford Barrett along with some other instant contributors.

Kansas City Chiefs (14-2)

Trade Target: WR Anthony Miller, Chicago Bears - The Chiefs could easily lose WR Sammy Watkins to free agency, leaving an opening for another wideout to join the rotation. Miller has been fairly productive in Chicago, and could be a solid option to join Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce in Andy Reid's passing attack.
Draft Pick: G Alijah Vera-Tucker, USC - Vera-Tucker gets mocked to the Chiefs a lot, and it makes perfect sense why. A premier offensive line talent, he has some versatility after playing tackle for the Trojans. While I think his best fit is inside, he'd be an ideal player for Kansas City to add to bolster their protection after investing so much in QB Patrick Mahomes.
Free Agent Signing: C Ted Karras, Miami Dolphins - The Chiefs will also be bargain bin hunting, as they're currently over the cap by $18 million. Thus, a starting caliber center like Ted Karras could prove useful for the defending Super Bowl champs (at this point). Karras signed with the Dolphins for only $3 million last season, and a similar deal with KC could be an absolute bargain when all is said and done.

Las Vegas Raiders (8-8)

Trade Target: DT Akiem Hicks, Chicago Bears - I mentioned Hicks for the Panthers as well, but he'd be a great add for either team, perhaps even more so for the Raiders, who could easily see DT Johnathan Hankins depart in free agency. A disruptive player in the middle, he'd be a nice add in Las Vegas.
Draft Pick: EDGE Azeez Ojulari, Georgia - After shockingly selecting DE Clelin Ferrell at fourth overall in 2019, the Raiders have still been searching for a game changer at DE to go alongside the productive efforts of Maxx Crosby. Ojulari profiles as a high potential pass rusher to scratch that itch for Jon Gruden and co.
Free Agent Signing: S Anthony Harris, Minnesota Vikings - The Raiders may have to get creative to free up the cap space to land Harris, as they're currently over. But if they can do it, he'd be an ideal player to add to the Vegas' defense, now led by defensive coordinator Ken Whisen...uh...Gus Bradley. Harris is an elite free safety who would pair well with Jonathan Abram.

Los Angeles Chargers (7-9)

Trade Target: DT Danny Shelton, Detroit Lions - Shelton struggled in Detroit, but frankly, everyone on Patricia's defense did. Before that, Shelton posted strong results as a 3-4 interior gap-plugger, doing a quality job for both the Browns and Patriots before him. With Linval Joseph on the decline, adding a younger replacement for cheap could be in store.
Draft Pick: G Wyatt Davis, Ohio State - LA needs a couple of new starters on its offensive line, and if the tackles fly off the board before they can get one at 13th overall, then perhaps a top notch guard could also suffice. Davis has been a consistent player for the Buckeyes and projects as an instant impact lineman for someone at the next level.
Free Agent Signing: OT Alejandro Villanueva, Pittsburgh Steelers - A sturdy, veteran left tackle should be a big priority for the Chargers, as the imperative to protect QB Justin Herbert is high. After a breakout season for Herbert, he gives the franchise a ton of optimism under new head coach Brandon Staley. Keeping him upright is something Villanueva would do well at.

Los Angeles Rams (10-6)

Trade Target: QB Gardner Minshew, Jacksonville Jaguars - The Rams are in a pickle with QB Jared Goff. He has not been a strong point for the team recently, but his contract is a bit too heavy to move right now. Thus, a cheaper way to acquire some genuine competition for Goff could be to trade for the affordable Minshew, a solid starter in his own right. Jacksonville will be bringing in Trevor Lawrence anyways to replace him, so perhaps acquiring a pick or so to send him out could be a wise move.
Draft Pick: EDGE Quincy Roche, Miami - Provided that new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris isn't changing the scheme outright, Roche would be an excellent fit at 3-4 OLB in LAR. He's a dynamic pass rusher with excellent physical traits. If he falls to the Rams in the second-round they shouldn't think twice about selecting him.
Free Agent Signing: LB Jarrad Davis, Detroit Lions - The Rams are another team already over the cap, so not a lot to spend on. However, they could use some help at inside linebacker, and Davis projects to be a relatively cheap piece to take a gamble on. Physically impressive, he's struggled with the mental side of the game. If Morris can get him sorted out, it could be excellent value.

Miami Dolphins (10-6)

Trade Target: WR Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons - The Dolphins will likely have the opportunity to draft a premier wide receiver in the first round, but could also use some of their stockpile to add an established star like Jones. Giving Tua as many options as you can is a wise move.
Draft Pick: RB Najee Harris, Alabama - Reuniting Harris and Tua in a backfield would fill a big need for the Dolphins. Whether taking him with their second selection in the first round or hoping he drops to the second, Miami should get serious about finding a talented running back,
Free Agent Signing: G Joe Thuney, New England Patriots - The Dolphins still have a decent amount of cap space (8th in the league) and could easily use some of that to target an upgrade to the interior of their offensive line by adding Thuney. Thuney crossed paths with Dolphins head coach Brian Flores in New England, and a reunion down south could be profitable for both parties.

Minnesota Vikings (7-9)

Trade Target: DT Tyquan Lewis, Indianapolis Colts - Lewis may not be on the trade block, but the Colts have both defensive tackles locked up ahead of him (Buckner, Grover Stewart). Perhaps they'd consider moving a young, promising 3-technique if Minnesota put together a quality offer for him. He'd instantly fill a need for the Vikings.
Draft Pick: EDGE Gregory Rousseau, Miami - With the failed Yannick Ngakoue tenure, the Vikings still need to find a premium pass rusher. Rousseau sat out 2020, but was dominant the year before and projects as a highly athletic piece for Zimmer to develop.
Free Agent Signing: OT Matt Feiler, Pittsburgh Steelers - Feiler offers a lot of versatility, which works great for Minnesota, as they could insert Feiler as a starting tackle, or slide G Ezra Cleveland into the LT position and put Feiler in at guard. Either way, a relatively affordable upgrade on the OL.

New England Patriots (7-9)

Trade Target: TE Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles - The Eagles are another team finding themselves in a less-than-ideal cap situation, and thus, will likely explore moving a top player like Ertz. While the Patriots have drafted a handful of decent role players at TE, they've lacked a player of Ertz's caliber. He'd be a nice upgrade to help whomever the Patriots land at QB.
Draft Pick: WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama - It seems unlikely that Devonta Smith or Ja'Marr Chase slip to New England, but I'd imagine they'd be perfectly content with a potential stud like Waddle to bolster their mediocre group of pass catchers. He's a very smooth player with a lot of potential.
Free Agent Signing: QB Andy Dalton, Dallas Cowboys - Dalton got off to a rough start with Dallas in relief of QB Dak Prescott, scoring a total of 13 points in 2 games while throwing 1 touchdown to 3 interceptions. However, he was admirable after that, throwing 13 touchdowns to 5 interceptions while posting a 4-3 record over that stretch. Dalton could be an upgrade over Cam Newton for New England while they hunt for a new franchise QB to replace Tom Brady.

New Orleans Saints (12-4)

Trade Target: Draft Picks for Kwon Alexander, Nick Easton, or Latavius Murray - The Saints game isn't necessarily who they should bring in, but if they can get picks for some players with bloated contracts that they may need to cut. If they can score some late-round picks to move these guys (or others) elsewhere, they need to pull the trigger.
Draft Pick: WR Kadarius Toney, Florida - While it seems like the hype train on Toney has left the station, it'd be incredible if he slipped to the Saints at 28th overall in this draft. An explosive player, he'd be an ideal partner for WR Michael Thomas, giving Taysom Hill or maybe Jameis(?) some excellent weapons.
Free Agent Signing: TE Jacob Hollister, Seattle Seahawks - The Saints, as mentioned, are in cap purgatory. Their signings will be quite minimum once they make the trades, cuts, and restructures required to get them back under the cap. However, one cheaper option could be a solid TE like Hollister, as TE Jared Cook is set to depart. Putting up 25 catches including 3 touchdowns at a price tag a shade over $3 million could be in New Orleans price range.

New York Giants (6-10)

Trade Target: G Gabe Jackson, Las Vegas Raiders - Jackson has been rumored to be available for a little while now. Not yet 30 years old, he's a steady veteran option on the interior of any offensive line and would fit quite well with the Giants.
Draft Pick: WR Devonta Smith, Alabama - If the Dolphins don't take Smith, the Giants certainly should. Ensuring that QB Daniel Jones has the weapons he needs to grow into the franchise QB role is pertinent. Smith is a stud pass catcher and would be an excellent pick if he were on the board at 10th overall.
Free Agent Signing: EDGE Matt Judon, Baltimore Ravens - The Ravens have let a handful of pass rushers walk, and if they do so with Judon this year, the Giants should go get him. While Yannick could also be a Ravens OLB on the market, Judon fits Joe Judge's style a little bit more than Yannick does, and could be available for cheaper, which is important for another cap squeezed team like the Giants.

New York Jets (2-14)

Trade Target: QB Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans - As I do think Justin Fields or Zach Wilson can be good franchise QB's, Watson already is an exceptional one. The Jets should put together a package of picks to go land the beleaguered QB and unite him with Robert Saleh, whom he listed as one of the guys he originally wanted Houston to interview.
Draft Pick: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC - Assuming the Jets send both first-round selections to the Texans in the hypothetical Watson trade, the Jets would still have a premium pick to start off the second-round, one they should use to add a top tier WR like St. Brown who could be a star quickly.
Free Agent Signing: CB William Jackson III, Cincinnati Bengals - If the Bengals can't lock Jackson up to an extension before free agency, the Jets should throw some cash at him to be a foundational piece of Saleh's defense in the Big Apple.

Philadelphia Eagles (4-11-1)

Trade Target: Draft Picks for Zach Ertz, DeSean Jackson, and Alshon Jeffery - Like the Saints, the Eagles probably should focus on offloading bloated contracts rather than bringing anyone in. The cheap rookie contracts that draft picks provide will be needed to steer themselves out of cap purgatory.
Draft Pick: WR Ja'Marr Chase, LSU - The Eagles and Chase are an ideal fit, and new head coach Nick Sirianni sure could use the big play ability that Chase provides. Whichever QB ends up getting the start, they'll be happy to have a guy like Chase to throw to.
Free Agent Signing: CB Bashaud Breeland, Kansas City Chiefs - The Eagles have a horrific cap situation themselves, and thus, a lower-end veteran like Breeland can give them a solid starter at an affordable price as the Eagles try and sort out their defense.

Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)

Trade Target: QB Sam Darnold, New York Jets - The Steelers may have brought in Dwayne Haskins, but frankly I have little faith there. Instead, they should call up the Jets to figure out what Darnold will cost them. One season behind Roethlisberger in his final go could be a great change of pace for Darnold before taking over.
Draft Pick: RB Travis Etienne, Clemson - Everyone is too cool for elite running backs in the wannabe scouting world. But Etienne is a stud, and the Steelers need a big upgrade at running back. If they don't like their options for QB late into the first, they should give serious weight to taking Etienne and landing an elite player rather than reach for a lesser player elsewhere.
Free Agent Signing: G Elijah Wilkinson, Denver Broncos - Wilkinson had a very rough 2019 season, but has been a good deal better in 2020. He's still on the younger end, not even 26 years old, and could be an affordable gamble for Pittsburgh, who also needs to find their way back under the cap ($35 million over).

San Francisco 49ers (6-10)

Trade Target: QB Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions - If the Colts don't land Stafford, the 49ers absolutely should. Pairing Stafford and Kyle Shanahan would be fun to watch, and he'd be a much most consistent player for the 49ers than the oft-injured Jimmy G. It's a big move, but one Shanahan may want to consider to make another championship run.
Draft Pick: CB Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech - If the 49ers don't move for Stafford and keep their first-round selection, they should target a top tier corner like Farley as they have a handful of corners (Sherman, Witherspoon, Williams) set to hit the open market.
Free Agent Signing: DT Shelby Harris, Denver Broncos - The 49ers top priority should be retaining OT Trent Williams, but after that, adding a veteran pass rusher on the interior could be a good move. Harris has been a consistent player for Denver, but has yet to be rewarded with a big opportunity, something he could get here alongside Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead.

Seattle Seahawks (12-4)

Trade Target: DT Jonathan Allen, Washington Football Team - I'm not sure the Football Team would move him, but he is on the final year of his deal, and Washington's going to have weigh future deals for DE's Montez Sweat and Chase Young into the equation. If they aren't willing to pony up for three studs on the defensive line, they may look to add some picks in exchange for Allen.
Draft Pick: CB Greg Newsome II, Northwestern - A late riser up the board after a stellar junior year in Evanston. Newsome has ideal size (6'1, 190 lbs) for Seattle and could help fill a gap if they have to choose between Shaquill Griffin and Quinton Dunbar.
Free Agent Signing: DE Carl Lawson, Cincinnati Bengals - A really good fit here, as the Seahawks very much need some pass-rushing help. Lawson has been an excellent player for the Bengals and could find the chance to compete in the playoffs if he heads west for Seattle.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5)

Trade Target: QB Sam Darnold, New York Jets - The Bucs are another team that should explore the asking price for Darnold. While Brady is still winning his battle against time, it seems unrealistic to expect it to continue for too much longer. The Bucs could potentially land his heir apparent in Darnold.
Draft Pick: Christian Barmore, Alabama - Between Barmore and Daviyon Nixon, I think both have a case to make as DT1 in this class, but Barmore projects as a bit better fit to Todd Bowles' 3-4 defense than Nixon does. The Bucs add an impact defensive lineman to pair on the inside with Vita Vea, giving them flexibility in replacing Ndamukong Suh.
Free Agent Signing: OLB Tyus Bowser, Baltimore Ravens - The Bucs have a good chunk of cap space available, but will need to prioritize some re-signings like LB Lavonte David, OLB Shaq Barrett, and TE Rob Gronkowski. Thus, they may not have a lot of cash to throw out there after bringing back some of their own. Bowser is a good value to add as a rotational pass rusher, scoring some decent grades from PFF as a backup for Matt Judon and Yannick in Baltimore. An expanded role in Tampa could pay off for both sides.

Tennessee Titans (11-5)

Trade Target: OLB Jacob Martin, Houston Texans - As sad as it is, Martin's 3 sacks in 2020 would have led the team for Tennessee. In a passing era, you need to get after the QB better than the Texans are doing. While team's are hesitant to trade within the division, the Texans should be more focused on acquiring picks to rebuild, which they could get by moving a decent rotational pass-rusher.
Draft Pick: OLB Joseph Ossai, Texas - Really the Titans should be focused on landing a high potential pass-rusher, and Ossai figures to be a hot name in that range. He's a springy pass rusher who can inject some life into one of the league's worst team's at getting to the QB.
Free Agent Signing: WR T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts - After a strong season in 2020, WR Corey Davis seems a bit unlikely to return, as he'll likely fetch more on the market than the Titans can afford to pay him. Thus, they should consider adding a veteran replacement to pair with budding star A.J. Brown at wide receiver.

