With less than two weeks to go until the 2024 NFL Draft, mock draft season is in full swing. While nobody knows exactly what will happen when the event officially kicks off, we do know that there will be some trades. Some teams are looking to go all-in for one prospect, while others are content to build a strong, well-rounded roster.
Quarterbacks Go Early In 2024 NFL Mock Draft
1.01 – Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams, QB
Nobody needs an explanation for this one. Caleb Williams is the best quarterback in the class, and the Bears need a passer.
Caleb Williams NFL Draft Profile
1.02 – Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB
Drake Maye is the consensus QB2 on the big board and in my rankings. However, all signs point toward the Commanders going with Jayden Daniels, and this NFL mock draft reflects that. It’s hard to blame Washington for this decision, as the LSU product has the arm and legs to thrive at the next level. While his stats were artificially inflated by an elite supporting cast, he has the talent to be the long-awaited answer at quarterback.
Jayden Daniels NFL Draft Profile
1.03 – New England Patriots – Drake Maye, QB
The New England Patriots leave this mock draft with the quarterback with the highest ceiling – and that includes Caleb Williams. While the USC product is a more well-polished prospect, Maye is the full package from a traits standpoint. With Jacoby Brissett set to start in the short term, Maye can take his time to refine his footwork and develop into the proper heir to Tom Brady.
1.04 – Arizona Cardinals – Marvin Harrison Jr. , WR
The Arizona Cardinals stay put in this mock draft and land one of the most talented receiver prospects in recent memory. Marvin Harrison Jr can do it all and should be a welcome addition for Kyler Murray and Trey McBride.
Marvin Harrison Jr NFL Draft Profile
1.05 – TRADE – Minnesota Vikings – J.J. McCarthy, QB
The first trade of the 2024 NFL mock draft is a big one, as Minnesota sends both of their first-round picks to the Los Angeles Chargers for the rights to J.J. McCarthy. The Michigan product has great athletic gifts and played well in small doses, but one must wonder why Jim Harbaugh never allowed him to air it out in college.
J.J. McCarthy NFL Draft Profile
1.06 – New York Giants – Malik Nabers, WR
The New York Giants lost out on a potential franchise quarterback, but Malik Nabers is a great consolation prize in this NFL mock draft. Nabers would be the top receiver off the board in most draft classes and will easily be the best receiver on this roster. Seeing as the team is stuck with Daniel Jones for at least one more season, they might as well try and get the most out of him.
Malik Nabers NFL Draft Profile
1.07 – Tennessee Titans – Joe Alt, OT
Will Levis showed flashes as a rookie, and now it’s time for the team to see what he can really do. Tennessee already improved the interior offensive line and the wide receiver position, but now they land the best tackle in this NFL mock draft. Joe Alt is a monster of a man who has legitimate Pro Bowl potential as a rookie.
1.08 – Atlanta Falcons – Dallas Turner, EDGE
The Falcons make edge defender Dallas Turner the first defensive player off the board in this NFL mock draft. Following a dominant career at Alabama, Turner should give the Falcons the pass rush they so desperately need. Assuming Kirk Cousins can return to form, this team should have the offensive and defensive pieces required to win the NFC South and make some noise in the playoffs.
Dallas Turner NFL Draft Profile
1.09 – Chicago Bears – Rome Odunze, WR
The Bears currently have a great wide receiver duo in D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen. However, Allen is only under contract for one more season and is on the wrong side of 30. This team needs a young option to pair with Moore and Caleb Williams, and they land an elite route runner in this mock draft.
1.10 – New York Jets – Brock Bowers, TE
The New York Jets are going all-in for 2024, which makes Brock Bowers a great pick in this NFL mock draft. While most tight ends need a year or two to adjust to the pros, Bowers plays more like a receiver and should be able to make an impact right out of the gate. With Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams taking most of the coverage, Bowers should be an ideal third option for Aaron Rodgers.
