Intro
Hey Y’all! This mock draft was originally done as a collab with CLG as part of a 15-20k word mega draft article. For the purposes of readability and release timelines we’re releasing as a few smaller articles. Later on you'll see CLGs mock and our team/positional need research (may be a tad out of date but eh). Just pretend this article is a really impressive behemoth and 15k words bigger than @xtitanxmvpx's. A few caveats with this mock.
Mock Draft
Round 1
Pick 1 - BAL
The Pick: Busch Goose - RB - Infinitempg
DSFL Pick #41
The first pick of the draft traditionally goes to defensive players, but I’m quite sure that this season will be an exception. Baltimore needs to start it’s rebuild with some offensive weapons. Most likely that means 1 RB and 1 WR. Busch Goose is the betting favorite given their past with the new GMs in Baltimore, as well as being a great user and a great earner. Now there’s the question of who gets the top pick and who gets the 2nd pick. I’m going with Goose simply because they had to endure waiting until pick 41 of the DSFL draft. I think Balt throws them this bone so they can forever brag about #41->#1.
Side note: This guy has so much damn money. If you include his nearly 700mil and my next pick’s money, you have about as much as the rest of the class combined.
Pick 2 - BAL
The Pick: Luke Quick - WR
DSFL Pick #1
Luke Quick has already had their turn as top pick so I think they’ll ‘fall’ to the second pick. Now that Baltimore has a solid RB they can then pick up one of the top WRs of the class to completely revamp their (future) offense within the first couple minutes of the draft. The user is another reliable veteran, which will aid immensely on the rebuild to come.
Now just about every rookie I’ve talked to thinks they have a shot at one of these two picks which means two things. Balt has very good scouts and that these spots may not be as locked in as they seem.
Pick 3 - OCO
The Pick: Dexter Hall - LB
DSFL Pick #9
Right out the game with some hot takes for ya. OCO will have to address wide receiver and quarterback this draft. Many think they will do that right up front but I’m thinking they shore up their front seven with Dexter Hall. From my conversations with them I know they’re a cool user and likely gave the Otters that impression as well. Elite LBs are also in short supply in this draft in stark comparison to WR or QB, which can be taken care of sufficiently with OCOs 2 second round picks. (Since I wrote this, Laser put out a mock with this pick so I guess it’s not so hot anymore.)
As I edit this for posting I realize that means 3 KCC draftees in a row. Damn. Not sure if that's good for them though due to probably accelerated call-ups. Though at the end of the day I would rather have my DSFL players develop well and get drafted high than win an ultimini.
Pick 4 - PHI
The Pick: Anton Bruckner - CB
DSFL Pick #4
I’ve thought about this pick way too much and done this writeup twice now. It’s always tough to mock yourself but this fit seems a bit too good to not put myself here. Philly needs a CB urgently, there are connections there, and everyone else seems to be evaluating me this high. I think if I’m still on the board at this point, and I probably will be, Philly will go for it.
Pick 5 - BER
The Pick: Glenn Smart - DE
DSFL Pick #6
I will forever know Glenn Smart as my correct hot take pick from my first (and only) DSFL mock. Glenn has proven they deserved their first round status by kicking butt in London and remaining highly involved. In fact they were one of if not the first rookies to land a league job. Berlin has a few positions they could go with in the first though. They’ve reportedly been concerned about safety and LB among other things. With Dexter Hall already off the board and good depth at safety I truly think Glenn Smart should be the pick here.
Pick 6 - NYS
The Pick: Mongo - DE
DSFL Pick #16
Speaking of DE’s being in short supply! NYS could go DE, CB or throw a curveball in the first round. I think they will make sure to snatch up the other elite DE and one of the class’ top earners before they miss that chance. There are solid CBs throughout the draft so that need can be addressed later.
Pick 7 - SJS
The Pick: Stumpy Jones - OL
DSFL Pick #31
It’s not too hard to justify taking the league’s top earner here in the first. It also fills San Jose’s biggest need at OL. From pick 31 in the DSFL to pick 7 here is muy impressivo and well deserved.
Pick 8 - YKW
The Pick: Prof. Godfrey Gravity - DT
DSFL Pick #17
Yellowknife needs a DT, possibly more than any other positions. What’d’ya know the top DT prospect is still here at the 8th pick. Prof. Godfrey Gravity has been doing excellent earning and seems active and pleasant in discord. I was recently able to work with them a bit on the awards committee so know first hand they would be a good addition to any locker room. 14 mil in the bank don’t hurt neither.
Pick 9 - ARI
The Pick: Cade Williams - OL
DSFL Pick #42
Everyone wants more OL. Luckily there are two first round calibre OLs (possibly more?). Cade is another max earning and active player, and their healthy 26m bank account is a testament to that. Their rise from their original DSFL draft spot of 42 might be the biggest of anyone.
Pick 10 - CHI
The Pick: Tim Soulja - S
DSFL Pick #27
This pick is probably my hottest take but also one of my most confident. Soulja is a little behind in terms of TPE compared to the rest of the 1st round, and their position isn’t exactly in short supply this draft. However, they’ve been moved up to the Minnesota war room by then-GM CC, who is now taking the reins in Chicago. CC doesn’t shy away from drafting players a little behind in TPE because they drafted me in the first round of the DSFL draft despite being way behind. CC obviously thinks Painted is a safe user to bet on and will likely go out of the way to grab him in the 1st because he won’t be there for the second. I don’t know exactly how Chicago makes room for him but I definitely think there are some options to get him involved.
Pick 11 - COL
The Pick: Saleem Spence - WR
DSFL Pick #34
Not gunna lie, this pick is pretty tough for me. Wide receiver isn’t the biggest need for Colorado, but two DTs are already off the board. Taking Bender Rodriguez is an option here to fill that TE hole or Juno Hu at CB, but I think they go with one of the top earners of the draft in Saleem Spence. Getting depth at WR is more important than ever and Saleem is a value even here at the bottom of the first round.
