Who's ready for a new 2024 NFL mock draft? With combine workouts beginning Thursday -- the defensive linemen and linebackers will kick things off -- this is one of the most important weeks on the draft calendar. This is where coaches and front office executives can really get to know players. The interviews that happen behind the scenes are just as important as the on-field testing you'll see on TV.
So what has changed since my Mock Draft 1.0? The Chiefs won Super Bowl LVIII to lock in the Round 1 order, but we still don't have a definitive answer on whether the Bears will keep the No. 1 pick. That looms large this week because Chicago dealt the top pick in early March a year ago and teams will want a chance to add quarterback Justin Fields -- if he's available. With free agency starting March 11 (when teams can begin negotiating with players), we'll also figure out over the next couple of weeks what positions teams really need in the draft.
So let's get into my new mock draft. Once again, I'm not projecting any trades. You can find my Big Board -- my personal overall and position rankings -- here. And check out the "SportsCenter Special: NFL Mock Draft 2.0," where I explained each pick even further. Here we go:
coverage:
Yates' debut mock draft
Reid's top 50 prospects
Miller's top 50 prospects
1. Chicago Bears (via CAR)
Caleb Williams, QB, USC
As we approach the one-year anniversary of the Bears trading the No. 1 overall pick to Carolina, I continue to believe they will keep this selection and move on from Justin Fields. It's about restarting the quarterback clock and taking one of the best all-around prospects of the past decade. Williams has a rare skill set in terms of arm strength, accuracy, decision-making and mobility. Chicago will need to continue to help him: The organization could add a playmaker with the No. 9 pick, and it also has cap space to make moves in free agency.
2. Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
I'm sticking with Daniels here over Drake Maye (North Carolina), though it's tight. Several NFL teams have Maye over Daniels on their boards two months out from the start of Round 1. I love Daniels' fit with new Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who will run a wide-open offense and put his quarterback in the best position to succeed. Washington already has two really good (and young) wideouts in Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, so Daniels and Kingsbury would be able to start quickly.
Daniels made a massive leap during his time at LSU, developing into a top-tier passer and runner. I can't wait to watch him at the next level.
3. New England Patriots
Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
As I wrote in my Mock Draft 1.0, quarterback is the Patriots' biggest hole this offseason. The organization can't move forward and get back to competing for AFC East titles until it gets the position right. Mac Jones had a solid rookie season in 2021 but regressed badly the past two seasons; he could be traded or released over the next few months.
So unless New England takes a surprise run at one of the veterans on the market -- Kirk Cousins? Russell Wilson, who is likely to be released? -- Maye makes too much sense. Sure, he's the third passer off the board in this class, but he might be the No. 1 pick in many other drafts. He's No. 5 on my Big Board, has special touch on downfield passes and can deliver every throw with precision.
4. Arizona Cardinals
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
If the first three picks break this way, I suspect the Cardinals will rush their selection to the podium. Harrison is an elite wide receiver prospect with all the tools to be a future All-Pro. But unlike in usual drafts, when most trades up into the top five are for quarterbacks, I wonder if teams might try to trade up for Harrison. Would Arizona be able to pass up, for instance, a 2025 first-round pick to move down nine spots with Las Vegas? I'm not saying it would be able to get that haul, but it'd have to consider a deal if it did, right? The looming question is: Are the Cardinals a wide receiver away from contending?
Luckily, this doesn't have to be decided today. Harrison would slot in perfectly as Kyler Murray's No. 1 target, and Arizona also has the Texans' first-round pick at No. 27.
5. Los Angeles Chargers
JC Latham, OT, Alabama
Here's a big -- literally -- deviation from my debut mock draft. When I projected the Chargers to take tight end Brock Bowers (Georgia) in January, it was before they had hired Jim Harbaugh as their new coach. And we should know from Harbaugh's time with the 49ers and at Michigan that he wants to build through the lines, which means starting with the 300-pounders. The 360-pound Latham started 27 games at right tackle in college, which is where he could slot in for L.A.
This is a little bit of a reach in my rankings -- Latham is No. 22 on my Big Board -- but he's a nasty run-blocker, which is why I see a fit for him in this offense. He'd form a great pair of bookend tackles with Rashawn Slater.
6. New York Giants
Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
The Giants are coming off a disastrous season in which they ranked 29th in points scored per game on offense (14.0), 30th in yards per play (4.5) and 32nd in sack rate per dropback (12.8%). That was with only six games from Daniel Jones, though, and the quarterback should be recovered from his knee injury by the start of the 2024 season. So what's the best way to make sure that doesn't happen again? Get Jones some help. They have too many Nos. 2 and 3 receivers. Odunze, who caught 92 passes for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, could be their No. 1 guy.
