The 2024 NFL Draft kicks off on April 25 and until then, mock draft season will take over the internet. Annually, the NFL Draft becomes a spectacle that garners endless speculation and a variety of content across multiple platforms on the prospects. Mocks will continue to shift in the ensuing weeks as the Scouting Combine, Pro Days and interviews commence.
At pick 26, the Buccaneers acquire pass rush help. With a deep class at both cornerback and offensive tackle, a myriad of factors will change the draft stock of many prospects, causing them to rise or fall. Here is the second Mock Draft of 2024. Senior Writer/Editor Scott Smith compiled the first and I wrote the second. (Note: no trades were made in this mock).
1. Chicago Bears (from Carolina): QB Caleb Williams, USC
There will certainly be debate surrounding what the Bears should do with this pick as the draft nears and what the team will end up doing with Justin Fields, however, Caleb Williams seems to make the most sense with the first overall selection. The Bears need a franchise quarterback, and it is still uncertain if Fields is that guy in the Windy City. Williams is a young, developmental signal-caller but possesses natural arm talent. The playmaker can deliver throws from various arm angles/platforms and maintains accuracy while on the move.
2. Washington Commanders: QB Drake Maye, North Carolina
New head coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury get their quarterback of the future with North Carolina's Drake Maye. Maye has a large frame and can layer the football to all three levels of the field. Maye is instinctive and is a solid processor against zone. He has the tools that the Commanders can build their offense around in 2024.
3. New England Patriots: QB Jayden Daniels, LSU
The Patriots have significant needs on both sides of the football and for the purposes of this mock, the club opts to go the draft route to find a quarterback that can become a cornerstone. The organization will undergo a rebuild in a post-Bill Belichick era and Jayden Daniels poses intriguing traits. Daniels is a dangerous runner when he breaks contain and the multi-faceted quarterback has an efficient release. He possesses lateral agility, and the 2023 Heisman winner has a lethal downfield touch.
4. Arizona Cardinals: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
The Cardinals need to elevate their wide receiver corps. and if quarterbacks fly off the board at one, two and three, that leaves the best player available at a position of need: Marvin Harrison Jr. With a healthy Kyler Murray, Harrison Jr. can add another dimension to Arizona's passing attack. The 2023 Biletnikoff Award winner is a vertical threat that defenses will have to account for and is elite when navigating the sideline/traffic. He pairs outstanding explosion with rare ball skills and effective footwork.
5. Los Angeles Chargers: TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
This will mark Jim Harbaugh's first selection since taking over as the Chargers' head coach and the club goes for a statement playmaker in Brock Bowers. L.A. could look to restock the offensive line by finding someone to take over at right tackle, however, Bowers is a unique specimen. The former John Mackey Award winner is explosive out of his breaks and consistently generates separation. He is adept at creating yards after catch with lower-body strength and deceptive speed.
6. New York Giants: WR Malik Nabers, LSU
The Giants add to their receiver room with LSU's Malik Nabers. Nabers is a vertical, YAC threat to pair with New York's slot weapons. He consistently makes defenders miss, has long speed and tracks the ball well downfield. Nabers is precise on routes and competes at a high level.
7. Tennessee Titans: T Joe Alt, Notre Dame
The Titans bolster the offensive line with a glaring need at tackle. Tennessee drafted Peter Skoronski last year to fill the vacancy left by Nate Davis and the team goes after a lineman again to replace Taylor Lewan. Joe Alt possesses great athleticism and his background as a tight end is evident in his lateral agility. He is quick off the ball and would provide an immediate boost along the front line.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Edge Dallas Turner, Alabama
The Falcons choose to go after a veteran quarterback and address their edge rush with their first overall pick, selecting Alabama product Dallas Turner. Turner has outstanding bend to turn the corner and is regarded as the best speed rusher of the 2024 class. He pairs rare burst, and pursuit range with length to overwhelm opponents.
9. Chicago Bears: WR Rome Odunze, Washington
The Bears go after a young offensive weapon to complement Caleb Williams and counterpart D.J. Moore. Odunze alters the tempo of his routes to change direction and is a RAC-star. He smoothly transitions in-and-out of breaks and possesses instinctual play down the boundary. With a bigger size profile, Odunze can box out defenders at the catch point and will help fortify the Bears' passing attack.
