04-17-2020, 02:40 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-17-2020, 04:41 PM by RansackTheUniverse.)
With the season 22 NSFL Draft fast approaching (and more realistically, already completed save for the actual stream where picks will be announced), I figured I’d take a crack at putting a mock draft together. As I’m sure everyone already knows, the S22 draft class is unprecedented both in terms of quantity and quality of players. There is a great mix of players, both new users and recreates, that will be entering the league this season and it will be interesting to see where they all end up.
1) Austin Copperheads – Colt Mendoza – CB – 200 TPE
With the first pick of the S22 NSFL Draft, we have the Austin Copperheads. The Copperheads made an aggressive move back in March to snag the 1st overall pick in the draft from the expansion Hahaluas, giving up their 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 8th round selections in exchange for Honolulu’s 1st and 7th. That is quite a lot to give up in a loaded draft class like this, so there must be someone that the Copperhead’s really felt they couldn’t afford to miss out on. It seems to be all but confirmed that the player they’re targeting here is Dallas Birddogs cornerback Colt Mendoza. After losing cornerback Victor Moreno to the Honolulu Hahalua in the recent expansion draft, the Copperheads desperately need a 2nd cornerback that they can line up across from Dermot Lavelle Jr. Mendoza shockingly wasn’t drafted until 147th (!) overall by the Birddogs in the S21 DSFL Draft, making him a candidate for the biggest jump ever from the DSFL Draft to #1 overall in the NSFL Draft. While Mendoza doesn’t have the highest TPE in the class, the difference between him and the top earners in the class is small enough in the long run. It is worth noting that iSteg’s bank account is just under $80 million. That’s more than enough to sustain purchases for Mendoza for multiple seasons. I’m sure we will be seeing more media from steg so I think it’s safe to say that Mendoza can be counted on to be a max TPE earner going forward. But the real draw to Mendoza at #1 oa is Isteg’s analysis and work with the sim. He has done some truly incredible work and posted extremely helpful media pieces that analyze tens of thousands of simmed games. This level of dedication and analysis will be an extremely welcome addition to the Copperheads locker room and isteg could be an immediate addition to their war room. As a future NSFL GM in the making, iSteg is well worthy of the first overall pick in the draft.
2) New Orleans Second Line – Magnus Rikiya – DT – 216 TPE
At pick number two, we have the Ultimus winning New Orleans as the result of another trade. The Second Line didn’t give up quite as much as Austin did, but they still paid a pretty steep price to move up to #2 overall. Like iSteg, Tesla has posted tons of media content. And according to her bank account (a whopping $103 million) she has posted even more than iSteg has. This is exactly what New Orleans is looking for in a top draft pick, as they put on premium on active users who will bring a positive attitude to the locker room. Not only will New Orleans be getting a great locker room presence in Tesla with this pick, they are also getting a great playing in Magnus Rikiya at a position of need. At 216 TPE, Rikiya is tied for 2nd highest TPE for a DT in this draft class after Phat Boi. And with her hefty bank account, Tesla can be counted on to max earn for the duration of Rikiya’s career. With only 1 defensive tackle currently on their roster, New Orleans definitely need to add a second that they can plug in beside Bjorn Ironside. Look for Ironside and Rikiya to be a dominant duo in the interior of the d line for seasons to come.
3) Philadelphia Liberty – Derred De Ville – LB – 229 TPE
With the 3rd pick of the S22 NSFL Draft, the Philadelphia Liberty are on the clock. The Liberty could go in quite a few directions with this pick here. They will almost certainly go defense with this pick as they have a need at every postion on this side of the ball except safety. Recreate corners such as Tyler Oles Jr and Thubba Bumper will definitely be tempting here, but with how deep this cornerback class is, I think Philadelphia addresses it later in the draft. In my mind that leaves three likely players for Philadelphia to choose between – Phat Boi, Stanislaw Koniecpolski, and Derred De Ville. I might be biased, but I think they go with my London Royals teammate here, Derred De Ville. De Ville may have the lowest TPE out of the three, but over the course of a career, this shortfall of 20-30 TPE is essentially negligible. Exilizer has put out some great media content and created some incredible graphics. He has used this to build a bank account of over $60 million, more than enough to keep Derred afloat for seasons to come. Another thing that may or may not be worth mentioning is De Ville’s performance this season in the DSFL. Derred was all over the field this season, as he finished tied second in tackles and sacks, finishing with 147 and 9 respectively. He also added 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, an interception and 8 passes defensed. With stats like these it’s no surprise that he won the Defensive Player of the Year award and finished as a finalist for MVP. Now I know that DSFL stats are essentially meaningless to a player’s draft stock and can be largely chalked up to sim luck, the sim does seem to have some players that just seem to perform well. Based on his performance this season, De Ville may just be one of those players. One other thing that should not be overlooked is Exilizer’s locker room presence. I can speak from first hand experience that Exilizer was amazing to have around and was deservedly named a captain of the Royals. Whoever drafts him will be lucky to have him.
4) Arizona Outlaws - Stanisław Koniecpolski – LB – 246 TPE
The Arizona Outlaws are on the clock with the 4th pick of the draft. The Outlaws have quite a few holes to fill on their roster – but luckily for them they have amassed quite the haul of picks in this draft, 13 in the first 8 rounds and 9 in the first 5. Arizona is in a great position to rebuild very quickly. With so many picks in their possession, the Outlaws are largely able to go best player available here, and worry about addressing any specific needs remaining with later picks. As with the Liberty, look for Arizona to pass on a corner here as they will have plenty of opportunities to take a high end one in a later round. And with Derred De Ville off the board, Stanislaw Koniecpolski represents the only other truly elite linebacker prospect in the class, and is a player that won’t be available for the Outlaws in later rounds. With 246 TPE, Koniecpolski is in the top 5 for TPE in this draft class, and is the top earning linebacker in the class. His bank account of nearly $50 million shows the level of activity he has displayed in terms of media articles. He will be a great addition to an Outlaw locker room that is about to add a whole bunch of new faces, and will be a cornerstone of their defense for seasons to come.
5) San Jose Sabercats – Troen Egghands – DE – 221 TPE
At pick 5, we have the San Jose Sabercats, another team that will have ample opportunity to improve off of a disappointing S21. With the exception of the offensive line, San Jose has a pretty complete offense filled with young players that will soon be entering their prime. San Jose is yet another team in need of a corner that will decide to address another position first. After adding Otis Allen in the first round of last season’s draft, the Sabercats will add another young defensive lineman to the team, in Troen Egghands. Troen is another user that has been extremely active. He has put out some amazing media articles and has built up a massive bank account of over $70 million. This is a player that will be a max TPE earner throughout their career and will be a great presence in the locker room. Look for Egghands to be an immediate call up next season for San Jose, and to begin terrorizing opposing quarterbacks alongside Otis Allen right away.
6) Philadelphia Liberty – Phat Boi – DT – 259 TPE
With pick number 6, the Philadelphia Liberty are back on the clock with their second pick of the round. After adding Derred De Ville with pick number 3, the Liberty will continue to bolster their defense with this pick here. While the decision at 3 was a tough one, this decision is not nearly as difficult. Phat Boi was a strong consideration for Philadelphia at number 3, and with him still on the board at 6, the Liberty waste no time in picking him up. With an insane 259 TPE, Phat Boi is the top TPE earner in this class. Up until recently, he was projected by many to go number 1 overall. But with the trades for the first and second overall picks, and the respective teams’ reported interest in Mendoza and Rikiya, we have Phat Boi falling further than expected. And the Liberty couldn’t be happier. While Badlck has a somewhat modest bank account (compared to some other players) of just over $10 million, there is no reason not to expect them to continue to earn the maximum TPE available. Badlck has put out some great media, including some amazing podcasts. Look for that to continue in the future. With the additions of Phat Boi and Derred De Ville, Philadelphia is building what has the potential to be a perennially great defense.