Washington Football Team (7-9)

Trade Target: QB Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans - Another team I think should really make a push for Watson. It'll cost them at least a 2021 and 2022 first-round pick, along with probably another second and DT Jonathan Allen or some other player. It could definitely cost more than that! But Watson would solidify Washington as the top team in the NFC East for the next few years. With QB and DE locked in with Watson, Sweat, and Young, this could be a potential dynasty in the division.
Draft Pick: OT Teven Jenkins, Oklahoma State - A potential second-round target, Washington should look to find a developmental tackle to eventually slot into their lineup. Morgan Moses and Cornelius Lucas were a solid pairing last year, but both are about to turn 30 years old, and Jenkins has a lot of potential. A year to develop before taking a spot in the starting lineup would ideal for everyone involved.
Free Agent Signing: WR Kenny Golladay, Detroit Lions - Washington managed to build a passing attack out of Terry McLaurin and a handful of role players at RB and TE. While it worked in 2020, it does not seem very sustainable, as Washington should use its cap space to bring in a premier WR to pair with Terry McLaurin. Pairing up McLaurin's speed with Golladay's ability to go win contested balls is an ideal complementary pairing.

1 - Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson - At this point, the only way Lawrence wont go first is if the Jags somehow write the wrong name on the card.
2 - New York Jets - Justin Fields, QB, OSU - Zach Wilson vs Justin Field has become a hotter debate in recent times, with mocks seems to split 50/50 on which of the 2 will go before the other. This one will likely end up coming down to preference, but personally I prefer Field’s upside and athleticism. Still, it’ll probably end up being a close call overall.
3 - Carolina Panthers (via MIA via HOU - sends 1.08, 3.73, 2022 CAR 1st, 2022 CAR 2nd, for 1.03) - Zach Wilson, QB, BYU - This seems like a lot at first glance, but I’d bet on the Panthers being much improved next year with the return of a healthy McCaffery and Joe Brady/Matt Rhule having another year to establish their system. What that means is that if the Panthers can improve at QB, they could be a legitimate playoff contender. Teddy Bridgewater is not the answer, and IMO when you have someone as good as CMC, you need to give him a good QB. The Panthers don't want to end up like the Vikings, sticking a bunch of mediocre at best QBs next to their stud RB.
4 - Atlanta Falcons - Trey Lance, QB, NDSU - I know there’s a large portion of Falcons fans who really want to go anywhere but QB here, but how much longer can Matt Ryan play at a high level? With the 2022 QB class still full of question marks, grabbing your guy of the future right now would be a prudent move. Its instant gratification vs long term strategy. And with the success of raw QBs at the next level under proper development, Trey Lance looks like a solid bet. He’s got a great arm, and plays smart enough to only have a single interception in his college career. There’s a serious ceiling here, and he could absolutely benefit from learning from Matt Ryan for a year. Arthur Smith completely revitalized Tannehill as well, so maybe he could turn Lance into a stud.
5 - Cincinnati Bengals - Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon - Seems like it ends up working out for the Bengals, who really need to protect Joe Burrow. There’s been whispers that teams have Rashawn Slater over Sewell currently, but I partially chalk that up to prospect fatigue. IMO Sewell’s the best OT in the class, and although he’s got areas he can improve, his body of work is utterly dominant currently. If he can polish up his technique and stay healthy, he’ll be a godsend to the Bengals OL.
6 - Eagles - Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU - DeVonta Smith has been crazy this year, but it seems like people have forgotten Ja’Marr Chase was just as dominant last year too. Honestly, the Eagles really can't go wrong here with either WR, but IMO Chase is more of a sure thing to be dominant in the NFL, as minute of a difference as that is.
7 - Detroit Lions - DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama - After that insane performance against Ohio State, I don't think the Lions can pass up on Smith here, even as bad as their defense is. With their entire WR corps being possible FAs, they need to find replacements ASAP, especially if they cannot find a way to agree to a deal with Kenny Golladay. As for Smith well, he’s a beast. Plain and simple. Y’all saw what he did to Ohio State in just one half.
8 - Houston Texans (Via MIA via DET - Sends Deshaun Watson, 2022 HOU 3rd for 1.08, 2.50, 2022 MIA first, 2023 MIA first, Tua Tagovailoa, salary fillers) - Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan - The Dolphins send away Tua + a ton of picks for a shiny new franchise QB, and the Texans begin their rebuild. First up is addressing the defensive line. JJ Watt is very likely gone, Whitney Mercilus is done, and Jonathan Greenard has disappointed. They need someone who can make a serious impact, now. Kwity Paye has been one of the most dominant players in college football, with an insane pressure rate, and is a supposed athletic freak who runs a sub 6.8 3 cone at 6’4’’, 272, with some claiming it being as low as 6.37. No matter what the time ends up being, it's utterly insane for someone of his size, and he could likely play the same role that Watt does for the Texans.
9 - Denver Broncos - Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State - The Broncos do really need CB, but there’s a pretty big hole in the middle of the defense next to Alexander Johnson. Josey Jewell isnt a 3 down LB, and it's really hard to pass up on Parsons here, an elite LB who can be the tonesetter of the Broncos defense from day one. Pairing up Parsons and Johnson should give Denver two monsters in the middle of the defense.
10 - Dallas Cowboys - Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech - Now that Dan Quinn’s the new DC, meaning that they’ll be running a ton of Cover 3. And with how much Quinn loves his physical/athletic CBs who can play both man and zone, Caleb Farley is the natural pick here IMO. He’s sticky as glue, with fluid hips and a size profile that NFL teams dream of, perfect for pattern-match that should be used a lot in Dallas next season. His zone coverage does need a little work, but the Cowboys will likely be doing mostly spot-drop zone, which is pretty simple to pick up, and outside of injury concerns, Farley should be a huge help for the Dallas defense.
11 - New York Giants - Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina - The Giants love their press man coverage, but were forced to run zone a lot last year due to how bad their cornerbacks were outside of James Bradberry. Jaycee Horn fits their preferred scheme, and also shores up that huge hole at CB2 that they have. No CB in the class is as good as disrupting WRs at the LOS as Horn is, and he’ll be a great addition to what was a surprisingly good defense last year.
12 - San Francisco 49ers - Patrick Surtain, CB, Alabama - The 49ers have 0 CBs under contract next year. They need building blocks now, especially with Robert Saleh now gone. Patrick Surtain fits into their zone heavy system perfectly. He’s got elite ball skills, is consistently disruptive, and can stick to WRs like glue. He’d be the perfect guy to replace Richard Sherman if the 49ers cant bring him back, and should be able to slot in at CB1 or CB2 immediately.
13 - LA Chargers - Rashawn Slater, OL, Northwestern - Slater’s a guy who's been getting a ton of hype in recent times, with some even putting him above Sewell. How much of that is real and how much of it is smoke? Hard to say at this point, but I do know that he’ll be an upgrade no matter where he slots in for the Chargers. Protecting Herbert should be there #1 priority right now, especially for the terrible LA OL. Slater should be a fantastic player for the Chargers from day 1.
14 - Miami Dolphins (Via Minnesota Vikings - sends 1.18, 3.82 for 1.14) - Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama - Miami goes ALL in here. With Watson now on the roster, their window is now, and they treat it with urgency, giving up some more draft capital to grab the last of the 3 main stud WRs in the class. Jaylen Waddle fits what Miami needs right now, a speed demon joystick who would be what Will Fuller was for Watson in Houston, a connection that was lethal even with Fuller being injured constantly. Watson to Waddle should be one of the deadliest partnerships in the league, turning the Miami offense into a high powered scoring machine.
15 - New England Patriots - Mac Jones, QB, Alabama - Mac Jones is a guy who’s worked his way from fringe QB prospect all the way up to R1 guy. I'm not sure if the NFL likes him as much as most people in the draft community do, but he’s a smart QB who was instrumental in leading the Crimson Tide to a National Championship. I’d say he grades out pretty well at all the important areas of being a QB, like his arm, going through progressions, that kind of thing. This only big flaw IMO is his ability to extend plays, but the Patriots have the OL to shore up that weakness. The main question here is how will Mac Jones play without any solid WRs? The Patriots receiving corps is barren, so that will be something that must be addressed soon.
16 - Arizona Cardinals - Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State - The Cardinals offensive line seems to consistently lose at the LOS, something that was a huge part in them not making the playoffs. With that in mind and all of the top 3 CBs long gone, they grab the mauling OG out of Ohio State, an absolute mauler who can hit hard to create space in the run game. He’s a great fit for the Cardinals run game, and should give them some of the nasty they’ve been lacking.
17 - Las Vegas Raiders - Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah, LB, Notre Dame - It's hard to say what the Raiders will go with, as Mayock has not been on the job that long, but this is a pick that I agree with Daniel Jeremiah on. The Raiders lack that dynamic linebacker who can move around and cover everything, and JOK should be able to line up all over. He’s perfect for an NFL that seems to value positionless players more, and especially for a Raiders defense that’s going to be stuck against Travis Kelce for the near future.
18 - Minnesota Vikings - Gregory Rousseau, DE/DT, Miami - When your sack leader is a guy you traded away half way through the season, there's a problem. That Vikings defense was inexcusably bad this year, even with the loss of Danielle Hunter, and basically cost their offense a shot at the playoffs. They need to add some juice to the pass rush ASAP. Gregory Rousseau would be perfect, a raw and crazy athletic player who can line up all over the defensive line to wreak havoc. Considering Minnesota turned one athletic freak into a stud, they should have confidence that they can make Rousseau great too, and he’d be a wonderful addition, especially considering the fact that the Vikings have moved around their edge rushers to exploit mismatches, most notably against the Saints.
19 - Washington Football Team - Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech - There doesn't seem to be a solid answer at QB available here for Washington, so they look to bolster up their trenches in order to replace the departed Trent Williams. Darrisaw has the size and length to be a fantastic NFL tackle, along with an extremely strong anchor and some great agility for his size. His technique needs to be cleaned up a little, but he could easily lock down the LT spot for Washington in the future.
20 - Chicago Bears - Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota - Allen Robinson is gone, leaving a huge hole at WR1 for Chicago. Seeing as there’s not really a great way to fix Chicago’s QB situation, they instead look to try and make the most of their closing window. Rashod Bateman should come in and be the WR1 for Chicago, a great route runner with sure hands who can snag a ball and some more yards after the catch. Hopefully Trubisky builds a much better connection with him than he did with Arob.
21 - Detroit Lions (Via IND - sends Matthew Stafford for 1.22, salary filler) - Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa - The Lions defense really needs help at LB. Jarrad Davis is probably starting again, but Tavai really shouldnt be. Zaven Collins can step in and be the best LB in the Lions from day 1, an absolute freak athlete who can cover, can stop the run, and even has a pass rushing upside. He’s the perfect chess piece for the new Lions defense to build around, and should be an immediate impact player from day 1.
22 - Tennessee Titans - Daviyon Nixon, DT, Iowa - The Titans need pass rush in every capacity, and that includes from the defensive line. Jeffery Simmons is a monster, but he doesn't get much help. He’d pair up great with Daviyon Nixon, a freak athlete out of the B1G who excels most when he gets to pin his ears back and just attack the QB. His ability to cause issues down the middle should help alleviate the Titans pass rush issues somewhat.
23 - New York Jets (Via SEA) - Kyle Pitts, TE/WR, Florida - The Jets just need to add weapons to their team at this point. Their WR corps has little promise outside of maybe Mims, and their TE corps is equally barren. Pitts addresses both of those issues at once. Able to play all over the lineup, Pitts can work as both a huge WR and a TE, able to consistently beat coverages and get catches against defenses. He’ll be a great weapon for Fields to utilize, a truly dynamic threat who could be one of the best receivers on the Jets from day 1.
24 - Pittsburgh Steelers - Liam Eichenburg, OT, Notre Dame - A lot of the Steeler’s tackle depth, most notably starting LT Alejandro Villenueva, will be lost to FA, and Pittsburgh needs to address that ASAP. Liam Eichenburg isnt the most athletic OT with a crazy high ceiling, but he’s a solid technician who should be able to start from day 1, perfect for a contending team like the steelers.
25 - Jacksonville Jaguars (via LAR) - Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas - The Jaguars need to protect their investment, especially with Cam Robinson a question mark to be back due to his poor play. Protecting a young QB should be the #1 priority after landing one, and Cosmi is a tantalizing prospect to add. He’s got plenty of athleticism and a frame that’s waiting to be filled out, a solid pass blocker who can deal with speed rushers really well. He’s a high ceiling prospect who could become a great LT and lock down Tlaw’s blind side for the future.
26 - Cleveland Browns - Jaelen Phillips, EDGE, Miami - Sometimes it just feels like the Browns defensive line is just Myles Garrett. That can't stand. The Browns need to give Garrett some help in the pass rush, and that's why they pick Jaelen Phillips. There’s a lot of injury concerns here, but if Phillips can stay healthy, he’s an absolute MONSTER in the pass rush, having notched 8 sacks in just 5 games this year. If he can stay on the field, he and Garrett should give opposing offensive lines some serious headaches.
27 - Baltimore Ravens - Alijah Vera-Tucker, iOL, USC - The Ravens need to bolster their offensive line more. After the loss of Marshall Yanda, the Ravens offensive line has taken a notable step back, and Ronnie Stanley’s injury certainly didn't help there. AVT’s easily BPA at this point, an interior beast who is a stone wall with excellent hand usage. He should be able to make the Ravens offensive line even better, and boost their already lethal run game to higher levels.
28 - New Orleans Saints - Kyle Trask, QB, Florida - Im sorry, I don't think Taysom Hill is an NFL level QB. Especially not for a title contender. Drew Brees is retired, and I doubt Winston will be back. That means QB is the most glaring hole in NO. Kyle Trask might never be Patrick Mahomes, but he’s a good solid player who can make accurate passes, adjusts to pressure well, and is willing to extend plays. With the Saints filled with weapons and talent, Trask should be a good enough game manager to help the Saints be contenders for the rest of their window.
29 - Green Bay Packers - Levi Onwuzurike, DT, Washington - Kenny Clark and Keke Kingsley are building blocks along the defensive line, but the Packers could afford to add some depth. Onwuzurike has been mocked in the first by DJ, and he tends to have his ear to most NFL team’s pulse. Onwuzuriki’s calling card is his length and athleticism, which combined with his explosiveness and motor results in him just running over people at times. He does need to improve his power and add more consistently, but the addition of Onwuzurike could make the Packers defensive line a force as good as the Steelers DL.
30 - Buffalo Bills - Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson - The Bills just need playmakers especially in the run game, and Etienne is one of the best pure playmakers in the class. He’s an explosive threat who must be addressed at all times, or else he could break free and gash the defensive for serious yardage. His acceleration and contact balance make him a problem to tackle, and with supposed 4.3 speed, defenders won't be able to catch him once he gets into open space. He’s no slouch in the pass game either, putting up solid production at Clemson and flashing the ability to run a few option routes. The Bills already have their Jim Kelly and Andre Reed in Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs. Time to add the Thurman Thomas of the trio, and turn Buffalo into an offense that can toe to toe with the Chiefs.
31 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan - Donovan Smith is very likely gone this year, meaning that Tampa would have a hole at one of the tackle spots opposite of Wirfs. No matter if they move Wirfs to LT or keep him at RT, Mayfield would be a great get opposite of him. Mayfield’s a dependable run blocker who has good feet, and although he's not finished just yet, if Tampa can utilize his athletic gifts to the fullest, he’d be a great compliment to their current franchise OT.
32 - Kansas City Chiefs - Joe Tryon, EDGE, Washington - Joe Tryon’s another player who is apparently well regarded according to DJ. He’s shown flashes of being a great pass rusher, but he’s really still a WIP in most areas, especially as a run defender. However, he does fit the mold of what the Chiefs want in their pass rushers, standing at 6’5 262. Kansas City does need the help on the EDGE, and they can afford to take a gamble here, considering the Mahomes led offense should be able to easily cover up any defensive deficiencies for the next few years.