Pick 12 - HON
The Pick: Chunt the Badger - WR
DSFL Pick #4
Right behind Saleem Spence in TPE is Chunt the Badger. In addition to their high TPE and incredible DSFL rookie stats, they’ve been incredibly active and a lot of fun to have around this season. From what I understand, Dallas has a bit of a pipeline with Honolulu, which makes this pick feel pretty good if Chunt is still on the board at pick 12. WR isn’t HON’s biggest need but it might be the one they can best take care of. With several OL and DL off the board already, those could be shored up later.
Pick 13 - NOLA
The Pick: Juno Hu - CB
DSFL Pick #10
Juno led the CB standings for the entire season and even now is ahead of me in TPE I’m pretty sure. They seem active in chat and I can only assume they’re a good locker room addition (if only Tijuana weren’t such a mystery). Juno should definitely go in the first and NOLA is in a good spot to do it.
Pick 14 - SAR
The Pick: Xavier Walls - LB
DSFL Pick #7
I started talking to Xavier Walls about mocks recently and have had a great time getting to know them. Real awesome locker room addition that should absolutely go in the first. Only reason I have them falling this far is because their position switch could come with a price tag. (not super up on the rules there tbh). Xavier has stated that they will be playing as an LB in the ISFL so there’s not much question to be had there. Whichever team can stomach the cost will be getting a homerun pick. I don’t know much about cap management but I think Sarasota could be one to pull it off and they do need an LB.
Round 2
Pick 1 PHI
The Pick: Remus Roman - RB
DSFL Pick #15
This is another tough one. Philly would like to draft an RB and a safety at some point in this draft. At this spot I think they could trade back a few spots and still get the players they want. Let’s assume that doesn’t happen and they go ahead and grab Remus here. The Roman twins+Titan have been an active friend group which always makes them all safer picks in terms of activity long term. It also means Philly could hope to grab the other half of the Roman duo at safety a little later on. Oh also, they have good TPE and all that stuff.
Pick 2 AUS
The Pick: Andrew Warthol - DE
DSFL Pick #11
We’re at a weird part of the draft (at least in this mock) where there are a lot of high TPE QBs, WRs, RBs, and other positions open. If you’re a team like Austin that doesn’t really need any of those things you need to look at players that are a little behind in TPE. Andrew Warthol has been steadily earning and doing a good bit of chatting in the ISFL locker rooms. Could definitely see them being picked up early to fill the ever in-need defensive line spots.
Pick 3 OCO
The Pick: Sam the Onion Man - WR
DSFL Pick #37
Now in the second round OCO can fill their WR need and still get an elite WR. Correct me if I’m wrong, but word on the street is that Sam wants up to the ISFL ASAP and OCO is one of the few teams that would be able to oblige. Sam would be an instant upgrade to WR3 barring any FA signings.
Pick 4 BAL
The Pick: Bender Rodriguez - TE
DSFL Pick #43
My boy Bender, top TE in the draft, shouldn’t fall any further than this. While not quite as active (but still active) in discord chats, they’ve been max earning and putting out great media. Much of which shows a curiosity and understanding of sim strategy which could prove useful in a war room some day. If Baltimore isn’t interested in that due to the abundance of other minds on the team, Bender is also the best TE in the draft. TE will have to be addressed in the very near future so might as well do it here.
Pick 5 BER
The Pick: Dexter Zaylren - QB
DSFL Pick #8
Finally we have the QB carousel kicking off. The depth at the position makes it tough to predict because teams will want to wait as long as they can and still grab the QB they want. I think Dexter (Laser) is probably Berlin’s top QB prospect. They don’t have many other pressing needs that need to be addressed in the draft so might as well grab their top QB.
Pick 6 NOLA
The Pick: Raeni Clarke - QB
DSFL Pick #5
With one QB off the board already NOLA will grab the QB of its future. Bex (the user) has a good relationship with the team from my understanding and many think this pairing is a foregone conclusion. Only guessing would be when. Anything can happen though but this is the expected outcome of the QB carousel for NOLA.
Pick 7 BAL
The Pick: Bayley Cowabunga - WR
DSFL Pick #12
Who says you can’t draft the same position in back to back rounds? (though it does help that Baltimore has 4 picks in those rounds). Barring any free agent signings they only have one on the roster, so the need isn’t filled with one high pick. Bayley has another super active user that would be a huge value in the mid-2nd round. TPE is lagging a little behind for some reason but still plenty high and activity isn’t a concern.
Pick 8 YKW
The Pick: Jacob Raske - QB*
DSFL Pick #46
This will certainly be the most interesting player to watch this draft. (also happens to be one of the authors of this mock). Generally I’m ignoring position switches but in this case it’s nearly impossible. Raske has said they’re willing to switch away from QB which could increase their draft stock quite a bit. With near-guaranteed max-earning, a huge bank account, and war room experience, Raske should be a great value in the second round. It’s really really tough to predict where they go when nearly any position is a possibility. I’m going with YKW because I think there’s some mutual interest there, and Raske could serve as insurance if YKW misses out on grabbing a max earning QB in the 3rd.
Pick 9 OCO
The Pick: Manhattan Project - RB
DSFL Pick #14
Manhattan Project and Eric Graare are very close in earning and I know little about the users themselves. I’m predicting Manhattan goes off the board first to OCO simply because they have more in the bank. Interviews and relationships will probably affect the decision more but I don’t have that data in spreadsheet form yet. I do think it’s a safe bet that OCO addresses RB here in the second though.
