We’re roughly one-third of the way through the 2023 NFL season, which means it’s the perfect time for an updated version of our way-too-early 2024 first-round mock draft.
It’s a wide-open race for the Caleb Williams sweepstakes, and several teams that thought they had a long-term solution at QB don’t actually have a long-term option at QB. In other words, there are so many fascinating scenarios as to how the first round of the draft will play out.
Before we start, a note that the draft order is courtesy of Tankathon. Now let’s get right into our midseason edition of the 2024 NFL first-round mock draft.
1. Chicago Bears (From Carolina Panthers): Caleb Williams, QB, USC
The Bears might have something in Justin Fields, but why roll with a great unknown when you can take the next big thing in football?
The Carolina Panthers’ risky move to go all-in for Bryce Young awards Chicago with the best QB prospect since Trevor Lawrence — who by the way has become a big deal himself.
Chicago wastes no time cutting ties with Fields and replacing him with last year’s Heisman’s Trophy winner.
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2. Chicago Bears: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
As if pairing Williams with DJ Moore wasn’t terrifying enough…the Bears also get one of the most polished wide receiver prospects in a generation.
Harrison Jr. is unquestionably the best-non QB in this draft. Williams, Moore and Harrison Jr. will team up to do the impossible: Give the Bears a must-watch offense that they haven’t had in decades.
3. Denver Broncos: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
Moving on from Russell Wilson will be expensive and all, but the Broncos don’t have a choice. Sean Payton should welcome the opportunity to work with a young signal-caller who can re-energize a frustrated Denver fanbase.
The North Carolina product has a nice dual-threat skill set and a rocket arm that would make him scary-good in a Payton-coached offense. Finally, a young QB who can help Denver keep up with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert in the AFC.
4. Minnesota Vikings: Jared Verse, DE, Florida State
Vikings fans probably want to see a QB here, but it’s going to be tough to pass on an explosive game-wrecker like Verse.
Minny has zero All-Pro level guys on their defense. They won’t compete in the NFC any time soon until that changes, and Verse is the type of pass-rusher that any coach would love to build their defense around.
5. New England Patriots: Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
Bill Belichick may have failed Mac Jones, but that doesn’t mean the Patriots should give him a fourth year.
Quinn Ewers of Texas just has a higher upside. He’s got a great arm, makes good decisions with the ball and boasts pinpoint accuracy. Not sure if Belichick will be here in 2024, but the bottom line is that the Patriots need a new QB — and Ewers is a valuable piece to help begin the rebuild.
6. New York Giants: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
The Giants haven’t had an elite pass-catcher since Odell Beckham Jr., who by the way hasn’t played for them in a half-decade.
This is their chance to change that. Bowers is the ultimate one-on-one matchup nightmare, having racked up 20 TDs over his first two seasons at Georgia. His championship pedigree would be a welcoming addition to a team that doesn’t have any, well, championship pedigree.
7. Arizona Cardinals: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State
The Cardinals used their 2023 first-rounder on Paris Johnson Jr. With no other long-term cornerstones on that o-line, the Redbirds can set up a nice foundation at the edges by taking Fashanu — the undisputed top pass protector in this class.
Whether it’s Kyler Murray or somebody else behind center next season, the Cardinals’ long-term quarterback will be in good hands behind a Johnson-Fashanu duo.
8. Green Bay Packers: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
David Bakhtiari’s season-ending knee injury is just another reminder that the Packers need to hurry up and find a new franchise tackle up front.
They have two good pieces on the o-line in center Josh Myers and guard Elgton Jenkins. Add a plug-and-play starter like Alt to the mix, and Jordan Love will be in a good position to improve in 2024.
9. Las Vegas Raiders: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
The Raiders haven’t had an elite shutdown corner since Nnamdi Asomugha, who last played for the team in 2010. This is their chance to land a top-notch cover guy who also carries the best name in the draft.
McKinstry is exactly the guy Vegas needs to deal with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert four times a year.
10. Arizona Cardinals (From Houston Texans): Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Even if the Cardinals extend Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown, they need a more consistent playmaker at wideout — and Egbuka perfectly fits the bill here.
Egbuka averaged 15.6 yards per catch in 2022 and hauled in 10 touchdowns. That’s the type of playmaker Arizona needs if they’re to re-emerge as a contender in a crowded NFC.
11. New York Jets: J.C. Latham, OT, Alabama
The Jets ignored the need to upgrade their o-line for Aaron Rodgers and paid the price, watching him suffer a season-ending torn Achilles just minutes into his New York debut.
