After months of speculation, rankings, and mocks, the 2024 NFL Draft is officially upon us. 257 prospects are set to learn their new homes. One of the best offensive line classes in recent memory highlights this year, as up to ten players could hear their names called early on Thursday night. Additionally, several receivers are expected to go in the first 32 picks in another strong crop of talent at the position. With the Chicago Bears set to kick things off, all eyes will be on USC quarterback Caleb Williams. The former Heisman Trophy winner will be the number one overall pick and the first Trojan to do so since Carson Palmer in 2003.
2024 NFL (Mock 1.0) Draft Round 1
Pick 1) Chicago Bears (via Carolina Panthers) - Caleb Williams, QB (USC)
After shipping Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers in March, the Bears are all in on Williams at the top of the draft. A rare quarterback prospect, he has all the traits you want in a franchise passer, with elite arm strength and the ability to make plays off-schedule. Furthermore, the former Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year heads into a favorable situation in the windy city. The Bears now have a formidable pass-catching duo following the acquisition of Keenan Allen to join D.J. Moore.
Pick 2) Washington Commanders - Jayden Daniels, QB (LSU)
Likely to come down to Daniels or Drake Maye, the LSU product is the perfect fit for Kliff Kingsbury's air raid scheme. A true dual-threat signal caller, Daniels is an elite athlete who possesses effortless speed and burst. Moreover, the Arizona State transfer is one of the best deep ball throwers in the draft. According to Pro Football Focus, he recorded a 69.1 adjusted completion percentage on throws 20 plus yards downfield last year.
Pick 3) New England Patriots - Drake Maye, QB (UNC)
Despite multiple reports that the Patriots are receiving calls from other quarterback-needy teams outside the top five, look for them to stand pat and secure their franchise signal-caller of the future. Offering an intriguing skill set with his 6'4, 223 lbs frame, Maye has excellent touch and velocity on throws both inside and outside the numbers. However, the North Carolina product must clean up his footwork and decision-making. An ideal landing spot for the one-time First-team All-ACC member, he can sit behind Jacoby Brissett.
Pick 4) Arizona Cardinals - Marvin Harrison Jr., WR (Ohio State)
While general manager Monti Ossenfort could be tempted to move down and stockpile draft picks to rebuild the Cardinals roster, the prospect of landing Harrison Jr is ultimately too tempting. The most pro-ready player in the draft, he has rare ball skills and body control that allow him to make tough contested catches. Furthermore, Harrison Jr. is also an elite red zone threat after finishing second in college football with 14 touchdown receptions in 2024.
TRADE
Vikings Receive: Pick 5
Chargers Receive: Picks 11, 23, and a 2025 second-round pick
Pick 5) Minnesota Vikings (via Los Angeles Chargers) - J.J. McCarthy, QB (Michigan)
Los Angeles could stand pat here and look to build the trenches under new head coach Jim Harbaugh by selecting Notre Dame's Joe Alt. However, they opt to move back and pick up additional draft capital in their mini-rebuild around Justin Herbert. Minnesota has an ideal infrastructure for McCarthy. Led by head coach Kevin O'Connell, the Vikings also have two bookend tackles and an outstanding receiver tandem in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Furthermore, following the signing of Sam Darnold, the Michigan product will be in no rush to get on the field in week 1.
Pick 6) New York Giants- Rome Odunze, WR (Washington)
Quarterback remains a possibility for the Giants here, but with the top four gone, Joe Schoen opts to stand pat and land a true number-one target. While they could opt for LSU's Malik Nabers, New York's wide receiver room already features plenty of speed and quickness. A big body wideout at 6'3, Odunze is a polished route runner with outstanding ball skills and a wide catch radius. He excels at tracking deep balls, making him the perfect chess piece for Brian Daboll.
Pick 7) Tennessee Titans - Joe Alt, OT (Notre Dame)
The son of former Pro Bowl OT John Alt, the Notre Dame standout might have the highest ceiling of any draft prospect. A three-year starter with the Fighting Irish, he offers substantial size and athleticism at 6'9. Moreover, the 2023 Unanimous All-American plays with outstanding pad level and hand placement while sharing a connection with legendary offensive line coach Brian Callahan. The perfect blindside protector for Will Levis, landing Alt would solidify an excellent offseason for the Titans to pair with the signing of Calvin Ridley.
