It’s officially April, which means happy NFL Draft month, everybody!
With free agency in the rearview mirror, we have a better idea of each team’s unresolved needs heading into the 2024 NFL season.
However, the challenge with mock drafts this time of year is that we’re in the peak of “lying season” regarding rumors and speculation. With so much smoke out there, you never know which reports to dismiss as nothing more than a potential smokescreen.
With all that being said, here is our latest 2024 NFL Mock Draft, with just over four weeks to go until the Chicago Bears are officially on the clock.
Latest 2024 NFL Mock Draft
1) Chicago Bears (From CAR): Caleb Williams, QB, USC
While Justin Fields showcased a lot of upside in three years in Chicago, he has yet to prove himself as a franchise quarterback in the NFL, so it was a no-brainer decision by the Bears to part ways with their former first-round pick to make room for Caleb Williams.
Unlike Fields, however, Williams will join a Bears team that should set him up for early success. With DJ Moore and Keenan Allen, Williams will instantly have one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL, plus a dynamic running back in D’Andre Swift and an offensive line that was quietly a top-five group in pass block win rate last season.
2) Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Forgive me if I’m not buying the J.J. McCarthy hype at this spot. Remember this time last year when Will Levis was supposed to be a top-five pick?
I think the Washington Commanders’ signing of Marcus Mariota was a signal that they’re going to draft Jayden Daniels over Drake Maye with the No. 2 overall pick.
MORE: NFL Offense Rankings
While they both have the skill sets that would fit well in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense, Daniels appears more ready to play right away than Maye, and you don’t sign Mariota to be a bridge starter to a rookie quarterback — unless the Commanders’ front office simply didn’t watch the Atlanta Falcons in 2022.
3) New England Patriots: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
With Bill Belichick gone and no permanent general manager in place, it appears the Kraft family has more influence than ever in football operations. Considering that, I have a hard time believing they’ll want to bypass drafting a potential franchise quarterback in favor of trading down and collecting more picks — a common Belichick practice.
The New England Patriots might have the worst collection of talent at the skill positions of any team in the NFL, which is not ideal for a rookie quarterback. However, they signed Jacoby Brissett in free agency, who is good enough to stop them from rushing Drake Maye into starting right away with a very underwhelming supporting cast.
4) Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
While the Arizona Cardinals are a very popular trade-down candidate, they may prefer to stay put and take the best non-quarterback available in the draft.
Not only are they in desperate need of blue-chip talent, but they already have two first-round picks and six total in the top 100.
Even before losing Hollywood Brown to the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency, the Cardinals had a dire need at the wide receiver position. Now, with their top receiver from last season gone, a position of weakness has gotten considerably worse, and Marvin Harrison Jr. can step in as Kyler Murray’s favorite target right away.
5) Minnesota Vikings (From LAC): J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Trade: The Vikings receive pick 5; the Chargers receive picks 11 and 23.
You don’t acquire an additional first-round pick more than one month before the NFL Draft without the intention of trying to trade up, especially when your franchise quarterback leaves for free agency and your current starter at the position is Sam Darnold.
J.J. McCarthy seems like a natural fit in Kevin O’Connell’s offense and would be stepping into a very favorable situation for a rookie quarterback.
For the Los Angeles Chargers, this is a team with a lot of needs across the roster. I don’t anticipate Jim Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz passing up on the opportunity to gain more draft capital in year one in Los Angeles.
6) New York Giants: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
With no quarterback on the board worthy of a top-10 selection, this appears to be a no-brainer pick for a team that’s lacked a true WR1 since they traded away Odell Beckham Jr.
The New York Giants’ activity in free agency could also foreshadow their intentions with the sixth overall pick. After having one of the worst wide receiver rooms in 2023, with only one player going over 700 yards, their only signing at the position has been Isaiah McKenzie, and their offense lost its most dynamic weapon in Saquon Barkley to the arch-rival Philadelphia Eagles.
Malik Nabers would immediately step in as the Giants’ top wide receiver as they use the 2025 offseason to find their long-term solution at quarterback.
7) Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
With the Tennessee Titans signing Calvin Ridley to a huge contract in free agency, we can rule out them drafting a wide receiver with this pick, so they’ll instead solidify the team’s offensive line in this mock.