7) Honolulu Hahalua - Johnny Hellzapoppin – S – 215 TPE
For the first time in franchise history, the Honolulu Hahalua are on clock in an NSFL Entry Draft (not to be confused with the NSFL Expansion Draft). After beginning to fill out their roster in the expansion draft, Honolulu is left to finish the job in the entry draft and free agency. They left the expansion draft with a glaring need at safety, as they only grabbed one, an inactive player. While the Hahalua do have other holes that they will need to address, including tight end, defensive tackle, and cornerback, I believe they will draft a safety here. There are 5 safeties in the draft with over 200 TPE, and I think Honolulu will choose to go with Johnny Hellzapoppin here. With a bank account of nearly $25 million, Hellzapoppin should be able to immediately buy tier 6 equipment, and will have a chance to enter next season with over 300 TPE. Johnny will be a day one starter for the expansion Hahalua, and will join a secondary that should be an area of strength for Honolulu. In addition to Hellzapoppin, the Hahalua added veteran corner Emondov Emoji, who is one of only two players over 1000 TPE for Honolulu.
8) Colorado Yeti – Tyler Oles Jr – CB – 215 TPE
With the 8th pick of the draft, the Colorado Yeti select, cornerback Tyler Oles Jr. Oles is another player that had been considered a possibility to go number one overall before the Copperheads’ traded into the top spot. The abundance of high end corners in this draft is the only thing that allowed Oles to fall to number 8, and the Yeti will be very grateful for that. They could also pick a wide receiver or defensive lineman here as they lost a receiver and a defensive end in the expansion draft, but I think the value presented here by Oles is too much for Colorado to pass up. It’s been mentioned that Oles missed the last update of the season, but I don’t believe that is a concern here, as the TPE can just be claimed in the next update before next season. Oles has been around this league forever and is proven as a reliable corner. He has an absolute insane $195 million in his bank account, and he has also shown that he will be a top corner in the league, as he was with the retired Tyler Oles. For the Yeti, cornerback Quentin Sinclair is set to hit regression, so Oles will fit in perfectly as the nickel back and potential eventual replacement for Sinclair across from Louisiana Purchase. Oles provides fantastic value at number 8 for a Yeti team that will look to contend for an Ultimus trophy this season.
9) Baltimore Hawks – Jeffrey Phillips – TE – 247 TPE
The Baltimore Hawks have pick number 9 and will look to build off of a season in which they finished at 9-4 to lead the NSFC. While the Hawks have a pretty solid defense, quite a large number of their players are being hit by, or are about to be hit by, regression. While you could justify using this pick at just about any position on defense, I think Baltimore instead grabs a tight end here, as they do not currently have one on their roster. On top of that, Phillips is the top tight end in the class by a fair margin. At 247 TPE, Phillips is the 2nd highest TPE earner in the class, and the highest remaining on the board. The next highest tight end in the draft is Heath Evans at 212 TPE, so Phillips represents a bit of an upgrade there. By addressing their need at tight end, Baltimore has set themselves up well at every position on offense at this point except quarterback, which to be fair is a pretty big hole to fill after losing Corvo Havran as GM of Honolulu. Jeffrey Phillips will help make the job of whoever the Hawks have starting at quarterback that much easier.
10) Orange County Otters – White Goodman – RB – 246 TPE
The Orange County Otters are up next with pick number 10. After finishing first in the regular season at 10-3, the Otters had a disappointing end to their seasonas they lost in overtime of the ASFC Championship against the Second Line. Orange County surprisingly has quite a few areas that need to be addressed this offseason. They could use help at the defensive line, linebacker, and tight end. With Jeffrey Phillips being drafted a pick before, and most of the top tier defensive linemen and linebackers already drafted as well, it is likely that the Otters will draft a running back here. And that means that Orange County will be drafting White Goodman. Goodman is the highest TPE earning RB in the draft at 246, and is the highest remaining player on the board. Goodman will step in and make an immediate impact for the Otters as the backup to (and eventual replacement for) Ludicolo Bigby. Bigby is inactive and set to hit regression, so Goodman will step in at the perfect time for Orange County. Gucci, the (now former) GM of the DSFL Dallas Birddogs, has a big bank account and will be a great addition to the Otters’ locker room. Great pick here for Orange County as they add a top TPE earning recreate at a position of need with the 10th pick.
11) Yellowknife Wraiths - Matt 'Son of Havoc' Cross – S – 220 TPE
With pick number 11 we have NSFC Championship winning Yellowknife Wraiths. The Wraiths could go in a few different directions with this pick. They have needs at defensive line, safety, and tight end. One thing to keep in mind here for the Wraiths is that they will have to pick their GM’s player, QB Colby Jack, with their 2nd round pick. So they will have to pick wisely here as they will not have another pick that they can use freely until the 3rd round. With that said, I think the Wraiths will take a safety here, and hope that they find a defensive lineman or tight end in the low end of the top tier still available for them in round 3. That still leaves a few options for Yellowknife, including Matt Cross, Buck Thornton, and Quinn Hughes. I think the Wraiths go with Matt ‘Son of Havoc’ Cross. Cross currently has 220 TPE and a bank account of just under $15 million. Cross will be an extremely welcome addition to the Yellowknife locker room, though it is quite possible that he will spend one more season in the DSFL, as the Wraiths do still have 3 safeties on the roster facing regression but currently with more TPE than Cross.
12) New Orleans Second Line – Ben Slothlisberger – QB – 203 TPE
With the final pick of round 1, the New Orleans Second Line are back on the clock for the 2nd time. After taking defensive tackle Magnus Rikiya at number 2 overall, there seems to be a general consensus on who New Orleans will take here. And that someone is quarterback Ben Slothlisberger. As a recreate of a former Second Line player, Slothlisberger has been rumored to wanting to be drafted by the Second Line. I see no reason why the Second Line wouldn’t oblige him here, as they need to start planning for the eventual retirement of current QB Stan Francisco, who is now dealing with regression. At 203 TPE, Slothlisberger isn’t the highest TPE earner in the class, but with the top two quarterbacks in the class, the Jack brothers, slotted in as 2nd round GM picks, Slothlisberger is seen by many as the best QB available. Slothlisberger can be expected to spend the next season or two remaining down in the DSFL while Stan Francisco plays out his career. That time will allow Sloth an opportunity to close the TPE gap on some of the top earners in the class. Sloth has a large bank account and is a known commodity for New Orleans who can count on him to come in and be a positive and active member in the locker room.
13) Sarasota Sailfish - Cuco Clemente – DT – 216 TPE
After not having a pick in the first round, the expansion Sailfish have the first pick of round two. The Sailfish left the expansion draft with only one defensive tackle and no linebackers on the roster. Since we have already reached the 2nd tier of linebackers in this draft, I think the Sailfish will wait until next round to snag one. With that said, Sarasota ends up grabbing defensive tackle Cuco Clemente (formerly known as Octavio Clemente) here. At 216 TPE, Clemente has the same TPE as fellow defensive tackle and second overall pick Magnus Rickiya. Clemente presents tremendous value here for the Sailfish. With a bank account of nearly $25 million, look for Clemente to have their tier 6 equipment purchased before the season, and be ready to contribute as a day 1 starter for Sarasota. Clemente will join veteran Freezer Riposte in the interior of the defensive line. As Riposte is now deep into regression, the Sailfish will be expecting Clemente to learn quickly from Freezer, and be an eventual leader of this defense as the expansion franchise tries to find their footing in the league.
