With the NFL regular season nearing its end, the top of the NFL Draft is nearly set. With talented tackles, receivers, and quarterbacks available at the top, this 2024 NFL mock draft features several runs on the sport’s most important positions.
2024 NFL Mock Draft
1) Chicago Bears: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
Take your pick on QB1 in a loaded quarterback class. A lot of pundits have Caleb Williams as the pick here, but I’ve pegged Drake Maye to the Bears instead. Both quarterbacks have elite potential, but Maye is a better fit here. This, of course, assumes the Bears trade Justin Fields for more draft capital.
Chicago wants to get the ball out quickly, and Maye has been the more consistent quarterback while in phase. On standard dropbacks, Williams held the ball for an average of 3.19 seconds, the third-highest among Power Five quarterbacks and the fourth-highest screen rate.
I have Chicago grabbing the guy at his best in structure over the guy who makes his living by creating in the pocket.
2) Washington Commanders: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Caleb Williams, the highest-upside passer in the draft, has a strong arm and the ability to create plays out of nothing. Although he’s a regular Houdini, Williams still delivers accurate passes and isn’t as prone to bad decisions as some other prospects known for their off-schedule throws, like Josh Allen.
MORE: Free Mock Draft Simulator With Trades
Despite his lack of elite size, Williams uses his body well and could thrive immediately. The fact that the Commanders have talent at the skill positions would help Williams acclimate to a more timing-based offense.
3) New England Patriots: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
A quarterback prospect emerges from out of nowhere each year after a strong year. That’s the case with LSU’s Jayden Daniels, the Heisman winner who put up nearly 5000 total yards as a senior.
Daniels has always been a smart decision-maker with elite escapability, but he improved his accuracy and pushed the ball down the field more, showcasing his touch on deep balls.
The question is the schematic fit, but Daniels is too talented for the Patriots to pass on.
4) Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
As of this writing, I’m projecting that the Cardinals will roll with Kyler Murray for another season. That could change in a later edition.
The easiest way to help Murray is to get him the best receiver in the draft and the first one worthy of going in the top 5 since Ja’Marr Chase. Marvin Harrison Jr. has elite size and unreal body control. He’s fluid as a route runner, able to sink his hips to get in and out of breaks quickly.
His tape is as good as you’ll see, and he’d give Arizona a legitimate No. 1 receiver.
5) New York Giants: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
New York has spent some of its recent Day 2 and 3 draft capital on receivers but could use a true No. 1 guy. Malik Nabers is strong at the top of his routes, even at 6-foot, 190 pounds and has an alpha mentality.
Nabers has the explosiveness to take the top off the defense and should provide a true No.1 target for Daniel Jones, Tommy DeVito, or whatever quarterback Brian Daboll trots out next season.
6) Los Angeles Chargers: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
The Chargers have the oldest set of starting skill position players in the NFL and need to reload with young talent. I’ve given them Brock Bowers, who could feasibly play two or three positions at the next level.
Bowers is elite after the catch and improved as an in-line blocker as a senior. He projects best as a big slot receiver who can run a full route tree while also flashing as a lead blocker in the run game.
7) Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
Alt is my top offensive lineman in the draft, and I’ve given Joe Alt to the Titans, who have struggled to find stability at the left tackle position since the retirement of Taylor Lewan.
Alt has fantastic feet for his size and excellent bend. He’ll need to add some strength but has upside as a cornerstone left tackle.
8) New York Jets: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State
This tackle class is excellent at the top, and the Jets benefit here by getting Olu Fashanu. Fashanu is one of the youngest prospects in the draft, having just turned 21 in early December, but already shows elite strength and length.
His technique—specifically how he uses his hands—is quite refined, and he projects as an immediate starter for a team that has tried for years to solidify its offensive line.
9) Atlanta Falcons: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Nix improved yearly as a college player and capped his career with a phenomenal 2023 season. When Bo Nix is on, nobody in the country looks more calm and in control in the pocket. He’s best as a rhythm passer and can carve up defenses in the pocket and on the move.
