2024 NFL Mock Draft: Airplane Mode
NFL Mock Drafts are an inherently silly thing to do. I guess boiled down so is rabid sports fandom, but take that out of consideration for this point. 90% of what an NFL team does in the lead up to the Draft is scout as many players as possible. They do this to get an idea of who they want, but also to make sure that as few people as possible know their plans. Reports come out stating “Team X wants player B or Player C.” Then three days later, the same person reports that same team actually never wanted “Player B” and that player C is the number two behind new “Player D.”
We engage in this silliness because we love football and have nothing else to do in terms of discourse surrounding the sport we love. It can also be fun, as an exercise in ego, for us journalists to pretend like we know something when in reality we don’t know shit. Except for Daniel Jeremiah. That man calling the Texans trade up to three overall last year to go back to back was incredible and as far as I’m concerned he turns into a literal Greek Deity right around April 17th.
Part of why I bring this up is to preface all of this by stating that I also don’t know anything. I get all of my information from reporters far more plugged in than I am and a pretty decent understanding of who in this draft is good and what various NFL Teams need to hopefully improve their rosters. Which in no way means you shouldn’t listen to me. In fact it means the opposite. If you like Danny Kelly’s Mock, or Mel Kipers, there’s no tangible reason mine isn’t just as accurate. And I say that… because we are about to get WEIRD.
This isn’t the Mock I will eventually be submitting to the Huddle Report later this month, but I stand by all of this being plausible, so do with that what you will. Lastly, I called this one Airplane Mode because I am currently on an airplane to Philadelphia to go see Wrestlemania Night One.
Pick 1 - Chicago Bears - Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Leading up to draft season, nothing is guaranteed. Except this pick, this pick is guaranteed. The Bears are doing their due diligence in having Maye and Daniels visit but this is the pick. Keenan Allen and roughly half of the Bears front office going to Williams’ Pro-Day all but confirmed it. I've seen three to four interviews with Poles since the Combine and every time he talks about Williams he gets this glow about him like he’s talking about the love of his life, and I get it. Williams is the number two overall player on my big board by the smallest of margins. He is the best QB prospect since Andrew Luck and is jumping into the best situation a number one overall QB has maybe ever gone into.
Pick 2 - Washington Commanders - Drake Maye, QB, UNC
Don’t believe the smoke screens and weird reports and Dan Orlovsky. Drake Maye is not only the second best QB in this class by a healthy margin, he’s also more than 2 years younger than Jayden Daniels. Maye looked like a world beater in his sophomore season at UNC, then his wide receivers, running backs, and offensive line all got worse. Maye was dealt a pretty raw hand in 2023 (not unlike Williams) and he still looked like an unbelievable talent. There are certainly some consistency issues with his arm, and the hero-ball thing sometimes gets excessive. None of that would stop me from sprinting to the podium as soon as the Bears select their guy.
TRADE - Pick 3: Minnesota Vikings - JJ McCarthy, QB, Michigan
The Vikings want a quarterback, and they want one high. Their team is in a relative win soon mode, and they went out and got an extra first rounder. You don’t acquire that kind of an asset unless you have a plan for it. The Patriots also need assets and have recently been expressing interest (or so reports say) in JJ and his ceiling. JJ is a 20 year old who has done nothing but win since elementary school. The tools are there and that has teams intrigued. The arm talent isn’t top tier so a good bit of work and support will need to be given to the young upstart if any NFL team wants to make him a worthwhile starter over the long term. It is quite nice that that second contract won’t be coming until the divisive player is in his age 25 season.
Pick 4: Arizona Cardinals - Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
There is buzz around the Cardinals trading down, and I am sure for the right offer they would be more than willing to do just that. However, at a certain point you need to get guys that will pan out. MHJ is as sure a thing as there is in this draft. He is my number one overall player for a reason and pairing a franchise altering WR with your supposed franchise QB is the only decision you can make if you claim to want to win. MHJ immediately steps in as the first option, second option, and fourth option in this offense. Trey McBride should still get his 60 targets but the other 210 should go directly to the 6 '4'' WR who also runs a 4.4 forty and every route you can possibly imagine. Yes, even that one.
Trade - Pick 5: Denver Broncos - Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Who needs resource management when you've got Sean Payton and an owner with a humiliation fetish. The Broncos are lacking in a lot of areas but the defense made strides as the season went on so trying to find the QB of the future now is only a good thing. The Chargers need assests because that team is devoid of talent after fixing their astronomical cap fuck ups, and this trade down helps them fill out their roster with some vague semblance of speed while maintaining a top 15 pick in a deep top end of the draft. Jayden is a guy that has the experience to step into this Broncos offense and run it day one. If they can teach him how to slide and pick up one extra receiver then they should have enough of a telent pool to bring Daniels along and mold him into an NFL QB.
