No huge surprises at the top of this 2024 no-trade NFL mock draft with QBs dominating early but WRs will be a hot position as this mock shows.
This is my first mock draft of the 2024 NFL Draft. This draft will have no trades, though I will do a draft with trades in the coming weeks. Obviously, things are bound to change over the next few weeks, but this is where I see the board falling as of now.
1. Chicago Bears - Caleb Williams
The worst-kept secret is how much the Bears wanted Caleb Williams. They never even flirted with the idea of keeping Justin Fields around. They have done a nice job of building a competitive roster, and they are ready to welcome their QB of the future. Williams is a dynamic playmaker and someone who has the potential to be a star in this league. He is not a perfect prospect, but he is the best QB in the class.
2. Washington Commanders - Jayden Daniels
Time to get controversial, I am not a fan of Jayden Daniels' tape. I saw him carve up teams for 2/3 quarters, then disappear late in big games. He was surrounded by elite playmakers on offense (which will not be the case if he is picked at 2 or 3) and did not protect himself nearly enough when running. I would not take him over Drake Maye... but Washington will.
3. New England Patriots - Drake Maye
I will be staying unbiased through these mock drafts, despite my fandom. This is a prime trade-down spot as New England is devoid of talent in many positions. However, since I am not doing trades in this mock, I will say Drake Maye is a solid quarterback. There's a fair bit of Josh Allen in his game from watching the film. He's mobile, hard to bring down, throws with defenders draped on him, and is a bit awkward when he runs like a young Josh Allen. The Patriots need a QB, they also need to make sure they are patient with him and attempt to surround him with talent immediately.
4. Arizona Cardinals - Marvin Harrison Jr.
The Cardinals are another team with plenty of needs. I have them taking an elite WR prospect. I believe he is the most well-rounded receiver in the class. He has the size, speed, athleticism, and route-running ability to be an all-pro receiver. He is not super dynamic after the catch, but he does a great job of finding open space against zone and getting open against man coverage. An elite trait that he uses effectively is his size; he has shown an elite ability to box out defenders and win at the point of attack. He should fit well with Kyler, as the longer the play develops, the more likely he is to end up open. This should be a home run pick.
5. Los Angeles Chargers - Malik Nabers
Yet another elite WR prospect. Nabers has it all, aside from the freakish build of MHJ. He is twitchy and explosive, all with great production. He put up nearly 1,600 yards and 14 touchdowns in his junior season. He would be best played in the slot, or moving around a lot since he struggles against physical press corners. He is dynamic with the ball and can rival MHJ for the best receiver in the class. Many have thought the Chargers may go for a tackle in this spot. After losing their top two receivers this offseason, if Jim Harbaugh wants to keep Herbert and Chargers fans from losing their minds, he will draft Nabers here.
6. New York Giants - Rome Odunze
I have seen rumblings of this being Joe Alt, but I'll go Odunze here. Odunze is coming off an incredible season with 92 catches for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns. He rounds out the trio of elite WR prospects in this class. He has a nice frame at 6'3" 215lbs and uses his frame well to make contested catches or box out defenders. He has great speed for his size, running a 4.45 40-yard dash. He has success at any level on the field, and his body control and hands through contact are part of what makes him an exciting prospect. He gives the Giants a legit WR1 and someone they can rebuild their offense with.
7. Tennessee Titans - Joe Alt
Alt is a 6'8" powerhouse. Though he is not perfect, he is an elite prospect and the best tackle in the class. We have seen in the past that elite tackle prospects have big boom or bust potential. I think Alt has all the intangibles and physicality to be a great player in this league for a long time. His footwork is really solid, and his hand placement is good. He does have to work to avoid being too upright in pass protection, but it's something I didn't see too many issues with on tape. Tennessee is going through the beginnings of a rebuild. If Will Levis is the future, they need to keep him upright.
8. Atlanta Falcons - Dallas Turner
Turner is not Will Anderson Jr. He is not a natural run defender, and that area of his game is severely behind where Anderson was in last year's draft. That does not mean he can't make a huge impact, but fans should temper expectations. Turner is a lengthy, athletic player with an impressive burst and a good first step. His pass rush ability is what will get him on the field early and selected in this draft early. He is still a raw prospect and will improve his repertoire of methods to get into the backfield. Turner ran a blazing 4.46 at the combine and shows every bit of that speed on tape. He will give the Falcons a much-needed threat off the edge on a defense that sorely needs to pressure the QB.