14) Honolulu Hahalua – Thubba Bumper – CB – 212 TPE
The Honolulu Hahalua are back on the clock with the 2nd pick of round 2. After taking safety Johnny Hellzapoppin in round 1 to help solidify their secondary, the Hahalua have a few different options available to them here. With plenty of elite cornerbacks still available, Honolulu could continue building their secondary by drafting someone to compete with Victor Moreno for the number two slot across from Emondov Emoji. Tight End Heath Evans is another option for the Hahalua, who still do not have a tight end on their roster. With 212 TPE, Evans is the last available tight end with over 200 TPE. It is likely that Honolulu also had their eyes on Cuco Clemente, who was drafted a pick prior to the Sailfish. With Clemente gone, and tight end being a slightly less impactful position, the Hahalua decide to grab one of their cornerbacks of the future here. After there were surprisingly only two corners drafted in round 1, the Hahalua are lucky enough to find themselves able to take recreate Thubba Bumper here in round 2. With 212 TPE, Bumper has slightly less TPE than some of the new corners still available, such as Brandon Booker and Eldrick Avery. But baueranthony is a known commodity and will be a great presence to have around the locker room for an expansion team like Honolulu. Bauer does surprisingly have a very small bank account at the moment, however look for him to put out some media this offseason in order to buy their equipment in time for the season. Bumper and Hellzapoppin will be a big part of a Honolulu secondary that has a chance to be one of the better secondaries in the league within just a couple seasons.
15) Arizona Outlaws – Quinn Hughes – S – 209 TPE
On the clock at pick number 15, we have the Arizona Outlaws with back to back picks. After picking linebacker Stanislaw Koniecpolski in round 1, the Outlaws still have holes at just about every position except for quarterback and wide receiver. With no defensive ends on the roster, expect Arizona to take a long look at prospects Sandro Ryeu and James Cho here. Instead, I believe the Outlaws have their sights set on another player here. The Outlaws select one the few elite safeties remaining in the draft, my London Royals teammate, Quinn Hughes. With 209 TPE, Hughes is right there with the best safeties in the class. Isidore has been a great and active member of the Royals locker room. The Outlaws will be lucky to add both a great player and a great personality to their team. Isidore has built up a respectable bank account of over $25 million. They have put out weekly power rankings for both the DSFL and NSFL and are looking to continue and improve this as we enter next season. Count on Isidore to have a well funded bank account for seasons to come that will allow them to maximize the TPE of Quinn Hughes. With Koniecpolski and now Hughes, the Outlaws defense is starting to take shape, but look for them to add even more pieces in the coming rounds.
16) Arizona Outlaws – Acura Skyline – RB – 219 TPE
With the second of back to back picks, Arizona is still on the clock. After going defense with their first two picks, there is a good chance that the Outlaws look to improve their offense with this pick. While they could easily go defense again here – James Cho and Sandro Ryeu are both viable options – the Outlaws lost running back Ruff Ruff to the Sarasota Sailfish in the recent expansion draft and now do not have a running back on the roster. I think they add one here. With White Goodman drafted in round 1, that leaves 3 running backs just below that top tier for Arizona to decide from – Acura Skyline, Kichwa Jones, and Tatsu Nakamura. All three players have between 212 and 219 TPE and all three have fairly sizeable bank accounts. The Outlaws really can’t go wrong with any of these three players, but I believe their best bet is Acura Skyline. Another teammate of mine in London, Acura is another great locker room guy and will join Koniecpolski and Hughes as part of the Outlaws S22 Draft Class that should make their locker room a heck of a lot more active. Skyline’s performance this past season in the DSFL is worth mentioning. Fresh off his Offensive Player of the Year Award, Skyline had a dominant season for the Royals. He led the league in rushing yards with 1761 (no other player had 1600+) and finished in a tie for second with 10 touchdowns. With 92 speed (and a whole bunch more TPE to allocate when they’re called up to the NSFL), Skyline is one of the fastest players in the draft. This speed allowed Acura to be one of the better returners this season in the DSFL, as he led the league in kick return yards. While it’s unrealistic to expect Skyline to step in immediately as Arizona’s return man, he should be a day one starter at running back, and could pick up return duties after a couple seasons.
17) San Jose Sabercats – Monty Jack – QB – 229 TPE
The San Jose Sabercats are up next with the 17th pick of the draft. With their GM’s player, Monty Jack, in the draft, this pick will be a forced GM pick and the Sabercats get their quarterback of the future. With 229 TPE, Monty is second among quarterbacks in this class, behind only his brother, Colby Jack, who will also be selected in this round as Yellowknife’s GM pick. Despite having less TPE than Colby, Monty finds himself drafted before his brother again, just as he was in the S21 DSFL Draft. As San Jose’s current starting quarterback, Dan Wright, is just now entering his first season of regression, expect Monty to stay down in the DSFL with the Birddogs for another couple seasons (it appears that Wright will actually be retiring after next season, so it will just be one more season down in the DSFL for Monty). Timing should work out pretty well here for the Sabercats, as Jack should be entering the beginning of his prime just as Wright is exiting his. As a recreate player with a hefty bank account of $87 million, Monty is about as safe a pick as you can get. Jack will be a max earner throughout his career and is a great value pick here for San Jose.
18) Philadelphia Liberty – Brandon Booker – CB – 218 TPE
After adding two of the top prospects in the draft in Derred De Ville and Phat Boi to their defense in round 1, the Philadelphia Liberty are back on the clock with the 6th pick of round 2. The Liberty are fairly set at every position on offense (though they could justify adding a wide receiver to be the eventual replacement to veteran Nacho Varga) and this allows the Liberty to continue adding talent to their defense. Philadelphia decided against adding a cornerback – a position they desperately need after they lost Emondov Emoji to the Sarasota Sailfish in the recent expansion draft– with their two first round picks, and that decision pays off for them here as they still have some elite options to choose from here. At the end of the day, this decision isn’t all that tough for the Liberty, and they select the highest TPE corner in the draft (at least until Tyler Oles Jr passes him back again at the next update) with 218 TPE. Memento Mori has been extremely active, both on the forums and discord, and has built up a bank account of over $50 million. Mori has put out some great media articles, and is exactly the type of active member a team is looking to add to their locker room. Booker becomes just the second corner on the Liberty’s roster, alongside the inactive Stuart Little IV. With all the talent remaining at corner in this draft, look for Philadelphia to add a second in a later round and to possible be starting an all rookie cornerback duo come next season.
19) Austin Copperheads – William Lim – WR – 216 TPE
After trading up to number one overall to draft Colt Mendoza, the Austin Copperheads are back on the clock at number 19 after a long wait between picks. With Colt Mendoza now on the team, the Copperheads don’t exactly have any glaring need. They do however, have some areas that they could use an upgrade at. They could stand to improve their second defensive tackle and safety spots, as their current starters there are either inactive or a modest TPE earner. Austin also needs to add a third wide receiver and a third linebacker. And with their number one receiver, Rod Tidwell, entering regression after this season, they will need to start grooming his eventual replacement as well. The Copperheads could very well take defensive tackle Deshun Jones, or linebackers Lawrence Bass or Haha Mango Panda here, I think they will end up grabbing a wide receiver with this pick. With no wide receivers taken thus far in the draft, Austin will have their pick of the litter. William Lim, Michael Witheblock, and Eddie Jeeta will likely be their main considerations here, players like Susan Cash Jr and Thomas Passman are options as well. All 5 of these players have around 200 TPE, and enough money in their bank accounts to feel comfortable with. At the end of the day, I think the Copperheads go with the leading TPE earner and the richest of the bunch, William Lim. Lim has 216 TPE as of the last update, and user Yonggarius has a bank account of just under $50 million. Yonggarius has been putting out lots of media and will immediately be one of the more active users in the Copperheads locker room. Look for Lim to start for Austin on day 1, as the wide receiver 3 behind the aforementioned Rod Tidwell and Net Gaines. By the time Tidwell is hit hard by regression, Gaines should be ready to step into the number one role, with William Lim step into the two slot.
