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Published Apr 18, 2023
7 round The Athletic Mock Draft features 7 Michigan Wolverines
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Trevor McCue  •  Maize&BlueReview
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Dane Brugler of The Athletic recently completed his most comprehensive NFL Mock Draft.

Before doing his mock, Brugler completes The Athletic's complete NFL Draft guide. Once he is done with that he focuses on the mock. He explains that he factors "each team’s needs, franchise trends, and prospect-team pairings that make sense based on “30” visits, league buzz and overall interest."

NFL 7-Round Mock Draft: Dane Brugler predicts all 259 picks - The Athletic

Here is how Brugler has the draft shaking out for eligible Michigan players.

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SAINTS 1 (29): Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan

FALCONS 2 (44): DJ Turner, CB, Michgian

BILLS 3 (91): Luke Schoonmaker, TE, Michigan

COWBOYS 5 (169): Jake Moody, K, Michigan

RAIDERS 6 (204): Ryan Hayes, OT, Michigan

SAINTS 7 (227): Mike Morris, DL, Michigan

TEXANS 7 (230): Olu Oluwatimi, C, Michigan

No surprise seeing Mazi Smith mocked to the Saints at the end of the first round. Based on consensus mock drafts that could be Smith's floor. Here is what Brugler said about Mazi;

One of the more well-traveled prospects over the last month, Smith has visited more than half the teams in the league, including the Saints. New Orleans has several question marks on defense, starting up front, but Smith would help solve those issues from Day One.

DJ Turner going in the top half of the second round makes sense. The post-combine buzz had him as a sleeper to get into the back of the first round but that is appearing less likely. Atlanta has a need at corner and Turner would have a great shot at starting early.

Luke Schoonmaker being a top-100 pick may surprise some, but it shouldn't. Schoonmaker's athletic testing has been off the charts. A lot of the knocks on him are surface analysis and can easily be explained away in my opinion. Schoon had a recent visit to Buffalo and you don't have to look hard to see how landing with the Bills would be a perfect fit.

You would imagine Jake Moody is going to get drafted, but with kickers, you never know. He is such a weapon he should be a 5th round pick as Brugler has mocked here.

I've had trouble pegging Ryan Hayes' draft spot. I think he could go much higher than this, but also wouldn't be shocked to see him slide to the sixth round. Some scouts think he is a left tackle in the NFL, while others think his future is at guard. Vegas is set at left tackle, so Hayes would be looking at a backup role, with a chance to eventually start at guard or right tackle.

Now we enter what I would call shocking. There is some debate about Mike Morris' fit in the NFL, whether it's as a 3-4 or 4-3 DE, or potentially an OLB. I believe he is a 4-3 DE, so I love the fit with Saints across from Cameron Jordan but I would be surprised to see Morris last into the 7th round. Morris is a top 150 player in this draft, no way he should be on the board in the 7th round.

Ok, Olu in the 7th round? This is ridiculous. Now, despite being widely recognized as the best center in college football last season, is he the best center in this draft? Probably not, is he the 4th or 5th best center? Absolutely. Ironically, I think three Big Ten centers will go off the board ahead of him, but 230th overall? Now I love the fit, the Texans need a starting center and Olu would start day 1 for them. That's why there is no way they are waiting until the 7th round to grab him. Houston has 12 picks in this draft, including seven in rounds 3 through 6. That's where they would grab him.

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