Pick 6: New York Giants - Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Explosivity is the name of the game when it comes to Nabers. Running out of the slot, Nabers has the agility and raw speed to burn defenses up and down the field, while running good enough routes to get past the sticks when you need him to. The Giants meanwhile, need any vague semblance of offensive weapon. Improving the defense was seemingly the free agency goal (to an extent) so the Draft seems to be where offensive investment is coming. Jaylin Hyatt and… others, does not a WR core make. Daniel Jones is so clearly not the answer but give him a true WR one and see if there really is any juice left in that orange before adding it to the compost pile of 2019 to 2022 QBs.
Pick 7: Tennessee Titans - Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
I know so little about this draft and who will be taken where. I know Caleb Williams is a Chicago Bear, and I know if Joe Alt is available at seven the Titans will be sprinting to that podium to turn that card in. The Titans are roughly four offensive lineman away from having a competent, NFL ready offensive line so what better place to start adding than LT. Skoronski can play anywhere except center and if Will Levis is going to have any chance to prove what he's got, he needs to stay upright. The WR core is lacking but not utterly bereft of talent, so address that in the second and use this to get another O-line cornerstone.
Pick 8: Atlanta Falcons - Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA
The Falcons have some fun things cooking, but that defense is lacking playmakers and game breakers on the front seven. Raheem Morris has an eye for pass rush talent and after being bottom three in sacks in back to back seasons, the Falcons need them in droves. No one in this draft strikes me as a big sack getter other than Latu. Morris likely had some extra exposure to the talent he possesses having been in the same city. Injury stuff is a concern and maybe top 10 is steep specifically for that reason, but scared money doesn't make money.
Pick 9: Chicago Bears - Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
The Rome Odunze fan club is one of two that I am a card carrying member of, the second to come later. The Bears are doing everything in their power to make sure that the organizational pratfalls that usually welcome young QBs to this team never happen again and pairing arguably the second best WR in the draft with Keenan Allen and DJ Moore means giving Caleb something he never had at USC: a top 10 WR core. Rome is a do everything, high point catcher that pairs like a delicious cheese with Moore’s perfectly aged wine. Allen might be a top three guy in the league I would want mentoring a player with Rome’s skillset on top of that.
Pick 10: New York Jets - Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington
Drafting anything other than offensive line would be criminal negligence from the Jets. The AFC East is finally up for grabs, and fleshing out that offensive line would be the perfect way to ensure Rodgers has a chance to do what he does and win a division he probably shouldn’t. The Jets invested in OL with signings like Tyron Smith at left tackle but at 33 years old his best days are surely behind him. What Fautanu does is step in and give you the flexibility to play him at all five OL positions (though for his own good maybe keep him off center.) Let the older Smith mentor Fautanu and when he leaves the team, Fautanu slides into LT with NFL reps under his belt and a year or two of lessons from one of the 5 best OTs of the past decade.
Trade - Pick 11: New England Patriots - Byron Murphy, DT, Texas
In this particular mock this is a crapshoot. The Patriots would be in BPA mode as just filling out the roster with talent would be the way to go. I am lower than most on Murphy but even with that I still see him as a very talented and game altering interior defensive lineman. The Patriots have next to no interior presence as it stands and if Byron is their best available than that's who they should be targeting.
Trade - Pick 12: Los Angeles Chargers - Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State
With the Chargers going for a soft rebuild, priority number one should be helping Justin Herbert. Unfortunately two of their biggest cap fixing moves were getting rid of his two best offensive weapons so that's not ideal. However, if the Chiefs have taught the league anything, it's that a proven QB can sort of get away without top tier receivers if he’s upright. In that way, this board falls perfectly for Jim Harbaugh. He got to see plenty of Fashanu while coaching within the Big 10 and likely has one of the best ideas of what healthy Fashanu looks like. Protect Herbert first, move outward with the team from there.
Pick 13: Las Vegas Raiders - Michael Penix Jr,. QB, Washington
The Raiders are missing top talent at just about every position, but they are also missing a QB. Weirdly this is a relatively okay spot for a rougher around the edges QB like Penix due to having Davante Adams and Michael Mayer waiting in the wings for a competent QB to throw them balls. Penix is a weird case study because when you watch his tape for him, there is so much to love from the accuracy, to the sideline placement, to the mobility within the pocket. However when watching tape for those around him you see some lack of awareness, accuracy drain, and more than a few underthrows. A report came out recently that coaches around the league are higher on him than scouts within the same organizations, so here comes the war. And for a new coach like Antonio Pierce, this is where we find out the kind of coach he is, at least in terms of drafting.
