Well, now that the Kansas City Chiefs have won the Super Bowl, every other NFL team sees just how high the bar has been set. This means every team has to take a close look at their rosters and hope they can strike gold in the 2024 NFL draft.
With the Super Bowl in the rearview mirror, we have updated our big two-round mock draft that includes a lot of new faces in the first round.
1 - Chicago Bears - QB Caleb Williams, USC
We have decided to give in and not only make USC quarterback Caleb Williams the top pick but even project the Bears will trade away Justin Fields to make it happen. If Williams’ ceiling is Patrick Mahomes as some speculate, you just can’t pass on him.
2 - Washington Commanders - QB Drake Maye, North Carolina
A new regime in Washington means Sam Howell will be out and we think Drake Maye is the guy who can come in and utilize the talent on the Commanders roster and help this team win early like C.J. Stroud did in Houston.
3 - New England Patriots - QB Jayden Daniels, LSU
The rebuild in New England begins and the centerpiece of head coach Jarod Mayo’s offense should be LSU’s Jayden Daniels. If they are willing to build an offense around him ala Lamar Jackson in Baltimore, he will be a star.
4 - Arizona Cardinals - WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
Whenever I mock a quarterback to the Cardinals the Kyler Murray Stans come out strong so here we go. Another year of Murray at quarterback and we give him the best offensive weapon in the draft to throw the football to.
5 - Los Angeles Chargers - WR Malik Nabers, LSU
This could be a pivot point in the first round for some big trades with the top offensive tackles left on the board but we are standing pat and giving the Chargers former LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers to give Justin Herbert an elite weapon.
6 - New York Giants - OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame
There are plenty of spots the Giants could target here but Notre Dame’s Joe Alt is easily the top offensive tackle in this draft and an All-Pro sooner rather than later.
7 - Tennessee Titans- OT Olu Fashanu, Penn State
The battle to be the second offensive tackle off the board is going to really heat up in the coming months. Right now we have Olu Fashanu as the No. 2 offensive tackle despite a down 2023 season. As for the Titans, they have to upgrade their offensive line so whether it is Fashanu or someone else. offensive tackle is the move here.
8 - Atlanta Falcons - QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
Big surprise pick here for the Falcons. They need a quarterback and there’s no guy moving up draft boards faster than Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy. Teams love his confidence, high football acumen and overall skill set.
9 - Chicago Bears - WR Rome Odunze, Washington
The Bears follow up their pick of Caleb Williams with Rome Odunze who can pair up perfectly with D.J. Moore in that Chicago passing offense.
10 - New York Jets - TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
It seems the Jets are preparing for a big comeback by quarterback Aaron Rogers so we decided to give Rodgers the best pass-catching tight end to come into the NFL in five years.
11 - Minnesota Vikings - DB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
This could be a spot where the Vikings shock everyone and take a quarterback but instead we go with something a little safer in Iowa do-it-all defensive back Cooper DeJean.
12 - Denver Broncos - EDGE Dallas Turner, Alabama
It’s crazy to think the Broncos could have their pick of the best edge rushers in the draft at No. 12 overall. We favor Dallas Turner because he’s got more experience dropping into coverage as a 3-4 outside linebacker.
13 - Las Vegas Raiders - OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
If Taliese Fuaga impresses in offseason workouts, he could easily overtake Olu Fashanu and be the second offensive tackle off the board. For now he sticks at No. 3 and lands with the Raiders who need lots of help.
14 - New Orleans Saints - EDGE Jared Verse, FSU
This is another prime spot for the fifth quarterback to come off the board or a trade back for the Saints. But if they can land an explosive edge defender like Jared Verse, they would just stay put.
15 - Indianapolis Colts - CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson
There’s a lot of uncertainty with the Colts at multiple spots but cornerback is near the top of the list. It’s rare when one of the top two cornerbacks is still on the board in the middle of the round so Indianapolis doesn’t hesitate to select Nate Wiggins out of Clemson.
16 - Seattle Seahawks - CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama
Seattle loves big, fast cornerbacks who thrive in man coverage and Terrion Arnold definitely fits the bill. We look for Arnold to have a huge offseason of workouts and keep climbing up boards.
17 - Jacksonville Jaguars - DT Jer'Zhan Newton, Illinois
Jer’Zhan Newton is too good to last until No. 17 but if he does, it’s a huge pull for a Jaguars team that needs to bolster its defensive front.
18 - Cincinnati Bengals - OT JC Latham, Alabama
The Bengals are in line to lose Jonah Williams but they upgrade here with former Alabama offensive tackle JC Latham.
19 - Los Angeles Rams - CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
Another prime spot for a quarterback pick but we don’t pull the trigger. Instead Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell gives the Rams a lockdown man corner for the defense.
20 - Pittsburgh Steelers - C Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
Center and cornerback are the Steelers two biggest draft needs so we opt for the top center in the entire draft instead of the fifth-best cornerback. Jackson Powers-Johnson is a mauler and 10-year starter in the league from day one.
