With the 2024 NFL Draft set to begin tonight in Detroit at 8 p.m. ET, here's my second and final attempt at projecting how Round 1 will play out.
This one is a done deal, in the same way Trevor Lawrence, Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning were before Williams at No. 1 overall.
So much drama last week due to reports suggesting Daniels might not want to play in Washington, but I still have the Heisman Trophy winner going second overall. The LSU passer did his best Wednesday to shut down the rumors and speculation once and for all, telling reporters, "Whoever calls my phone, (when the) commissioner gets up and says my name, I'll be blessed, and they're going to get my all."
Despite lots of “trade back” smoke, I think New England stays put and takes Maye. This is one of those situations where the Patriots might like to listen to offers, but I don't think they actually pull the trigger on one. I could be wrong. Ever see a fancy house up for sale that doesn’t ever get sold? Basically, the homeowner just likes having it on the market. I think there's something similar happening here.
I had the Cardinals trading out of the No. 4 slot in my first mock draft, and I haven't heard anything from the general manager or head coach to tell me otherwise. That said, with three selections in the top 35 ... At some point, you use one on a blue-chip player when he's there and stop accumulating picks -- despite whatever "godfather" offer could arise for this spot, potentially via the Vikings or Giants.
I look forward to a fun game of chicken here with any of the J.J. McCarthy-interested teams, specifically Minnesota, as I don’t see L.A. trading the pick within the division to Denver or Las Vegas. Could the Chargers pass on the mockosphere's typical OT1 (Joe Alt) and two hyped wideouts (Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze) for Latham? Yes. The tackle is 340 pounds and a total fit for Jim Harbaugh -- not to mention, GM Joe Hortiz presumably wouldn't mind adding an Alabama product, having come up under Ozzie Newsome in Baltimore. Harbaugh doesn’t care about your draft board. He never has.
New York will look long and hard at J.J. McCarthy and Joe Alt. And though there’s been some Rome Odunze talk with this pick, I’ll follow the herd and say Nabers.
PROJECTED TRADE WITH TENNESSEE TITANS
The Vikings sweat through the Chargers' and Giants' picks and care to sweat no more. To move up four spots, Minnesota gives Tennessee a host of future picks, including a first-rounder, but holds on to No. 23 overall. McCarthy lands in the best immediate situation of all of this year's top QBs. Remember, GMs Ran Carthon and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have a history from their days together in San Francisco.
I don’t see Atlanta taking another wideout (Rome Odunze) or tight end (Brock Bowers) with a top-10 pick. The Falcons go defense, nabbing the 2023 SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
Caleb Williams gets what Andrew Luck got in T.Y. Hilton so many years back -- a draft-class partner in crime. Keenan Allen is only signed through the 2024 season. I’ve been hearing that the Colts are a team that could move up into this spot if the right pass catcher is still available. But in this exercise, I’ll keep Chicago at No. 9.
Even with stud OTs Joe Alt and Taliese Fuaga on the board, I think the Jets go pass catcher here. If Rome Odunze and Malik Nabers are both gone, Bowers could be the pick. He's as clean a tight end prospect as you’ll find.
PROJECTED TRADE WITH MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Tennessee trades down and still gets the all-world offensive tackle (one of the draft's top overall prospects) at No. 11 -- plus a bunch of future Minnesota picks. Nice work from Ran Carthon.
I’m not sure how this all works out for the Broncos. They could very well go up and get J.J. McCarthy, or they could hang tight at No. 12 and take Nix ... or they could stay put and take the best player available (QB or non-QB). I do know there are fans of Nix in the building. Let’s see.
I’ll join the herd and send Penix to the Raiders. When enough people around the league say they’re hearing something, there’s usually truth to it.
The Saints stay at No. 14 and get the toolsy tackle with enticing upside, addressing a huge need in New Orleans.
The Colts could trade down or up tonight. In this scenario, I have them staying put and picking Murphy, a fast-rising DT who could end up being selected even earlier than this.
PROJECTED TRADE WITH SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
GM Howie Roseman makes his move, sending Seattle one of his two second-rounders (either No. 50 or 53) to jump up six spots for a corner. Vic Fangio is the Eagles' new defensive coordinator, and he'll mold the rookie to his liking.
