For some teams, NFL free agency changed their primary positions of need. For others, the flurry of offseason transactions had little or no effect on what they might do in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft.
With roughly one month remaining until decision day, let’s take another stab at a 2024 NFL Mock Draft and predict how the first round could shape up.
2024 NFL Mock Draft
1) Chicago Bears (From CAR): Caleb Williams, QB, USC
The Bears traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this month, clearing the way for general manager Ryan Poles to select Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in the draft.
Poles spent the offseason fortifying Chicago’s roster ahead of a presumptive Williams choice. The Bears acquired veteran wideout Keenan Allen and center Ryan Bates, signed running back D’Andre Swift and safety Kevin Byard, and extended franchise-tagged cornerback Jaylon Johnson. Can Chicago contend for the NFC North title as early as 2024?
2) Washington Commanders: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
Like the Bears, the Commanders are also ready to start over under center. Washington moved Sam Howell to the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, signed backup Marcus Mariota, and now appears all but certain to draft their next franchise quarterback in April.
While the Commanders will have their choice of non-Williams QBs, they’ll stick with Drake Maye in our mock draft. Maye threw over 60 touchdown passes during his final two seasons with the Tar Heels and showed the creation ability necessary in today’s NFL.
3) New England Patriots: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Speaking at the NFL owners meetings this week, first-year Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo indicated that quarterback “is the priority right now” as New England considers its options with the No. 3 pick. While Mayo left the door open for a WR at the top of the draft, his club will likely try to find a new passer.
The Patriots won six Super Bowls with another Michigan quarterback commanding their offense. J.J. McCarthy probably won’t become the next Tom Brady, but he should represent an upgrade over the QB play New England has received the past few seasons.
4) Minnesota Vikings (From ARZ): Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Trade: Vikings acquire No. 4 from the Cardinals in exchange for No. 11, No. 23, and a 2025 third-round pick.
Having already acquired pick No. 23 from the Houston Texans, the Vikings strike again, moving up to No. 4 to land a franchise quarterback. While the Cardinals don’t necessarily want to move out of prime position, Minnesota paid a premium to move up. The Vikings will pay a QB tax of nearly 70% in this deal, according to Over the Cap‘s draft trade value chart.
Jayden Daniels allows Minnesota to reset its quarterback contract clock after watching Kirk Cousins sign with the Atlanta Falcons. With weapons like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson, a solid offensive line, and a QB-friendly scheme, the Vikings have all the pieces in place to help Daniels thrive in Year 1.
5) Los Angeles Chargers: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
This 2024 NFL Mock Draft falls perfectly for the Jim Harbaugh-led Chargers. With quarterbacks going off the board with the top four picks, Los Angeles can sit and wait to choose arguably the best player in the draft — Marvin Harrison Jr.
No one could stop Harrison over the past two seasons while he posted more than 2,800 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns for the Buckeyes. He’ll instantly become the Chargers’ WR1 on a depleted depth chart that no longer contains Keenan Allen or Mike Williams. Justin Herbert is thanking his lucky stars.
6) New York Giants: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Big Blue has tried to paper over its subpar WR corps by adding mid-round selections such as Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt in the draft or boosting their TE production by acquiring veteran Darren Waller.
No more half-meaures. The Giants could consider a QB at No. 6, given they can exit Daniel Jones’ contract after the upcoming season. But New York can’t pass on Malik Nabers, who should instantly become the club’s alpha wide receiver. Will Nabers become the latest LSU wideout to take the NFL by storm in his rookie campaign?
7) Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
Few teams were as active as the Titans during free agency. Tennessee signed wideout Calvin Ridley, running back Tony Pollard, center Lloyd Cushenberry, and cornerback Chidobe Awuzie before acquiring franchise-tagged CB L’Jarius Sneed from the Kansas City Chiefs.
The offensive line remains a Titans weakness, so Joe Alt is the easy choice in this 2024 NFL Mock Draft. Tennessee must find out what it has in 2023 second-round QB Will Levis. Alt and left guard Peter Skoronski — last year’s first-round selection — will prove a stable pocket for Levis while working under Bill Callahan, arguably the NFL’s best OL coach.
8) Arizona Cardinals (From ATL): Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Trade: Cardinals acquire No. 8 from the Falcons for No. 11 and No. 90.
Trading down before moving back up? We saw the Cardinals employ this same technique in last year’s draft when they initially traded back from No. 3 before going back up the board for Ohio State offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr.
MORE: Which Teams Could Trade Up in Move With Arizona?
Arizona needs all the weapons it can find after losing WR Hollywood Brown in free agency. Rome Odunze (92-1,640-13 in 2023) is NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s favorite player in this year’s draft and will give Kyler Murray a new No. 1 wideout.
