The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine is in the books, and the free agency period is just around the corner. So before teams begin to shake up their rosters with blockbuster trades and free agent signings, we figured this was the perfect time to run out a post-scouting combine first-round mock draft.
So let’s dive right into it.
1. Chicago Bears (From Carolina Panthers): Caleb Williams
The Bears can’t overthink this one. As good as Justin Fields can be, Williams’ skill set simply puts him heads-and-shoulders above most other young quarterbacks in the NFL right now.
There’s no guarantee the Bears will be in position to draft a QB of Williams’ talents again. Bottom line: Trading Fields and building around Williams will be the easiest call of Ryan Poles’ career as an NFL executive.
2. Washington Commanders: Drake Maye
Remember back in 2012, when Washington happily settled on who remained at No. 2 between Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III? Same deal here 12 years later. They’ll take who remains between Williams and Maye — and it’ll most certainly be the latter.
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The vibes are about to get good in DC again. The Commanders’ ownership, coaching staff and front office will have a new franchise QB to build around — something the organization hasn’t had in over 30 years.
3. New England Patriots: Jayden Daniels
The Pats have a tough choice between Daniels and a sure-thing to succeed in Ohio State wideout Marvin Harrison Jr.
But the first step to building a long-term winner is having stability at QB, so expect the new Patriots’ regime to roll the dice on the explosive dual-threat QB. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner would immediately make the Patriots relevant again after a dull four-year stretch in the post-Tom Brady era.
4. Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr.
Getting a generational wide receiver prospect for Kyler Murray here without having to trade up? If this exact scenario plays out, the Cardinals will be a giant winner.
Murray posted his best numbers when the oft-injured DeAndre Hopkins was on the field. The moral of the story: Giving Murray a bonafide No. 1 receiver will push the Cardinals’ offense to another level.
5. Los Angeles Chargers: Joe Alt
The Bolts could go anywhere here, but we think Jim Harbaugh and company would have a tough time passing up on the chance to pair Pro Bowl offensive tackle Rashawn Slater with Notre Dame’s Joe Alt.
Corey Linsley’s retirement further stresses the Chargers’ need to add another lineman. The Slater-Alt combo would ensure that Justin Herbert is in good hands in the pass protection for years to come.
I mean, the Chargers just gotta see how much Patrick Mahomes enjoys his life with a star-studded o-line protecting him.
6. New York Giants: Rome Odunze
The last time the Giants had a 1,000-yard receiver? Odell Beckham Jr. back in 2018. Hate on Daniel Jones all you want, but how can anyone produce without a game-changing threat in the passing game?
Odunze has drawn comparisons to former Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald. Even if he’s only three-quarters of what Fitzgerald was, that is still a franchise-changing piece for the G-Men to build around.
7. Tennessee Titans: Malik Nabers
DeAndre Hopkins is in his contract year and 2022 first-rounder Treylon Burks hasn’t come around as advertised. Will Levis needs more weapons in the passing game, and LSU’s Malik Nabers is a potent deep threat who could do wonders with the big-armed Tennessee quarterback.
Nabers averaged 17.6 yards per catch last season and hauled in 14 touchdowns. Does that remind anybody else of Mike Evans by chance? Yeah, this is a guy the Titans could definitely use.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Dallas Turner
This pick here is going off the assumption that Atlanta will have acquired a new QB via trade or free agency. If that happens, they’ll likely go with the best defensive player on the board.
No Falcon topped 6.5 sacks last season. New head coach Raheem Morris got to spend three years with Aaron Donald in Los Angeles, so he’ll be the first to tell you how much an explosive pass-rusher can change a game.
Turner is exactly what the Falcons’ D is lacking. Pair him with Grady Jarrett, and Atlanta will enjoy plenty of havoc in the trenches.
9. Chicago Bears: Brock Bowers
The Bears already have one superstar pass-catcher in D.J. Moore for Williams to throw to. Let’s make this scary-looking offense even better by adding the top tight end prospect to the arsenal.
Bowers had 26 total touchdowns over his three seasons at Georgia. This red-zone weapon and third-down security blanket will make life so much easier for Williams as he eases his way into the pros.
10. New York Jets: Olumuyiwa Fashanu
We kindly advise Jets GM Joe Douglas to resign if he doesn’t add at least two new starters to the Jets’ woeful offensive line. How’s Aaron Rodgers going to win with this current unit in front of him?