9. Chicago Bears - Jared Verse
This may be a bit high for Verse, but I love pairing him with EDGE Montez Sweat and watching them wreak havoc. I know the temptation to go for a WR may be there, but I don't think any are worth taking this high. Verse is a monster off the edge. 6'4" 254lbs and every bit of it. While not as lengthy as Turner, he has elite quickness and speed and a terrific arsenal of moves to get into the backfield. He has great hands and the flexibility to bend around blocks. I would classify Verse as a more polished product than Dallas Turner, though he is nearly 3 years older. He is not amazing against the run, and at times lost his outside contain by jumping inside, but he is capable of playing all 3 downs.
10. New York Jets - Olu Fashanu
I know the Jets signed Tyron Smith, but I would imagine if the board falls this way, they will take Fashanu or Bowers. I have them taking Fashanu. In fact, I'm surprised they signed Smith with the possibility of getting one of the two best tackles in the class. If he was gone, they could trade down in a tackle-heavy class to get someone they like. Even still, Smith is aging, and I think Fashanu makes sense here. He has great size and athleticism, and he finishes his blocks well.
11. Minnesota Vikings - JJ McCarthy
Look at that, since I have no trades in this mock, Minnesota can stay put and draft McCarthy at 11 instead of potentially trading up for him. It is widely rumored they would trade up to 3 for Drake Maye, but I have them taking JJ here. I believe McCarthy is a wild card. He never really had to attempt too many passes at Michigan and was rarely forced to play from behind. He has good arm strength and ball placement and is a good athlete. How will he respond to NFL defenses, NFL pass rushers, and NFL pressure? That is what makes this a wild card pick. Good luck evaluating it past that!
12. Denver Broncos - Laiatu Latu
Denver has been unable to replace Bradley Chubb, and this should do it. Some teams will be scared off by his injury history, but for the player he is, I have Denver taking a chance on him. Latu is a strong player with great hands and discipline in his game. He plays with a great understanding of rushing angles and ended last season with 13 sacks and 21 tackles for loss. He has average athleticism on tape, but he is a toolsy player with decent coverage ability as a 3-4 outside linebacker. The Broncos should take the best player available, and that is either Brock Bowers or Latu, I'm going with Latu.
13 Las Vegas Raiders - Quinyon Mitchell
I wavered between Mitchell and Wiggins for the Raiders, but Mitchell is the pick at 13. They could easily go OL here and it would make sense, but their secondary needs some work. Insert 6'1" 195lb corner, Quinyon Mitchell. He impressed all season at Toledo and turned heads at the Senior Bowl. He is experienced, a great tackler, and blazing fast. What's not to like?
14. New Orleans Saints - Taliese Fuaga
The Saints' pick of LT Trevor Penning just hasn't panned out. It would be in their best interest to take the best tackle still on the board. Fuaga has the versatility to play across the line and is very capable of defending the blind side at the next level. He has solid footwork, but his hands are elite. He punches with ferocity in the pass-and-run game with great placement. At times he can play a little tall for my liking, but he is a terrific prospect and allows you to find Penning's best position moving forward.
15. Indianapolis Colts - Brock Bowers
This hurts me because I would love to see Bowers in Miami, but his slide stops here. I believe he will slide as he is an odd prospect. He is an elite receiving tight end, but he is more of a big slot than a traditional tight end, which makes his evaluation difficult. Teams may also be hesitant due to how Kyle Pitts panned out thus far. He is not as good of a run blocker as you'd like, but he makes up for it with his elite acceleration and run-after-catch ability. He is the perfect weapon to add to Anthony Richardson's war chest and will add an extra dimension to the Colts' offense.