9) Chicago Bears: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
The Bears’ defense improved down the stretch, but Matt Eberflus’ defensive line needs reinforcements. Chicago managed a pass pressure on only 31.2% of opponents’ dropbacks, the second-worst rate in the league, per TruMedia. The Bears’ blitz rate ranked 21st in the NFL, suggesting Eberflus prefers to get after quarterbacks with his front four.
Insert Dallas Turner, who posted better pressure and pass-rush win rates in 2023 than fellow Alabama EDGE and reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr. did the previous season. Turner will join 2023 trade acquisition Montez Sweat — who posted six sacks and 14 QB hits in nine games with the Bears — to give Chicago a fearsome pass-rushing group.
10) New York Jets: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
The Jets revamped their offensive line this offseason by signing left tackle Tyron Smith and left guard John Simpson and trading for right tackle Morgan Moses. Finding younger linemen for the future should be on general manager Joe Douglas’ radar, but New York is optimizing for 2024.
Although Gang Green couldn’t land a new wide receiver for Aaron Rodgers at No. 10, it will bring a rookie pass catcher to New York. Georgia’s offense ran through Brock Bowers, who should see most of his time in the slot rather than in line. He’s a creative solution for the Jets, who need one more option alongside WRs Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams.
11) Atlanta Falcons (From MIN via ARZ): Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
Trade: Falcons traded No. 8 to the Cardinals for No. 11 and No. 90.
Having picked up an extra third-round pick from the Cardinals by trading down to No. 11, the Falcons boost their pass rush by grabbing Jared Verse, who will battle Turner to become the first edge rusher off the board in 2024.
Atlanta needs all the EDGE help it can get after ranking dead last in pass-rush win rate a year ago. Verse posted nine sacks in each of the last two seasons and can play in any front. The Falcons haven’t had a defender put up double-digit sacks since 2016, when Vic Beasley managed 15.5.
12) Jacksonville Jaguars (From DEN): Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
Trade: Jaguars acquire No. 12 and EDGE Jonathan Cooper from the Broncos for No. 17, No. 96, and a 2025 fourth-round pick.
The Jaguars tried to re-sign WR Calvin Ridley before the division-rival Titans swooped in to land him on a massive deal. Jacksonville added former Buffalo Bills receiver Gabe Davis this offseason but still needs to bolster its receiving corps.
Brian Thomas Jr. joined Nabers to give LSU one of the nation’s best pass-catching duos and could become a perfect complement for Davis and incumbent Christian Kirk. Thomas ran a 4.33 40-yard dash at the Combine and posted a 9.97 Relative Athletic Score, the 10th-best mark among WRs since 1987.
13) Las Vegas Raiders: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
While the Raiders signed Gardner Minshew and still have Aidan O’Connell as a quarterback option, don’t be surprised if Vegas looks for a new long-term passer as early as Round 1.
MORE: Who Is the Fifth-Best QB in the 2024 NFL Draft?
New general manager Tom Telesco missed out on the draft’s top four QBs but still has a chance to add Michael Penix Jr. at No. 13. Penix has the arm strength to hit deep shots within Luke Getsy’s offensive scheme and the experience to start early. His ceiling isn’t as high as the Williams-Maye-McCarthy-Daniels quartet, but Penix offers more upside than Minshew or O’Connell.
14) New Orleans Saints: Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State
Trevor Penning hasn’t worked out at left tackle after the Saints traded up to select him in the 2022 NFL Draft. Penning’s struggles forced New Orleans to deploy usual guard Andrus Peat at tackle last season.
The Saints didn’t have the cap space to sign a veteran tackle, so the 2024 draft is their best option. Olu Fashanu earned consensus All-American honors last season while winning the Rimington-Pace Award as the Big Ten’s best offensive lineman. He just turned 21 years old in December, so he may have untapped potential.
15) Indianapolis Colts: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
The Colts would have liked to grab a wide receiver to pair with the recently-extended Michael Pittman Jr., but the Jaguars’ trade-up for Thomas crushed those plans. Instead, Indy will focus on improving a defensive backfield that badly needs reinforcements.
Safety Julian Blackmon (986 snaps in 2023) remains a free agent, while the Colts have to bolster a cornerback group led by JuJu Brents and Dallis Flowers. Quinyon Mitchell dominated against Power Five athletes at the Senior Bowl, then posted a 4.33 40-yard dash during the Combine. So much for those small-school concerns.
16) Seattle Seahawks: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
The Seahawks are in a position to draft the best remaining player on the board — and that’s Taliese Fuaga.