As the title mentions, I've gotten more and more humble about my draft projections as the misses keep adding up. Still, it's fun to do.
Note: these picks are based on whom I would select at the spot, NOT whom I think the team will select.
(1) Jacksonville: QB Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
Based on pure resume and physical profile, Trevor Lawrence is a generational QB prospect. To my eye, he doesn't look quite as sharp as all that; he's been missing some throws in big games. Still, we have to remind ourselves that he's only 21 and still has some polishing to do. When you have a kid with all the tools to be a franchise QB, you have to trust your coach to get the most out of him.
(2) New York Jets: QB Justin Fields, Ohio State
The Jets' selection of Sam Darnold is a good example of how not to develop a super-young QB. After 3 years, Darnold hasn't improved; if anything, he's regressed. I'm worried about his confidence and his contract going forward, so we're going to wipe the slate clean and start fresh with another young QB.
The idea of going for an Ohio State QB after Dwayne Haskins may be scary, but Fields shows more mobility and presumably more maturity. Again, Haskins is another example of a young QB who needed more time than he got, so a team like the Jets may be wise to grab a bridge QB (Ryan Fitzpatrick? Andy Dalton?) to make sure we don't see another kids' confidence shatter before our eyes.
(3) Miami (via HOU): OT Penei Sewell, Oregon
Based on "need," this isn't the way to go. The Dolphins have invested a ton of draft capital on the offensive line already. Still, I'm going with the most value on the board, and that's Penei Sewell to me. I'm taking a franchise LT over a top WR every day of the week and figuring out the rest (and the line reshuffling) later on.
Frankly, I don't know if I'd ever invest a top 3 pick in a wide receiver unless they were a physical freak (like a Calvin Johnson or Julio Jones). While I like these receivers, they don't clear that bar to me.
(4) Atlanta: DE Patrick Jones II, Pittsburgh
After three safe picks, we're going wildly off the board here with a prospect that some sites don't even consider a first rounder. But when I see those low projections for Patrick Jones, I feel like I'm missing something. Because every time I watch him, I see a top 10 talent with a good combination of power and explosiveness. Of the top d-linemen in the class, he'd be my personal pick to register 10 sacks a year. A pass rusher with legitimate juice off the edge would be exactly what the doctor ordered in Atlanta; hell, they've needed that for about 5 years now.
In theory, the idea of drafting a QB like Zach Wilson and letting him develop behind Matt Ryan is tempting, but it may be a year premature. If they can start Ryan in 2021 and 2022, then they can cut him with only $8.6M in dead money beyond that. I'd rather wait a year to find that heir apparent.
(5) Cincinnati: DE Kwity Paye, Michigan
The offensive line has been an obvious source of concern, but I'd also suggest the defensive line needs a lot of help as well. The team looked like they developed an allergy to sacks. Outside of Carl Lawson, no Bengal had more than 2.0 sacks or 11 QB hits. An athlete like Kwity Paye could help a lot in that regard; he can shift around the line and help shore up that unit. I like him for 4-3 teams a little more than more ballyhooed Greg Rousseau. As far as the OL goes, we'd have to trust Jonah Williams at LT and then load up on supporting help in rounds 2 and 3.
(6) Philadelphia: CB Patrick Surtain II, Alabama
The Eagles allowed opposing QBs to register a 68% completion percentage despite having a top corner in Darius Slay. Clearly, the guy needs some help (especially as he rounds 30). I know a lot of people on the sub aren't sold on Patrick Surtain as CB1 in the class, but I've always been impressed by him. He has enough size and skills to be a long-time starter.
I also considered a WR here, but we're going to have to hope that Jalen Reagor and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside develop into a serviceable tandem at some point. We're talking about kids with the talent to be R1 and R2 picks respectively (even if they may have been slight "reaches.")
(7) Detroit: WR Devonta Smith, Alabama
The Detroit Lions defense is obviously a major concern. They're big and slow and abused often. I wouldn't even rule out another CB despite taking one in the top 5 last year.
Meanwhile, the Lions' passing game doesn't appear to be a major need right now, but the emphasis may be on right now. I don't anticipate them being able re-sign both Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones, so adding another playmaker may be crucial. The common comp to Marvin Harrison makes a lot of sense to me; he reminds me of the Colts great with his quickness, his route running, and his hands.
(8) Carolina: QB Zach Wilson, BYU
QB Teddy Bridgewater is... fine. He's OK. He's accurate. He's likable. He's fine. And at age 28, he could potentially be a "fine" starter for the next 4-5 years. Still, when you have a coordinator like Joe Brady (for now, anyway), you'd want a dominant passing game and I'm not sure Bridgewater will ever give you that. In fact, his success dipped over the course of the season. In terms of 4-game splits, his completion percentage went from 73.1% to 69.8% to 67.0% to 65.9%.
I'm not 100% sold on Zach Wilson yet, but he certainly has some dynamic ability and some higher ceiling. So while a corner like Jaycee Horn may be the safe pick, we'll take a bigger swing here. And as an added bonus, the clean-cut blond kid looks like Christian McCaffrey, so maybe defenses will be confused by that.
(9) Denver: LB Micah Parsons, Penn State
If Zach Wilson had slipped to # 9, the Denver Broncos would be strongly considering him here. But without an obvious R1 option on the board (sorry Kyle Trask), we'll start to plug smaller holes instead.
As good as the Broncos defense may be, their run defense has always lagged behind their pass defense. Drafting a thumper like Micah Parsons may help that. I don't see Parsons as a top 3 talent like some others do, but he'd still be a sure starter and someone who could help their run defense (which allowed 4.8 yards per carry.) Their current ILBs aren't bad, but Parsons can be a Pro Bowler.
(10) Dallas: CB Jaycee Horn, South Carolina
Speaking of defense with some "holes," the Dallas Cowboys may as well be Swiss cheese. They allowed 34 passing touchdowns to quarterbacks and 5.0 yards per carry in the running game. Jaycee Horn isn't going to be able to solve all those problems on his own, but he'd be a nice start. Like the other top corners in the class, he has plus size at 6'1" and can hold up in both facets.
(11) N.Y. Giants: WR Ja'Marr Chase, LSU
2021 is going to be a make or break season for QB Daniel Jones and maybe his GM David Gettleman as well. They both need this passing game to take a major leap up. Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard are fine options, but this is a team that still lacks a true # 1 receiver. I don't view Ja'Marr Chase as a "special" talent like others do, but he should be able to fulfill that need as a traditional primary option. And besides, the combo of Giants and LSU WRs have never gone wrong in the past, right?
(12) San Francisco: CB Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech
Others have Caleb Farley as CB1, while I have him at # 3 right now. Still, his playmaking should be a major threat on a San Francisco team that's able to generate pressure up front.
(13) L.A. Chargers: OT Samuel Cosmi, Texas
The need for a tackle is obvious, but selecting Samuel Cosmi to fill it may be less popular. Still, I like the kid's height and movement ability. Having him mentored by Bryan Bulaga should be good for his development as well.
(14) Minnesota: DT Jay Tufele, USC
Mike Zimmer's defensive line used to be a strength of the team, but that's been deteriorated over time. Jay Tufele is my favorite DT in this class, with some underrated pass rushing juice on top of the sturdiness in the run game. In a vacuum, I may prefer a pure edge rusher, but this isn't the strongest DE class in my mind.
(15) New England: QB Trey Lance, North Dakota State
In the past, I've always been very critical of quarterbacks that I don't trust to win in the pocket. But nowadays, it seems like it's hard to win if you have a quarterback who can't evade pressure, get outside, and make plays with his legs.
Trey Lance may be a wild swing here, but we'd have to presume that Josh McDaniels and company would have the ability to tailor a scheme to fit his strengths.
(16) Arizona: DE Gregory Rousseau, Miami (Fla.)
Florida TE Kyle Pitts would be the clearest upgrade to the depth chart, but it doesn't appear that tight end is a top priority for Kliff Kingsbury's offense. In lieu of that, let's finally take Gregory Rousseau off the board.
Rousseau's one of the most difficult prospects to figure out to me. I didn't really like what I saw in that stellar 15 sack year (it felt like a lot of sloppy technique), but there's a good chance that he refined his game and became a legitimate top 5 prospect. Trouble is: we'd never know it because he didn't play. Still, we'll let the Cards take the gamble. They've been missing a big end like this since they let Calais Campbell go.
(17) Las Vegas: OG Wyatt Davis, Ohio State
Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock built this team to dominate with their running game, but it hasn't come into fruition yet; Josh Jacobs averaged less than 4.0 yards per carry. Beefing up that line should be a continued emphasis. There's some natural concern about Wyatt Davis in R1 after other Buckeye interior linemen have busted, but we have to trust the resume and tape here. This kid should a plug-in starter here, presuming his title game injury is only a minor setback.
(18) Miami: WR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
Speaking of injury concerns, we have no clue what Jaylen Waddle will look like next season after his terrible injury and terrible decision to come back and get hurt again. Before all that, I would have considered him a top 10 pick. We're going to trust the medical staff here, with the hope that Waddle may be able to get Tua Tagovailoa to trust the deep ball again.

The Cleveland Torso Murderer (also known as the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run) was an unidentified serial killer who was active in Cleveland, Ohio, United States in the 1930s. The killings were characterized by the dismemberment of twelve known victims and the disposal of their remains in the impoverished neighborhood of Kingsbury Run. Most victims came from an area east of Kingsbury Run called The Roaring Third, known for its bars, gambling dens and brothels. Another name for this area was "Hobo Jungle", as it was home to many vagrants. Despite an investigation of the murders, which at one time was led by famed lawman Eliot Ness, then Cleveland's Public Safety Director, the murderer was never apprehended.[2]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Torso_Murderer
Now you may know Eliot Ness as the guy who took down gangster Al Capone. He then went to Cleveland and tried to clean up Cleveland's notoriously corrupt police department.
Bribing cops was common place at that time and Ness was having none of it. He cracked down hard on cops taking bribes and against local organized crime. Needless to say this didn’t make Ness a lot of friends. When the torso murders started he interrogated one of the suspects using a polygraph test. This is one of the earliest known usages of polygraphs by police.

The official number of murders attributed to the Cleveland Torso Murderer is twelve, although recent research has shown there could have been as many as twenty.[3] The twelve known victims were killed between 1935 and 1938.[4] Some investigators, including lead Cleveland detective Peter Merylo, believe that there may have been thirteen or more victims in the Cleveland, Youngstown, and Pittsburgh areas between the 1920s and 1950s. Two strong candidates for addition to the initial list of those killed are the unknown victim nicknamed the "Lady of the Lake," found on September 5, 1934; and Robert Robertson, found on July 22, 1950.[5]

The murderer preyed on lower class victims in Cleveland's shanty towns known as "Hoovervilles" after former President Hoover who did next to nothing as the Great Depression ravaged the economy. The killer decapitated his victims and often castrated them.

The Torso Murderer always beheaded and often dismembered his or her victims, occasionally severing the victim's torso in half or severing their appendages.[8] In many cases the cause of death was the decapitation or dismemberment itself. Most of the male victims were castrated. Some victims showed evidence of chemical treatment being applied to their bodies. Many of the victims were found after a considerable period of time following their deaths, occasionally in excess of a year. In an era when forensic science was largely in infancy, these factors further complicated identification, especially since the heads were often undiscovered.[9]

Now here is where it gets crazy. Apparently the murderer had heard of Ness' exploits against Capone and found out he was helping to investigate the Torso Murders. The killer then decides to taunt Ness.
https://www.clevelandpolicemuseum.org/collections/torso-murders/

August 16, 1938: Three scrap collectors foraging in a dump site at East 9th and Lakeside found the torso of a woman wrapped in a man’s double breasted blue blazer and then wrapped again in an old quilt. The legs and arms were discovered in a recently constructed makeshift box, wrapped in brown butcher paper and held together with rubber bands. The head had been similarly wrapped. Gerber noted that some of the parts looked as if they had been refrigerated. While searching for more pieces, the police discover the remains of a second body only yards away. These two bodies had been placed in a location that was in plain view from Eliot Ness’s office window, almost as if taunting him. Both victims #11 and #12 were never identified.

Now thats some Hollywood shit if I ever heard it. Hollywood often ahs serial killers taunting the police, but in reality this rarely happens.
Meanwhile the cops are under tremendous public pressure to solve the case. So hey why not create the perfect suspect?

July 1939: County Sheriff Martin O’Donnell arrested fifty-two-year-old Bohemian brick layer Frank Dolezal for the murder of Flo Polillo. Dolezal had lived with her for a while, and subsequent investigation revealed he had been acquainted with Edward Andrassy and Rose Wallace.
His “confession” turned out to be a bewildering blend of incoherent ramblings and neat, precise details, almost as if he had been coached. Before he could go to trial, Dolezal was found dead in his cell. The five foot eight Dolezal had hanged himself from a hook only five feet seven inches off the floor. Gerber’s autopsy revealed six broken ribs, all of which had been obtained while in the Sheriff’s custody. To this day no one thinks Frank Dolezal was the torso killer. The question is: why did Sheriff O’Donnell?