16. Seattle Seahawks - Jackson Powers Johnson
Yet another draft crush of mine off the board before the Dolphins pick. This was between JPJ and Graham Barton, but I think JPJ is a more complete prospect and younger to boot. This guy has everything you want in an Interior offensive lineman. He has good feet, and great hand placement and will be one of the smartest players on the field. At 21 years old, Seattle has a great G/C for 10+ years in JPJ. You can read my full scouting report on JPJ here.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars - Terrion Arnold
This pick has been mocked in many drafts I've seen, but the fit makes sense. They could go DT, but they need another corner next to Tyson Campbell, so Arnold is the pick. Arnold has terrific press-man ability and quick feet to shadow receivers. While he lacks elite speed, he makes up for it with his physicality and aggression. He is great at jarring balls lose. Arnold also excels in taking on blocks and making tackles in the run game. He is an all-around corner and Jacksonville will be happy to take him at 17.
18. Cincinnati Bengals - Johnny Newton
I was close to giving the Bengals Mims or Guyton here, but we'll beef up the defensive line. Newton is a bit short at the position but plays with plenty of power and agility to compete at the next level. He is a true 3 down defensive lineman who could even bump out as a big end in certain packages. He has quick feet and hand movement that make him dangerous as a pass rusher. He is not a finished product, but he has all of the tools to be a good starting DT in this league.
19. Los Angeles Rams - Byron Murphy II
Well, now there is a huge, Aaron Donald-sized hole in the Rams front. Kobie Turner was fantastic last season, so giving him a running mate who is a quick, twitchy interior rush specialist is a great idea. Murphy is short for the position no doubt, but he makes up for it with good strength and great hands. I remember another great Rams DT who was a bit undersized as well.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers - Tyler Guyton
This fit almost makes too much sense. Guyton played right tackle at Oklahoma, and the Steelers want to move Broderick Jones back to the left. Guyton is a mountain of a man, and that can sometimes play to his detriment. He can play a bit too tall and has a tendency to miss targets in the open field. As a mauler, he is exactly what you want. He has great strength on down blocks and moves men when tasked. His pass protection is solid, though he does have trouble at times with leverage. He is a great fit for the Steelers and should develop nicely.
21. Miami Dolphins - Graham Barton
I struggled with this pick. I love the idea of adding Xavier Worthy to this offense, but Barton is an elite-level offensive lineman. He is versatile, strong, and intelligent. In a perfect world, Miami could package this and future picks to get Bowers to play a big slot and wreak havoc. However, Barton is a home run selection. I love what he brings to the table with his intelligence and his football IQ. He has a good first step with excellent power on down blocks. He also shows the ability to get to the second level, which the Dolphins covet. I rarely saw him beat in pass protection, and his anchor and hand placement were top-notch. He can play tackle at an elite level, but his arm length projects him as a G/C at the next level. For Dolphins fans pounding the table for O-Line help, help has arrived.
22. Philadelphia Eagles - Nate Wiggins
Wiggins has elite speed and a long frame, which makes him a strong corner prospect. He plays very smoothly and moves well in coverage. He will never be elite in run support, and his frame may be a concern to some, but Philly has previously drafted players with an "undersized" label, and it paid off for them once.
23. Minnesota Vikings - Kool-Aid McKinstry
An experienced, smart, poised player with good athleticism and a strong pedigree. Kool-Aid could be one of the steals of the draft. He has had 3 productive seasons coached by the greatest college coach of all time, and it shows in his intelligence. He plays within himself, never seeming out of control. He is smooth in man coverage with terrific ball skills. He is not a "plus" player in the run game, but he is consistently good in coverage. He may not have as high of a "ceiling" as other players, but he arguably is the best cornerback right now in this class. He does have a Lisfranc injury, so we will have to see how far he drops. I think his wait ends here.
24. Dallas Cowboys - Troy Fautanu
I have a tough time believing Fautanu falls this far, but some teams have different needs and player profiles they seem to covet more than others. For that reason, Fautanu falls to 23. Dallas needs to fill the void left by Tyron Smith, and this will help. Fautanu shows great motor and keeps his feet and hands active when pass-blocking. He has a strong lower half that shows up in down blocks. He is quick enough to quickly set twitchy edge rushers and has a good ability to get to the second level when necessary. His hand placement needs work, but he is a solid prospect and should start for Dallas right away.