While Fuaga only played right tackle at Oregon State, he can line up at left tackle and both guard spots. Seattle already has Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas as bookending tackles but could use more options on the interior. Fuaga will start at left guard but gives the Seahawks flexibility if Cross or Lucas miss more time.
17) Denver Broncos (From JAX): Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Denver needs to reset after the Russell Wilson debacle, so Sean Payton was willing to move down five spots while acquiring extra draft capital. Cooper looks like a candidate to be traded at the deadline — the Broncos make the move now, adding him to their trade with Jacksonville to get a better return.
MORE: Top QBs in the 2024 NFL Draft
With Wilson counting for nearly $90 million in dead money over the next two seasons, Denver has to get on a rookie QB contract path. Bo Nix has been repeatedly compared to former Payton partner Drew Brees and will give the Broncos a shot at competing while it works its way out of salary cap hell.
18) Cincinnati Bengals: JC Latham, OT, Oklahoma
With 6’8″, 345-pound Orlando Brown Jr. at left tackle and 6’8″, 370-pound Trent Brown at right tackle, the Bengals already boast one of the NFL’s most imposing offensive lines. Let’s send another gigantic OT option to the Queen City by giving Cincinnati JC Latham, who will fit right in at 6’6″, 360 pounds.
The Bengals would prefer to let Latham develop during his rookie campaign while Trent Brown handles right tackle. But the veteran’s injury issues mean Latham could see early action. Latham played right guard during his freshman season at Oklahoma and might be an intriguing left guard option in Cincinnati if incumbent Cordell Volson continues to struggle.
19) Los Angeles Rams: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
The Rams will make a first-round pick for the first time since 2016, and they have no shortage of needs on the defensive side of the ball. While a defensive tackle could be in the cards following Aaron Donald’s surprising retirement, Los Angeles can’t pass up on the value that is drafting Terrion Arnold at No. 19.
Arnold is the No. 8 overall prospect on PFN’s Board, so he could go significantly earlier than this. But if he falls, Arnold makes sense as an immediate starter alongside free agent signing Darious Williams. He’d be an instant weapon in man coverage, even if he needs more development as a zone CB.
20) Pittsburgh Steelers: Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon
This 2024 NFL Mock Draft could hardly have fallen better for the Steelers, who need a center prospect to take over for the recently released Mason Cole.
Pittsburgh didn’t have the cap space to sign a free-agent center and would start Nate Herbig at the pivot if the season started today. Jackson Powers-Johnson — who earned PFN’s Offensive Player of the Week award after a dominant Senior Bowl performance — will be on the Steelers’ radar.
21) Miami Dolphins: Troy Fautanu, OT, Washington
Miami went volume-shooting on the free agent iOL market, signing Aaron Brewer to start at center while re-signing Isaiah Wynn and adding Jack Driscoll to compete at guard. PFN’s Adam Beasley believes the Dolphins will go with the best player available at No. 21 but might put their thumb on the offensive line scale.
Troy Fautanu played tackle at Washington but would line up at guard in Miami. With Terron Armstead’s long-term future in question, the Dolphins are hoping Fautanu becomes their version of the Dallas Cowboys’ Tyler Smith — a high-end starting left guard who can eventually take over at left tackle.
22) Philadelphia Eagles: Cooper DeJean, CB/S, Iowa
The Eagles must get younger at cornerback, where Darius Slay (33) and James Bradberry (30) project as Philadelphia’s 2024 starting CBs. Cooper DeJean could be an alternative at corner, although his ability to play on the perimeter in the NFL remains in question.
Still, DeJean would represent a valuable addition to the Eagles’ secondary, even if he solely plays safety. While there’s some overlap between DeJean and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, PFN draft analyst Ian Cummings likes DeJean handling the back end for Philadelphia while CJGJ sticks in the slot.
23) Arizona Cardinals (From CLE via HOU via MIN): Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas
Although the Cardinals signed free agent defensive tackles Justin Jones, Bilal Nichols, and Khyiris Tonga this offseason, those additions merely raised the floor of Arizona’s front. Byron Murphy II will take care of the ceiling.
Murphy has the explosiveness to dominate on the interior and is solid against the run. His 6’1″, 308-pound frame is reminiscent of Grady Jarrett or Geno Atkins, and the Cardinals hope Murphy will be the same sort of disruptor.
24) Dallas Cowboys: Graham Barton, OL, Duke
Dallas plans to move Tyler Smith to left tackle to replace franchise icon Tyron Smith, who inked a one-year deal with the Jets this offseason. The Cowboys have needs on both sides of the ball and did nothing to fill them during free agency, but solidifying the offensive line has to be a priority for Jerry Jones.
Graham Barton played center and left tackle at Duke, but he looks like an NFL guard. He should be a Day 1 starter in Dallas, where he’ll learn from Zack Martin, one of the best interior linemen of his generation and a future Hall of Famer.
