The first major waves of free agency have subsided, leaving behind value veteran contracts for teams to fill the needs they couldn’t shore up with the big-money contracts.
But for some teams - including the Houston Texans - the NFL draft will be where they find their next star that they couldn’t or didn’t want to pay for during free agency. Houston will have to wait until the second round, though, after the Texans traded their first-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings for a second-round pick this year and another one in 2025.
For the rest, the first-round is rife with talent to fill positions of need in the NFL. Free agency validated the first few picks, so not much will change early in this mock. But after around pick No. 6, things get a little more interesting …
Chicago Bears (via Carolina Panthers): USC QB Caleb Williams
There is nothing to indicate Caleb Williams won’t be the No. 1 overall pick here, even if the Chicago Bears trade it and/or still keep quarterback Justin Fields. Williams is a difference-maker at the most important position in football and will be the cornerstone quarterback for whichever team drafts him.
Washington Commanders: North Carolina QB Drake Maye
The same goes for Drake Maye here at No. 2. The smoke around LSU’s Jayden Daniels is just that and shouldn’t affect Maye’s placement as the second-best quarterback prospect in the class. The signing of Marcus Mariota by the Washington Commanders isn’t more than depth for the team’s next rookie quarterback.
New England Patriots: LSU QB Jayden Daniels
The New England Patriots’ acquisition of veteran journeyman Jacoby Brissett as well as the team’s reported interest in now-Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley means Marvin Harrison Jr. could be in play here. But for now, Jayden Daniels still makes sense as the pick who could start behind Brissett in Week 1 before acclimating to the NFL.
Arizona Cardinals: Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
The Arizona Cardinals didn’t sign any wide receivers in free agency and got rid of their top-two pass-catchers Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore. That leaves an insane amount of targets on the table for Kyler Murray which should be consumed mostly by Marvin Harrison Jr. This is as far as Harrison will slide in the draft.
Los Angeles Chargers: LSU WR Malik Nabers
The Los Angeles Chargers’ release of veteran wide receiver Mike Williams and the trade of Keenan Allen made this pick a lot easier. Quentin Johnston isn’t ready to be Justin Herbert’s No. 1 target and there aren’t any other real options out there for the team to add. Nabers could become the next top threat, though, and he’d at least give the Chargers’ offense another pass-catching threat.
New York Giants: Washington WR Rome Odunze
So far, the 2024 draft looks the same as it did a week ago in this mock, even after free agency. The New York Giants could move up to draft a quarterback with Daniel Jones still on the mend from his ACL tear, but wide receiver makes more sense given the team’s lack of pass-catchers. Odunze is a great prospect who could give Jones.
Tennessee Titans: Notre Dame OT Joe Alt
The Tennessee Titans look like a team committed to giving second-year quarterback Will Levis everything he needs to succeed in 2024. They signed running back Tony Pollard to build a two-headed backfield with Tyjae Spears, gave wide receiver Calvin Ridley a massive contract and signed center Lloyd Cushenberry. The only thing they’re really missing is a true tackle, which is what Notre Dame’s Joe Alt would give them.
Atlanta Falcons: Alabama EDGE Dallas Turner
Finally, a new draft pick. Quarterback immediately went off the table when the Atlanta Falcons snagged Kirk Cousins from the Minnesota Vikings. Therefore, edge makes the most sense with this pick and the best pass rusher in the draft is Alabama’s Dallas Turner. He should give Atlanta more punch on defense as the team looks to breakaway from the rest of the NFC South.
Chicago Bears: Texas DT Byron Murphy Jr.
The Chicago Bears would do well to add to their offense and defense with their two top-10 picks. Byron Murphy Jr. would be an incredible interior defensive lineman who would add another level to the Bears as they look to rise in the NFC North.
New York Jets: Penn State OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu
The New York Jets get the second-best tackle on the board in Penn State’s Olumuyiwa Fashanu to keep Aaron Rodgers upright on their re-made offensive line. The acquisition of veteran right tackle Morgan Moses means the Jets are one tackle away from finalizing their offensive line. Insert Fashanu, who some consider to be a better prospect than Alt.
Minnesota Vikings: Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell
Minnesota might dabble with J.J. McCarthy here, but free agent Sam Darnold should serve whatever goals the Vikings have in 2024. Therefore, cornerback makes the most sense to upgrade their defense, and Quinyon Mitchell is one of the top options in this class. He’d be a great fit for their secondary in a division with three quality passers.
Denver Broncos: Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy
Why not? The Denver Broncos gave up on the Russell Wilson experience and will pay him not to play for them in 2024. They didn’t snag a quarterback in free agency, either, which leaves them ripe for a rookie. McCarthy or Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. are options here, but McCarthy’s pedigree might earn him more points with teams than Penix Jr.’s arm and other intangibles.
Las Vegas Raiders: Alabama CB Terrion Arnold
The Las Vegas Raiders could also go quarterback here even after they signed Gardner Minshew, but a lockdown cornerback works as well. Antonio Pierce needs a ballhawk to shut down the offensive firepower in the rest of the division, and Arnold was one of the best in 2023.
New Orleans Saints: Illinois DT Johnny Newton
New Orleans adds a beefy interior lineman here with Johnny Newton to shore up their defense. The Saints don’t have a true or obvious direction at this point, so locking down the middle of the front seven is a solid building block in a weak division. They’ll need big bodies against the quality offensive lines of the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, too.
Indianapolis Colts: Georgia TE Brock Bowers
This is a fun pick for the Indianapolis Colts. The offense looks about the same with Anthony Richardson under center and now he gets another weapon in tight end Brock Bowers to go along with wideouts Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs as well as running back Jonathan Taylor. The Colts want to win the AFC South in 2024, and they’ll need to compete with the offenses in that division. Bowers helps accomplish that goal.