Despicable. Imagine trying to pin these truly horrific crimes on a totally innocent person. I have nothing but contempt for cops who do this kind of shit.
Ness was convinced the killer was a psycho Doctor named Dr Francis Sweeney. But there was one problem - politics!
https://www.neatorama.com/2017/11/29/Americas-Jack-the-Ripper-and-the-Downfall-of-Eliot-Ness/

To Ness’s credit as head of the Butcher investigation, he did soon identify a ‘Secret Suspect’, one who to this day remains the prime suspect, this being a psychotic doctor named Francis Sweeney. Unfortunately for Eliot Ness, Dr. Sweeney was first cousin to a partisan democratic congressman, one who had already called for Eliot Ness’s ouster, as well as that of Cleveland’s mayor, another republican. It was this relationship that caused Ness’s suspect to remain top secret (his name was first revealed in the 1990’s), for one can imagine Congressman Sweeney’s reaction to a republican Eliot Ness accusing his cousin, Dr. Francis Sweeney, of being the Butcher.

But Ness goes totally crazy. Because politics in getting in his way of investigating the doctor, He doesn't just interrogate the guy, he literally kidnaps him for weeks at a time!

Ness, under incredible pressure to catch the killer, cut corners and bent rules. He held Dr. Sweeney captive in a hotel for an intense interrogation lasting several weeks, a violation of civil liberties even in 1938, finally being forced to release him due to lack of hard evidence even though he was convinced of Sweeney’s guilt. He hired off-the-books undercover investigators. He also conducted searches of very questionable legality. What would be the last of the Torso Murders in August 1938 drove Ness to one final desperate act.

Angered that his investigation into the Doc was thwarted Ness goes way over the line and decides to start burning the city to the ground! No shit.
Ness figures the killer lives in one of the shanty towns he preys on and decides the only option is clear: Burn it to the ground!
https://www.clevelandpolicemuseum.org/collections/torso-murders/

August 18, 1938: At 12:40 A.M., Eliot Ness and a group of thirty-five police officers and detectives, raid the hobo jungles of the Run. Eleven squad cars, two police vans and three fire trucks descend on the largest cluster of makeshift shacks where the Cuyahoga River twists behind Public Square. Ness’s raiders worked their way south through the Run eventually gathering up sixty-three men. At dawn, police and fireman searched the deserted shanties for clues. Then, on orders from Safety Director Ness, the shacks were set on fire and burned to the ground.
The press severely criticized Ness for his actions. The public was afraid and frustrated. Critics said the raid would do nothing to solve the murders.

And
https://www.neatorama.com/2017/11/29/Americas-Jack-the-Ripper-and-the-Downfall-of-Eliot-Ness/

Believing the Butcher preyed exclusively on transients, Ness ordered the shantytowns in Kingsbury Run to be set ablaze and the men who lived there, many of them the working poor, arrested. Ness meant to deprive the murderer of victims — and fingerprint the men in case they became victims. But in 1938, when one in five workers nationwide was unemployed, this scorched-earth destruction of the indigent population’s homes and meager belongings troubled Cleveland's conscience. The Cleveland Press blasted Ness for his "misguided zeal". Ness's stellar reputation for heroic integrity had given him freedom to operate outside normal channels, but, under intense pressure, he decided that the end justified the means.

This did not go over well with the public and was the beginning of the end of Ness' public career. After the shanty town burning incident he was caught covering up his own drunk driving crash. His reputation in shatters, he left office and eventually became a broke down forgotten drunk telling war stories about Al Capone to random bar flies in dive bars. He lost all his money, went through multiple divorces and was largely forgotten by the public. It was only after he died that his autobiography was published and he rocketed to fame posthumously.
Meanwhile the Torso Murders were never solved.
Whats creepy is this notation a the end of the article from the Cleveland police museum

The Kingsbury Run Murders remain one of the most perplexing cases in our nation’s criminal history. Rumors abound as to who may have been the killer. One thing is very clear: Eliot Ness had a suspect who he believed was undoubtedly the killer. This suspect continued to taunt Ness for years after the killings had stopped. All official police records on this case have been lost, destroyed, or removed.

and according to wiki

After Sweeney committed himself, there were no more leads or connections that police could assign to him as a possible suspect. From his hospital confinement, Sweeney sent threatening postcards and harassed Ness and his family into the 1950s.[24][25] Sweeney died in a veterans' hospital in Dayton on July 9, 1964.[24]

Note: I'm including trades in this mock, but since it's only one round, I'm not going to get too much into detail about compensation outside of 1st round picks and players. Most trades that happen in reality tend to swap some later round picks as well, often going both ways; go ahead and assume some of that will be happening where it makes sense, but I won't be going through all of the draft value stuff to work out those specific numbers. I'm also not making firm assumptions about free agency, but I'll mention situations that I think are most likely and relevant, so forgive me if I'm a bit inconsistent about where free agents come into play and where they don't.

Important free agency / trade notes:

• Watson traded to the Jets, Darnold to Texans, trade explained in mock.
  
• Garoppolo to the Colts for a day 2 pick and some change.
  
• Minshew to SF for a mid-round pick.
  
• Cousins stays in Minnesota.
  
• Ryan stays in Atlanta.
  
• Winston to the Bears as a free agent.
  
• Trubisky to the Patriots as a free agent.
  

1) JAX - Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
This pick doesn't need much explanation. He's the best QB prospect we've seen since Luck, he's been pretty much locked in as #1 overall since his freshman year, and the Jags are taking him.
2) NYJ > HOU - Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
Trade: Texans trade Deshaun Watson to Jets for #2, #23, a future 1st round pick, and Sam Darnold.
There it is, Watson's going to New York. Watson wants out, the Texans don't want to trade him, but I think Watson will call their bluff and sit out the season if they don't let him go. The Texans are a dumpster fire, but they know they're better off getting assets in return for Watson than letting him quit because they wanted to look tough. The Jets get the new face of their franchise for a pretty fair price -- Miami is the other likely trade partner IMO and I think they're content to stick with Tua and not get stuck in a bidding war, so the price for NYJ might not actually be as high as people may expect (it's important to remember, when comparing this to the Stafford trade, the Rams paid extra to offload Goff's contract).
Now, onto the pick. I actually have Zach Wilson as QB2 on my board, but with Darnold joining, the Texans can take the guy that I think has an edge in terms of athleticism. David Culley is coming from Baltimore with Lamar Jackson, and I could see him leaning towards the running threat in this scenario. Plus, if Jack Easterby is still pulling the strings, Fields being outspoken about his religious faith might be enough of an edge over Wilson (who despite going to BYU, has never really said much about his beliefs). I know that sounds crazy, but the Texans are crazy right now, and I'm just a guy eating popcorn waiting to see what happens.
3) MIA > CAR - Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
Trade: Dolphins trade #3 to Panthers for #8 and a future 1st.
Another trade breaks, and another QB goes. The Dolphins are in a really interesting spot at #3 overall. They didn't make a blockbuster move for Watson, and they'll build around Tua. Tua wasn't anything amazing as a rookie, but he certainly didn't look bad; expectations for rookie QB's have gotten a bit out of hand lately. Miami have their choice of any non-QB in the draft, and they'll be looking hard at Sewell here, as well as the receivers. But they also aren't desperate for OL help, and there's a ton of WR talent in this draft, so when Carolina offers a 1st round pick for a 5 spot drop, that's a pretty good deal. On Carolina's side, they're more than happy to jump Atlanta and screw their division rivals out of an excellent QB prospect. The Falcons are probably furious with this trade, but they weren't willing to overpay to move up one spot when they do still have Matt Ryan in at least the short term. The Panthers need a QB sooner rather than later, and a 1st rounder next year is a pretty fair price for what may be a franchise QB.
Zach Wilson is my QB2 in this draft. He's got the arm, the smarts, and the ability to move around and extend plays and make things happen. He reminds me a lot of Baker Mayfield, that's something Rhule can be excited about. Joe Brady might not be in Carolina for long, but he'll have fun with a guy like Wilson.
4) ATL - Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
The Falcons miss out on the elite QB prospects, and with maybe the best WR corps in the NFL, their decision isn't too difficult here. They could reach a bit for the top CB or EDGE in the draft, but none of those guys are quite the blue-chip prospect that Sewell is. Sewell is probably, at worst, the 3rd or 4th best player in the draft, and could well be the best of them all. The Falcons have a reliable LT in Jake Matthews, but Sewell can come in as an immediate starter at either LG or RT in place of Carpenter or McGary.
5) CIN - Ja'Marr Chase, WR, LSU
The Bengals are sad to miss out on Sewell, but they can't be too sad when they land Chase. After a year of QB shuffling at LSU, opting out of the 2020 season might actually have been more protective of Chase's draft stock than harmful. Yes, DeVonta Smith stole the spotlight and skyrocketed up draft boards to challenge Chase for the WR1 spot, but Chase has about 30 pounds on Smith and might be a safer bet in terms of durability. It also gives the Bengals the chance to reunite Joe Burrow with his favorite college target.
6) PHI - DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
And Smith wasn't far behind. The Eagles are in desperate need of WR help. They took Reagor in the late 1st round last year, but he didn't contribute much after missing some time with injury, and Smith is too good to pass up. They've got to find some way to help Carson Wentz regain some confidence in hopes of being at least a decent starter again, and if they have to turn to Hurts, he's familiar with Smith from his time at Bama.
7) DET - Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
I honestly don't like mocking big runs like this. 3 QB's in a row in the top 3, and then 3 WR's in a row after that. It doesn't sound all that realistic, and I'm well aware that probably none of what I predict will come true (aside from Lawrence). But this pick makes too much sense. The Lions shipped out Stafford and got Goff and picks in return, and they're entering what seems to be a full rebuild. I don't think there's any way Kenny Golladay sticks around. Basically all of their WR's are free agents this year. They need to give Goff something to work with if they roll with him, and I don't think they gamble on Trey Lance at this spot. Waddle missed most of this season, but he was being hyped up as the Bama star WR going into 2020 for a reason. He's the last of the real blue-chip elite WR talents in a very strong WR class, and that's hard to pass up.
8) CAR > MIA - Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
The Dolphins miss out on an elite WR. That stings. But they do have another 1st round pick and this draft class is pretty stacked. They might not be getting Jaylen Waddle, but there are some other quality 1st round talents that should be available later. At this spot, they give Brian Flores the best LB in the class. Parsons is an interesting prospect. He's a freak athlete, fairly versatile, and despite some character concerns, he could be a leader on this defense for years. He can come in as an immediate replacement for Elandon Roberts and learn from Kyle Van Noy, possibly shifting between ILB and SLB.
9) DEN - Trey Lance, QB, NDSU
While the Lions weren't ready to gamble on Lance at 7, the Broncos pounce on him at 9. Drew Lock isn't the worst QB in the world, but in a division with Mahomes and Herbert (and Carr isn't a slouch, either), the Broncos have to find a talented QB if they want to have any hope of competing. Trey Lance is a pretty unique prospect, coming from an FCS school with only 1 year of starting experience and not playing in 2020 (outside of a hastily thrown-together showcase game that really isn't much to judge). He's an incredible athlete with a ton of upside, and he threw ZERO interceptions in his one season as a starter. Yes, the fact that he played in the FCS at one of the most dominant programs in college football history can't be ignored, but the talent is pretty obvious. This might be Elway's last chance to right the ship at QB, so you have to imagine they'll be all-in on giving Lance all of the support they can.
10) DAL - Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
The Cowboys could go a few different ways here -- Slater or Darrisaw at OT, Pitts at TE, Paye or Rousseau on the edge, but CB is the most glaring need on this team, and Surtain looks like the complete package. The Cowboys drafted Trevon Diggs out of Bama last year, and he had an up and down season. Awuzie could be on his way out, and they desperately need someone that can take over the CB1 role and take some of the pressure off of Diggs. Surtain looks like he can be an NFL CB1, and he'll link up with an old teammate in Dallas.
11) NYG - Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
The Giants need help in a lot of areas, but if they're going to stick with Daniel Jones for another year, he needs all the help he can get. It's too early here to reach for a WR, but the Giants need a reliable pass catcher. Sterling Shepard is a decent option, but he's not exactly a game changer. Evan Engram, despite somehow making the pro bowl this year, is not a good TE. He's fast, but he can't catch a cold. Enter Kyle Pitts. Pitts is everything that Engram was supposed to be, except he can catch the ball. He can play TE, he can split out wide, and he can run some gadget plays. Whatever it is, he's probably better at it than most anyone else on the roster.
12) SF - Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
First things first, the QB trade. This pick wasn't involved, but I can't really let it go unaddressed. The 49ers part ways with Garoppolo, sending him to Indy for a day 2 pick (either a 2nd rounder, or a 3rd and another pick, whatever). Then they send a mid-round pick (I'd think probably a 4th) to Jacksonville for Minshew. So Gardner Minshew will be the presumed starter for 2021, competing with Mullens for the job.
The top 4 QB's are gone and the 49ers don't want to reach for Mac Jones here. Farley is the top CB on a lot of boards. I don't think he's quite as good as Surtain right now, but he's got a ton of potential to be great. The 49ers already don't have the greatest CB corps, and they could be losing Sherman and Verrett to free agency, without much left behind to take over.
13) LAC - Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern
This one's pretty simple. Chargers have found their franchise QB in Herbert, now they need to protect him. Their OL is... not great. Slater is a very solid OL prospect. He was an amazing LT at Northwestern (watch him vs Chase Young when they played Ohio State), and any teams with concerns about his measurables for a tackle can slot him in at LG and expect a quality starter.
14) MIN - Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
The Vikings probably would have preferred Slater here, but Darrisaw is still a solid OL prospect. I considered going with Vera-Tucker as more of a true OG, but the value just isn't there in my eyes. There's some solid IOL talent available later, and a good tackle is hard to come by.
15) NE > LV - Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami
Trade: Raiders trade #17 and later picks to Patriots for #15.*
Shocker, the Patriots trade down. After signing Mitchell Trubisky back to be the presumed starting QB, they trade down from #15 to gain some draft caiptal. The Raiders make a small jump to get ahead of the Cardinals and take the top EDGE on their board. Rousseau may be raw, but he's a hell of an athlete, and the upside is too much for Mayock and Gruden to pass up. It's like the Saints' Davenport trade a few years back, just way less expensive.
16) ARI - Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
The Cardinals make a pretty simple pick here. They need real CB help, and Horn is the top CB on the board. I love Jaycee Horn as a prospect. I actually have him as the 1b to Surtain's 1a on my board. He's an absolute ballhawk, and while he's a little handsy in coverage, that can be coached.
17) LV > NE - Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU
I know the Pats don't do well with 1st round WR's, but they don't have many better options. The lack of offensive weapons clearly played at least some part in Brady's departure. If the Patriots want to be contenders again, they need to be able to score points, and Garoppolo needs receivers that are better than N'Keal Harry and the corpse of Julian Edelman. Marshall is a tall WR that can play on the outside, in the slot, and move around to create mismatches. He should provide a reliable target for Jimmy and the new-look Pats.
18) MIA - Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota
The Dolphins passed on elite WR's in the top 5, but they'll take the top WR available here to give Tua some help. Bateman isn't a burner, but he's god decent size and he's a great route-runner, so he should be able to create some separation and give Tua go-to option.
19) WAS - Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
The 5th QB goes. I know Mac Jones is a bit of a controversial prospect. He had all the talent in the world at Bama, and he doesn't exactly stand out as a huge talent compared to guys like Fields and Wilson. But he's proven to be a poised, accurate passer with a good head on his shoulders. I don't see him getting past Washington. I think Jones can be successful NFL QB in the right situation. Is WFT the right situation? I'm not sure. But I think Rivera will like what he sees, and Alex Smith could be the perfect mentor for him.
20) CHI - Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame
The Bears bring in Winston as a free agent in hopes of solving their eternal QB problem. If nothing else, he's got the arm to sling it downfield in the windy city. He was the best option available (really the only free agent worth going after as a possible starter), and they'll keep Foles for another year to compete with him. The least they could do is beef up the OL. Eichenberg is a pro-ready LT that the Bears can slot in from day 1.
21) IND - Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan
With Garoppolo coming in at QB, the Colts can turn their attention elsewhere. With needs at OL and WR, it's not the easiest decision, but Paye falling right into their laps is too much to pass up. Paye is the #1 EDGE on a lot of boards, so a fall to 21 is probably not likely. The Colts don't mind. They get to snatch him away from the Titans, too.
22) TEN - Daviyon Nixon, DT, Iowa
Nixon burst onto the scene this year at Iowa as a pass-rushing 3T. Tennessee needs help all over the DL, and Nixon is a nice piece to start with. He might need some time get up to NFL speed, but he showed massive production and the Titans will hope for more.
23) NYJ > HOU - Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
The Texans got their QB in Fields, now they need to support him. Fuller is likely gone, Cooks is likely gone this year or next, and that would leave Keke Coutee as the next best WR on the roster. Moore does not have the size of a WR1. He'll work mostly out of the slot and on gadget plays. But he's electric. He could bring life to an offense that will be rebuilding from the ground up. Anything to try to win back some fans.
24) PIT - Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas
With Villanueva likely leaving in free agency, the Steelers take the top OT on the board as an immediate replacement. Cosmi might end up slotting in at RT, as the Steelers might like Okorafor more on the left.
25) JAX - Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia
The Jags will take a hard look at going OL here to protect Trevor Lawrence, but they can't afford not to make a move in the secondary. Stokes can be a playmaker at CB.
26) CLE - Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa
Collins seems to go to the Browns in pretty much every mock, but it makes too much sense for me to go another direction. He can do it all. He's a great run stopper, he excels rushing the passer, and he's not totally helpless in coverage, either. He'll be a nice defensive piece in a pretty talented Browns team.
27) BAL - Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG, USC
The Ravens look hard at EDGE here, but Vera-Tucker is one of the top talents available, and they need help on the OL. He'll slot into the RG spot, and hopefully be playing next to Orlando Brown, though I think Brown could be on his way out soon.
28) NO - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
The Saints are going to look very different next year. Brees is all but officially retired, and we'll likely see a lot of roster turnover in order to get under the cap. The most obvious move that will be made is the release of OLB Kwon Alexander. Luckily, Owusu-Koramoah has just the skillset to come in and take on that coverage LB role.
29) GB - Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri
The Packers have a big need at CB, but the value just doesn't line up there for me. They could also use a good coverage-savvy LB, and Nick Bolton fits that bill.
30) BUF - Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State
Not a flashy pick, but the Bills live and die with Josh Allen. An upgrade at guard should help Allen live.
31) TB - Joseph Ossai, EDGE, Texas
The Bucs really don't have too many glaring needs, so this pick comes down to BPA on their shortlist. For me, this comes down to Ossai and Jalen Mayfield. When in doubt, take the pass rusher. Ossai should fit nicely as a 3-4 OLB in Tampa. Both Barrett and Pierre-Paul are free agents this year, and they won't keep both.
32) KC - Jaylen Mayfield, OT, Michigan
KC is a simple pick. You got Mahomes? Protect Mahomes. Mayfield can play tackle, or move into guard if needed. He's the best OL on the board, and the last pick of round one.