Pick 14: New Orleans Saints - Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
Another player the consensus is higher on than myself, regardless the Saints need a WR that can break a game wide open and LSU has just the guy for them. Thomas is a big play hunter that isn’t wowing anyone with his route running prowess but has so many moves with the ball in his hand that a vaguely decent scheme and a well placed ball is all you need. That also assumes he even needs to beat a defender and didn’t do that on a go route already. I am not entirely sure what the Saints are doing with their team long term as cap hell is coming for them again next year but this move at least helps this often anemic offense get a little more explosive.
Pick 15: Indianapolis Colts - Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
This might be the latest I have seen Mitchell fall in a mock thus far and it would of course be mine. However, this is a huge need for the Colts as they get ready to have Richardson return and hopefully put together a season where they don’t go through the ringer at QB. Mitchell plays with physicality, speed, and has amazing ball skills that will immediately make him a problem in the league which is good for a team devoid of secondary talent.
Pick 16: Seattle Seahawks - Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama
Seattle is one of the first teams in this draft that can go just about anywhere in this draft, not because of need but because of the roster they have built. Edge feels like the biggest hole to me so Dallas Turner still being around at this point is very intriguing as he comes in and not only frees up a little space for Leonard Williams on the interior in the pass rush but is more than capable of assisting the interior guys on the inside with run stops. Seattle needs to sure up these little holes to actually make a viable playoff push and Turner is a great start to that.
Pick 17: Jacksonville Jaguars - Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State
I can’t tell if the Jags are wasting copious amounts of talent or if they are just not drafting and signing that much talent to begin with. The Trayvon Walker experiment is by no means over but it is certainly not panning out the way anyone would have liked. The Jags need more than Josh Allen to pressure the QB so drafting Verse here makes a lot of sense. He’s a big, mean edge rusher that doesn’t have many limits as to what he can do as an edge. It's also possible drafting a guy like this frees up Trayvon to find himself and start making the kind of impact a fist overall player should.
Pick 18: Cincinnati Bengals - Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
Is Tee Higgins actually going to play for the Bengals this season? It behooves the Bengals to trade him prior to the Draft so as to replace him with someone from this stacked class. That being said, they still need a tight end and there is a generational one that may be able to replace Higgins’ production from that position. They may technically have bigger needs in Edge and in the secondary but this pick makes too much sense. Go get your franchise QB a new toy since you won’t pay the one he already has.
Pick 19: Los Angeles Rams - Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
Did someone say Aaron Donald retired? I don’t mean to necessarily compare Newton to an all time great defender, however there’s no one in this Draft (in my eyes) that can replicate even close to his productivity apart from Newton. Falling to the Rams would be a god-send for McVay and crew as they get ready to likely overachieve once again. The defense was surprisingly good last year and replacing the dominant interior presence with a dominant interior presence feels like the best possible outcome.
Pick 20: Pittsburgh Steelers - JC Latham, OT, Alabama
In a legendary offensive line class, Latham ends up falling down to the 20s when a player of his caliber would normally be a top 10-12 pick. The Steelers need better protection no matter which QB they go with long term, even if the answer beyond this season is neither. Taliese Fuaga may provide more flexibility but teams may be more attracted to his pass protection work and crispy clean footwork.
Pick 21: Miami Dolphins - Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon St
This draft could not fall more beautifully for the Dolphins. Fuaga is for sure a tackle but he does have the versatility to fit into a guard role temporarily. Terron Armstead is not getting any younger so having Fuaga fill an early need on the interior to then bounce outside when Armstead’s tenure in Miami is done would be nothing short of miraculous. I’m also a little lower on Fuaga than the consensus so the odds of this happening seem to be lower by the day.
Pick 22: Philadelphia Eagles - Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon
The Eagles will never replace what Jason Kelce brought to the field. He is that special of a player. However, a very good start would be scooping up the best center in this draft by a margin in my eyes. Powers-Johnson is a force on the interior and plays in a very similar way to the way Kelce did. He lacks that upper end strength but plays with the speed and violence they want. If the Eagles get their hands on him, the Brotherly Shove will surely not die with Kelce.
