(Caleb Williams / QB / USC)
The first 18 picks are locked in after the end of the regular season. The order of the remaining picks will be determined by the results of the playoffs with the Super Bowl champion selecting #32, the final pick of the first round.
NOTE: This mock draft does not consider trades. Trades will be included in future mock drafts.
The 2024 NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Michigan from April 25 – 27.
1. Chicago (from Carolina) Caleb Williams / QB / USC
The Bears are at a critical crossroads – ride and die with Justin Fields, draft potential generational talent Williams, or trade back an acquire additional draft capital. By selecting Williams, Chicago decides to start over with a new QB with the talent and playing style similar to Patick Mahomes.
2. Washington Drake Maye / QB / N. Carolina
Washington hired Kliff Kingsbury as their new offensive coordinator, prompting discussion that the Commanders will try to acquire Caleb Williams to operate his offense. In this scenario, Washington selects Maye, an elite prospect with fantastic tools that fills an area of great need in DC.
3. New England JJ McCarthy / QB / Michigan
For the first time this century, the Patriots will be led by someone not named Belichick as Jerod Mayo takes over as head coach in New England. The Mac Jones experiment has proven to be a failure and it seems pretty apparent that the Pats need to select a young QB to develop. In this scenario, New England has their choice of Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, Oregon’s Bo Nix, or JJ McCarthy of the National Champion Wolverines. New England decides to go back to the Michigan well that brought the NFL Tom Brady. McCarthy has elite tools and should be able to be developed into a franchise QB in Boston.
4. Arizona Mekhi Wingo / IDL / LSU
Arizona could go a number of ways here but decide to take the best defensive player available in Wingo, a great athlete with power and agility to create nightmares for lineman up and down the line of scrimmage. Wingo offers great length and size and fits any defensive scheme.
5. LA Chargers Taliese Fuaga / OT / Oregon State
Jim Harbaugh is now LA’s head coach and a major reason why is the belief in dominating at the line of scrimmage, especially in the run game. Fuaga is the best run blocker available in the 2024 NFL Draft, with a playing style similar to Penei Sewell (Lions), and would immediately improve the ground game for the Chargers, regardless of who totes the ball.
6. NY Giants Bo Nix / QB /Oregon
The Giants decide that Daniel Jones is not the team’s franchise QB and decide that this year’s QB class is a great time to draft his replacement. Nix went from being a bust and a disappointment at Auburn to being an All-American and Heisman Trophy finalist at Oregon, where he completed a FBS record 77.4% in 2023.
7. Tennessee Olu Fashanu / OT / Penn State
For the better part of 25 years the Titans have been known for their physical playing style, toughness, and running the ball. Unfortunately, this last season the wheels fell off. And yes, QB play was an issue. But the drop off in the quality of the offensive line declined significantly last season and the Titans never replaced OLT Taylor Lewan, which derailed the normally potent run game. Fashanu looks like an ideal replacement as he has the length, feet, agility, and athleticism to play OLT for the next decade.
8. Atlanta Jared Verse / Edge / Florida State
It has been years since the Falcons have had a consistent pass rush and new head coach Raheem Morris has a defensive background and realizes that winning at the NFL level is nearly impossible to accomplish without pressuring the opposing QB. Verse is well-rounded, experienced, and consistent at FSU and figures to give Atlanta a threat rushing off the edge.
9. Chicago Malik Nabers / WR / LSU
After taking Williams at #1, the Bears acquire a weapon for him to deploy in the passing game. Nabers has great speed, suddenness, and body control to make the acrobatic catch and become a true #1 WR in the Windy City.
10. NY Jets Brock Bowers / TE / Georgia
Aaron Rodgers returns for at least one more season and the Jets remain on a “win now” mode and decide that getting an elite weapon, in the mold of Sam LaPorta, for Rodgers is the best short-term path. Bowers is the best TE to come through the NFL Draft in memory with good size, athleticism, hands, YAC ability, and production as the #1 target in the Georgia Bulldog offense.
11. Minnesota Jayden Daniels / QB / LSU
Kirk Cousins is set to become a free agent in the off season and with the Vikings with little salary cap space, decide to start over and select the Heisman Trophy winner. Daniels is a fantastic athlete with a great arm, throws with accuracy and touch, is a running threat outside the pocket, and a good decision maker with improving field vision.
