2024 NFL Draft: First Round Mock

Bill Zimmerman takes a stab at the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft!

As we continue to look toward the NFL Draft, let’s take a swing at mocking the first round of the NFL Draft. I recently did a 7-round mock draft for the Chicago Bears, so we will change up things a little bit here to try and keep things fresh.

There will definitely be some movement in the top ten picks of the NFL Draft. We’ve heard plenty about the Vikings trying to trade up and the Chargers trying to trade down but don’t be shocked if teams like the Tennessee Titans or Atlanta Falcons look to trade down depending on what happens on the board.

That being said, here’s a swing at a mock draft (with one surprise fall!) with plenty of movement in the first top ten.

1. Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams, USC QB

Insert the Steve Carrell “It’s Happening” GIF here.

2. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, LSU QB

This feels a bit like 2021, where Justin Fields was QB2 all year, and then once the draft process started, he fell. Washington seems to have been debating the Drake Maye vs Daniels dilemma quite a bit, but it seems they have settled on Daniels.

3. Minnesota Vikings: JJ McCarthy, Michigan QB

Hear me out. All I’ve heard all offseason is how much teams love JJ McCarthy and how teams are finding flaw after flaw with Drake Maye. I think Maye is the superior prospect, and I know it’s lying season, but the avalanche of negativity around Maye is hard to ignore. The Vikings give up 23 and their 2025 2 to make this deal happen.

4. Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison, Ohio State WR

It seems more and more likely that the Cardinals will be more comfortable just staying at four and taking a phenomenal target for Kyler Murray. Harrison is an elite prospect and arguably one of the best pass-catching prospects this century.

5. LA Chargers: Joe Alt, Notre Dame OT

The Chargers would love to trade down, acquire more picks, and still draft one of several talented tackles in this draft, but with the lack of interest in Maye, they don’t find a partner and are forced to take a high-quality tackle prospect who is going to protect Justin Herbert for the rest of his career.

6. New York Giants: Malik Nabers, LSU WR

The Giants have been rumored to want a QB. Instead, they decide to take a prospect that is electric with the football and the type of game-breaker this offense desperately needs, especially when Saquon Barkley now wearing a different uniform.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Rome Odunze, Washington WR

The Jaguars haven’t done much to help out Trevor Lawrence and they finally make a big swing to try and get him a legitimate pass catcher. They love Odunze and are willing to come up to get him. The price is steep. Jacksonville parts with their second-rounder this year and their second-rounder in 2025.

8. Atlanta Falcons: Dallas Tuner, Alabama Edge

The Falcons are another team that might be interested in trading down a few spots and still landing a trench player. But the top player on their board is Turner and he’s just too much of a fit for their defense to risk losing him if they trade down. The Falcons run the card in.

9. Las Vegas Raiders: Drake Maye, North Carolina QB

The Drake Maye tumble has concluded. Ryan Poles decides to help out the Raiders and provide them with a spot to come up and grab their new franchise quarterback. Giving up their third-round pick this year should be enough, but Poles knows they are coming up for a QB and forces them to pay the tax, a 2025 third-rounder as well.

10. New York Jets: Brock Bowers, Georgia TE

The Jets were long rumored to take some offensive line help here to help out Aaron Rodgers but after investing in the line during free agency, they decide to give Rodgers a nice pass catcher. Bowers has the type of talent that he should be able to help out the offense immediately and not be a slow-developing tight end like several at the position have proven to be over the years.

11. New England Patriots: JC Latham, Alabama OL

After trading down from three, the Patriots show they know they don’t have the infrastructure to support a rookie quarterback. When you are starting from scratch, build from the trenches out, and that’s what they do with Latham, a giant man with position flexibility that can help them get in the right direction.

12. Seattle Seahawks: Jared Verse, Florida State Edge

Verse seems like the exact type of guy that the Bears would draft. The Seahawks believe it so that’s why they jump in front of the Bears to take the Florida State pass rusher. Seattle sends their third-round pick and throws in pick 191 in the sixth as well.

13. Chicago Bears: Byron Murphy II, Texas DT

The Bears moved back from nine knowing several players they like are still on the board and that they are comfortable moving back four spots. After Latham and Verse come off the board, the Bears go defensive tackle and take Murphy who can be an immediate starter for them and beef up their defensive front that still needs help.

14. New Orleans Saints: Olu Fashanu, Penn State OT

Had Fashanu come out last year, there was a good chance he would have been the top tackle taken and a top-five pick, but his 2023 tape wasn’t quite as strong and he falls a bit this year. Fashanu isn’t overpowering in the run game but he’s the smoothest pass protector in the draft.

15. Indianapolis Colts: Terrion Arnold, Alabama CB

The Colts would have loved to select Brock Bowers here, but with him off the board, they decide to go defense. They could use some help in the secondary and because of the way the draft broke, they get the best defensive back in the draft.