25. Green Bay Packers - Jordan Morgan
A few players make sense here, Barton, Mims, maybe Brian Thomas Jr. or another big-time receiver. However, A deep run on offensive linemen kind of forces the Steelers' hand. I decided to go with a polished tackle in Jordan Morgan. Morgan tallied an impressive 83.5 PFF grade in 2023, which ranks him 12th in all of college football. With an opening at left tackle, Morgan's athleticism at his size and his quick feet give him a great starting point. Though his pass pro isn't perfect, especially against longer edge players, if he can develop better hand skills and shoot them with more ferocity, he could be another elite tackle for the Packers.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Chop Robinson
Todd Bowles will cherish the opportunity to coach Chop. He is a freakish athlete with eye-popping plays due to that athleticism. Where he comes apart a bit is on the technical side. If he can't win with speed or strength, he barely wins. He will need to work on his arsenal of moves and add to it. He is a solid run defender who could use a bit more consistency on that front. There is plenty to love about this pick and the fit for this team. Huge get for Todd Bowles and Co.
27. Arizona Cardinals - T'Vondre Sweat
Arizona will be thrilled to get a huge powerhouse defensive tackle in this spot. The previous DTs taken were a bit undersized, not Sweat. He is 6'4" 370 and looks every bit of it. He improved leaps and bounds in 2023 in terms of his quickness and hand play. He improved rushing the passer as well with two sacks and 26 QB pressures. He is more of a space-eater in the run game, and he is capable of swallowing up multiple linemen to allow his linebackers to work. He changes the way offenses need to scheme inside runs, and that will be a huge benefit to Gannon's defensive approach. This may seem a bit high for Sweat, but his improvement in 2023 and potential to get even better has him rising up into the first round for me in a class with limited true defensive tackles.
28. Buffalo Bills - Keon Coleman
Dolphins fans, look away. This pick makes way too much sense after seeing the Bills let Gabe Davis walk. They will go receiver, but which one? I think Coleman is everything they wanted Davis to be. He and Davis have very similar measurements and times at the combine. While Coleman can struggle to get open at times, he makes up for it with his aggressive jump-ball mentality. He has incredible ball skills on contested catches and rarely has focus drops like Davis did in Buffalo. I would trust Joe Brady to give him routes that allow him to get open downfield, or to throw him jump balls a few times a game to let him go make a play.
29. Detroit Lions - Cooper DeJean
With the sudden departure of Cam Sutton, the Lions are in need of a DB. Look no further than DeJean. He is a player who has the potential game-changing ability and the versatility and intelligence to play anywhere in the secondary. Add him to a secondary with Brian Branch, and you are cooking. Questions will be asked about the offenses he faced in 2023, but he flashes on tape, and I think he will fit in nicely on that defense. If he does not pan out at the corner, he should be a great safety if they feel the need to move him.
30. Baltimore Ravens - JC Latham
This is a toss-up between Latham and Amarius Mims, but I'm going with Latham. His combination of impressive size and quickness gives Baltimore a great RT of the future. At 21 years old, he already has two years of high-level starting experience. His raw power and strength really jump off the screen watching his tape. He has some work to do with anticipation and sometimes whiffing blocks from being too aggressive, but to block for Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson, I would love this mauler up front.
31. San Francisco 49ers - Kingsley Suamataia
Initially, I had Graham Barton penciled in for this spot, but a change of heart saw Miami take Barton, which leaves Suamataia to the 49ers. However, he is far from a consolation prize. Amarius Mims is another player I thought about, but I think Suamataia is the better fit. He is very athletic for his size and still young. He is a work in progress, but he has shown the ability to play well in a zone-blocking scheme. His zone run-blocking ability could see him start at RT or kick in to guard for the 49ers.
32. Kansas City Chiefs - Kamari Lassiter
This may be unpopular. I know Chiefs fans would want a WR and I empathize. However, losing L'Jarius Sneed creates a need in the secondary. The Chiefs could try to trade up for one of the premier corners, but if they stick, I like Lassiter. They could risk waiting until the 2nd round, but he could be gone. I am not in love with any of the receivers left on the board either. Lassiter is a bit smaller and less athletic than Sneed, but he has the physical tools and mentality to succeed. He is confident in press coverage and does a good job of disrupting receivers with his hands. He is aggressive at the catch point and a solid run defender. Lassiter didn't have eye-popping stats, but he is consistent and effective on tape. Trust the staff in KC to coach him up. Ennis Rakestraw was an option here, and it comes down to preference; I'll take the high upside of Lassiter.
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