Pick 8) Atlanta Falcons - Byron Murphy II, IDL (Texas)
While the prospect of adding Malik Nabers would be tempting for Atlanta, the Falcons have used their last four first-round selections on offensive skill players. After serving as a backup during his first two years at Texas, Murphy has shot up draft boards following an outstanding 2023 season. He racked up 8.5 tackles for loss and five sacks en route to Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year honors. Dallas Turner has been a popular pick here. Nonetheless, in a league that has placed a premium on disruptive defensive tackles, Murphy would provide an excellent running mate for Grady Jarrett.
TRADE
Colts Receive: Pick 9
Bears Receive: Pick 15 and a 2025 second-round pick
Pick 9) Indianapolis Colts (via Chicago Bears) - Malk Nabers, WR (LSU)
Looking to add a weapon for quarterback Anthony Richardson and head coach Shane Steichen, Chris Ballard moves up six spots and lands the dynamic LSU wide receiver. Nabers is the perfect threat, opposite Michael Pittman Jr., who is a smooth and explosive route runner. In three seasons with the Tigers, he hauled in 189 passes for 3,003 yards and 21 scores while averaging over 17 yards per catch.
Pick 10) New York Jets - Brock Bowers, TE (Georgia)
Joe Douglas could look to add an offensive tackle. Both Tyron Smith and Morgan Mosses are 33 and likely to be one-year plug-and-play options. Nevertheless, the prospect of pairing Bowers and Aaron Rodgers together is too challenging to resist for a Jets team in desperate need of another playmaker. One of the most productive college tight ends of all time, he is a swiss army knife who can play both in line and out wide. The 21-year-old has an outstanding burst that allows him to pull away from defenders and rack up yards after the catch.
Pick 11) Los Angeles Chargers (via Minnesota Vikings) - J.C Latham, OT (Alabama)
Latham and Rashawn Slater would form one of the best bookend tandems in football to protect Justin Herbert. A road-grading right tackle, he made 23 starts during his time at Alabama. Possessing a thick, broad frame at 6'6, 342 lbs, the Mississippi native displays outstanding athleticism in the run game, allowing him to seal off the backside while effectively working double teams and climbing to the second level.
TRADE
Eagles Receive: Pick 12
Broncos Receive: Pick 15 and Pick 50
Pick 12) Philadelphia Eagles (via Denver Broncos) - Quinyon Mitchell, CB (Toledo)
Regarded as the top cornerback in the class by many, Mitchell shined at Toledo. He recorded 41 tackles and two interceptions while leading the nation in pass breakups (18). Additionally, the Florida native shined at the NFL combine in February, where he ran a blistering 4.33 40-yard dash. Coming off a collapse in the secondary during the second half of last season, both Darius Slay and James Bradberry struggled mightily. Philadelphia has not taken a cornerback in the draft's first round in 22 years. They snap the streak here and land a dynamic playmaker.
Pick 13) Las Vegas Raiders - Olu Fashanu, OT (Penn State)
Las Vegas hit on multiple needs on the defensive side of the ball in free agency. The Raiders signed standout defensive tackle Christian Wilkins and Adam Butler to pair with star pass rusher Maxx Crosby. Needing to solidify their offense in the draft, Fashanu is a blue-chip prospect who can be a franchise left tackle in the NFL. He has the athleticism and movement skills to wall off explosive rushers while also having the strength to slow them down with his punches.
Pick 14) New Orleans Saints - Taliese Fuaga, OT (Oregon St.)
Ryan Ramczyk's status remains unclear. The former first-round pick could be forced to retire medically due to a knee injury. Moreover, Trevor Penning's development has not gone to plan for New Orleans. A two-year starter at Oregon State, Fuaga became the starting right tackle for the team before the 2022 season. Ultimately playing more than 1500 snaps, he has a mauler finishing-like mentality in the run game and the versatility to kick inside to guard.
Pick 15) Chicago Bears (via Indianapolis Colts) - Dallas Turner, EDGE (Alabama)
A year ago, Chicago shored up its pass rush at the trade deadline by acquiring Montez Sweat from the Washington Commanders. Immediately paying dividends, the Bear's defense allowed just 18.6 points per game during the final three months of the season. Needing to add another edge rusher to pair with the former first-round pick, both Demarcus Walker and Yannick Ngakoue struggled to find consistency in rotational roles. Coming off a ten-sack campaign during his final season at Alabama, Turner generated a 19.6 percent pressure win rate. The top edge player in the class, he has an explosive first step while being able to close on opposing quarterbacks in a hurry.
Pick 16) Seattle Seahawks - Troy Fautanu, OT (Washington)
The reigning Morris Trophy winner as the top offensive or defensive lineman in the Pac-12, Fautanu has been a bookend protector for the Huskies for multiple seasons. At 6'4" 317 lbs, the 23-year-old has the length to play tackle in the NFL. However, many believe he best projects as a guard. In desperate need of help along the interior, Fautanu has a connection to offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who served as the assistant head coach at Washington under Kalen DeBoer. He would join Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas to form an exciting young nucleus along the offensive line to protect quarterback Geno Smith.