The Andre Dillard experiment at left tackle failed miserably in 2023, as the former first-round pick was released just one season after signing a three-year, $29 million contract.
Now, with a huge hole at the position, taking the draft’s top-ranked offensive tackle, Joe Alt, to protect Will Levis’ blindside seems like an easy decision.
8) Atlanta Falcons: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
After drafting playmakers at the skill positions in the first round three years in a row, the Atlanta Falcons finally take a defensive player here in Dallas Turner.
MORE: NFL Defense Rankings
The Falcons have a dire need at the EDGE position after their defense finished with the lowest pass rush win rate in the NFL last season. Their top two leaders in sacks last season were Calais Campbell and Bud Dupree — two aging players who remain unsigned in free agency.
9) Pittsburgh Steelers (From CHI): Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Trade: The Steelers receive pick 9; the Bears receive picks 20, 51, and 84.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have become a much more active team in the trade market under GM Omar Khan than in years past, and they make an aggressive move here to draft Rome Odunze.
After trading away Diontae Johnson, the Steelers created a big hole at the wide receiver position opposite George Pickens. They added Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins in free agency, but neither player moves the needle for them by any means.
The Bears, meanwhile, move down 11 spots to pick up a second-round pick after trading theirs away for Montez Sweat and can go with the best defensive player available with the 20th pick.
10) New York Jets: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
With the Steelers trading up ahead of them to steal Odunze away, the New York Jets take the next-best playmaker available in Brock Bowers.
The Jets signed Mike Williams in free agency. However, given Williams’ injury history, they still need to surround Aaron Rodgers with more talent offensively outside of Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall.
Offensive line is an option here as well, even with the additions of Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses. Still, with the Jets desperately hoping to compete this season, they opt for an immediate starter in Bowers instead.
11) Los Angeles Chargers: Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State
Trade: The Vikings receive pick 5; the Chargers receive picks 11 and 23.
Jim Harbaugh seems very intent on building through the trenches, and with his first draft pick as the Chargers’ head coach, he adds an offensive lineman with whom he is very familiar, having competed against this big man in the Big Ten as Michigan’s head coach.
Olu Fashanu would be the Chargers’ third first-round pick in four years on the offensive line and could step in as their starting right tackle immediately.
12) New Orleans Saints (From DEN): Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
Trade: The Saints receive picks 12 and 76; the Broncos receive picks 14 and 45.
With a bunch of needs on the roster, the Denver Broncos get their second-round pick back from the New Orleans Saints from the Sean Payton trade in exchange for moving down two spots and Denver’s third-round pick.
Ryan Ramczyk is possibly out the entire season, and former first-round pick Trevor Penning proved a big disappointment. So the Saints have a significant need at offensive tackle.
New Orleans has never been shy about trading up to get their guy, and they make an aggressive move yet again to address a major position of weakness in this 2024 NFL Mock Draft by selecting Taliese Fuaga.
13) Las Vegas Raiders: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
With it being too early for either Michael Penix Jr. or Bo Nix, the Las Vegas Raiders find themselves in a great spot here with only one defensive player off the board by the 13th pick.
Head coach Antonio Pierce wants to win with defense, and at this point in the draft, Terrion Arnold is a tremendous value for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Every year, the fringe first-round quarterback prospects typically go later than expected, and the Raiders take that chance here by drafting Arnold.
14) Denver Broncos: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
Trade: The Saints receive picks 12 and 76; the Broncos receive picks 14 and 45.
Although they signed Josh Reynolds in free agency after trading away Jerry Jeudy, the Broncos are still relatively weak at wide receiver.
While Marvin Mims Jr. flashed during his rookie season, Courtland Sutton’s long-term future with the team is in question, so with their first-round pick, Denver goes with Brian Thomas Jr.
With the Broncos unable to find their long-term answer at quarterback this offseason, they use their first selection in the 2024 NFL Draft to bolster their offense for when they eventually find their franchise signal-caller.
15) Indianapolis Colts: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
With a glaring need at cornerback, this is an easy decision for Indianapolis Colts GM Chris Ballard, as Quinyon Mitchell is arguably the best player available at the position.
Mitchell should step in right away as the Colts’ top cornerback to help improve a pass defense that was 19th in EPA per play and 21st in success rate last season.