16. Denver Broncos: Laiatu Latu, UCLA Edge

The Broncos’ plan works out perfectly. They trade back four spots and still land the player they covet in Latu. Latu has the best tape of any of the pass rushers and probably would have been a top-ten pick if it wasn’t for his questionable medicals and if his neck can hold up with the physicality of the NFL.

17. Tennessee Titans: Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State OT

Fuaga easily could have been a top-ten pick, and arguably who the Titans would have taken at seven with Alt off the board, and they can’t believe he’s still sitting here at 17. The Titans load up on capital and still get some beef on the offensive line.

18. Cincinnati Bengals: Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo CB

Teams reap the benefits of a loaded top ten with players that would never be available this late falling because of the additional talent. Mitchell is a top 10-12 talent in most drafts but falls to 18 here. He’s arguably the best DB in the draft.

19. LA Rams: Chop Robinson, Penn State Edge

You could argue that there may be some safer picks on the board here over Chop Robinson but the Rams decide to make the swing at the Edge with inconsistent play but a big upside. The Rams haven’t made a first-round pick since they selected Jared Goff so it feels strange seeing them make a pick in the top 32.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Troy Fautanu, Washington G

Some evaluators think Fautanu might be the best offensive lineman in this draft, which is saying something with all the quality talent on the board. Fautanu looks like he’s going to project inside at the NFL level which is why he slides here, but the Steelers are thrilled to get this type of talent with the 20th pick.

21. Miami Dolphins: Graham Barton, Duke C

Conor Williams’ torn ACL into free agency has left the Dolphins with a hole at center. This center class is top-heavy and the Dolphins take their C1 with the 21st pick and don’t miss a beat on offense with Barton in the middle.

22. Philadelphia Eagles: Cooper DeJean, Iowa CB

DeJean is an interesting athlete that has the potential to be a special player and those are the type of swings Howie Roseman loves to take in the draft. DeJean will be an immediate contributor on special teams both as a returner and in coverage and it will be up to the Eagles to figure how how his athletic profiles translates to the NFL and if he can succeed at CB or needs to move to safety.

23. New England Patriots: Brian Thomas, Jr, LSU WR

The Patriots are on the clock again thanks to the trade down with the Vikings and they continue to put pieces in place to support their future quarterback who isn’t on the roster yet. Thomas is a raw athlete with huge potential if a team can unlock it all.

24. Dallas Cowboys: Amarius Mims, Georgia OT

This pick screams Dallas Cowboys to me. Mims is a prototypical NFL tackle but has limited tape that allowed him to slip this far. He has great talent but is inconsistent on the field and the Cowboys feel they can coach that out of him.

25. Green Bay Packers: Nate Wiggins, Clemson CB

Packers fans loved to talk about how bad their defense was last year. Wiggins will certainly help them in that regard. A quality DB with a solid upside may be just want the Packers need to start beefing up their defense and help their young QB win some games.

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon C

Affectionally known as JPJ, the Bucs grab one of three elite center prospects in this draft. The Bucs have brought most of the band back on offense and JPJ is the prototypical lineman that could elevate a unit.

27. Arizona Cardinals: Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois DT

The Cardinals run the card in when they see Newton sitting here at 27. The Cardinals have plenty of holes on the team, but after landing the best non-QB in the entire draft early, they get a potential dominating 3T who is only still sitting here over concerns about his foot injury.

28. Buffalo Bills: Adonai Mitchell, Texas WR

After trading Stefon Diggs to Houston, Buffalo needs to start restocking their pass catchers for Josh Allen. Dalton Kincaid is set to see a big share of targets this year, but Mitchell gives them an elite talent that some evaluators think is as good as the “big three.” Mitchell’s attitude is what keeps him further down the board.

29. Detroit Lions: Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama CB

Eleven months ago, most evaluators thought McKinstry would be CB1 this year, but he’s fallen a bit but is still a first-round talent. The Lions add to a defensive unit that was decent last year but certainly needs blue-chip talent and McKinstry is the type of player that could become just that for the Motor City.

30. Baltimore Ravens: Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma OT

The Ravens go out each year and just add quality football players and that’s what they’re landing with Guyton. He’s not the flashiest lineman but probably would be a top 20 pick most years if there weren’t so many quality tackles in front of him.

31. Denver Broncos: Bo Nix, Oregon QB

The Broncos make a huge swing to come up and land their potential QB of the future. With no second-round pick, the Broncos have to trade both their third-round picks (including the one they just acquired with Seattle) as well as their 2025 second-round pick. It’s a steep price to pay, but after acquiring the third from Seattle, paying a future two to land a QB for Sean Payton seems like good business.

32. Kansas City Chiefs: Ladd McConkey, Georgia WR

Another obvious WR team, the Chiefs have very little talent at the position and are also monitoring what happens with Rashee Rice after his street racing crash earlier this offseason. McConkey is the type of guy that Mahomes can utilize immediately and boost the offense for the defending Super Bowl champions.