Dynasty 1QB Rookie Mock Draft 1.0

Photo: USA Today Sports

The NFL Scouting Combine arrived!

Dynasty managers are beginning to prepare for their Dynasty rookie drafts (speaking of, you should download our FREE Rookie Guide with 120+ prospect profiles) in order to get an understanding of who these prospects are and how we should value them.

With that in mind, here is our 1.0 edition of a 1QB rookie mock draft with the NFL Combine fresh in our minds.

1.01 - Bijan Robinson (RB - Texas)

Robinson is the clear-cut 1.01 and the best running back prospect since Saquon Barkley. He's simply as close as they come to a cant-miss prospect. In three seasons at Texas, Robinson amassed 3,410 rushing yards, 33 rushing touchdowns, 60 receptions, 805 receiving yards, and 8 receiving touchdowns. Weighing 215 pounds, Robinson has the size to be a workhorse at the next level. He proved he's a dual-threat player in college, and that's exactly how we should expect the team that drafts him in the first round to deploy him throughout his rookie contract. Robinson will be a game changer and in the conversation for the best running back in football the moment he steps on an NFL field.

1.02 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR - Ohio State)

As a true sophomore, Smith-Njigba averaged 4.01 yards per route run and caught 95 passes for 1,606 yards. All three of those marks were better than teammates Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, who were not only selected within the first 11 picks of last year's draft but also lived up to the hype in their rookie seasons. A hamstring injury limited Smith-Njigba to only three games in 2022, but don't let that cause you to forget what he did the year before. A knock on Smith-Njigba is he was mainly a slot wide receiver in college (83% of his routes came from the slot), which could limit his upside in the NFL. But again, let's remember he shared the same field with Wilson and Olave, two bona fide elite outside wide receivers. Ohio State had to find a way to get all three players on the field at the same time, and that could've played a role in Smith-Njigba's high slot rate. It wasn't that long ago that Justin Jefferson was similarly knocked coming out of college for playing a lot out of the slot at LSU. Whoops! And Smith-Njigba had an incredible combine performance, posting a 3.93 20-yard-shuttle (Fourth best among wide receivers since 2007) and a 6.57 3-cone-drill (12th best among wide receivers since 2007).

1.03 - Jahmyr Gibbs (RB - Alabama)

Gibbs is an Alvin Kamara clone. His versatile, dual-threat skill set fits perfectly in today's NFL. He's a natural receiver, as evidenced by his 103 catches for 1,212 receiving yards and 8 receiving touchdowns in just three collegiate seasons. After two solid years at Georgia Tech, Gibbs transferred to Alabama and wasted no time putting his talents on display in the SEC. Gibbs ran for 926 yards and 7 rushing touchdowns and caught 44 passes for 444 receiving yards and 3 scores in 2022. Gibbs has good footwork, sticks his foot in the ground and goes, is shifty, has good contact balance, is dangerous when he gets to the edge, and is a big play threat every time he touches the ball. He projects to be drafted no later than day two of the NFL draft and will make an immediate impact in Dynasty, especially in PPR leagues.

1.04 - Jordan Addison (WR - USC)

Addison is Mr. Reliable. He can do everything. In his two seasons at Pittsburgh and his junior year at USC, Addison was deployed all over the field. He offers versatility and is a very good route runner. As a true freshman, Addison impressively caught 60 passes for 666 yards and 4 touchdowns. He followed that up with a dominating sophomore campaign in which he caught 100 passes for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns. Addison then transferred to USC, and while his junior season wasn't as impressive statistically, he was still featured heavily in the Trojans' offense. Addison is a polished player ready to seamlessly transition to an NFL offense and strikes me as a player that offers both a high floor and a high ceiling. Addison should be a PPR cheat code.

1.05 - Quentin Johnston (WR - TCU)

Johnston is a total freak. It's as if he was built in a lab to create the ideal X wide receiver on the outside. A few decades ago, Johnston's height (6-foot-2) was exactly what teams were looking for in a number-one wide receiver. Things have certainly changed over the years as the ability to create separation and get open, no matter the height, has become more and more important. But that doesn't diminish Johnston's outlook because he offers a unique combination of height and speed. Johnston averaged 19 yards per reception on 115 collegiate catches. He's a big play waiting to happen on every down as he offers exciting yards after the catch ability, including a devastating spin move for a player his size and impressive ball tracking deep down the field. It would be a shock if Johnston weren't selected in the first round by a team looking to facilitate their future passing game around this unicorn of a talent.

1.06 - Zay Flowers (WR - Boston College)

Flowers is essentially a Brandin Cooks clone. He's fun to watch as his speed and quickness allow him to consistently get open, which is exactly what teams covet in today's NFL. He offers versatility for an NFL offense as he was utilized both outside and in the slot at Boston College. For a smaller player (5-foot-9), Flowers plays very tough and tracks the ball well down the field. A projected first-round pick in the NFL draft, Flowers will bring big play potential to an NFL offense. He recorded five or more receptions on targets 20-plus yards downfield in all four collegiate seasons. And while he did return for his senior year, which can sometimes be considered a slight negative, it's important to note Flowers caught 56 passes for 892 yards and 9 touchdowns as a true sophomore back in 2020. He's been good for a long time, and we didn't need his senior-year production to tell us that.