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NFL Mock Draft 2024: Pre Combine Mock Draft with several trades

NFL Mock Draft 2024: Pre Combine Mock Draft with several trades
NFL Mock Draft 2024: Pre Combine Mock Draft with several trades

The NFL Draft is almost here, and this week several players stock will rise during the Combine. I figured I would post a Pre-Combine Mock Draft and have some fun.

Let’s have some fun and discuss our reasoning behind our picks!

1st Round

  1. Chicago Bears – Caleb Williams, QB, USC – While I wish the Chicago Bears would keep Justin Fields and trade down, I just do not think they can do that again. They did it last year and it worked out for them. I am not sure they can pass on Williams. While I feel Williams will be a solid prospect, I am not sure he is much better than Fields. I could see a trade down here, but I am going to keep them standing pat and taking CW.
  2. Washington Commanders – Drake Maye, QB, UNC – The Commanders need a quarterback, and while Sam Howell is not a bad option, Maye is a better prospect. I would keep Howell still and allow him to compete with Maye.
  3. New England Patriots – Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State – I know people are going to want a quarterback here, but there is no quarterback worthy of taking at this pick. I think the Patriots should go after Kirk Cousins and draft Marvin Harrison Jr. They solidify two holes and Cousins is looking for a fresh start. He is a very good quarterback, and can flourish in New England.
  4. Arizona Cardinals – Malik Nabers, WR, LSU – Some feel Nabers and Harrison Jr. are very similar, but you need to get Kyler Murray some weapons. They posted yesterday, Murray is their quarterback moving forward, so you might as well get him a weapon. His tight end has turned into a star, now they just need a wide out to shine.
  5. LA Chargers – Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame – Let’s face it, the Chargers are going to be going after a running back in free agency with Ekeler testing the waters. I would love to see the Chargers solidify their line and get Saquon Barkley in free agency. This draft is deep at wide out, and while I feel they could use a wide out with Mike Williams potentially gone, this is a slam dunk of a pick.
  6. Minnesota Vikings (TRADE) – JJ McCarthy, QB, Michigan – New York Giants trade down to 11 – The Vikings are going to lose Kirk Cousins in free agency, and they will need a quarterback. I was going to give the Vikings Jayden Daniels, but I think McCarthy is a better and more efficient passer. I could see him shining in the Vikings offense with a star wide out like Justin Jefferson.
  7. Tennessee Titans – Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State – The Titans get one of the best offensive lineman in the NFL Draft. The Titans need a lot of help, but solidifying your lines is a start. Fashanu is a ten year starter for the Titans.
  8. Las Vegas Raiders (TRADE) – Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU – Atlanta Falcons traded down to 13 – The Raiders pull the trigger to move up from 13 when they see the quarterbacks all being selected. The Raiders add a much needed quarterback and they do not have to give up much.
  9. Chicago Bears – Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia – The Bears get Caleb Williams one of the best football players in the entire draft. The Bears strike again adding an amazing target. A safety net so to speak for their future franchise QB.
  10. New York Jets – Rome Odunze, WR, Washington – The New York Jets get Aaron Rodgers a true number 2 wide receiver to go opposite of Garrett Wilson. Do the Jets need a wide out, not necessarily but this is a great pick and the guy is always open.
  11. Seattle Seahawks (TRADE) – Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama – New York Giants trade down to 16 – The Giants continue to stack some picks because the player they want on the board is still a little lower value. Will Joe Schoen and company be able to get the player they have on their mind. The Seahawks land the best pass rusher in the draft.
  12. Kansas City Chiefs (TRADE) – Johnny Newton, DL, Illinois – Denver Broncos traded down to 32 – Newton, an all-around interior defensive lineman, is productive as both a run defender and a pass rusher. His overall size is on the smaller side, but his first step and elite hand speed allow him to live in backfields.
  13. Atlanta Falcons – Jared Verse, DE, Florida State – The Falcons could have had Verse at the 8th overall pick, but decided to trade down and pick up some picks. They still land the defensive end they wanted at thirteen overall. The Falcons will end up trading for Justin Fields as well!
  14. New Orleans Saints – Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona – Morgan could have been a draft pick last year but tore his ACL in November. He has starting-caliber movement skills in pass protection but could stand to be a more impactful run-blocker.
