2024 NFL Mock Draft: Penix Slides Out of Top Ten
We are finished with the NFL regular season and the 2023 college football season concluded last night, as well.
Hence, it's more than time for a fresh 2024 NFL mock draft.
The Chicago Bears possess the top pick in the draft and can take a slam-dunk quarterback prospect in Caleb Williams... however, the team appears to be set on Justin Fields and could once again auction the pick off like they did last year to the Carolina Panthers.
Whether or not you agree with them doing this is entirely subjective, but for this mock, I am buying into that rumor and making my first trade of my mock drafts. It isn't quite the fortune they received from the Panthers a year ago, but the Bears still got quite the haul to move down.
As always, the draft order is provided by Tankathon, although the first 18 picks are locks. After that, picks are sorted by current playoff seeding.
1. TRADE: Atlanta Falcons
The pick: Caleb Williams, Quarterback, USC
Trade:
Atlanta receives pick number one
Chicago receives pick 8, a 2024 second-round pick, a 2024 fourth-round pick, a 2025 first-round pick, and a 2025 third-round pick
We've seen the Falcons aggressively add talent to their offense the last several years, but the team has lacked the most important piece to their offense -- Quarterback.
Well, we can't say that anymore.
Atlanta moves up seven spots to secure the top quarterback in the draft and one of the best prospects of the last decade. With his big arm, touch passing, and athletic ability, Williams will waste no time being a star with some great weapons around him like Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Kyle Pitts.
2. Washington Commanders
The pick: Drake Maye, Quarterback, North Carolina
The Commanders did the right thing this season and gave Sam Howell a chance to audition himself as the team's quarterback of the future. Unfortunately, he failed and now Washington is picking top-two in the draft. Luckily for them, Maye is available.
Maye is QB1 in most classes and some will still have him rated ahead of Williams for his size and athletic profile. This is a day one starting quarterback and with the weapons the Commanders have at his disposal, he should make quick work of getting this offense back on track.
When it comes to consolation prizes, Maye is as good as it gets.
3. New England Patriots
The pick: Marvin Harrison Jr., Wide Receiver, Ohio State
We have no idea who the starting quarterback of the Patriots is going to be in 2024 but there is one thing we know for certain, and that's that it doesn't matter if he has no one to throw to. Insert MHJ, who is on his way to becoming a generational prospect if his offseason workouts match his play on the field.
Harrison Jr. checks every box including NFL bloodlines. MHJ will come into New England and be the top receiver by a mile-and-a-half
4. Arizona Cardinals
The pick: Olu Fashanu, Offensive Tackle, Penn State
Now that the Cardinals are no longer in a position to draft one of the top two quarterbacks in this class we can get back to focusing on rebuilding this roster. Winning at the line of scrimmage dictates wins and losses and the Cardinals made a wise decision in the 2023 NFL Draft by selecting Paris Johnson Jr. in round one to solidify one of their tackle spots.
Next, they need to get him his partner in crime.
Fashanu is an athletic marvel who has refined his craft after deciding to return to college for another season. There are few offensive linemen that we've seen in the last decade who look and play like he does.
Slotting Fashanu across from Johnson Jr. gives the Cardinals something they've never had before - bookend tackles. And there are little things more valuable than that in today's NFL.
5. Los Angeles Chargers
The pick: Malik Nabers, Wide Receiver, LSU
Keenan Allen is due a lot of money and the oft-injured receiver is well on the wrong side of 30 now. Mike Williams is also due a lot of coin and he's coming off a nasty season-ending injury. Rookie Quentin Johnston is off to a miserable start to his career.
The point is that the Chargers desperately need to add to their wide receiver room in more ways than one.
Nabers is every bit an elite prospect at the position, but he's overshadowed by the generational prospect that Harrison Jr. is.
Nabers, for my money's worth, was better in every way than MHJ was this past season and has Pro Bowl upside as a rookie. If the Chargers move on from Allen and/or Williams, the need for Nabers is massive. This is a slam dunk pick for a player who would be the top guy at his position if not for the talent that's ahead of him in this class.
6. New York Giants
The pick: Jayden Daniels, Quarterback, LSU
Your reigning Heisman Trophy winner made himself a lot of money this season by improving his passing abilities and honing in on his biggest strength as a runner. There are going to be tons of people saying he's the next Lamar Jackson, but Daniels is truly a specimen of his own.
The Giants gave Daniel Jones a fat contract, but he was so abysmally bad this year that they would be irresponsible to pass on Daniels here.
Brian Daboll would love to get his hands on a talent like Daniels and see the offense drastically change for the better.
If you're looking for an Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite, you might need to place your faith in Daniels as a Giant.
7. Tennessee Titans
The pick: Joe Alt Jr., Offensive Tackle, Notre Dame
The Titans are a mess, but they seem intent on giving Will Levis a fair shake as the team's starting quarterback. And in Levis' defense, he did look solid in his opportunities. Therefore, the Titans need to build around the young signal caller.