21 - Miami Dolphins - OT Amarius Mims, Georgia
The Dolphins offensive line was a wreck last season with injuries. Amarius Mims is an elite right tackle with tons of experience against top competition.
22 - Philadelphia Eagles - CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
Philadelphia doesn’t have any huge needs but cornerback and defensive tackle stand out, especially if Fletcher Cox leaves. We went back and forth between Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry and Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy and finally settled on McKinstry.
23 - Houston Texans - DT Byron Murphy II, Texas
Bryon Murphy doesn’t last long as the Texans come in and scoop him up one pick later. Murphy is a new name in the first round of our mock but as we have gone back and studied him, he really deserves to be among the top defenders in this draft.
24 - Dallas Cowboys - OT Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma
We had mocked a cornerback here in the past but Cowboys fans are adamant that offensive tackle is a bigger need so this time around we opt for Oklahoma tackle Tyler Guyton.
25 - Green Bay Packers - OL Graham Barton, Duke
The Packers need help along the offensive line and we love Duke’s Graham Barton as a guy who could stay at offensive tackle but could be even better if the kicks inside to guard.
26 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - QB Bo Nix, Oregon
We finally sneak another quarterback into the first round with Oregon’s Bo Nix to the Bucs. We believe Nix has a higher ceiling than other pundits and love his versatility at the NFL level.
27 - Arizona Cardinals - CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri
For the Cardinals second first-round pick we just to the defensive side of the football Ennis Rakestraw is a little slight and needs to work on his zone coverage but exhibits elite man skills.
28 - Buffalo Bills - WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
The Bills can never have enough weapons for quarterback Josh Allen and no receiver in this draft can pull the top off a defense line Brian Thomas Jr.
29 - Detroit Lions - EDGE Laiatu Latu, UCLA
The Lions need to add some punch as a pass rusher to go along with Aidan Hutchinson and Laiatu Latu is a great all-around pick with some nice polish to his pass-rush moves.
30 - Baltimore Ravens - OT Jordan Morgan, Arizona
We don’t love Jordan Morgan here as a prospect but offensive tackle is a real need for the Ravens so if Baltimore doesn’t trade back, this pick makes a lot of sense.
31 - San Francisco 49ers - OL Troy Fautanu, Washington
The 49ers don’t have a ton of needs but with starting right guard John Feliciano a free agent, Washington’s Troy Fautanu is a great pick to replace him.
32 - Kansas City Chiefs - WR Troy Franklin, Oregon
The Chiefs could go with an offensive tackle here if one of the top ones falls but without that, Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin makes a lot of sense. As much as Rashee Rice has come along, the Chiefs offense needs a deep threat like Franklin.
33 - Carolina Panthers - WR Tez Walker, North Carolina
34 - New England Patriots - WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia
35 - Arizona Cardinals - EDGE Bralen Trice, Washington
36 - Washington Commanders - CB Kamari Lassiter, Georgia
37 - Los Angeles Chargers - DT Kris Jenkins, Michigan
38 - Tennessee Titans - WR Keon Coleman, Florida State
39 - New York Giants - WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas
40 - Washington Commanders - EDGE Chop Robinson, Penn State
41 - Green Bay Packers - S Tyler Nubin, Minnesota
42 - Minnesota Vikings - QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington
43 - Atlanta Falcons - WR Roman Wilson, Michigan
44 - Las Vegas Raiders - RB Jonathon Brooks, Texas
45 - New Orleans Saints - OT Patrick Paul, Houston
46 - Indianapolis Colts - WR Xavier Legette, South Carolina
47 - New York Giants - CB T.J. Tampa, Iowa State
48 - Jacksonville Jaguars - EDGE Chris Braswell, Alabama
49 - Cincinnati Bengals - TE Ja'Tavion Sanders, Texas
50 - Philadelphia Eagles - EDGE Darius Robinson, Missouri
51 - Los Angeles Rams - OT Kiran Amegadjie, Yale
52 - Pittsburgh Steelers - DT T'Vondre Sweat, Texas
53 - Miami Dolphins - G Christian Haynes, UConn
54 - Philadelphia Eagles - WR Ja'Lynn Polk, Washington
55 - Cleveland Browns - DL Braden Fiske, Florida State
56 - Dallas Cowboys - CB Caelen Carson, Wake Forest
57 - Green Bay Packers - RB Jaylen Wright, Tennessee
58 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - EDGE Jonah Elliss, Utah
59 - Houston Texans - WR Xavier Worthy, Texas
60 - OT Kingsley Suamataia, BYU
61 - Detroit Lions - C Zach Frazier, West Virginia
62 - Baltimore Ravens - WR Jermaine Burton, Alabama
63 - San Francisco 49ers - S Kamren Kinchens, Miami
64 - Kansas City Chiefs - OT Dominick Puni, Kansas
