Ebbs and flows of draft stock are a key component of the analysis game leading up to the NFL‘s annual selection event. However, while prospects flip-flop in rankings depending on the evaluator, some positions feel more set in concrete.
That is, until something comes along that puts the cat among the pigeons, which is exactly what has occurred in Dane Brugler’s latest 2024 NFL Mock Draft, where a shake-up to the established order of the wide receiver rankings impacts the entire first round.
Dane Brugler’s Latest 2024 NFL Mock Draft
In his latest 2024 NFL Mock Draft, well-established and highly-regarded NFL Draft Analyst Brugler has Washington Huskies pass catcher Rome Odunze coming off the board before LSU Tigers talent Malik Nabers, in a move that most fans — and draft analysts — might consider shocking at this stage in the 2024 NFL Draft cycle.
Although Odunze is coming off of a season where he tallied 1,640 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging 17.3 yards per catch for the national championship runner-up Huskies, many people have viewed him as the WR3 of the 2024 NFL Draft class, perched behind Ohio State Buckeyes WR Marvin Harrison Jr. and LSU standout Nabers.
Pro Football Network has the three talented pass catchers in that order, and the general consensus amongst analysts is that Nabers is actually ranked closer to Harrison by NFL teams than many people suspect, with the Ohio State product described routinely as a “generational” talent and probably the best player in the entire class.
Not only does Brugler’s mock draft have Odunze being selected ahead of Nabers, but such is the opinion of the Washington wide receiver that the Chicago Bears trade up from ninth overall with the Los Angeles Chargers to secure the man they believe can help electrify their anemic offense.
“For the Bears, fortune favors the bold,” Brugler writes in his 2024 NFL Mock Draft. “None of the top three receivers are falling to No. 9, and this is a relatively low price to pay for an impact pass catcher who will help win games from Day 1.
“Only GM Ryan Poles knows which receiver he would prefer in this scenario,” Brugler continues, “but a popular theory to emerge from the Combine buzz was that a Bears-Odunze pairing might be the best fit in the draft.”
The NFL Combine offers draft prospects the opportunity to elevate their stock with exceptional athletic performances, and Odunze was the only one of the consensus top three WRs who went to work in Indianapolis this past week, logging a 4.45-second 40-yard dash, a 39″ vertical, and a 10’4″ broad jump while measuring in at 6’3″ and 212 pounds.
KEEP READING: Top WRs in the 2024 NFL Draft
With neither Nabers nor Harrison working out, Odunze has put himself in the shop window for NFL teams, with the results clear to see in Brugler’s 2024 NFL Mock Draft. Indianapolis is also the place to be to discover inside information, and there’s clearly some buzz in the air around the WR group that could send shockwaves through the NFL Draft come April.
All the 2024 NFL Draft resources you need — the draft order, the top QBs, the Top 100 prospects, and the full 2024 Big Board — right at your fingertips at Pro Football Network!