Nic Scourton — NFL Mock Draft Roundup 1.0

Perhaps this is an instance of being a prisoner in the moment, but Nic Scourton is good value at this stage of the first round for a franchise that really struggled with depth as a result of injuries. The Lions will not be in that position next year with Za'Darius Smith, Josh Paschal, Aidan Hutchinson and now Scourton.

While he led Texas A&M in sacks (five) and TFLs (14), it was a down year for Scourton, who led the Big Ten in sacks (10) in 2023 while at Purdue. It's definitely worth betting on Scourton's traits this late in Round 1, especially with Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham scheduled to become free agents in March.

The Bills are a team that appears likely to overhaul their pass rush unit this offseason. Von Miller may be a cap casualty, and the team could certainly upgrade over AJ Epenesa, who is on an expiring contract after 2025. Nic Scourton is a diverse talent who can play as a physical edge setter in run defense but also provide some refined pass rush ability with his array of counters. He did not explode this season as some expected after transferring into Texas A&M, but his versatility should be considered a strength and asset Buffalo could welcome on their edge.

The Commanders are picking this late (and possibly later) largely because they got immediate star power from their 2024 first-round pick: quarterback Jayden Daniels. Can they take another step forward by acing their 2025 first-round selection? Scourton plays with power. And while he can get to the quarterback as a pass rusher (5 sacks), I really like this fit because of his run defense. Washington was chewed up for 4.8 yards allowed per rush this season, 28th in the league. But Scourton has the strength to set an edge against the run, and he finished the season with 14 tackles for loss and 11 run stops.