- Chicago Bears (from CAR) – CALEB WILLIAMS (QB, USC)
Analysis: People have been projecting Williams as the next Patrick Mahomes from the first snaps he took as a Freshman at Oklahoma. Williams possesses elite playmaking abilities that made USC games must-watch TV as he keeps plays alive better than any Quarterback in this draft class and makes throws that few young Quarterbacks can make. When I watch his film, I see what makes him the elite prospect that he is, however, there are some troubling things with his patience and poise in the pocket that force delays in his decision-making process that yield mediocre team success. As promising as his development could be, all of these assessments were exactly the same things that were said about a former Heisman winning QB from Texas A&M back in 2014….let’s hope Williams can follow a different development pathway.
Ryan Poles has been making some savvy moves since taking over the Bears front office, and this will be his signature moment to really put his stamp on the Bears roster, meaning he will be hitching his wagon to his own guy and moving Justin Fields out for more assets.
PRO COMP: Russell Wilson
- Washington Commanders – JAYDEN DANIELS (QB, LSU)
Analysis: I must admit, I wasn’t able to see as much of Daniels’ Heisman season as I would have liked, but after going back and reviewing some film, I can see why he won it. From his decision making, to his pocket awareness, to the touch on his downfield throws, to the electricity that happens when he tucks the ball and decides to run, Daniels did EVERYTHING well in 2023. The one knock on him would be his age (he will be 24 this year), but this seems to be a case of Daniels being a late bloomer and coming into his own at the exact right time.
Washington needs to inject some life into their roster that they haven’t seen since they drafted RG3, and Daniels is the guy who can instantly become the face of their franchise and turn DC into a party again.
PRO COMP: Lamar Jackson
- New England Patriots – DRAKE MAYE (QB, UNC)
Analysis: Had he been eligible for the 2023 Draft, we may have seen Drake Maye as the number 1 overall pick as he put up 5,000 yards of total offense and 45 total touchdowns. Fast forward to this year, and people have questioned why his game regressed a bit and put him under a bigger microscope. When you watch the North Carolina offense on film, you can see that the overall unit was just not nearly as talented as they had been in years past. Even with that being the case, Maye still accounted for 4,200 yards of total offense and 33 total touchdowns with a completion percentage of 64%. The knocks on Maye that I can see are that he takes a few too many sacks, and I question his decision making if he were to be in an RPO system. Overall, there’s a lot to love about Mayes’ potential and seeing him become an alpha dog in the huddle.
The Patriots are primed for a culture reset following the Belichick tenure coming to an end. New Head Coaches tend to go hand in hand with new Quarterbacks, so let’s usher in the Jerod Mayo era with a Drake Maye led offensive unit.
PRO COMP: Andrew Luck
- Arizona Cardinals – MARVIN HARRISON JR. (WR, OHIO ST)
Analysis: Usually by pick 4, you’ve already seen the best player in the draft taken. Because of the top-heavy need for QBs this year, the Cardinals see the best player in the draft fall into their lap with Marvin Harrison Jr. If you want to see the most complete receiver to come out of the draft in a very long time, look no further than the Ohio St product. He runs routes like a pro, catches the ball anywhere it’s thrown, and is the hardest working player on the field whenever he is out there. All of these things will lead to him carrying on the family legacy and becoming a star in the NFL for years to come.
Arizona has attempted to fill their WR room with different bodies since they landed Kyler Murray, and the mix just hasn’t been right. With Harrison Jr coming aboard, you have your modern-day Larry Fitzgerald to allow your franchise QB to maximize his abilities and build the core of this team around the pair.
PRO COMP: Larry FItzgerald
- LA Chargers – MALIK NABERS (WR, LSU)
Analysis: Even with the aforementioned Ohio St receiver gracing the draft, there are still some football people who prefer the big bodied Malik Nabers as their top pass catcher. As I mentioned with Jayden Daniels, the LSU offense was a fireworks show each and every week, and a massive reason why was the consistent dominance of Mr. Nabers. A walking prototype, we can expect WR1 production from the moment he enters NFL camp.