Can’t make the same mistake again. Latham is a polished pass protector and run blocker for Nick Saban’s powerhouse Alabama Crimson Tide and would immediately produce for a team in win-now mode.
12. Washington Commanders: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington Huskies
The Commanders struck out on Carson Wentz, and Sam Howell doesn’t look a whole lot better. Here’s a chance for the Commanders to start over at QB — again — with a promising Michael Penix Jr.
The Washington product tossed over 4,600 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2022. His accuracy is out of this world, and we have no doubt he’d flourish with Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson and Brian Robinson Jr. as his go-to weapons.
13. Tennessee Titans: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
DeAndre Hopkins still has it, but 2022 first-rounder Treylon Burks hasn’t come around as expected. The Titans have lots of young talent at most of the premium positions but could use a proven playmaker to line up with Hopkins — IN CASE Burks never pans out.
Nabers is a grade-A deep threat who’s averaged roughly 15 yards per catch in his NCAA career. A perfect weapon to help Will Levis get it going in Music City.
14. Cincinnati Bengals: Kalen King, CB, Penn State
The Bengals have fielded one of football’s best defenses under Lou Anarumo, but they lack a true lockdown corner to limit the opposition’s WR1. This is where Kalen King comes to the rescue.
King had 15 pass defenses and three interceptions last year. He’s off to a great start at Penn State again in 2023, and a team with Super Bowl aspirations like Cincy would welcome his elite ball-hawking skills with open arms.
15. Los Angeles Rams: Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowan
The Rams have sorely missed All-Pro corner Jalen Ramsey, who was traded to the Miami Dolphins in a cap-saving move. Here’s their chance to shore up the organization’s biggest need in a corner-heavy draft.
The big-bodied 6-foot-1, 207-pound DeJean had five interceptions in 2022 to go along with eight pass defenses. That’s the type of weapon the Rams could use to blanket the likes of Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and DK Metcalf in the NFC West.
16. Los Angeles Chargers: Leonard Taylor III, DL, Miami
Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa may be one of the league’s top pass-rushing duos, but it’s still all-too-easy to run the ball on this Chargers’ front seven.
They lack quality interior linemen to assist in the run-stopping game. The hulking 6-foot-3, 305-pound Taylor would immediately fix that and give the Bolts not two, but three dynamic game-wrecking defensive linemen.
17. Houston Texans (From Cleveland Browns): Dallas Turner, LB, Alabama
This explosive Alabama pass-rusher has bolstered his 2024 NFL draft stock more than just about any other linebacker this year.
Turner’s high football IQ and burst off the edge would make him a scary-good partner alongside former Crimson Tide teammate Will Anderson Jr. A defense-first coach like DeMeco Ryans would have limitless potential with a Turner-Anderson Jr. led defense.
18. New Orleans Saints: Kamren Kinchens, DB, Miami
The Saints have one of football’s best safety duos in Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye, but both are now in their 30s and could slow down any day. Kinchens would be a beautiful fit in the Marshon Lattimore-Paulson Adebo-led secondary.
He could learn behind Mathieu and Maye for a year before taking over as a regular starter in 2025. Nothing wrong with being patient in developing Kinchens, because his ceiling is sky-high.
19. Atlanta Falcons: Jack Sawyer, DE, Ohio State
Grady Jarrett has been Atlanta’s only quality defensive lineman for a while now, and the Falcons are simply out of excuses to keep neglecting the need for more pass-rushing help.
Ohio State’s Jack Sawyer is a menace off the edge with the ability to single-handedly take over a game at any point. Atlanta has needed edge-rushing help for a while, and Sawyer would immediately address that.
20. Indianapolis Colts: Chop Robinson, DE Penn State
The Colts already have Kwity Paye, DeForest Buckner and the surprising Samson Ebukam headlining a stout front-seven.
But in today’s pass-happy NFL, you can never have too many quality pass-rushers. Just look at Kyle Shanahan’s San Francisco 49ers or Nick Sirianni’s Philadelphia Eagles!
21. Buffalo Bills: Calen Bullock, Safety, USC
Like the Saints, Buffalo has a top-notch safety duo in Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde. The problem is that both are on the wrong side of 30, and both are seriously injury-prone.
Buffalo needs to prepare for life after Poyer and Hyde. Drafting and developing Calen Bullock as a replacement would be a savvy move for a team with a wide-open Super Bowl championship window and a top-five defense each year.
22. Dallas Cowboys: Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB, Clemson
Statistics show that the Cowboys have a top-five defense in the league. Teams like the 49ers, however, show that the unit simply isn’t the same if Trevon Diggs and Micah Parsons aren’t on the field together.