Seattle Seahawks: Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson
It would be a surprise if the Seahawks go in any other direction than the offensive line in 2024. They brought back offensive tackle George Fant, so Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson remains the best and most obvious choice here.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Iowa CB Cooper DeJean
The Jacksonville Jaguars gave a lot of money to Gabe Davis, so wide receiver doesn’t make sense here anymore even though they appeared interested in re-signing Calvin Ridley. Instead, the Jaguars should add to their secondary in the hopes of thwarting the offensive talents on their division rivals in Houston, Indianapolis and Tennessee.talie
Cincinnati Bengals: Oregon State OT Taliese Fuaga
The Cincinnati Bengals will - or, at least they should - draft an offensive tackle here. Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga is the best left on the board and would give Joe Burrow more protection after a down year for the quarterback and the team. This offense could look very different with the swap of Joe Mixon for Zack Moss at running back and the potential departure of wideout Tee Higgins.
Los Angeles Rams: Washington OT Troy Fautanu
The Los Angeles Rams spent a lot of money on guard this offseason and will move Steve Avila to center, but the tackles still need some help. Fautanu is the best player on the board and his versatility will be a boon for the Rams in 2024. They need to protect Matthew Stafford at all costs while he still remains a high-caliber quarterback.
Pittsburgh Steelers: LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr.
The Pittsburgh Steelers traded away wide receiver Diontae Johnson and released receiver Allen Robinson, which leaves a huge gap at the position. New quarterback Russell Wilson can’t cook on his own, so Brian Thomas Jr. gives him and the team more weapons on offense in what will be a new-look Steelers team in 2024.
Miami Dolphins: Clemson CB Nate Wiggins
Miami got rid of Xavien Howard and added Kendall Fuller but can still use secondary help. Wiggins is small but his speed and ability will be beneficial in the secondary. The Dolphins need someone who can help slow down Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers in the division and then the rest of the quarterbacks in the AFC.
Philadelphia Eagles: Alabam CB Kool-Aid McKinstry
The Eagles made a lot of moves during free agency but didn’t address cornerback. Darius Slay or James Bradberry could be on their way out after this season, which means Howie Roseman needs to prepare to rebuild the team’s secondary as quickly as possible. Kool-Aid McKinstry is a fine place to start.
Minnesota Viking (via Texans & Browns): Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.
The Vikings traded for this pick and could very well use it to trade up to snag one of the higher-ranked quarterbacks. But if Minnesota doesn’t it makes sense for them to take a quarterback anyway and get one of the best throwers in the game in Michael Penix Jr. He would have to compete with Sam Darnold, but Penix Jr. would be an awesome quarterback for Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison in 2024.
Dallas Cowboys: West Virginia C Zach Frazier
The Dallas Cowboys did next-to-nothing through the first wave of free agency. Whether or not that was by design remains to be seen, but the draft will be critical for the team’s success in 2024. Center Zach Frazier is not a crazy pick by any means, but the Cowboys need to get back to their roots and establish a quality offensive line before figuring out what comes next.
Green Bay Packers: Duke OT Graham Barton
The Green Bay Packers made significant improvements at various positions on their team except on the offensive line. Graham Barton is a versatile player who could be a guard or a tackle for the Packers, but he can be another building block after the release of David Bakhtiari.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Florida State EDGE Jared Verse
Jared Verse gets to stay in Florida with this pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who didn’t add any starting edge rushers in free agency yet. Verse should replace the production left behind by Shaq Barnett on the defensive line and help the Buccaneers improve on their impressive campaign in 2023.
Arizona Cardinals (via Houston Texans): UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu
Arizona went offense earlier this round but now adds to the defense with Laiatu Latu. The Cardinals need players who can attack the quarterback, and they can get that with Latu. The biggest worry is his health, but the upside at this point in the draft is hard to ignore.
Buffalo Bills: Alabama OT JC Latham
The Bills can go in a few directions here with this pick. Cornerback, safety and offensive line are all needs for one of the AFC’s top contenders. But rather than reach on any secondary players, the Bills should go with a top offensive tackle and draft J.C. Latham to fortify the line in front of Josh Allen.
Detroit Lions: Georgia WR Ladd McConkey
Ladd McConkey would be the sixth wide receiver taken in the first round of this mock draft, which would be the second-most behind the 2004 class and tied with the 2022 class. It would be an unconventional pick given the Detroit Lions’ current makeup, but general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell had success with that formula in 2023.
Baltimore Ravens: Penn State EDGE Chop Robinson
The Baltimore Ravens always like to add defensive studs and Chop Robinson would be just another weapon in the toolkit for new defensive coordinator Zach Orr. Teams in the AFC need as many pass rushers as possible, so there’s no hard in grabbing one of the better ones in this class near the end of the first round.
San Francisco 49ers: Alabama OT Amarius Mims
The San Francisco 49ers didn’t address the offensive line in free agency, so they should in the draft. Mims is a mauler and could be a huge stabilizing force for Brock Purdy in 2024. The 49ers need to keep their Super Bowl contention window open, and keeping their quarterback upright is the way to do it given all their weapons on offense.
Kansas City Chiefs: Arizona OT Jordan Morgan
Why not end the first round with another offensive tackle? Jordan Morgan would be the eighth tackle taken - which would break the NFL record of seven set back in 208. He’d also be the 10th total offensive lineman. The Kansas City Chiefs have a lot of little needs, and tackle would just be a quality addition to help their Super Bowl three-peat bid in 2024.
