Mock Draft 3.0
Post Combine Mock Draft
2024 NFL DRAFT
Chicago Bears (via CAR) - Caleb Williams, QB, USC
I was very tempted to put a trade here with Washington. My thought was the Commanders send #2, #40, and their first-rounder next year to CHI for the opportunity to draft Williams. Given the Kingsbury connection as well as the DC roots, I could see the offer for this pick being a heavily pursued item. The only question is, would Chicago move and if so, what would the price be? Until then, Chicago stays put and grabs their future franchise quarterback.
Washington Commanders - Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
This one is really clear. A new owner, GM, and coach are all looking to reset the direction of the franchise. Howell does not appear to be the answer. With the #2 pick in this year's draft, it presents a great opportunity for the organization to hit that refresh button with Drake Maye.
New England Patriots - Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
As much as the Bears and Commanders are in a great position to take a new quarterback for their organization, they really would be able to start each of their current signal callers for one more year if need be. I don't think that is the case with New England. Aside from maybe Denver, the Patriots are the team that has the most pressing QB need. Not only has Mac Jones' play been underwhelming, but it is also becoming apparent that he is toxic in the locker room and will not be welcome back. Daniels offers a ton of upside for another organization looking to start fresh.
Arizona Cardinals - Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
Chalk. Harrison Jr. may be the best WR prospect of the last decade and the Cardinals desperately need to provide Murray with a legitimate weapon now that they have decided to move forward with him under center.
Los Angeles Chargers - Joe Alt, T, Notre Dame
I think they truly would prefer a cornerback or edge defender, but the board just doesn't stack that way for them here. I also do think they might be a draft-day trade candidate if the QBs don't go 1-2-3. While the Chargers have many needs the talent of Joe Alt is too good to pass up here. He is the ideal size, polish, talent, and pedigree for a tackle prospect and I expect him to be an All-Pro early on in his career.
New York Giants - Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
This one is pretty straightforward. The Giants have a very underwhelming receiver room and Daniels needs more help if he is going to have any chance of living up to the contract he was given. Nabers would easily be a WR any other year and is an absolute slam dunk for the Giants here.
Tennessee Titans - Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
This is a pick that was influenced heavily by the press conferences at the combine. The entire Titans organization gave the impression that they felt they were not dynamic enough at the wide receiver position. While, I think that offensive tackle is the most important position they could fill here, especially given the depth at the wide receiver position, I am going to choose to follow the thoughts and words of Ran Carthon and Brian Callahan and draft Rome Odunze here.
Atlanta Falcons - Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
I still like Turner here for Alabama. He tested like a freak and proved that he is worthy of the EDGE1 ranking as well as the first defensive player taken off the board.
Chicago Bears - Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
Chicago could easily go edge defender here with Verse, but I think they want to do everything possible to help Williams in year one. Thomas Jr. is a Combine standout that could see his name crack the top 10. He was always WR4 for me, but I think he has created some separation between himself and the rest of the group. The Bears would love to get a stellar talent here and Thomas Jr. looks like the guy who can deliver.
New York Jets - Olu Fashanu, T, Penn State
This is another pick that has stayed the same for me. I feel like in February, this pick was a best-case scenario for the Jets and now some analysts say it may be too early for Fashanu. I am not of that train of thought. Olu might not be a blue-chip prospect, but he is the next closest thing. The Jets will be celebrating bringing him to New York.
Minnesota Vikings - Laiatu Latu, ED, UCLA
As tempting as it is to take a cornerback here and continue to troll Vikings fans, I opted to fill the massive hole they have along the line. Even if they do bring back Hunter, he will be 30 this season and Latu would be a stellar succession plan. Latu is the most NFL-ready EDGE defender in this draft and will be a huge addition for Minnesota.
Denver Broncos - J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
This pick became pretty favorable after severing ties with Wilson. While they do have some flexibility in their cap situation, I think a rookie quarterback makes the most sense. I don't think it's crazy to see McCarthy go here given how he through and the growing momentum and NFL disposition around him. The real question might be, if Denver wants him, do they have to move up to get him?
Las Vegas Raiders - Byron Murphy II, DI, Texas
This is a pairing that seems to be fairly popular. Murphy would provide a large presence (pun intended) for a team that needs a game-wrecker along the defensive line. Murphy had a stellar Combine performance paired with a dominant campaign this last year at Texas. He will be a plug-and-play pick for the Raiders.
New Orleans Saints - Taliese Fuaga, T, Oregon State
The Saints are such an odd team picking in this year's draft. They don't have a true NEED. They just have a ton of position groups that have not been able to play at a high level. That starts with the tackle position. Penning is...well...let's just say probably not the long-time answer. Ryan Ramczyk has been great when healthy but has made it well-known that the sport of football has not been kind to his body. Fuaga provides the ability to play right away at either a guard or tackle as needed and find him as a permanent end piece of their front five.
Indianapolis Colts - Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
As I said at the beginning, this draft is what I would do. I don't think DeJean is viewed as DB1, but here at 0-TECH, it's not even close. The Colts have a lot of questions to answer in their secondary and DeJean is a large step towards that solution. Look for him to be a high-impact player used all over the secondary and in the return game.