So, tell me why I'm wrong, why I'm right for the wrong reasons, and why I'm an idiot in general.

Santa Cruz is set to tip-off their 2021 season today against the Ignite Team. Thirteen players will be suiting up for the Sea Dubs including two-way player Nico Mannion and assignees, Jordan Poole and Alen Smailagić. While those three might be well known by Warriors fans who've watched them play with Golden State, hopefully this post can shed some light on the other 10 players who make up the main squad. The G-League doesn't generally get a lot of attention or recognition from NBA fans, but if guys like Damion Lee, Juan Toscano-Anderson, and Mychal Mulder have shown anything, it's that there is talent lurking down there and it's a great place for young players to develop.
Notes on the G-League Season:

• 15 games (not including the playoffs)
• Top 8 teams will advance to single-elimination Playoffs
• Santa Cruz's Schedule
• Santa Cruz's Roster

Jeremy Lin

Point Guard, 32 years old, 6′3, 200lbs
Lin is of course a very familiar face for Warriors fans. The Bay Area native, as an undrafted rookie, appeared in 29 games for Golden State during the 2010–11 season and would go on to become a tenured veteran in the NBA. However, a ruptured patellar tendon suffered at the beginning of the 2017–18 season would sideline Lin for that remainder of that campaign and the effects would carry over into the following season in which Lin struggled on the court with the Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors, temporarily putting a hold on his NBA career.
Following a solid showing in the CBA last year putting up 22.4ppg, 5.6rpg, 5.6apg on .493/.335/.822, a now-healthy Lin is looking to make his way back to the NBA and hopes this path with Santa Cruz will be his opportunity to do so.
Playstyle
Lin is well known as a scoring guard who operates out of the PNR with a quick first step and playmaking ability. He will be looking to show that he still possesses those skills at the NBA-level following concerns he had lost his quickness due to injury.
He is a career 34.2% three-point shooter and has never shot over 37.2% in a season, including last year in the CBA where he 33.5% from the outside on 173 attempts, so he should not be expected to start draining them, but he won't be asked to do so either with elite marksmen such as Hannahs, Taylor, and Wesson on the roster.
Lin has left much to be desired on the defensive end throughout his NBA career, but was recently a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year in the CBA so it will be interesting to see how much he has improved and what he can offer on that end.
Expectations
Lin is expected to start for Santa Cruz at point guard and is most likely hoping to only have to play a few games before getting signed by an NBA team looking for a veteran point guard, a team like the Magic, who have been riddled with injuries at that position, for example. For those who watched Santa Cruz last season, Lin will take on the role that was Jeremy Pargo's as the veteran who runs the offense and is the default scoring option.

Dusty Hannahs

Shooting Guard, 27 years old, 6′3, 210lbs
Hannahs is an undrafted guard out of Arkansas. He's spent the last three seasons in the G-League with the Memphis Hustle averaging 14.5ppg, 2.0rpg, 1.7apg on .460/.435/.917 and was named to the All-G League Third Team last season. He's also been in-and-out of the Memphis Grizzlies on a couple of 10-Days throughout the past 2 years. Santa Cruz traded for his rights ahead of the 2021 G-League draft.
Playstyle
Hannahs is a lights out shooter. Through three seasons in the G-League he shot 43.5% from deep on 648 attempts. He's capable of both spotting up for catch-and-shoot threes and pulling up from off-the-dribble. He has a decent handle which allows him to create separation, and his shooting threat and speed gives him an edge when driving to the basket. He has steadily improved as a finisher over the years, but will still throw up some wild shots driving into traffic. He also isn't much of a playmaker. When he drives he doesn't look to pass and has too much tunnel vision.
Hannahs is a bit undersized for a wing at 6'3 which makes him limited defensively where he leaves much to be desired. He's not very good as an on-ball or off-ball defender. He will occasionally ball watch and lose track of his assignment and often reacts a bit too slowly to how the play develops. He also isn't much of a rebounder and doesn't do a great job of positioning or boxing out. He also isn't very good at fighting over screens or offering much as a help defender, which is more of an issue of lack of effort and focus. He will have to improve on this side of the ball if he hopes to make it at an NBA level.
Expectations
Hannahs would've started in the backcourt with Lin, but with Mannion and Poole assigned, he will be relegated to a bench role, playing at times as a 2 or 3. As one of the more tenured players on the roster, his G-League experience will be valuable for the team and he should see a lot of minutes provided he can offer more off-the-ball and defensively than he has shown so far. Hannahs has already established himself as an elite G-Leaguer and has flirted with the NBA, so if he can put together another solid season and make improvements in the areas he needs to, there's a good chance he can find himself on a two-way deal in the near future.

Ryan Taylor

Small Foward, 26 years old, 6'6, 190lbs
Taylor is a 4-year college player who went undrafted in 2019. He was selected with the 24th pick in the 2019 G-League draft by the Lakeland Magic, but was cut in training camp. He joined Santa Cruz as a mid-season acquisition from the available player pool and would go on to appear in 22 games where he averaged 9.2ppg, 2.0rpg, 0.6apg on .456/.430/1.000 coming off the bench. He was put on the radar of Warriors fans when he was invited to participate in the Dubble and shot the lights out during their televised scrimmage, putting up 18 points with 6 threes.
Playstyle
Taylor is a knockdown shooter who usually hangs around the corner and moves around off-the-ball a decent amount. He doesn't handle the ball or create a lot for himself, but has a pull-up midrange jumper off a down screen he likes to go to and a floater alternative as well. Outside of that, he hasn't driven a lot or showed off his finishing, but he is deceptively athletic and can throw it down. He's not really a playmaker, but he's a smart player who will make the right passes and not play out of his comfort zone.
He's not any sort of lockdown defender, but he does enough defensively where he can bother players on-ball and stick with them, fighting through screens and using his athleticism and lateral speed. He does a good job of forcing players into tough shots and not giving them anything easy. He's also a smart team defender, who knows when to rotate and help. Overall he projects as a 3&D wing who doesn't do more than he's capable of and plays within the flow of the game. He would fit in well at Golden State.
Expectations
Taylor most likely would've started, but with the assignment of Jordan Poole and based on scrimmage tape, it seems he will be coming off the bench instead, playing a big role as the backup small forward. At 26 years of age, having just started his pro career, Taylor is looking for a late-bloomer career arc similar to that of Damion Lee. Having impressed last season in limited time, this season will be a better opportunity for Taylor to move into a bigger role and establish himself as a starting quality G-League player with the hopes of receiving a training camp invite from Golden State next season and being a candidate for a two-way spot. As a 3&D archetype, he's arguably the most interesting prospect on this roster for Warriors fans to watch out for as a potential future Golden State player.

Axel Toupane

Power Foward, 28 years old, 6'7, 196lbs
Toupane is a French wing who went undrafted in 2014 and has become a well-traveled journeyman. He played 2 seasons in the G-League with Raptors 905 where he averaged 15.4ppg, 4.8rpg, 3.6apg, 1.1spg on .446/.329/.798. He's also played 29 games in the NBA on a couple of 10 Day and ROS deals with the Nuggets, Bucks, and Pelicans, and spent the last three seasons playing overseas in Lithuania, Greece, Spain, and France. Most recently he appeared with the Warriors in pre-season, where he saw a handful of minutes.
Playstyle
On offense, Toupane likes to spot up in the corner or move from wing to wing in hopes of receiving the ball off a drive-and-kick for an open 3. He didn't shoot the 3-ball well during his time in the G-League, but overseas his percentages looked better from year-to-year and he is capable of knocking them down at a low volume. He doesn't have the ball in his hand often, but seems to have a pretty good handle and likes to take defenders off-the-dribble and either beat them to the rim or pull up for a jumper. He especially loves to slash in transition and due to his speed, length, and athleticism can blow by defenders with ease and finish in traffic with an array of acrobatic moves. He doesn't necessarily seem like a playmaker, but can make some good read for a wing and likes throwing lobs.
Defensively he's a pretty good on-ball defender who can bother opposing ballhandlers with his length and lateral quickness. His size makes him versatile and capable of matching up fairly well with 1-4s. Oubre is a good comparison in that regard. He also seems to have a decent read of passing lanes and can use his length to get a hand on the ball and burst out for a transition dunk.
Expectations
Toupane is expected to start at power forward. Although he's played as a 2/3 for most of his career, Santa Cruz likes to play small and Toupane is the 3rd tallest player on the roster after Mawugbe and Wesson. Golden State even played him at the 4 during pre-season which makes him the obvious choice to start there, coupled with his experience. As the second oldest player after Lin, Toupane will have a very important and big role in this squad both on and off the floor.

Kaleb Wesson

Center, 21 years old, 6'10, 253lbs
Wesson is an undrafted big out of Ohio State where he averaged 12.9ppg, 7rpg, 1.6apg on .495/.385/.729 over 3 seasons. He was well regarded by draft experts and many thought he could get picked in the second round or at least grab a two-way contract. However, he would join the Warriors for training camp where he didn't get much playing time and wasn't able to impress.
Playstyle
Wesson biggest attraction is his stretch 5 ability. He's a good outside shooter who shot 42.5% from deep in his final year on 106 attempts and did well in all the combine shooting drills. He finished first in one of the drills making 80% of his attempts. He gets most of his threes out of pick-and-pops around the top of the key and wings and that's most likely where he'll be money from moving forward. Wesson doesn't create a lot of offense for himself, but he does have a post hook and post fadeaway he likes to go to with moderate success. Otherwise, his finishing is a bit poor. For someone with his size and strength, he goes pretty weak to the rim and gets rejected far too often. He also doesn't have leaping ability to go up for lobs and rim-run, a bit Looney-like in that regard. He does however have great court vision and will make some eye-catching reads especially out of the post and elbow, and off the short roll. He seems like he has the potential to become a really good playmaker for a big.
Defensively he's limited due to his size and athleticism. He is slow and doesn't have good verticality. He struggles when switched out to guards due to his lack of lateral speed and gets beaten pretty easily. He's not much of a rim protector or shot blocker, but makes up for his deficiencies with relatively high defensive BBIQ and active hands. He has a good feel for when to reach in for a block or steal. He's also a good rebounder who boxes out and positions well, and uses his size and strength to neutralize opponents and pin them under the basket out of position.
The best comparison for him might be like Boris Diaw. Although I haven't watch Boris in a while, but I remember him as a stocky big man who was a good passer and could knock down a 3-ball. That's kind of the mold he's looking to fulfill in the NBA.
Expectations
Wesson will start at center while Smailagić is out and then become his primary backup. He'll be looking to at the least establish himself as a starting-level G-Leaguer and potentially play well enough to have a shot at earning a two-way for next season. Stretch bigs are a premium and if he can show that his shot translates to the next level, he should definitely get some NBA teams interested. Outside of Taylor, he's arguably the most interesting non-assignee for Warriors fans to watch. He's the youngest player on this roster, but also one of the ones with the most potential to become an NBA level player, and his passing, outside shooting, and defensive BBIQ would make him a great fit for Golden State and an answer to the Mo Speights/David West type big they're looking for.