MORE: 2024 NFL Draft Big Board
The Falcons need a point guard who can spread the ball around and involve their many offensive weapons, and I like the fit here.
10) Chicago Bears: Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
After getting Maye first overall, the Bears will need another playmaker on offense. Keon Coleman is an elite height-weight-speed guy with through-the-roof athleticism.
Coleman’s tape is littered with highlight-reel catches, and he can win in several ways, from his release all the way to the catch point and everywhere in between.
11) Las Vegas Raiders: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
Raiders fans will want a quarterback here, and I may give them J.J. McCarthy or Michael Penix Jr. in a later iteration. For now, I have them fortifying their secondary with Kool-Aid McKinstry.
McKinstry’s not a flashy prospect, but he’s an excellent cover corner who isn’t afraid to make contact in the running game.
12) Minnesota Vikings: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
Nate Wiggins is one of the more physical corners in this draft class, something the Vikings covet in their defensive backs. Wiggins has a high motor, forcing multiple key fumbles late in plays this season, and should immediately upgrade Minnesota’s secondary.
13) New Orleans Saints: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
Dallas Turner isn’t the biggest edge rusher, but he can get after the quarterback — picking up 50 pressures this year. New Orleans needs to upgrade its pass rush with a strong secondary.
14) Denver Broncos: Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
Jer’Zhan Newton is one of my favorite prospects in this draft class. He’s an ultra-athletic 3-technique and should add some pass-rushing ability to Denver’s front and fill the void that hasn’t effectively been filled since Shelby Harris was traded.
15) Seattle Seahawks: Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
Cooper DeJean screams Seattle to me. He’s a big, physical corner who excels against the run and can play zone coverage. He’d give Seattle’s coaching staff another versatile chess piece to deploy alongside Devon Witherspoon.
With Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams getting older, DeJean could slot in at multiple positions in the defensive backfield.
16) Cincinnati Bengals: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
What better way to replace Tee Higgins than to find a rookie receiver with an eerily similar game? Rome Odunze runs a blazing 40, even at 6’3″, 215 pounds, but that doesn’t always translate to the field.
MORE: Top Wide Receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft
Odunze is not an elite separator, but he’s one of the better-contested catch receivers to enter the league in the last several years, giving Joe Burrow a new big-bodied receiver who is always open, even when it doesn’t look like it.
17) Arizona Cardinals: Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State
Penn State consistently puts out freakishly athletic edge rushers, and Chop Robinson is the next on the list. Per Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List, Robinson could run in the low 4.4s and has strong hands. Arizona needs a pass rusher and could have a good one in Robinson.
18) Pittsburgh Steelers: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
Terrion Arnold has good length and man coverage skills which should blend well in Pittsburgh’s defense system. The Steelers also need OL help, but I could see them going corner in an effort to turn a good defense into a great one.
19) Green Bay Packers: JC Latham, OT, Alabama
After surrounding Jordan Love with weapons last offseason, he thrives in Matt LaFleur’s system. The next step is to upgrade the offensive line.
JC Latham has the size and experience to step in immediately in Green Bay. It’s doubtful he falls this far as another team would likely trade up, but in a no-trades mock, Green Bay benefits.
20) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
Baker Mayfield’s recent play in Tampa Bay changes the direction of the franchise, in my opinion. This offseason’s priorities should be locking up Mike Evans and upgrading on the offensive line. With this in mind, Amarius Mims projects as a solid right tackle in the NFL.
21) Indianapolis Colts: Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA
In this mock, I have a few teams prioritizing their secondaries over their front seven, which lets some talented pass rushers fall. Here, with Laiatu Latu and Jared Verse available, the Colts have their choice of edge rusher.
If Latu had played for a contender on the East Coast, he’d be a household name. He had 116 pressures and 26 sacks in his final two years. Even if he doesn’t match that production in the NFL, Latu’s a huge upgrade for Indianapolis.
22) Jacksonville Jaguars: Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
I’m not sure one of the top pass rushers falls to Jacksonville, but if Jared Verse is there, the Jaguars should take a hard look. Josh Allen has been elite this season, and Travon Walker is coming along.
