2024 NFL Mock Draft: Offensive dominates first two rounds

1. Chicago Bears

Caleb Williams, QB, USC

The quarterback with the highest upside on the board, the Bears reset priorities to help the unique but talented Williams reach his Patrick Mahomes-like ceiling.

2. Washington Commanders

Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

The Commanders secure the best QB available. Even without Williams’ immense upside, Maye is comfortable in the pocket and capable in the “Air Raid” derivative scheme employed by new coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

3. New England Patriots

Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

A trade wouldn’t be a surprise here but predicting the priorities and appetite for risk from personnel boss Eliot Wolf and head coach Jerod Mayo isn’t easy. In the Heisman winner the Patriots would have a dual-threat quarterback with a quick trigger and the open-field skills that indicate his ceiling hasn’t been touched.

4. Arizona Cardinals

Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

Nothing to overthink here. Kyler Murray gets a pro-ready, top-tier receiver. This tandem in their physical prime could quickly rejuvenate the Cardinals’ passing game.

5. Los Angeles Chargers

Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

Alt brings another sure thing to the edge in Jim Harbaugh’s run-centric scheme that should make Justin Herbert a deadly force from the pocket.

6. New York Giants

Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

Plus size and athleticism with the ability to separate from man coverage and create after the catch. Odunze isn’t a speedster but uses his body and reach to claim every jump ball.

7. Tennessee Titans

Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State

Fashanu is the most refined pass blocker in the class. Tennessee is trying to support their new potential franchise quarterback in Will Levis, and this is the first step.

8. Atlanta Falcons

Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama

Plus athleticism will excite Raheem Morris as he brings his 3-4 scheme to the Falcons, who can’t seem to find a consistent pass rush outside.

9. Chicago Bears

Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

One of the youngest prospects in the draft, Nabers can ease into the offense as a second receiver behind DJ Moore and help redefine Monsters of the Midway.

10. New York Jets

Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

Drafting tight ends in the top 10 might be foolhardy, but the Jets are in win-now mode yet again. Bowers brings a gamebreaker approach to tight end that Aaron Rodgers can use to exploit defenses instantly.

11. Minnesota Vikings

Jared Verse, DE, Florida State

The Vikings prioritize length in their edge group and Verse has it in spades, combined with explosive athleticism and decent technical refinement. Verse should bring up the floor of a depleted defensive line and elevate Brian Flores to new heights as a defensive coordinator.

12. Denver Broncos

J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

Betting big on the underdog quarterback isn’t a novel concept to Sean Payton, who tutored undrafted free agent Tony Romo in Dallas and pushed his chips to the middle of the table for Drew Brees coming off shoulder surgery. McCarthy isn’t going to flinch under the taskmaster coaching of Payton but getting great results might mean surviving growing pains.

13. Las Vegas Raiders

Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

With 4.4 speed and nearly unprecedented playmaking to get to balls in the air, Mitchell has a chance to rise to stardom early behind the Raiders’ dominant pass rush.

14. New Orleans Saints

JC Latham, OT, Alabama

Pass protection is a serious need in New Orleans with a pair of wobbly tackles. A franchise whose draft board rarely matches the masses targets Latham for his strength and the footwork to help preserve QB Derek Carr after a rough year running for cover in 2023.

15. Indianapolis Colts

Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

The Colts would be intrigued by a move down with a handful of offensive linemen and wide receivers that fit the prototypes GM Chris Ballard prefers. The value of landing Arnold in this spot is too good to resist.

16. Seattle Seahawks

Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois

Versatile defensive linemen are like favorite songs for new coach Mike Macdonald — he can’t pick just one. A gap-shooting force with strength and agility, Newton brings valued versatility to the new-look Seahawks.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars

Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

Losing Calvin Ridley leaves a mark, but Thomas will be cheaper and more than capable with impressive size, speed and agility.

18. Cincinnati Bengals

Laiatu Latu, DE, UCLA

Latu’s technical refinement fits in a rotation with Sam Hubbard and Trey Hendrickson but it might not be long before he becomes the marquee edge for the Bengals.

19. Los Angeles Rams

Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State

He’s arguably a better long-term prospect than Joe Alt and JC Latham, but Fashanu isn’t quite an out-of-the-box play at left tackle. He’ll have a chance to nail down the job on a revamped offensive line that is suddenly a strength.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers

Byron Murphy II, DL, Texas

A ‘tweener who becomes a 3-4 defensive end in the Steelers’ scheme, Murphy’s burst and high motor make for the ideal match as Pittsburgh rebuilds the front seven.