In other words, Dallas needs another playmaker in the front-seven, and a world-class run-stopper like Clemson’s Jeremiah Trotter Jr. would solve the problem. Trotter Jr. had 6.5 sacks last year and would form a terrorizing tandem alongside Parsons.
23. Baltimore Ravens: Jer'Zhan Newton, DL, Illinois
Baltimore is still looking for a Pro Bowl-level pass-rusher, having lost Matthew Judon to New England in 2021 free agency. Perhaps the solution resides in the state of Illinois.
Specifically, we’re talking about Illinois’ Fighting Illini star Jer’Zhan Newton. The 295-pound defensive linemen, who had 5.5 sacks last year, would do wonders in Mike Macdonald’s ultra-aggressive defense.
24. Seattle Seahawks: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Geno Smith has proved in 2023 that last season was no fluke. He’s got it good in Seattle here, but he’ll also be 34 years of age next year.
Aside from the QB position, Seattle is loaded with young phenoms and stars all across the roster. Drafting Smith’s successor makes sense here.The battle-tested Nix can sit for a year or two before assuming the offense.
25. Pittsburgh Steelers: J.T. Tuimoloau, DE, Ohio State
We know, we know. The Steelers have arguably football’s best edge-rusher in TJ Watt plus veteran stalwart Cameron Heyward and a rising star in Alex Highsmith.
But what did we say earlier in the Colts’ entry? There’s no such thing as too many good pass-rushers in football. The 270-pound Tuimoloau would immediately find himself at home in that ferocious Steelers’ front seven.
26. Jacksonville Jaguars: Maason Smith, DL, LSU
With Josh Allen, Travon Walker and Foyesade Oluokun in the fold, the Jaguars aren’t lacking in playmakers in the front seven.
That’s a nice trio and all. But what about adding LSU’s 6-foot-6, 315-pound beast in Maason Smith to lead the interior part of the defensive line? That unit would be borderline unblockable and push the Jaguars that much closer to title contention in a crowded AFC.
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Johnny Wilson, WR, Florida State
The Bucs and Mike Evans were unable to reach an agreement on a new deal ahead of this season. Given that he’ll be 31 years of age next year, it just makes too much sense for both sides to part ways — and for Tampa to draft his replacement this year.
The big 6-foot-7, 237-pound Johnny Wilson would immediately replace Evans’ production as an elite deep threat and red zone force. Wilson and Chris Godwin would do just fine as a receiving duo, thank you very much.
28. Detroit Lions: Bralen Trice, DE, Washington
The Lions already have one of football’s best young pass-rushers in Aidan Hutchinson, but why should they stop there? Washington’s Bralen Trice, who racked up 10 sacks a year ago, would be the picture-perfect sidekick to Hutchinson.
The Lions’ defensive line is one of football’s best units as is. With no pressing needs elsewhere, there’s zero problem adding another luxury piece here in Trice.
29. Miami Dolphins: Kris Jenkins, DL, Michigan
The run-off of pass-rushers continues with the Dolphins taking the Michigan Wolverines’ star.
Miami’s offense is a can’t-miss show and all, but Vic Fangio’s defense hasn’t been able to make many stops this year. Bradley Chubb hasn’t come as advertised, so it makes sense for the Dolphins to take a chance on a run-stopping machine like Jenkins here.
30. Philadelphia Eagles: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
Injuries have exposed the Eagles’ lack of depth in the secondary here in the young 2023 season. James Bradberry and Darius Slay are still at the top of their games, but Philly should definitely eye a young corner to work and groom ASAP.
Wiggins, who had 11 pass defenses at Clemson in 2022, could learn behind Bradberry and Slay for a year before taking over as a full-time starter in 2024.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
The Chiefs are getting by with Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes running the show, but this offense would be that much scarier with a true WR1 — something they’ve failed to find since Tyreek Hill’s departure.
This is the year for KC to finally go all-in for a stud receiver in Texas’ Xavier Worthy. Dare we say he’d be…worthy…of a first-round selection. There’s KC’s new No. 2 pass-catcher to take some of the workload off of Kelce.
32. San Francisco 49ers: Graham Barton, OT, Duke
Trent Williams remains football’s best offensive lineman, but he’ll also be 36 years of age next year. With no pressing weaknesses on their near-flawless roster, the 49ers can focus on finding and developing Williams’ successor.
Enter Duke’s Graham Barton, who would benefit from sitting for a year or two before stepping in as a starter.
Which 2024 NFL Draft prospect do you want your team to draft?
