The Kansas City Chiefs have won back-to-back Super Bowl championships, and the NFL community shifts its focus to the offseason and the all-important 2024 NFL Draft.
The NFL Draft is scheduled to begin on April 25, and there will be plenty of discussion leading up to draft night. The Chicago Bears own the top pick once again after last year’s trade with the Carolina Panthers. Recent reports indicate it will take a “historic haul” for the Bears to trade away the top choice, making it a strong possibility that Justin Fields could be on the move. Will they take a quarterback with the No. 1 pick this time or trade back again and continue to build around Fields? The Bears’ decision is sure to shake up the top of the draft board.
There will be plenty more to debate leading up to draft night. If the Bears do trade back, who moves up? What team lands Marvin Harrison Jr.? We will not be incorporating trades in these mocks and free agency is sure to change team needs, but we are going to assume that Fields is gone in this mock draft.
Here is the second of many mock drafts with some analysis to follow.
No. 1: Chicago Bears — via Carolina Panthers (2-15)
Team Needs: QB, CB, IOL, DT
Selection: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
No. 2: Washington Commanders (4-13)
Team Needs: QB, OL, EDGE, LB
Selection: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
No. 3: New England Patriots (4-13)
Team Needs: QB, EDGE, WR, OT
Selection: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
No. 4: Arizona Cardinals (4-13)
Team Needs: WR, DL, CB, OL
Selection: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
No. 5: Los Angeles Chargers (5-12)
Team Needs: CB, RB, TE, DL
Selection: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
No. 6: New York Giants (6-11)
Team Needs: QB, WR, LB, CB
Selection: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
No. 7: Tennessee Titans (6-11)
Team Needs: OL, WR, CB, S
Selection: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
No. 8: Atlanta Falcons (7-10)
Team Needs: QB, EDGE, CB, WR
Selection: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
No. 9: Chicago Bears (7-10)
Team Needs: QB, CB, IOL, DT
Selection: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
No. 10: New York Jets (7-10)
Team Needs: OT, DL, WR, LB
Selection: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OL, Penn State
No. 11: Minnesota Vikings (7-10)
Team Needs: QB, RB, IOL, CB
Selection: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
No. 12: Denver Broncos (8-9)
Team Needs: QB, EDGE, WR, IOL
Selection: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
No. 13: Las Vegas Raiders (8-9)
Team Needs: QB, DB, IOL, LB
Selection: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
No. 14: New Orleans Saints (9-8)
Team Needs: DL, OT, QB, TE
Selection: Jer’Zhan Newton, DL, Illinois
No. 15: Indianapolis Colts (9-8)
Team Needs: DL, CB, OL, WR
Selection: Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
No. 16: Seattle Seahawks (9-8)
Team Needs: EDGE, IOL, LB, QB
Selection: Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA
No. 17: Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8)
Team Needs: IOL, CB, EDGE, S
Selection: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
No. 18: Cincinnati Bengals (9-8)
Team Needs: OT, DL, TE, S
Selection: JC Latham, OT, Alabama
No. 19: Los Angeles Rams (10-7)
Team Needs: OL, EDGE, CB, QB
Selection: Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
No. 20: Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
Team Needs: IOL, LB, CB, QB
Selection: Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon
No. 21: Miami Dolphins (11-6)
Team Needs: OL, TE, DL, LB
Selection: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
No. 22: Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
Team Needs: CB, LB, S, WR
Selection: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
No. 23: Houston Texans — via Cleveland Browns (11-6)
Team Needs: LB, DL, TE, RB
Selection: Byron Murphy, DL, Texas
No. 24: Dallas Cowboys (12-5)
Team Needs: RB, WR, DL, LB
Selection: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
No. 25: Green Bay Packers (9-8)
Team Needs: OT, S, DL, RB
Selection: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
No. 26: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8)
Team Needs: OL, TE, CB, EDGE
Selection: Jordan Morgan, OL, Arizona
No. 27: Arizona Cardinals — via Houston Texans (10-7)
Team Needs: WR, DL, CB, OL
Selection: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
No. 28: Buffalo Bills (11-6)
Team Needs: DB, WR, LB
Selection: Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
No. 29: Detroit Lions (12-5)
Team Needs: CB, IOL, DL
Selection: Kamari Lassiter, CB? Georgia
No. 30: Baltimore Ravens (13-4)
Team Needs: OL, CB, WR, DL
Selection: Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington
No. 31: San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
Team Needs: CB, IOL
Selection: Darius Robinson, DL, Missouri
No. 32: Kansas City Chiefs (11-6)
Team Needs: WR, DL, OL
Selection: Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon
Notes:
Jayden Daniels’ athleticism has drawn comparisons to Lamar Jackson and some team will fall in love with him in the top three picks. The Patriots need a quarterback this offseason, whether it be Fields or one of the top three in this class.
Offensive players make up my first seven picks and 20 of my top 32 picks this April. Offensive line is extremely deep this year, accounting for nine choices in the first round. The Ravens will certainly be looking for offensive line help this draft, and Troy Fautanu gives them someone who can play both tackle and guard.
Biggest Reach: J.J. McCarthy to Raiders
I’m a fan of the top three quarterbacks, but the rest all have second-round grades or worse, in my opinion. McCarthy is trending to be a mid-to-late first-rounder, while Bo Nix and Michael Penix could also hear their names called.
Best Bargain: Cooper DeJean to Rams
DeJean is one of my favorite prospects in this draft and any team that lands him will have an instant star on the back end of their defense.
Ideal Fit: Marvin Harrison Jr. to Cardinals
Arizona gets to sit back and wait for the best prospect in the class since the three teams ahead are all in the quarterback market. Harrison gives Kyler Murray an elite weapon that Cardinals’ offense desperately needs.
Photo Credit: Scott Eklund/Redbox Pictures