The offensive line got a boost with Peter Skoronski, so let's keep it going and get a franchise left tackle in Alt Jr.
Notre Dame is no stranger to developing elite offensive linemen, and Alt Jr. is another example of their prowess.
8. TRADE: Chicago Bears (via ATL Trade)
The pick: Rome Odunze, Wide Receiver, Washington
The Bears make another huge trade with an NFC South team to move down from one to eight, but they end up landing an extra second and fourth-round pick in this year's class, plus a future first and third in 2025.
It's not quite what they got from the Panthers last year, but teams are highly unlikely to repeat that trade.
While many will ask the Bears to take Caleb Williams, it appears the front office still remains all-in on Justin Fields, so you might as well continue to build around him and give him another elite pass catcher. Rome Odunze a.k.a. "DOOMSDAY" is one of the most physical receivers in the class.
You put the ball in his zip code and he's coming down with it. Odunze and D.J. Moore are as good a duo across the league as anybody.
9. Chicago Bears
The pick: Laiatu Latu, Edge Rusher, UCLA
The Bears struck gold with the Montez Sweat trade, so now they can capitalize on the draft's best defender slipping to them and line him up opposite of Sweat.
Latu is pound-for-pound and (for me) head and shoulders better than any other defensive player in this year's draft class. He's good size at 6'5" 265lbs and has elite production with 23.5 sacks over the last two seasons. He's an absolute menace and has major upside even as a rookie.
Putting him across from Sweat gives the Bears one of the best pass-rushing duos in the NFC.
10. New York Jets
The pick: Taliese Fuaga, Offensive Tackle, Oregon State
Get used to seeing Fuaga picked high in my mocks. He's as good as it gets at the right tackle spot. Some will be turned off by the "right tackle" tag, but Fuaga is legitimately a day-one starter and has massive potential to be a future cornerstone of a franchise.
The Jets' offensive line is miserably bad, so picking an elite offensive lineman regardless of where he plays needs to be the top priority. It just so happens that one of the best prospects in the draft is firmly a right tackle. Either way, Pro Bowl upside as a rookie should be all I need to say to sell you on this beast.
11. Minnesota Vikings
The pick: Michael Penix Jr., Quarterback Washington
No matter if Kirk Cousins returns for the 2024 season, it's far time the Vikings get their guy of the future, and Penix Jr. at the 11th pick feels more than doable.
There are many things to nitpick about Penix Jr. between his knee injuries and being a lefty, but he's been 100% healthy the last two years, and pound for pound might be the best pure passer in the country. At this point, any criticisms about Penix Jr.'s past have seemingly been answered since he got to Washington.
Don't let a poor showing in the national championship game fool you, however... Penix Jr. is still a great quarterback prospect. He's a clearcut, day-one starter for any team, and the Vikings may very well have the luxury of developing him if Cousins is back. If he's not, then they should have little issue starting Penix Jr. immediately.
12. Denver Broncos
The pick: Bo Nix, Quarterback, Oregon
The Russell Wilson era is officially over in Denver after just two seasons. No matter how you feel or which side of the debate you're on, one thing is clear: the Broncos don't have a quarterback of the future and they're in dire need of one.
Nix has proven over the last two seasons that he is equally talented as some of the guys taken ahead of him. He's a great passer and runner with the build teams look for. He's also grown into a leadership role with his time at Oregon.
Sean Payton has a type with the quarterbacks he likes to use and Nix feels like a seamless fit. As long as they give Nix some proper weapons, he could come in and be an immediate favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
13. Las Vegas Raiders
The pick: Jer'Zhan Newton, Interior Defensive Line, Illinois
If Latu isn't the draft's best defensive prospect, then Newton gets my honorable mention here. Newton is a classic game-wrecker from the interior and plays with a ferocity that teams dream of having in their unit.
Sounds like exactly what the Raiders need.
A quarterback would be the dream pick here, but taking the sixth quarterback at the 13th overall pick is malpractice when Newton is sitting on your lap. Take the best player available, plug him into your team, and don't think twice about it.
14. New Orleans Saints
The pick: Dallas Turner, Edge Rusher, Alabama
I love Turner as much as the next guy, so his falling to 14 feels uncomfortable, but a run on quarterbacks pushes him and several other stars down the board a bit, as you'll see with pick 15 shortly...
Cameron Jordan had perhaps his worst season as a pro and is a shell of his former self as he's aging. Beyond him is a void on the Saints' defense that desperately needs help with their pass rush. Turner is a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate and an immediate upgrade over the aging Jordan and everybody else on that roster.