25) Green Bay Packers: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
Amarius Mims blew up the Scouting Combine, posting a 5.07 40-yard dash and a 9’3″ broad jump at 6’8″ and 340 pounds. A tweaked hamstring ended his day, but NFL evaluators have to be intrigued by the 21-year-old Mims’ athletic upside.
The Packers have succeeded at drafting and developing mid-round offensive linemen, so Mims would represent a different approach. With starting options already in place, Green Bay can give Mims the time he needs to acclimate to the pros after starting just eight games at Georgia.
26) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA
A neck injury nearly forced Laiatu Latu to retire in 2020, but he recovered to win 2023’s Lombardi Award, given to the nation’s top defensive lineman. After posting 23.5 sacks over the past two seasons, Latu will head to Tampa Bay to replace Shaquil Barrett, whom the Buccaneers released this offseason.
Barrett played 62% of Tampa Bay’s defensive snaps last season and eclipsed 75% of playtime in 2019, 2020, and 2021. He’s leaving a genuine void that Latu will help fill. The Bucs hope Latu will contribute more than former first-round pass rusher Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, who’s yet to top five sacks in a season.
27) Arizona Cardinals (From HOU): Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State
The Cards nabbed WR Rome Odunze at the top of the draft, then fortified their defensive line with Byron Murphy II at No. 23. Arizona will again target front-seven help with its third and final first-round selection by adding Penn State’s Chop Robinson to its pass-rushing rotation.
MORE: Top EDGEs in the 2024 NFL Draft
Defensive coordinator Nick Rallis deployed an odd front in 2023, and Robinson’s best fit might be as an edge defender in a 3-4 scheme. The Cardinals figure to deploy him all over the line, getting Robinson in one-on-one matchups by aligning him correctly.
28) Buffalo Bills: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
The Bills are searching for a Gabe Davis replacement this offseason. Adonai Mitchell could be that and more while playing alongside holdover Stefon Diggs and free agent addition Curtis Samuel.
Mitchell ran a 4.34 40-yard dash with a 1.48 10-yard split at the Combine, emerging with an eye-popping 9.99 RAS. He’s the deep threat Buffalo needs, but Mitchell’s solid frame (6’2″, 205) allows him to catch balls over the middle and handle the associated contact.
29) Detroit Lions: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
Cornerback depth was an issue for the Lions before they cut Cameron Sutton this week. Trade acquisition Carlton Davis and free agent signing Amik Robertson figure to start on the outside with 2023 second-round pick Brian Branch holding down the slot, but a first-round CB shouldn’t be out of the question for the Lions.
Although Kool-Aid McKinstry might not boast the upside of Terrion Arnold, his Alabama teammate McKinstry is a dependable perimeter option with excellent football intelligence. Davis is only signed through 2024, while Robertson had never started more than seven games before last season. McKinstry could play early in Detroit.
30) Baltimore Ravens: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
The Ravens typically draft the best player available on their board without regard to need. But BPA and need came together to form a perfect union in this 2024 NFL Mock Draft — Tyler Guyton is the highest-rated player left on PFN’s board and fills a hole for Baltimore.
MORE: 2024 NFL Draft Big Board
Now that right tackle Morgan Moses, right guard Kevin Zeitler, and left guard John Simpson are gone, the Ravens are trying to rebuild their offensive line around holdovers Ronnie Stanley and Tyler Linderbaum. Guyton could play right tackle for Baltimore as early as 2024 but might be a long-term left tackle option if Stanley’s injuries continue to hamper him.
31) San Francisco 49ers: Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona
The 49ers appear set at offensive tackle heading into 2024. Left tackle Trent Williams is still arguably the league’s best tackle, while San Francisco recently inked right tackle Colton McKivitz to an extension through 2025.
Although he played tackle at Arizona, Jordan Morgan could be an optimal pick for the 49ers. He’d be a long-term option at either tackle spot but could instantly start over Jon Feliciano and Spencer Burford at right guard. Morgan’s mobility and ability in space should work well in Kyle Shanahan’s scheme.
32) Kansas City Chiefs: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
While the Chiefs could consider an offensive tackle prospect with the final pick of Round 1, they’re more likely to re-sign Donovan Smith to handle Patrick Mahomes’ blindside while continuing to develop 2023 third-round pick Wanya Morris.
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Instead, Kansas City will use pick No. 32 to bring in another wideout. Rashee Rice posted the NFL’s second-most yards after the catch during his 2023 rookie campaign, while free agent signing Hollywood Brown can take the top off opposing defenses. Ladd McConkey could be the separation specialist the Chiefs need.
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!