10. New York Jets: T Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State
This year's class is deep at tackle and that aligns with the Jets' top priority. In 2024 with a clean bill of health for Aaron Rodgers, the organization will put their resources into protecting their prized signal-caller. Olumuyiwa Fashanu has a natural feel in the trenches and has the coveted height/weight/length profile. He leverages his strength and plays with precise footwork.
11. Minnesota Vikings: CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama
The Vikings are in need of pass rush help with Danielle Hunter heading for the open market in free agency, however, the club goes after a playmaker in the secondary in Terrion Arnold. Arnold is a versatile defensive back that made the move to cornerback at Alabama after being recruited as a safety. He has top-end speed to stay with deep threats and possesses the hip fluidity and twitch to quickly transition out of breaks. Few are able to work over the top of Arnold and he would elevate the Vikings' back end.
12. Denver Broncos: QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
Denver could go with an edge, but the club is also a potential landing spot for a quarterback. In this exercise, the Broncos go with J.J. McCarthy. Sean Payton will want to find his own signal-caller to build the franchise around and McCarthy has a high ceiling. He attacks the middle of the field with precision and operates quickly in an RPO and play-action-based system. McCarthy has the athletic ability to extend plays outside of the pocket and Denver bets on the young Michigan product.
13. Las Vegas Raiders: OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
The Raiders swipe another tackle off the board in Oregon State's Taliese Fuaga. Fuaga has the positional flexibility to move inside to guard and plays with a fiery demeanor. He punishes defenders in the run game and moves out of his stance with quickness. Fuaga was a domineering force on the Beavers' line and has the mass to knock back opponents upon contact. He plays with great pad level and flexibility to generate leverage.
14. New Orleans Saints: OT J.C. Latham, Alabama
The Saints invest in the offensive line with their first-round pick and snag J.C. Latham. Latham commands the line of scrimmage with strength and power. He has lateral mobility and displaces defenders in the run game. With consistent pass sets and a solid center of gravity, Latham can fortify the Saints' line.
15. Indianapolis Colts: CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
The Colts need an infusion of talent at cornerback to combat the receiver arsenals in the AFC South. Quinyon Mitchell is adept in zone coverage and displays superb route recognition. He has the speed element to carry receivers deep and contests the catch space with stellar ball skills.
16. Seattle Seahawks: Edge Laiatu Latu, UCLA
The Seahawks need to bolster the defensive line and Laiatu Latu possesses both inside/outside rush flexibility. He displays great bend, a menacing speed-to-power conversion and a variety of moves in his toolbox. Latu would add another dimension to Seattle's front in getting after opposing quarterbacks.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars: CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson
The Jaguars need revitalization in the secondary and Nate Wiggins provides lateral quickness, hip fluidity, burst out of transitions and vision. He has the ability to undercut routes by reading the quarterback's eyes for prime positioning.
18. Cincinnati Bengals: OT Amarius Mims, Georgia
Right tackle Jonah Williams is a free agent and quarterback Joe Burrow has dealt with a myriad of injuries over the previous four seasons. For Cincinnati, protecting Burrow needs to take precedence. Amarius Mims is a dynamic move blocker in space that possesses redirection skills to mirror pass rushers. In addition, he is a dominant force in pass protection with strength and leverage.
19. Los Angeles Rams: IOL Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
The Rams made a commitment to revamping their offense and defensive lines, respectively, in last year's draft and could add to it again in 2024. Keeping Matthew Stafford upright is of the utmost importance and Jackson Powers-Johnson could become a cornerstone fixture in L.A. Powers-Johnson won the Rimington Trophy following the 2023 season, which is given to the best center in college football. He possesses elite range, lateral mobility and a devastating punch that often sends linemen reeling.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
The Steelers find a successor for Patrick Peterson and a young cornerback to pair with Joey Porter Jr. Cooper DeJean, a twitchy playmaker, has recovery speed and burst for triggering downhill. DeJean can adjust his tempo while staying in-phase on receivers and is a smooth zone defender.
21. Miami Dolphins: OT Troy Fautanu, Washington
Another tackle comes off the board as Miami continues the trend with Troy Fautanu. Terron Armstead is progressing in age and the Dolphins can groom his successor. Fautanu utilizes his quickness, power and length to gain an advantage on opponents. He is a bulldozer on pulls and traps, which extends rush lanes.
22. Philadelphia Eagles: CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri
Philadelphia's pass defense finished second-to-last in 2023 and the club gets a high-level cornerback in Ennis Rakestraw Jr. He has the hip fluidity to blanket stems and is effective at jamming with physicality. Rakestraw uses his length down the boundary and possesses elite ball skills, disrupting the catch window.