20) Colorado Yeti – Sandro Ryeu – DE – 211 TPE
At pick number 20, we have the Colorado Yeti. After adding Tyler Oles Jr to their defense in round 1, will the Yeti continue adding to their defense, or add to their offense? Now that cornerback has been addressed, the Yeti’s greatest needs are at wide receiver and along the defensive line. With Jame Bishop deep into regression, they will definitely need to find his replacement in this draft, as the only other wide receiver they currently have on the roster is second year player Red Arrow. It is very possible that the Yeti liked William Lim and had plans to take him had he not been taken the pick before. There are still several good options remaining as wide receiver as I outlined in the previous pick, but I think the Yeti continue to build their defense here. Their decision will likely come down to defensive tackle Deshun Jones, and defensive ends Sandro Ryeu and James Cho. In the end, I think they end up going with Sandro Ryeu. Ryeu is another teammate of mine from London, and again, was a great teammate and will be a fantastic locker room presence for whichever team is lucky enough to acquire his services. Ryeu has 211 TPE and quite a large bank account of over $40 million. Alongside S21 first round pick Immanuel Blackstone, Ryeu will be part of a young defensive line that could very well be a feared unit in a couple short seasons. Sandro Ryeu has also shown some versatility, spending some time at linebacker for the Royals. Ryeu’s time at linebacker was a success, and should give GMs confidence in moving him around on the defense. More importantly, Sandro’s willingness to play out of position is exactly the type of thing that GMs are looking for when trying to decide between prospects with similar TPE and activity levels. It could very well be the thing that puts Ryeu over the top here for the Yeti.
21) Chicago Butchers - Benson Bayley Jr. – LB – 165 TPE
On the clock with the 21st pick of the draft, we finally have the Chicago Butchers with their first pick of the draft. Now there has been a lot of talk recently about the issues that have been going on with the Butchers, but with new GMs Bayley and Muford stepping in to take the reigns, the Butchers are looking to turn things around, and that starts with this pick. The Butchers have quite a lot of holes that they need to fix, but somewhat unfortunately for them, they do not have freedom with this pick, as their new GM Bayley’s player, Benson Bayley Jr is in this draft class. At 165 TPE, Bayley is lacking slightly in this department, as there are still a few linebackers available with more TPE. However, Bayley is an experienced user in this league, and a handful of TPE on draft day isn’t the most pressing concern. Bayley has a big bank account of nearly $50 million, and that will be put towards training and equipment to help bring their player towards the upper echelon of this draft class. Bayley will just be the first of many pieces added to the Butchers defense this offseason. While they will still have plenty of holes to fill after this back, their linebacking corps is suddenly looking very nice, as they now have 3 active players at this position drafted in S18 or later.
22) Orange County Otters – Deshun Jones – DT – 212 TPE
After adding running back White Goodman in the first round, look for the Orange County Otters to focus on their defense here with the 22nd pick. They have needs all across their front seven, and could realistically go linebacker, defensive end, or defensive tackle here. With Bobby Boucher holding down one of their defensive end spots, they may want to give S19 draftee Gary Lazer Eyes one more season to see if he will remain active. Lazer Eyes has 296 TPE, right about what a rookie drafted here would have at the start of the S23 season. Lazer Eyes hasn’t updated since February, but he was last seen just a couple days ago, so their may be hope for him yet. That leaves the Otters to decide between defensive tackle and linebacker. After Deshun Jones, there are only a couple top defensive tackles left available, while there are still quite a few high end linebackers available, so Orange County might be more likely to go with the DT here in Deshun Jones. Jones will join second year defensive tackle Rapid Eagle, along with the two defensive ends mentioned above to form what is possibly the youngest defensive line in the NSFL. If Lazer Eyes can turn it around and get back to updating (or if Orange County drafts another defensive end with a later pick in this draft), the Otters could very possibly end up fielding an absolutely dominant defensive line in a few seasons. Having four young, active players on the line has to be a very exciting prospect for the Otters. With a bank account of over $25 million, Jones has shown himself to be an active member of the league and will be a welcome addition for the Otters both on and off the field.
23) Yellowknife Wraiths – Colby Jack – QB – 245 TPE
The Yellowknife Wraiths are back on the clock with the 11th pick of round 2.This will be the third and final automatic GM player pick here in the 2nd round. After adding safety Matt “Son of Havoc” Cross in round 1, the Wraiths will add the top QB in the class, Colby Jack, to their roster. At 245 TPE, Colby has put a bit of distance between himself and his brother Monty, and is one of the top overall TPE earners in the draft class. Like his brother Monty, you can expect Colby to stay down with the London Royals in the DSFL for a couple more seasons as Yellowknife’s current starte Cooter Bigsby enters regression and plays out the final few seasons of his career. Colby should be expected to have progressed tremendously by the time he is starting in the NSFL for the Wraiths. It is likely that Colby will be competing against his brother for MVP awards year in and year out once they have established themselves in the league. On top of the high TPE total, flyeaglesfly will be a great member of the Wraiths locker room, even while he spends the next few seasons in the DSFL. On top of that, he enters the draft with one of the largest bank accounts in the class, at over $113 million. Safe to say that Colby will not be having troubles affording their training or equipment any time soon.
24) New Orleans Second Line – Buck Thornton – S – 214 TPE
With the final pick of the 2nd round, we have the New Orleans Second Line. After adding defensive tackle Magnus Rikiya and their quarterback of the future, Ben Slothlisberger in round 1, the Second Line somewhat surprisingly still have quite a few holes that need to be addressed. New Orleans was hit hard in the expansion draft, as two of the top three picks were Second Line players. Linebacker Mark Arianlacher and wide receiver Jed Podolak were taken 2nd and 3rd overall respectively by the Sarasota Sailfish, and both will need to be replaced by the Second Line. In addition to needing another wide receiver and linebacker, New Orleans will also be looking to add another safety, defensive end, and possibly even a 3rd wide receiver or linebacker this offseason. Luckily for the Second Line, with how stacked this draft class is, they are able to grab a first round talent at any of the previously mentioned positions. Players like James Cho, Lawrence Bass, Haha Mango Panda, Eddie Jeeta, and Michael Witheblock are all still available and would be great additions for New Orleans. Instead, I think they pass on all of these players and add arguably the last elite safety still available in this draft, Buck Thornton. At 214 TPE, Thornton actually has more TPE than the previously drafted safety, Quinn Hughes. Furfurfurson has built up a solid bank account, having over $45 million to his name. Furson can be expected to continue putting out high quality media articles, and will be a solid addition to the very active New Orleans locker room. Thornton will join a Second Line that already has 4 players over 600 TPE, and no one yet being hit by regression. This will allow Thornton some time to develop and will allow him to see the field in low pressure situations as he will be able to rely on his more experienced teammates in the secondary.
We’ve reached the end of two rounds, and we’ve had 24 outstanding players drafted, yet there are still plenty of phenomenal players available. There were 17 defensive players and 7 offensive players taken in the first 2 rounds of this mock. Look that number to be slightly more even in the coming rounds as the top offensive linemen start to come off the board. I was hoping to mock at least the 3rd round, but I’m running out of time with the draft just a few hours away, so this will have to do.
With all the talk about how strong of a draft class this is for cornerbacks, it is a little bit surprising to see that only 4 corners were taken in the first two rounds. There were also four safeties and four defensive tackles picked. While there are still plenty of elite corners remaining (6 with at least 198 TPE) the same isn’t quite the case at safety and DT. It is very possible that this results in corners continuing to slide down the draft boards and leaving some outstanding value picks in the later rounds for some teams.
