D. Orlando Ledbetter’s final mock NFL draft: Falcons meet a need, 3 Bulldogs go early

Green, who is 6-3 and 251, started his career at Virginia. Later, he helped to lead the Thundering Herd to the Sun Belt Conference title. Green played six games as a freshman at Virginia and had a sack in 2021. After a coaching change, he did not play in any games in 2022.

In 2023, he played in 13 games and finished with 4.5 sacks. He led the nation with 17 sacks last season.

Green transferred to Marshall after a sexual-assault allegation and was suspended. He stated at the NFL Scouting Combine he had “done nothing wrong.”

The Falcons, who are very particular about the type of players they want in the locker room, will have done their research on Green to feel comfortable enough that he has the right “ethos” to fit in.

Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., who was heavily scouted by the Falcons and earlier was projected as a Falcons pick at No. 15, moved to the Raiders’ spot at No. 6.

“Absolutely, he was there my last year,” Falcons running back Bijan Robinson said. “He was freshman of the year at the tackle position. He’s an absolute baller man. I don’t know who we are going to pick up. I think we are leaning toward defense, but he’s such a great talent.”

Banks will be the second tackle taken after Missouri’s Armand Membou. LSU tackle Will Campbell slipped to the 49ers at 11.

“Just the things that he does at the tackle position is pretty extraordinary,” Robinson said. “He’s going to be an amazing talent at the next level. But that dude right there, is a dog, man. I loved playing with him.”

Former Georgia standout linebacker Jalon Walker is projected to go eighth to Carolina.

“For me, Walker, when you go into a defense that’s dead last in points, yards, rushing yards per game, tied for 29th in sacks, 32nd in pressure rate, he helps all those areas,” Jeremiah said. “He is an impactful player. You can move him around. He just would add a really explosive element to their defense.”

Walker could pair with Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown in pass-rush situations.

“I would love to see how they could play him off of Derrick Brown and being able to let him kind of shoot some gaps that are going to be vacated with all the attention Derrick Brown is going to require,” Jeremiah said. “I think he would be a fun fit there.”

Former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders slips to the Steelers at No. 21.

In addition to Walker, former Georgia Bulldogs Mykel Williams and Malaki Starks are slated to be selected in the first round.

Final AJC mock NFL draft

1. Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB, Miami: Ward was under the recruiting radar as a passer because his high school team ran the Wing-T and he averaged 12 pass attempts per game. After playing at Incarnate Word, Ward transferred to Washington State. He threw 47 touchdown passes in the 2021 season. He played two seasons at Washington State and originally entered the 2024 draft. He withdrew his name and transferred to Miami to take advantage of name, image and likeness deals.

2. Cleveland Browns: Travis Hunter, WR/DB, Colorado: Played both ways for coach Deion Sanders at Jackson State and Colorado. The former Collins Hill standout won the Heisman Trophy as he helped to turn around the Buffaloes program. Playing both wide receiver and defensive back — full time — he finished in the top five in FBS in receptions (94), receiving yards (1,258) and receiving touchdowns (15) and interceptions (four) and passes defended (15).

3. New York Giants: Abdul Carter, DE, Penn State: He was named to the first-team All-American by The Associated Press. He was also named the Big Ten defensive player and defensive lineman of the year. He led the FBS schools with 23.5 tackles for losses and ranked seventh with 12 sacks. Switched from the off the ball linebacker to defensive end after Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac left for the NFL.

4. New England Patriots: Armand Membou, OT, Missouri: Over three seasons with the Tigers, he played in 35 games and made 29 starts at tackle. He played 2,243 career snaps. He dazzled scouts by running the 40-yard dash in 4.91 seconds at the scouting combine. Great speed and power.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Mason Graham, DT, Michigan: The Jaguars need someone to anchor the interior of their defense. Graham bench pressed 225 pounds, 24 times. He weighed in at 296, down from the 320 he was listed at Michigan. He had only 32-inch arms (34 inches is desirable).

6. Las Vegas Raiders: Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas: He is a nimble, powerful run blocker who can get downfield to finish plays. He’ll need to refine his pass-blocking techniques. Banks played in 42 games for the Longhorns and was named a first-team All-American last season. He also won the Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy.

7. New York Jets: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State: He was a cornerstone of the Nittany Lions’ offense, amassing 104 receptions, 1,233 yards and eight touchdown catches. He also ran the ball 26 times for 218 yards (8.4 per carry) and four touchdowns. He gives off those Taysom Hill vibes. He became the first Penn State player to win the John Mackey Award, which goes to the nation’s top tight end.

8. Carolina Panthers: Jalon Walker, DE/LB, Georgia: The Panthers can move him around the defense and have him rush opposite of defensive tackle Derrick Brown in passing situations. Walker was named the Dick Butkus Award winner, which annually is awarded to the nation’s top linebacker. He was the third-leading tackler with 60 tackles and led the team with 10.5 tackles for loss.

9. New Orleans Saints: Mykel Williams, DE, Georgia: He played at Hardaway High in Columbus and was named to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Super 11 in 2021. He played in 11 games and made five starts. He ranked second on the team with five sacks and was named second-team All-SEC by the coaches. He played last season after suffering an ankle injury in the season opener.

10. Chicago Bears: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State: He was named first-team All-American by The Associated Press and won the Doak Walker Award (nation’s top RB) and the Maxwell Award (player of the year). He rushed for 2,601 yards to lead the NCAA and was 28 yards short of Barry Sanders’ record set at Oklahoma State in 1988.

11. San Francisco 49ers: Will Campbell, OT, LSU: Held up against some of the top pass -rushers in the nation playing in the SEC. Some consider Campbell the most NFL-ready offensive linemen in the draft. He was a first-team All-American selection by The Associated Press.