Brock Bowers NFL Draft Profile
1.11 – Los Angeles Chargers – Taliese Fuaga, OT
The Chargers use the first of their acquired picks to secure the offensive tackle position. Jim Harbaugh believes in the power of the run game, and he wants to find a big, physical force of nature capable of pushing back edge defenders and sending linebackers to the curb.
Taliese Fuaga NFL Draft Profile
1.12 – TRADE – Miami Dolphins – Olu Fashanu, OT
With Terron Armstead’s future in doubt, the Miami Dolphins need to secure the offensive tackle position. In the short term, Fashanu can replace Robert Hunt at guard before shifting out to tackle if and when the need arises.
1.13 – Las Vegas Raiders – Terrion Arnold, CB
With all the quarterbacks off the board, the Raiders decide to solidify the defense. Vegas addressed their defensive line in free agency, but now they need to secure the secondary. You can never have too many good cornerbacks when you share a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, and Arnold will help to slow down these high-octane passing attacks.
Terrion Arnold NFL Draft Profile
1.14 – New Orleans Saints – Troy Fautanu, OT
The New Orleans Saints desperately need to fix their offensive line. With no answer at left tackle and Ryan Ramczyk’s career in jeopardy, they have no choice but to take a tackle. Fortunately, need and talent align in this NFL mock draft. Troy Fautanu should immediately slide into the starting lineup and provide adequate protection for Derek Carr.
Troy Fautanu NFL Draft Profile
1.15 – Indianapolis Colts – Cooper DeJean, CB
Cooper DeJean earns a top-15 selection in this mock draft following a phenomenal Pro Day. After losing out on L’Jarius Sneed to the Tennessee Titans, the Colts land a player with the ability to line up against just about anyone and take them out of the game.
Cooper DeJean NFL Draft Profile
1.16 – Seattle Seahawks – Quinyon Mitchell, CB
The Seahawks don’t need another cornerback, but it’s impossible to ignore the value in this mock draft. First-year head coach Mike Macdonald loves defensive backs, and pairing Mitchell with Devon Witherspoon could give this team the best cornerback duo in football.
Quinyon Mitchell NFL Draft Profile
1.17 – Jacksonville Jaguars – Jared Verse, EDGE
The 2023 Jacksonville Jaguars had the fewest sacks in the league despite having Josh Allen on their roster. That’s a hard feat to pull off and shows how much this team needs another edge defender. Combining Jared Verse with Arik Armstead and Allen will give Jacksonville three players capable of getting after the quarterback on any given play.
1.18 – Cincinnati Bengals – Byron Murphy, DI
The first defensive tackle off the board in this NFL mock draft lands with the Cincinnati Bengals. The team hasn’t had an elite interior defensive lineman since the Geno Atkins days, and Byron Murphy can collapse the pocket and clog up run lanes.
Byron Murphy NFL Draft Profile
1.19 – Los Angeles Rams – JC Latham, OT
JC Latham’s slide in this NFL mock draft comes to an end with the 19th overall pick. The Los Angeles Rams are a playoff team so long as Matthew Stafford stays healthy, so Los Angeles must keep him upright. Latham spent his college career on the right side of the offensive line but has the potential to play left tackle as well.
1.20 – Pittsburgh Steelers – Amarius Mims, OT
The Pittsburgh Steelers need more offensive line help with Russell Wilson as their quarterback. Even at his best, the one-time Super Bowl champion always held on to the ball too long, so Pittsburgh will need somebody capable of giving Wilson more time to read the field and get the ball out of his hands.
Amarius Mims NFL Draft Profile
1.21 – Denver Broncos – Laiatu Latu, EDGE
The Denver Broncos could select Bo Nix here, but in this NFL mock draft, they decide to wait and go after one of the best pass rushers in the class. Laiatu Latu is arguably the most technically sound player in this class, and while he doesn’t have elite athleticism, he’s still well above-average in that category.
1.22 – Philadelphia Eagles – Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB
Need and talent perfectly align for the Philadelphia Eagles in this NFL mock draft. The secondary could use more support, and Kool-Aid McKinstry’s aggressive style of play is a perfect match for this defense. With an army of capable pass-rushers, opposing quarterbacks will be making mistakes, and McKinstry has the ball skills to capitalize on those poor throws.
