NFL.com

I always do my NFL mock drafts a little differently from the traditional method, in that my team-prospect pairings are based on optimizing for wins in the upcoming season only. Here's a quick look at my process: I take the best available information about free agency -- which, right now, is admittedly not much more than what we know about player contracts -- to predict players' market value. I then check free agents' projected market value against the anticipated salary-cap space for each team. Finally, I add potential free agents or drafted players to different teams and identify which individuals increase teams' projected win total the most. (My player model leverages historical pre-draft player data to forecast NFL performance.) I'm starting this process early again this year, which is extremely fun because I am excited to track how things change with free agency and as the draft process evolves. For example, based on the Senior Bowl, which took place last week, I think Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart could appear in future versions of my Round 1 mock-up, depending on potential trades, what happens in free agency, etc.