The 2024 NFL Draft has officially arrived, and with it comes a fever pitch of excitement for new beginnings and potential franchise-changing players landing across the NFL landscape. It also opened up to a deafening crescendo of wild statements, outlandish projections, and bold predictions.
Bold Predictions for the 2024 NFL Draft
The staff at Pro Football Network used their collective knowledge of the draft class and historic draft scenarios to make their own sets of bold 2024 NFL Draft predictions. The results were eye-opening.
Here are each of the bold predictions from Pro Football Network staff members.
Chicago Bears Trade Up for Marvin Harrison Jr.
Author: Cam Mellor
Imagine? The two best prospects for a team to build around all come home in the same draft. Imagine the Chicago Bears select Caleb Williams first overall, then trade the ninth pick and a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to the Arizona Cardinals for the fourth overall pick, selecting Marvin Harrison Jr. in the process.
Williams to Harrison would be one of the top QB-WR combinations, not just in the NFL in 2024, but it potentially could develop into an all-time duo. Houston set a precedent with their ground-breaking moves to secure C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. last year. There is no reason Chicago couldn’t shock the world similarly later today.
Washington Commanders Trade No. 2 Pick to Minnesota Vikings
Author: David Bearman
In a move only the Washington Commanders would make, they can’t decide between North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye or Heisman Trophy-winning LSU Tiger Jayden Daniels, so they trade down to No. 11 and hope J.J. McCarthy is there.
6 QBs Drafted in Round 1
Author: Mike Gambardella
Not only will we see an NFL-record four quarterbacks drafted to open the 2024 NFL Draft, but I expect the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders to join Chicago, Washington, the New England Patriots, and Minnesota and invest first-round capital to get their signal callers of the future.
New England Patriots Draft WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
Author: Dakota Randall
I’m taking the cheese on Eliot Wolf teasing interest in Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix. The Patriots probably should take Drake Maye, but if they plan to sit him for a year anyway, why not just take Harrison and trade up to select Penix later in Round 1?
Los Angeles Rams Move Up for Top-3 Wide Receiver
Author: Dallas Robinson
The L.A. Rams have a first-round pick for the first time since 2016, and they’ll use it to trade up for one of the draft’s top WRs.
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Sure, Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp already give Los Angeles one of the NFL’s best wideout tandems. However, the Rams played more three-WR personnel (93.1% of their snaps) than any team in the league in 2023 and could look for an upgrade over incumbent WR3 Demarcus Robinson.
Moving up for Harrison, Malik Nabers, or Rome Odunze will take a massive haul, but Sean McVay and Les Snead have never been afraid of trading picks or absorbing risk.
New York Jets Make a Move for a QB
Author: Adam Beasley
Aaron Rodgers would lose his mind if the New York Jets use the No. 10 pick on his successor, but if one or two of the top six quarterback prospects fall to Round 2, we could see Joe Douglas packaging a third and a fourth to grab one.
8 Offensive Tackles Selected in Round 1, Breaking NFL Record of 7
Author: Jay Morrison
It’s fun to root for chaos, and this scenario certainly would be chaotic for a Cincinnati Bengals team intent on getting one of the top tackles at No. 18.
8 Wide Receivers Drafted in Round 1, Breaking NFL Record of 7
Author: James Fragoza
The record set in 2004 nearly fell after six WRs went off the board in the 2020 and 2022 NFL Drafts. There is a lot of WR talent this cycle, but the cream of the crop will go early.
QBs Go 1-2-3-4 for First Time Ever
Author: Ian Cummings
QBs have never gone 1-2-3-4 in the NFL Draft. That changes this year.
Williams will go No. 1, Maye and Daniels will fill out the second and third spots, and the Cardinals will field calls from QB-needy teams desperate to add McCarthy with the fourth overall pick.
The First RB Selected Will Be New NFL-Low for First RB
Author: Jason Katz
The longest we’ve had to wait for a running back to come off the board was 2014 when Bishop Sankey was the 54th overall selection. Since then, we’ve seen at least one first-round running back in eight of the last nine drafts.
Only twice in history has there not been at least one running back selected in the first round.
Not only will this year’s draft have no RBs in the first round, but we won’t even see one drafted until the second half of the second round. I think we see the first one go off the board later than Sankey’s record of 54th overall set a decade ago.
Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald Finds New Kyle Hamilton By Drafting Cooper DeJean
Author: Derek Tate
Cooper DeJean is a versatile chess piece for any secondary. Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald loves to disguise his coverages and blitz packages with versatile safeties who can operate out of the slot, which makes DeJean an ideal foundational piece to join Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen on the back end of this defense.
Los Angeles Chargers Draft 2 WRs in the First Round
Author: Lorenzo Reyna
Jim Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz must win over Justin Herbert immediately. Improving the WR room post-Keenan Allen is the best way to do so, and with a deep wide receiving class in the 2024 NFL Draft, they’ll have the opportunity to snag at least one game-changing pass catcher.
MORE: 2024 NFL Draft Big Board
I’m now predicting Odunze and Xavier Worthy will become Herbert’s new options, with the Los Angeles Chargers making moves to secure two wide receivers on Day 1.
Jacksonville Jaguars Make a Move to Draft Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze
Author: Josiah Caswell
Ever since he was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Trevor Lawrence has needed a bona fide WR1. With rumors saying the Jaguars love both Odunze and Nabers, it would make sense if they moved up and finally got T-Law his guy.
Dallas Cowboys Draft Washington Huskies QB Michael Penix Jr. at No. 24
Author: Dan Tomaro
The Dallas Cowboys will want to find Dak Prescott’s replacement for the 2025 season. They’ll find Penix too good to pass up with the 24th overall pick and can address the other significant needs later in the draft.
Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix Go Later Than Expected
Author: Brian Blewis
Every year, the fringe Round 1 quarterbacks go later than expected despite reports leading up to the draft that “they can sneak into the first round.”
Both Penix and Nix have very glaring concerns, and not many teams in the latter half of the first round need a QB.
Philadelphia Eagles Select a CB in the First Round for the First Time Since 2002
Author: Anthony DiBona
The Philadelphia Eagles have done a ton of homework on the top cornerbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Not only will the franchise select a cornerback for the first time since 2002, but they will also swoop for one of the most versatile defensive backs in this year’s draft class, DeJean.
Most Offensive Players Drafted in First Round, Breaking NFL-Record 19
Author: Owain Jones
In a draft class loaded with offensive talent, teams could decide to take quarterbacks, wide receivers, and offensive linemen early, resulting in more than 19 offensive players being drafted in the first round.