2024 NFL Mock Draft

Predicting the Draft Day Drama

Michael Valenzano
April 25, 2024

Tonight is the night.

The long-awaited NFL Draft is finally here!

Tonight at 7pm CT, the NFL Draft kicks off with the first round of rookies coming off the board. After weeks of reviewing prospects, this week’s article will be my prediction of the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft with a brief explanation for each team’s pick.

1st Overall Pick: Chicago Bears select Caleb Williams, Quarterback, USC

The Chicago Bears land the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck.

Since trading Justin Fields, this pick has been all but a certainty, as Caleb has been the only quarterback prospect to go on a top-30 visit to Chicago. As the most well-equipped team to support a #1 overall pick QB, the Bears will look to make a playoff push with their talented rookie signal caller.

2nd Overall Pick: Washington Commanders select Drake Maye, Quarterback, UNC

Washington locks up the second-best quarterback prospect in this year’s draft.

Despite rumors of Jayden Daniels being the second quarterback selected, I find it unlikely that the Commanders will take a chance on a prospect who’ll require much more fine-tuning before finding success in the NFL. Drake Maye is a far more pro-ready and polished prospect than his counterpart from LSU.

3rd Overall Pick: Las Vegas Raiders (via NE trade) select Jayden Daniels, Quarterback, LSU

The first trade of the 2024 NFL Draft comes from the Las Vegas Raiders, who send the 13th overall pick and 2025 1st & 2nd round picks to trade up and grab the talented dual-threat LSU product Jayden Daniels.

The Raiders brought in quarterback Gardener Minshew this offseason, who will likely start the season for the team, giving Jayden Daniels much-needed time to sit and learn the intricacies of the NFL. The Patriots pass up on a player who would likely suffer without the necessary infrastructure needed to support a rookie QB.

4th Overall Pick: Arizona Cardinals select Marvin Harrison Jr., Wide Receiver, Ohio State

The Cardinals take the best player in this year’s class, locking up one of the best wide receiver prospects we’ve ever seen.

Cardinals QB Kyler Murray gets a fresh new weapon added to his arsenal as Arizona looks to make their way back into playoff contention.

5th Overall Pick: Los Angeles Chargers select Joe Alt, Offensive Tackle, Notre Dame

The Los Angeles Chargers pass up on the remaining wide receiver prospects to lock up the best offensive tackle in this year’s class.

With new head coach Jim Harbaugh at the helm, the Chargers will likely rely more on the run game this year. Having drafted a wide receiver with their first-round pick last year, the Chargers load up in the trenches to support their talented quarterback, who should have no problem making due with the weapons he has and an improved offensive line.

6th Overall Pick: New York Giants select Malik Nabers, Wide receiver, LSU

The Giants pick up the best available player, getting a much-needed weapon for Daniel Jones, who was just given a 4-year, $160 million contract.

Malik Nabers will join a Giants offense that just lost their star player in Saquon Barkley and will look to light up the big apple, just like former LSU product Odell Beckham Jr. did during his rookie year.

7th Overall Pick: Minnesota Vikings (via TEN trade) select J.J. McCarthy, Quarterback, Michigan

With Joe Alt off the board, the Tennessee Titans trade their first-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for the 11th and 23rd overall picks.

The Vikings lock up their quarterback prospect of the future and have the coaching staff and offensive weapons to develop the Michigan product into a potential star.

8th Overall Pick: Atlanta Falcons select Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama

Atlanta secures arguably the best defensive player in this years draft as they look to make a push in a relatively weak NFC.

Having just opened a slim competitive window by acquiring quarterback Kirk Cousins this offseason, the Falcons round up an already talented defense by acquiring the best pass rusher in the draft.

9th Overall Pick: Buffalo Bills (via CHI trade) select Rome Odunze, Wide Receiver, Washington

After losing Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans just a few weeks ago, the Bills revamp their wide receiver room and select Rome Odunze out of Washington.

Buffalo sends their 28th overall pick, 60th overall pick, a 4th round pick, and a 2025 3rd round pick swap to give the Bears some much-needed depth in this draft as they currently hold just 4 picks.

10th Overall Pick: New York Jets select Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Offensive Tackle, Penn State

The Jets beef up their offensive line, giving some much-needed protection to an aging Aaron Rodgers coming off an Achilles tear.

With adequate weapons and an elite defense, the Jets address one of the few glaring weaknesses on their roster: their offensive line.

11th Overall Pick: Tennessee Titans (via MIN trade) select Taliese Fuaga, Offensive Tackle, Oregon State

Back-to-back offensive tackles come off the board as the Tennessee Titans bring in a beast of an offensive lineman.

Fuaga will protect second-year quarterback Will Levis as the Titans continue to make moves for their QB, who they hope develops into a long-term starter.

12th Overall Pick: Denver Broncos select Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State

The Broncos ignore their obvious weakness at the quarterback position and take one of the best remaining defensive players in the draft.

Jared Verse will join a Broncos defense in desperate need of help, and Denver hopes a quarterback falls into their lap in the second round.

13th Overall Pick: New England Patriots (via LV trade) select Byron Murphy II, Defensive Tackle, Texas

The Patriots take the long road on their rebuild and load up their defensive line.

With eight picks in this year’s draft, the Patriots will address the many holes on their roster but leave QB on the back burner for later rounds or perhaps all the way until next year.

14th Overall Pick: New Orleans Saints select Troy Fautanu, Offensive Tackle, Washington

The second Washington product comes off the board at 14 and will serve as the primary protector of new Saints quarterback Derek Carr.