Looking ahead to round 3 and beyond, there are still an incredible 20 (10 on offense, 9 on defense, and 1 on special teams) players remaining with 200+ TPE. For comparison, there were only 12 players with 200+ TPE in the entire S21 draft, and only one was drafted after the second round. This is a draft that will be worth following well into the double digit rounds.
1) Austin Copperheads – Colt Mendoza – CB – 200 TPE
With the first pick of the S22 NSFL Draft, we have the Austin Copperheads. The Copperheads made an aggressive move back in March to snag the 1st overall pick in the draft from the expansion Hahaluas, giving up their 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 8th round selections in exchange for Honolulu’s 1st and 7th. That is quite a lot to give up in a loaded draft class like this, so there must be someone that the Copperhead’s really felt they couldn’t afford to miss out on. It seems to be all but confirmed that the player they’re targeting here is Dallas Birddogs cornerback Colt Mendoza. After losing cornerback Victor Moreno to the Honolulu Hahalua in the recent expansion draft, the Copperheads desperately need a 2nd cornerback that they can line up across from Dermot Lavelle Jr. Mendoza shockingly wasn’t drafted until 147th (!) overall by the Birddogs in the S21 DSFL Draft, making him a candidate for the biggest jump ever from the DSFL Draft to #1 overall in the NSFL Draft. While Mendoza doesn’t have the highest TPE in the class, the difference between him and the top earners in the class is small enough in the long run. It is worth noting that iSteg’s bank account is just under $80 million. That’s more than enough to sustain purchases for Mendoza for multiple seasons. I’m sure we will be seeing more media from steg so I think it’s safe to say that Mendoza can be counted on to be a max TPE earner going forward. But the real draw to Mendoza at #1 oa is Isteg’s analysis and work with the sim. He has done some truly incredible work and posted extremely helpful media pieces that analyze tens of thousands of simmed games. This level of dedication and analysis will be an extremely welcome addition to the Copperheads locker room and isteg could be an immediate addition to their war room. As a future NSFL GM in the making, iSteg is well worthy of the first overall pick in the draft.
2) New Orleans Second Line – Magnus Rikiya – DT – 216 TPE
At pick number two, we have the Ultimus winning New Orleans as the result of another trade. The Second Line didn’t give up quite as much as Austin did, but they still paid a pretty steep price to move up to #2 overall. Like iSteg, Tesla has posted tons of media content. And according to her bank account (a whopping $103 million) she has posted even more than iSteg has. This is exactly what New Orleans is looking for in a top draft pick, as they put on premium on active users who will bring a positive attitude to the locker room. Not only will New Orleans be getting a great locker room presence in Tesla with this pick, they are also getting a great playing in Magnus Rikiya at a position of need. At 216 TPE, Rikiya is tied for 2nd highest TPE for a DT in this draft class after Phat Boi. And with her hefty bank account, Tesla can be counted on to max earn for the duration of Rikiya’s career. With only 1 defensive tackle currently on their roster, New Orleans definitely need to add a second that they can plug in beside Bjorn Ironside. Look for Ironside and Rikiya to be a dominant duo in the interior of the d line for seasons to come.
3) Philadelphia Liberty – Derred De Ville – LB – 229 TPE
With the 3rd pick of the S22 NSFL Draft, the Philadelphia Liberty are on the clock. The Liberty could go in quite a few directions with this pick here. They will almost certainly go defense with this pick as they have a need at every postion on this side of the ball except safety. Recreate corners such as Tyler Oles Jr and Thubba Bumper will definitely be tempting here, but with how deep this cornerback class is, I think Philadelphia addresses it later in the draft. In my mind that leaves three likely players for Philadelphia to choose between – Phat Boi, Stanislaw Koniecpolski, and Derred De Ville. I might be biased, but I think they go with my London Royals teammate here, Derred De Ville. De Ville may have the lowest TPE out of the three, but over the course of a career, this shortfall of 20-30 TPE is essentially negligible. Exilizer has put out some great media content and created some incredible graphics. He has used this to build a bank account of over $60 million, more than enough to keep Derred afloat for seasons to come. Another thing that may or may not be worth mentioning is De Ville’s performance this season in the DSFL. Derred was all over the field this season, as he finished tied second in tackles and sacks, finishing with 147 and 9 respectively. He also added 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, an interception and 8 passes defensed. With stats like these it’s no surprise that he won the Defensive Player of the Year award and finished as a finalist for MVP. Now I know that DSFL stats are essentially meaningless to a player’s draft stock and can be largely chalked up to sim luck, the sim does seem to have some players that just seem to perform well. Based on his performance this season, De Ville may just be one of those players. One other thing that should not be overlooked is Exilizer’s locker room presence. I can speak from first hand experience that Exilizer was amazing to have around and was deservedly named a captain of the Royals. Whoever drafts him will be lucky to have him.
4) Arizona Outlaws - Stanisław Koniecpolski – LB – 246 TPE
The Arizona Outlaws are on the clock with the 4th pick of the draft. The Outlaws have quite a few holes to fill on their roster – but luckily for them they have amassed quite the haul of picks in this draft, 13 in the first 8 rounds and 9 in the first 5. Arizona is in a great position to rebuild very quickly. With so many picks in their possession, the Outlaws are largely able to go best player available here, and worry about addressing any specific needs remaining with later picks. As with the Liberty, look for Arizona to pass on a corner here as they will have plenty of opportunities to take a high end one in a later round. And with Derred De Ville off the board, Stanislaw Koniecpolski represents the only other truly elite linebacker prospect in the class, and is a player that won’t be available for the Outlaws in later rounds. With 246 TPE, Koniecpolski is in the top 5 for TPE in this draft class, and is the top earning linebacker in the class. His bank account of nearly $50 million shows the level of activity he has displayed in terms of media articles. He will be a great addition to an Outlaw locker room that is about to add a whole bunch of new faces, and will be a cornerstone of their defense for seasons to come.
5) San Jose Sabercats – Troen Egghands – DE – 221 TPE
At pick 5, we have the San Jose Sabercats, another team that will have ample opportunity to improve off of a disappointing S21. With the exception of the offensive line, San Jose has a pretty complete offense filled with young players that will soon be entering their prime. San Jose is yet another team in need of a corner that will decide to address another position first. After adding Otis Allen in the first round of last season’s draft, the Sabercats will add another young defensive lineman to the team, in Troen Egghands. Troen is another user that has been extremely active. He has put out some amazing media articles and has built up a massive bank account of over $70 million. This is a player that will be a max TPE earner throughout their career and will be a great presence in the locker room. Look for Egghands to be an immediate call up next season for San Jose, and to begin terrorizing opposing quarterbacks alongside Otis Allen right away.
6) Philadelphia Liberty – Phat Boi – DT – 259 TPE
With pick number 6, the Philadelphia Liberty are back on the clock with their second pick of the round. After adding Derred De Ville with pick number 3, the Liberty will continue to bolster their defense with this pick here. While the decision at 3 was a tough one, this decision is not nearly as difficult. Phat Boi was a strong consideration for Philadelphia at number 3, and with him still on the board at 6, the Liberty waste no time in picking him up. With an insane 259 TPE, Phat Boi is the top TPE earner in this class. Up until recently, he was projected by many to go number 1 overall. But with the trades for the first and second overall picks, and the respective teams’ reported interest in Mendoza and Rikiya, we have Phat Boi falling further than expected. And the Liberty couldn’t be happier. While Badlck has a somewhat modest bank account (compared to some other players) of just over $10 million, there is no reason not to expect them to continue to earn the maximum TPE available. Badlck has put out some great media, including some amazing podcasts. Look for that to continue in the future. With the additions of Phat Boi and Derred De Ville, Philadelphia is building what has the potential to be a perennially great defense.