Pick 23: New England Patriots - Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
I got burned in my mock last year by listening to the hype and putting levis in my top 15 or so picks. This year I have decided to ignore the inverse hype and put six QBs in my first mock. I doubt I keep this in my final one but the Patriots need a QB and a good one is sitting right here. There’s no guarantee Nix would be there when they pick next so why not grab him now!? The patriots have so many needs and could just as easily grab any of the next five dudes on this mock, but Nix just feels like a New England Patriot.
Pick 24: Dallas Cowboys - Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
The Cowboys are in a very strange place this season as they go into the final year of Dak Prescott’s deal, Jerry Jones seemingly not understanding what “all in” means, and Mike McCarthy enters what can only be described as a make or break year. Their biggest need is probably offensive line due to the once generationally great front being torn asunder by age and contract expiry. That said, they still have some incredibly talented vets who would be perfect for taking the extraordinarily raw and talented Mims and maximizing that outrageous potential.
Pick 25: Green Bay Packers - Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
Potential corner one falling to 25 feels a little unrealistic however the offensive talent in this first round is going to cause a bit of a weird vacuum in terms of defensive players going places early. The Packers certainly will go defense as their offense is one of the youngest cores in the league and has had so much draft capital pumped into it. The secondary was their biggest weakness last year (Joe Barry’s scheme did them no favors) and while they addressed safety in free agency, a new corner to play some actual lock down coverage opposite Jaire Alexander will be a welcome addition in Wisconsin.
Pick 26: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Demeioun “Chop” Robinson, Edge, Penn State
The Bucs vastly overachieved last season and in no small part due to the success of Baker and the offense being way better than people anticipated. The Bucs lacked real pass rush threats throughout the season and drafting a talented, bendy rusher like Robinson should pair nicely with their stout interior. In a better year for the position, Linebacker would be the pick but I would be surprised if one of them comes off the board before pick 45, so the Bucs can address that need later.
Pick 27: Arizona Cardinals - Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
It stands to reason that in offense heavy drafts, defensive runs have to happen. Hi, welcome to the run on defense. The draft falls so beautifully for Arizona no matter what happens. The Cardinals need a whole new team and defensive minded head coach Jonathon Gannon is not going to allow multiple firsts to go by without getting a great player to help on that side. Edge is another big need but with the best edges all being gone at this point, getting a top 3 corner is nothing to turn your nose up at. If the Cardinals have a “guy” they also feel like a great trade up candidate into more the middle of the first to grab an edge.
Pick 28: Buffalo Bills - Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
If the Bills don’t pick a receiver here I will scream. AD Mitchell is a great talent, I also think Troy Franklin and Keon Coleman would be great here, Mitchell just feels like the most likely. I am one of the people very high on this WR class and think no matter what happens, the Bills better not be trying to get a 1000 yard season out of Curtis Samuel. Do the right thing Buffalo…. Do it…
Pick 29: Detroit Lions - Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
I don’t think there are many players in this draft that feel more like Dan Cambell guys than DeJean. He plays hard nosed, gritty football and the only reason he doesn’t go earlier is the injury concern. The Lions need secondary help, and a lot of it. They feel like a potential trade up team if they like one of the other corners more as well. However, being able to get this guy at this pick feels like a Detroit dream.
Pick 30: Baltimore Ravens - Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
The do it all corner out of Alabama just feels like a Baltimore guy. This is another injury thing as without the concerns he is likely a mid first pick. That said, the Ravens biggest need is not Corner, yet this still feels like the right pick. Receivers will be available later and the need for a tackle, while there, doesn’t give me massive cause for concern. Let Lamar run away from tacklers and make sure opposing receivers can’t run away from your defenders.
Pick 31: San Francisco 49ers - Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
This one is easy. Trent Williams is getting on in age and the right side of the line is… not ideal. The 49ers absolutely need an interior defensive lineman but those will be available later. The 9ers need to keep their strategy the same now as it was last year. The vibes may be off, but they can still be recaptured. Guyton is a strong option at tackle and while I personally like Jordan Morgan more, the league likes Guyton and I am here to predict.
Pick 32: Kansas City Chiefs - Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
Before Rashee Rice was likely headed to jail, a very good case could be made for the Chiefs gong with the aforementioned Jordan Morgan. However, I want to see Patrick Mahomes with a legit jump ball wide receiver. The idea tickles my fancy. They can always trade up into the second to get Jordan Morgan who should be available for a little bit, I love Keon’s size and athleticism and think that if any organization can squeeze every bit of potential out of his massive frame, the Chiefs are the best equipped to do so. Plus who doesn’t love a genuinely fun final Day One pick???