2024 NFL Mock Draft 1.0

First run of my NFL mock for 2024

We are just under 50 days left until the big day! Seems like a good time to run through a mock exercise.

1 - Bears - Caleb Williams, QB, USC

This seems to be pretty open/shut, and does not require much discussion. The only real question at hand is will the Bears make this pick, or will the Commanders offer a king’s ransom to move up one spot?

2 - Commanders - Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

This is a completely new regime in Washington, and with new GM Adam Peters being a former Niner exec, I have my doubts that we will get solid information leaked from the organization.

Publically, the preference has been for Daniels over UNC QB Drake Maye. The Athletic had a piece where NFL execs clearly favored Daniels, and Todd McShay has heard the same thing.

3 - Patriots - Drake Maye, QB, UNC

The first tier of QBs, at least publically, includes Maye, and new regimes often mean new QBs, but these spots can get tricky. Teams do not typically settle for the last QB of the litter unless it is someone they truly believe is a talent. Do the Patriots believe in Maye? That remains to be seen. For now, it seems like a reasonable assumption that they would stick and pick a QB, or trade back to a team who would if the third passer isn’t their preferred player.

4 - Cardinals - Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

Monti Ossenfort really worked the phones last year, trading back from 3 to 12, then back up to 6 to get Paris Johnson. While I’m sure he will be taking and making tons of calls again this year, I have doubts the Cardinals will want to move outside of the top 6 or 7 in this draft. They absolutely need a star WR (especially with Hollywood Brown a FA), and this class has 3 of them projected to be taken in this range.

Looking at the WRs Ossenfort has been involved in drafting in Arizona and Tennessee, he seems to have a penchant for bigger players at that position. The average Ossenfort WR is 1.15 inches and 13.3 pounds bigger than the NFL average the last three seasons.

Harrison has NFL bloodlines and is 6’3” 209. He is also a heavy favorite to be the first WR drafted.

5 - Chargers - Tali Fuaga, OL, Oregon State

Unlike the Cardinals, the Chargers are a prime candidate to move back somewhere in the top 13. They are also solidly in the market for a WR, but need to get stronger in the trenches. We know the Chargers want to have a strong rush attack under Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman, and they were bottom six in YPC last season.

The left side of the Charger OL is pretty situated with Rashawn Slater and 2022 first-rounder Zion Johnson. Right tackle Trey Pipkins is in the second year of a three-year extension, but is definitely replaceable. Fuaga has more inside/outside versatility than Notre Dame’s Joe Alt, opening up some more OL combinations for the Chargers.

I ultimately do not see the Chargers picking in this slot, with the Bears, Vikings, Broncos, and Raiders all trade-up candidates for either a QB or WR.

6 - Giants - Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

The QB rumors are already swirling in New York, but for now I’m going to let my fan bias tell me that Joe Schoen is too smart to take J.J. McCarthy over the dynamic WR they’ve been missing for years.

I think that the Giants are more likely to try and trade up the board for a QB they love than settle for the QB4 in this class. But this is definitely something to monitor.

The Giants are another team that needs help in the trenches, but already paid Andrew Thomas and spent a recent first-round pick on another tackle. I think Nabers or Odunze make the most sense.

7 - Titans - Joe Alt, OL, Notre Dame

I think the Titans would love to get their hands on a pass-catcher, but there is no denying that their offensive line is a disaster. Last year’ first-round pick Peter Skoronski is a stud, but starting left tackle Nick Petit-Frere was one of the worst tackles in the league in 2023. Tennessee absolutely needs to protect Will Levis better.

This OL class is deep enough that the Titan could trade back and accomplish this goal, but I’m not sure they’d pass on a ready-made left tackle in Alt.

8 - Falcons - Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama

Things are starting to look up for the Falcons. They moved into the 21st century with Zac Robinson as Raheem Morris’ OC, and there is rampant speculation that they will be favorites to land Kirk Cousins when FA opens. With a quality offensive line and two young pass-catchers in the fold already, that opens up Atlanta to draft some defensive help.