15. Indianapolis Colts
The pick: Brock Bowers, Tight End, Georgia
At the end of the day, Bowers is at least a top-ten talent in this draft class, but his position devalues him. The Colts will have no problem snatching up an elite talent that plays the tight end position like a wide receiver. Bowers in the same offense as Anthony Richardson, Jonathan Taylor, and (hopefully) Michael Pittman Jr. sounds dangerous.
16. Seattle Seahawks
The pick: Jared Verse, Edge Rusher, Florida State
Verse has seen his stock as high as a top-five pick, but with the season ended, he feels like a safe top-15-to-20 guy. Verse has quickly become one of the most overthought prospects in this draft class. But at the end of the day, he's really good at sacking the quarterback, and the Seahawks will have no complaints about his availability here at 16.
Adding Verse to their pass rush helps stabilize an up-and-down unit with a true de facto guy. Easy slot into a team that can make him a star very quickly.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars
The pick: Kool-Aid McKinstry, Cornerback, Alabama
McKinstry may be the top cornerback in the draft class, but he's not a blue-chip player. Still, he could easily be picked higher due to team needs ahead of pick 17. With the way this mock panned out, he slides onto the lap of the Jaguars, who will rush to the podium to select him.
The Jaguars have quality corners but need more depth and perhaps a true number-one guy. McKinstry provides the highest upside of anybody on their roster and the value here is perfect.
18. Cincinnati Bengals
The pick: Brian Thomas Jr., Wide Receiver, LSU
The Bengals' wide receiver room could look very different in 2024. Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd are both pending free agents, but the Bengals may be better off letting them walk to save money and cash in on some compensatory picks.
They can fill the void of a big-body receiver that Higgins is leaving by adding Thomas Jr. The 6'4" 205lbs receiver paced the nation in touchdowns with 17. There are few defensive backs built to go up against a guy of Thomas Jr.'s stature.
He'll fit in nicely to this Bengals offense with Ja'Marr Chase across from him.
19. Green Bay Packers
The pick: Amarius Mims, Offensive Tackle, Georgia
David Bahktiari is unreliable with his health and age, plus the Packers need to get younger and more talented across the offensive line period. Insert Mims, who can be the new cornerstone tackle to protect Jordan Love. Mims is a great athlete who passes the eye test as well at 6'7" 340lbs.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The pick: Terrion Arnold, Cornerback, Alabama
Arnold is quite the ball hawk, recording five interceptions this past season and being a flat-out opportunistic cover man. The Buccaneers may see a player strikingly similar to someone they used to know - Aqib Talib.
While Talib didn't spend his entire career with the Bucs, they certainly remember his prowess in intercepting the football.
Arnold would be someone you'd like to bring along slowly, and the Buccaneers defense can give him that chance. Even still, Arnold could easily make his impact felt immediately.
21. Arizona Cardinals (via Houston Texans)
The pick: Bralen Trice, Edge Rusher, Washington
The Cardinals had a paltry 33 sacks in 2023 and their leading sack artist, Dennis Gardeck, turns 30 next season. B.J. Ojulari looks very promising, but the Cardinals could stand to add another dynamic rusher to their room.
Trice has gone from underrated to one of the most important players in Washington's national title run this season. Trice does a little bit of everything but there's one thing he does great, and that's sack the quarterback.
Sounds exactly like what the Cards need.
22. Los Angeles Rams
The pick: Cooper DeJean, Cornerback, Iowa
The Rams are a playoff team without many legitimate superstars on defense. Aaron Donald is still great and the rest of the guys are playing well, but the defense still needs another "guy" and you can tell they miss Jalen Ramsey.
DeJean is overthought in this class for the reason you suspect, and it's a shame because he's a high upside, lockdown corner, and even brings a dynamite returning aspect for special teams. It's hard to imagine the Rams willingly pass on a slipping DeJean here in the early 20s.
23. Pittsburgh Steelers
The pick: Nate Wiggins, Cornerback, Clemson
The Steelers' secondary is fascinating because if not for the pass rushing of T.J. Watt they would be carved up like a turkey dinner on a weekly basis. They desperately need a number one corner even with Joey Porter Jr. showing promise.
Wiggins is a player that some will have as their top cornerback in the class and for good reason given his tape. Like the guys before him, he slips due to team needs, but the Steelers will happily end his slide here.
24. Miami Dolphins
The pick: Keon Coleman, Wide Receiver, Florida State
Coleman, like his teammate Jared Verse, was once seen as a high as a top-10 draft pick, but as his season cooled off so did his draft stock. Now he feels like wherever he ends up he'll be a steal.
The Dolphins have two elite speedsters in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but beyond them is not much to write home about. Plus, the team needs more size. Coleman is a massive 6'4" 215lbs post-up guy with the "my ball" mentality you love to see.
With some added size to this receiver's room, the red zone just became even deadlier for one of the league's best offenses.
25. Philadelphia Eagles
The pick: Kamren Kinchens, Safety, Miami FL.
