I’m not sure why I do these things to myself, but I decided to go head-to-head with ChatGPT in a mock draft competition. I recently released my final mock draft, and then I asked ChatGPT to predict the entire first round. Below, you will see where we are the same and where we are different.
Please don’t tell my bosses about this because if AI smokes me in the NFL Draft, they might realize that I’m not necessary. Pray for me, everyone.
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One quick note before we begin: I projected a few trades, while ChatGPT mostly kept the current order intact (even though I didn’t explicitly tell it not to make trades), so some of our differences are about the shape of the board as much as the players themselves. Here we go!
GPT’s pick: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
Dan’s pick: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
GPT: Mendoza felt like the cleanest blend of quarterback need, consensus, and franchise-quarterback upside at No. 1.
Dan: No need for explanation, Mendoza is obviously going No. 1 overall.
GPT’s pick: Arvell Reese, LB/EDGE, Ohio State
Dan’s pick: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
GPT: I gave the Jets Reese because his versatility and defensive upside fit a team that needed juice all over that side of the ball.
Dan: I’m very confident that I am right and GPT is wrong here.
GPT’s pick: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
Dan’s pick: Arvell Reese, LB/EDGE, Ohio State
GPT: I put Bailey here because I thought Arizona would prioritize a pure edge profile over the more hybrid Reese.
Dan: Because I think I’m right about No. 2, I think I take a two-pick lead over GPT after the Cards pick Reese.
GPT’s pick: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
Dan’s pick: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
GPT: Love looked like the kind of rare back who could change the identity of an offense right away.
Dan: There’s too much smoke around Love and the Titans to not think the fire comes on draft night.
GPT’s pick: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
Dan’s pick: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
GPT: I thought the Giants would use their first top-five pick on a tone-setting defender and circle back to the offensive line later.
Dan: I don’t hate GPT’s pick here and it could be right, but the Giants should be prioritizing protecting Jaxson Dart.
GPT’s pick: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
Dan’s pick: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
GPT: I thought Cleveland would default to tackle because premium protection travels no matter who ends up at quarterback.
Dan: Again, I don’t hate the GPT pick here but I like the Tate selection for Cleveland more. However, the Browns typically shy away from taking receivers in the first round.
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GPT’s pick: Washington Commanders – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
Dan’s pick: Los Angeles Rams (trade up) – Makai Lemon, WR, USC
GPT: I kept Washington in place and gave it Tate because he felt like the safest receiver fit for a contender trying to keep feeding its offense.
Dan: The Rams feel like an obvious trade up candidate and the Commanders are a perfect trade down candidate, so I have Los Angeles sneaking into the Top 10 to grab a receiver.
GPT’s pick: New Orleans Saints – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
Dan’s pick: Dallas Cowboys (trade up) – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
GPT: I had the Saints stay put and take Tyson because I thought they would prioritize adding a dynamic receiving threat.
Dan: GPT has Styles going No. 5 to the Giants, so the Cowboys couldn’t make this move in that scenario. We’re going to find out quickly who was more correct about this one.
GPT’s pick: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami
Dan’s pick: Spencer Fano, OL, Utah
GPT: I thought Kansas City could wait on line help and grab an impact pass rusher before the edge board dried up.
Dan: Protecting Patrick Mahomes has to be priority No. 1 after the way last season went.
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GPT’s pick: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
Dan’s pick: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
GPT: I had the Giants flip the order and address offensive line here after using No. 5 on defense.
Dan: Obviously, the Giants’ first selection is going to greatly affect this one. In my scenario, the team goes OL first, then defense.
GPT’s pick: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
Dan’s pick: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
GPT: I thought Miami would lean corner because Delane looked like the cleanest back-end starter left on the board.
Dan: I agree with GPT that corner is a major need for Miami, but this is a “best player available” selection based on how the board has gone so far.
GPT’s pick: Dallas Cowboys – Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
Dan’s pick: New Orleans Saints (trade down) – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
GPT: I kept Dallas at 12 and gave the Cowboys a safety because their secondary needed help almost as badly as the front seven.
Dan: Tyson might not last this long, but if he does, he’s a must take in this spot.
GPT’s pick: Los Angeles Rams – Makai Lemon, WR, USC
Dan’s pick: Washington Commanders (trade down) – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
GPT: I thought the Rams would stand pat and take Lemon as a polished receiver who could contribute right away.
Dan: It’s interesting that GPT and I both think the Rams take Lemon, just six picks apart.
GPT’s pick: Olaivavega Ioane, OL, Penn State
Dan’s pick: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami
GPT: I thought Baltimore would lean into its usual best-lineman-available instincts and shore up the interior.
