We are officially hours away from the start of the 2024 NFL Draft. LET’S GO!
With this mock draft, Max Hayford, Nick Wolmart, and Alex Vindici joined me in predicting the first round. We took the approach of drafting based on what we think is going to happen on Thursday night as opposed to what we would do.
If you haven’t done so, check out my first mock draft and Around the Felt’s two most recent mock draft videos on YouTube.
Now let’s get into it.
1. Chicago Bears
General Manager: Max Hayford
Pick: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
No brainer here. It’s been obvious for months now. Once Fields was traded, Ryan Poles made it evident that Caleb Williams was going to be a Chicago Bear. Time to find a place in Chicago Mr. Williams.
2. Washington Commanders
General Manager: Nick Wolmart
Pick: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Although I am a bigger fan of Maye as a prospect, it looks like Jayden is the pick at two. As a Washington fan, I do appreciate his ability to use his legs at a high level while arguably having the best deep ball in the class. Although his frame and ability to protect himself has come into question, 4,000 all purpose yards with 50 total touchdowns and a Heisman trophy win is incredibly hard to pass up on.
3. New England Patriots
General Manager: Alex Vindici
Pick: Drake Maye, QB, University of North Carolina
With Jayden Daniels being taken second overall, I believe Drake Maye becomes the easy selection at number three giving the Patriots their new hopeful franchise quarterback. With a new regime and rising head coach Jerod Mayo, this pick solidifies a new era in New England. Drake Maye has all the tools to be great in the NFL, but unfortunately in this scenario he will go to another situation with lackadaisical talent around him, just like at UNC. Kurt Warner does an outstanding breakdown on YouTube emphasizing the sometimes brutal playcalling and Maye often needing to do too much due to the talent around him, or lack thereof, leading to some avoidable mistakes. Unfortunately, his production this past year isn’t what some analysts would have hoped for in a top quarterback, but that shouldn’t take away from the pure arm talent he possesses. Overall, I love what Maye offers talent and leadership-wise, with underrated athleticism, which I believe will allow him to have success no matter where he goes in this draft.
4. TRADE: Minnesota Vikings
General Manager: Alex Vindici
Pick: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
The Vikings make an aggressive trade giving up picks 11, 23, and a 2025 third rounder ensuring they get what they believe to be the next face of their franchise. In my humble opinion, McCarthy may not be worth this haul (surely this won’t come back to bite me), but when a team acquires an extra first-rounder and lets their forty-plus million dollar quarterback walk in free agency, the writing is seemingly on the wall that they are in love with a quarterback prospect in this draft. McCarthy posted 6,226 yards, 49 touchdowns, with only 11 interceptions in his career winning the CFP national championship in 2024, Rose Bowl Offensive MVP in 2024, and Big Ten Quarterback of the Year in 2023. His pure accuracy may be the best of any quarterback in this draft, but one of his question marks is if this will carry over into the NFL. He wasn’t asked to do nearly as much as other quarterbacks in this draft but that isn’t because he can’t; just simply because of how dominant this year’s Michigan team was in the run game. I believe Kevin O’Connell has the ability to unlock him as a player and new teammates like Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison will aid in his development to potentially become a franchise quarterback.
5. Los Angeles Chargers
General Manager: Max Hayford
Pick: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
Another no brainer here. The Chargers are thrilled to see four QBs go before them and have this generational prospect in Harrison fall into their laps. At 6’4 205, Harrison showed he can run the entire route tree, making him a unique prospect which separates him from the rest of this deep receiver class.
6. New York Giants
General Manager: Nick Wolmart
Pick: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
If the Giants decide to stick and pick at six overall, they should be sprinting to the podium to lock this pick in. Nabers is a top five talent in this draft in my opinion. Nearing 1,600 yards receiving with 14 touchdowns, while having another true WR1 present in that offense speaks for itself. His ability to do damage after the catch, combined with his 4.3 speed will finally give New York that true WR1 that they have been deprived of since OBJ.
7. Tennessee Titans
General Manager: Alex Vindici
Pick: Joe Alt, T, Notre Dame
Joe Alt seems like the easy pick here with the Titans needing a franchise tackle with the recent departure of Taylor Lewan and Andre Dillard not working out as they had hoped in the 2023/24 season. His size is absolutely unmatched standing at a height of 6’9”, weighing 321 pounds, having 34¼” arms, and 10” hands making him an absolute mountain of a left tackle. He also dazzled at the combine with elite athleticism despite his unparalleled size running a 5.05-second 40-yard dash with an elite 10-yard split of 1.73 seconds. Alt will slide in perfectly on the left side of the Titans line, and if everything works out he will be a staple at that spot for potentially the next ten years.
