After months of speculating, guessing, and discussing what the 2024 NFL Draft will look like, it's finally here. The draft starts at No. 2 this year, but betting markets suggest the Commanders are set on one specific quarterback. The elite wide receivers and Brock Bowers should leave the board early, giving fantasy managers reason for excitement early on Thursday night. Here is my final guess at how the first round will shake out.
Thank you to Tankathon for providing the most updated draft order.
Check out all the NFL mock drafts at Footballguys:
Christian Williams' NFL Mock Draft 1.0
Christian Williams' NFL Mock Draft 2.0
Christian Williams' NFL Mock Draft 3.0
Christian Williams' NFL Mock Draft 4.0
Christian Williams' NFL Mock Draft 5.0
Christian Williams' NFL Mock Draft 6.0
Christian Williams' NFL Mock Draft 7.0
Jeff Bell's Two-Round NFL Mock Draft 1.0
Jeff Bell's NFL Mock Draft 2.0
Matt Bitonti's NFL Mock Draft
2024 NFL Mock Draft
1. Chicago Bears - Caleb Williams (QB - USC)
Williams has been a member of the Chicago Bears for months.
2. Washington Commanders - Jayden Daniels (QB - LSU)
Daniels offers a run-and-gun mentality that Kliff Kingsbury's offenses are known for. His improvements as a senior were notable, and he will lead the Commanders into a new era.
3. New England Patriots - J.J. McCarthy (QB - Michigan)
Dane Brugler suggested there's a ton of buzz that the Patriots prefer McCarthy to Maye. There's nothing more poetic than bringing in a national championship-winning Michigan quarterback to pull the Patriots out of the rough post-Tom Brady era.
4. Arizona Cardinals - Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR - Ohio State)
The Cardinals are a popular trade-out spot, but I think they stick and pick the best player in the draft, regardless of position.
5. Minnesota Vikings - Drake Maye (QB - North Carolina)
Trade details: MIN sends No. 11, No. 23, and a 2025 third-round pick to LAC for No. 5.
The negative buzz around Maye has been strange, and it works in the Vikings' favor here. Maye versus Williams twice a year for a decade? NFL fans are the real winners here.
6. New York Giants - Rome Odunze (WR - Washington)
After failing to move up for a quarterback, the Giants settle for an elite wide receiver prospect with a clean off-field profile and a different play style than their current group.
7. Tennessee Titans - Joe Alt (OT - Notre Dame)
If the Chargers move out, the Titans get a blue-chip left tackle with movement skills and room to grow under new OL coach Bill Callahan.
8. Atlanta Falcons - Laiatu Latu (EDGE - UCLA)
The most pro-ready edge defender comes off the board first despite the medical concerns. Latu may be a 10-sack guy as early as his rookie year.
9. Indianapolis Colts - Malik Nabers (WR - LSU)
Trade details: IND sends No. 15, No. 46, and a 2025 fifth-round pick to CHI for No. 9.
Rumors that the Colts are moving up for Brock Bowers have surfaced, but that's with the assumption that the top three wideouts are gone. Nabers isn't in this mock, and Richardson gets an upgraded slate of weapons.
10. New York Jets - Brock Bowers (TE - Georgia)
The Jets upgrade their tight end position significantly by drafting one of the top five talents in the class.
11. Los Angeles Chargers - J.C. Latham (OT - Alabama)
After moving back, the Chargers have options. Byron Murphy II makes sense, but they will choose the raw, powerful, young offensive tackle to bring some nasty to Los Angeles.
12. Denver Broncos - Jared Verse (EDGE - Florida State)
The Broncos should trade back, and they might. If they stay and pick, everything is on the table, including the powerful, pocket-collapsing edge rusher. No player they select will look good in their new uniforms, unfortunately.
13. Las Vegas Raiders - Troy Fautanu (OT - Washington)
The Raiders need offensive linemen, and they need versatile ones. Fautanu is exactly that, allowing them to move him around as needed.
14. New Orleans Saints- Taliese Fuaga (OT - Oregon State)
There isn't a team-to-positional-need combination quite like the Saints and offensive tackle. They take one who naturally plays on the right side and can kick to guard if needed.