Pick 10 CHI
The Pick: Erik Graare - RB
DSFL Pick #20
Immediately after Manhattan, I’ve got Graare getting picked up by Chicago. This pick could largely depend on interviews and I have little intel there. With no pick in the 3rd or 4th Chicago really needs to nail this pick and ensure whoever they get remains active. So far Erik checks that box and Chicago wouldn’t mind another RB to back up Hayes. Gotta admit though, my level of certainty here is pretty low.
Pick 11 COL
The Pick: Daniel O’Leary - DT
DSFL Pick #35
O’Leary is the lone defensive tackle here in the middle of the board. That fact alone makes him a target for any DL needy team. They aren’t quite max earning but the fact that they are putting out media even in the offseason bodes well for continued activity. As they say, marathon not a sprint. Plus, they have a cool pfp.
Pick 12 HON
The Pick: CJ Sonjack - CB
DSFL Pick #22
Earlier I said there was great value at CB throughout the draft and I think HON picks up one of those deals here. They don’t seem to be very talkative but they’re on the field stats do the talking for them. They obviously pay enough attention to have a great build and keep up with the earning. Lots of good CB options around here though so depending on how interviews go there may be a few different names here.
Pick 13 NOLA
The Pick: Makoa Mahiʻai - TE
DSFL Pick #38
There are essentially two TEs in this draft, so if NOLA wants one they have to grab one quick. If they didn’t need to prioritize QB they might have even grabbed sooner. If a free agent acquisition or position switch isn’t made at TE I feel pretty good about this pick.
Pick 14 SAR
The Pick: Amy Wong - CB
DSFL Pick #29
Why spend a high draft pick on CB when you can get one like this late in the 2nd. Wait, maybe I shouldn’t tank my draft stock by saying that….Anyway, Amy has been consistently active and was recently traded to the Minnesota Grey Ducks. Not sure if that changes draft stock at all but it’s so rare I decided to mention it anyway. I'm noticing a lot of mocks have Amy going all the way in the first. Not sure that will happen with the depth of the CB class but should be a testament to what people think about this player/user.
Round 3
Pick 1 PHI
The Pick: Romulus Roman - S
DSFL Pick #18
Finally we have another safety off the board. I promise it’s not that I hate safeties, it just seems like the teams that need them have bigger holes elsewhere. Philly is one team that definitely needs one though and being able to complete the Roman duo would be a bit of a dream scenario for them. Even if they don’t manage to grab Remus Roman in the second, this would still be an excellent pick.
Pick 2 AUS
The Pick: DeAndre Chuggs - LB
DSFL Free Agent
Beyond the first couple LBs is DeAndre Chuggs who has done great with their late free agent start in the DSFL. In fact, they’ve already managed to land themselves a Co-GM job, announced just yesterday (if this article drops on time). If Norfolk can trust Chuggs with the reins of the team, I think it’s perfectly reasonable that Austin picks them way out in the 3rd.
Pick 3 OCO
The Pick: IsHe... ReallyInvisible - QB
DSFL Pick #2
Hard to imagine such a top tier player falling this far but only a few teams need QB and there are a lot of high quality ones. I think OCO can afford to wait this long to grab a QB. I don’t think I have to talk up this pick to anyone here. Obviously this is a massive value.
Pick 4 PHI
The Pick: Logan Anderson - DE
DSFL Free Agent
Finally we have the top earning free agent of the class coming off the board for Philly. Their earning has been good and DE is in high need, but 1.5 mil is a little bit of a concern. If they can get their money woes turned around they should be golden. If scouts are confident that money won’t be a long term issue they could even go in the 2nd.
Pick 5 BER
The Pick: Cole Maxwell - S
DSFL Pick #28
At long last Cole Maxwell comes off the board. Their TPE is well above other players being picked here but I think I’ve already talked about safety needy teams just having more pressing priorities. Maybe I’m way off, we’ll see.
Pick 6 NYS
The Pick: Henny Tingzpahcbol - CB
DSFL Pick #48
With their first pick since the first round New York shores up their other major need at cornerback. Henny’s earning appears to be accelerating but it’s a little tough to tell since they seem to bank up update links for certain weeks. Either way though, they’re active, have a healthy bank account, and just posted one of the largest S28 updates I’ve seen.
Pick 7 SJS
The Pick: Red Arrow Jr.- QB
DSFL Pick #30
San Jose finally grabs their QB of the future with their second pick of the draft. Yellowknife is the only other possible player in the QB market and they pick next, so if SJS has a preference in remaining QBs they need to pick now. Red Arrow has a little bit more money so I’ll put them going first.
Pick 8 YKW
The Pick: Troy Abed - QB
DSFL Pick #25
I think whichever QB is still on the board at this point will get the pick. They’ve all been great earners and all appear to be great users. Troy is the quietest of the bunch as far as I can tell which is pretty much the only reason I have them going last. Grabbing Abed will also give YKW the flexibility to switch Raske to almost whichever position they please. I don’t think the teams grabbing a QB in this mock are the only ones that could. Teams like Sarasota could surprise us if teams wait too long.
Pick 9 ARI
The Pick: Siege Cameron - CB
DSFL Pick #33
Another team just now getting their second pick grabs the third CB this round. The more I look at this CB class the more impressed I am. They all seem to be getting more active as we go. Arizona should definitely be happy with getting any player with increasing activity in the back half of the draft, especially at a position of need.
Pick 10 SJS
The Pick: David Ramczyk - OL
DSFL Pick Free Agent
It may be reaching down the TPE leaderboard a little but SJS would really love an OL this draft I think, and there’s only one active one left. David was also a free agent create in the DSFL so most of their TPE deficit can be chalked up to that.
Pick 11 COL
The Pick: Willie Miller - CB
DSFL Pick #62
I had the pleasure of working with Miller on the DSFL committee recently so I know that this user is active and knowledgeable. I was surprised by how low their TPE was comparatively but they appear to be max earning recently. Another CB, another increasing activity user. Must be something in the water.
