NFL Mock Draft: Picks 1-28

With the season in the books for the Eagles, we can finally look ahead to an offseason that should bring much improvement to the maligned team. The hiring of Vic Fangio gives some clarity on the defensive approach this offseason while the hiring of Kellen Moore helps to improve the offense. Here is how the first round of the draft could shake out for most of the NFL and the Eagles.

1. Chicago Bears (From Carolina): Caleb Williams, Quarterback, USC- The Bears need to just hit the reset button and move on from Justin Fields. Caleb Williams has all the tools to be a special NFL QB.
2. Washington Commanders: Joe Alt, Offensive Tackle, Notre Dame– Quarterback is tempting here but the Washington line was a disaster in 2023. Joe Alt could stabilize the unit and protect whoever is the signal caller in 2024.
3. New England Patriots: Drake Maye, Quarterback, UNC- The Patriots rightfully move on from the Mac Jones experiment to draft someone with the arm, athleticism, and decision making to lead a football team.
4. Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Junior, Wide Receiver, Ohio State– The Cardinals were a feisty team in 2023 and clearly just need talent wherever they can get it. Marvin Harrison Junior is an elite talent that could put their offense in a great position next year.
5. Los Angeles Chargers: Brock Bowers, Tight End, Georgia- Jim Harbaugh is going to turn around the Chargers and get Justin Herbert right again. That will mean surrounding him with great weapons and Brock Bowers will be a game changing NFL tight end.
6. New York Giants: Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA- The Giants have some talent on their defensive front in Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux but could stand to add more speed off the edge.
7. Tennessee Titans: Olu Fashanu, Offensive Tackle, Penn State- The Titans will be rebuilding their offense and that means boosting the talent in the trenches. Olu Fashanu has an incredibly high ceiling as an NFL tackle.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Jayden Daniels, Quarterback, LSU– The Falcons are a quarterback away from being a really dangerous offense. Jayden Daniels will step onto a unit with Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Tyler Allgeier and produce immediately.
9. Chicago Bears: Malik Nabers, Wide Receiver, LSU- The Bears need to pair another receiver with DJ Moore for their newly drafted quarterback. Nabers is a dangerous field stretching player who can open up space for DJ Moore.
10. New York Jets: Rome Odunze. Wide Receiver, Washington- The Jets have a great player in Garrett Wilson but they need more receiving talent around him. Rome Odunze’s elite ball skills will give Aaron Rodgers a great downfield threat in this offense.
11. Minnesota Vikings: Bo Nix, Quarterback, Oregon- It is up in the air if Kirk Cousins returns next season, so right now the Vikings need a quarterback. Nix has a great blend of arm strength and athleticism to develop in Kevin O’Connell’s offense.
12. Denver Broncos: Michael Penix Junior, Quarterback, Washington-The Broncos are in a bad spot given the whole Russell Wilson saga. Michael Penix Junior could be the answer given his uncanny accuracy and decision making ability.
13. Las Vegas Raiders: JJ McCarthy, Quarterback, Michigan- The Raiders are also in a weird spot with their quarterback situation. JJ McCarthy is an interesting option given his athleticism, decision making, and his success at Michigan.
14. New Orleans Saints: JC Latham, Offensive Tackle, Alabama- The Saints add a great talent to their line in JC Latham who can hold it down on the edge and keep Derek Carr upright.
15. Indianapolis Colts: Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama- The Colts were a pleasant surprise in 2023 despite losing their rookie quarterback early in the year. Adding some more speed to a young, talented defense would be the right move here.
16. Seattle Seahawks: Jer’Zahn Newton, Defensive Tackle, Illinois- The Seahawks continue tor rebuild their defense by drafting a twitchy, penetrating defensive tackle.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jared Verse, Edge, FSU- The future of Josh Allen in Jacksonville is unclear. If they don’t find a way to keep him, edge will become the top need for this team.
18. Cincinnati Bengals: Byron Murphy II, Defensive Tackle, Texas- The Bengals have a lot of talent on their defense and can boost their defensive interior here with Murphy.
19. Los Angeles Rams: Kool-Aid Mckinstry, Cornerback, Alabama- I don’t remember the last time the Rams had a first round pick. It might have been 2016. Here they can pick up a talented cornerback to add to a young, overachieving defense for next year.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Terrion Arnold, Cornerback, Alabama- The Steelers make it two Bama corners in a row by drafting the ball-hawking Arnold to pair with Joey Porter Junior.
21. Miami Dolphins: Kamren Kinchens, Safety, Miami- The Dolphins draft a hometown player and add some needed help to the back end of their secondary.
22. Philadelphia Eagles: Nate Wiggins, Cornerback, Clemson- The steps back taken by James Bradberry and, to a lesser extent, Darius Slay in 2023 really hurt the Eagles defense. It’s clear they will need to get a lot younger on the back end this offseason. While Kelee Ringo should be considered to take over at one of the outside cornerback spots, more help should be considered. Nate Wiggins is a big, physical cornerback who has very good instincts in coverage. He is the exact type that tends to thrive in Vic Fangio’s defense.
23. Houston Texans (From Cleveland): Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State- The Texans can follow up a great first season of the CJ Stroud/DeMeco Ryans era by adding more talent to their roster. Chop Robinson is a disruptive edge player who will pair so well with Will Anderson Junior.
24. Dallas Cowboys: Leonard Taylor III, Defensive Tackle, Miami- The middle of the Cowboys defense is still soft, even with the addition of Mazi Smith last year. The Cowboys need to keep beefing up their line.
25. Green Bay Packers: Taliese Fuaga, Offensive Lineman, Oregon State– It is pretty clear that the Packers have their quarterback in Jordan Love. Next step is making sure the team stays stocked around him. Taliese Fuaga is great offensive line talent who can play either tackle position or spend a season at guard.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Keon Coleman, Wide Receiver, FSU- It might be the end of the Mike Evans era in Tampa Bay and they will have a hard time filling his shoes. Keon Coleman is an above-the-rim type of player who can make 50-50 balls into 70-30 balls.
27. Arizona Cardinals (From Houston): Bralen Trice, Edge, Washington- Adding some defensive talent will go a long way for the Cardinals. Bralen Trice is a versatile pass rusher who could move all around Jonathan Gannon’s defense.
28. Buffalo Bills: Xavier Worthy, Wide Receiver, Texas- The Bills might lose Gabe Davis to free agency and rumors are swirling about a Stefon Diggs exit… Wide receiver help will be needed and they can add the very speedy Xavier Worthy.