The 2023 NFL Draft may be done now, but it’s not too early to look ahead and offer predictions for next year’s class.
After all, we know which handful of teams will be in the running for the Caleb Williams sweepstakes, and which clubs will be vying for the Super Bowl. Why not have some fun and guess how things go through the first round of the 2024 draft?
Before we start, just a note that the projected 2024 draft order is courtesy of Tankathon. So with that, let’s get right into the way-too-early projections for how the first round of next year’s draft will play out…
1. Arizona Cardinals: Caleb Williams, QB, USC
The Cardinals may have given Kyler Murray a five-year deal worth $230.5 million a year ago, but that shouldn’t prevent the Redbirds from passing on this generational QB talent.
The USC Trojans’ star and reigning Heisman Trophy winner has all the tools to be a top-five quarterback in the NFL. Throw in Murray’s injury history, inconsistent production and rocky relationship with the Arizona organization…and moving on from him in favor of Williams should be a no-brainer.
2. Arizona Cardinals (From Houston Texans): Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
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Wouldn’t this be something if it played out this way? Arizona gets a new franchise QB AND the best wide receiver prospect in some years to pair with Williams.
Harrison Jr., the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, will most certainly be the first receiver taken off the board. In this scenario, Arizona wastes no time adding a new weapon and franchise cornerstone for Williams.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
The Bucs’ decision to roll with Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask strongly indicates to us that they wanna tank for a top QB prospect in 2024. Hey, if it works, it works.
Buccaneers fans would be thrilled about the idea of getting the North Carolina Tar Heels’ signal-caller. Maye is coming off a breakout year in which he completed 66.2 percent of his pass attempts for 4,321 yards and 38 touchdowns.
Tom Brady is long gone, but Maye would instantly bring a new sense of hope to this franchise.
4. Los Angeles Rams: Dallas Turner, DE, Alabama
The freakish Alabama edge runner would form a terrifying tandem alongside Aaron Donald, the best defensive player of his era. And with the future Hall of Famer not-exactly-committing-to-playing-much-longer, the Rams should use the opportunity to groom his successor here in Turner.
5. Indianapolis Colts: Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State
The Colts found their “hopeful” franchise QB in Anthony Richardson. Now it’s time to find his long-term blindside protector.
Indy has greatly missed Anthony Castonzo since his early retirement at offensive tackle. Fashanu would join a deep offensive line led by veteran stalwarts Quenton Nelson and Ryan Kelly.
6. Washington Commanders: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
If Sam Howell isn’t the answer, the Commanders will jump at the opportunity to take the best QB available with their 2024 first-rounder. Washington Huskies’ star Michael Penix Jr. has the strong arm and the smart decision-making that would make him a star in the Commanders’ offense.
Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson would surely be thrilled with Penix Jr.’s arrival.
7. Atlanta Falcons: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
Atlanta already has a Pro Bowl-level corner in AJ Terrell…and not much else at corner. Pairing Terrell with the Alabama star slash guy with the coolest name in this draft would give Atlanta a dynamic 1-2 duo to combat the prolific aerial assaults in the NFC.
8. Green Bay Packers: J.C. Latham, OT, Alabama
Speaking of Alabama stars…
It sure feels like David Bakhtiari is playing out his final season with the Packers. The Cheeseheads need to find a capable blindside protector for new franchise QB Jordan Love, and Latham’s strength and smart football sense would make him the perfect fit in Matt LaFleur’s offensive scheme.
9. Tennessee Titans: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
How’s this for a rebuilt offense? First Treylon Burks, then Peter Skoronski and Will Levis and now Brock Bowers. Suddenly, the Titans have a promising long-term outlook on offense if they move on from Ryan Tannehill and/or Derrick Henry in 2024.
Bowers was a mainstay in the Georgia Bulldogs’ back-to-back national championship-winning seasons, racking up 20 total touchdowns over those two years. You think the Titans’ QB would like him as a red zone weapon to complement Burks?
10. Chicago Bears (From Carolina Panthers): Jared Verse, DE, Florida State
Roquan Smith, Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn are long gone, but the Bears got off to a nice start in rebuilding the front seven by signing TJ Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds in free agency.
Here’s a nice finishing touch on the rebuilt pass rush: Florida State Seminoles defensive lineman Jared Verse, who racked up nine sacks a season ago. The ideal replacement for Mack off the edge.