Pick 12 AUS
The Pick: Kelvin Harris - S
DSFL Pick #13
Safeties that probably should have been picked a long time ago are finally starting to come off the board. If I recall correctly this same player was mocked to the 1st round earlier in the season. Might just be the highest deviation pick at the moment. At the time of writing I believe Harris is over 200 TPE so I’d be quite surprised if they fell further but not at all surprised if they go sooner. While Austin doesn’t really need a safety, they don’t have other needs so big that they can’t go for the highest TPE person still standing.
Pick 13 NOLA
The Pick: Luke Watterson - LB
DSFL Pick #52
NOLA needs LB. There is LB left. Luke Watterson good I think. Hopefully you’re not expecting me to write paragraphs about draft strategy in the late third round cause my mock is probably busted by now anyway. (sorry Luke Watterson).
Pick 14 SAR
The Pick: Beefcake Johnson - DT
DSFL Pick #36
Draft this guy for the name. Couldn’t ask for a more football name. Which is the true measure of a football player after all. But na, really, Beefcake is still active so they could fill the void in Sarasota’s heart that is the defensive tackle position. Though I strongly suspect they find a free agent to fill the spot for at least a season.
Round 4
Pick 1 BAL
The Pick: Lonnie Jackson - RB
DSFL Pick #58
Jackson has been doing a great job in recent weeks of trying to boost their draft stock in a position that's over saturated. In this mock at least they do fall to the fourth, but it’s a fourth round pick that any team can feel damn good about. Would not be surprised if a team snatches them up sooner if they have time to wait for Lonnie to develop a bit.
Pick 2 AUS
The Pick: Kacper Puntky - CB
DSFL Pick Free Agent
Another fellow ducky and fellow CB comes off the board. I think this guy will surprise some people over the next season. They’re quiet but putting in some work this offseason.
Pick 3 OCO
The Pick: Rainbow Dash - K/P
DSFL Pick #70
Top kicker and DSFL Mr. irrelevant comes off the board! At this point it’s the need that OCO can fill the best where active players are beginning to be in short supply.
Pick 4 PHI
The Pick: Gyles Marret - DE
DSFL Pick #50
Marret has been IAish and low TPE for most of the season but put in a huge update in the last week. That’s enough to put scouts on notice if you’re a DE.
Pick 5 ARI
The Pick: Lux Opal - S
DSFL Pick #26
Every safety in my mock comes with an apology for putting you later than you probably deserve. In the real draft you’ll probably go higher but in my fake little reality, safeties fall I guess. Oh ya, Arizona would like a safety and now with their third pick they can get around to it.
Pick 6 NYS
The Pick: Chathack’rius Smith IV - S
DSFL Pick #32
Second verse, same as the first. (sorry if you read this Chathack’rius)(actually only a little sorry because your name is painful)
Pick 7 SJS
The Pick: Brooks Bane - LB
DSFL Pick #19
Brooks Bane has been updating every week and has the makings of a late round steal for SJS. I think my boy RussDrivestheBus in their war room manages to give them a home. Or else.
Pick 8 BER
The Pick: Brandon Prince - RB
DSFL Pick #40
I’ll be honest, I put away the team’s position needs a few picks ago. I suspect GMs are going for who’s active and can stay active or most likely to be revived. Position swaps and all sorts of nonsense will be happening here as well.
Pick 9 ARI
The Pick: Rudy Gray - OL
DSFL Pick #45
Rudy may have one of the smallest TPE totals in the draft, but they're OL and have been active recently. They should post a pretty large offseason update and pass up a few other 4th rounders pretty quick if they keep at it.
Pick 10 BAL
The Pick: Gritt Gurdur - DE
DSFL Pick #23
Gurdur is recently inactive but has a fair amount of TPE banked up already. If they so much as respond to a scouting message and give hints of life they could be a home run pick in the 4th as a defensive lineman.
Pick 11 COLO
The Pick: Dallas Dole - K/P
DSFL Pick #60
Second kicker off the board and I think Colorado would be thrilled if they could get a starter here in the 4th round. From what we’ve seen so far Dole could certainly pull it off.
Pick 12 BAL
The Pick: Taipan Pete - RB
DSFL Pick Free Agent
Baltimore doesn’t need another RB, I know that much without looking at my research. But Taipan has been steadily updating and that’s enough that they shouldn’t fall much further. Baltimore could grab them as insurance or in hope of a position switch or somethin’.
Pick 13 NOLA
The Pick: Toy Robot - K/P
DSFL Pick Free Agent
Robot has only posted one update but if there’s any position where you can come back from that, it’s kicker. NOLA doesn’t have a lot to lose here as their current kicker will need to be replaced sooner or later. I think they try to make their own luck here.
Pick 14 BAL
The Pick: Kenzie Cupz - OL
DSFL Pick #63
With the last pick of my mock we have entered true gambling territory. If there are any actives left, I’m sorry I overlooked you (there’s a lot of data). I think if you’re going to gamble on an inactive it might as well be an OL. Everyone needs more OL.
And here's the image so you don't have to read 5k words you lazy bums.
For too much data on S28 peeps, peep here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1...=106559196
Conclusion
Whew, we’re done. There are still a few picks left in the 5th round but I’m going to bother mocking those. I don’t need the money that much. Besides, if you don’t see yourself on this list, you can just assume I skipped you (which is probably more likely that someone being drafted in the 5th reading this). Thanks again to CLG Rampage for all the help while working on this. Learned a ton from the old coot. If you have any complaints please direct them to him.
Coming soonish will be another installment of mocking the mockers. If you want to be mocked for your mock please submit at least a 1 round mock before draft.
