- CHI – QB Caleb Williams, USC
The only pick in the draft appears to be a sure-fire lock. GM Ryan Poles will be remembered for missing on QB CJ Stroud as opposed to deferring on QB Bryce Young. Bears fans hope that their beloved franchise finally found an answer at QB, something they haven’t seen since Sid Luckman in the 1940s. I don’t think Caleb will show as much promise as Stroud did in his rookie season. Hope I’m wrong for the sake of the Bears fans who have suffered for way too long.
- WAS – QB Jayden Daniels, LSU
This pick isn’t quite the lock as Caleb to the Bears, but it’s pretty close. Daniels may have the most successful rookie campaign of all the QBs due to his sheer athleticism. People question his thin-frame; however, he has a pretty good track record of staying healthy. Anthony Richardson is built like a Greek God and could barely make it through 4 games last year.
- NE – QB Drake Maye, UNC
An NFL analyst I respect a lot, Merril Hodge, made a big statement that Drake Maye is the type of QB that gets a coach fired. Although Maye has a large ceiling, his floor is incredibly low and he will not be ready to go Week 1. Keep in mind that most players don’t reach their ceilings and I’m afraid New England’s infrastructure won’t help his cause. The Patriots won’t see it that way though and take him anyways.
- CHI (via AZ) – WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
The Cardinals are open for business, and the Bears are going to be buyers. GM Ryan Poles hopes that he just secured the top QB and WR in this draft class. I’m not as hopeful, I think both picks don’t live up to their hype and it will ultimately cause the entire regime in Chicago to get canned within the next couple of years. I know RC will have a good laugh and double down on his position with MHJ if this comes to fruition. This will be an absolute nightmare from an FF perspective as MHJ will have to overcome many obstacles such as bad QB play and being buried on the depth chart behind Keenan Allen and DJM.
- LAC – OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame
A lot of mock drafts have the Chargers trading out of this pick or taking a WR. Instead, I’m going to send the top rated OT in this draft to the Chargers. If Alt pans out, he and OT Rashawn Slater will fortify LAC’s offensive line for years to come. This draft is SO loaded at WR that the Chargers can address this position in later rounds. I’m sure Michigan WR Roman Wilson is high up on HC Jim Harbaugh’s radar.
- NYG – WR Malik Nabers, LSU
The Giants lost their best offensive player, Saquon Barkley, this past offseason. Fortunately for them, they land an electric WR, Malik Nabers. Giants fans are hoping that this LSU product is similar to the one they drafted 10 years ago, WR Odell Beckham Jr. Nabers immediately becomes the best pass catching weapon that Daniel Jones has ever worked with. I’m not bullish on Jones’ future in NYG but Nabers could certainly help his case.
- TEN – OT JC Latham, Bama
The Titans grab Latham with this pick and hope that he can become their cornerstone tackle. Their OL play deteriorated down the stretch in 2023 due to injuries. Adding Latham and new OL coach/guru Bill Callahan will help improve this unit in 2024.
- DEN (via ATL) – QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
HC Sean Payton calls up his buddy from their time with the Saints and strikes a deal with Falcons GM Terry Fontenot. The Saints narrowly missed on Patrick Mahomes in 2018, and I bet that still haunts Payton (and Fontenot) until this day. I expect Payton to be aggressive here as his first season in Denver was a major disappointment.
- AZ (via CHI) – WR Rome Odunze, UW
Cardinals pick up extra draft capital and grab Rome Odunze who may have a more successful career than Marvin Harrison. Odunze will be a major FF asset in the Cardinals depleted WR room.
- NYJ – TE Brock Bowers, UGA
The Jets addressed their offensive line through free agency, and now they take Brock Bowers who is a blue chip NFL prospect. Wilson, Hall and Bowers will be a tough task for defensive coordinators to scheme against for years to come. If NYJ’s offensive line stays healthy, they will make a deep playoff push next year.
- MIN – DT Byron Murphy II, Texas
- ATL (via DEN) – DE Laiatu Latu, UCLA
- LV – OT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
- NO – Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State
- IND – WR Xavier Worthy, Texas
- SEA – DE Dallas Turner, Bama
- JAX – CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
- CIN – DT Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois
- LAR – CB Terrion Arnold, Bama
- PIT – OT Troy Fautanu, UW
- MIA – OT Amarius Mims, UGA
- PHI – CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson
- MIN – QB Michael Penix, UW
- DAL – OT Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma
- GB – CB/S Cooper DeJean, Iowa
- TB – EDGE Jared Verse, FSU
- AZ – EDGE Chop Robinson, Penn State
- BUF – WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU
- DET – CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Bama
- BAL – WR Keon Coleman, FSU
- SF – OT Jordan Morgan, Arizona
- KC – WR Ladd McConkey, UGA