Isaiah Reese

Point Guard, 24 years old, 6'5, 185lbs
Reese is a 3-year college player who after going undrafted in 2019 joined the Houston Rockets for Summer League. He was selected with the 6th pick in the 2019 G-League draft by the Austin Spurs and was traded to Santa Cruz on draft night for Kavion Pippen. Reese played 42 games coming off the bench and averaged 7.0ppg, 2.7rpg, 2.7apg on .408/.343/.667 his rookie season.
Playstyle
Reese doesn't necessarily seem to excel at any one specific skill but he seems to have an all-around skill set that if developed properly could turn him into a useful player. He's big for a point guard at 6'5 and can bother opposing point guards with his size defensively. He relatively does a good job on the defensive end, although he has a tendency to gamble a little too much and go for steals he shouldn't. He will occasionally lose track of his assignments and forget to box out, but if he can improve his awareness and focus, he projects to be a decent defender, at least at a G-League level.
Offensively, as I said above, he has an all-around game. He's shown some playmaking chops, capable of making good reads, but he also turns the ball over a fair amount and needs to learn to pick his spots better. He can shoot the 3-ball, but he's only really around a 35% outside shooter and shouldn't be taking them unless he's open in the corner. He can finish inside and has shown some finesse with his layups, but he doesn't go in strong and struggles to get to the line, only attempting 6 free throws in 810 minutes last season. I would compare him to his teammate from last season, Andrew Harrison, as a sort of big point guard who can kind of do a bit of everything, just none of it at an elite level yet.
Expectations
Last season was a primarily developmental one for Reese, as he got his feet wet at the pro-level. The Santa Cruz staff seemed to take a liking to him and would spend, what seemed like extra time, working specifically with him. He seems like someone they believe is a long term prospect. This season he should have a bigger role on the team as one of the guard options off the bench and should see plenty of game time. It will be a good opportunity to establish himself as a G-League level player and maybe play himself into a starting role next season with this team.

Zach Norvell Jr.

Shooting Guard, 23 years old, 6'5, 206lbs
Norvell played two seasons at Gonzaga before signing a two-way deal with the Los Angeles Lakers after going undrafted in 2019. He would see limited time with the Lakers and would be waived in December of that year to make room for Devontae Cacok. Apart from a single 10-Day contract, where he endeared himself to some Warriors fans, Norvell spent the bulk of the season playing in the G-League with South Bay and then Santa Cruz. He finished his rookie season averaging 14.7ppg, 4.6rpg, 2.9apg on .395/.387/.814.
Playstyle
Norvell is an athletic, scoring wing who can shoot fairly well. In the G-League he shot 39% from deep and shot 37% in college. Although his shot selection could be a little better, he's more than capable of knocking down catch-and-shoot threes in the corner, as well as, pulling up off-the-dribble. He has a good handle on him and although he is not necessarily a playmaker, he has shown that he can make some good reads and can excel as a secondary ballhandler and creator on the floor. Although his jumper is his calling card, he can also finish inside with his athleticism and finesse, but again his shot selection could be a little better there too as he'll take the ball into trouble a little too often.
Norvell seems like a decent defender. He's not any sort of liability, but he also isn't going to lock down anyone. He does a good job of fighting over screens and sticking with his man, but will still lose track of his assignments from time-to-time, and could do more when challenging shots to make them tougher. He has active hands at least and can come up with a couple of steals. For a guard, he's also pretty good about making sure to box out when the shot goes up.
Expectations
The Warriors acquired Norvell last season for Santa Cruz after they were impressed with him while he was on his 10-Day and felt he was an intriguing, young prospect worth bringing in and developing. Norvell will be one of the go-to players off the bench and have a fairly big role. Among the young players, he is one of the more intriguing ones to watch out for and could potentially find his way back on a two-way in the near future.

Elijah Pemberton

Shooting Guard, 23 years old, 6'5, 195lbs
Pemberton is an undrafted wing who finished his career at Hostra last season with 15.4ppg, 4.7rpg, 2.1apg on .448/.387/.788 over his 4 years. He was a last-minute sign-and-waive for the Warriors after they were unable to receive Lin's FIBA Letter of Clearance in time, and most likely wouldn't have made the roster otherwise.
Playstyle
Based on watching some of his film, Pemberton projects to be a long-term project. He's a big athletic guard/wing with a handle and decent shooting touch, especially on pull-up 3s (career 39%), but his game leaves a lot more to be desired outside of that. He does not seem comfortable at all finishing inside and consistently will drive into traffic and throw up a hopeless wild shot. Showing both poor decision making and poor technique. Although he only averaged 2.1 assists per game during his college career, based on a film he seems to have the potential to do better in that area. He doesn't necessarily seem to have natural court vision, but can make some good reads from time to time, and if he can hone in on that skill, he could become useful as a secondary creator on the floor.
Defensively due to his size and athleticism he has the potential to become a decent defender which could give him hope to make in the league one day as a 3&D wing, but for now, he has a lot to work on.
Expectations
Pemberton will most likely start the season as a deep reserve and not see much time on the court given that Santa Cruz is loaded with guards and small wings. At this point for him, the best thing is to just get consistent work in during practice and soak up as much information as he can. Depending on how well he progresses and if he shows potential he could return to next year's team and challenge for a more fixed role in the rotation.

Dwayne Sutton

Power Forward, 23 years old, 6'5, 220lbs
Sutton is an undrafted 4-year player out of Louisville who joined the Warriors for training camp this past December and is most memorable to fans for his monster dunk against the Kings during pre-season.
Playstyle
Sutton is a tweener. An undersized power forward who doesn't necessarily excel at any one thing or fit any set position, but is a gritty, versatile, and fierce competitor in the mold of a PJ Tucker or Draymond Green. Although small, he is athletic and long and is a good defender capable of guarding multiple positions and coming up with big plays.
On offense, he seems a little more limited. He shot the 3-ball at 34.3% during his college career at limited volume (338 attempts) and probably doesn't project to be a shooter or if so, his ceiling would seem like Tucker's as a corner specialist. He only averaged 1.3 assists per game over his career, but could potentially grow more as a playmaker. That number seemed a bit limited due to his low usage rate and based on some of the reads he made he seems like a capable and willing passer. He doesn't seem very comfortable creating off the dribble and doesn't seem to have any sort of reliable mid-range, both of which are areas he will need to work on to be able to make it at the next level.
Expectations
Of the three Exhibit 10's, Sutton seems the least ready to contribute right away so he probably won't have a large role but given how undersized the Warriors are, he should see a good amount of playing time primarily as Toupane's backup at the 4. It will be a good opportunity for him to show if he can stick in the G-League and add enough to his game to be a useable rotation piece moving forward.

Selom Mawugbe

Center, 22 years old, 6'10, 230lbs
Mawugbe is an undrafted standout from Divison II, Azusa Pacific, where he averaged 16.9ppg, 10.5rpg, 2apg, 3.1bpg, 1.1spg on 71.8% FG in his senior season. Mawugbe was the 21st pick in the G-League draft and the final addition to the Santa Cruz squad.
If you do a search for "Selom Mawugbe" on YouTube, outside of an interview and a workout clip, you will find one single highlight of a PNR lob finish. Nothing else. So in order to get some semblance of Selom's game, I watched a few of his Azusa Pacific games I could find.
Playstyle
Maguwbe seems to fit the archetype of a traditional center. On offense, he roams from block to block looking to post up or come out and set a screen for a teammate. When he does receive the ball, he's a willing passer and will make some good reads finding shooters out of the post. Due to his size and strength, he can outpower most players and finish inside, but he doesn't seem very comfortable creating his own offense and rarely does so. He also doesn't seem to have any sort of reliable jumper or at least is unwilling to let it fly (I think I saw him attempt maybe one jump shot through the film I watched).
He seems to be a more defensive-oriented player and does a good job of protecting the paint and keeping drivers at bay with his shot-blocking. He averaged around 3 blocks per game throughout his final 3 seasons at college and was routinely among the top shot blockers in D2. He communicates often with his teammates, which is important as Azusa seemed to run a primarily zone defense with Mawugbe anchored in the paint. He has enough athleticism and lateral speed to switch out to perimeter players and bother them, but he didn't do so often and is not a strong suit. He's also a good rebounder and looks to box out immediately as soon as the ball is up in the air.
Expectations
Mawugbe will most likely follow suit with Pemberton as another young player looking at a mostly developmental season. He will probably have more opportunities to play, however, as Santa Cruz is thin in the frontcourt and Smailagić isn't expected to play right away so he will need to backup Wesson. This season will be a good opportunity for Mawugbe to show if his game can translate to the next level, where he will no longer be able to dominate purely off of size and athleticism. His goal should be to establish himself as a G-League level player and challenge for a more fixed role in the rotation next season.

Projected Depth Chart

Pos.	Starter	Backup	Third String
PG	Lin	Reese
SG	Mannion	Hannahs	Pemberton
SF	Poole	Taylor	Norvell
PF	Toupane	Sutton
C	Smailagić	Wesson	Mawugbe

Based off of scrimmage clips it seems the Warriors are planning on rolling out a Lin-Mannion-Poole-Toupane-Wesson line-up to start the season, with presumably Wesson filling in for Smalagić temporarily. Lin and Mannion will most likely get the lion share of minutes at the 1 with Reese also getting some spot minutes and sometimes two of them will be on the court together. Poole, Hannahs, Taylor, and Norvell will be the wings playing 2/3 with Pemberton getting a sprinkle of minutes here and there. Toupane and Sutton will shore up the 4 spot and Smiley, Wesson, and Mawugbe will eat up the center minutes, although it will be interesting to see if they play any big line-ups with 2 of them on the floor (I also saw a line-up with Toupane at the 5 which was interesting).
This team seems to bode a lot of playmaking (Mannion, Poole, Lin, Wesson) and outside shooting (Hannahs, Taylor, Wesson, Norvell, Pemberton) so they should be fairly potent offensively. The defensive side of the ball will be more interesting to watch to see how well they can tighten up.
TLDR:
Lin - Veteran looking to return to the NBA, probably will not end up playing for Golden State
Taylor, Hannahs - Knockdown shooters, two-way contract candidates, ones-to-watch
Toupane - Veteran, athletic, defensive wing, could be a two-way contract candidate
Wesson - Knockdown shooter who can pass, young player with a lot of potential, maybe a future two-way candidate, one-to-watch
Norvell - Scoring, athletic wing, young player with a lot of potential, maybe a future two-way candidate, one-to-watch
Reese, Sutton, Pemberton, Mawugbe - G-League level projects
I was hoping to go a bit more in-depth with this and include some short video compilations, but was kind of pressed for time and wanted to post this before today's game. Hopefully, this will still give at least a general idea of what to expect from this roster. If there are any questions I can try to answer let me know.

TLDR: Entitled little brother mentally abused, gaslit, threatened, and manipulated me for the last time.
I (22F) am going to talk about a real doozy. My brother (now 19 but this began when he was 16) started his entitlement when he hit his teens.
When my brother was under ten he was definitely angry and entitled but it wasn’t as bad as now. It all started when we moved back to our home town and he was introduced to drugs. I know I may sound like that person, you know that person, who says, “Marijuana is a gateway drug” but in this case?
When I was around 18 I got my first job as a cashier. That was around the time my brother was introduced to weed and he built a dependency for it. He was diagnosed with bi-polar and ADHD. He’s constantly angry, all the time and weed helped. But when he couldn’t get it he would lash out and throw a fit. My mom is an enabler and a doormat so she let it happen. He would constantly demand money from her with promises to pay it back and when he didn’t my mom turned to me.
It was a vicious and ugly cycle. He would borrow from her with sketchy promises (he occasionally paid her back), she would lose money and ask me to help because she couldn’t pay bills. Any time that she refused him he would wear her down by getting angry and mentally abusing her. He would scream, make her feel bad for not “trusting” him, and then threaten her.
My mom has CMT. Charcot Marie Tooth Disorder and severe arthritis. She has issues walking and has terrible balance. She once broke her leg just walking to the bathroom. Couple that with past abuse from my father (her ex husband) my mom didn’t really stand a chance.
My mom used to have a SUV and my brother always used it. He was controlling. He would take it and pass it off as HIS car. He would take it and go to his friends houses for hours on end and leave my mom without a way to go places. He would take it mud riding, speed around town, and getting pulled over MULTIPLE times. Surprise, surprise mom would pay the tickets.
Once he took it and went to a creek where his friends were having a party. He parked it by the bank and didn’t put the breaks on properly so the SUV slowly rolled into the creek. That was one of the instances.
Now, you may be asking yourself, what did I do? Well, I have anger issues too but nowhere near as severe as his. At the beginning I fought him. When he would ask my mom if he could borrow money so he could buy weed and then turn around and sell it for trumped up prices I would argue that it would be better to use that money for groceries. Giving my brother money is like gambling so there’s a 80 percent chance you’ll lose it and a 20 percent chance you’ll see it again.
I argued with him constantly and it didn’t matter if I was mature and calm and spoke to him reasonably. I could be at a 10 and he would be at 90. He would call me “bitch”, “manipulative”, and every name he could think of to hurt me. It wouldn’t matter if I didn’t call him a single name he would always call me at least one while telling me to, “shut the fuck up”
This went on for years. He would scream in my face, call me names, threaten me, and even toss things at me. One thing I remember off the top of my head was a Mormon bible which he tossed at the back of my head. When it would get to that point I would end up punching him in face. Maybe I was wrong to stoop to his level but try having patience when someone’s screaming at your face that you’re a bitch who should shut the fuck up.
Unfortunately I’m short and admittedly pretty weak and he’s taller and stronger. When I would punch him it always ended with me getting laid out. Eventually fighting him became pointless and exhausting. So, he continued on. Mom would lose more money and go into debt while asking for my help.
He would act apologetic and promise to never do it again. Of course, he lied.
As time went on I noticed my mom became codependent on my brother and vice versa. It was honestly, really hard to watch. I didn’t realize how lucky I was until I left.
I met someone who helped me get through those low points in my life. We eventually started dating and we made plans to move to Arizona, which I did. I really wanted to get away so I took the first chance I got. We moved and I lived there for a year.
However, some things happened and we broke up. We had an apartment together which I couldn’t afford on my own so, I moved back in with my mom. That was only a few weeks ago.
Tonight at 3:33 am, I (Now 22) was given a reminder of why I left.
My brother (Now 19) can’t hold down a job to save his life. He’s had at least ten over the past few years. Tonight he started his new job. He was supposed to get up at 2am and asked me to wake him up after a small nap.
So, I did. He decided he was too sleepy to go to work and decided to call in. On his first day of work. I will admit, I did state that what he was doing was giving up without even trying. He defended himself by saying it wasn’t healthy to go to work sleep deprived.
Of course, I rolled my eyes on the inside because really? Have you never met a college student?
He then decided to escalate it by telling me to, “shut the fuck up”. Which I found completely disrespectful.
I simply said, “No, I won’t.”
The end result.
Times he told me to shut the fuck up: 15 Times he threw pennies at me: 3 Times he threatened me: 5 Times he called me a bitch: 3 Times he yelled: 5 Times he threatened to throw my injured cat outside: 4
I’ve changed since the last time we fought. I felt no anger toward him. Even after everything he said to me. I just, couldn’t find it in me to be angry or hurt by what he was saying. I felt nothing. He was yelling while I was attempting a conversation.
But I’m guessing he noticed and I should’ve seen it coming.
“THATS WHY YOUR BOYFRIEND LEFT YOU”
My ex was the love of my life but we both went through something extremely traumatic before the breakup. It left a scar I’ll carry with me to the grave. So, I won’t lie. I cried.
But I did realize something. I’m finally free. Whatever happens to him, whether he gets it together or continues to be a money sucking leech is not my concern anymore. He can’t hurt me anymore. He has no more power over me.
I have plans to move to Ohio to start over around February or March. I have friends who are securing a place and we’re splitting the rent. I don’t plan on coming back. I plan on going no-contact with him ASAP.
Wish me luck. It’s finally over. I’m free.