Fashanu is a plug-and-play guy who didn’t allow a single sack over his last three years at Penn State, per Pro Football Focus. A rock-solid blocker that will immediately improve life for Rodgers and the Jets’ o-line.
11. Minnesota Vikings: Laiatu Latu
The Vikings are likely losing top pass-rusher Danielle Hunter in free agency, but they have the perfect opportunity to find a grade-A replacement in the UCLA star.
Latu had 23.5 total sacks over his last two seasons of college football. He’s tailor-made for Brian Flores’ defense that needs some more youth and speed in the front seven.
12. Denver Broncos: J.J. McCarthy
This may feel like a big reach for some, but the Broncos need a quarterback with Russell Wilson leaving.
We’re high on the belief that the national championship-winning QB will flourish in a Sean Payton-coached offense. McCarthy’s confidence, big-game experience and high football IQ make him the perfect candidate to end the Broncos’ near-decade-long search for a franchise signal-caller.
13. Las Vegas Raiders: Terrion Arnold
With the top-four signal-callers off the board, it’s too much of a reach for the Raiders to go quarterback here.
But a defensive-minded coach like Antonio Pierce will love a grade-A cover corner like
Alabama’s Terrion Arnold — who would add more star power to a promising young defense led by Maxx Crosby, Trevon Moehrig and Nate Hobbs.
14. New Orleans Saints: Taliese Fuaga
With Ryan Ramcyzk likely retiring and 2022 first-rounder Trevor Penning failing to develop into a reliable starter, the Saints gotta address the o-line here.
Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga is an NFL-ready guy who also didn’t allow a single sack in 2022 or 2023, per PFF. Derek Carr will quickly come to love the immediate pass protection upgrade.
15. Indianapolis Colts: Quinyon Mitchell
The Toledo corner is renowned for his versatility. He can line up in the slot, on the outside and in the box.
Wherever he’s placed, Mitchell promises to make an impact. And the Colts’ sluggish secondary could use a guy like Mitchell to defend against the army of prolific pass-catchers that reside in the AFC South.
16. Seattle Seahawks: Jer'Zhan Newton
The Seahawks need more youth and muscle on their defensive line, and Newton fits the bill.
Newton would give new head coach Mike Macdonald much-needed pass-rushing support up the middle, but he does most of his damage as a run-stopper. Considering Seattle allowed the second-most rushing yards last season, Newton would be a slam-dunk pick for John Schneider and company.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars: J.C. Latham
This Alabama offensive tackle allowed just two sacks in 1,016 pass-blocking snaps from 2021 to 2023, per PFF.
The Jaguars’ broken-down o-line was a catalyst in their late-season collapse, but a beast of a blocker like Latham would solidify the pass protection group in front of Trevor Lawrence for years to come.
18. Cincinnati Bengals: Nate Wiggins
The Bengals allowed the fifth-most passing yards last season. The reason is obvious: They simply don’t have a pure shutdown corner to lock up the opposition’s No. 1 receiver.
That would all change with Wiggins here. If you’re worried about Wiggins’ low INT totals from college, keep in mind that opposing QBs were often too smart to not throw in the Clemson star’s direction.
19. Los Angeles Rams: Bo Nix
This would be a dream scenario for the Rams. Matthew Stafford has at least a couple of years left, so Sean McVay’s retooling squad can afford to prioritize the long-term picture here by drafting and developing Stafford’s successor.
Nix isn’t quite NFL-ready, but learning behind a Super Bowl-winning QB and a top-tier head coach for a year or two — or three — is far from an unideal scenario.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Cooper DeJean
The Steelers struck gold with their 2023 second-round selection of Joey Porter Jr. Now just imagine if they added another elite cover corner to help Porter and Minkah Fitzpatrick in the secondary.
The Steelers have always had a great defense under Mike Tomlin, but a cornerback tandem of Porter Jr. and DeJean would truly take this secondary to a whole new level of dominance.
21. Miami Dolphins: Jared Verse
After losing Jaelan Phillips late in the season, the Dolphins were dealt a painful reminder of the need to bring in more pass-rushing power.
The release of Emmanuel Ogbah further stresses that need, and they can fix it right here by
taking the local Florida State product who racked up 18 total sacks over his last two collegiate seasons.
