2024 NFL Mock Draft 1.0- Post Free Agency
The NFL off-season is underway and through a few weeks of free agency, the combine and pro days, its time to start looking towards the NFL Draft. This year’s class is headlined by a group of highly productive QBs including USC’s Caleb Williams along with a slew of star studded offensive weapons like WRs Marvin Harrison Jr. of Ohio State and LSU’s Malik Nabers. With a month to go until draft night lets take a look NFL Mock Draft 1.0:
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The Chicago Bears have moved on from QB Justin Fields and have their sights likely on USC star Caleb Williams who is touted as one of the best passers to enter the draft in the last couple years. Williams will have alot of pressure to win immediately but GM Ryan Poles has put together a nice offense which should provide Williams with the parts needed to put together a productive rookie season.
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The Washington Commanders are in search of their next QB and they could choose to ride the hot hand with Heisman Trophy winner, Jayden Daniels. The LSU standout is a dual threat QB with great arm talent which could be a good match for new OC Kliff Kingsbury who is known for running a college style offense.
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The Patriots are in a new era with a new HC for the first time in over two decades and their first big move will be the selection of their next QB. North Carolina’s Drake Maye is a big bodied passer who resembles current NFL QBs like Justin Herbert and should have no problem learning from a veteran like Jacoby Brissett until he is ready to take over as the long term starter.
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GM Monti Ossenfort could look to once again trade outside the top 5 but if they dont, the Cardinals should look to get QB Kyler Murray a bonafide star WR prospect in Marvin Harrison Jr. The 6-4 receiver has been one of college footballs best playmakers and has all the potential in the world to be one of the NFL’s best in his rookie season.
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TRADE! The Minnesota Vikings traded for another first round pick in the top 25 giving them more firepower to make a trade into the top 5 for their QB in Michigan’s JJ McCarthy. McCarthy has been gaining alot of momentum in the last few weeks and if the Vikings want to get their guy they have the picks to do it and should sit back hoping to land a QB outside the top 10.
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New York could be in the market for QB but if they dont, the next best option is to address their massive need at WR with Malik Nabers. The explosive playmaker is dynamic after the catch and would step into New York as their top target, similar to what we saw when they drafted Odell Beckham Jr
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Tennessee is going into 2024 with their second year QB Will Levis, and the best way to protect him is with the top OT in Joe Alt. The Notre Dame lineman is a massive human with tons of playing experience and a frame that is perfect for the NFL. If the Titans want to continue to upgrade their OL, adding Alt is an no brainer
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TRADE! Los Angeles is in desperate need for WR help and after accumulating more picks from an earlier trade, they make another move to get Rome Odunze. The Washington star is a great possession receiver with an NFL ready frame and a work ethic that teams like the Charges will love. Herbert needs a new go-to weapon and Odunze would be a perfect addition.
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Chicago got their QB of the future with their first pick and add a quality pass rusher here with Florida State’s Jared Verse. The powerful edge rusher was viewed as a potential top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft but decided to stay another year to gain experience. The Bears could look for upside with Alabama’s Dallas Turner but HC Matt Eberflus may value experience which gives Verse the slight edge to pair with Montez Sweat.
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New York added a couple veteran OTs in Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses but both are nearing the ends of their careers giving them a perfect springboard for a rookie like Olu Fashanu. Fashanu is arguably the best pass blocker in the draft and with former MVP QB Aaron Rodgers returning from season ending surgery it would be wise for the Jets to add good investments on their OL for the future.
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The Falcons spent big in the offseason on offense led by QB Kirk Cousins and to their defense with Dallas Turner. Atlanta has been lacking a quality pass rusher for the last few seasons and Turner has as much upside as any defender in this class giving the Falcons a fun prospect to their defense.
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The Raiders could look at QB with this pick but continue to upgrade the OL with a dominant blocker in Taliese Fuaga. Fuaga has been one of the biggest risers this year and is a bulldozer on the right side who would be a good duo with the Raiders current LT Kolton Miller for their next QB.
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Denver seems to be a rebuilding period with the departure of QB Russell Wilson and they go with one of the safest picks in TE Brock Bowers. The do-it-all TE has bee one of college football’s best offensive playmakers and would step into Denver as one of the Broncos go-to targets from day 1.
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The Saints could be looking at add mre talent on offense opposite WR Chris Olave and LSU receiver Brian Thomas Jr. would be an exciting pairing. The 6-2 WR had a breakout season for the Tigers and followed up with an impressive combine giving him a chance to rise draft boards as a top 15 pick.
