NEWSLETTER
With the NFL Combine officially in the books, there’s no better time to put together another 2024 NFL Mock Draft. Now that most of this April’s draft prospects have gone through their workouts, tests, measurables, and more, we’ll see some players begin their ascents up the board, and others start to slide. Who were some of those winners and losers? Did the Bears get any closer to making their decision? Let’s tackle those questions and more in our latest mock draft.
2024 NFL Mock Draft
1. Chicago Bears: QB Caleb Williams – USC
With the combine having come and gone, it feels even more like the Bears are leaning toward drafting Caleb Williams first overall and moving Justin Fields in a trade. Albert Breer of the Monday Morning Quarterback did a great job documenting the Bears & Caleb Williams behind the scenes from the combine, and Luis broke that down perfectly. But essentially, it seems like all signs point toward Caleb Williams being a Bear. The medical exams still need to go down, and the Bears look to wrap up their evaluation soon, but barring a big unforeseen change it appears Chicago will have a new QB.
2. Washington Commanders: QB Drake Maye – North Carolina
I think Washington will be incredibly active in trying to move up to first overall to select Caleb Williams, but right now, I’m just not sure if they will meet the Bears’ “historic haul” of an asking price. Whether it’s Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels, the Commanders will take their top quarterback left on the board and reset the most important position in the game for their new head coach and offensive coordinator. It wouldn’t shock me if Daniels moves up into this spot, but as of now I still think the Commanders lean toward Drake Maye.
3. New England Patriots: QB Jayden Daniels – LSU
Three quarterbacks in a row! The Patriots have been rumored as a team willing to trade back in the draft to stockpile picks, but I think as we get closer and closer, they’ll realize how badly they need to take a shot on a quarterback. Whether it’s Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye here and number three, I think New England will make the move to bring in a new QB and inject some life into the franchise.
4. Arizona Cardinals: WR Marvin Harrison Jr – Ohio State
The Cardinals fall to the fourth overall pick but still end up with arguably the best player in this draft. Kyler Murray is very likely back for another year, so Arizona goes with the best player available to get a big-time weapon on the outside.
5. Los Angeles Chargers: TE Brock Bowers – Georgia
This is where the draft really starts to get tricky and could open up. I do think those first three teams are fairly locked into QBs and won’t move down. Could someone move up to fourth overall and buy into JJ McCarthy? Would the Chargers trade back with a divisional rival (Raiders, Broncos) looking to catapult past the Giants and take their QB? As of right now, I think Bowers is too good of a player and fit for Jim Harbaugh to pass up, but I also think there would be no shortage of interest from teams looking to draft McCarthy.
6. New York Giants: QB JJ McCarthy – Michigan
We see it every year, the farther along we get in the draft process the more QBs who were thought to be mid or late-first-round picks start to creep up that board. This year it certainly feels like McCarthy will be that guy, and I’m not sure he’ll get by the Giants at sixth overall. McCarthy might not have the upside of the top three quarterbacks in the draft, but he’s a smart player who showed at Michigan he can operate a pro-style offense and get the ball where it needs to go. Seems like exactly the type of QB Brian Daboll would be comfortable with.
7. Tennessee Titans: LT Joe Alt – Notre Dame
The Titans need help on both lines of scrimmage. For the first time in this mock draft series, I have a new tackle going first off the board, and that’s Joe Alt. Alt was outstanding at Notre Dame, and he came away as one of the big winners at the NFL Combine. The farther along we get in the draft process, the more momentum Alt seems to gain. While we kind of knew he was a great athlete, his Combine performance confirmed that and then some. Tennessee grabs the former Fighting Irish standout to anchor their OL.
8. Atlanta Falcons: EDGE Dallas Turner – Alabama
The Falcons need a quarterback, and since the NFL Combine began, there has only been more fuel added to the fire of Justin Fields potentially going home to Atlanta. Having said that, it’s starting to feel more and more like the Falcons won’t part with the 8th overall pick (and they’re probably right not to). If they don’t and they’re picking here, taking the top EDGE rusher on the board makes the most sense. Dallas Turner is likely that guy, and he finds a new home in Atlanta. Fields might still end up in Atlanta, but unless it’s swapping the 8th and 9th picks, I don’t think this pick is involved.
9. Chicago Bears: WR Rome Odunze – Washington
Rome Odunze is a perfect fit opposite DJ Moore and gives Caleb Williams a very good 1-2 punch to work with at wide receiver. The former Washington Huskie also put up a standout performance at the NFL Combine. The Bears will have some other needs to fill on the edge and upfront, but I think they’ll attack that in free agency. Pairing Odunze’s high ceiling with Caleb Williams first overall is too good of an opportunity to pass up for Ryan Poles.