16) Seattle Seahawks: Troy Fautanu, G, Washington
This is another logical landing spot, as the Seattle Seahawks land a local prospect in Troy Fautanu, who is reunited with his offensive coordinator from Washington — Ryan Grubb.
Fautanu can start at guard right away while providing depth at the tackle positions after Charles Cross and Lucas Abraham missed a combined 14 games last season.
17) Jacksonville Jaguars: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
Jacksonville Jaguars GM Trent Baalke places great emphasis on drafting athletic players with upside, and he grabs one here at a huge position of need in CB Nate Wiggins.
MORE: NFL QB Rankings 2024
Wiggins is just 20 years old and scored a 9.42 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) at the NFL Combine.
Not only does Wiggins fit the profile of a Baalke-type of pick, but the Jaguars’ depth chart is severely lacking at cornerback, with their only addition at the position this offseason being 30-year-old Ronald Darby.
18) Cincinnati Bengals: JC Latham, OT, Alabama
The Cincinnati Bengals signed Trent Brown to start at right tackle in 2024, but at 30 years old and coming off an injury-plagued season, he is far from their long-term solution at the position.
In JC Latham, the Bengals add great insurance for Brown this season and draft a player who should be a mainstay on their offensive line in protecting Joe Burrow.
For a team that appears to have a never-ending need on the offensive line and a quarterback with durability issues, this seems like a logical pick.
19) Los Angeles Rams: Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA
Byron Young was a big surprise for the Los Angeles Rams last season, recording eight sacks as a rookie, but with Aaron Donald’s retirement, they have an even bigger need to upgrade their pass rush.
Given that he played the last two seasons at UCLA, the Rams should be really familiar with Laiatu Latu, and pairing him with Young gives them a very formidable young edge-rushing duo.
20) Chicago Bears (From PIT): Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
Trade: The Steelers receive pick 9; the Bears receive picks 20, 51, and 84.
The Bears land one of their top targets while moving back 11 spots and gaining a second- and third-round pick in the process — a massive win for GM Ryan Poles.
Even with their trade deadline addition of Montez Sweat, the Bears have a big need at EDGE, and the selection of Jared Verse could be the missing piece to a defense that was a top-five unit by EPA per play in the second half of 2023.
21) Dallas Cowboys (From MIA): Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
Trade: The Cowboys receive pick 21; the Dolphins receive picks 24 and 87.
Fearful that their bitter rival Eagles could draft Amarius Mims given his Georgia ties and Philly’s tendency to draft offensive linemen in the first round, the Dallas Cowboys jump ahead of their divisional rival, swapping picks with the Miami Dolphins to select a high-upside player.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins pick up a third-round pick that they lost as punishment for violating the league rules against tampering.
22) Philadelphia Eagles: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
Cooper DeJean is an obvious choice here, but GM Howie Roseman’s history indicates he’ll probably go in a different direction. Of his 13 first-round picks as the Eagles’ general manager, Roseman has never drafted a cornerback on Day 1, and 10 of his first-round picks have been in the trenches.
While the Eagles could go EDGE here after trading away Haason Reddick (and with Chop Robinson available), Roseman has always been one step ahead in drafting future replacements on the offensive line. He finds one here for Lane Johnson in Tyler Guyton.
Guyton not only shares an alma mater with Johnson, but like the All-Pro OT, he is also an athletic freak at the position.
Look for Guyton to compete with 2023 third-round pick Tyler Steen for the starting RG job while the former is groomed to be Johnson’s eventual replacement.
23) Arizona Cardinals (From MIN via LAC): Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State
Trade: The Cardinals receive pick 23; the Chargers receive picks 27 and 71.
The Cardinals end Chop Robinson‘s slide in a trade-up with the Chargers to address Arizona’s greatest position of need on defense.
Last season, Arizona recorded just 33 sacks and ranked just 28th in the NFL in pass rush win rate. With their massive collection of draft capital, it’s an easy decision to trade one of their three third-round picks to move up four spots to get a highly talented pass rusher.
24) Miami Dolphins (From DAL): Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas
Trade: The Cowboys receive pick 21; the Dolphins receive picks 24 and 87.
The Miami Dolphins should be expected to draft an interior offensive or defensive lineman with this pick, and in this 2024 NFL Mock Draft, they go with DT Byron Murphy II from Texas.