8. Atlanta Falcons
General Manager: Colin Tong
Pick: Byron Murphy, DT, Texas
The Falcons need pass rushing help in the worst way. I thought about going with a corner here to pair with A.J. Terrell, but the defensive line needs building blocks after the departure of Calais Campbell and the age of Grady Jarrett. Murphy is flying up draft boards and I don’t believe he falls past the Colts at 15th overall. Murphy won Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the year in 2023, totaling five sacks and eight tackles for loss in 2023. His impact is felt way more than the box score indicates. Interior defensive lineman with pass rushing upside are so difficult to find, which makes Murphy a phenomenal add to the Atlanta defense.
9. Chicago Bears
General Manager: Max Hayford
Pick: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Tough one here for Chicago. Do you grab a tackle to protect your franchise QB or one of the top premier WRs in this draft? In this situation, Chicago goes with Rome Odunze. Keenan Allen and DJ Moore each have one year left on their deals, so I am expecting one of them to leave next year. Rome brings size and athleticism to this offense that Caleb will love developing alongside.
10. New York Jets
General Manager: Nick Wolmart
Pick: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
I will preface this pick by saying I am not the biggest fan of taking a tight end this early in the draft. Now with that being said, it’s a good thing that Brock Bowers isn’t just a tight end. Brock is a WEAPON. Put him out wide, put him in the slot, put him in motion, or keep him in to help with the run block game…this guy can do it all. He is clear-cut one of the best tight end prospects in the history of the NFL draft. I think the Jets will look to surround their Hall of Fame QB with as many weapons as possible and truly take on a “win now” mentality.
11. TRADE: Arizona Cardinals
General Manager: Colin Tong
Pick: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
In this scenario, the Cardinals move back to collect picks 11, 23, and a 2025 3rd round pick from the Minnesota Vikings. Arizona desperately needs help on its defensive front, and Turner has a ton of juice off the edge. Turner was a beast at Alabama, stepping in for Will Anderson Jr. this past year and totaling ten sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss. He has all the physical traits to develop into a double-digit sack guy for the Cardinals for years to come.
12. Denver Broncos
General Manager: Colin Tong
Pick: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
Pairing Mitchell with Pat Surtain II was too intriguing for me to pass up. Mitchell has shot up draft boards after a lockdown performance at the Senior Bowl, winning PFN’s Defensive Player of the Week award. He has 4.3 speed and amassed six interceptions and 45 pass breakups in three years as a full-time starter. There have been talks that Denver may package Surtain with this pick to move up for a quarterback, but Surtain is one of the only blue chip players on the roster and would be the perfect mentor for Mitchell.
13. Las Vegas Raiders
General Manager: Max Hayford
Pick: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, T, Penn State
Antonio Pierce is starting to bring back the Al Davis Raiders. The nasty, do whatever it takes to win Raiders. With his first draft as head coach, Pierce and Tom Telesco go and attack the offensive line by taking Olu Fashanu who, I believe, has the highest ceiling amongst the tackles in this draft. Grabbing Fashanu just outside the top ten is a steal and wouldn’t have been a thought at the end of the collegiate season. Raiders fans should be jumping with joy if this is what the card looks like come tomorrow night.
14. New Orleans Saints
General Manager: Nick Wolmart
Pick: Amarius Mims, T, Georgia
Although there may be more polished prospects at the tackle position in this draft, Mims has one of the highest ceilings in this whole draft. Although he only had eight college starts, he has all the physical tools to be a certified dog at the next level. I think the only way the Saints can go in this draft is offensive line help, and Mims is just that.
15. Indianapolis Colts
General Manager: Alex Vindici
Pick: Brian Thomas Jr., Wide Receiver, LSU
The Colts add another weapon for their young quarterback, Anthony Richardson, here with Brian Thomas Jr. completing their wide receiver core. Assuming Josh Downs takes a step up this year, the addition of Thomas Jr. allows the Colts to have one of the youngest and best wide receiver cores in the NFL who are all under contract for at least the next three years (four for Brian Thomas Jr.). His production this past year speaks for itself putting up 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns on 68 receptions. Thomas Jr. also showed out at the combine posting a 4.33 40-yard dash, 38.5” vertical, and 10’6” broad jump setting himself up to be among the elite overall prospects in this class. He also has the ability to high point the football with strong hands standing at 6’3” and weighing in at 209 pounds. Thomas Jr. has the talent and athletic profile to be among the best pass catchers in this absolutely loaded wide receiver class, and the Colts organization along with their fan base should be thrilled to add a player of his caliber to their roster.