10. New York Jets: LT Olu Fashanu – Penn State
The Jets go ahead and grab the next best tackle on the NFL Draft board to help protect Aaron Rodgers and his repaired Achilles! Even with a healthy Rodgers this season, the Jets would have had an uphill climb with their instability on the offensive line. Grabbing Olu Fashanu with the 10th overall pick gives the Jets a massive upgrade at a premier position heading into a very important 2024-25 season.
11. Minnesota Vikings: EDGE Laiatu Latu – UCLA
The Vikings still have some quarterback uncertainty as well, but with where they’re at in the NFL draft, I think they should bring back Kirk Cousins to work with the talented group of receivers and add a difference-maker on defense. Danielle Hunter’s future in Minnesota is uncertain after this season. If he’s gone, they’ll most certainly need an impact pass rusher. If he stays, they still need some help on the other side. Laiatu Latu fills a big need for the Vikings.
12. Denver Broncos: EDGE Jared Verse – Florida State
The Broncos still need a quarterback as they’re likely to move on from Russell Wilson, but instead of reaching for one with the 12th pick, Sean Payton takes the top EDGE defender left on the board to sure up his defense. If the draft/trade market doesn’t work out, finding a placeholder in free agency will be a viable option for Denver, and with their amount of needs, going the safe route with a high-ceiling EDGE makes sense here.
13. Las Vegas Raiders: WR Malik Nabers – LSU
If the Giants di get aggressive to take JJ McCarthy, there’s a real chance that one of Nabers or Odunze fall a little bit. In this situation, the Raiders benefit from one of the top players in the NFL Draft taking a tumble, and they grab Malik Nabers at 13th overall. It’s uncertain who will be their quarterback next season, oddly enough it could even be Justin Fields, but no matter who it is if they have Davante Adams and Malik Nabers to throw to it’ll be a good situation.
14. New Orleans Saints: OT Amarius Mims – Georgia
The Saints need help on both sides of the line of scrimmage. I think they’ll go offensive line in this spot, given what’s left on the board. Amarius Mims was one of the big winners at the NFL Combine with his 40-yard dash and shuttle times to go along with his massive frame. He’s a bit of risk in terms of durability, but I think with how he performed in Indy the Saints will grab him here and take that chance.
15. Indianapolis Colts: CB Terrion Arnold – Alabama
While Kool-Aid McKinstry was for most of the year seen as the top cornerback in this year’s NFL Draft, he now might not even be the top CB selected from his own team! Terrion Arnold is rising up draft boards quickly thanks to his tools and incredibly high ceiling. He might be a riskier pick than McKinstry, but the potential is incredibly high for Arnold, and the Colts roll the dice on him here.
16. Seattle Seahawks: C Jackson Powers-Johnson – Oregon
Jackson Powers-Johnson has for most of this draft process been the top choice at the center position, but usually centers start going off the board in the second round. As we get closer to the draft, Powers-Johnson just seems to keep moving up boards, and his excellent Senior Bowl performance surely only increased his stock. Seattle takes him here and finds their offensive line anchor.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars: CB Nate Wiggins – Clemson
The Jags collapse was a brutal one down the stretch, and it really amplified their NFL Draft needs. They most certainly need a little more help on offense, but defensively, the team struggled mightily in the last few weeks. Taking a true playmaker at the cornerback position can inject some life into a defensive unit that lacked big-play ability and consistency down the stretch.
18. Cincinnati Bengals: OT JC Latham – Alabama
Now that Tee Higgins has been tagged and brought back into the fold, I can certainly see the Bengals going a different route with this pick. They began addressing the offensive line last offseason, but it still needs some help. JC Latham is the best tackle left on the board at this point, and I think he’s the logical pick now that Higgins will be in Cincinnati again next season.
19. Los Angeles Rams: OT Taliese Fuaga – Oregon State
There are a few directions the Rams could go with this pick. I’ve gone back and forth with them between drafting OL and drafting a corner. Given Kool-Aid McKinstry’s foot injury that caused him not to work out at the Combine, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him slip toward the back end or even out of the first round. Fuaga was a rock-solid tackle at Oregon State and provides the Rams consistency and a stable building block to anchor an OL that needs to be built back up.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Quinyon Mitchell – Toledo
The cornerback order in this year’s draft seems to be one of the more volatile of the position groups. After his impressive performance at the combine, I think the Steelers select Quinyon Mitchell out of Toledo. Mitchell was one of the top cover corners in college football last year, and now that he impressed at the combine, I think we’ll see him go off the board earlier than expected. It’s not hard to see teams selling themselves on that 4.33 40-yard dash time, plus he’s got a ton of experience and upside.
21. Miami Dolphins: OL Troy Fautanu – Washington
With Mims moving up the draft board, the name might change for Miami at #21, but I still think they have to address the offensive line. Troy Fautanu can play inside or outside, and he gives the Dolphins some versatility on an offensive line that needs to fill multiple positions.