Dan: Again, this is very much a “best player available” situation.
GPT’s pick: Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami
Dan’s pick: Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami
GPT: Mesidor felt like the right intersection of need, value, and immediate pass-rush help for Tampa Bay.
Dan: It’s been a while, but GPT and I have the same player to the same team at the same pick here.
GPT’s pick: Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
Dan’s pick: Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
GPT: After giving the Jets defense at No. 2, I thought their second first-rounder was better spent adding a receiver.
Dan: The Jets have to vastly improve one of the NFL’s worst defensive lines, even if that means using both first round picks on DL.
GPT’s pick: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
Dan’s pick: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
GPT: I liked Proctor’s ceiling and power profile for a team that still wants to play bully-ball up front.
Dan: Same idea, different player.
GPT’s pick: Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
Dan’s pick: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
GPT: I thought Minnesota needed more interior defensive heft than another safety at this point in the board.
Dan: Another “best player available” spot where the Vikings probably want to trade down.
GPT’s pick: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Dan’s pick: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
GPT: Sadiq made too much sense as a weapon who could stress defenses and help Bryce Young immediately.
Dan: Who needs machines if we’re just going to agree, am I right??
GPT’s pick: Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
Dan’s pick: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
GPT: I thought Dallas would use its second first-rounder on corner after spending its earlier pick on a front-seven defender.
Dan: After trading Micah Parsons, it makes sense to replace him with one of the picks acquired in the trade.
GPT’s pick: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
Dan’s pick: Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
GPT: I thought Pittsburgh would finally stop dancing around the quarterback issue and take Simpson before the slide continued.
Dan: I mocked Simpson to the Steelers earlier in the process, but I’m starting to get the feeling he’s heading to Arizona.
GPT’s pick: Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
Dan’s pick: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
GPT: I thought Jim Harbaugh would love Peter Woods as a tone-setting interior defender who could reshape the front.
Dan: Protecting Justin Herbert felt way too obvious to ignore if Proctor lasted this long.
GPT’s pick: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
Dan’s pick: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
GPT: Blake Miller felt like a very Eagles pick because they rarely pass on offensive-line value when it presents itself.
Dan: It’s funny to see that with all the major differences, we still have these random exact picks that line up perfectly later in the first round.
GPT’s pick: Cleveland Browns – Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
Dan’s pick: Arizona Cardinals (trade up) – Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
GPT: I thought Cleveland would stay put and address corner, while Arizona could wait or look for a quarterback later.
Dan: Remember when I said the Cardinals would get Simpson? Yeah, I think that’s here with a trade up to ensure they get a fifth-year option on the quarterback.
GPT’s pick: Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri
Dan’s pick: Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State
GPT: I thought Chicago would use this spot to juice the pass rush instead of continuing to stack linemen.
Dan: I can’t imagine the Bears won’t address their offensive line woes with their first round pick.
GPT’s pick: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
Dan’s pick: Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
GPT: I thought Faulk’s blend of size, power, and upside made him the cleaner Buffalo fit off the edge.
Dan: Same thoughts, different player.
GPT’s pick: Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State
Dan’s pick: Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
GPT: I thought San Francisco would look to the offensive line before addressing the defensive interior.
Dan: I originally mocked Iheanachor to the 49ers but after they locked up Trent Williams for two more years, I felt like addressing defensive line made more sense.
GPT’s pick: Christen Miller, DT, Georgia
Dan’s pick: Olaivavega Ioane, OL, Penn State
GPT: I thought Houston would finally devote a premium pick to the defensive interior instead of continuing to chase offensive-line fixes.
Dan: Houston has to solve its o-line problems.
GPT’s pick: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
Dan’s pick: Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
GPT: I thought Kansas City would target a faster, stickier corner profile after addressing another need earlier in the round.
Dan: Same idea, different player.
GPT’s pick: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
Dan’s pick: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
GPT: Concepcion felt like the right kind of receiver for a Dolphins team trying to get younger and cheaper on offense.
Dan: This was the pick I was most surprised to see be the same.
GPT’s pick: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
Dan’s pick: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
GPT: I thought New England would buy the medicals and swing on McCoy’s corner talent late in the round.
Dan: Another “best player available” situation here for the Patriots.
GPT’s pick: Chase Bisontis, IOL, Texas A&M
Dan’s pick: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
GPT: I thought Seattle would use the last first-rounder on the interior offensive line unless it traded back.
Dan: Seattle needs cornerback help, so that made the most sense to me.
Well, that’s it! So, who’s going to be more correct? Tune into the NFL Draft first round on Thursday night to find out!