The Jags were left at the altar when Calvin Ridley signed with Tennessee during free agency -- I think that stung and is still stinging. Teams don’t typically love to take wide receivers who weigh less than 180 pounds this high in the draft, and Worthy tipped the scales in Indianapolis at just 165. But, boy, does he play bigger than his size. He runs routes, is tough, smart and, of course, owns the record for the fastest 40 time in NFL Scouting Combine history.
The Bo Nix selection is causing a problem in my mock draft: Some guys who feel like top-15 picks are tumbling a bit. Fuaga is a beast who will likely start at guard out of the gate. If Cincinnati sits at 18 and he’s there, it’s a home run. I can’t see this actually playing out this way, but alas, here we are!
PROJECTED TRADE WITH LOS ANGELES RAMS
Kansas City moves all the way up to No. 19 and lands one of the last remaining "top" tackles. The 6-foot-8, 340-pounder from Georgia could have the highest upside of any player at his position in this year's class. I’d circle the Rams as a potential trade-back team tonight -- if I’m being honest, I see them as a potential multiple-time trade-back team. In this trade, Los Angeles moves down to the end of Round 1, picking up Kansas City's second- and fourth-round picks (Nos. 64 and 131) in the process.
I still think there’s a giant move to be made by Pittsburgh at WR. Could it be for Brandon Aiyuk? If not, Thomas is a special talent who helped himself at the combine as much as any player at the position. I had this match in my first mock and am holding steady here.
PROJECTED TRADE WITH MIAMI DOLPHINS
The Detroit crowd goes wild as the Lions get aggressive and give up a third-round pick (No. 73 overall) to move up eight spots for Verse, a physical presence on the edge who fits as a complement to Aidan Hutchinson.
PROJECTED TRADE WITH PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Big, athletic tackle who stays local and gets to play for his college offensive coordinator. Fautanu has a wide draft range, with the potential to go in the top 10 or at a spot around here.
The Vikings, having already made a deal to secure their new quarterback, stay put here and get one of the top corners in the draft. Awesome person, well-regarded small-school prospect and a steal at No. 23. Brian Flores would love to add Mitchell to his defense.
The Cowboys hang at No. 24 and get one of the remaining O-line prospects with a first-round grade. Guyton is a bit more of a project than the tackles who were selected ahead of him, but he's a good fit in Dallas.
New defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley is thrilled to receive an elite defender on the back end. DeJean can play any position in the secondary and contribute on special teams. I think the versatile playmaker goes somewhere in the 20-to-32 range tonight.
Tampa might've had the best offseason of any team in the league to this point, retaining many key assets from last year’s Divisional Round squad. Offensive line is still an area of need, though. Barton played tackle and center at Duke -- he could do either in the NFL.
Robinson is perhaps the quietest rising prospect in this draft class. I won't be surprised if he comes off the board in the top 20 picks. Versatile, experienced and high-motored -- this defensive lineman has a lot of fans in the league. The Cardinals address two big needs -- adding a wide receiver and a pass rusher -- in the first round.
NFL teams are torn on Latu. Some love him. Some have major concerns about his injury history. If he’s on the board here, Buffalo might not be able to pass him up.
PROJECTED TRADE WITH DETROIT LIONS
Yes, they’re already paying Bradley Chubb and soon will have to pay Jaelan Phillips. As we learned last year, though, you can never have too many pass rushers. And there's a drop-off in talent at the position after Chop.
Kool-Aid could go much higher tonight. I know teams that absolutely love him. Nick Saban has been singing his praises to those who’ll listen. The Alabama-to-Baltimore pipeline is real.
If Mitchell’s still on the board, this pick would make some sense. Consider it insurance for a WR room that’s the buzz of the league.
PROJECTED TRADE; PICK ACQUIRED FROM KANSAS CITY CHIEFS THROUGH LOS ANGELES RAMS
The Rams, perhaps too busy enjoying their Draft House in Hermosa Beach, trade back again, dropping out of the first round entirely. The Patriots package their second- and third-round picks (Nos. 34 and 68) to move back into Round 1 -- and ahead of the Panthers (No. 33) -- to grab a receiver and the accompanying fifth-year option on his rookie contract. L.A. enters Day 2 with 14 total picks after Thursday night's deals.