  15. Indianapolis Colts – Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa – DeJean is one of the most well-rounded athletes in college football. He can play outside cornerback, slot cornerback and even safety due to his size (6-foot-1 and 205 pounds) and speed combo. He also has some of the best ball skills of any defensive back in the class. He’s one of the draft’s top playmakers.
  16. New York Giants – Brian Thomas, WR, LSU – The Giants are able to trade down multiple times and still get the player they feel can absolutely come in and dominate. Thomas is a big wide out with great hands and speed.
  17. Jacksonville Jaguars – Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson – Wiggins has legit ball skills and shutdown athletic abilities. He needs to be more consistent in run defense and with the overall strength parts of his game, but he is a legit prospect.
  18. Cincinnati Bengals – Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State – Fuaga is a true mauler of an offensive tackle. His dominance in the run game catches your eye first, as he displaces opponents and finishes them from the play. But he’s also well-versed in hand usage in pass protection, making for a well-rounded prospect.
  19. LA Rams – Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama – Arnold is a raw prospect, but he is so damn athletic. The Rams take players they love, and I could see them falling in love with Arnold and him becoming a superstar. The Rams have not had a first round pick in forever, so this feels weird giving them a first rounder.
  20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama – McKinstry has shutdown CB1 potential. For schemes that rely on more man coverage, he’s very comfortable playing in press and with his back to the ball. Plus, he has one of the highest forced incompletion totals in the country over the past two seasons. Add him to a secondary with Joey Porter Jr., and you continue to build a nasty defense for the Steelers.
  21. Miami Dolphins – JC Latham, OT, Alabama – Latham is a super-sized offensive tackle at 6-foot-6 and 360 pounds, but he moves much better than one would expect for a player of his size. The Dolphins need to protect Tua, they have a ton of free agents on the O-Line.
  22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (TRADE) – Laiatu Latu, DE, UCLA – Philadelphia Eagles move down to 26 – Latu has some of the best pass-rush moves of any edge rusher in the 2024 class. His hand usage, reaction time and first-step athleticism are first-round caliber in all categories.
  23. Houston Texans – Jonah Elliss, DE, Utah – Elliss is an undersized but twitched-up edge prospect with NFL bloodlines (his father played for 10 seasons in the NFL, and three of his brothers play in the league). Texans land a very good pass rusher to go opposite of Will Anderson.
  24. Dallas Cowboys – Troy Fautanu, OG, Washington – Do not overthink this one Dallas, you need to build the line up. Fautanu is the best offensive lineman left and he is an immediate starter on the O-Line.
  25. Green Bay Packers – Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia – Lassiter has been a starting outside corner for Georgia for two seasons, but he wasn’t given the opportunity to take hold of the CB1 role until this season. After losing Rasul Douglas via a trade, they need another solid CB.
  26. Philadelphia Eagles – Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia – Mims flexibility allows him to get a wide base while keeping his back flat to generate a ton of power and more leverage than one would expect. He’s light on experience but will be coveted come draft time.
  27. Arizona Cardinals – Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State – Two big time wide outs in the first round? I know the Cardinals have some holes on their roster, but you cannot pass on two of the best wide outs in the entire draft. Give Kyler some weapons.
  28. Buffalo Bills – Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo – Mitchell has some of the highest ball-production numbers in the FBS over the last two seasons. His forced incompletion total and forced incompletion percentage are both top-10 in the FBS.
  29. Detroit Lions – Jackson Powers-Johnson, OL, Oregon – JPJ is a Dan Campbell kind of guy. A mean and mauling offensive lineman who fits the mold of the Lions. The Lions are very close and if they can add a mean lineman it could be a huge addition to their offense.
  30. Baltimore Ravens – Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan – I feel Roman Wilson is one of the best wide outs in the NFL Draft, and the Ravens need a productive player. Wilson is tough to cover and deserves to be in the conversation of first round picks.
  31. San Francisco 49ers – Darius Robinson, DL, Missouri – The 49ers take a swing on a player, who I feel will be a superstar in the NFL. He may not be the biggest player, but he is a dog with a mentality very similar to Javon Hargrave.
  32. Denver Broncos – Michael Penix Jr. – Denver Broncos finally land a quarterback they like. Penix Jr. is an older prospect and a journeyman in college, but he can deliver all the throws. I think this is a huge landing spot for him.

