Our first-round NFL mock draft: Quarterbacks? No way. 'Edge rushers' are this year's prize

A year after quarterbacks went 1-2-3, quarterback slayers could go 1-2-3 when the NFL's three-day draft kicks off with the first round on Thursday night.

The best guess here is a top 10 featuring four edge rushers, two quarterbacks (yes, quarterbacks), two offensive tackles and two cornerbacks, one of whom will disappoint a lot of Vikings fans with their hearts set on another home-run pick from LSU.

Eight teams — Rams, Browns, Bears, Broncos, Colts, 49ers, Dolphins and Raiders — don't have a first-round pick. Eight teams — Lions, Jets, Texans, Giants, Chiefs, Eagles, Saints and Packers — have two picks each.

Receivers get a late start in this mock draft but finish with seven going from picks 11 to 30. Seven edge rushers are also selected here. There are five cornerbacks, four offensive tackles, three quarterbacks, two inside linebackers, one interior offensive lineman, one safety and two defensive tackles, including one who will fill a Vikings need that no one seems to be talking about.

Aidan Hutchinson, Edge, Michigan: Unless the Jags are overthinking things, which now seems entirely possible, the best NFL-ready player in the draft will go No. 1 overall and fill a huge need in Jacksonville.

Kayvon Thibodeaux, Edge, Oregon: Detroit is begging Jacksonville to overthink Hutchinson. If not, the Lions still fill a gigantic need with an edge rusher who's climbing the boards.

Travon Walker, Edge, Georgia: Houston's roster is a mess so it could go in any direction, including trading down. Walker's athletic upside has him in the rumor mill for No. 1. Lovie Smith won't let him fall past No. 3.

Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU: Sorry, Vikings. Stingley is healthy and way too gifted to be there at 12. The Jets trump the Giants on a game-changing corner to tussle with Stefon Diggs and AFC East newbie Tyreek Hill.

Evan Neal, OT, Alabama: Trade alert! Teams looking to reach for a quarterback are targeting this spot. The Giants might listen or stand pat and protect their QB with the best offensive tackle available.

Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh: Sorry, Steelers. It's risky to think the most NFL-ready quarterback — even in a super weak QB class — is making it out of the top 10 past Carolina, Atlanta and Seattle.

Sauce Gardner, CB, Cincinnati: Trade alert! The second wave of teams looking to reach for a QB will target this spot. The Giants might listen. Or they could be smart and take a giant-sized shutdown corner.

Malik Willis, QB, Liberty: The most mobile and electrifying QB in college football can be Atlanta's QB of the future and an immediate gadget threat to complement bridge QB Marcus Mariota.

Ikem Ekwonu, OT, N.C. State: Trade alert! Teams salivating over their favorite receivers will be getting very antsy by now. Seattle already has four picks in the first three rounds. Ekwonu is too good to pass up here.

Jermaine Johnson II, Edge, Florida State: Trading this pick to San Francisco for Deebo Samuel sounds pretty good. So does adding the elite edge rusher from Eden Prairie to the Stingley pick at No. 4. Suddenly, the Jets seem a lot better.

Drake London, WR, USC: Is it possible to acquire Carson Wentz and still need a quarterback? Ask Indy's owner. But at least Washington will give Wentz the first of many receivers drafted on Thursday night.

Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia: The one Vikings need no one seems to be talking about is a massive, quick, athletic, run-stopping, pocket-busting beast that can play anywhere along the team's new three-man defensive line. Taking Davis would be much more impactful than settling for the third-best cornerback. Passing on safety Kyle Hamilton in this scenario would be difficult. But worth it.

Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State: He's not that big (6-foot, 183), but his versatility and ability to separate and run after the catch will be huge for Davis Mills as he tries to secure the quarterback job long-term.

Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State: Baltimore could go cornerback or stop Hamilton's slide down the board if it's truly selecting the best player available. Cross, however, is high value at a position of need.

Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame: Pegged as high as No. 2 to the Lions in some mock drafts, this 1.0-and-done mocker finally found a landing spot for a 6-4, 220-pound new-age safety that any D-coordinator will love.

Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa: Like a lot of teams, a talented, young (and cheap) receiver is a need and a want. But the Saints have a bigger need, literally: Replacing Terron Armstead.

Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama: This is a steal at 17. Williams might be a top-five talent and could go much higher, even though he's rehabbing a torn ACL.

Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah: Philly could trade down or add another impact defensive starter in Lloyd, this year's most versatile inside backer.

Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State: New Orleans can't resist dipping into the deep receiver pool and plucking the best hands available.

Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia: There isn't a fairytale quarterback story to tell, but Pittsburgh "settles" for the best three-technique available.

Nakobe Dean, ILB, Georgia: Will he be gone? Will he drop to Round 2? Opinions vary. But he sure sounds like a Belichick guy, even if he is undersized.

Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State: He's talented, but he ain't Davante Adams. Then again, Davante Adams no longer has Aaron Rodgers.

George Karlaftis, Edge, Purdue: Chandler Jones and a whole lot of sacks left Arizona for Vegas this offseason.

Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas: Some have the 'Boys taking a guard here. Jerry Jones isn't taking a guard over a big, flashy receiver from his alma mater.

Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington: A little undersized, but, then again, so was Antoine Winfield Sr. Buffalo doesn't have many holes but needs a corner.

Zion Johnson, G-C, Boston College: Tennessee is the rare really good team that, let's face it, needs a quarterback. But it's a year away from addressing that issue.

Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson: An interior lineman would also make sense here. Maybe an edge rusher. But it's also time to restock the shelf at corner.

Boye Mafe, Edge, Minnesota: The Vikings took Za'Darius Smith. So it's only neighborly for the Gophers to send Green Bay its finest edge rusher.

Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida: Trade alert! If Kansas City eyeballs a receiver it really likes, it could package picks 29-30 and go up.

George Pickens, WR, Georgia: Or the Chiefs could land a possible starting corner at 29 and a promising pick from the deep receiver pool at No. 30.

Arnold Ebiketie, Edge, Penn State: Trade alert! The Bengals could trade down. Or maybe take an edge rusher in the first round for the first time in 21 years.

Matt Corral, QB, Mississippi: Trade alert! Another QB-hungry team could move up. Or maybe the Lions use this pick from the Rams to take their own big swing.