22. Philadelphia Eagles: Chop Robinson
The Eagles’ defense needs a massive injection of youth, and they’re off to a good start with Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. Let’s add one more chaos creator on the defensive line in Robinson to complete the puzzle.
Carter, Davis and Robinson? Now you’re well set up to continue dominating the trenches in the post-Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham era.
23. Houston Texans (From Cleveland Browns): Byron Murphy II
The Texans hit the jackpot when they boldly traded up for Will Anderson Jr. in the No. 3 spot last year.
DeMeco Ryans of all people knows you need more than one elite pass-rusher to win in today’s NFL, though, so let’s give Anderson Jr. a hulking sidekick in the 308-pound Texas defensive linemen.
24. Dallas Cowboys: Troy Fautanu
With no clear-cut roster weaknesses, this feels like a case where Jerry Jones will simply choose the best player available.
Whether Dallas retains Tyron Smith or not, the future Hall of Famer is nearing the end of his playing career. This is an ideal chance for the Cowboys to add another cornerstone piece on the o-line and form a dream duo with rising star Tyler Smith.
25. Green Bay Packers: Amarius Mims
This move is operating on the assumption the Packers release the oft-injured David Bakhtiari. If that happens, they’ll need a plug-and-play to fill the void left by the former All-Pro — and Mims fits the bill here.
The 6-foot-7, 340-pound giant didn’t allow a single sack in 2022 or 2023, per PFF. Adding Mims to an already-stout o-line with Josh Myers and Elgton Jenkins would provide a beautiful long-term outlook for the Pack in the trenches.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Brian Thomas Jr.
With Mike Evans likely leaving in free agency, the Bucs oughta ensure that they have another play-making wideout to help Chris Godwin.
Enter LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr., who caught 17 TDs while averaging 17.3 yards per catch in his final year of college. In other words, the PERFECT replacement for the deep threat specialist in Evans.
27. Arizona Cardinals (From Houston Texans): Tyler Guyton
Arizona used its 2023 first-round pick on tackle Paris Johnson Jr., but there’s still plenty of work to do in fixing up this o-line.
Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton is inconsistent as a run-blocker but makes up for it with his dominance in the pass-blocking game. If Guyton AND Johnson Jr. both hit their ceilings, the o-line will not be a problem in Arizona for a long, long time.
28. Buffalo Bills: Adonai Mitchell
How much longer will the Bills wait to get a quality WR2 for Stefon Diggs? No more excuses — the time to act is now.
Diggs is a top-tier possession receiver, so in an ideal world, Buffalo would find a home run deep threat to complement him. Adonai Mitchell of Texas, who averaged 15.4 yards per catch last year, is the perfect fit for Josh Allen’s rocket arm and improvisational skills.
29. Detroit Lions: Kool-Aid McKinstry
Only five teams allowed more passing yards last season than the Lions. So taking the best cornerback remaining should be an easy call for Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes.
The 6-foot-1, 195-pound McKinstry has the ideal combination of size, speed and reach to eliminate the opposition’s top receiver. The perfect weapon to help bolster this secondary.
30. Baltimore Ravens: Edgerrin Cooper
The AFC Championship loss to Kansas City was evidence that Baltimore needs more pass-rushers. In this deep draft class, Baltimore is well-positioned to change that.
This pick is going with the belief that Baltimore will lose do-it-all linebacker Patrick Queen in free agency. In that case, they can get a nice replacement here in Texas A&M’s Edgerrin Cooper, a complete one-man-wrecking crew who had eight sacks and two forced fumbles last year.
31. San Francisco 49ers: Bralen Trice
As great as Nick Bosa and Javon Hargrave are, these two superstars can’t do it alone. Imagine if San Fran had one more grade-A pass-rusher to defend against Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl?
The cap-strapped 49ers won’t be able to make a big splash for a marquee guy in free agency, but they can dip their feet in the deep pool of pass-rushers in the draft. Why not Washington’s Bralen Trice, he of 17 generated sacks over the last two years?
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Keon Coleman
The Chiefs are playing with fire if they think they can three-peat with the same set of receivers. Rashee Rice and Travis Kelce clearly need some help — especially with the latter about to enter his age-35 season.
The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Florida State wideout is an absolute nightmare of a matchup in man coverage. With opposing defenses mostly focusing on Kelce, Coleman would draw plenty of favorable matchups and produce early and often in a Mahomes-led offense.
Which 2024 NFL Draft prospect are you hoping your team will land?