21. Miami Dolphins

Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State

Miami could go with an interior lineman or select Fuaga, a power blocker with tackle and guard potential, to fill the massive gap created by right guard Robert Hunt’s exit for Carolina.

22. Philadelphia Eagles

Chop Robinson, DE, Penn State

Significant changes came to the Eagles’ defense after a late-season meltdown, and Robinson would help further refresh the pass rush alongside new addition Bryce Huff.

23. Minnesota Vikings

Darius Robinson, DT, Missouri

Robinson has great length, a stout frame and serious strength to further bolster Minnesota’s defense.

24. Dallas Cowboys

Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

Value at offensive tackle is tempting in this spot, but Wiggins could be a top-10 level NFL cornerback and is the best player available. Paired with Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland, Wiggins would give the Cowboys a top-tier CB crew.

25. Green Bay Packers

Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa

There’s just something about the Hawkeyes that appeals to Green Bay decision-makers who add the versatile DeJean as a peer to 2023 first-rounder via Iowa, outside linebacker Lukas Van Ness.

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

Raw as a junior with only eight career starts, Mims has blackout-the-sun size at 6-8, 335 pounds and can break in at right tackle.

27. Arizona Cardinals

Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

Signing Sean Murphy-Bunting is a solid start, but the Cardinals can’t pass on Kool-Aid at the end of the first round. Can play man or zone and isn’t afraid to step to the best receivers in the game.

28. Buffalo Bills

Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State

Coleman would be miscast as a No. 1 receiver or replacement for Stefon Diggs. But the Bills are setting up their offense to emphasize their talent at tight end, and can utilize the tall and reliable Coleman in downfield and contested catch spots.

29. Detroit Lions

Ennis Rakestraw, CB, Missouri

Willing in any role the Lions might choose, Rakestraw doesn’t mind brawling with a competitive grade the Lions embrace.

30. Baltimore Ravens

Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington

Fautanu has tackle and guard flexibility and can pave wide paths in the running game.

31. San Francisco 49ers

Graham Barton, C, Duke

Capable at center or guard, Barton also has experience at left tackle. He’s been on the maybe list of at least five teams before getting to this point, and GM John Lynch shouldn’t think twice.

32. Kansas City Chiefs

Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

Patrick Mahomes gets another big-play toy in Worthy, who ran the fastest 40 ever at the combine (4.21 seconds) right after receiving a motivating text from the KC quarterback.

Second round

33. Carolina Panthers

Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon

34. New England Patriots

Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona

35. Arizona Cardinals

T’Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas

36. Washington Commanders

Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma

37. Los Angeles Chargers

Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan

38. Tennessee Titans

Kris Jenkins, DT, Michigan

39. Carolina Panthers

Marshawn Kneeland, Edge, W. Michigan

40. Washington Commanders

Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State

41. Green Bay

Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia

42. Houston Texans

Braden Fiske, DT, Florida State

43. Atlanta Falcons

Cooper Beebe, OG, Kansas State

44. Las Vegas Raiders

Blake Corum, RB, Michigan

45. New Orleans Saints

Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina

46. Indianapolis Colts

Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon

47. New York Giants

Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas

48. Jacksonville Jaguars

Zach Frazier, OL, West Virginia

49. Cincinnati Bengals

Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas

50. Philadelphia Eagles

Khyree Jackson, CB, Oregon

51. Pittsburgh Steelers

Sedrick Van Pran, C, Georgia

52. Los Angeles Rams

Payton Wilson, LB, NC State

53. Philadelphia Eagles

Javon Bullard, S, Georgia

54. Cleveland Browns

Bo Nix, QB, Oregon

55. Miami Dolphins

Ruke Orhorhoro, DT, Clemson

56. Dallas Cowboys

Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU

57. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas

58. Green Bay Packers

Junior Colson, LB, Michigan

59. Houston Texans

Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan

60. Buffalo Bills

Chris Braswell, Edge, Alabama

61. Detroit Lions

Christian Haynes, OG, Connecticut

62. Baltimore Ravens

Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida

63. San Francisco

Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky

64. Kansas City Chiefs

Kiran Amegadjie, OT, Yale

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