15. Chicago Bears - Chop Robinson (EDGE - Penn State)
The Bears' top two targets left the board, so they moved back. While a ton of buzz surrounding Murphy exists, the team has not brought him in for a visit, something they did with all of their picks in 2023. Insert Robinson, a versatile, upside-ridden edge player with elite athleticism.
16. Philadelphia Eagles - Terrion Arnold (CB - Alabama)
Trade details: PHI sends No. 22 and No. 53 to SEA for No. 16 and a 2025 fourth-round pick.
The Eagles move up for their top corner, getting ahead of the Jaguars.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars - Quinyon Mitchell (CB - Toledo)
The Jaguars settle for Mitchell, a fantastic consolation prize at the corner position.
18. Cincinnati Bengals - Byron Murphy II (DT - Texas)
The Bengals land a top-10 talent in the class at a position of need. You can't draw it up cleaner for the AFC North contenders.
19. Los Angeles Rams - Brian Thomas Jr. (WR - LSU)
The Rams have many defensive needs, but the team is starting Demarcus Robinson as things currently stand. Cooper Kupp will be 31 soon. Investing in a wideout next to Puka Nacua isn't a bad move.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers - Olu Fashanu (OT - Penn State)
The Steelers seem adamant about playing Broderick Jones out of position again next season, and Fashanu solidifies that. He is an immediate upgrade at tackle and will help keep Russell Wilson and Justin Fields upright.
21. Arizona Cardinals - Dallas Turner (EDGE - Alabama)
Trade details: ARI sends No. 27 and No. 86 for No. 21 and a 2025 fifth-round pick.
The Cardinals move up instead of back, acquiring what many believe is the draft's best edge rusher.
22. Seattle Seahawks - Graham Barton (OL - Duke)
The Seahawks have an interior offensive line problem, and Barton could be the pick even if they stay at 16. They add an elite mover with versatility.
23. Los Angeles Chargers - Darius Robinson (EDGE - Missouri)
The Chargers could upgrade their assortment of down linemen, as Scott Matlock is currently starting. Robinson gives them a pocket-pusher to go with their dangerous edge rushers, giving some nastiness to the other side of the trench.
24. Dallas Cowboys - Amarius Mims (OT - Georgia)
I expect the Cowboys to be irresponsible and take the fast wideout from Texas, but they've been eating their vegetables more in recent years. Mims is a bag of mixed vegetables; no one knows what they'll get when they open it. But the movement skills at his size make him an intriguing first-round pick.
25. Washington Commanders - Adonai Mitchell (WR - Texas)
Trade details: WAS sends No. 36, No. 67, and No. 152 to GB for No. 25.
The Commanders move up to support Daniels with weapons rather than an offensive lineman. Mitchell, McLaurin, Ertz, and Dotson should ease Daniels' introductory period in the NFL.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Zach Frazier (OC - West Virginia)
Rumors of injury concerns with Jackson Powers-Johnson, combined with fantastic film from Frazier, make this an easy pick. Frazier is an upgrade from Robert Hainsey, giving them something stable in front of Baker Mayfield for the foreseeable future.
27. Miami Dolphins - Xavier Worthy (WR - Texas)
The Dolphins need offensive linemen but naturally take the fastest player in the class to add to Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and De'Von Achane.
28. Atlanta Falcons - Cooper DeJean (CB - Iowa)
Trade details: ATL sends No. 43 and No. 74 to BUF for No. 28 and No. 204.
DeJean slips down the board a bit, allowing the Falcons to move up and upgrade two position groups before Day 1 ends.
29. Detroit Lions - Mike Sainristil (CB - Michigan)
I've never seen a better fit for a Dan Campbell-led team than Sainristil, as he's a nasty, hard-hitting, high-IQ player still growing as a cornerback.
30. Baltimore Ravens - Patrick Paul (OT - Houston)
Paul suggested multiple teams want him as early as the first round. He's a great pass protector who tested out of this world at the NFL Combine and a sure upgrade from Daniel Faalele.
31. San Francisco 49ers - Tyler Guyton (OT - Oklahoma)
The 49ers luck into a better offensive tackle here, snagging the player with immense upside. He's not a Week 1 starter, but he's a long-term upgrade at right tackle, with the potential for him to take over for Trent Williams.
32. Kansas City Chiefs - Jer'Zhan Newton (DT - Illinois)
Many people believe the Chiefs will take a wide receiver here, but with Newton still on the board, they choose to tackle their defensive line.
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