2024 NFL Mock Draft: Trades at the top make for an interesting top ten

We are about a week and a half away from the draft and the picture is beginning to get clearer about how teams will approach it. The conversation around the top of the draft is heating up, especially with the high-end offensive talent available.

We’re heading down the final stretch of draft season and as we dodge the smokescreens, we do our best to predict how the first round of this action-packed draft will go.

1. Chicago Bears – USC QB Caleb Williams

The Chicago Bears don’t hesitate to run the card up to Goodell to select the best player at the most important position. USC’s Caleb Williams walks into a situation fit for prime development with weapons galore on the offensive side of the ball.

1. Washington Commanders – LSU QB Jayden Daniels

With the explosiveness factor he brings, the Washington Commanders, especially offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, couldn’t resist taking LSU’s Jayden Daniels. Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson could find themselves having a lot of fun, especially down the field, with Daniels and his deep ball.

1. New England Patriots – North Carolina QB Drake Maye

Yes, New England needs help everywhere on their roster, but to pass up on a quarterback like North Carolina’s Drake Maye to do it is too much for head coach Jerod Mayo. The Patriots find the quarterback and will figure the rest out later.

1. Minnesota Vikings (via Arizona Cardinals) – Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy

Trade Compensation: Arizona receives picks 11, 23, 2025 first-round pick & 2025 fifth-round pick. Minnesota receives pick 4 & 2025 fourth-round pick

Minnesota couldn’t allow themselves to leave without one of the top four quarterbacks and give the Godfather offer to the Arizona Cardinals to ensure it. The Vikings end up with their quarterback of the future in Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy to sit behind Sam Darnold and the Cardinals get more top-ten picks to load up their roster.

1. Los Angeles Chargers – Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr.

This is the dream scenario for the Los Angeles Chargers. The quarterbacks go at a historical rate in the first four picks, leaving the best non-QB for the Chargers to pick: Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. With the departures of Mike Williams and Keenan Allen, this couldn’t have come at a better time.

1. New York Giants – LSU WR Malik Nabers

New York needs playmakers on offense and there may not be a more explosive one than LSU’s Malik Nabers. His ability to turn a five-yard route into a 50-yard touchdown is the type of playmaking quarterback Daniel Jones needs to have success.

1. Arizona Cardinals (via Tennessee Titans) – Washington WR Rome Odunze

Trade Compensation: Tennessee receives 11 & 71, Arizona receives 7

Arizona isn’t letting their dynamic wide receiver slip through their fingers, especially with seven top-100 picks to use to move back up. The Cardinals sacrifice pick 71 to return to the top ten and get the big ball-winner in Washington’s Rome Odunze.

1. Atlanta Falcons – Alabama EDGE Dallas Turner

The league’s worst-kept secret is that the Falcons need help on the defensive side of the ball. After spending most of free agency focusing on the offense, the Falcons shift their focus to the defense and take Alabama’s Dallas Turner to work off the edge.

1. Chicago Bears – Florida State EDGE Jared Verse

With the top receivers gone, the Bears return to their roots and help bolster head coach Matt Eberflus’ defense. Florida State’s Jared Verse complements Montez Sweat well as they continue to build the roster around Williams.

1. New York Jets – Georgia TE Brock Bowers

The acquisition of Tyron Smith, especially given his injury history, should not deter the Jets from adding even more offensive tackle depth. However, the allure of a versatile playmaker like Georgia’s Brock Bowers is far too enticing to pass up.

1. Tennessee Titans (via Arizona Cardinals via Minnesota Vikings) – Notre Dame OT Joe Alt

With all that moving and shaking, the Tennesee Titans receive an extra top-100 pick and still end up with the top tackle in the NFL Draft. Notre Dame’s Joe Alt is a huge step in ensuring that Tennessee’s line is shored up sooner rather than later.

1. Denver Broncos – UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu

Denver needs a quarterback, but they won’t find it here. This means they must pivot and find another impact player, which is exactly what UCLA’s Laiatu Latu is. Latu has the technical prowess to impact the Broncos’ pass rush on day one.

1. Las Vegas Raiders – Penn State OT Olu Fashanu

Like Denver, the quarterback will have to be addressed at some point, but this is too soon. There are too many offensive tackles for Las Vegas to ignore and the best of the bunch here is Penn State’s Olu Fashanu.

1. New Orleans Saints – Alabama OT J.C. Latham

With the loss of Ryan Ramczyk for an unknown amount of time, the Saints have to find a right tackle to replace him. One of the best in this draft is Alabama’s J.C. Latham and his strong hands.