Still, with all three division foes upgrading the QB position last offseason, Jacksonville could use another pure pass rusher. Verse has elite get-off and good bend, which makes up for his slighter build.
23) Los Angeles Rams: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
I’m perplexed about where the Rams should go if the board falls this way. Taliese Fuaga is one of the best run blockers in the country but has far more experience in zone blocking than in a gap scheme — the latter of which the Rams seem to be drifting toward. For now, we’ll project him to Los Angeles.
24) Buffalo Bills: Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB, Clemson
Buffalo could go in a number of directions here, including WR or DB, but I have the Bills taking the top linebacker in the draft.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is a sure tackler with both pass-rushing and coverage ability. He can step in and play significant snaps on Day 1.
25) Kansas City Chiefs: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
In a move that should surprise no one, I have the Chiefs taking a true X receiver in the first round. Brian Thomas Jr. has legitimate size and enough speed to threaten defenses down the field. He’s a decent route runner and can win at the top of routes.
As a junior, Thomas averaged 2.65 yards per route run and only dropped five passes.
26) Philadelphia Eagles: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
I agonized over what to do with this Eagles’ pick. History says Howie Roseman will take whichever top player falls. Here, I’ve given them Adonai Mitchell, another height-weight-speed freak.
MORE: 2024 Shrine Bowl Rosters
Mitchell needs a bit more polish in his game but excelled for Texas in an expanded role. It’s been nearly a year since he last played for Georgia, but technically, this is a continuation of the Athens to Philadelphia pipeline.
27) Detroit Lions: Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami (FL)
As the Lions establish themselves as a contender, they must continue upgrading key pieces of their defense.
Kamren Kinchens would give them a ball-hawking safety who can play all over the field. He played about half of his snaps at free safety but also saw numerous reps at slot corner, box safety, and even linebacker. He’s always around the ball and would be a Swiss Army Knife for Detroit’s secondary.
28) Houston Texans: Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina
After an encouraging start with C.J. Stroud, the Texans are almost sure to build their offense from the outside in.
Xavier Legette was a breakout receiver in 2023. A former high school quarterback with elite height-weight speed, Legette draws obvious comparisons to DK Metcalf.
Legette’s route running and short-area quickness are better than Metcalf’s at this point in their careers, and he’d become a true alpha in Houston’s offense.
29) Miami Dolphins: Cooper Beebe, G, Kansas State
A mauling blocker with significant experience at guard and tackle, Cooper Beebe is easily my favorite interior lineman in this draft. Beebe played over 2,800 snaps in his career, allowing just four sacks, three of which came as a sophomore when he played right tackle.
At the next level, he’s a guard who has All-Pro potential. He’s a perfect fit for the Dolphins and could slot in immediately at either guard position.
30) Dallas Cowboys: Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
Much like the Cowboys of the early 2010s did with the offensive line, these Cowboys are building one of the league’s strongest secondaries.
Denzel Burke has some positional versatility and is a ball hawk, deflecting 20 passes in his time at Ohio State. He needs to improve his tackling but can add more talent to a position group that includes Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland.
31) San Francisco 49ers: Graham Barton, G, Duke
The 49ers use zone runs at a higher rate than any other team in the NFL, so it makes sense to get a guy who excelled as a zone blocker in college.
Graham Barton played left tackle during his final three years but could flex inside as he can get stiff. The 49ers never replaced Mike McGlinchey, and Trent Williams is close to retirement, so finding a tackle that fits their scheme is crucial.
32) Baltimore Ravens: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona
Jordan Morgan oozes athleticism, even after an ACL injury last November forced his hand in returning for his final season. Morgan Moses has performed admirably for the Ravens, but it may be time to reload on the offensive line.
Morgan works to the second level with ease, and his athleticism pairs well with a quarterback who likes to work the pocket the way Lamar Jackson does.
Want to predict the rest of the 2023 season with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? Looking for the most up-to-date NFL standings? What about a breakdown of team depth charts or the NFL schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with that and more!