16. Seattle Seahawks
General Manager: Colin Tong
Pick: Laitu Latu, EDGE, UCLA
Latu is the most polished pass rusher in this draft and would be a potential top ten pick if it weren’t for the medical red flags. Latu will be a 24-year-old rookie, but his production at UCLA is undeniable, totaling 13 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss last season. Seattle needs help along its defensive front even after re-signing Leanord Williams.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars
General Manager: Max Hayford
Pick: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
Brian Thomas was towards the top of the Jaguars draft board before the Colts snatched him up. Adondai Mitchell was a thought but the Jaguars pivot and take Nate Wiggins. Nielsen, the Jaguars defensive coordinator, was a part of the Saints coaching staff when they selected Marshon Lattimore and wants to recreate the magic with Wiggins. Uber athletic, Wiggins ran a 4.28 at the combine and has the length that corners are praised about in today’s NFL.
18. Cincinnati Bengals
General Manager: Nick Wolmart
Pick: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
He’s that dude. A receiver that is being somewhat overlooked due to how stacked this draft class truly is. AD Mitchell is incredibly explosive for his size and can take the top off of a defense. He has a very solid catch radius as well and a very diverse route tree. With Tee Higgins officially requesting a trade, don’t be surprised if the Bengals move him on draft day and go get a GUY.
19. Los Angeles Rams
General Manager: Alex Vindici
Pick: Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
The Rams get some much-needed pass rush help and burst here selecting Jared Verse to be their new premier edge rusher. Verse has possibly the best get-off on tape of any edge in this draft, and he proved it at the combine posting a 4.58-second 40-yard dash with a 1.6-second 10-yard split. He also had a 35” vertical, 10’7” broad jump, and put up 31 reps (highest of any edge) on the bench press, all while being 6’4” and 254 pounds. That kind of height, weight, speed, and pure athleticism is extremely hard to find, and Verse is impossible not to notice when watching Florida State’s prolific, but sad ending 2023/24 season. He uses his hands well and has a fantastic bull rush move all while being strong at the point of attack. A knock of his may be that he doesn’t have the best bend at the edge but often showed that it wasn’t necessary with some of his other dominant pass rush moves. I think the Rams possibly get a steal here and Sean McVay will be absolutely ecstatic when Verse puts it all together in Los Angeles.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers
General Manager: Colin Tong
Pick: JC Latham, T, Alabama
Steelers fans are clamoring to add a wideout at this spot, but the Steelers are amongst the best in the league at developing talent at that position, so I believe they will target receiver on day two and take a high-end tackle prospect in the first. I am a big fan of Broderick Jones at left tackle, so let’s add Latham to play on the right side. Latham was a stud at Alabama. In 29 games, he allowed 28 pressures and only two sacks. The Steelers need to fix this offensive line or neither Russell Wilson or Justin Fields will have success.
21. Miami Dolphins
General Manager: Max Hayford
Pick: Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa
Miami targets a defensive back and has a tough decision on their hands between McKinstry and DeJean. DeJean gets the nod here due to his positional flexibility. The Dolphins released Xavien Howard this offseason, leaving an open spot at corner for DeJean to fall into. His man-to-man play is far better than McKinstry’s, which is another reason I favored DeJean. Weaver now has a variety of coverages to choose between with a secondary consisting of Ramsey, Holland and DeJean.
22. Philadelphia Eagles
General Manager: Nick Wolmart
Pick: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
Although his name is great, his IQ and instincts for the position may even be better. McKinstry had great college production at Bama and is a top prospect at his position. He has a great burst in the short field. Combined with his natural ball skills and fluidity, he is the perfect pick for an Eagles team that was hurting in the back half of their defense in 2023. Cornerback is not only the right pick for the Eagles, but it may be the only pick considering they have very few team needs anywhere else on the field.
23. Arizona Cardinals
General Manager: Alex Vindici
Pick: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
The Cardinals are desperate for a new wide receiver threat with the departure of Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore this offseason. Worthy should slide into Marquise Brown’s role of stretching the field immediately posting a record-breaking 4.21-second 40-yard dash. Worthy’s game isn’t just speed though, he has elite tracking and ball skills and can jump out of the gym with a 41” vertical and a 10’11” broad jump. Kyler Murray has historically thrived playing with a speedy wideout back to his college days at Oklahoma with Marquise Brown and into the NFL with Rondale Moore and Marquise Brown yet again, who he publicly volleyed for in free agency. There has seemingly been an arms race for the next Tyreek Hill throughout the last four or five drafts, and while it may seem like a lot of pressure, Worthy looks to be the closest player to him.
24. Dallas Cowboys
General Manager: Colin Tong
Pick: Tailese Fuaga, T, Oregon State
The Cowboys have a huge hole at left tackle after the departure of Tyron Smith. Tyler Smith is a pro-bowler who has tackle and guard flexibility, so adding Fuaga, who also has that flexibility, would allow Dallas to mix and match on the left side of the line. Fuaga is a mauler and an elite athlete for the position. In 700 snaps last season, Fuaga gave up 12 quarterback hurries, two quarterback hits, and no sacks. Jerry Jones also loves to invest in the offensive line in the first round.