7. Tennessee Titans
Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
Tennessee is a team to watch for a trade down, as it has multiple roster holes, including at cornerback, wide receiver and defensive line. General manager Ran Carthon could try to acquire future draft capital -- the organization already is without its third-round pick this year because of the move up for quarterback Will Levis a year ago.
If the Titans are staying put, though, they could do much worse than Alt, my top-ranked tackle in the class. He's one of the most consistent pass-blockers I've studied over the past few years; he just doesn't get beaten often. This would give them my top two O-linemen in back-to-back drafts, as they took Peter Skoronski at No. 11 a year ago.
8. Atlanta Falcons
Dallas Turner, OLB, Alabama
The Falcons are the most interesting team this offseason with regard to the quarterback position. The decision will define new coach Raheem Morris' tenure, because the franchise has the skill-position talent to immediately compete in the NFC South. The problem here is I'm not ready to move J.J. McCarthy (Michigan) into the top 10, so Atlanta would either have to trade up -- sacrificing much-needed draft capital -- or reach a little bit for McCarthy or Michael Penix Jr. (Washington), who has a second-round grade in my rankings. This team might be better served using a significant chunk of its cap space on Kirk Cousins.
So I'll stick with the top edge rusher in the class to the Falcons, who ranked 32nd in pass rush win rate (30.9%) last season. Turner had 10 sacks last season, taking his game to a new level as the Crimson Tide's top defender. He has a really high ceiling.
9. Chicago Bears
Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
We're back around to the Bears, to whom I gave quarterback Caleb Williams at No. 1. I thought about offensive line, though it might be a little early for Troy Fautanu (Washington), the best guard in the class. I also considered cornerback, though Chicago could franchise-tag or sign to a big extension free agent Jaylon Johnson, which would plug that hole. And since this is a strange year for edge rushers -- Laiatu Latu (UCLA) has medical questions that should be answered at the combine, and I don't have a top-15 grade on Jared Verse (Florida State) -- let's instead select a dynamic playmaker to make Williams' life easier.
Nabers had 89 receptions for 1,569 yards with 14 touchdowns last season, with 1,009 of those yards and 12 of those scores coming from when he lined up in the slot. That versatility would suit new coordinator Shane Waldron's offense. I have four wideouts in the top 11 of my rankings, and all four likely would be top-10 locks in any other draft.
10. New York Jets
Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
How far could Bowers fall? My guy Field Yates got a lot of stick for slotting him to the Seahawks at No. 16. The reality is it's tough to find an ideal spot for Bowers in the top 10 because of the depth of the quarterback, offensive tackle and wide receiver classes. Each of those positions is valued higher than tight end. So while I love him as a prospect -- he's No. 8 on my Big Board -- it might take a trade for him to land in the top 10.
That is ... unless the Jets take him here. Think about it: Aaron Rodgers is returning, they have a void at the position and they might jump at the opportunity to add a pass-catching tight end with rare run-after-the-catch ability. There's a natural fit. And yes, New York has a bigger hole at offensive tackle, but what if it doesn't totally love its options here? I always say -- drafting strictly for need will get teams into trouble. So even with Olu Fashanu (Penn State) on the board, I'm going with a Bowers-Jets connection.
11. Minnesota Vikings
Jared Verse, DE, Florida State
I almost went corner here -- Terrion Arnold (Alabama), Cooper DeJean (Iowa) and Nate Wiggins (Clemson) are my top three -- but I wonder whether this instead could be the spot for an edge rusher. If Danielle Hunter leaves in free agency, Minnesota would have a massive void to fill.
Verse could be an asset on all three downs. He had 18 sacks over two seasons at FSU, where he also developed into a solid run defender. He was inconsistent at times, but he has some savvy as a pass-rusher. I'm really curious to see how he tests in the on-field drills at the combine.
12. Denver Broncos
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
I'm following my co-workers and slotting in a quarterback to the Broncos. Why? This might be their only chance to add a high-ceiling signal-caller prospect this offseason -- and not mortgage their future to do it. They're almost certainly going to cut Russell Wilson, leaving a void on the depth chart. They don't have the cap space to try to add a veteran. Moving up from No. 12 might require a future first-rounder that would hamper them down the road. So why not take a shot on McCarthy?
Look, this would be a reach by my rankings, but I could see why a team in the top 15 would talk itself into McCarthy. He has an intriguing skill set as a passer. He will test extremely well during combine workouts and impress coaches and front office execs in interviews. He wasn't asked to carry the Wolverines with his arm the past two seasons, but that doesn't mean he couldn't do it. Sure, McCarthy needs some refinement, but Sean Payton could get the best out of him in Denver.