12. Denver Dallas Turner / Edge / Alabama
Denver would clearly like to draft a replacement for Russell Wilson but don’t think that any QB is worth drafting at #12. Denver’s defense was surprisingly strong last year (set aside the debacle against Miami) but they could always use another pass rusher. Turner has a quick first step and has the bend and closing burst you cannot teach that is a characteristic that is difficult to find.
13. Las Vegas Joe Alt / OT / Notre Dame
Alt falling out of the top ten picks is unlikely but if he does, the Raiders would jump on the chance to draft the second-generation talent (his father, John, was an All-Pro with the Chiefs in the 90’s). As much as the Raiders would like to draft a QB in the first round, they shouldn’t reach and by drafting Alt, the Raiders improve their offensive line and pass protection, which will benefit whoever takes snaps from center this year.
14. New Orleans Cooper DeJean / CB / Iowa
New Orleans has had one of the best secondaries in the NFL over the last decade but the quality of play fell in 2023 due to injuries and age. DeJean has the speed, quickness, athleticism, and ball skills to serve as a team’s #1 CB.
15. Indianapolis Kris Jenkins / IDL / Michigan
The Colts have no huge needs and would like to trade back and acquire more draft picks. But in this scenario, Indy selects the talented Michigan DT, whose father (Kris, Sr.) was a perennial All-Pro DT with the Panthers. The younger Jenkins is a spitting image of his father and has Pro Bowl potential in the NFL.
16. Seattle Laiatu Latu / Edge / UCLA
New Seahawks head coach Mike McDonald was the defensive coordinator of the Ravens and he understands the importance of pressuring the QB. Latu is a technician with a variety of pass rushing moves and great production over his last two years in Westwood.
17. Jacksonville Jordan Morgan / OT / Arizona
The Jaguars offensive line had difficulty opening holes for the ground game and protecting Trevor Lawrence from the pass rush. Morgan looks like a long-term starter at OLT with the feet, strength, and length to excel at the NFL level.
18. Cincinnati Jer’Zhan Newton / IDL / Illinois
The Bengals need to infuse some youth across their defensive front and decide to draft the talented Illini DT. “Johnny” Newton is sudden and quick and typically wins with his first step and via outstanding leverage.
19. LA Rams Quinyon Mitchell / CB / Toledo
The Rams have no real need and although they’d love to draft a QB, there isn’t one available worth drafting here so they decide that selecting a potential true lockdown CB in Toledo’s Mitchell is the right way to go. Mitchell had a great Senior Bowl practice week and is rapidly ascending draft boards and may be the first CB picked in April.
20. Pittsburgh Cooper Beebe / IOL / Kansas State
Historically, when the Steelers are Super Bowl contenders, they feature a dominate running game but the offensive line has not been up to the task. Beebe is one of the best guard prospects to enter the league in years and would have been a first round draft pick last year if he had not chosen to return to college. Beebe would give a boost to both the rushing and passing attacks in the Steel City.
21. Miami Chop Robinson / Edge / Penn State
Miami’s defense suffered a precipitous drop in performance once season-ending injuries were suffered by Edge Rushers Jaelen Phillips and Bradley Chubb and decide to strengthen the pass rush with the selection of Robinson. The Nittany Lion DE is a former 5-star recruit and has a skill set made for the NFL with quickness, agility, bend, and closing burst to provide a valuable speed rush from the outside.
22. Philadelphia Tyler Guyton / OT / Oklahoma
Philly has had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL for the last decade but age is starting to impact the health and quality of the line. Guyton, a former TE, is huge, has a large wingspan, and moves extremely well for his size. Guyton could play either OLT or ORT and looks like a potential Pro Bowl level player.
23. Houston (from Cleveland) Rome Odunze / WR / Washington
Houston was not planning on selecting a WR with the first-round pick acquired from Cleveland in the Deshaun Watson trade but decide that passing on Odunze would be a mistake. Odunze is a smooth and fluid athlete with reliable hands and great body control. CJ Stroud gets a new toy to deploy in the passing offense.
24. Dallas Troy Fautanu / OL / Washington
The Cowboys’ offensive line play has started to fall off as age and injuries have taken a toll on the quality of play. Fautanu has plenty of experience as a blindside blocker and has the feet and mobility to line up at OLT, although his best NFL position may be at guard.
25. Green Bay Kool-Aid McKinstry / CB / Alabama
Green Bay was the youngest team in the NFL last year and the future looks bright for the Packers. They could go a number of ways with this pick – just don’t expect a WR at #25. Jaire Alexander may be on his way out and getting a young, talented CB would be a smart choice. McKinstry has length, agility, feet, and ball skills to become a #1 CB in the NFL.