Kool-Aid McKinstry NFL Draft Profile
1.23 – Los Angeles Chargers – Brian Thomas Jr., WR
Instead of getting an elite wide receiver prospect, the Chargers get two good starters in this NFL mock draft. This is the best-case scenario for Los Angeles, as Justin Herbert’s massive arm is a perfect match for Brian Thomas and his vertical ability to stretch the field.
Brian Thomas NFL Draft Profile
1.24 – Dallas Cowboys – Graham Barton, OT/OG
Depending on what happens with Tyler Smith, the Dallas Cowboys will either have an opening at left tackle or left guard. Fortunately, Graham Barton is a versatile player who should be slide into either position. One way or another, the Cowboys will have reliable starters across the offensive line.
Graham Barton NFL Draft Profile
1.25 – Green Bay Packers – Jer’Zhan Newton, DI
Joe Barry is gone, which means the Packers need to rebuild their defensive line for a new scheme. While Zer’Zhan Newton is smaller than your typical defensive lineman, he plays bigger than his size and has the strength and speed to play on all three downs.
Jer’Zhan Newton NFL Draft Profile
1.26 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Nate Wiggins, CB
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers traded Carlton Davis in a cost-saving move, and now they find his replacement in the first round of this NFL mock draft. Nate Wiggins is a good man corner while smooth hips and a natural nose for the ball. He should a plug-and-play fit for Todd Bowles and his blitz-heavy defense.
Nate Wiggins NFL Draft Profile
1.27 – Arizona Cardinals – Jackson Powers-Johnson, C
The Cardinals have six picks in the top-100, so they should be comfortable with using the 27th selection on a luxury position like center. There are not 27 players in this class better than Jackson Powers-Johnson, but the relative unimportance of his position pushes him to the back of the first in this NFL mock draft. Hjalte Froholdt did his best last year, but Powers-Johnson has legitimate All-Pro potential.
Jackson Powers-Johnson NFL Draft Profile
1.28 – Buffalo Bills – Adonai Mitchell, WR
The Buffalo Bills need a wide receiver, and this NFL mock draft gives them one of the most physically gifted prospects in recent memory. Adonai Mitchell is a little rough around the edges, but the athletic freak has the potential to be a top receiver in the NFL. When paired with Josh Allen, this combination could wreak havoc on the NFL.
Adonai Mitchell NFL Draft Profile
1.29 Detroit Lions – Chop Robinson, EDGE
The Detroit Lions need to improve their defense if they want to win the Super Bowl. Aidan Hutchinson is a great player, and Chop Robinson is a perfect counterpart in this NFL mock draft. While Marcus Davenport could see more snaps early in the season, Robinson should win the starting job by the end of the year.
Chop Robinson NFL Draft Profile
1.30 – Baltimore Ravens – Tyler Guyton, OT
The Baltimore Ravens need to rebuild their offensive line, and they do that with their first-round pick in this NFL mock draft. While there are some medical worries here, Guyton should be a Day 1 starter as long as he can physically suit up.
Tyler Guyton NFL Draft Profile
1.31 – TRADE – Carolina Panthers – Xavier Worthy, WR
The final trade in this NFL mock draft comes when the Carolina Panthers jump over the Kansas City Chiefs for Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy. Blessed with elite deep speed, Worthy can add a much-needed vertical element to this passing attack. Bryce Young had one of the lowest average depth of targets in the league last year, and Worthy can help create a much-needed deep passing attack.
Xavier Worthy NFL Draft Profile
1.32 – Kansas City Chiefs – Ladd McConkey, WR
Rashee Rice might face jail time for his involvement in the Texas car crash. If he’s gone for a significant amount of time, the Chiefs will need to incorporate a shifty chain-mover into their passing attack. Ladd McConkey is perfect for that role and should help in Kansas City’s quest for three titles in as many seasons.
Ladd McConkey NFL Draft Profile
Main Photo: Rob Kinnan – USA Today Sports