11. Las Vegas Raiders: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
Many were surprised when the Raiders passed on Kentucky’s Will Levis in this year’s draft. Well, the decision to hold off on taking a signal-caller early will pay off if land in the top-15 somewhere.
Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy would excel in Josh McDaniels’ quick-throw-heavy offensive schemes. He’s also displayed remarkable discipline and football decision-making. Drafting McCarthy to sit behind Jimmy Garoppolo for a year or two would be a mega win for the Silver and Black.
12. Chicago Bears: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
The Bears drafted one hopeful future star offensive lineman in Darnell Wright at No. 10 overall. But with questions all over the rest of the o-line, the Bears shouldn’t hesitate to take another powerful pass-blocker in Notre Dame’s Joe Alt to protect Justin Fields.
Alt and Wright would give Chicago a beautiful long-term outlook in the trenches there.
13. Denver Broncos: Maason Smith, DT, LSU
Denver has one of football’s top secondaries, but there’s definitely room for improvement on the defensive line.
LSU defensive tackle Maason Smith would give Sean Payton and co. a havoc-wreaker in the interior of that d-line — which would go a long way in dealing with Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes in the AFC West.
14. New England Patriots: J.T. Tuimoloau, DE, Ohio State
Bill Belichick would love a versatile and explosive playmaker like Tuimolau, who can line up at defensive end or linebacker. Belichick hasn’t found a do-it-all front seven guy to captain his defense since Dont’a Hightower walked away.
He gets it right here in the Ohio State product, giving an already-scary-good defense yet another prolific game-wrecker.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers: Javon Bullard, DB, Georgia
The Steelers drafted the promising Joey Porter Jr. in round two, giving Mike Tomlin and company a much-needed playmaking corner. Porter Jr. should fit in nicely in a secondary led by superstar safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
But why stop there? Loading up on shutdown defensive backs in today’s pass-happy NFL is never a bad idea. Bullard can play corner or safety, and the Steelers will love that versatility.
16. Minnesota Vikings: Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
Many Vikings fans wanted the team to take Kirk Cousins’ successor – hello, Hendon Hooker — this year, but they passed on the opportunity. Cousins is entering his contract year and is likely playing his way out of the Gopher State, so let’s give Kevin O’Connell a promising young QB to build the franchise around.
Ewers wouldn’t be ready to start come 2024, so adding a bridge QB — or somehow keeping Cousins for one more year — would be the best course of action for Ewers’ development.
17. Houston Texans (From Cleveland Browns): Leonard Taylor, DT, Miami
Trading up for Will Anderson Jr. was a tidy piece of business by the Texans, who are lacking playmakers in the front seven.
Miami’s Leonard Taylor is a powerful run-stopping force who would form a dynamic 1-2 punch in the trenches alongside Anderson Jr. Another fun weapon for DeMeco Ryans to build his defense around.
18. Los Angeles Chargers: Calen Bullock, S, USC
The JC Jackson signing looks like a mistake, and Derwin James and Asante Samuel Jr. can’t hold down the fort on their own.
More secondary help is clearly needed in La La land. USC corner Calen Bullock has the ideal frame at 6-foot-3, 180 to hold his own against the game’s top receivers. Having recorded five picks and six INTs in 2022, his ball-hawking skills would make Bullock a beautiful sidekick to James and Samuel Jr.
19. New Orleans Saints: Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB, Clemson
Stalwart veterans Cameron Jordan and Demario Davis won’t play forever. Yes, the Saints took defensive linemen Bryan Bresee and Isaiah Foskey with their first two selections in 2023, but Dennis Allen’s squad shouldn’t be shy in adding more help on defense.
Trotter Jr. would perfectly fit New Orleans’ defense as a supremely athletic linebacker who had 6.5 sacks in 2022. Trotter Jr., Bresee, Foskey and Marshon Lattimore would give the Saints a terrific long-term outlook on D.
20. New York Giants: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
LOVE — LOVE — that the Giants got ex-Raiders tight end Darren Waller and Tennessee wideout Jalin Hyatt to help Daniel Jones in the passing game. But Big Blue could use another deep threat and red one weapon, and the Buckeyes’ star would supply both.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Egbuka had 10 touchdowns last year for the Buckeyes. How would opposing defenses contain a mobile Jones, Saqaruon Barkley, Hyatt, Waller AND Egbuka?