7) Honolulu Hahalua - Johnny Hellzapoppin – S – 215 TPE
For the first time in franchise history, the Honolulu Hahalua are on clock in an NSFL Entry Draft (not to be confused with the NSFL Expansion Draft). After beginning to fill out their roster in the expansion draft, Honolulu is left to finish the job in the entry draft and free agency. They left the expansion draft with a glaring need at safety, as they only grabbed one, an inactive player. While the Hahalua do have other holes that they will need to address, including tight end, defensive tackle, and cornerback, I believe they will draft a safety here. There are 5 safeties in the draft with over 200 TPE, and I think Honolulu will choose to go with Johnny Hellzapoppin here. With a bank account of nearly $25 million, Hellzapoppin should be able to immediately buy tier 6 equipment, and will have a chance to enter next season with over 300 TPE. Johnny will be a day one starter for the expansion Hahalua, and will join a secondary that should be an area of strength for Honolulu. In addition to Hellzapoppin, the Hahalua added veteran corner Emondov Emoji, who is one of only two players over 1000 TPE for Honolulu.
8) Colorado Yeti – Tyler Oles Jr – CB – 215 TPE
With the 8th pick of the draft, the Colorado Yeti select, cornerback Tyler Oles Jr. Oles is another player that had been considered a possibility to go number one overall before the Copperheads’ traded into the top spot. The abundance of high end corners in this draft is the only thing that allowed Oles to fall to number 8, and the Yeti will be very grateful for that. They could also pick a wide receiver or defensive lineman here as they lost a receiver and a defensive end in the expansion draft, but I think the value presented here by Oles is too much for Colorado to pass up. It’s been mentioned that Oles missed the last update of the season, but I don’t believe that is a concern here, as the TPE can just be claimed in the next update before next season. Oles has been around this league forever and is proven as a reliable corner. He has an absolute insane $195 million in his bank account, and he has also shown that he will be a top corner in the league, as he was with the retired Tyler Oles. For the Yeti, cornerback Quentin Sinclair is set to hit regression, so Oles will fit in perfectly as the nickel back and potential eventual replacement for Sinclair across from Louisiana Purchase. Oles provides fantastic value at number 8 for a Yeti team that will look to contend for an Ultimus trophy this season.
9) Baltimore Hawks – Jeffrey Phillips – TE – 247 TPE
The Baltimore Hawks have pick number 9 and will look to build off of a season in which they finished at 9-4 to lead the NSFC. While the Hawks have a pretty solid defense, quite a large number of their players are being hit by, or are about to be hit by, regression. While you could justify using this pick at just about any position on defense, I think Baltimore instead grabs a tight end here, as they do not currently have one on their roster. On top of that, Phillips is the top tight end in the class by a fair margin. At 247 TPE, Phillips is the 2nd highest TPE earner in the class, and the highest remaining on the board. The next highest tight end in the draft is Heath Evans at 212 TPE, so Phillips represents a bit of an upgrade there. By addressing their need at tight end, Baltimore has set themselves up well at every position on offense at this point except quarterback, which to be fair is a pretty big hole to fill after losing Corvo Havran as GM of Honolulu. Jeffrey Phillips will help make the job of whoever the Hawks have starting at quarterback that much easier.
10) Orange County Otters – White Goodman – RB – 246 TPE
The Orange County Otters are up next with pick number 10. After finishing first in the regular season at 10-3, the Otters had a disappointing end to their seasonas they lost in overtime of the ASFC Championship against the Second Line. Orange County surprisingly has quite a few areas that need to be addressed this offseason. They could use help at the defensive line, linebacker, and tight end. With Jeffrey Phillips being drafted a pick before, and most of the top tier defensive linemen and linebackers already drafted as well, it is likely that the Otters will draft a running back here. And that means that Orange County will be drafting White Goodman. Goodman is the highest TPE earning RB in the draft at 246, and is the highest remaining player on the board. Goodman will step in and make an immediate impact for the Otters as the backup to (and eventual replacement for) Ludicolo Bigby. Bigby is inactive and set to hit regression, so Goodman will step in at the perfect time for Orange County. Gucci, the (now former) GM of the DSFL Dallas Birddogs, has a big bank account and will be a great addition to the Otters’ locker room. Great pick here for Orange County as they add a top TPE earning recreate at a position of need with the 10th pick.
11) Yellowknife Wraiths - Matt 'Son of Havoc' Cross – S – 220 TPE
With pick number 11 we have NSFC Championship winning Yellowknife Wraiths. The Wraiths could go in a few different directions with this pick. They have needs at defensive line, safety, and tight end. One thing to keep in mind here for the Wraiths is that they will have to pick their GM’s player, QB Colby Jack, with their 2nd round pick. So they will have to pick wisely here as they will not have another pick that they can use freely until the 3rd round. With that said, I think the Wraiths will take a safety here, and hope that they find a defensive lineman or tight end in the low end of the top tier still available for them in round 3. That still leaves a few options for Yellowknife, including Matt Cross, Buck Thornton, and Quinn Hughes. I think the Wraiths go with Matt ‘Son of Havoc’ Cross. Cross currently has 220 TPE and a bank account of just under $15 million. Cross will be an extremely welcome addition to the Yellowknife locker room, though it is quite possible that he will spend one more season in the DSFL, as the Wraiths do still have 3 safeties on the roster facing regression but currently with more TPE than Cross.
12) New Orleans Second Line – Ben Slothlisberger – QB – 203 TPE
With the final pick of round 1, the New Orleans Second Line are back on the clock for the 2nd time. After taking defensive tackle Magnus Rikiya at number 2 overall, there seems to be a general consensus on who New Orleans will take here. And that someone is quarterback Ben Slothlisberger. As a recreate of a former Second Line player, Slothlisberger has been rumored to wanting to be drafted by the Second Line. I see no reason why the Second Line wouldn’t oblige him here, as they need to start planning for the eventual retirement of current QB Stan Francisco, who is now dealing with regression. At 203 TPE, Slothlisberger isn’t the highest TPE earner in the class, but with the top two quarterbacks in the class, the Jack brothers, slotted in as 2nd round GM picks, Slothlisberger is seen by many as the best QB available. Slothlisberger can be expected to spend the next season or two remaining down in the DSFL while Stan Francisco plays out his career. That time will allow Sloth an opportunity to close the TPE gap on some of the top earners in the class. Sloth has a large bank account and is a known commodity for New Orleans who can count on him to come in and be a positive and active member in the locker room.
13) Sarasota Sailfish - Cuco Clemente – DT – 216 TPE
After not having a pick in the first round, the expansion Sailfish have the first pick of round two. The Sailfish left the expansion draft with only one defensive tackle and no linebackers on the roster. Since we have already reached the 2nd tier of linebackers in this draft, I think the Sailfish will wait until next round to snag one. With that said, Sarasota ends up grabbing defensive tackle Cuco Clemente (formerly known as Octavio Clemente) here. At 216 TPE, Clemente has the same TPE as fellow defensive tackle and second overall pick Magnus Rickiya. Clemente presents tremendous value here for the Sailfish. With a bank account of nearly $25 million, look for Clemente to have their tier 6 equipment purchased before the season, and be ready to contribute as a day 1 starter for Sarasota. Clemente will join veteran Freezer Riposte in the interior of the defensive line. As Riposte is now deep into regression, the Sailfish will be expecting Clemente to learn quickly from Freezer, and be an eventual leader of this defense as the expansion franchise tries to find their footing in the league.