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The Colts are a young team on the rise this season and add another fun talent in CB Quinyon Mitchell. The small school prospect from Toledo has had a great offseason showing out during the Senior Bowl and gaining more steam as the draft’s top CB. The Colts coud use more help in their secondary and adding Mitchell would be just the sprark they need on defense.
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Seattle lost a couple pieces on the interior of their OL and Washington’s Troy Fautanu is a perfect pick to fill a need. The versatile lineman can pay any position on the OL and would be a day 1 starter to protect QB Geno Smith.
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The Jaguars added a big name on their DL with Arik Armstead and continue to bolster their defense with CB Terrion Arnold. The talent defender is one of the best coverage CBs in the draft and could be good complimentary piece to the Jaguars defense opposite Tyson Campbell.
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A center has made it into the the first round! The Bengals signed OT Trent Brown to pair with Orlando Brown as the league’s biggest OT duo and only gets better with Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson. Cincinnati has tried to fix their OL since drafting QB Joe Burrow and adding the best C in the draft would go a long ways for the future of their OL.
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Los Angeles lost one of the best defenders of our generation after the retirement of Aaron Donald giving them a massive need at DL. Enter Illinois defender Jer’Zhan ‘Johnny’ Newton. Newton is one of the best interior defenders in all of college and will certainly not be as good as Donald but can at least bring some help to the Rams DL.
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Last year the Steelers drafted OT Broderick Jones from Georgia and could add another Bulldog this year in Amarius Mims. Mims is a massive human being with could slot right into the starting RT spot assuming Jones takes over at LT giving veteran QB Russell Wilson a big OT tandem.
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The Dolphins lost DL veteran and leader Christian Wilkins in free agency so why not grab a replacement in Byron Murphy. The Texas defender had a good season for the Longhorns and could enter the draft as the top interior DL, battling with fellow lineman Jer’Zhan Newton.
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Philadelphia has a veteran CB room with Darius Slay and James Bradberry and adding a quality CB prospect like Cooper DeJean would be a great trio. The Iowa defender is a great tackler and could see the field alot in 2024 while gaining experience from this veteran teammates.
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The Chargers added Rome Odunze with their first pick and grab another blocker for QB Justin Herbert in JC Latham. The Alabama lineman has valuable experience in the tough SEC and would be a great starter in this rookie season at RT to pair with LT Rashawn Slater.
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Owner Jerry Jones likes big splash moments for Dallas and selecting WR Xavier Worthy would be just the thing the Cowboys would use on offense. Dallas has one of the top WRs in CeeDee Lamb but Worthy would give them a speedster down the field and use that blazing speed that we saw at the combine breaking the record for the fastest 40 yard dash time.
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The Packers lost two starters on their OL in David Bakhtiari and Jon Runyan and adding Duke’s Graham Barton could help in 2024. Barton played OT at Duke but is versatile enough to play inside giving the Packers a quality piece to help protect QB Jordan Love.
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Tampa Bay parted ways with veteran pass rusher Shaq Barrett and replace him with UCLA’s Laiatu Latu. Some may be concerned about Latu’s medicals but he is one of the most refined pass rushers in the draft and will be an impact defender for HC Todd Bowles’s defende from the start.
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Arizona HC Jonathan Gannon had a masterful pass rusher in Philadelphia headlined by Haason Reddick and gets another shot at his guy with Chop Robinson. Robinson is a physical freak who plays with crazy speed and athleticism and would fit in perfectly to the Cardinals defense.
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Buffalo reset their secondary by releasing Jordan Poyer, Micah Hyde and Tre’Davious White and should land a good piece in Tyler Nubin. The Minnesota S is at th top of his group and has all the traits of an early NFL starter. If the Bills plan to plan their secondary, Nubin would be a great start.
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The Lions made it all the way to the NFC Championship game and they will continue to add more talent to their defense with Kamren Kitchens. The Miami S is a versatile defender who could resemble current Lions defender Brian Branch, so why not add another quality defender to the secondary.
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The Ravens lost 3 starters on their OL and Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton is an excellent selection. The strong lineman had a good showing at the Senior Bowl and has good upside warranting his name jumping into the end of the first round.
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The 49ers have one of the best defenses in the league and would be a great spot for a developmental CB with potential like Kool-Aid McKinstry. The Alabama CB was once viewed as a top 10 pick but after a down season for the Tide, San Francisco takes the prospect with hope he rebounds back to his 2022 form.
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The Kansas City Chiefs have been searching for WR help since the trade of Tyreek Hill and land a big riser in Adonai “AD” Mitchell. The Texas receiver had a good season after transferring from Georgia and followed up with a tremendous combine cementing his status as a potential first round draft pick.