Seattle Seahawks - Jared Verse, ED, Florida State
Verse would be an absolute steal here for Seattle. A strong, violent edge defender that fits the old-school Legion of Boom mentality that Seattle is trying to recapture.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
Jaguars find the corner board in excellent shape, getting to pick from a variety of talents and skill sets. Mitchell, Wiggins, and Arnold all have their traits and talents that set them apart from one another. I think in that group Arnold is the most well-rounded and has the highest floor. Don't take that to mean that they are sacrificing high upside. Arnold has the talent to easily be a lockdown CB1 in the league.
Cincinnati Bengals - Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
This is a dream scenario for the Bengals. While their line is very pressing, they have ZERO tight ends on their roster currently. With the best TE prospect in recent memory staring them in the face, it makes this pick a no-brainer.
Los Angeles Rams - Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
The run of cornerbacks continues. This is another situation where need and availability match up perfectly. With the predraft process that Mitchell has had, the Rams should feel on top of the world walking the card up for this pick.
Pittsburgh Steelers - Troy Fautanu, T, Washington
I love this pick. The Steelers are grabbing Troy Fautanu and playing him on day one. While he may start his career at guard due to need, I believe his home will be at tackle The combine was like the Mines of Moria for Fautanu—he walked in Fautanu the Guard and left Fautanu the Tackle. Regardless of where he ends up, he will be a stud along the line for Pittsburgh.
Miami Dolphins - Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon
This could not have worked out better for Miami. They are losing their entire IOL in FA but can draft the best interior player in the draft. If he is available here, expect Miami to be his home for the next five years.
Philadelphia Eagles - Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
Wiggins marks the 4th corner in eight picks and highlights the biggest secondary needy teams in this year's draft. Philadelphia will be happy to get Wiggins into a veteran-heavy backfield. He is no doubt a day-one starter but will be able to learn and grow from the likes of Bradberry and Slay.
Houston Texans (via CLE) - Jer'Zhan Newton, DI, Illinois
Newton will be a lock for Houston if he is still here. The gap between Murphy and Newton is microscopic and for Houston to be able to get Johnny Newton 10 picks is a great pickup. Look for DaMeco Ryans to continue to bolster his defense now that he has two young studs on offense from last year's draft.
Dallas Cowboys - JC Latham, T, Alabama
The Cowboys look to be locking up Smith on an extension, but that doesn't change his age or the state of the other four offensive line positions. With Latham's G/T versatility, he will look very attractive to the Cowboys who have a history of building through the draft.
Green Bay Packers - Amarius Mims, T, Georgia
At this point, I can only speculate, but I do not foresee Bakhtiari in Green Bay come August. And to be honest, as a Packer fan, I don't want him there. In his prime, he was awesome, but he has become an unreliable cap casualty. Mims couldn't have fallen to the Packers at a better time. While safety is a huge need for the Green and Gold, the positional value and ranking of Mims cannot be passed on.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Graham Barton, G, Duke
Barton will most likely be the first guard prospect to come off the board, but he is much more than that. The Duke tackle can be plugged in at any line position as needed and star potential at any of the three interior positions. Look for him to be another solid addition to the Buccaneers' swift rebuild.
Arizona Cardinals (via HOU) - Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
While the defensive line might need more attention, Kool-Aid seems like too good of a prospect to pass on. The Cardinals do need secondary help and Kool-Aid will allow them to be able to focus on the trenches with the pair of second-round picks they have to work with.
Buffalo Bills - Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
It was always going to be a WR, but the question was just who. Ladd has solidified himself as this class's best route runner and one of the most reliable receivers. He is primarily a slot player but is polished enough to manufacture from both the slot and out wide. Ladd should provide Allen with a great safety blanket similar to the Cobb-Rodgers relationship from the mid-2010s.
Detroit Lions - Darius Robinson, DI, Missouri
With Aidan Hutchinson on one side and Darius Robinson on the other, the Detroit edges would be a handful for any opposing offensive tackles. Robinson can play both 3- and 5-tech and is athletic enough to succeed from both. He is another payer who has benefited greatly from the predraft process.
Baltimore Ravens - Jordan Morgan, T, Arizona
Morgan is another player with G/T versatility that can be plugged in and played from day one. Regardless of what position he ends up in, he is a top-10 talent in a loaded offensive line class.
San Francisco 49ers - Tyler Guyton, T, Oklahoma
Guyton marks the 10th offensive lineman taken in the first round and much like Morgan reminds us all that this year's offensive line group is no joke. Guyton is probably the biggest project of all of them which is why he came off last, but he might have the highest floor. With a 9.62 RAS score and a short playing career, his ceiling is as high as any player's in this draft. Look for San Fran to look to bolster their line with a solid prospect.
Kansas City Chiefs - Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
If this pick isn't a WR, I will be shocked. Rice has been a great addition, but there is still room to grow. Mitchell is another Combine riser who has always been teetering on the edge of the first round and finally breaks the mold here.