13. Las Vegas Raiders
Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas
Like Denver, Las Vegas is likely moving on from its veteran quarterback, as Jimmy Garoppolo was benched when Antonio Pierce took over as the interim coach last season. And like Denver, Las Vegas might have to go a different route to add its 2024 starting signal-caller. So with Pierce hired as the full-time coach, let's look to improve his defense.
Murphy has the highest pass-rush upside of any of the interior defensive linemen in this class. He had five sacks and 33 pressures last season, a huge improvement over his 2022 season (1 sack, 14 pressures). At 308 pounds, he could play as the Raiders' 3-technique tackle, wreaking havoc in both the run and pass games. Maxx Crosby had 14.5 sacks last season, but No. 7 overall pick Tyree Wilson disappointed as a rookie, putting up just 3.5. With Murphy on the interior, Crosby and Wilson could get more space to get after quarterbacks off the edge.
14. New Orleans Saints
Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State
Trevor Penning, a first-round pick in 2022, has started just six games in two seasons and was one of the league's worst pass-blocking left tackles when he did play in 2023. Could the Saints decide he's not going to be their left tackle of the future? It shouldn't be out of the question, especially as they again have salary cap issues.
If there's not an edge rusher or wide receiver they like available here, they should take Fashanu, who has the potential to be that guy in New Orleans. Fashanu, who turned 21 in December, allowed a single sack and eight total pressures in 21 college starts. He often dominated edge rushers.
15. Indianapolis Colts
Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
Indianapolis got solid cornerback play from rookies JuJu Brents (Round 2) and Jaylon Jones (Round 7) last season, but it has to keep improving there. Frankly, the Colts need a talent injection on their entire defense, which is why I could see them picking the best available defender here.
Six-foot Arnold picked off five passes and allowed just four catches of 20-plus yards as the nearest defender in coverage last season. Minnesota has a clear void at the position, and he could be a day one starter.
16. Seattle Seahawks
Troy Fautanu, G, Washington
OK, so guard might not be the most exciting position for a mock draft, but I can assure you that Seahawks fans should be happy with Fautanu, who could stay near where he went to college. That's because he's a fun offensive line prospect to watch on tape. He has excellent feet and plays hard on every snap. Fautanu started 28 games at left tackle for the Huskies, but I see his future on the interior because of his 6-foot-4 frame.
With Evan Brown, Damien Lewis and Phil Haynes all free agents, Seattle will have holes to fill along the interior of its line. And Seattle ranked 28th in rushing yards per game (92.9), surely new coordinator Ryan Grubb wants to see upgrades there. Fautanu would give this offense an instant boost.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars
Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
I thought about offensive line -- the Jags ranked 29th in pass block win rate (50.6%) last season -- and wide receiver with this pick, but let's look to the defense instead. I wrote earlier that it's a strange draft, and that's especially true with the cornerbacks. There's no league consensus on the No. 1 guy. Or the No. 2 guy. Or the No. 3 guy. And I don't see any going in the top 10 picks as of now. (Although we've seen before that blazing 40-yard dash times at the combine could move up defensive backs.)
Mitchell, though, lit up Senior Bowl practices a few weeks ago, showing that his college stats are no fluke. He's rising. He was a shutdown player for the Rockets, picking off six passes while allowing quarterbacks to complete just 35.2% of their throws against him in coverage over the past two seasons. As I wrote when I added him to my Big Board, he didn't allow a single touchdown in coverage in 2023.
18. Cincinnati Bengals
Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
The Bengals are one of the teams that will be helped by a deep offensive tackle class, as there could be as many as eight going in Round 1. With Orlando Brown Jr. locked into the position on the left side, their hole is on the right, as Jonah Williams is a free agent. Fuaga could play there from day one; he started 25 games at right tackle in college. He is a tenacious run-blocker in a 6-6, 335-pound frame. He allowed just one sack over the past two seasons.
19. Los Angeles Rams
Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
Fourth-round pick Cobie Durant was a revelation as a rookie in 2022, but he was inconsistent last season, and Derion Kendrick -- taken in Round 6 in the same draft -- didn't take a step forward either. So while the Rams got a resurgent season from Ahkello Witherspoon, the veteran is a free agent, meaning there are big questions in this secondary. I see corner as their single biggest need.
