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2024 NFL Mock Draft (1.0) @JamFed
3/8/2024 – by James Fedewa (@JamFed)
NFL fans are waiting for the 2024 free-agent frenzy to begin, and this draft might make the current quarterback market go CrAzY. Since Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix are six year college starters (a new trend with NIL QB’s), with tons of game experience, this really shoves Penix and Nix into a “faux-veteran” QB status. Paying a rookie is a lot less money than a starting veteran QB in the NFL, so 6 QB’s are drafted in his first round mock draft.
Assuming where the free agent quarterback sign, lets do a bit of guessing (for now):
- Kirk Cousins resigns with the Vikings
- Baker Mayfield resigns with the Buccaneers
- Russell Wilson signs with the Steelers
- Justin Fields gets traded to the Giants (Chicago shops Justin Fields and they get a second rounder / NYG have two 2nd round picks, and extra 2nd for trading away Leonard Williams to Seattle)
- Zach Wilson gets traded from the Jets to Denver
- Drew Lock signs with the Washington Commanders
| Team | Player | Notes |
| 1)Chicago Bears (from Carolina) | Caleb Williams, QB, USC | Caleb Williams is a fantastic QB prospect and Chicago starts a new tenure with another first round rookie QB. Personally, I think Chicago should trade this pick, keep Justin Fields for one more season, and stack up future draft picks. Yes, Fields career stats are not exactly ideal, but young QB’s on bad teams do not exactly have great stats. Willims will probably have similar numbers, until Chicago attracts more talent. |
| 2) Washington Commanders | Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina | Drake Maye is my #2 rated QB in this draft and should flourish as a young NFL quarterback in DC. Washington signs Drew Lock to a $7MM one year deal, and can start for a season, while Maye gets ready for the NFL. Funny how Lock is now a “mentor” – when he’s just a kid himself… |
| 3) New England Patriots | Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU | The Patriots need something different at QB and Daniels is a totally different TYPE of QB New England has ever seen. Mac Jones wasn’t the problem last year either, but he’s also not the solution. New England lacks playmakers so a QB reset is in order. |
| 4) Arizona Cardinals | Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio St | I expect this draft pick to be traded to a QB needy team. But, if AZ does decide to pick, then MHJ is their guy, who is the true #1 prospect in this draft. |
| 5) Los Angeles Chargers | Malik Nabers, WR, LSU | I also expect this draft pick to be traded to a QB needy team. Several mock drafters have a Joe Alt, or Brock Browers chosen here, but I think WR would be the pick. Currently, the Chargers have FIVE quality offensive tackles on their roster, so Alt is not exactly a need. Bowers would be a fantastic pick, if they choose to trade down, but current BPA at #5 would be Nabers. |
| 6)New York Giants | Rome Odunze, WR, Washington | Drafting a quarterback is not an option for their current head coach Brian Daboll (since he is already on the hot seat). Daboll does not have the time to develop a rookie QB, so they will nab Justin Fields as quality backup. However, giving either Daniel Jones or Justin Fields an amazing WR1 with Odunze is setting the current coach and GM up for success. Start Jones, and see if Fields can get on the field. |
| 7)Tennessee Titans | Joe Alt, OL, Notre Dame | Joe Alt has great game tape and fantastic size, but his combine had too many mixed variables. He’s big and strong, with good speed (for his size), but he fell down several times in footwork drills, so he slides a bit. |
| 8) Atlanta Falcons | Michael Penix, QB, Washington | Yes, Michael Penix Jr. is the real deal and will start & flourish game one for the Falcons. His accuracy and arm strength are top tier and I predict he wins OROY (and blows up fantasy football stats). Atlanta is targeting Kirk Cousins, which is fine, but why give Cousins $30MM per year, when you can get better results with Penix, and cost a lot less than Cousins. |
| 9) Chicago Bears | Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia | If Justin Fields had more weapons last season, his stats would be a lot better, and they could keep Fields. But Fields failed and is now gone, so drafting offensive weapons here would help the new QB out immensely. Bowers and Kmet are contrast TE’s, which will only improve their offense. |
| 10) New York Jets | JC Latham, OL, Alabama | Aaron Rodgers needs all the protection he can get, but I could also see the Jets drafting his future replacement (or another WR |
| 11) Minnesota Vikings | Dallas Turner, ER, Alabama | Turner could get drafted as early as #5 and has been a very fast riser since his fantastic combine. |