I flip flopped between giving the Chargers an OT, Brock Bowers or Nabers, but seeing how they’ll most likely be moving on from Mike Williams, Keenan Allen is winding down his career, and the new regime won’t be married to Quentin Johnston, it makes sense to go with Nabers and groom him to be the apple of Justin Herberts’ eye.
PRO COMP: Chris Godwin
- NY Giants – ROME ODUNZE (WR, WASHINGTON)
Analysis: The Washington Huskies were one of the best stories of the 2023 College season, and a big reason why their offense had the success that it did was the consistency of Rome Odunze. Some adjectives I can use when describing his film are: Smooth, Crisp, and Effortless; which tells you all you need to know about what he brings to the table.
The Giants are longing for the days of Odell Beckham Jr, and with the loss of Saquon Barkley they’d be wise to load up their receiving corps to run the style of offense Brian Daboll is obviously shifting them towards.
PRO COMP: DeAndre Hopkins
- Tennessee Titans – JOE ALT (OT, NOTRE DAME)
Analysis: Notre Dame is notorious for pumping out big, physical offensive lineman, and if you’re looking for someone who fits that criteria in this draft class, look no further than the human mountain, that is Joe Alt. Standing almost 6’9 and 325 pounds, Alt brings solid technique to pair with his immense size, but could use a little more nasty to his game to maximize his potential as a run blocker. As a pass blocker, he understands positioning better than most college linemen, which allows him to effortlessly mirror his opponents and protect his quarterback.
Will Levis and Ryan Tannehill took an absolute beating last year, and if Tennessee really wants to erase the memory of 2023 and build around their potential franchise QB, this pick becomes a no brainer to enlist Alt as the personal protector for Levis and allow their offense to take a massive step forward.
PRO COMP: Anthony Castonzo
- Atlanta Falcons – JJ MCCARTHY (QB, MICHIGAN)
Analysis: In the history of College Football’s winningest program, there has never been a more productive quarterback than JJ McCarthy. Although he wasn’t asked to put the team on his shoulders like most high profile signal callers, the poise and leadership he instilled within that locker room cannot be overlooked. And make no mistake, the film shows a QB who is capable of making all of the throws necessary and winning football games on the biggest stage.
Atlanta has been saying at every turn this offseason that they will be employing a new Quarterback in 2024. They have the infrastructure in place for a young player like McCarthy to learn on the job and enjoy some early success as well. McCarthy could be going earlier than this as the draft approaches as he appears to be winning over a lot of teams.
PRO COMP: Steve McNair
***Editor’s Note: This mock was submitted prior to the Kirk Cousins signing, so expect this pick to change in V 2.0.
- Chicago Bears – DALLAS TURNER (DE, ALABAMA)
Analysis: Well, it took us until pick 9 to see our first defensive player taken, which speaks to the depth of the offensive talent in this class. On that note, stop me if you’ve heard this phrase before: An Alabama defender will be a top 10 pick and make an immediate impact with the team that selects him. Dallas was a real head-Turner (see what I did there?) with the Tide the last three seasons, and given the success of his former running mate Will Anderson this past season with the Houston Texans, teams should be salivating at the opportunity to take such a well rounded, polished and elite prospect like Dallas Turner.
Taking a page out of the Houston Texans playbook from last year, the Bears land their franchise QB and a franchise altering defender from Alabama with their top 10 picks. Turner and Montez Sweat can form an absolutely devastating tandem in the Windy City and bring Chicago closer to competing in a tough NFC North.
PRO COMP: Von Miller
- NY Jets – OLU FASHANU (OT, PENN ST)
Analysis: We see it happen every year where an offensive tackle from the Big 10 stands out enough to be taken at the top of a draft. This year, that tackle is Olu Fashanu, who has been rated as high as the top overall player in this class when the 2023 College season kicked off last September. Although he was overlooked sometimes with the stale Penn St offense, Fashanu was the best player on the entire offense and brought a technical ability we don’t see very often with young prospects, which will allow him to excel in the run game immediately. His hand placement could use some work on the passing side of things, but nothing that a good offensive line coach can’t help with.