1. Indianapolis Colts – Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell

Indianapolis enjoys finding top-tier athletes to add to their roster. It just so happens that Toldeo’s Quinyon Mitchell is also arguably the best corner in this draft.

1. Seattle Seahawks – Texas DT Byron Murphy

This is usually a Latu landing spot, but with Denver taking a chance on him earlier, the Seahawks decided to bolster the defensive line in head coach Mike Macdonald’s first draft. Texas’ Byron Murphy’s ability to add pass rush juice from the interior will be a well-worthy addition to a rebuilding Seattle defense.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars – Alabama CB Terrion Arnold

Jacksonville needs a lockdown corner to knock Tyson Campbell down to a high-end number-two instead of the top guy. Alabama’s Terrion Arnold will be the perfect number-one corner with his elite athleticism and slick footwork.

1. Cincinnati Bengals – Washington OL Troy Fautanu

Cincinnati needs to continue to build up their offensive line to keep Joe Burrow upright for this final run at a Super Bowl. Washington’s Troy Fautanu can line up virtually anywhere along the offensive line and be impactful on day one.

1. Los Angeles Rams – Penn State EDGE Chop Robinson

Los Angeles just needs help anywhere on the defense, but the pick with the highest upside is Penn State’s Chop Robinson. His elite first-step explosiveness and speed off the edge make a bet well worth making for the Rams.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers – Oregon State OL Taliese Fuaga

Pittsburgh should be looking at all the available offensive linemen available at 20. With Oregon State’s Fuaga falling due to the run on defense in the teens, Pittsburgh gets their guy without having to move up.

1. Miami Dolphins – Duke iOL Graham Barton

This is simple. Miami needs stability along the line and the safest bet in this year’s draft is Duke’s Graham Barton. Barton is a player who can play all five positions on the line and has the skillset and strength to play anywhere.

1. Philadelphia Eagles – Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinstry

It’s almost poetic to have an Alabama cornerback come in to help shore up the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive backfield. Nick Saban gives Howie Roseman a parting gift from his final season in Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry.

1. Arizona Cardinals (via Minnesota Vikings via Houston Texans) – Iowa CB Cooper DeJean

Arizona needs as many playmakers as possible, so why not have a playmaker who can play every position in the defensive backfield? Iowa’s Cooper DeJean is the most intriguing defensive player in this draft because there is no telling where he is best suited in the NFL. It could turn out that the best use for him is to not pigeonhole him into one spot and just allow him to be one of the best athletes on the field.

1. Dallas Cowboys – Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton

Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton just feels like a Jerry Jones pick. A monstrous frame with rare athleticism that has all the potential to become a high-end tackle in the NFL if given the time to develop.

1. Green Bay Packers – Arizona OT Jordan Morgan

With the loss of David Bakhtiari, the Packers are searching for difference-makers on the offensive line. Arizona’s Jordan Morgan has all the athleticism you could want in a modern-day tackle.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Missouri DL/EDGE Darius Robinson

Another fit that seems too good to be true is Missouri’s defensive lineman Darius Robinson to Tampa Bay. His physicality and strength at his size will endear him to Tampa Bay’s Todd Bowles enough to take a chance on him late in the first round.

1. Arizona Cardinals (via Houston Texans) – LSU WR Brian Thomas, Jr.

This is how you completely change your wide receiver room. You get your thunder in Odunze and now there’s the lightning in LSU’s Brian Thomas, Jr. near the end of the first. Thomas Jr. adds fantastic speed, but he also adds size to the wide receiver corps.

1. Buffalo Bills – Florida State WR Keon Coleman

Somebody will take a chance on the body control and ball skills that Florida State’s Keon Coleman possesses. If anybody can unleash that ability, it’s Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

1. Detroit Lions – Clemson CB Nate Wiggins

Detroit needs a number-one cornerback, and the elite athleticism of Clemson’s Nate Wiggins will make him a tough player to pass on late in the first round.

1. Baltimore Ravens – Texas WR Adonai Mitchell

Adonai Mitchell with Baltimore seems like a match made in football heaven. Mitchell’s mix of size and speed makes him a perfect receiving threat for the Ravens.

1. San Francisco 49ers – BYU OL Kingsley Suamataia

BYU’s Kingsley Suamataia has all the traits that an offensive tackle needs to be successful in the NFL. Size, length, quickness and athleticism to climb to the next level. Having a teacher like Trent Williams to help you develop certainly helps.

1. Kansas City Chiefs – South Carolina WR Xavier Legette

With everything surrounding Rashee Rice, securing a receiver that can win in the short to intermediate will be necessary for Kansas City. Not only can South Carolina’s Xavier Legette do that, but with enough space, he can turn any of those short or intermediate catches into touchdowns with his elite speed.