Few teams have as big of a weakness at any position as the Saints do at offensive tackle. They address it with their first pick in the draft.

15th Overall Pick: Indianapolis Colts select Brock Bowers, Tight End, Georgia

The Colts take the best remaining player and give second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson an exciting weapon to add to an already productive offense.

Bowers joins Michael Pittman Jr. as a member of the Colts receiving core and will effectively function as another wide receiver.

16th Overall Pick: Seattle Seahawks select JC Latham, Offensive Tackle, Alabama

Seattle has few desperate needs on their roster, and instead of trading back, the Seahawks pick up a developmental offensive tackle who could become a cornerstone piece in a looming transitional period in Seattle.

17th Overall Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars select Quinyon Mitchell, Cornerback, Toledo

The Jaguars load up their secondary with a talented player who is Pro Football Focus’s 10th-ranked overall prospect. Jacksonville will attempt to bounce back from an underwhelming 2023 season with an improved defense.

18th Overall Pick: Cincinnati Bengals select Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA

With current Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson requesting a trade, Cincinnati reloads at the position with a talented rookie. Latu possesses all the tools to be a successful pass rusher in the league but could struggle against the larger and more talented NFL offensive linemen.

19th Overall Pick: Los Angeles Rams select Jer’Zhan Newton, Defensive Tackle, Illinois

The Rams find an immediate replacement for one of the best defensive players of all time, Aaron Donald, who just retired this offseason.

Newton is a versatile defensive tackle who can line up anywhere on the defensive line and beat his man. The Rams address a positional need with their first pick.

20th Overall Pick: San Francisco 49ers (via PIT trade) select Terrion Arnold, Cornerback, Alabama

The 49ers send wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for the 20th overall pick.

Aiyuk gets a fresh start on a team in desperate need of wide receiver depth, and the 9ers look to return to the Super Bowl with an improved secondary.

21st Overall Pick: Miami Dolphins select Jackson Powers-Johnson, Center, Oregon

Miami brings in some interior offensive line protection for Tua Tagovailoa, who suffered behind poor blockers in 2023. Miami’s system is incredibly dependent on timing, and Powers-Johnson will help them get back to playing their style of football.

22nd Overall Pick: Philadelphia Eagles select Amarius Mims, Offensive Tackle, Georgia

The Eagles bring in a player who won’t see much playing time early but will sit behind Lane Johnson, one of the best offensive tackles of our generation, who is likely retiring soon.

23rd Overall Pick: Tennessee Titans (via MIN trade) select Brian Thomas Jr., Wide Receiver, LSU

The Tennessee Titans go all in on their second-year quarterback Will Levis and bring in another offensive weapon to play alongside newly acquired Calvin Ridley.

With added protection and weapons, the Titans will hopefully give Will Levis all he needs to develop into a solid starter.

24th Overall Pick: Dallas Cowboys select Adonai Mitchell, Wide Receiver, Texas

Dallas keeps the Texas wide receiver in the state and brings in even more weapons to an already high-scoring offense.

With only one year remaining on Dak Prescott’s contract, the Cowboys look to capitalize on what could be the last season of the Dak Prescott era in Dallas.

25th Overall Pick: Green Bay Packers select Cooper DeJean, Cornerback, Iowa

The Swiss Army prospect lands in Green Bay. Whether he’ll play primarily at corner or at safety is yet to be determined, but DeJean will immediately improve a Packers team looking to return to the playoffs and compete for the NFC North Division title.

26th Overall Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Zach Frazier, Center, West Virginia

An aging Tampa Bay roster brings in some added protection for Baker Mayfield, who has pleasantly surprised the Buccaneers at the QB position since filling in for Tom Brady.

27th Overall Pick: Arizona Cardinals select Kool-Aid McKinstry, Cornerback, Alabama

McKinstry bursts into the scene in Arizona and revamps a defense that was bottom-10 in the league last year in yards per game allowed.

Arizona selects the best player available and leaves the first round with two guys who will make immediate impacts on both sides of the ball.

28th Overall Pick: Chicago Bears (via BUF trade) select Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State

The Chicago Bears select one of the most athletic edge prospects since Montez Sweat, who the Bears acquired at the trade deadline this past season.

The Bears lock up the edge position early and address wide receiver later in the draft with their newly acquired picks from Buffalo.

29th Overall Pick: Detroit Lions select Nate Wiggins, Cornerback, Clemson

Detroit, coming off an NFC Championship appearance, load up on the defensive side, which left them just short of a Super Bowl appearance in 2023.

Wiggins comes in as an immediate starter for a Detroit team that is in “win now” mode.

30th Overall Pick: Baltimore Ravens select Graham Barton, Offensive Tackle, Duke

The Ravens seemed to have found a recipe for success in the 2023 season but fell to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the playoffs.

Having acquired Derrick Henry this offseason, the Ravens beef up their offensive line, making the lives of Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson that much easier going into 2024.

31st Overall Pick: San Francisco 49ers select Ladd McConkey, Wide Receiver, Georgia

With the departure of wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, the 49ers reload at the position with one of the class’s best route runners. McConkey should thrive in a system that rewards elite separators.

32nd Overall Pick: Kansas City Chiefs select Troy Franklin, Wide Receiver, Oregon

With the last pick in the first round, the Chiefs add another receiving threat to Mahomes arsenal.

With Rashee Rice expected to miss time due to off-the-field issues, Troy Franklin will look to fill that role and play alongside newly acquired wide receiver Marquise Brown.

Make sure to tune into the NFL Draft tonight at 7pm CT to see how the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft plays out!

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