DeJean, who would be L.A.'s first Round 1 pick since 2016 (yes, really), is my No. 1-ranked CB. He's recovering from a broken leg suffered in November, but he still had seven interceptions over the past two seasons. That'd be huge for a defense that forced 15 takeaways in 2023, which ranked 30th in the league. DeJean isn't expected to work out at the combine, but I still see him as a Day 1 selection.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers
Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
I went corner in my Mock Draft 1.0, and I don't see a reason to change, though the Steelers just cut starting center Mason Cole and will have to replace him. Wiggins could pair a formidable pairing with Joey Porter Jr., who came on in the second half of last season. Wiggins allowed just 4.2 yards per attempt as the nearest defender in coverage last season, taking a leap forward from 2022, when he allowed 6.1. At 6-2, 185 pounds, he has a great blend of size and speed. With 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles and a sack, he showed up all over the Tigers' 2023 tape.
21. Miami Dolphins
Graham Barton, C, Duke
I noted in my debut mock that the Dolphins have decisions to make with free agent offensive linemen Connor Williams and Robert Hunt. The organization might get priced out of bringing them back. Miami cleared some cap space when it released edge rusher Emmanuel Ogbah and cornerback Xavien Howard, but it has other holes to fill, too.
With Barton, the Dolphins would get a veteran lineman who spent the past three seasons as the Blue Devils' starting left tackle. He started five games at center as a true freshman in 2020, though, and that's where I think he could be a rookie starter. At 6-5, Barton is extremely consistent on a snap-to-snap basis. He's technically sound as a run- and pass- blocker. I debated between Barton and Jackson Powers-Johnson (Oregon), my other top-ranked center, but Barton would be getting more first-round buzz if he hadn't missed a few games to lower-body injuries.
22. Philadelphia Eagles
Laiatu Latu, OLB, UCLA
This week is huge for Latu, who medically retired from football due to a neck injury when he was at Washington in 2021. Will NFL teams be satisfied with his medical reports? It's not exactly unheard of -- Jaelan Phillips, a Round 1 pick in 2021, medically retired when he was at UCLA before transferring to Miami -- but it's why these pre-combine mock drafts are tough. Because for everything Latu did on the field for the Bruins -- he had 112 pressures and 23.5 sacks the past two seasons -- it won't matter if teams flag his medicals and take him off their board. Based on what I saw on tape from 2022 on, however, Latu is a first-rounder.
As for the Eagles, you watched the end of their season, right? Their pass rush really struggled. They got just one sack and 10 total tackles from 2023 first-round pick Nolan Smith. I still believe in Smith's talent, and adding Latu would give their front seven another toolsy edge rusher.
23. Houston Texans (via CLE)
Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
Houston is without its own Round 1 selection due to the trade up for Will Anderson Jr. from last April, but it has this pick as part of the Deshaun Watson deal from 2022. And even though the Texans are coming off a season that featured a surprising playoff win, I see clear needs for them in the front seven on defense and along the offensive line. So with Laremy Tunsil holding down the left tackle position, Guyton could step in at right tackle, where he started 14 games for the Sooners.
As I wrote in my Big Board rankings, 6-7, 327-pound Guyton is physically what NFL teams want in a future Pro Bowl-caliber right tackle. He moves like a tight end (he used to play there). He has a ton of natural talent, although he doesn't have as much experience as the tackles likely to be taken ahead of him. For a team that ranked 29th in yards per rush attempt on offense (3.7) last season, Guyton could be an excellent addition.
24. Dallas Cowboys
Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
Mims has even fewer college starts than Guyton, as he was limited to just eight over the past three seasons because of injuries and draft picks in front of him on the Bulldogs' depth chart. But when he did play, he made defenders look silly. Mims, 6-7 and 340, allowed zero sacks and just five total pressures across 372 career pass blocks. Will NFL teams be scared off by his limited experience, or will they draft him high based on his size and potential? I lean toward the latter, because he was that good when he got on the field.
To make room for Mims, the Cowboys could part ways with longtime left tackle Tyron Smith, who's a free agent, or have him compete with Terence Steele on the right side. He played right tackle in college but has the talent to play both sides.
25. Green Bay Packers
Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona
I'm squeezing one more offensive tackle into this Round 1 projection. David Bakhtiari hasn't been able to stay on the field since 2020 due to a nagging knee injury, which means there's a glaring void at left tackle in Green Bay. And I love what Morgan showed over 37 college starts, mostly at left tackle. His footwork in pass protection is outstanding, and he can stay in front of speedy edge rushers because of his arm length and quickness. He tore his ACL in November 2022 but was able to start 12 games last season, surrendering two sacks and seven total pressures. Green Bay could benefit from this deep OT group.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
Sure, Tampa Bay won the NFC South and beat the Eagles in the playoffs, but it had some issues on both sides of the ball. On offense, it ranked 32nd in yards per rush attempt (3.4) and run block win rate (67.3%). On defense, it ranked 29th in passing yards allowed per game (248.9) and could lose free agent safety Antoine Winfield Jr. So although I could have gone with offensive line or the secondary with this pick, I'm instead thinking toward the future at wideout.