TRADE
Bills Receive: Pick 17
Jaguars Receive: Picks 28, 163, and 2025 2nd
Pick 17) Buffalo Bills (via Jacksonville Jaguars) - Brian Thomas Jr., WR (LSU)
Armed with ten draft picks at his disposal, Brandon Beane jumps in front of the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers to land an impact wide receiver for Josh Allen to help combat the loss of Stefon Diggs. Thomas Jr. is an explosive vertical threat with an outstanding burst and exceptional long speed that allows him to beat defenders up the sidelines. He led college football with 17 touchdown receptions in 2023.
Pick 18) Cincinnati Bengals - Amarius Mims, OT (Georgia)
Cincinnati has its starting tackle duo in place next season. They inked Trent Brown to a one-year deal in free agency to join Orlando Brown Jr. However, Brown has failed to stay healthy. He has played a full season just once in the last five years. A raw prospect, Mims made just eight starts during three years in Georgia. With a towering frame at 6'8, 340lbs, the junior has the quickness and foot speed to pop out of his stance with ease in pass protection. Furthermore, he has the mobility and power to reach and overwhelm opposing defenders in the run game.
Pick 19) Los Angeles Rams - Laiatu Latu, EDGE (UCLA)
The Rams have a first-round draft pick for the first time in eight seasons. Offensive tackle could be in play here after Les Snead solidified the interior of Los Angeles's line with the signings of Jonah Jackson and Kevin Dotson. Still, edge is a significant need for the team following Aaron Donald's retirement. Both Kobie Turner and Byron Young showed great promise and growth in their rookie seasons. Latu would provide another elite pass-rushing option with an exceptional combination of size, speed, and quickness.
Pick 20) Pittsburgh Steelers - Graham Barton, IOL (Duke)
General manager Ohmar Khan has been looking to make a splash at wide receiver this offseason. Pittsburgh has reportedly been in talks with the San Francisco 49ers for Brandon Aiyuk. Outside of their commitment to adding another playmaker on the perimeter, the Steelers have a need at the center spot after releasing Mason Cole. Enter Barton, who projects to move inside to the pivot spot on the heels of making 34 starts at left tackle during three seasons at Duke. A fierce competitor with renowned leadership qualities, Barton routinely makes life miserable for opposing defenders due to his excellent pad level, body positioning, and finishing abilities.
Pick 21) Miami Dolphins - Johnny Newton, IDL (Illinois)
Gutted on the defensive side of the ball in free agency, the Dolphins lost two critical pieces up front in Wilkins and Andrew Van Ginkel. Brandon Jones also departed for the Denver Broncos. A plug-and-play option on the interior, Newton earned All-Big Ten honors in 2023 while being selected as a Consensus All-American. He recorded 7.5 sacks and 52 tackles, including 8.5 for a loss.
Pick 22) Denver Broncos (via Philadelphia Eagles) - Bo Nix, QB (Oregon)
Aiming to find their future franchise quarterback, the Broncos acquired former second-overall pick Zach Wilson from the New York Jets on Thursday. Still, Denver has reportedly done a lot of homework on Nix throughout the draft process. The ideal signal caller for a Sean Payton scheme, the Arkansas native is a consistent and reliable quick game operator who excels at getting the ball out accurately and on time.
Pick 23) Los Angeles Chargers (via Minnesota Vikings through CLE/HOU) - Terrion Arnold, CB (Alabama)
One of the worst pass defenses in the NFL in 2023, the Chargers gave up 7.7 yards per attempt and ranked 26th in EPA per dropback. While Asante Samuel Jr. has continued to shine, Los Angeles has struggled to find depth behind him. A physical press-man corner, Arnold is a smooth athlete with fluid hips and movement skills. Furthermore, he is also a high IQ player who triggers quickly to make plays against the run. Predominantly lining up on the outside for the Crimson Tide, he also took snaps in the slot last season.
Pick 24) Dallas Cowboys - Tyler Guyton, OT (Oklahoma)
In the market for offensive line help, the Cowboys saw Tyron Smith depart for the New York Jets in free agency. Additionally, Tyler Biadasz inked a deal with their bitter division rival, the Washington Commanders. As an elite mover with excellent footwork, Guyton can consistently square up opposing rushers in pass protection. Furthermore, he has strong hands that enable him to anchor against power moves. With all the tools to blossom into a high-end left tackle in the NFL, drafting Guyton would allow Dallas to keep Smith inside at guard.