22. Philadelphia Eagles: CB Cooper DeJean – Iowa
The Eagles’ collapse down the stretch of the season was certainly something to behold. I still think they have a very talented roster. However, defensively their glaring need for help in the secondary got exposed. Philly really needs to add help to their defensive backfield, and Cooper DeJean can step in on day one and provide consistency as well as versatility to a position group that needs help fast.
23. Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns): WR Xavier Worthy – Texas
After Xavier Worthy’s record-setting 4.21 40-yard dash time, I think we’ll see him fly up draft boards. Worthy was very productive at Texas and was a big play waiting to happen. The Texans keep him in the state of Texas and give C.J. Stroud a weapon to play opposite Nico Collins.
24. Dallas Cowboys: OT Jordan Morgan – Arizona
The Cowboys will have a few moving parts on their aging offensive line, so grabbing the versatile Morgan here makes a lot of sense. He can play inside or outside, and given the uncertainty of that unit for Dallas, bringing in Morgan alongside 2022 first-round pick Tyler Smith gives them a solid foundation on the offensive line.
25. Green Bay Packers: EDGE Bralen Trice – Washington
Lukas Van Ness hasn’t really worked out like the Packers had hoped. 31-year-old Preston Smith could end up being a cap casualty. Bralen Trice had a phenomenal season with Washington, and it makes sense here. He’s a complete player as an EDGE in his ability to defend both the run and the pass. While Green Bay probably still wants to add to the OL, Trice may be the better option in this slot.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: EDGE Chop Robinson – Penn State
Now that the Buccaneers have officially brought back Mike Evans on a new deal, I think they use this draft pick to address their need at EDGE. Tampa already needed help on the EDGE, and now that Shaq Barrett has been released they really need to add there. Robinson had a great combine and likely solidified his status in the first round. Tampa happily grabs him as a day-one starter.
27. Arizona Cardinals (via Houston Texans): DT Byron Murphy II
The Cardinals need help just about everywhere on defense, and they get a piece they can plug in on the defensive line with Byron Murphy. Sure, it’s not the most premier position, but when you need as much help on the defensive side of the ball as the Cardinals do, it’s never a bad idea to grab the best player available. Murphy could go as high as the middle of the first round if the chips fall in a certain way, so if he makes to to Arizona here I think they grab him.
28. Buffalo Bills: DL Jer’Zhan Newton – Illinois
The Bills will need help at receiver and on the interior of their defensive line. Jer’Zhan Newton is a high-ceiling player who falls a bit thanks to positional value. The good news for him is that he lands in a nearly perfect situation with Buffalo. The playoff loss to the Chiefs showed they definitely need help in the middle, and Murphy provides that. With DaQuan Jones hurt this year and likely on the way out this offseason, Newton would be a home run pick in the first round for the Bills.
29. Detroit Lions: CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr. – Missouri
While the defense flashed at times, ultimately, that side of the ball let the Lions down in the worst way against San Francisco. When they needed stops in the NFC Championship game, they just couldn’t come up with them. Ennis Rakestraw Jr and his physical style feel like a perfect fit for an aggressive Detroit team that really needs to boost their secondary.
30. Baltimore Ravens: WR Brian Thomas Jr – LSU
Once we get toward the back half of the first round, the order in which the remaining receivers go will be intriguing. There are so many options after the top three go off the board, and the order will just be based on who falls in love with whom throughout the draft process. While Xavier Worth and his 40-time stole the show, Brian Thomas Jr impressed in a big way in Indy and ran a 4.33 40. With his size combined with that speed, Baltimore gets a steal here late in the first round of the NFL Draft.
31. San Francisco 49ers: OT Tyler Guyton – Oklahoma
The right tackle position is still very much one of need for San Francisco in the NFL Draft, and while they need to add some help in the secondary as well, the talent left on the board at tackle makes Tyler Guyton the logical pick here. Guyton has a ton of upside; he can start on day one, and whenever Trent Williams calls it a career (not that that’s happening immediately), Guyton can get a look on the left side as well.
32. Kansas City Chiefs: WR Adonai Mitchell – Texas
The Chiefs need to add a playmaker on the outside. They still won the Super Bowl, which speaks to Patrick Mahomes’ greatness, but they still need to add offensively. He’s a big target for Mahomes to look for at 6’4, 196 lbs. Mitchell is a complete receiver, a great route-runner, and can do just about whatever Andy Reid asks him to do offensively. His great combine performance could get him picked earlier than KC at #32, but if he falls here this could be the steal of the NFL Draft. Adding Mitchell would be a huge win for Mahomes, Kelce, and the Chiefs offense.