ROUND 2
Carolina Panthers - Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
New England Patriots - Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon
Arizona Cardinals - Bralen Trice, ED, Washington
Washington Commanders - Kingsley Suamataia, T, BYU
Los Angeles Chargers - Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri
Tennessee Titans - Patrick Paul, T, Houston
New York Giants - Chris Braswell, ED, Alabama
Washington Commanders (via CHI) - Chop Robinson, ED, Penn State
Green Bay Packers (via NYJ) - Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota
Minnesota Vikings - Braden Fiske, DI, Florida State
Chicago Bears (via ATL*) - Adisa Isaac, ED, Penn State
Las Vegas Raiders - Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
New Orleans Saints (via DEN) - Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Indianapolis Colts - T'Vondre Sweat, DI, Texas
New York Giants (via SEA) - Christian Haynes, G, Connecticut
Jacksonville Jaguars - Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia
Cincinnati Bengals - Kiran Amegadjie, T, Yale
Philadelphia Eagles (via NO) - Junior Colson, LB, Michigan
Pittsburgh Steelers - T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State
Los Angeles Rams - Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M
Philadelphia Eagles - Javon Bullard, S, Georgia
Cleveland Browns - Ja'Lynn Polk, WR, Washington
Miami Dolphins - Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State
Dallas Cowboys - Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Payton Wilson, LB, North Carolina State
Green Bay Packers - Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas
Houston Texans - Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
Buffalo Bills - Ruke Orhorhoro, DI, Clemson
Detroit Lions - Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan
Baltimore Ravens - Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan
San Francisco 49ers - Kris Jenkins, DI, Michigan
Kansas City Chiefs - Marshawn Kneeland, DI, Western Michigan
ROUND 3
Carolina Panthers - Cooper Beebe, G, Kansas State
Arizona Cardinals - Zak Zinter, G, Michigan
Washington Commanders - Jonah Elliss, ED, Utah
New England Patriots - Ja'Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas
Los Angeles Chargers - Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida
New York Giants - Kris Abrams-Draine, CB, Missouri
Arizona Cardinals (via TEN) - Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami
New York Jets - Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina
Detroit Lions (via MIN) - Dominick Puni, G, Kansas
Atlanta Falcons - Austin Booker, ED, Kansas
Chicago Bears - Christian Mahogany, G, Boston College
Denver Broncos - Jermaine Burton, WR, Alabama
Las Vegas Raiders - Cam Hart, CB, Notre Dame
Seattle Seahawks - Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB, Clemson
Atlanta Falcons (via JAC) - Devontez Walker, WR, North Carolina
Cincinnati Bengals - Ben Sinnott, TE, Kansas State
Seattle Seahawks (via NO through DEN) - Michael Hall Jr., DI, Ohio State
Indianapolis Colts - Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky
Los Angeles Rams - Blake Fisher, T, Notre Dame
Pittsburgh Steelers - Tanor Bortolini, G, Wisconsin
Cleveland Browns - Brandon Dorlus, DI, Oregon
Houston Texans (via PHI) - Max Melton, CB, Rutgers
Dallas Cowboys - Jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee
Green Bay Packers - Beau Brade, S, Maryland
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jarvis Brownlee Jr., CB, Louisville
Arizona Cardinals (via HOU) - DeWayne Carter, DI, Duke
Green Bay Packers (via BUF) - Jarrian Jones, CB, Florida State
Detroit Lions - Leonard Taylor III, DI, Miami
Baltimore Ravens - Sedrick Van Pran, G, Georgia
San Francisco 49ers - Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, WR, Georgia
Kansas City Chiefs - Christian Jones, T, Texas
Jacksonville Jaguars (CP) - Jalen McMillan, WR, Washington
Philadelphia Eagles (CP) - Johnny Wilson, WR, Florida State
Los Angeles Rams (CP) - Trey Benson, RB, Florida State
Washington Commanders (via SF; CP) - Kitan Oladapo, S, Oregon State
Newt Westen
With the Combine in the rearview mirror and Free Agency looming I wanted to get a mock draft done based on where the players, whispers, and team needs currently stack up. Some Combine stars have made their mark on the mock draft, while others left us hoping for more. From the GM seats, a handful of Franchise Tags, as well as extensions, have helped to paint a better picture of what directions teams may go in the draft.
The ever-pressing question is, where do the quarterbacks land? I tried to make my best guess based on what I have read, as well as what I consider a logical fit. I went into this draft making the following assumptions:
Fields gets traded to Atlanta for Pick 43 and ATL's 2025 4th, which could move up based on performance contingencies.
Kirk resigns with Minnesota.
Baker resigns with Tampa Bay.
Russell Wilson signs a deal with Pittsburgh.
That is all conjecture and the landing spots of other big-time free agents like Hunter, Wilkins, and Greenard will play a major role in what happens on April 25th. For now, this is what I think could happen, based on my rankings and team needs. This is more of what I would do, rather than what I think will happen.
I hope you enjoy the read. Until next time, prost.