Mike Evans, another free agent for the Bucs, will turn 31 before the season. Even if they bring him back, how much longer will he be at the top of his game? In Coleman, they could get a successor, a 6-4 big body who excels in contested catch situations. He had 18 touchdowns over the past two seasons at Michigan State and Florida State. He's one of the most intriguing prospects at the combine, because I want to see how he tests in the on-field workouts.
27. Arizona Cardinals (via HOU)
Darius Robinson, DL, Missouri
I moved Robinson into my Big Board after the Senior Bowl in early February. He was one of the best prospects during practices, showing lightning-quick get-off at the snap and power in one-on-one pass-rush drills, all at 286 pounds. And when I went back to study his 2023 tape, you can see his performance was no fluke. Robinson put up 8.5 sacks and 35 total pressures. He's a fit for teams that run a 4-3 base scheme.
Arizona's defense had a rough 2023, ranking 32nd in QBR allowed (57.3) and rushing yards allowed per game (143.2) and 30th in sacks (33). The franchise should devote this second Round 1 pick -- which was acquired from Houston's trade up last April -- to the front seven.
28. Buffalo Bills
Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
With Gabe Davis likely to sign elsewhere in free agency, the Bills have to find a No. 2 wideout this offseason. The draft might be their best opportunity to do that. There might be six or seven receivers taken in Round 1 in April. Thomas, who played mostly outside receiver for the Tigers, caught 68 passes for 1,177 yards and led the FBS with 17 touchdowns in 2023. At 6-4, he has a stellar combo of size and speed. He also has great hands. The best way to take Buffalo's offense to a new level is with an upgrade on the other side of Stefon Diggs.
29. Detroit Lions
T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State
Here's a corner who might be going a little under the radar. Tampa can start for a team from day one. He played nearly 900 coverage snaps for the Cyclones, and he saw every route. After giving up four touchdown passes as the nearest defender in coverage in 2021, he allowed only three in the next two seasons. He made a massive improvement in 2023. Although Tampa had only three interceptions in college, I think he could be more productive in the NFL.
Detroit, as I wrote in my mock draft in January, struggled in the secondary last season, ranking 30th in passing yards allowed to receivers (3,081). This is where it can get an instant starter.
30. Baltimore Ravens
Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia
I'd like to see the Ravens make moves on defense this offseason, and they likely will have to use their cap space to keep some of their own players, including safety Geno Stone and defensive tackle Justin Madubuike. Those moves should start at corner, so how about one more in this top 32? Lassiter makes six.
Lassiter didn't get beat often last season. He didn't allow a single touchdown as the nearest defender in coverage, and in total, he allowed nine receptions for 91 yards. Those are elite numbers. The problem? He had one career interception, and that came in 2021. Teams will have questions about his lack of on-ball production. I'm a believer that production from corners can be developed, and I'm not worried. I am interested in seeing Lassiter's 40-yard dash time in Indianapolis, though.
31. San Francisco 49ers
Chop Robinson, OLB, Penn State
It has to be offensive line or edge rusher for the 49ers, right? They need to find young talent so they can use their cap space on their veteran stars. I went offensive tackle in my debut mock, but let's switch to the defense here.
San Francisco could take the comp pick for defensive end Chase Young and let him walk in free agency, opening up a spot on the other side of Nick Bosa. That's where I'd slot in Robinson, whose sack numbers were a little disappointing the past two seasons (9.5 total, four in 2023) but who has the potential to be a star. At 6-3, 250 pounds, he is extremely explosive. Give him time with 49ers D-line coach Kris Kocurek and he could be a star. The reason Robinson might be a late Round 1 pick is because of that questionable production, but scouts and execs love his tool set.
32. Kansas City Chiefs
Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
I don't see a reason to change the position here. The Chiefs had major issues at receiver last season -- their pass-catchers led the league in drops (38). The word I've used to describe Worthy is electrifying, because he has amazing movement skills in space. He can score from any spot on the field. He had 26 receiving touchdowns over three seasons at Texas.
The one problem with this fit is that Worthy had his share of drops in 2022. He cut those in half last season (from 10 to 5). Most of those were concentration drops. I can see why Chiefs fans might worry about a speedy playmaker who has problems holding on to the ball, but Worthy showed last season that he's past the issue.