25. Green Bay Packers
General Manager: Max Hayford
Pick: Troy Fautanu, T, Washington
With Bakhtiari’s injury history and the uncertainty if he will be returning to the team, the Packers decide to take initiative and draft the versatile tackle with guard flexibility. After Jordan Love’s breakout party last year, the Packers need to focus on the offensive line to keep their franchise quarterback upright. Fautanu started 29 games at left tackle and two at left guard during his time in college. He is a tough player with great lateral quickness. He excels at moving with urgency on down blocks and double teams which should bring a smile to the newly acquired investment, running back Josh Jacobs.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
General Manager: Nick Wolmart
Pick: Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State
No more Shaq Barrett means that this team will be on the prowl for an athletic game changer off the edge. Look no further than Pork Chop Robinson. This kid is uber athletic and with the right coaching and right scheme, he will be a problem. 4.48 speed off the edge is something you cannot coach, and pairing that up with Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey would be as exciting as it gets.
27. TRADE: Cincinnati Bengals
General Manager: Alex Vindici
Pick: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
The Bengals send Tee Higgins to Arizona for this pick in a blockbuster. Terrion Arnold is a playmaker on the backend having the flexibility to play both inside and outside at corner. He has very fluid hips staying with receivers as they get in and out of their breaks with enough speed to stay in phase if targeted on a deep ball. Despite his somewhat unexpected 4.50 second 40-yard dash, he plays much faster (similarly to Brian Branch last year), and his general athleticism is elite allowing him to play press man coverage and off coverage with ease. Not to mention another one of his strengths is his ability to tackle in space which can be very hard to come by in the current NFL. The Bengals have needed help on the backend for a while now and Arnold should slide right in to provide just that. This would be a gargantuan draft day move, moving Tee Higgins and his forthcoming contract for this pick as they have already added another wideout in the draft acquiring Adonai Mitchell earlier in the mock draft.
28. Buffalo Bills
General Manager: Colin Tong
Pick: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
If you read my first mock draft , you will notice I did not change my pick for the Bills. After trading away Stefon Diggs and letting Gabe Davis walk, the Bills desperately need more playmakers for all-world quarterback Josh Allen. A trio of Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel, and Mack Hollins will not get it done in the AFC. Enter McConkey, who never posted monster numbers at Georgia but is a technician and as reliable as they come. McConkey isn’t the type of prospect that is elite in a category, but he is very good at so many things.
29. Detroit Lions
General Manager: Max Hayford
Pick: Zach Frazier, IOL, West Virginia
Lions lived up to the hype last year and managed to bring back both coordinators for this upcoming season. It’s time to keep building the offensive line for this explosive offense. Frazier comes in as a gritty, hard-nosed BEAST who fits exactly with the culture Dan Campbell has created. The team just locked in St. Brown and Sewell for the next several years with extensions, but Frank Ragnow only has one year left on his deal. Not to mention, depth in today’s NFL along the offensive line is never a bad thing. This may be a reach for the Lions, but they have shown in previous years that if they like a player enough, they aren’t afraid to select them higher than expected.
30. Baltimore Ravens
General Manager: Nick Wolmart
Pick: Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens haven’t had a 6’3 215 pound receiver in quite some time. Although most experts have them grabbing a big time O-lineman, I like the Keon Coleman and Zay Flowers duo. Give your two-time MVP quarterback a big, agile frame to feed the ball to and go make another run. Although this is a longshot, man oh man would that be fun.
31. San Francisco 49ers
General Manager: Alex Vindici
Pick: Jackson Powers-Johnson, IOL, Oregon
In my opinion, Jackson Powers-Johnson will be a home run pick wherever he goes with absolute dominance at center and guard flexibility. He’s a plug and play player anywhere on the interior offensive line with all-pro potential as soon as he steps on the field. He’s dominant at the point of attack with great hands and is one of the best people movers in the entire draft. He can get out on screens and keep up with elite college running backs down the field like Bucky Irving as he pancakes defenders along the way. Not many interior offensive linemen have highlight tapes that are worth the watch, but Powers-Johnson’s tape is can’t-miss action. This could end up being the steal of the draft with the Niners getting an elite talent for at least four, maybe five, plus years.
32. TRADE: Las Vegas Raiders
General Manager: Colin Tong
Pick: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
The Raiders give up a trio of picks to move up and take the gunslinger from Washington. Neither Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew are long-term solutions for Las Vegas. Penix has a cannon of an arm and could push the ball downfield for Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers. He finished 2nd in Heisman voting last year after throwing for 4,903 yards and 36 touchdowns. Penix does have medical red flags, and I am concerned with his accuracy and ability to throw under pressure, but he provides upside at the most important position in professional sports. By moving back into round one, the Raiders have the ability to pick up the fifth year option on Penix if his play warrants it.