After Christian Wilkins’ departure in free agency, the Dolphins have a massive hole at defensive tackle, and their pass rush was already a question mark for 2024 with Jaelan Phillips recovering from a torn Achilles and Bradley Chubb on the mend from a torn ACL.
25) Green Bay Packers: Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
Since Brian Gutekunst has been the Green Bay Packers’ general manager, seven of their eight first-round draft picks have been used on defensive players (the only exception being Jordan Love), so why bet against this trend?
Cooper DeJean is a great value pick at this spot and offers a ton of versatility for a defense that was 23rd in EPA per play and 28th in success rate against the pass.
With the additions of DeJean and Xavier McKinney, the Packers could turn a significant weakness into an area of strength next season as they look to take the next step into Super Bowl contention.
26) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Graham Barton, G, Duke
Although it’s not the most exciting pick, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers make an important selection here in nabbing a versatile offensive lineman to help protect Baker Mayfield and create holes in the running game for Rachaad White.
MORE: 2024 NFL Top 100 Free Agent Rankings
He mostly played left tackle in college, but Graham Barton projects as a guard at the next level. Barton should be a Day 1 starter in this scenario for Tampa Bay.
27) Los Angeles Chargers (From ARI): Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois
Trade: The Cardinals receive pick 23; the Chargers receive picks 27 and 71.
The Chargers continue to build through the trenches with their second first-round pick, but this time on the opposite side of the ball with the selection of Illinois DT Johnny Newton.
Harbaugh also drafts consecutive Big Ten players with whom he’s familiar from his time coaching against them at Michigan.
While they have a massive need at wide receiver after parting ways with both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, there are enough left on the board for them to potentially draft one with the 37th pick.
28) Buffalo Bills: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
The Buffalo Bills go for the best player available approach at the wide receiver position, selecting Adonai Mitchell to replace the recently traded Stefon Diggs.
Mitchell is a freak athlete who should become a favorite target of Josh Allen’s immediately and gives Buffalo’s franchise quarterback another much-needed weapon.
29) Detroit Lions: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
The Detroit Lions’ biggest area of weakness last season was far and away the pass defense, which ranked 21st by EPA per play and 25th by success rate.
While they traded for Carlton Davis, their release of Cameron Sutton following his legal issues leaves some problems in the secondary unresolved, to say the least.
Going into the first round with a need at cornerback and landing Kool-Aid McKinstry, the 17th-ranked player on Ian Cummings’ 2024 NFL Draft big board, would be a huge win for Detroit.
30) New England Patriots (From BAL): Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
Trade: The Patriots receive pick 30; the Ravens receive picks 34, 88, and a 2025 fourth-round pick.
After losing two starting offensive linemen in free agency, the Baltimore Ravens decide to trade back to select the best player available at the position at the top of the second round.
Coming off an extremely frustrating 2023 season followed by an overly negative documentary about the Patriots’ dynasty with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft wins the fans over first by drafting their next franchise quarterback and then selecting the fastest wide receiver to ever test at the NFL Combine.
From an on-field standpoint, Xavier Worthy makes total sense here to pair with the team’s new rookie quarterback after the Patriots struck out from landing a big-name wide receiver in free agency.
31) San Francisco 49ers: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona
After dominating their way through the regular season, an under-the-radar weakness for the San Francisco 49ers last season was their offensive line, which was the 20th-ranked unit by pass block win rate and 23rd by run block win rate.
GET DRAFTING: Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator With Trades
Jordan Morgan not only provides them with an upgrade at right tackle, but he could also be an eventual replacement for Trent Williams, who turns 36 years old before the season.
32) Kansas City Chiefs: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
Although they added Hollywood Brown in free agency, that appears to be a short-term solution, as the Kansas City Chiefs signed him to a one-year deal.
After striking out on Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney, the Chiefs opt to use a premium pick at the wide receiver position, drafting Georgia’s Ladd McConkey — a player who shares the same agent as Patrick Mahomes.
Draft with your friends today! PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator now supports multiple drafters during the same draft! Ensure your player rankings are up to date with the 2024 NFL Draft Top 100 Prospect Watchlist and you know what every NFL team needs before drafting.