The Jets saw their season go up in flames in Week 1 last season because they forgot to build a proper offensive line in front of their newly acquired franchise QB. Whichever top offensive tackle is here for them to take, they need to turn the card in immediately.
PRO COMP: Laremy Tunsil
- Minnesota Vikings – COOPER DEJEAN (DB, IOWA)
Analysis: There are certain schools that prepare their players extremely well for the NFL, and Iowa is at the top of that list. One of the draft’s hidden gems, Cooper DeJean brings the most diverse skill set of any prospect this year. From Corner to Half to Safety to Kick/Punt Returner, the swiss army knife prospect fits into any defensive scheme and will allow whichever Coordinator that gets to work with him design their defense with maximum versatility.
Minnesota looks like they’re reshaping their defense, and there’s no better way to do that than picking players who can play multiple positions at a high level.
PRO COMP: Tyrann Mathieu
- Denver Broncos – BROCK BOWERS (TE, GEORGIA)
Analysis: When evaluating their respective draft boards, teams have to choose between need and best player available. The fact that Bowers plays Tight End slides him down most teams’ boards, but make no mistake, there aren’t many players (if any) that make as big of an impact and play their position better than him. To put this in perspective, Brock Bowers would have still been a first round pick after his freshman season (2021-22) and drafted ahead of current stand out Tight Ends Tre McBride, Cade Otton, Jake Ferguson and Isaiah Likely.
Denver needs to think long and hard about where they’re going with their Quarterback situation, but seeing the type of mismatches Bowers can create on his own will allow whoever their new distributor is to perform well in Sean Payton’s system.
PRO COMP: Shannon Sharpe
- Las Vegas Raiders – JC LATHAM (OT, ALABAMA)
Analysis: Left Tackles get all of the attention, but having a standout on the right side can make just as big of an impact (ie. Lane Johnson, Penei Sewell). JC Latham is a true Right Tackle and boy does he ever do his job well. Alabama linemen have gone through the highs and lows of the professional game over the years, but I’d be very confident in Latham performing at a high level in the NFL.
The Raiders have struggled to find an identity in the new millennium, and they should ultimately get back to their roots under new HC Antonio Pierce, which means bringing in more War Daddies like Latham to change the culture.
PRO COMP: Jack Conklin
- New Orleans Saints – TROY FAUTANU (OT, WASHINGTON)
Analysis: Whether you agree with it or not, the fact of the matter is that the University of Washington Offensive line was awarded as the top group in all of College Football in 2023, and the straw that stirred that drink was their Left Tackle Troy Fautanu. Grading out with above average pass and run blocking, Fautanu possesses elite footwork and athleticism that will allow him to play Tackle or Guard in the NFL, which moves him into the top 15 of this draft.
New Orleans is still reeling from the Trevor Penning mistake in 2022, so they need to correct it by taking a technically sound lineman like Fautanu.
PRO COMP: Terron Armstead
- Indianapolis Colts – TERRION ARNOLD (CB, ALABAMA)
Analysis: Usually we would see the top corner from any draft taken in the top 8, but with the 2024 class being very offense heavy with the elite prospects, Arnold takes a bit of a tumble. But equipped with coachability, patience, awareness, sticky coverage skills and sound tackling, Terrion Arnold projects to carry over his elite Alabama pedigree to the NFL.
The Colts have a solid roster but are still missing a true shutdown corner to move their defensive needle, and getting the ball back into the hands of the Richardson/Taylor combo is a recipe for success.
PRO COMP: Joe Haden
- Seattle Seahawks – JARED VERSE (DE, FLORIDA ST)
Analysis: Big time Edge rushers are arguably the most important position on a defense, and it was evident that Florida St had the success it did last year because they possessed one of the nations elite defensive linemen in Jared Verse. Measuring in at 6’4” and 260 lbs, Verse generates a ton of power off the edge and can get in the backfield with the consistency needed to succeed in the NFL.