| 12) Denver Broncos | Byron Murphy, DL, Texas | The Broncos target a “reclamation” QB as a stop-gap season and trade for the Jets Zach Wilson. Many folk feel that a quarterback should be used at this spot (but I do not). They are not ready for a QB, especially considering that Russel Wilson’s dead cap space will hinder this team the next two seasons. Developing a 1st round QB now is too early at this point, so may as well target a slumping and cheap veteran QB. Next year would be a better season to target a young QB, unless Zach Wilson shines… |
| 13) Las Vegas Raiders | JJ McCarthy, QB, Michigan | I’m not exactly sold on JJ McCarty as a first rounder, but he seems to have drawn a lot of interest lately (especially since the Jim Harbaugh statement that JJ should go #1 overall). JJ is going to have to sit for a season, but the Raiders can let their current QB Aidan O’Connell gain more experience. New GM Tom Telesco prefers to draft “character” guys and JJ would be that guy. |
| 14) New Orleans Saints | Amarius Mims, OL, Georgia | Mims is huge. Just pure massiveness. Lean too (just full of crazy huge muscles). He will be a right tackle only, so he’s limited with “fallback” position flexibility, but he’s a freak and freaks get drafted early than expected. |
| 15) Indianapolis Colts | Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama | First DB taken in the draft. Sure, maybe they should go after Brian Thomas from LSU, but IMO, CB1 is better than WR4 (especially in this loaded WR draft). |
| 16) Seattle Seahawks | Bo Nix, QB, Oregon | I can see Seattle drafting D-Line, but they do not have to. They already have DT’s Leonard Williams and Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed. They could go Edge, but they have Boye Mafe, Uchenna Nwosu, Derick Hall and Darrell Taylor. Their D-line is loaded (and IMHO, one of the best on paper). OG and C are certainly a possibility with this pick, but they can get those later. Plus, Bo Nix is better than draft-fans think. He has first round talent written all over him. Sure, he checks down a lot, but that would be just fine checking down to this RB and WR roster. Nix is a perfect match of this offense. |
| 17) Jacksonville Jaguars | Brian Thomas, WR, LSU | Several folk mock draft a CB to the Jags this spot, which is fine (and probable). However, Brian Thomas is big and fast and could be true WR1. |
| 18) Cincinnati Bengals | Taliese Fuaga, OL, Oregon St | Fuaga is a fantastic RT prospect and could probably play every OL position. Cincy needs OL help, this is BPA and a need. |
| 19) Los Angeles Rams | Jared Verse, ER, Florida St | If LA is offering two first round picks for Brian Burns, then obviously DE is a primary need. |
| 20) Pittsburgh Steelers | Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo | Mitchell might be the best DB in this draft, but played in the MAC (so he slides just a bit). |
| 21) Miami Dolphins | Olu Fashanu, OL, Penn St | Rumor has it that their current Left Tackle, Terron Armstead, could retire. |
| 22) Philadelphia Eagles | Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson | A bit skinny but lightning fast. Philly need a CB more than anything and will start day one. |
| 23) Houston Texans | Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa | BPA- Houston could get another WR or DE, but DeJean is a freak (and could get drafted quite a bit earlier) |
| 24) Dallas Cowboys | Tyler Guyton, OL, Oklahoma | Your brand new starting left tackle. |
| 25) Green Bay Packers | Jackson Powers-Johnson, OL, Oregon | Green Bay could go many directions with this pick, but quality O-Linemen seem to be their favorite to draft. Best Center (or OG) in the draft. |
| 26) Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Laiatu Latu, ER, UCLA | Latu could go in the TEENS, but medical cautions have him slipping just a bit. |
| 27) Arizona Cardinals | Chop Robinson, ER, Penn St | Freaky combine shoves him up the board. What a fantastic find for AZ. |
| 28) Buffalo Bills | Kool Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama | They just dumped nearly their whole defensive secondary. They need talented bodies. |
| 29) Detroit Lions | JerZhan Newton, DL, Illinois | Johnny Newton does slide a bit in this draft, because of an injury, but he’s still a top tier talent |
| 30) Baltimore Ravens | Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia | BPA, other than WR, right? They need WR’s, but not in the first round (unless Brian Thomas falls here). OL would be a good selection here too. |
| 31) San Francisco 49ers | Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington | RG and RT are huge needs |
| 32) Kansas City Chiefs | Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas | The rich get richer. Damn, they seem to draft guys that are perfect fits and fall right to them. |
***Please reply back and let me know what you think. Lets challenge and mock each others estimations.
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