23. Houston Texans (from Cleveland): WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
The Texans create a dynamic trio, adding Brian Thomas Jr. to join Nico Collins and Tank Dell. Thomas navigates the open field with surgical precision and can stack moves to bait defensive backs. He can get vertical in a hurry from anywhere along the formation, exploding off the line. Thomas is lethal on one-cut routes over the middle of the field and would elevate the Texans' receiver room.
24. Dallas Cowboys: OT Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma
Tyron Smith is a pending free agent and the Cowboys could acquire Tyler Guyton to pair with 2022 first-round draft pick, Tyler Smith. With natural power and strength, Guyton engulfs defenders. Guyton has a stout anchor to withstand bull rushes and possesses explosiveness off the line of scrimmage when mauling as a run blocker. He has recovery athleticism and will boost the Cowboys' front wall.
25. Green Bay Packers: DL Jer'Zhan Newton, Illinois
Packers' General Manager Brian Gutekunst has invested early draft capital on boosting the lines on both sides of the ball and defensive lineman Jer'Zhan Newton is a disruptor. Newton is physical at the point of attack with a nasty disposition and has an elite pass-rush motor. He has natural leverage and solid bend for an interior lineman.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Edge Demeioun 'Chop' Robinson, Penn State
There are many avenues that the Buccaneers could take with the first overall pick but given the value in this draft class, the club takes an edge rusher. Shaquil Barrett is 31-years-old and discussed that he is weighing a myriad of factors as to whether or not he will be back in 2024. Rookie star Yaya Diaby led the team in sacks this past year with 7.5 and Tampa Bay's brass selects a Penn State product to boost its pass rush nucleus. Chop Robinson is explosive off the line with an elite get-off and utilizes a variety of moves to bait offensive linemen into submission. With an effective speed-to-power conversion, Robinson beats tackles.
27. Arizona Cardinals (from Houston): Edge Darius Robinson, Missouri
The Cardinals turn their attention to the edge by selecting Missouri's Darius Robinson. Robinson has inside/outside rush flexibility and is regarded as one of the best run defenders in the class. The technically sound athlete jumps off the tape with physical force, utilizing a variety of moves to get into the backfield. Robinson stacks moves to control reps and has a relentless motor in the trenches.
28. Buffalo Bills: WR Keon Coleman, Florida State
Gabe Davis is an impending free agent, and the Bills need additional firepower in the receiver room alongside Stefon Diggs. Keon Coleman is physical at the catch point and is a YAC artist, bullying defenders. He is a great ball-tracker and possesses high-point capabilities. Coleman utilizes length and strength to overpower press at the line and he would help solidify the Bills' receiving corps.
29. Detroit Lions: CB Kamari Lassiter, Georgia
The Lions concluded last season ranked 30th in yards allowed per pass play and the club adds young talent to the secondary to join Brian Branch and Cam Sutton. Kamari Lassiter is quick out of his pedal and into breaks. He possesses elite route recognition and has an understanding of leverage/pursuit/spacing to excel in zone. Lassiter is a wrap-up tackler and showcases physicality as a run defender.
30. Baltimore Ravens: OT Jordan Morgan, Arizona
Jordan Morgan falls into the Ravens' lap and the team opts to bolster the offensive line in the first round. Morgan has initial quickness off the jump and is adept as a lead blocker in space on screens, pulls and climbs. He has the flexibility to move inside to guard and has superb change-of-direction skills for recovery positioning.
31. San Francisco 49ers: IOL Graham Barton, Duke
Graham Barton has position flexibility and is athletic enough to thrive in Kyle Shanahan's system. He has the lateral quickness for second-level move block duties and is able to create rush lanes by displacing defensive linemen. Barton was a three-year starter in Duke's zone-based run scheme and pairs contact balance with raw strength. He has the traits to reinforce the 49ers' offensive line.
32. Kansas City Chiefs: WR Troy Franklin, Oregon
The Chiefs still won the Super Bowl after trading away Tyreek Hill in the 2022 offseason, but the club adds help for Patrick Mahomes in the 2024 Draft with Troy Franklin. Franklin provides a complement to 2023 rookie standout Rashee Rice. He has top-end speed to separate from defensive backs anywhere on the field. The vertical weapon has a lethal release package and is a route-running technician. The savvy speedster is a downfield burner that would strengthen the Chiefs' offense.