Turner put on a show at the Combine, and looks the part of a true cornerstone pass-rusher after posting 22.5 sacks in three years at Alabama.

9 - Bears - Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

They will probably have to trade up to do this, but the dream scenario for Chicago is to snag one of the top three WRs to pair with Caleb Williams at QB. With D.J. Moore and Cole Kmet already in the fold, this would have the makings of an explosive offense under Shane Waldron.

10 - Jets - Amarius Mims, OL, Georgia

Protect Aaron Rodgers at all costs.

11 - Vikings - J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

If Cousins becomes a Falcon, Minnesota will be left without a QB. Drafting McCarthy and signing a veteran for him to sit behind in 2024 seems like a viable outcome.

12 - Broncos - Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State

QB is an obvious need here, but I’m not positive Bo Nix is worth selecting on Day 1. Verse is a ready-made edge rusher with a great athletic profile.

13 - Raiders - Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

The Raiders would love to move Heaven and earth to somehow get up for Jayden Daniels, but they are likely just way too far down the board to get into the QB mix. Corner is a major need for this team, with Antonio Pierce calling it a “priority” to find a CB1. Mitchell fits that bill.

14 - Saints - Olu Fashanu, OL, Penn State

The Saints need major help up front on both sides of the ball, and are positioned well to add an impact player somewhere on the line.

15 - Colts - Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

I’m not sure I see pass-catcher as a real need for this team right now. Michael Pittman’s future is up in the air, but the team already has Josh Downs and Alec Pierce rounding out the WR group, and Jelani Woods looked excellent as a rookie. Ultimately, the Colts aren’t quite good enough to plan ahead at WR for what will likely be a low-volume pass offense.

Corner, meanwhile, is a major defensive need, with Arnold being the 1B in this class.

16 - Seahawks - Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington

Seattle needs to keep building up the line, and new OC Ryan Grubb just coached Fautanu at Washington.

17 - Jaguars - Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

Calvin Ridley is a pending free agent, and while Jacksonville would love to have him back, the use of the franchise tag on both Pittman and Tee Higgins makes Ridley the biggest name on the market. A field-stretcher that plays on the outside would be the perfect complement for Christian Kirk and Evan Engram.

18 - Bengals - JC Latham, OL, Alabama

Another year where Cincy’s OL is a major need entering the off-season.

19 - Rams - Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

The Rams have never been a team to care much about positional value, and Tyler Higbee will likely miss a good chunk of the season after tearing his ACL and MCL in the playoffs.

20 - Steelers - Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa

Multi-positional versatility in the secondary could be just what the doctor ordered.

21 - Dolphins - Jackson Powers-Johnson, OL, Oregon

You can’t give Tua a monster extension and then not protect him.

22 - Eagles - Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia

The Philadelphia Bulldogs add another defensive player at a position of need.

23 - Texans - Byron Murphy, DL, Texas

He may go earlier than this, but Houston definitely has a need on the interior of DeMeco Ryans’ defense.

24 - Cowboys - Jordan Morgan, OL, Arizona

Tyron Smith is a free agent, making the offensive line a position of major, major need.

25 - Packers - Christian Hayes, OL, UConn

This is a team that typically targets high-RAS players, and Hayes is the best athlete left on the line.

26 - Bucs - Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State

Jason Licht has also targeted high-RAS players in the first round.

27 - Cardinals - Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

Major upgrades on the outside coming this draft for Arizona.

28 - Bills - Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA

Expecting medicals to push Latu down to a team that is in a win-now window like Buffalo.

29 - Lions - Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

We haven’t seen a first-round corner with this kind of weight/arm length, but if he’s a dog I can’t imagine Dan Campbell cares.

30 - Ravens - Jer’Zhan Newton, DL, Illinois

Justin Madubuike will play 2024 on the franchise tag, meaning Baltimore will need a long-term option along the defensive interior.

31 - 49ers - Tyler Guyton, OL, Oklahoma

Trent Williams isn’t going to play forever.

32 - Chiefs - Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

Never seen this much chalk for the 32nd pick before, but the Chiefs need some legit speed capable of catching the football.