Word Count ~4860
Hey Y’all! This mock draft was originally done as a collab with CLG as part of a 15-20k word mega draft article. For the purposes of readability and release timelines we’re releasing as a few smaller articles. Later on you'll see CLGs mock and our team/positional need research (may be a tad out of date but eh). Just pretend this article is a really impressive behemoth and 15k words bigger than @xtitanxmvpx's. A few caveats with this mock.
- For the most part I didn’t take free agents into account. If I did I wouldn’t be able to release until the very last minute. Who knows, maybe I’ll do another then.
- I did not consider pick trading. It will absolutely happen and absolutely break this mock. Especially in the later rounds.
- For the most part I didn’t take into account position switching. In a few cases it’s unavoidable but those users have made it public knowledge they’re switching (glares at Titan and Rampage).
Mock Draft
Round 1
Pick 1 - BAL
The Pick: Busch Goose - RB - Infinitempg
DSFL Pick #41
The first pick of the draft traditionally goes to defensive players, but I’m quite sure that this season will be an exception. Baltimore needs to start it’s rebuild with some offensive weapons. Most likely that means 1 RB and 1 WR. Busch Goose is the betting favorite given their past with the new GMs in Baltimore, as well as being a great user and a great earner. Now there’s the question of who gets the top pick and who gets the 2nd pick. I’m going with Goose simply because they had to endure waiting until pick 41 of the DSFL draft. I think Balt throws them this bone so they can forever brag about #41->#1.
Side note: This guy has so much damn money. If you include his nearly 700mil and my next pick’s money, you have about as much as the rest of the class combined.
Pick 2 - BAL
The Pick: Luke Quick - WR
DSFL Pick #1
Luke Quick has already had their turn as top pick so I think they’ll ‘fall’ to the second pick. Now that Baltimore has a solid RB they can then pick up one of the top WRs of the class to completely revamp their (future) offense within the first couple minutes of the draft. The user is another reliable veteran, which will aid immensely on the rebuild to come.
Now just about every rookie I’ve talked to thinks they have a shot at one of these two picks which means two things. Balt has very good scouts and that these spots may not be as locked in as they seem.
Pick 3 - OCO
The Pick: Dexter Hall - LB
DSFL Pick #9
Right out the game with some hot takes for ya. OCO will have to address wide receiver and quarterback this draft. Many think they will do that right up front but I’m thinking they shore up their front seven with Dexter Hall. From my conversations with them I know they’re a cool user and likely gave the Otters that impression as well. Elite LBs are also in short supply in this draft in stark comparison to WR or QB, which can be taken care of sufficiently with OCOs 2 second round picks. (Since I wrote this, Laser put out a mock with this pick so I guess it’s not so hot anymore.)
As I edit this for posting I realize that means 3 KCC draftees in a row. Damn. Not sure if that's good for them though due to probably accelerated call-ups. Though at the end of the day I would rather have my DSFL players develop well and get drafted high than win an ultimini.
Pick 4 - PHI
The Pick: Anton Bruckner - CB
DSFL Pick #4
I’ve thought about this pick way too much and done this writeup twice now. It’s always tough to mock yourself but this fit seems a bit too good to not put myself here. Philly needs a CB urgently, there are connections there, and everyone else seems to be evaluating me this high. I think if I’m still on the board at this point, and I probably will be, Philly will go for it.
Pick 5 - BER
The Pick: Glenn Smart - DE
DSFL Pick #6
I will forever know Glenn Smart as my correct hot take pick from my first (and only) DSFL mock. Glenn has proven they deserved their first round status by kicking butt in London and remaining highly involved. In fact they were one of if not the first rookies to land a league job. Berlin has a few positions they could go with in the first though. They’ve reportedly been concerned about safety and LB among other things. With Dexter Hall already off the board and good depth at safety I truly think Glenn Smart should be the pick here.
Pick 6 - NYS
The Pick: Mongo - DE
DSFL Pick #16
Speaking of DE’s being in short supply! NYS could go DE, CB or throw a curveball in the first round. I think they will make sure to snatch up the other elite DE and one of the class’ top earners before they miss that chance. There are solid CBs throughout the draft so that need can be addressed later.
Pick 7 - SJS
The Pick: Stumpy Jones - OL
DSFL Pick #31
It’s not too hard to justify taking the league’s top earner here in the first. It also fills San Jose’s biggest need at OL. From pick 31 in the DSFL to pick 7 here is muy impressivo and well deserved.
Pick 8 - YKW
The Pick: Prof. Godfrey Gravity - DT
DSFL Pick #17
Yellowknife needs a DT, possibly more than any other positions. What’d’ya know the top DT prospect is still here at the 8th pick. Prof. Godfrey Gravity has been doing excellent earning and seems active and pleasant in discord. I was recently able to work with them a bit on the awards committee so know first hand they would be a good addition to any locker room. 14 mil in the bank don’t hurt neither.
Pick 9 - ARI
The Pick: Cade Williams - OL
DSFL Pick #42
Everyone wants more OL. Luckily there are two first round calibre OLs (possibly more?). Cade is another max earning and active player, and their healthy 26m bank account is a testament to that. Their rise from their original DSFL draft spot of 42 might be the biggest of anyone.
Pick 10 - CHI
The Pick: Tim Soulja - S
DSFL Pick #27
This pick is probably my hottest take but also one of my most confident. Soulja is a little behind in terms of TPE compared to the rest of the 1st round, and their position isn’t exactly in short supply this draft. However, they’ve been moved up to the Minnesota war room by then-GM CC, who is now taking the reins in Chicago. CC doesn’t shy away from drafting players a little behind in TPE because they drafted me in the first round of the DSFL draft despite being way behind. CC obviously thinks Painted is a safe user to bet on and will likely go out of the way to grab him in the 1st because he won’t be there for the second. I don’t know exactly how Chicago makes room for him but I definitely think there are some options to get him involved.