The Eagles quickly got figured out this season and a big reason for that was the falling apart of their secondary. You could see the age of guys like Darius Slay, James Bradbury, and even Kevin Byard, whom the team traded for midseason. Getting younger on the backend must take precedence this offseason.
Kinchens is a ball hawk and an immediate threat to opposing offenses, as they'll need to identify where he is at all times. For the Eagles' defense to get back on track, they'll need a centerfielder like Kinchens to keep opposing quarterbacks honest, which allows the ferocious pass rush to convert more sacks.
26. Kansas City Chiefs
The pick: Troy Franklin, Wide Receiver, Oregon
The name of the game is to get Patrick Mahomes a true number-one wide receiver, or really any wide receiver period. This needs to be addressed throughout the offseason whether it be via trade or Free Agency, but the 2024 NFL Draft has too many guys to fancy to the point where it would be irresponsible to pass on one early.
It also just so happens that one of the nation's best and one of my personal favorites has slid to them in Franklin. The Oregon product has the size and speed profile to be the top dog for Mahomes across from Rashee Rice. A duo of Franklin and Rice is such a drastic upgrade from what they have currently.
27. Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns)
The pick: Kris Jenkins, Interior Defensive Lineman, Michigan
The Texans have been perhaps the best surprise of the 2023 season. They were given the second-highest preseason odds for the top selection and now they're AFC South division champions. It's all thanks to the incredible 2023 draft class led by C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. and the future is very bright.
The smartest thing they can do to continue improving is to beef up their defense and Jenkins is precisely that. The national champion defensive lineman is a gap eater and absolutely ferocious off the snap. Without a reliable defensive tackle, Jenkins slides into a starting role for the Texans, who will be happy to have a player capable of eating blocks to keep his teammates' jerseys clean.
28. Detroit Lions
The pick: Chris Braswell, Edge Rusher, Alabama
Aidan Hutchinson is one of the best young pass rushers in the NFL right now, but he needs a running mate to keep opposing offensive lines from double-teaming him regularly.
Braswell was exactly this for his teammate Turner, who was just selected 14 picks ago. His eight sacks were second on the team behind Turner, but several instances made you believe he was succeeding on his own accord rather than benefiting from Turner. Placing him across from Hutchinson will help Braswell feel right at home and create a dynamic pass-rushing duo for the Lions.
29. Buffalo Bills
The pick: Devontez Walker, Wide Receiver, North Carolina
The future of the wide receiver position for the Bills is murky at best. Stefon Diggs signed an extension with the team and as long as he stays happy there's no reason to move on from him.
Beyond him, however, it's a bit concerning, especially considering the inconsistent Gabe Davis is likely leaving for a big contract.
The best thing the team can do is get a quality player across from Diggs to compliment his style and keep Josh Allen's arsenal stocked and loaded. Walker came alive for the Tar Heels once the NCAA decided to lift his waiver for eligibility and he's quickly becoming one of my favorite players.
Walker can play above the rim and feels like a perfect replacement for Davis... here's hoping he provides more reliability.
30. Dallas Cowboys
The pick: Ladd McConkey, Wide Receiver, Georgia
CeeDee Lamb had arguably the greatest single season in the history of the Cowboys franchise and is up for a contract extension with just one year left on his rookie deal. This means there are some difficult decisions to be made at the position to comply with the massive payday in store for Lamb.
Michael Gallup has given the team buyer's remorse and Brandin Cooks is on the wrong side of 30 with his lowest yardage output since his rookie season. The Cowboys need to get younger and cheaper so let's give them McConkey, who was instrumental in Georgia's offense the last few years as their top receiver.
Far from the sexiest of picks, McConkey is vastly underrated and overlooked. Operating across from Lamb will make him a potent rookie, even if he's in a reserved role behind the aforementioned guys.
31. San Francisco 49ers
The pick: JC Latham, Offensive Tackle, Alabama
Trent Williams is another year older and closer to retirement. The 49ers need to start preparing for life after the future Hall of Famer, but even now they need a clear upgrade across from him.
Latham is the next in a long line of offensive tackle prospects from Alabama and although his highest upside projects on the right side, that's not a bad thing at all, especially with Williams still holding down the left side.
32. Baltimore Ravens
The pick: Kamari Lassiter, Cornerback, Georgia
The Ravens enter the playoffs with few needs, but they'll enter the offseason with plenty. The team needs to get younger at tackle and edge rusher, plus there's a strong need for cornerback depth. Naturally, the Ravens do what they do best and let the board fall to them and grab the best player available.
Lassiter is the next in a long line of day one talented defenders from Georgia and he's a good one. Lassiter gets the opportunity to come to Baltimore and learn for a year behind Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens and could even be the latter's successor should he price himself out of their pockets.
It's a great place to go and be developed.