Seattle is revamping their secondary, but before they address the safety position in this draft, bringing in a talent like Verse to solidify their pass rush is more of a needle mover for new HC Mike McDonald.
PRO COMP: Danielle Hunter
- Jacksonville Jaguars – XAVIER WORTHY (WR, TEXAS)
Analysis: And now we come to the newly crowned fastest man in combine history. People will get lost in the narrative that Worthy is only on the main stage now that his speed is evident, but this is a highly productive receiver that oozes potential because he can run the entire route tree. Even though he weighs less than 170 lbs, Worthy is as tough as they come and plays through the bumps and bruises that all football players encounter.
Jacksonville has already lost Calvin Ridley this offseason, so they need to replace his productivity. With Christian Kirk as their possession guy, Zay Jones and Evan Engram manning the big body positions, taking Worthy as their ‘take the top off’ guy will diversify this passing game and make Trevor Lawrence a very happy man.
PRO COMP: Joey Galloway
- Cincinnati Bengals – ADARIUS MIMS (OT, GEORGIA)
Analysis: One thing you can’t coach is size, and there are few bigger than Adarius Mims. Not only a winner of the genetic lottery, Mims has good feet and solid hand placement to make his potential as tantalizing as any prospect in the 2024 draft. Now for the big question: Why did he start so few games in his career? Was it because Georgia was loaded with talent? Was it because he’s just now coming into his own? Was it because he can’t analyze opposing defenses with efficiency? With great intrigue comes extreme uncertainty, but taking a gamble on Mims could net a team the best overall tackle in the draft when it’s all said and done.
Joe Burrow is an elite QB who wins football games when he’s on the field. The problem is that he’s missed way too many games since the Bengals drafted him. They need to fix that problem and protect him before they lose him for good.
PRO COMP: Orlando Brown Jr
- LA Rams – QUINYON MITCHELL (CB, TOLEDO)
Analysis: A small school prospect who dominates their competition will garner attention, but the question that will always persist will be “but what if he had to play against better players?”. Fast forward to the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine, and Mitchell has improved his stock based on how he performed, at times even dominating his counterparts. He’s also a very long corner, so expect teams to zone in on that trait when making their decisions.
In the McVay era, the Rams have never been shy to draft smaller school prospects who possess the traits they look for at specific positions, so this seems to be a match made in heaven for a defense in need of better play from their secondary.
PRO COMP: Marlon Humphrey
- Pittsburgh Steelers – JACKSON POWERS-JOHNSON (C, OREGON)
Analysis: Traditionally an undervalued position, a greater awareness has been placed on the Offensive Center with the exposure players like Jason Kelce and Creed Humphrey have gotten over the last 5 seasons. If you were to pop in an Oregon Ducks tape, the player that your eye gets drawn towards is JPJ (I realize this may be my Offensive line bias kicking in here). His field awareness seems to get better each and every week, and matching that with his superior punch and athletic feet in open space, Powers-Johnson is really separating himself from the pack and can become a 10 year starter for any team that brings him in.
The Steelers offense has struggled since the departure of stalwart Maurkice Pouncey, and this is their chance to finally get the next dominant center in the Steel City to let Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren run wild.
PRO COMP: Creed Humphrey
- Miami Dolphins – BYRON MURPHY (DT, TEXAS)
Analysis: Whenever a team is one of the final four in College Football, the elite talent on that particular roster will have taken over and willed their respective teams to victory. In the case of the Texas Longhorns, both of their Defensive Tackles played at such a high level all season it made opposing offenses very one dimensional and easier to prepare for. Byron Murphy is the less heralded of the two, but his skillset is trending in a more positive direction than his running mate, T’Vondre Sweat. Murphy plays with a high motor on the inside and disrupts opposing backfields on both pass and run downs, which makes him a dangerous player on whatever defense he plays on.