14) Honolulu Hahalua – Thubba Bumper – CB – 212 TPE
The Honolulu Hahalua are back on the clock with the 2nd pick of round 2. After taking safety Johnny Hellzapoppin in round 1 to help solidify their secondary, the Hahalua have a few different options available to them here. With plenty of elite cornerbacks still available, Honolulu could continue building their secondary by drafting someone to compete with Victor Moreno for the number two slot across from Emondov Emoji. Tight End Heath Evans is another option for the Hahalua, who still do not have a tight end on their roster. With 212 TPE, Evans is the last available tight end with over 200 TPE. It is likely that Honolulu also had their eyes on Cuco Clemente, who was drafted a pick prior to the Sailfish. With Clemente gone, and tight end being a slightly less impactful position, the Hahalua decide to grab one of their cornerbacks of the future here. After there were surprisingly only two corners drafted in round 1, the Hahalua are lucky enough to find themselves able to take recreate Thubba Bumper here in round 2. With 212 TPE, Bumper has slightly less TPE than some of the new corners still available, such as Brandon Booker and Eldrick Avery. But baueranthony is a known commodity and will be a great presence to have around the locker room for an expansion team like Honolulu. Bauer does surprisingly have a very small bank account at the moment, however look for him to put out some media this offseason in order to buy their equipment in time for the season. Bumper and Hellzapoppin will be a big part of a Honolulu secondary that has a chance to be one of the better secondaries in the league within just a couple seasons.
15) Arizona Outlaws – Quinn Hughes – S – 209 TPE
On the clock at pick number 15, we have the Arizona Outlaws with back to back picks. After picking linebacker Stanislaw Koniecpolski in round 1, the Outlaws still have holes at just about every position except for quarterback and wide receiver. With no defensive ends on the roster, expect Arizona to take a long look at prospects Sandro Ryeu and James Cho here. Instead, I believe the Outlaws have their sights set on another player here. The Outlaws select one the few elite safeties remaining in the draft, my London Royals teammate, Quinn Hughes. With 209 TPE, Hughes is right there with the best safeties in the class. Isidore has been a great and active member of the Royals locker room. The Outlaws will be lucky to add both a great player and a great personality to their team. Isidore has built up a respectable bank account of over $25 million. They have put out weekly power rankings for both the DSFL and NSFL and are looking to continue and improve this as we enter next season. Count on Isidore to have a well funded bank account for seasons to come that will allow them to maximize the TPE of Quinn Hughes. With Koniecpolski and now Hughes, the Outlaws defense is starting to take shape, but look for them to add even more pieces in the coming rounds.
16) Arizona Outlaws – Acura Skyline – RB – 219 TPE
With the second of back to back picks, Arizona is still on the clock. After going defense with their first two picks, there is a good chance that the Outlaws look to improve their offense with this pick. While they could easily go defense again here – James Cho and Sandro Ryeu are both viable options – the Outlaws lost running back Ruff Ruff to the Sarasota Sailfish in the recent expansion draft and now do not have a running back on the roster. I think they add one here. With White Goodman drafted in round 1, that leaves 3 running backs just below that top tier for Arizona to decide from – Acura Skyline, Kichwa Jones, and Tatsu Nakamura. All three players have between 212 and 219 TPE and all three have fairly sizeable bank accounts. The Outlaws really can’t go wrong with any of these three players, but I believe their best bet is Acura Skyline. Another teammate of mine in London, Acura is another great locker room guy and will join Koniecpolski and Hughes as part of the Outlaws S22 Draft Class that should make their locker room a heck of a lot more active. Skyline’s performance this past season in the DSFL is worth mentioning. Fresh off his Offensive Player of the Year Award, Skyline had a dominant season for the Royals. He led the league in rushing yards with 1761 (no other player had 1600+) and finished in a tie for second with 10 touchdowns. With 92 speed (and a whole bunch more TPE to allocate when they’re called up to the NSFL), Skyline is one of the fastest players in the draft. This speed allowed Acura to be one of the better returners this season in the DSFL, as he led the league in kick return yards. While it’s unrealistic to expect Skyline to step in immediately as Arizona’s return man, he should be a day one starter at running back, and could pick up return duties after a couple seasons.
17) San Jose Sabercats – Monty Jack – QB – 229 TPE
The San Jose Sabercats are up next with the 17th pick of the draft. With their GM’s player, Monty Jack, in the draft, this pick will be a forced GM pick and the Sabercats get their quarterback of the future. With 229 TPE, Monty is second among quarterbacks in this class, behind only his brother, Colby Jack, who will also be selected in this round as Yellowknife’s GM pick. Despite having less TPE than Colby, Monty finds himself drafted before his brother again, just as he was in the S21 DSFL Draft. As San Jose’s current starting quarterback, Dan Wright, is just now entering his first season of regression, expect Monty to stay down in the DSFL with the Birddogs for another couple seasons (it appears that Wright will actually be retiring after next season, so it will just be one more season down in the DSFL for Monty). Timing should work out pretty well here for the Sabercats, as Jack should be entering the beginning of his prime just as Wright is exiting his. As a recreate player with a hefty bank account of $87 million, Monty is about as safe a pick as you can get. Jack will be a max earner throughout his career and is a great value pick here for San Jose.
18) Philadelphia Liberty – Brandon Booker – CB – 218 TPE
After adding two of the top prospects in the draft in Derred De Ville and Phat Boi to their defense in round 1, the Philadelphia Liberty are back on the clock with the 6th pick of round 2. The Liberty are fairly set at every position on offense (though they could justify adding a wide receiver to be the eventual replacement to veteran Nacho Varga) and this allows the Liberty to continue adding talent to their defense. Philadelphia decided against adding a cornerback – a position they desperately need after they lost Emondov Emoji to the Sarasota Sailfish in the recent expansion draft– with their two first round picks, and that decision pays off for them here as they still have some elite options to choose from here. At the end of the day, this decision isn’t all that tough for the Liberty, and they select the highest TPE corner in the draft (at least until Tyler Oles Jr passes him back again at the next update) with 218 TPE. Memento Mori has been extremely active, both on the forums and discord, and has built up a bank account of over $50 million. Mori has put out some great media articles, and is exactly the type of active member a team is looking to add to their locker room. Booker becomes just the second corner on the Liberty’s roster, alongside the inactive Stuart Little IV. With all the talent remaining at corner in this draft, look for Philadelphia to add a second in a later round and to possible be starting an all rookie cornerback duo come next season.
19) Austin Copperheads – William Lim – WR – 216 TPE
After trading up to number one overall to draft Colt Mendoza, the Austin Copperheads are back on the clock at number 19 after a long wait between picks. With Colt Mendoza now on the team, the Copperheads don’t exactly have any glaring need. They do however, have some areas that they could use an upgrade at. They could stand to improve their second defensive tackle and safety spots, as their current starters there are either inactive or a modest TPE earner. Austin also needs to add a third wide receiver and a third linebacker. And with their number one receiver, Rod Tidwell, entering regression after this season, they will need to start grooming his eventual replacement as well. The Copperheads could very well take defensive tackle Deshun Jones, or linebackers Lawrence Bass or Haha Mango Panda here, I think they will end up grabbing a wide receiver with this pick. With no wide receivers taken thus far in the draft, Austin will have their pick of the litter. William Lim, Michael Witheblock, and Eddie Jeeta will likely be their main considerations here, players like Susan Cash Jr and Thomas Passman are options as well. All 5 of these players have around 200 TPE, and enough money in their bank accounts to feel comfortable with. At the end of the day, I think the Copperheads go with the leading TPE earner and the richest of the bunch, William Lim. Lim has 216 TPE as of the last update, and user Yonggarius has a bank account of just under $50 million. Yonggarius has been putting out lots of media and will immediately be one of the more active users in the Copperheads locker room. Look for Lim to start for Austin on day 1, as the wide receiver 3 behind the aforementioned Rod Tidwell and Net Gaines. By the time Tidwell is hit hard by regression, Gaines should be ready to step into the number one role, with William Lim step into the two slot.