12. Dallas Cowboys: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas: He played in 36 collegiate games at Houston and Texas. He amassed 134 catches for 1,975 yards and 22 touchdowns. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.29 seconds. “He gets open with quickness, but can also threaten deep,” according to the SumerSports’ draft guide.

13. Miami Dolphins: Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky: With Jalen Ramsey looking for a trade, this is a great move for the Dolphins. Maxwell was second-team All-SEC in 2023 as he led the conference with five interceptions. Last season, he started seven games and missed five with a shoulder injury.

14. Indianapolis Colts: Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan: A late mover in the pre-draft process. He was second-team All-Big Ten. Led the Wolverines with 56 receptions for 582 yards (10.4 yards per catch) and five touchdowns, a school record for catches by a tight end.

15. Falcons: Mike Green, OLB, Marshall: Green, who started his career at Virginia, helped lead the Thundering Herd to the Sun Belt Conference title. Green played six games as a freshman at Virginia and had a sack in 2021. After a coaching change, he did not play in any games in 2022. In 2023, he played in 13 games and finished with 4.5 sacks. He led the nation with 17 sacks last season.

16. Arizona Cardinals: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina: The size and speed combination here is tantalizing. Few at the position possess his traits at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds. He had four interceptions for the Gamecocks last season and has proved himself a sound tackler.

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Walter Nolen, DT, Mississippi: Consensus All-American who started his career at Texas A&M. He had 48 tackles, 14 tackles for loss (50 yards) and 6.5 sacks. Added four quarterback hurries, three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.

18. Seattle Seahawks: Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas: He was named a first-team All-American by The Associated Press after a strong season and productive career for the Longhorns. He won the Jim Thorpe Award, which goes to the nation’s top defensive back. He had five interceptions, 11 pass breakups while starting all 16 games last season. He finished with 67 tackles, two tackles for losses and a sack.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee: He was the fastest defensive end/outside linebacker at the NFL Scouting Combine. His game is built around speed and working the perimeter of the pass protection. He had a whopping 55 pressures last season. He was named first-team All-SEC.

20. Denver Broncos: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona: The Broncos add a weapon for quarterback Bo Nix. He played in 37 games and caught 213 passes for 3,423 yards and 26 touchdowns over his career. His combination of size (6-foot-4) and speed (4.55 in the 40-yard dash) is intriguing. He also has reliable hands and is an advanced route-runner.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado: Helped to resurrect programs at Jackson State and Colorado. Sanders led Jackson State to back-to-back Southwestern Athletic Conference titles and appearances in the Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. After the 2022 loss to North Carolina Central, “Coach Prime” took the Colorado job, and Sanders followed. The Buffaloes went from 4-8 to 9-4 last season and made it to the Alamo Bowl. Sanders completed 651 of 907 passes (71.8%) for 7,364 yards, 64 touchdowns and 13 interceptions over two seasons.

22. Los Angeles Chargers: Donovan Ezeiruaku, OLB, Boston College: Ezeiruaku had three, 8.5 and two sacks in his first three seasons at Boston College. He fits in the one-year wonder category. He broke out with 16.5 sacks last season. “It’s real,” Ezeiruaku told the AJC at the Senior Bowl. “This past year wasn’t a fluke.”

23. Green Bay Packers: Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan: Traditional nose tackle for 3-4 teams. He played in all 15 games and made five starts as the Wolverines won the national title after the 2023 season. Last season, Grant has 32 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and five pass breakups.

24. Minnesota Vikings: Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame: He started as a freshman in nine of 13 games and had six interceptions. He has 10 pass breakups and three interceptions in 2023. Last season, he started the first six games before suffering a hip injury. His father, Darryl Morrison, played four seasons (1993-96) with Washington in the NFL and was later the team’s chaplain.

25. Houston Texans: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State: He played in 49 games and made 205 catches for 2,688 yards (14.0 yards per catch) and 24 touchdowns. “Egbuka is a savvy route runner (who) can separate inside and outside,” according to the SumerSports draft guide. “He plays with confidence and makes the game look easy.” He got 48% of his receiving yards after the catch.

26. Los Angeles Rams: Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama: Showed up at Alabama’s Pro Day with a his left arm in a sling after postseason shoulder surgery. He was named first-team All-SEC by the conference coaches and second-team by The Associated Press. He has 117 tackles, including a team-high 11.5 for loss and five sacks. He visited the Falcons.

27. Baltimore Ravens: Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon: He started his career at Michigan State. He played in 42 games and made 116 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in his college career.

28. Detroit Lions: Malaki Starks, S, Georgia: Starks had only one interception last season, which undoubtedly was a disappointment, but he’s been a reliable playmaker in the secondary since his freshman season — who could forget his interception against Oregon in his debut?

29. Washington Commanders: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan: Has the size and speed to be an elite NFL corner. He can matchup with bigger wide receivers. Had nine career interceptions and returned three for touchdowns. He’s also a solid tackler.

30. Buffalo Bills: Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss: The Bills are in need of secondary help. Amos in an instinctive corner with the versatility to play man-to-man and zone coverage. He finished with 15 pass breakups, the second-most in FBS.

31. Kansas City Chiefs: Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon: He started 14 games at left tackle last season. He was chosen first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media. He also was named third-team All-America by The Associated Press. Conerly played 965 offensive snaps, including 929 at left tackle.

32. Philadelphia Eagles: Shemar Stewart, DE, Texas A&M: The Eagles have to replace Super Bowl hero Josh Sweat, who signed with the Cardinals in free agency. Stewart ran the 40-yard dash is 4.59 seconds at the combine. His production was an issue (only 4.5 career sacks) while playing on a talented defensive front.