The Dolphins offense is as high octane as Max Verstappen during an F1 race, so getting them more opportunities to score is top priority for team management. They can accomplish this by inserting a bruiser like Murphy on their defensive interior and forcing opposing offenses off the field quicker than in 2023.
PRO COMP: Gerald McCoy
- Philadelphia Eagles – KAMARI LASSITER (CB, GEORGIA)
Analysis: Weird, a Georgia defensive player drafted by the Eagles. Well, there are much worse mines to excavate in the college football landscape than the Georgia Bulldogs. Kamari Lassiter is a technically sound corner who loves to mix it up in the run game, which is a rarity in modern day football. The knock on him is the lack of turnovers forced as he doesn’t have the innate ability to take the ball away from opposing offense like a lot of top corner prospects have. That said, he is far from being a liability.
Any Eagle fan will tell you that their secondary was the biggest disappointment last year (outside of Coaching), so taking a corner like Lassiter is essential for them to right the ship. Pairing him with 2023 draft pick Kelee Ringo will allow Philadelphia to shift the narrative of an older, underachieving group to a young and hopefully overachieving unit.
PRO COMP: Quentin Jammer
- Houston Texans (from CLE) – LADD MCCONKEY (WR, GEORGIA)
Analysis: And now for the “Mock Shock”-er thus far. With the extreme depth of this year’s Wide Receiver class, a lot of attention gets taken away from Ladd McConkey. When I watch him, I can’t help but see a disciplined player who does everything well, but doesn’t get the same opportunities that a lot of other top pass catchers get. Go watch a Georgia game and see what he does after the ball is in his hands, and I promise you’ll come away impressed.
The Texans are building a monster down in Houston, and their offense is ready to take the next step in 2024 with a deeper Receiver group. Add McConkey with Tank Dell, Nico Collins and a fully healthy John Metchie III, and watch CJ Stroud compete for MVP’s for years to come.
PRO COMP: Jarvis Landry
- Dallas Cowboys – TYLER GUYTON (OT, OKLAHOMA)
Analysis: Oklahoma’s Offensive line coach needs to get some recognition because the Sooners have been planting linemen in the NFL on a consistent basis for a number of years now and this year is the same story. Tyler Guyton projects to be a solid Left or Right Tackle in the NFL with the way he’s able to move for being such a large human being. Once he masters his hand placement, he’ll truly become elite.
Dallas is far removed from the great group of linemen they once had, and losing Tyron Smith this offseason leaves Zack Martin as the lone wolf from the once dominant unit. Bringing in Guyton to play alongside up and comer Tyler Smith gives them some people movers to build around.
PRO COMP: Lane Johnson
25. Green Bay Packers – LAIATU LATU (DE, UCLA)
Analysis: If you’re looking for a master of their craft, Latu is a pleasure to watch when he’s rushing the passer. Twitchiness, knee bend, fast hands and lane integrity all equal a well seasoned prospect who will make someone very happy at the next level. The major drawback that’s affecting Latu’s draft stock is how teams will evaluate his medical reports, as he’s already retired from football once in College due to neck issues, but has since made a comeback.
The Packers are at their best when they have a stable of pass rushers getting after opposing backfields, and the last two years have been very underwhelming. Latu could be a Maxx Crosby type rusher if he can stay healthy.
PRO COMP: Maxx Crosby
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – KOOL-AID MCKINISTRY (CB, ALABAMA)
Analysis: The man with the Kool-est name in the draft is a bit of an enigma this year due to the success of his Bama running mate, Terrion Arnold, but make no mistake, Kool-Aid is a prototypical NFL Corner. Anyone who watched the SEC Championship between Alabama and Georgia would have seen a top prospect that’s solid in coverage and isn’t afraid to mix it up in the run game against top notch competition.
With Tampa Bay re-signing Baker Mayfield, the Buccaneers can focus on rebuilding their defense, which is losing players to Free Agency at an alarming rate. Look for them to follow up in Round Two with a Linebacker.
PRO COMP: Chris Harris Jr.