21. Detroit Lions: Bralen Trice, DE, Washington
Despite holding two first-round picks, the Lions curiously decided to pass on the many promising edge rushers to complement Aidan Hutchinson in 2023. Here, they address the d-line again by going with the Washington defensive end.
Trice racked up 10 sacks for the Huskies in 2022. His motor, elite athleticism and strength would give Dan Campbell two game-changing pass-rushers to build around. A player like Trice perfectly fits the identity of a scrappy Lions’ team.
22. Miami Dolphins: Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU
Miami’s o-line has been an issue for a while. Though Terron Armstead fared well in his first season with the Dolphins, the reality is he can’t be relied upon to stay healthy.
So let’s give Tua Tagovailoa much-needed protection here in BYU’s Kingsley Suamataia. Having Armstead as a mentor would serve Suamataia very well, too.
23. Jacksonville Jaguars: Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
The Jaguars look set on offense and have plenty of impactful players in the front seven. Tyson Campbell and Andre Cisco headline a promising young defense, but a physical shutdown corner like Ohio State’s Denzel Burke could help this secondary reach another level.
He’d certainly help the Jaguars deal with the array of elite quarterbacks in the AFC, after all.
24. New York Jets: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
On paper, these Jets don’t have any glaring flaws. So it’s not too early to think they’ll want to take Aaron Rodgers’ successor while he’s available.
Nix’s stock has soared since his transfer to Oregon which culminated in a breakout year. He wouldn’t be ready to start right away, but with Rodgers probably walking away within three years, it doesn’t at all hurt Nix to learn behind one of the best to ever do it before walking away.
25. Seattle Seahawks: Michael Hall Jr., DT, Ohio State
Seattle addressed most of its pressing needs in free agency and via the draft this offseason. This might be take-the-best-player mentality for Pete Carroll and company, but they probably should focus on adding more defensive line help.
Another Buckeyes’ product, Michael Hall Jr., would be very useful in helping Seattle deal with the many high-powered rushing offenses in the NFC. Looking at you, Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers.
26. Baltimore Ravens: Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa
Marlon Humphrey is one of the game’s top corners, but the rest of Baltimore’s cornerback room has left a lot to be desired over these last two years.
Iowa’s Cooper DeJean, who racked up five INTs and eight pass defenses in 2022, would be a grade-A complement to Humphrey and the all-star safety duo of Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton.
27. Dallas Cowboys: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
CeeDee Lamb is a top-10 receiver in the game, and veteran Brandin Cooks should be a nice WR2 for Dak Prescott there. Another pass-catching weapon doesn’t hurt, though, and Jerry Jones wouldn’t have to travel far to scout the Texas Longhorns’ product.
Trust us, Xavier is totally…Worthy…of a first-round pick. Pun intended.
28. Buffalo Bills: Jer'Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
The Bills need more pass-rushing power to help out Von Miller and young phenom Gregory Rousseau. Illinois’ Jer’Zhan Newton would be the perfect fit there in the defensive line, giving an already-scary defense even more power and toughness.
29. San Francisco 49ers: Kalen King, CB, Penn State
Outside of Charvarius Ward, the 49ers are lacking in reliable shutdown corners – and we saw that in their NFC Championship defeat to the Eagles.
Penn State’s Kalen King is a big-time playmaker on the ball, having recorded three picks and 15 pass defenses last year. Sounds like the type of player San Fran’s opportunistic defense would welcome in open arms.
30. Cincinnati Bengals: Chop Robinson, DE, Penn State
The Bengals already have Trey Hendrickson, DJ Reader and 2023 first-rounder Myles Murphy on the d-line. But Lou Anarumo’s defense would greatly benefit from the addition of Robinson, a versatile playmaker who can line up at linebacker or defensive end.
31. Philadelphia Eagles: Jack Sawyer, DE, Ohio State
The defensive line certainly isn’t the Eagles’ main weakness. But Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox are in the twilight years of their respective careers, and Josh Sweat will be entering a contract year in 2024.
Feels like the ideal time to draft + groom a new young defensive end. And Sawyer is the best one remaining at this point of the draft.
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
It surprised us to see the Chiefs pass on wide receivers in round one in both the 2021 and 2022 drafts. Well, the streak of passing on receivers for day one ends here with the selection of Odunze.
The Washington product has the ideal combination of size, hands and speed to be a special player in KC’s high-powered offense. Odunze, listed at 6-foot-3 and 201 pounds, would form a scary redzone pass-catching tandem alongside Travis Kelce.
