We’re less than a month away from the 2024 NFL Draft. We continue to speculate and wonder where the top college prospects will land. Here’s how I think the first round will go down:
- Chicago Bears – Caleb Williams – QB – USC
No need to change anything here. Caleb Williams has been the bonafide number one overall pick since last season. - Washington Commanders – Jayden Daniels – QB – LSU
There was a report or two that J.J. McCarthy could go second overall. I’m not buying what they’re selling and I still believe Daniels will be a top three pick. - New England Patriots – Drake Maye – QB – North Carolina
If the Patriots don’t trade back and they commit to taking a quarterback then Drake Maye seems to be the guy to replace Mac Jones. - Arizona Cardinals – Marvin Harrison Jr. – WR – Ohio St.
Arizona also has a good chance to trade back and take a wide receiver later in the first round. If they stick with the fourth overall pick, the Cardinals will take the stud out of Ohio State. - Minnesota Vikings – J.J. McCarthy – QB – Michigan
I still think the Vikings have a prime opportunity to trade up into the top five and it’s understandable to think so with the draft capital they now have. If they believe in one of these quarterbacks and McCarthy is their guy, you better get him before someone else does. - New York Giants – Malik Nabers – WR – LSU
There are quite a few needs for the Giants. Getting a young, explosive, reliable pass catcher for Daniel Jones like Nabers should be the top priority. - Tennessee Titans – Joe Alt – OT – Notre Dame
The Titans have plenty of skill position options for Will Levis to throw to. Now let’s improve that offensive line and take the best offensive tackle in the draft. - Atlanta Falcons – Dallas Turner – ED – Alabama
The Falcons are expected to look much better on offense next season and it would be wise to draft another cornerstone on defense with one of the best edge rusher prospects. - Chicago Bears – Byron Murphy II – IDL – Texas
Now that Chicago has their quarterback, he has established weapons on the outside. Another area the Bears can address early on is the defensive line and Murphy would be a nice addition. - New York Jets – Rome Odunze – WR – Washington
There is potential for the Jets to move back in the draft. However, if New York stays here I think they’ll take Rome Odunze, who they recently met with. - Los Angeles Chargers – Brock Bowers – TE – Georgia
LA has previously signed two other tight ends but I think it’s a real possibility to take another if they do drop to the 10th overall pick or later. Especially since Bowers has been labeled as a generational talent. - Denver Broncos – Bo Nix – QB – Oregon
Let’s switch it up a little. Now that McCarthy has been selected, Denver still needs to take a quarterback here. Nix showed significant improvement after transferring to Oregon. - Las Vegas Raiders – Terrion Arnold – CB – Alabama
I find Vegas to enjoy taking SEC players with their early-round picks. Arnold fits the bill playing at Alabama and is at a position of need. - New Orleans Saints – Taliese Fuaga – OT – Oregon St.
It’s time to readdress the trenches with there being so much uncertainty for the offensive line in New Orleans. Fuaga is one of three guys I can see the Saints taking. - Indianapolis Colts – Quinyon Mitchell – CB – Toldeo
Now that Stefon Diggs is in Houston, it’d be smart to counter that move by taking a corner to try and slow down that offense. - Seattle Seahawks – Laiatu Latu – ED – UCLA
No real need to change this pick right now. Latu is still regarded as one of the top edge rushers in this class and would help bring pressure to opposing backfields. - Jacksonville Jaguars – Nate Wiggins – CB – Clemson
The Jags still look thin at the cornerback position. Wiggins could be a nice piece outside on the boundaries opposite Tyson Campbell. - Cincinnati Bengals – Brian Thomas Jr. – WR – LSU
Tyler Boyd is about to sign with another team and the odds that Tee Higgins stays in Cincy much longer aren’t very high. Go get another LSU Tiger for Joe Burrow to throw to. - Los Angeles Rams – Jared Verse – ED – Florida St.
Naturally, I would take an interior defensive lineman to replace Aaron Donald but that might be too easy. How about getting a top edge rusher in the class? - Pittsburgh Steelers – Olumuyiwa Fashanu – OT – Penn St.
The Steelers have been on a trend of taking offensive players and they also recently traded away one of their starting offensive linemen. Fashanu should be a starting tackle for Pittsburgh by week one. - Miami Dolphins – Troy Fautanu – OT – Washington
Since Thomas is already gone, let’s also improve the offensive line. Just like how we did with the Steelers. - Philadelphia Eagles – Ladd McConkey – WR – Georgia
A little bit of a spicy pick here. Philly is locking up their offensive linemen and they’ve made moves with their d-line. If they decide to go in a different direction and go pass catcher, McConkey would be their guy at this spot. - Los Angeles Chargers – Jer’Zhan Newton – IDL – Illinois
With the previous pick being an offensive player, let’s go defense with this pick. Newton would be a nice addition to the interior while you still have Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. - Dallas Cowboys – Payton Wilson – LB – NC St.
Leighton Vander Esch was released and Wilson adds more depth and versatility to a linebacker room that isn’t what it once was. - Green Bay Packers – JC Latham – OT – Alabama
Latham is a good safe pick to replace David Bakhtiari and start for you at the beginning of the 2024 season. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Kool-Aid McKinstry – CB – Alabama
Sticking with Kool-Aid at this pick since Tampa has addressed the first two levels of the defense but could still use more help in the secondary. - Arizona Cardinals – Jackson Powers-Johnson – IOL – Oregon
Now that the Cardinals have their new wide receiver in Marvin Harrison Jr., it’s time to beef up the interior of that offensive line. They’ve added pieces along the edges but they currently have a guard playing center and JPJ would fix that. - Buffalo Bills – Chop Robinson – ED – Penn St.
I wanted to go tackle here but since the Bills just signed La’el Collins I’ll select an edge rusher to eventually replace Von Miller. - Detroit Lions – Chris Braswell – ED – Alabama
Robinson isn’t available at this pick anymore but I’ll still take another edge rusher for Detroit to add more depth and play meaningful snaps when Marcus Davenport isn’t on the field. - Baltimore Ravens – Chris Sainristil – CB – Michigan
Baltimore could use another cornerback. I don’t trust Brandon Stephens to be out there on the boundary on every down. - San Francisco 49ers – Amarius Mims – OT – Georgia
Take Mims late in the first round and let him sit a year behind Trent Williams. Also, Colton McKivitz only signed a one year deal to stay in San Fran. - Kansas City Chiefs – Tyler Nubin – S – Minnesota
Six tackles have been taken to this point in this mock draft. Why not go out on a limb and select the number one safety in the class and make that defensive better after moving on from L’Jarius Sneed?