Pick 11 - COL
The Pick: Saleem Spence - WR
DSFL Pick #34
Not gunna lie, this pick is pretty tough for me. Wide receiver isn’t the biggest need for Colorado, but two DTs are already off the board. Taking Bender Rodriguez is an option here to fill that TE hole or Juno Hu at CB, but I think they go with one of the top earners of the draft in Saleem Spence. Getting depth at WR is more important than ever and Saleem is a value even here at the bottom of the first round.
Pick 12 - HON
The Pick: Chunt the Badger - WR
DSFL Pick #4
Right behind Saleem Spence in TPE is Chunt the Badger. In addition to their high TPE and incredible DSFL rookie stats, they’ve been incredibly active and a lot of fun to have around this season. From what I understand, Dallas has a bit of a pipeline with Honolulu, which makes this pick feel pretty good if Chunt is still on the board at pick 12. WR isn’t HON’s biggest need but it might be the one they can best take care of. With several OL and DL off the board already, those could be shored up later.
Pick 13 - NOLA
The Pick: Juno Hu - CB
DSFL Pick #10
Juno led the CB standings for the entire season and even now is ahead of me in TPE I’m pretty sure. They seem active in chat and I can only assume they’re a good locker room addition (if only Tijuana weren’t such a mystery). Juno should definitely go in the first and NOLA is in a good spot to do it.
Pick 14 - SAR
The Pick: Xavier Walls - LB
DSFL Pick #7
I started talking to Xavier Walls about mocks recently and have had a great time getting to know them. Real awesome locker room addition that should absolutely go in the first. Only reason I have them falling this far is because their position switch could come with a price tag. (not super up on the rules there tbh). Xavier has stated that they will be playing as an LB in the ISFL so there’s not much question to be had there. Whichever team can stomach the cost will be getting a homerun pick. I don’t know much about cap management but I think Sarasota could be one to pull it off and they do need an LB.
Round 2
Pick 1 PHI
The Pick: Remus Roman - RB
DSFL Pick #15
This is another tough one. Philly would like to draft an RB and a safety at some point in this draft. At this spot I think they could trade back a few spots and still get the players they want. Let’s assume that doesn’t happen and they go ahead and grab Remus here. The Roman twins+Titan have been an active friend group which always makes them all safer picks in terms of activity long term. It also means Philly could hope to grab the other half of the Roman duo at safety a little later on. Oh also, they have good TPE and all that stuff.
Pick 2 AUS
The Pick: Andrew Warthol - DE
DSFL Pick #11
We’re at a weird part of the draft (at least in this mock) where there are a lot of high TPE QBs, WRs, RBs, and other positions open. If you’re a team like Austin that doesn’t really need any of those things you need to look at players that are a little behind in TPE. Andrew Warthol has been steadily earning and doing a good bit of chatting in the ISFL locker rooms. Could definitely see them being picked up early to fill the ever in-need defensive line spots.
Pick 3 OCO
The Pick: Sam the Onion Man - WR
DSFL Pick #37
Now in the second round OCO can fill their WR need and still get an elite WR. Correct me if I’m wrong, but word on the street is that Sam wants up to the ISFL ASAP and OCO is one of the few teams that would be able to oblige. Sam would be an instant upgrade to WR3 barring any FA signings.
Pick 4 BAL
The Pick: Bender Rodriguez - TE
DSFL Pick #43
My boy Bender, top TE in the draft, shouldn’t fall any further than this. While not quite as active (but still active) in discord chats, they’ve been max earning and putting out great media. Much of which shows a curiosity and understanding of sim strategy which could prove useful in a war room some day. If Baltimore isn’t interested in that due to the abundance of other minds on the team, Bender is also the best TE in the draft. TE will have to be addressed in the very near future so might as well do it here.
Pick 5 BER
The Pick: Dexter Zaylren - QB
DSFL Pick #8
Finally we have the QB carousel kicking off. The depth at the position makes it tough to predict because teams will want to wait as long as they can and still grab the QB they want. I think Dexter (Laser) is probably Berlin’s top QB prospect. They don’t have many other pressing needs that need to be addressed in the draft so might as well grab their top QB.
Pick 6 NOLA
The Pick: Raeni Clarke - QB
DSFL Pick #5
With one QB off the board already NOLA will grab the QB of its future. Bex (the user) has a good relationship with the team from my understanding and many think this pairing is a foregone conclusion. Only guessing would be when. Anything can happen though but this is the expected outcome of the QB carousel for NOLA.
Pick 7 BAL
The Pick: Bayley Cowabunga - WR
DSFL Pick #12
Who says you can’t draft the same position in back to back rounds? (though it does help that Baltimore has 4 picks in those rounds). Barring any free agent signings they only have one on the roster, so the need isn’t filled with one high pick. Bayley has another super active user that would be a huge value in the mid-2nd round. TPE is lagging a little behind for some reason but still plenty high and activity isn’t a concern.
Pick 8 YKW
The Pick: Jacob Raske - QB*
DSFL Pick #46
This will certainly be the most interesting player to watch this draft. (also happens to be one of the authors of this mock). Generally I’m ignoring position switches but in this case it’s nearly impossible. Raske has said they’re willing to switch away from QB which could increase their draft stock quite a bit. With near-guaranteed max-earning, a huge bank account, and war room experience, Raske should be a great value in the second round. It’s really really tough to predict where they go when nearly any position is a possibility. I’m going with YKW because I think there’s some mutual interest there, and Raske could serve as insurance if YKW misses out on grabbing a max earning QB in the 3rd.
Pick 9 OCO
The Pick: Manhattan Project - RB
DSFL Pick #14
Manhattan Project and Eric Graare are very close in earning and I know little about the users themselves. I’m predicting Manhattan goes off the board first to OCO simply because they have more in the bank. Interviews and relationships will probably affect the decision more but I don’t have that data in spreadsheet form yet. I do think it’s a safe bet that OCO addresses RB here in the second though.
