Clawing for Talent: Mock Drafts and Long Term STrategy

Jalon Walker from Georgia.

Mock drafts are a lot of fun for fans, especially during the long offseason. They become even more exciting after the Super Bowl when the official draft order is set. However, they hold little value before free agency in March. A team’s needs in February might be addressed in a mock draft, only to become irrelevant after free agency.

Personally, I can spend hours on NFL mock draft simulators, but real or simulated drafts don’t take meaningful shape until after the first days of free agency. I don’t want this team to spend big in free agency, as I believe most players fail to live up to expectations after receiving large contracts. Instead, the team should target overlooked players who have slipped through the cracks in difficult situations—like Jeremy Chinn, who wasn’t utilized properly in Carolina but thrived in the right scheme after leaving.

A major problem this organization has faced is a lack of long-term strategy. Constantly shifting between philosophies—like switching from zone blocking to a power run scheme or from a three-man front to a four-man front—makes it difficult to draft players with traits that fit the system. This lack of continuity has hurt roster development and overall success.

Now that the team has settled on a scheme, they need to focus on drafting players who fit it. Free agency should be used to fill gaps, allowing them to draft strategically rather than out of necessity. This approach ensures they can truly select the best players for their system.