There is no NFL offseason.
There’s simply an NFL otherseason.
That kicks off this week with the scouting combine in Indianapolis, when coaches, scouts and even some team owners converge to evaluate the next wave of talent.
It was at this time last year that teams were sharpening their focus on Louisiana State quarterback Jayden Daniels, who wound up being a phenom for the Washington Commanders, and Florida State pass rusher Jared Verse, star rookie for the Rams, and Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean, who had a pick-six for Philadelphia in the Super Bowl.
This is where prospects begin their transition to pros.
A very early look at how the first round of the NFL draft could unfold:
1. Tennessee Titans: QB Cam Ward, Miami — The Titans need a quarterback and turnover-prone Will Levis isn’t the answer.
2. Cleveland Browns: Edge Abdul Carter, Penn State — Whether Myles Garrett is around or not, the Browns will look to generate more heat off the edge.
3. New York Giants: CB Travis Hunter, Colorado — Hunter is good enough to play wide receiver in the NFL, but he’s more valuable as a corner.
4. New England Patriots: OT Will Campbell, Louisiana State — The Patriots need help almost everywhere, but protecting their talented young quarterback is a good place to start.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: DT Mason Graham, Michigan — The Jaguars need more of an interior pass rush to help their defenders on the edges.
6. Las Vegas Raiders: QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado — Sanders could be the top pick, but if he slips this far he would be a solid building block for Pete Carroll.
7. New York Jets: Edge Mykel Williams, Georgia — Williams could be a bookend to Will McDonald IV and make a considerable impact on the Jets’ defense.
8. Carolina Panthers: Edge Jalon Walker, Georgia — Butkus Award winner would be a strong addition to a Carolina defense in need of help.
9. New Orleans Saints: RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State — Kellen Moore wants a complement to star running back Alvin Kamara. Jeanty is the best ball carrier in this class.
10. Chicago Bears: OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State — If Simmons can prove he has fully bounced back from his knee injury, he could go earlier than some expect.
11. San Francisco 49ers: CB Will Johnson, Michigan — You can never have too many good corners, and Johnson would be a fit for the 49ers, even though they have their starters.
12. Dallas Cowboys: DT Walter Nolen, Mississippi — If Jeanty is off the board, Cowboys would love to land a disruptive defensive tackle with the quickness to get to the quarterback.
13. Miami Dolphins: S Malaki Starks, Georgia — The Dolphins need two starting safeties, and Starks would give them one who could step in and play right away.
14. Indianapolis Colts: TE Tyler Warren, Penn State — The Colts collection of tight ends is near the bottom of the league. Warren is a big target who can box out and reel in catches.
15. Atlanta Falcons: Edge Mike Green, Marshall — The acquisition of Matthew Judon didn’t end the Falcons’ quest to ramp up their pass rush.
16. Arizona Cardinals: OT Josh Conerly, Oregon — Conerly, a left tackle, did an excellent job against Big Ten defensive ends last season. That boosted his draft stock.
17. Cincinnati: WR Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona — The Bengals future of Tee Higgins is murky. Cincinnati needs to keep the cupboard stocked for Joe Burrow.
18. Seattle Seahawks: OT Grey Zabel, North Dakota State — Zabel turned a lot of heads at the Senior Bowl, and NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah sees him as a good fit in Seattle.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Edge Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M — Tampa Bay’s biggest need is edge rusher with modestly productive Joe Tryon-Shoyinka set to become a free agent.
20. Denver Broncos: TE Colston Loveland, Michigan — Sean Payton could wind up with Jim Harbaugh’s old tight end from Michigan.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: WR Luther Burden III, Missouri — Pittsburgh’s quarterback situation is unclear, but the Steelers definitely need help at receiver.
22. Chargers: WR Matthew Golden, Texas — Never hurts to bolster the arsenal for Justin Herbert. Golden is explosive and versatile.
23. Green Bay Packers: CB Shavon Revel Jr., East Carolina — In a division with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Justin Jefferson, the Packers could use more help at corner.
24. Minnesota Vikings: CB Jahdae Barron, Texas — The Vikings might have to make some business decisions in their high-priced secondary. Barron is a particularly sure tackler.
25. Houston Texans: G Tyler Booker, Alabama — C.J. Stroud’s step back in his second season was due in part to upheaval along the offensive line.
26. Rams: OT Kelvin Banks, Texas — Reconstructing their offensive line is a top priority for the Rams, who also have found tons of talent in the middle rounds.
27. Baltimore Ravens: Edge James Pearce Jr., Tennessee — Rich get richer? Ravens were near the top in sacks, but they still want to add to their waves of pass rushers.
28. Detroit Lions: DT Tyleik Williams, Ohio State — The Lions have a lot invested in their defensive line, but Williams would help shore up the middle.
29. Washington Commanders: LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama — The Commanders, who last season added Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu, could use a youth infusion at linebacker.
30. Buffalo Bills: DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan — It’s probably a Buffalo fantasy that the massive Grant would tumble this far.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: G Donovan Jackson, Ohio State — The Chiefs had to reshuffle their offensive line late in the season. They could use help in that unit.
32. Philadelphia Eagles: WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State — What do you get a team that has everything? How about another reliable target for Jalen Hurts?