Pick 10 CHI
The Pick: Erik Graare - RB
DSFL Pick #20
Immediately after Manhattan, I’ve got Graare getting picked up by Chicago. This pick could largely depend on interviews and I have little intel there. With no pick in the 3rd or 4th Chicago really needs to nail this pick and ensure whoever they get remains active. So far Erik checks that box and Chicago wouldn’t mind another RB to back up Hayes. Gotta admit though, my level of certainty here is pretty low.
Pick 11 COL
The Pick: Daniel O’Leary - DT
DSFL Pick #35
O’Leary is the lone defensive tackle here in the middle of the board. That fact alone makes him a target for any DL needy team. They aren’t quite max earning but the fact that they are putting out media even in the offseason bodes well for continued activity. As they say, marathon not a sprint. Plus, they have a cool pfp.
Pick 12 HON
The Pick: CJ Sonjack - CB
DSFL Pick #22
Earlier I said there was great value at CB throughout the draft and I think HON picks up one of those deals here. They don’t seem to be very talkative but they’re on the field stats do the talking for them. They obviously pay enough attention to have a great build and keep up with the earning. Lots of good CB options around here though so depending on how interviews go there may be a few different names here.
Pick 13 NOLA
The Pick: Makoa Mahiʻai - TE
DSFL Pick #38
There are essentially two TEs in this draft, so if NOLA wants one they have to grab one quick. If they didn’t need to prioritize QB they might have even grabbed sooner. If a free agent acquisition or position switch isn’t made at TE I feel pretty good about this pick.
Pick 14 SAR
The Pick: Amy Wong - CB
DSFL Pick #29
Why spend a high draft pick on CB when you can get one like this late in the 2nd. Wait, maybe I shouldn’t tank my draft stock by saying that….Anyway, Amy has been consistently active and was recently traded to the Minnesota Grey Ducks. Not sure if that changes draft stock at all but it’s so rare I decided to mention it anyway. I'm noticing a lot of mocks have Amy going all the way in the first. Not sure that will happen with the depth of the CB class but should be a testament to what people think about this player/user.
Round 3
Pick 1 PHI
The Pick: Romulus Roman - S
DSFL Pick #18
Finally we have another safety off the board. I promise it’s not that I hate safeties, it just seems like the teams that need them have bigger holes elsewhere. Philly is one team that definitely needs one though and being able to complete the Roman duo would be a bit of a dream scenario for them. Even if they don’t manage to grab Remus Roman in the second, this would still be an excellent pick.
Pick 2 AUS
The Pick: DeAndre Chuggs - LB
DSFL Free Agent
Beyond the first couple LBs is DeAndre Chuggs who has done great with their late free agent start in the DSFL. In fact, they’ve already managed to land themselves a Co-GM job, announced just yesterday (if this article drops on time). If Norfolk can trust Chuggs with the reins of the team, I think it’s perfectly reasonable that Austin picks them way out in the 3rd.
Pick 3 OCO
The Pick: IsHe... ReallyInvisible - QB
DSFL Pick #2
Hard to imagine such a top tier player falling this far but only a few teams need QB and there are a lot of high quality ones. I think OCO can afford to wait this long to grab a QB. I don’t think I have to talk up this pick to anyone here. Obviously this is a massive value.
Pick 4 PHI
The Pick: Logan Anderson - DE
DSFL Free Agent
Finally we have the top earning free agent of the class coming off the board for Philly. Their earning has been good and DE is in high need, but 1.5 mil is a little bit of a concern. If they can get their money woes turned around they should be golden. If scouts are confident that money won’t be a long term issue they could even go in the 2nd.
Pick 5 BER
The Pick: Cole Maxwell - S
DSFL Pick #28
At long last Cole Maxwell comes off the board. Their TPE is well above other players being picked here but I think I’ve already talked about safety needy teams just having more pressing priorities. Maybe I’m way off, we’ll see.
Pick 6 NYS
The Pick: Henny Tingzpahcbol - CB
DSFL Pick #48
With their first pick since the first round New York shores up their other major need at cornerback. Henny’s earning appears to be accelerating but it’s a little tough to tell since they seem to bank up update links for certain weeks. Either way though, they’re active, have a healthy bank account, and just posted one of the largest S28 updates I’ve seen.
Pick 7 SJS
The Pick: Red Arrow Jr.- QB
DSFL Pick #30
San Jose finally grabs their QB of the future with their second pick of the draft. Yellowknife is the only other possible player in the QB market and they pick next, so if SJS has a preference in remaining QBs they need to pick now. Red Arrow has a little bit more money so I’ll put them going first.
Pick 8 YKW
The Pick: Troy Abed - QB
DSFL Pick #25
I think whichever QB is still on the board at this point will get the pick. They’ve all been great earners and all appear to be great users. Troy is the quietest of the bunch as far as I can tell which is pretty much the only reason I have them going last. Grabbing Abed will also give YKW the flexibility to switch Raske to almost whichever position they please. I don’t think the teams grabbing a QB in this mock are the only ones that could. Teams like Sarasota could surprise us if teams wait too long.
Pick 9 ARI
The Pick: Siege Cameron - CB
DSFL Pick #33
Another team just now getting their second pick grabs the third CB this round. The more I look at this CB class the more impressed I am. They all seem to be getting more active as we go. Arizona should definitely be happy with getting any player with increasing activity in the back half of the draft, especially at a position of need.
Pick 10 SJS
The Pick: David Ramczyk - OL
DSFL Pick Free Agent
It may be reaching down the TPE leaderboard a little but SJS would really love an OL this draft I think, and there’s only one active one left. David was also a free agent create in the DSFL so most of their TPE deficit can be chalked up to that.