26. Tampa Bay Keon Coleman / WR / Florida State
Mike Evans time in Tampa may be coming to an end due to his age, history of injuries, and contract demands. Coleman has only average speed but has soft hands, outstanding leaping ability, and great body control and makes a perfect complement to speedster Chris Godwin on the outside in Tampa Bay.
27. Arizona (from Houston) Xavier Legette / WR / South Carolina
After selecting DT Mekhi Wingo at #4 overall, the Cards decide to get Kyler Murray a weapon to use in the passing game in the Gamecock WR. Legette has height, length, a large catch radius, and dangerous YAC ability after the catch and gives Arizona a big play threat at WR that has been missing in the desert over the last several seasons.
28. Buffalo Terrion Arnold / CB / Alabama
The Bills have to play the Dolphins twice a season – and trying to keep up with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle requires having athletes who have the speed and technical proficiency to cover agility in space. Arnold is the less ballyhooed of the two outstanding Crimson Tide CBs available in April but he has the length and short area reaction skills to excel on an island in coverage.
29. Detroit Darius Robinson / DL / Missouri
Robinson was the most dominating defensive player at Senior Bowl practices, has an intriguing combination of size, length, and athleticism with the ability to slide up and down the line of scrimmage and create mismatches. The hope would be that increased pressure on the QB improves the defense’s ability to stop the passing attack.
30. Baltimore Nate Wiggins / CB / Clemson
The Ravens had the NFL’s top defense last season but KC exposed the holes in the secondary in the AFC Championship game last month. Wiggins has been a steady, reliable CB for Clemson the last couple of seasons and gives Baltimore a plug and play option next season.
31. Kansas City Xavier Worthy / WR / Texas
The Chiefs have had issues all season with dropped passes and a big part of the reason are the WR’s inability to create separation against man coverage. Getting open is not an issue for the ultra-quick and explosive Longhorn. Worthy would be the most dangerous KC WR in the open field since Tyreek Hill left for Miami years ago.
32. San Francisco Christian Haynes / IOL / UCONN
The 49ers look to be a contender for a few seasons to come and have no real concerns they need to address in the draft. Haynes is a multiple year All-American at a school with little surrounding talent. In San Francisco, Haynes provides a well-rounded IOL who looks like a potential Pro Bowler down the line.
* Carolina and Cleveland do not have first round selections in the 2024 NFL Draft.
2nd Round
33. Carolina Roman Wilson / WR / Michigan
34. New England Kingsley Suamataia / OL / BYU
35. Arizona Tyler Nubin / S / Minnesota
36.Washington Brian Thomas / WR / LSU
37. LA Chargers Blake Corum / RB / Michigan
38. Tennessee Cedric Gray / LB / North Carolina
39. NY Giants Audric Estime / RB / Notre Dame
40. Washington (from Chicago) Ruke Orhorhoro / IDL / Clemson
41. Green Bay (from NY Jets) MarShawn Lloyd / RB / USC
42. Minnesota Braden Fiske / IDL / Florida State
43. Atlanta Michael Penix / QB / Washington
44. Las Vegas Malachi Moore / S / Alabama
45. New Orleans (from Denver) Troy Franklin / WR / Oregon
46. Indianapolis Marist Liufau / LB / Notre Dame
47. NY Giants (from Seattle) Payton Wilson / LB / NC State
48. Jacksonville DeWayne Carter / IDL / Duke
49. Cincinnati Kalen King / CB / Penn State
50. Philadelphia (from New Orleans) Junior Colson / LB / Michigan
51. Pittsburgh Spencer Rattler / QB / S. Carolina
52. LA Rams Joe Milton / QB / Tennessee
53. Philadelphia Lideatrick Griffin / WR / Miss St.
54. Cleveland Christian Mahogany / IOL / Boston Coll
55. Miami Patrick Paul / OT / Tulane
56. Dallas Ja’Tavion Sanders / TE / Texas
57. Tampa Bay Chris Braswell / Edge / Alabama
58. Green Bay Keith Randolph / IDL / Illinois
59. Houston Amarius Mims / OT / Georgia
60. Buffalo Roger Rosengarten / OT / Washington
61. Detroit Jackson Powers-Johnson / IOL / Oregon
62. Baltimore T’Vondre Sweat / IDL / Texas
63. Kansas City Calen Bullock / S / USC
64. San Francisco Marshawn Kneeland / DL / W. Michigan
(Darius Robinson / DL / Missouri)
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