Pick 25) Green Bay Packers - Cooper DeJean, CB (Iowa)
Searching for offensive line help, like many other teams in the draft, the Packers pivot and land the versatile DeJean after a run on tackles in the late teens. An elite athlete in the secondary for new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, he could fill a long-term need at cornerback or an immediate need at safety alongside Xavier McKinney. Maintaining the ability to cover both deep and up near the line of scrimmage in the slot, the two-time first-team All-Big Ten member also has outstanding ball skills. He had seven interceptions in the last two seasons for Iowa.
Check out my Scouting Report on Cooper DeJean here.
Pick 26) Tampa Bay Buccaneers) - Jared Verse, EDGE (Florida State)
Tampa Bay released longtime veteran Shaquil Barrett, creating a hole in the team's pass rush. Despite finishing in a tie for seventh in sacks in 2023, the Buccaneers struggled to get home with four guys, leading Todd Bowles to send an extra defender at the quarterback more than 40 percent of the time, the third-highest mark in the league. A prototypical premier edge player, Verse plays with violent hands. He has an explosive get-off while converting speed to power and bullrush opposing tackles back into the quarterback.
Pick 27) Arizona Cardinals (via Houston Texans) - Nate Wiggins, CB (Clemson)
A two-year starter at Clemson, Wiggins is a long, rangy cover corner. He has the lateral quickness to stay with opposing receivers off the line of scrimmage in press coverage while using his length to play the ball in the air. Moreover, the former four-star recruit also has the vision and awareness in zone coverage to read the eyes of the opposing quarterback and jump routes. Needing to add to their cornerback room after hauling in just one interception as a team in 2023, Wiggins would be the perfect piece to start opposite free agent acquisition Sean-Murphy Bunting.
Pick 28) Jacksonville Jaguars (via Buffalo Bills) - Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB (Alabama)
Set to transition to a more man-coverage-heavy scheme under new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, Jacksonville needs to add another cornerback to play across from Tyson Campbell. The former number-one cornerback in the 2021 recruiting class, McKinstry, is sticky in coverage while maintaining excellent lateral movement skills. According to Pro Football Focus, he gave up 50+ receiving yards in a game only four times in college and allowed a completion percentage in coverage of 47.1% over his last two seasons.
Pick 29) Detroit Lions- Darius Robinson, EDGE (Missouri)
Coming off their first appearance in the NFC Championship Game since 1992, Detroit has very few needs on its roster. General manager Brad Holmes has hit on premium positions over the last few seasons. A Michigan native, Robinson grew up idolizing Calvin Johnson while playing high school football at Canton. A versatile prospect, Robinson played on the interior during his first four years in Missouri before switching to edge. He led the Tigers with 8.5 sacks in 2023.
Pick 30) Baltimore Ravens- Jordan Morgan, OT (Arizona)
Baltimore has multiple holes along its offensive line. Standout left tackle Ronnie Stanley has missed a combined eight games over the last two seasons. Furthermore, Andrew Vorhees is coming off a redshirt rookie season after tearing his ACL at the NFL Draft Combine. While he does not possess a towering frame like other tackle prospects in this class, Morgan offers substantial size at 6'5, 311 lbs. A three-year starter at left tackle at Arizona, Morgan has the build, play strength, and physicality to kick inside to guard.
Pick 31) San Francisco 49ers- Xavier Worthy, WR (Texas)
Worthy was the fastest man at the NFL Draft Combine, setting a new record with a 4.21 40-yard dash time. Speed remains the name of his game. The California native finished his career at Texas with 197 catches for 2,755 yards and 26 touchdowns. Looking to find a pure deep threat since the departure of Marquise Goodwin, Worthy would provide Kyle Shanahan with an electrifying field stretcher who can win at all three levels of the defense.
Pick 32) Kansas City Chiefs- Kingsley Suamataia, OT (BYU)
Wide receiver will be a popular pick here for the defending world champions, with a suspension likely looming for Rashee Rice. However, Kansas City's solutions at offensive tackle did not go as planned. After signing a massive four-year contract, Jawaan Taylor struggled with penalties while being unable to find any consistency. A polarizing prospect, Suamataia played three seasons at BYU, the alma mater of head coach Andy Reid. He has been as high as a first-round pick and as low as a fourth-round selection on people's boards. The younger cousin of Penei Sewell, Suamataia has all the tools to be a starting left tackle but will need refinement in the NFL at just 21 years old, making him a long-term project for general manager Brett Veach.
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