Pick 11 COL
The Pick: Willie Miller - CB
DSFL Pick #62
I had the pleasure of working with Miller on the DSFL committee recently so I know that this user is active and knowledgeable. I was surprised by how low their TPE was comparatively but they appear to be max earning recently. Another CB, another increasing activity user. Must be something in the water.
Pick 12 AUS
The Pick: Kelvin Harris - S
DSFL Pick #13
Safeties that probably should have been picked a long time ago are finally starting to come off the board. If I recall correctly this same player was mocked to the 1st round earlier in the season. Might just be the highest deviation pick at the moment. At the time of writing I believe Harris is over 200 TPE so I’d be quite surprised if they fell further but not at all surprised if they go sooner. While Austin doesn’t really need a safety, they don’t have other needs so big that they can’t go for the highest TPE person still standing.
Pick 13 NOLA
The Pick: Luke Watterson - LB
DSFL Pick #52
NOLA needs LB. There is LB left. Luke Watterson good I think. Hopefully you’re not expecting me to write paragraphs about draft strategy in the late third round cause my mock is probably busted by now anyway. (sorry Luke Watterson).
Pick 14 SAR
The Pick: Beefcake Johnson - DT
DSFL Pick #36
Draft this guy for the name. Couldn’t ask for a more football name. Which is the true measure of a football player after all. But na, really, Beefcake is still active so they could fill the void in Sarasota’s heart that is the defensive tackle position. Though I strongly suspect they find a free agent to fill the spot for at least a season.
Round 4
Pick 1 BAL
The Pick: Lonnie Jackson - RB
DSFL Pick #58
Jackson has been doing a great job in recent weeks of trying to boost their draft stock in a position that's over saturated. In this mock at least they do fall to the fourth, but it’s a fourth round pick that any team can feel damn good about. Would not be surprised if a team snatches them up sooner if they have time to wait for Lonnie to develop a bit.
Pick 2 AUS
The Pick: Kacper Puntky - CB
DSFL Pick Free Agent
Another fellow ducky and fellow CB comes off the board. I think this guy will surprise some people over the next season. They’re quiet but putting in some work this offseason.
Pick 3 OCO
The Pick: Rainbow Dash - K/P
DSFL Pick #70
Top kicker and DSFL Mr. irrelevant comes off the board! At this point it’s the need that OCO can fill the best where active players are beginning to be in short supply.
Pick 4 PHI
The Pick: Gyles Marret - DE
DSFL Pick #50
Marret has been IAish and low TPE for most of the season but put in a huge update in the last week. That’s enough to put scouts on notice if you’re a DE.
Pick 5 ARI
The Pick: Lux Opal - S
DSFL Pick #26
Every safety in my mock comes with an apology for putting you later than you probably deserve. In the real draft you’ll probably go higher but in my fake little reality, safeties fall I guess. Oh ya, Arizona would like a safety and now with their third pick they can get around to it.
Pick 6 NYS
The Pick: Chathack’rius Smith IV - S
DSFL Pick #32
Second verse, same as the first. (sorry if you read this Chathack’rius)(actually only a little sorry because your name is painful)
Pick 7 SJS
The Pick: Brooks Bane - LB
DSFL Pick #19
Brooks Bane has been updating every week and has the makings of a late round steal for SJS. I think my boy RussDrivestheBus in their war room manages to give them a home. Or else.
Pick 8 BER
The Pick: Brandon Prince - RB
DSFL Pick #40
I’ll be honest, I put away the team’s position needs a few picks ago. I suspect GMs are going for who’s active and can stay active or most likely to be revived. Position swaps and all sorts of nonsense will be happening here as well.
Pick 9 ARI
The Pick: Rudy Gray - OL
DSFL Pick #45
Rudy may have one of the smallest TPE totals in the draft, but they're OL and have been active recently. They should post a pretty large offseason update and pass up a few other 4th rounders pretty quick if they keep at it.
Pick 10 BAL
The Pick: Gritt Gurdur - DE
DSFL Pick #23
Gurdur is recently inactive but has a fair amount of TPE banked up already. If they so much as respond to a scouting message and give hints of life they could be a home run pick in the 4th as a defensive lineman.
Pick 11 COLO
The Pick: Dallas Dole - K/P
DSFL Pick #60
Second kicker off the board and I think Colorado would be thrilled if they could get a starter here in the 4th round. From what we’ve seen so far Dole could certainly pull it off.
Pick 12 BAL
The Pick: Taipan Pete - RB
DSFL Pick Free Agent
Baltimore doesn’t need another RB, I know that much without looking at my research. But Taipan has been steadily updating and that’s enough that they shouldn’t fall much further. Baltimore could grab them as insurance or in hope of a position switch or somethin’.
Pick 13 NOLA
The Pick: Toy Robot - K/P
DSFL Pick Free Agent
Robot has only posted one update but if there’s any position where you can come back from that, it’s kicker. NOLA doesn’t have a lot to lose here as their current kicker will need to be replaced sooner or later. I think they try to make their own luck here.
Pick 14 BAL
The Pick: Kenzie Cupz - OL
DSFL Pick #63
With the last pick of my mock we have entered true gambling territory. If there are any actives left, I’m sorry I overlooked you (there’s a lot of data). I think if you’re going to gamble on an inactive it might as well be an OL. Everyone needs more OL.
And here's the image so you don't have to read 5k words you lazy bums.
For too much data on S28 peeps, peep here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1...=106559196
Conclusion
Whew, we’re done. There are still a few picks left in the 5th round but I’m going to bother mocking those. I don’t need the money that much. Besides, if you don’t see yourself on this list, you can just assume I skipped you (which is probably more likely that someone being drafted in the 5th reading this). Thanks again to CLG Rampage for all the help while working on this. Learned a ton from the old coot. If you have any complaints please direct them to him.
Coming soonish will be another installment of mocking the mockers. If you want to be mocked for your mock please submit at least a 1 round mock before draft.
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