20) Colorado Yeti – Sandro Ryeu – DE – 211 TPE
At pick number 20, we have the Colorado Yeti. After adding Tyler Oles Jr to their defense in round 1, will the Yeti continue adding to their defense, or add to their offense? Now that cornerback has been addressed, the Yeti’s greatest needs are at wide receiver and along the defensive line. With Jame Bishop deep into regression, they will definitely need to find his replacement in this draft, as the only other wide receiver they currently have on the roster is second year player Red Arrow. It is very possible that the Yeti liked William Lim and had plans to take him had he not been taken the pick before. There are still several good options remaining as wide receiver as I outlined in the previous pick, but I think the Yeti continue to build their defense here. Their decision will likely come down to defensive tackle Deshun Jones, and defensive ends Sandro Ryeu and James Cho. In the end, I think they end up going with Sandro Ryeu. Ryeu is another teammate of mine from London, and again, was a great teammate and will be a fantastic locker room presence for whichever team is lucky enough to acquire his services. Ryeu has 211 TPE and quite a large bank account of over $40 million. Alongside S21 first round pick Immanuel Blackstone, Ryeu will be part of a young defensive line that could very well be a feared unit in a couple short seasons. Sandro Ryeu has also shown some versatility, spending some time at linebacker for the Royals. Ryeu’s time at linebacker was a success, and should give GMs confidence in moving him around on the defense. More importantly, Sandro’s willingness to play out of position is exactly the type of thing that GMs are looking for when trying to decide between prospects with similar TPE and activity levels. It could very well be the thing that puts Ryeu over the top here for the Yeti.
21) Chicago Butchers - Benson Bayley Jr. – LB – 165 TPE
On the clock with the 21st pick of the draft, we finally have the Chicago Butchers with their first pick of the draft. Now there has been a lot of talk recently about the issues that have been going on with the Butchers, but with new GMs Bayley and Muford stepping in to take the reigns, the Butchers are looking to turn things around, and that starts with this pick. The Butchers have quite a lot of holes that they need to fix, but somewhat unfortunately for them, they do not have freedom with this pick, as their new GM Bayley’s player, Benson Bayley Jr is in this draft class. At 165 TPE, Bayley is lacking slightly in this department, as there are still a few linebackers available with more TPE. However, Bayley is an experienced user in this league, and a handful of TPE on draft day isn’t the most pressing concern. Bayley has a big bank account of nearly $50 million, and that will be put towards training and equipment to help bring their player towards the upper echelon of this draft class. Bayley will just be the first of many pieces added to the Butchers defense this offseason. While they will still have plenty of holes to fill after this back, their linebacking corps is suddenly looking very nice, as they now have 3 active players at this position drafted in S18 or later.
22) Orange County Otters – Deshun Jones – DT – 212 TPE
After adding running back White Goodman in the first round, look for the Orange County Otters to focus on their defense here with the 22nd pick. They have needs all across their front seven, and could realistically go linebacker, defensive end, or defensive tackle here. With Bobby Boucher holding down one of their defensive end spots, they may want to give S19 draftee Gary Lazer Eyes one more season to see if he will remain active. Lazer Eyes has 296 TPE, right about what a rookie drafted here would have at the start of the S23 season. Lazer Eyes hasn’t updated since February, but he was last seen just a couple days ago, so their may be hope for him yet. That leaves the Otters to decide between defensive tackle and linebacker. After Deshun Jones, there are only a couple top defensive tackles left available, while there are still quite a few high end linebackers available, so Orange County might be more likely to go with the DT here in Deshun Jones. Jones will join second year defensive tackle Rapid Eagle, along with the two defensive ends mentioned above to form what is possibly the youngest defensive line in the NSFL. If Lazer Eyes can turn it around and get back to updating (or if Orange County drafts another defensive end with a later pick in this draft), the Otters could very possibly end up fielding an absolutely dominant defensive line in a few seasons. Having four young, active players on the line has to be a very exciting prospect for the Otters. With a bank account of over $25 million, Jones has shown himself to be an active member of the league and will be a welcome addition for the Otters both on and off the field.
23) Yellowknife Wraiths – Colby Jack – QB – 245 TPE
The Yellowknife Wraiths are back on the clock with the 11th pick of round 2.This will be the third and final automatic GM player pick here in the 2nd round. After adding safety Matt “Son of Havoc” Cross in round 1, the Wraiths will add the top QB in the class, Colby Jack, to their roster. At 245 TPE, Colby has put a bit of distance between himself and his brother Monty, and is one of the top overall TPE earners in the draft class. Like his brother Monty, you can expect Colby to stay down with the London Royals in the DSFL for a couple more seasons as Yellowknife’s current starte Cooter Bigsby enters regression and plays out the final few seasons of his career. Colby should be expected to have progressed tremendously by the time he is starting in the NSFL for the Wraiths. It is likely that Colby will be competing against his brother for MVP awards year in and year out once they have established themselves in the league. On top of the high TPE total, flyeaglesfly will be a great member of the Wraiths locker room, even while he spends the next few seasons in the DSFL. On top of that, he enters the draft with one of the largest bank accounts in the class, at over $113 million. Safe to say that Colby will not be having troubles affording their training or equipment any time soon.
24) New Orleans Second Line – Buck Thornton – S – 214 TPE
With the final pick of the 2nd round, we have the New Orleans Second Line. After adding defensive tackle Magnus Rikiya and their quarterback of the future, Ben Slothlisberger in round 1, the Second Line somewhat surprisingly still have quite a few holes that need to be addressed. New Orleans was hit hard in the expansion draft, as two of the top three picks were Second Line players. Linebacker Mark Arianlacher and wide receiver Jed Podolak were taken 2nd and 3rd overall respectively by the Sarasota Sailfish, and both will need to be replaced by the Second Line. In addition to needing another wide receiver and linebacker, New Orleans will also be looking to add another safety, defensive end, and possibly even a 3rd wide receiver or linebacker this offseason. Luckily for the Second Line, with how stacked this draft class is, they are able to grab a first round talent at any of the previously mentioned positions. Players like James Cho, Lawrence Bass, Haha Mango Panda, Eddie Jeeta, and Michael Witheblock are all still available and would be great additions for New Orleans. Instead, I think they pass on all of these players and add arguably the last elite safety still available in this draft, Buck Thornton. At 214 TPE, Thornton actually has more TPE than the previously drafted safety, Quinn Hughes. Furfurfurson has built up a solid bank account, having over $45 million to his name. Furson can be expected to continue putting out high quality media articles, and will be a solid addition to the very active New Orleans locker room. Thornton will join a Second Line that already has 4 players over 600 TPE, and no one yet being hit by regression. This will allow Thornton some time to develop and will allow him to see the field in low pressure situations as he will be able to rely on his more experienced teammates in the secondary.
We’ve reached the end of two rounds, and we’ve had 24 outstanding players drafted, yet there are still plenty of phenomenal players available. There were 17 defensive players and 7 offensive players taken in the first 2 rounds of this mock. Look that number to be slightly more even in the coming rounds as the top offensive linemen start to come off the board. I was hoping to mock at least the 3rd round, but I’m running out of time with the draft just a few hours away, so this will have to do.
With all the talk about how strong of a draft class this is for cornerbacks, it is a little bit surprising to see that only 4 corners were taken in the first two rounds. There were also four safeties and four defensive tackles picked. While there are still plenty of elite corners remaining (6 with at least 198 TPE) the same isn’t quite the case at safety and DT. It is very possible that this results in corners continuing to slide down the draft boards and leaving some outstanding value picks in the later rounds for some teams.
Looking ahead to round 3 and beyond, there are still an incredible 20 (10 on offense, 9 on defense, and 1 on special teams) players remaining with 200+ TPE. For comparison, there were only 12 players with 200+ TPE in the entire S21 draft, and only one was drafted after the second round. This is a draft that will be worth following well into the double digit rounds.
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