Notes and Highlights of Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear’s Live Update December 17, 2020
Notes by mr_tyler_durden and Daily Update Team
Watch here:

• Youtube: Update (YT Channel)
• Facebook: Update (FB Page)

Headlines

• 234,021 Cases (+3,349), 2,316 Deaths (+54)
• New cases by county: 475x Jefferson, 178x Kenton, 171x Boone, 126x Fayette, 119x Campbell, 106x Pulaski, 103x Hardin, 94x Daviess, 86x Madison, 80x Warren, 70x Wayne, 57x Laurel, 57x McCracken, 57x Shelby, 56x Pike, 48x Oldham, 44x McCreary, 38x Russell, 37x Taylor, 34x Jessamine, 34x Perry, 33x Bell, 32x Christian, 32x Letcher, 32x Nelson, 31x Bullitt, 31x Lincoln, 30x Anderson, 28x Allen, 28x Graves, 28x Henderson, 28x Marion, 28x Marshall, 28x Rowan, 27x Mercer, 26x Boyle, 24x Clinton, 24x Grant, 24x Montgomery, 23x Logan, 23x Ohio, 22x Floyd, 21x Adair, 21x Scott, 21x Spencer, 20x Calloway, 20x Fleming, 20x Mason, 19x Boyd, 19x Carter, 19x Casey, 19x Trigg, 18x Franklin, 18x Meade, 18x Muhlenberg, 17x Woodford, 16x Martin, 16x Whitley, 15x Knox, 14x Clark, 14x Garrard, 14x Hopkins, 13x Barren, 13x Harlan, 13x Simpson, 13x Washington, 12x Clay, 12x Lawrence, 12x Pendleton, 11x Knott, 10x Carroll, 10x Monroe, 9x Harrison, 9x Larue, 9x Lee, 9x Morgan, 9x Rockcastle, 9x Todd, 8x Bath, 8x Greenup, 7x Cumberland, 7x Jackson, 7x Lyon, 7x Owen, 6x Bourbon, 6x Hart, 6x Henry, 6x Johnson, 6x McLean, 6x Trimble, 5x Butler, 5x Gallatin, 5x Green, 5x Nicholas, 5x Union, 5x Wolfe, 4x Breathitt, 4x Carlisle, 4x Edmonson, 4x Estill, 4x Hancock, 4x Leslie, 3x Breckinridge, 3x Fulton, 3x Grayson, 3x Powell, 3x Webster, 2x Bracken, 2x Caldwell, 2x Elliott, 2x Lewis, 2x Livingston, 2x Owsley, 1x Ballard, 1x Hickman, 1x Magoffin, 1x Metcalfe
• New deaths by county: 67 M Bullitt, 72 M Bullitt, 94 F Calloway, 83 F Carroll, 47 M Casey, 81 F Christian, 69 M Christian, 97 F Clinton, 82 M Clinton, 76 M Daviess, 92 F Fayette, 88 F Graves, 63 F Grayson, 68 F Grayson, 85 F Hardin, 94 M Henderson, 84 F Hopkins, 64 M Hopkins, 98 M Hopkins, 82 F Jefferson, 97 F Jefferson, 47 M Jefferson, 87 M Jefferson, 85 F Jessamine, 55 M Jessamine, 77 M Johnson, 66 M Kenton, 75 F Knott, 79 F Knott, 75 M Larue, 88 F Logan, 88 F McLean, 76 F Madison, 85 F Madison, 90 F Madison, 99 F Madison, 77 M Madison, 89 M Madison, 83 M Mason, 87 M Mason, 76 M Monroe, 81 F Muhlenberg, 77 M Muhlenberg, 61 F Nelson, 52 M Nelson, 75 M Oldham, 86 M Oldham, 95 M Oldham, 70 M Robertson, 87 M Robertson, 63 M Russell, 92 F Spencer, 73 F Union, 58 F Washington
• Good News .
  • 1. I am happy to share that Taica now plans to expand the Clark County operation with a $4.4M investment that's gonna create another 20 good paying jobs.
  • 2. I'm excited to announce a $450,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission's Distressed County Infrastructure Program to upgrade wastewater infrastructure in Middlesboro.
  • 3. So today, the Commonwealth is in an even stronger position to help Kentuckians as we emerged from this pandemic after the Kentucky Supreme Court reinstated an almost $1.3B award for the Commonwealth of Kentucky and a judgment against Pokerstars.
• Alright, the Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund is closed to applications, we had to close it today at noon, and that's because we now have 396 completed applications. <...>We're going to spend all of those dollars, all $15M and we're going to help at least 3477 households, I think that number will be more like 3,700.
• Vaccine: So yesterday we were happy to confirm all 11 of the hospitals that Kentucky set to receive the initial delivery of vaccines have confirmed their receipts. <...> So the new news today is Pfizer has confirmed a second shipment for next week of 27,300 doses. Now the majority of this, and I'll explain in a minute, is going to go to our long term care program. We're excited that a second shipment was finally confirmed, I will say that this is lower than we anticipated based on the first allocation.
• So today we are also starting our vaccine campaign, so that we can provide information to Kentuckians and build their confidence in these amazing vaccines. So, there are a couple phases of the campaign. <...> Video: It's just a little shot but the COVID-19 vaccine does more than keep you from getting sick. It will get folks back to work. Get our kids back at school. It's a shot of relief, of hope. All we have to do Kentucky is keep doing our part. We can't all get the vaccine at once, but we'll all get a turn. Get the facts, at http://kyCOVID19.ky.gov/
• WH Report: That despite the nation escalating dangerously, we have seen a stability, that would be their way of saying a plateau, in new cases and a decrease in test positivity. That means we are doing better while the rest of the nation is doing worse. Here is what we showed in the map, just on Monday, that hospitals are reporting critical staffing shortages. We showed it more in ICU beds and how many are taken, but the state is managing. <...> A couple of other points, they talk a little bit about the vaccine and their current thinking, especially as we get past the stage they're in. They ask us to ensure comprehensive analysis of next tier priority of vaccinations, understand immunization of individuals over 65 will have the greatest impact on hospitalizations and deaths. In other words, if we want to cut down our deaths as quickly as we can, after long term care, they're suggesting we look at Kentucky ages 65 and up. That'll reduce deaths and also create more hospital capacity for everybody else who might get sick. And then they give some pretty startling statistics if you haven't seen them for those over 70 with COVID infection. 20% or more that get the infection are admitted to the hospital, nearly 10% die.<...>Also, a couple other warnings here, and significant warnings that at this point if you're over 65, or with a significant health condition, don't go to any indoor public space where anyone is unmasked. The White House now says that is an immediate threat to your health. So make sure you get groceries delivered, or have them have them brought to your car, and your medications delivered. That's where we are.
• Dr. Stack: So as we look to Christmas, and Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, and New Years, and all the other holidays that happen around this time of year, it's very important that we adjust what we normally would do for the COVID year. So, we are again asking you to limit the size of your gatherings to eight people max, and no more than two households. Ideally you would stay with only your own household. I know this is difficult. I enjoy as much as anyone else getting together this time of year, clearly it is a highlight of the last few weeks of any year. But if you get together with people with whom you do not live, you should assume someone in that group is infected. If you eat and drink and take your masks off, you should assume you are at high risk for getting infected. The disease is that widespread at this time. <...>
• Dr Stack: The Governor already commented that the KY COVID-19 hotline ((800) 722-5725) is now prepared to begin addressing people's general questions about vaccines. So if you are curious about its safety or its appropriateness for you they are prepared to answer general questions. Obviously, there is still limited information on a number of things you may be curious about and as we get more information the personnel there answering your questions will get progressively more information they can share. Things that you should not call that hotline for are asking to schedule appointments, asking “When am I going to be able to get the vaccine?”, advocating for when you should get the vaccine, those are things that they are not in a position to answer. So please save that hotline for people who have questions, who have information they're trying to find, and perhaps you have more difficulty navigating our website. For everyone else, our website- we will continue to update the vaccine page, so that we put more information, as we go forward, as we learn more about the guidance from the federal government and the subsequent phases for the vaccination we'll also try to put information there, so that people can have a one stop shop to go and find more recent updates.<...>
• I've seen some reports that some Pfizer vials of vaccine contain an extra one or even two extra doses. Is that something that you're hearing from hospitals around Kentucky and could that mean that there are more than the 38,000 doses in this initial shipment? -- Let's send that over to Dr Stack because he just put out his opinion on that today. And let's hear from him directly.
  • Dr Stack: [...] So yes, whenever they fill these vials the overfill just a little bit to make sure that they don't under fill the vial and it turns out that a lot of sites for reporting that they were able to pull out a full sixth additional dose for a five dose vial, it may be there's extra material beyond that. The FDA issued some tweets, even for me it seems odd that Twitter has become an official communication platform, but they have shared that they recommend that those extra doses, if they are full doses, that they be used. And I issued a memorandum today to the 11 hospitals who currently have inventory in Kentucky that they should, in fact, feel permitted to use those while we await official FDA guidance via channels, other than Twitter, so they are able to do that.
• Will the number of people who choose not to get vaccinated have any impact on the timeline of when the state will start relaxing restrictions and mandates? -- We believe- I think the answer there is yes and no. We believe that enough Kentuckians are going to be willing to take the vaccine to where that won't be an issue but there will be the amount of time it takes to get everyone who wants to take a vaccine, a vaccine. You know they say nationally they want more than 70% maybe closer to 80% of individuals to take the vaccine, obviously getting there is going to require us having more knowledge on younger adults. But right now where I see public opinion, I believe that we can get there in Kentucky.
• We've gotten questions from listeners, discussing the differences between the Pfizer and the Moderna vaccines. Is there one that either of you prefer over the other, or you have equal confidence in both and you're just going to be happy to get one or the other? Thank you. -- [...] Pfizer right now has been through the emergency approval process, Moderna hasn't gotten through that yet. Provided it does, and all things being equal, they appear to be 94, 95% effective each. Pfizer has a three week time period between initial shot and booster, Moderna has a four week time period, but if you're asking me in working on the logistics of getting the vaccine out all over the Commonwealth, Moderna doesn't require the deep refrigeration and so in many ways that makes it easier to get out to people.
  • Dr Stack: So I agree with the governor, that there are differences in the timing and the logistics, but I would say if you are willing to receive a vaccine, and I hope the vast majority of you will be, then I think you should take whichever one you could get. It appears that though there are different timings and storage characteristics the performance of both is functionally equivalent and so you will get similar protection for both of them, so I would take the first one you can get.
• Slides from Update