27. Arizona Cardinals (from HOU) – DARIUS ROBINSON (DE, MISSOURI)
Analysis: Versatile defensive linemen are becoming a more prominent thing in the modern day NFL, and teams that want to maximize their defensive production are jumping on this train with great ferocity. Robinson is the exact embodiment of everything said above with his 6’2, 290 lb frame and relentless motor. He can line up inside in a 4 or 5 man front, or at edge in a 3 or 4 man front, which will give whichever team he lands with a leg up in game planning and defensive audibles on game day.
Arizona struck offensive gold with their first selection, which gives them the flexibility to pick a weapon like Robinson on defense and make Jonathan Gannon’s life much easier in year two of his tenure.
PRO COMP: Fletcher Cox
28. Buffalo Bills – ADONAI MITCHELL (WR, TEXAS)
Analysis: Winning is the name of the game in professional sports, and no one has won more in the last three years than Adonai Mitchell. A two-time National Champ at Georgia, Mitchell transferred to Texas in 2023 and helped lead the Longhorns to the National Semifinal. He’s a big bodied pass catcher who can also stretch the field with his 4.38 speed.
Buffalo’s defense is bearing the brunt of having a massive Quarterback cap hit, which will see the Bills looking completely different in 2024. After evaluating the prospects on the board, Buffalo would be reaching to fill any of those needs here, so taking a big target to keep Josh Allen happy is the next best thing.
PRO COMP: Brandon Aiyuk
29. Detroit Lions – KEON COLEMAN (WR, FLORIDA ST)
Analysis: Keon Coleman is a prospect that you have to notice when he’s on the field with his immense size and playmaking ability. He was buried on a terrible Michigan St offense, but really flourished this past season at Florida St as the second coming of Kelvin Benjamin. People will critique his 40 time, but will fail to notice that he ran the fastest passing gauntlet at the Combine, which shows that his speed kicks up a notch with the ball in his hands.
Detroit seems like they’ve been knocking every draft pick out of the park the last few years, and if they land Coleman at 29 they may as well buy some lottery tickets.
PRO COMP: Mike Evans
30. Baltimore Ravens – CHOP ROBINSON (DE, PENN ST)
Analysis: Penn St has been pumping out high level athletes on their defense for years, and Chop Robinson will carry on that legacy. Although his numbers didn’t jump off the page, his potential definitely does as you’d be hard pressed to find a defensive end with a better first step in 2024.
Baltimore loves building their defense around toughness and speed, and Robinson brings both. If anyone can unlock his massive potential (and 4.4 speed), look no further than the Ravens.
PRO COMP: Whitney Mercilus
31. SF 49ers – T’VONDRE SWEAT (DT, TEXAS)
Analysis: No one in College Football could run against Texas in 2023, and the biggest reason why was the Big 12 Defensive player of the Year and Outland Trophy winner, T’Vondre Sweat. Teams were questioning his athleticism given his immense size, but he seemed to put those to rest with an absurd 5.27 forty yard dash time. If Sweat can consistently stay on the field for all three downs, this will be highway robbery for the team that picks him.
San Francisco may have other needs to fill, but putting someone like Sweat in the middle of that defense will allow Fred Warner to flirt with 200 tackles a year.
PRO COMP: Haloti Ngata
32. Kansas City Chiefs – TALIESE FUAGA (OT, OREGON ST)
Analysis: Oregon St prospects don’t get much attention from the everyday viewer because they play on the West Coast and haven’t been CFP contenders, but anyone who has put on the Fuaga tape will understand how good of a prospect he is now, and how good he could be with more development.
Kansas City just won back to back Super Bowls, so it’s hard to find flaws in their system. But they can’t keep patching together their Offensive Tackles and expect Patrick Mahomes to make up for their lack of production. Just because they didn’t get called, it doesn’t mean Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor didn’t hold on virtually every pass set.
PRO COMP: Ryan Ramczyk
-Kyle Kirkwood
Photo: Alexander Jonesi. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.