Full Notes

• Hi everybody, it's four o'clock on Thursday, that’s when we get together and remember that we're gonna get through this, and we're gonna get through this together. I want to thank Logan County Schools for today's mask and for everything they do to educate our children, whether remotely, or in-person. Thank you for all your efforts in protecting our kiddos. We're going to start today with a couple pieces of good news, both in our economy, and in fighting COVID-19, then we're going to look at some of the entries in the White House report. And then get to our COVID report for the day, which, while the numbers are showing that we are stabilizing, or at least a little decrease from last week, we have our highest number of deaths today. So that'll be a tough part of today, but let's start with good news which we need to celebrate when we have it, and we do today.
• So today I'd like to share news of another great company growing here in Kentucky. Taica Cubic Printing Kentucky, in Winchester, provides cubic printing, paint application, and assembly services on substrates for tier one automotive suppliers. The company opened its Clark County facility less than a decade ago, but it's already become an important and critical part of that community. Taica’s initial investment in Winchester planned for the creation of 30 jobs at about $22 an hour, but to date, the company has created 44 jobs paying an average hourly wage of $26 an hour, and they're not finished growing yet. I am happy to share that Taica now plans to expand the Clark County operation with a $4.4M investment that's gonna create another 20 good paying jobs. Like many industries, it's been a difficult year for the automotive sector. So I am all that much happier to see the continued success of companies like Taica. Kentucky is home to more than 520 automotive suppliers that cover nearly every aspect of the industry. Taica's announcement today adds to the more than 100,000 Kentuckians employed by automotive related businesses. The industry's continued growth, and the creation of quality job opportunities with strong wages, will be crucial in our recovery from this pandemic, so the commitment of Taica and other auto suppliers to our state is greatly appreciated. So thank you to the leaders of Taica Cubic Printing Kentucky, and everyone who had a role in this expansion. And congratulations to Winchester and Clark County on the growth of a great company.
• Today we also have some good news for Eastern Kentucky. I'm excited to announce a $450,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission's Distressed County Infrastructure Program to upgrade wastewater infrastructure in Middlesboro. The current system is 34 years old and frequently fails, requiring expensive repairs. Middlesboro will use the funding to update the main sewage lift station and address aging pumps at the wastewater treatment plant. Upon completion, the upgrades will save the city $17,000 annually in operation and maintenance expenses, and it's going to provide better wastewater service for 605 businesses and more than 4300 households. Clean drinking water is a basic human right and even in the midst of this pandemic this administration with our federal partners have been investing, especially in areas that haven't seen that steady supply of clean drinking water. We have put dollars upon dollars in Eastern Kentucky to try to correct a decades long failure to give people that basic human right of clean water. This is a big part of how we build stronger communities and prepare for our future post COVID. So congratulations to Middlesboro on the award and thank you to everybody who worked on it and made it possible. Because of your work I'm confident we'll build a stronger, better Kentucky.
• Alright, this next one, I don't know if you all have seen the news on TV but it's a big one. So today, the Commonwealth is in an even stronger position to help Kentuckians as we emerged from this pandemic after the Kentucky Supreme Court reinstated an almost $1.3B award for the Commonwealth of Kentucky and a judgment against Pokerstars. That's right, $1.3B. The Supreme Court reinstated the Franklin circuit court judgement, concluding the Commonwealth decades long fight against illegal offshore internet gambling. This will never be enough to make up for the damage to Kentucky's families and the states from the years of irresponsible and criminal actions, but this is a good day for Kentucky. This better positions us to emerge from this painful pandemic to help Kentuckians, to help our businesses, to provide quality health care to more Kentuckians, to strengthen our public schools and keep our promises to educators and other public employees, some of whom have been on the front lines battling the fallout of this company's greed. I also want to congratulate J Michael Brown, my executive cabinet secretary, for bringing actions on behalf of the Commonwealth in 2008, in this matter when he was the secretary of the justice and public safety cabinet, under another Beshear, seeking to stop the unregulated untaxed and illegal offshore gambling operations that were operating in Kentucky. Once the Kentucky Supreme Court's opinion is final, the Commonwealth will take aggressive steps to collect the judgment or the benefits of all Kentuckians. And I'm going admin, Michael and I have both been lawyers for much of our career and coming into this job I'd had the good fortune of securing one of the larger verdicts in the last 20 years in Kentucky of 11.4M. Well I think Michael’s case just brought in 1.3 billion, so I think once again, he gets that first place prize but I'm continuing my best to try to learn as much as I can from him.
• Alright, the Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund is closed to applications, we had to close it today at noon, and that's because we now have 396 completed applications. And that's going to grow as some tenants and landlords call in and complete their applications. Remember, we had $15M to help people to make sure they didn't get kicked out of their home, and to make sure that they didn't emerge from this pandemic with significant debt. We're going to spend all of those dollars, all $15M and we're going to help at least 3477 households, I think that number will be more like 3,700.
• Alright, let's go to the best news we've been having recently, and that's vaccines. So yesterday we were happy to confirm all 11 of the hospitals that Kentucky set to receive the initial delivery of vaccines have confirmed their receipts. These hospitals included Pikeville Medical Center, Baptist Health in Madisonville, Corbin, and Louisville, as well as Mercy Health Lourdes in Paducah. Here are some of the pictures of our frontline heroes being vaccinated, with what I believe is a miracle, a 94-95% effective vaccine. And remember these folks are folks working on COVID wings, that go in every day knowing they could contract this virus but they want to help your loved one to make sure that they can get better. So here you can see the first vaccine, in Paducah being given to Dr. Bradley Albert Albertson, a physician double-certified in both internal medicine and pediatrics, let's watch (Video).
• Alright. You see everybody clapping? I got to tell you there is a new energy amongst our frontline workers. Seeing how quickly this day came, and knowing that as we move into 2021, we are going to defeat this virus, we are going to win. We have to take care of each other until we get there. So, all these pictures you've been seeing which are truly amazing, and they ought to give you hope, you ought to stay vigilant, but they ought to give you hope in a second wind. Everything you're seeing right now as part of the first allocation that came to Kentucky, the week of December 13th through the 19th and that's our first 38,025 doses from Pfizer. About two thirds of that went to long term care and the rest, went to those 11 hospitals. So the new news today is Pfizer has confirmed a second shipment for next week of 27,300 doses. Now the majority of this, and I'll explain in a minute, is going to go to our long term care program. We're excited that a second shipment was finally confirmed, I will say that this is lower than we anticipated based on the first allocation. And we'll be watching that as we move forward because the speed at which we can vaccinate long term care, the speed at which we can get back to something like-normal depends on the amount of the vaccine that we get. And it's by and large out of our control, but I want to make sure that I am transparent when we receive numbers about what we'll get, and if they're changed on us. So that same week Moderna, we believe, will get the initial allocation of 76,700. The vast majority of that are going to acute-care hospitals, all over the Commonwealth so that every acute-care hospital that is treating COVID patients, either gets it to administer itself, or a partner hospital that's gotten all the way through the system, if the other one hasn't, we'll get their amount so that they can provide those vaccinations- but every acute-care hospital, we believe next week, will have a certain number of vaccines for their frontline healthcare workers, and then we believe that the week of December 27th-31st, we will get 33,800 more doses of Moderna.
• This is just December and this, again, doesn't get us through our frontline healthcare workers or through long term care. So what we'll see is, in the very least, the first couple weeks of January, if not all of January, will still be going to those most at-need populations. So everybody stay patient. It's a wonderful day. We can see the end in sight. And it's also a little scary knowing how bad COVID is right now and there's a vaccine out there and and and you want it, especially during this most dangerous time. But those who are part of our healthcare capacity need it first so that they can be in that hospital, if one of your loved ones needs their help. And then those that are disproportionately dying- Long Term Care residents, which make up almost 66% of all deaths in Kentucky, again, need to come first. Now there's a lot of questions out there about who's next after this group. The answer is the federal government hasn't come to terms with that yet. I will show you in a minute some statements from the White House Task Force, especially as it comes to age. And if number one thing is to stop deaths in fighting COVID and how we distribute the vaccine, then age is the most effective manner at rolling out the vaccine if that is the ultimate goal.
• So today we are also starting our vaccine campaign, so that we can provide information to Kentuckians and build their confidence in these amazing vaccines. So, there are a couple phases of the campaign.
  • First is education. There we want to assure awareness and public confidence about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.
  • Second, we want to ensure understanding of the phased rollout of the vaccine when that information is available. And that requires patience too.
  • Third, we want to help Kentuckians know that by visiting http://kyCOVID19.ky.gov/ they can get trusted information about the vaccine. There's going to be an update to our vaccine page and information there on Monday.
• After the education phase of the vaccine campaign, comes the engagement phase, that's engaging with Kentuckians especially discreet population groups, through the correct channels to encourage commitment to taking this vaccine. Messaging will be shaped based on what we learned through community outreach efforts with black, Hispanic, and rural populations, specifically. What we learn in these discussions will help shape how we openly, honestly, and effectively communicate with those populations and ensure that there is an equitable rollout of this vaccine, that everybody gets protected; and that we not only provide the information but we provide it in the best way to get as many people protected as possible. Our goal for the campaign is to remind Kentuckians that no one likes the idea of getting a shot, but shots are just a small fact of life.
• Why? Because a shot is and always has been the end of wondering what might happen. And this little shot does more than keep you from getting sick, it gets folks back to work, it gets your kids back in school, it gets our economy up and running again. It's the road to getting back to so many things that we enjoy. It's a shot of relief and a shot of hope.
• The FDA authorized vaccines continue to arrive in Kentucky, all you have to do is do your part. We can all get the vaccine at once, and we'll all get a turn. You can find all the facts that http://kyCOVID19.ky.gov/
• Alright, we're gonna run it again. So here's a look at our first general message advertisement that will be hitting the airwaves soon. It'll come with audio, when it does,
• Video: It's just a little shot but the COVID-19 vaccine does more than keep you from getting sick. It will get folks back to work. Get our kids back at school. It's a shot of relief, of hope. All we have to do Kentucky is keep doing our part. We can't all get the vaccine at once, but we'll all get a turn. Get the facts, at http://kyCOVID19.ky.gov/
• It's a lot better when we play it at the right time. So that's just the first of the messaging, as it will roll out. And that part of keep doing your part is so critical because we still have very high levels of COVID, it's still taking a lot of lives. In fact today I believe it's taken 54 lives. So let's keep doing our part to protect one another, until everybody gets a chance to get this vaccine, a shot at getting their shot.
• I want to go over some of what the White House report this week. It says, first in their summary, the White House coronavirus Task Force sees what we're seeing in our numbers. That despite the nation escalating dangerously, we have seen a stability, that would be their way of saying a plateau, in new cases and a decrease in test positivity. That means we are doing better while the rest of the nation is doing worse. Here is what we showed in the map, just on Monday, that hospitals are reporting critical staffing shortages. We showed it more in ICU beds and how many are taken, but the state is managing. In other words, we're at a dangerous place but we are not over the tipping point yet. It's one of the reasons we're prioritizing the vaccine for our frontline health care workers but also why we need your help.
• A couple of other points, they talk a little bit about the vaccine and their current thinking, especially as we get past the stage they're in. They ask us to ensure comprehensive analysis of next tier priority of vaccinations, understand immunization of individuals over 65 will have the greatest impact on hospitalizations and deaths. In other words, if we want to cut down our deaths as quickly as we can, after long term care, they're suggesting we look at Kentucky ages 65 and up. That'll reduce deaths and also create more hospital capacity for everybody else who might get sick. And then they give some pretty startling statistics if you haven't seen them for those over 70 with COVID infection. 20% or more that get the infection are admitted to the hospital, nearly 10% die. You’ve got to think for those are 70 this thing is 10 times more deadly than it is to the rest of the population. So this is advice from the White House Task Force and these are considerations they're asking us to take as we look at the next tier.
• Also, a couple other warnings here, and significant warnings that at this point if you're over 65, or with a significant health condition, don't go to any indoor public space where anyone is unmasked. The White House now says that is an immediate threat to your health. So make sure you get groceries delivered, or have them have them brought to your car, and your medications delivered. That's where we are. If you're over 65, or you have one of these medical conditions, don't go to any place that is not enforcing a mask mandate for everybody inside. For those who continue to refuse to wear masks and want to be served in facilities, the White House is saying you are a deadly threat to anyone over that age. Please wear that mask when you go out. And if you're under 40 assume you became infected if you gather beyond your immediate household. Again, this is saying that we shouldn't get out with those outside of our household.
• Again, a couple more that you can read here, but the final one warning about any gathering during December holiday. In other words, this Christmas, which is certainly one of my, if not my favorite, day of the year- do it with your immediate household. Do it with those that you live with. Remember what Christmas is about and remember the example that Jesus said and his teachings about caring for one another. Let's not do Christmas in a way that would dishonor loving our neighbor as ourselves. Let's make sure that we do the right thing over this holiday to protect those we love and all of those around us.
• Positive cases today: 3,349 - Now that is a lot, but it is still less than last week
• Probable cases: 828
• Total confirmed cases: 234,021
• Children Under 18: 372
• New cases by county: 475x Jefferson, 178x Kenton, 171x Boone, 126x Fayette, 119x Campbell, 106x Pulaski, 103x Hardin, 94x Daviess, 86x Madison, 80x Warren, 70x Wayne, 57x Laurel, 57x McCracken, 57x Shelby, 56x Pike, 48x Oldham, 44x McCreary, 38x Russell, 37x Taylor, 34x Jessamine, 34x Perry, 33x Bell, 32x Christian, 32x Letcher, 32x Nelson, 31x Bullitt, 31x Lincoln, 30x Anderson, 28x Allen, 28x Graves, 28x Henderson, 28x Marion, 28x Marshall, 28x Rowan, 27x Mercer, 26x Boyle, 24x Clinton, 24x Grant, 24x Montgomery, 23x Logan, 23x Ohio, 22x Floyd, 21x Adair, 21x Scott, 21x Spencer, 20x Calloway, 20x Fleming, 20x Mason, 19x Boyd, 19x Carter, 19x Casey, 19x Trigg, 18x Franklin, 18x Meade, 18x Muhlenberg, 17x Woodford, 16x Martin, 16x Whitley, 15x Knox, 14x Clark, 14x Garrard, 14x Hopkins, 13x Barren, 13x Harlan, 13x Simpson, 13x Washington, 12x Clay, 12x Lawrence, 12x Pendleton, 11x Knott, 10x Carroll, 10x Monroe, 9x Harrison, 9x Larue, 9x Lee, 9x Morgan, 9x Rockcastle, 9x Todd, 8x Bath, 8x Greenup, 7x Cumberland, 7x Jackson, 7x Lyon, 7x Owen, 6x Bourbon, 6x Hart, 6x Henry, 6x Johnson, 6x McLean, 6x Trimble, 5x Butler, 5x Gallatin, 5x Green, 5x Nicholas, 5x Union, 5x Wolfe, 4x Breathitt, 4x Carlisle, 4x Edmonson, 4x Estill, 4x Hancock, 4x Leslie, 3x Breckinridge, 3x Fulton, 3x Grayson, 3x Powell, 3x Webster, 2x Bracken, 2x Caldwell, 2x Elliott, 2x Lewis, 2x Livingston, 2x Owsley, 1x Ballard, 1x Hickman, 1x Magoffin, 1x Metcalfe
• Northern Kentucky has gotten hit hard. Pulaski County multiple days of high cases, but every single area in the state has multiple counties with 30 or more cases. Remember, it's everywhere.
• Total tests conducted: 3,207,769 (PCR: 2,968,844, Serology: 99,173)
• Positivity Rate: 8.45% - Our positivity rate it's down a little bit, but it's still pretty flat at 8.45%
• Total hospitalized: 12,129
• Currently hospitalized: 1,817 - Hospitalization up a little bit
• Total in ICU: 2,830
• Currently in ICU: 431
• On a ventilator: 254
• Total recovered: 33,666
• New deaths today: 54
• Total Deaths: 2,316
• Alright, so our death report today is going to be one of the hardest since early on. It's by far the most people that we've lost. And remember that's a reflection of where this virus was about three weeks ago, and where it was trending because increase in deaths follow an increase in cases. More people get infected, a percentage of those will be hospitalized, and a percentage of those will die. So the more people who get infected the more people need to go to the hospital and the more people don't make it. I hope we don't have another day, where we have 54 deaths and this is going to be hard, because these are 54 families that need our help, and our compassion, and our green lights which is the color of compassion and renewal. They also need us to do better. Follow the rules to follow the restrictions because if you don't know someone who's been lost to COVID, someone close to you hasn't been lost to COVID, or someone close to someone you know then you're not listening. Because it has happened all over, Kentucky- far, far too much loss.
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