2nd Round

  • 33. Carolina Panthers – Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas – Mitchell is a smooth route runner for a guy 6-foot-4. His body control and ability to change speeds throughout his routes give him a natural ability to create separation. Plus, his size and length make him one of the best red-zone threats in the country in terms of efficiency.
  • 34. New England Patriots – Xavier Leggette, WR, South Carolina – Patriots take a page out of the Cardinals playbook, by getting Kirk Cousins some wide outs. Legette has been one of the biggest risers in this draft class. Seen as a Day 3 prospect before the season, the 6-foot-3, 225-pound receiver has dominated at the catch point while showing rare yards-after-catch ability for a player of his size.
  • 35. Arizona Cardinals – Chop Robinson, DE, Penn State – Robinson is the most twitched-up pass-rusher in the 2024 class. He’s still developing his pass-rush profile in terms of moves and counters, but his first-step explosiveness and speed-to-power abilities are rare.
  • 36. Washington Commanders – Chris Braswell, EDGE, Alabama – Braswell has the size, speed and strength combination to be a future NFL edge rusher. It’s taken some growth for him to become more of a stand-up rusher than a defensive end, as Alabama has wanted. 
  • 37. LA Chargers – Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon – Get some speed for Justin Herbert! Franklin will be a top target for teams looking to add a receiver who will allow them to push the ball downfield consistently. He has smooth strides and good top speed to be a vertical threat in the pros, and his route running has become more polished in 2023.
  • 38. Tennessee Titans – Bralen Trice, DE, Washington – Trice’s top-tier speed-to-power likely leaves opposing blockers sitting in post-game ice baths for longer than normal. He’s also a strong run defender, to boot. He is still working on expanding his pass-rush moves
  • 39. NY Giants – Patrick Paul, OT, Houston – The massive 6-foot-7 Paul has earned elite pass-blocking grades the past two seasons, thanks to his elite length and nimble feet. He hasn’t graded nearly as well as a run-blocker, but his improved posture and core strength have yielded his career-best results this season.
  • 40. Washington Commanders – Kiran Amedgadjie, OT, Yale –  The way he can fire off the line of scrimmage, whether that’s forward run blocking or retreating in pass protection, is impressive. His contact balance and core strength are also plusses in his game. 
  • 41. Green Bay Packers – Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami – Kinchens is about as versatile a safety as you’ll find in this draft. His athleticism gives him top-tier range in coverage as a single-high defender, but Miami also uses him in the box. He’s a scheme-versatile backend playmaker
  • 42. NY Giants – Bo Nix, QB, Oregon – The underwhelming Bo Nix we knew from Auburn seems long gone. Nowadays, Nix is seen as a good dual-threat athlete with a legit NFL arm. Most importantly, he’s playing much better under pressure, even if he isn’t pressured as often.
  • 43. Atlanta Falcons – Ennis Rakestraw, CB, Missouri – Rakestraw is an incredibly smart and savvy off-coverage cornerback who plays in a way that makes watching his film a joy. Before the plays are even snapped, you can see evidence of his football IQ with his pre-snap communication and adjustments to motion. 
  • 44. Atlanta Falcons – Byron Murphy II, DL, Texas –  Murphy is listed at 6-foot-1, 305 pounds — but his quickness and strength at the three-technique position yielded a 91.8 pass-rush grade in 2023. This is the best player available at this point.
  • 45. New Orleans Saints – Adisa Isaac, DE, Penn State – The 6-foot-4, 250-pound redshirt senior had his best all-around season in 2023, earning an 81.8 overall grade, an 80.2 run-defense grade and a 73.4 pass-rush grade. His pass-rush win rate remains lower, at around 13%, but he will be a solid NFL depth player with a chance to develop into a starter.
  • 46. Indianapolis Colts – Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia – McConkey is one of the best route runners in this class. But, unlike some stereotypical expectations, he doesn’t just have quick speed; he also has good long speed. He is a slot guy at the next level due to size, but a more versatile one because of that all-around speed.
  • 47. NY Giants – Graham Barton, OL, Duke – Barton plays left tackle for the Blue Devils but is on the shorter side in regard to length for an NFL offensive tackle. This might cause a shift to an interior position in the pros, but wherever he ends up, he has starting-caliber strength and skill.
  • 48. Jacksonville Jaguars – Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas – The NFL will always covet speed, which is why we know the NFL will covet Xavier Worthy. He’s a former track star who has some of the best getaway speed in the country when it comes to adding in yards after the catch.
  • 49. Cincinnati Bengals – Devontez Walker, WR, North Carolina – Walker is raw in his consistency, but he is a toolsy receiver who could be a big difference-maker in the pros. He made an immediate impact for the Tarheels when he returned to play. The Bengals land another stud.
  • 50. Philadelphia Eagles – Kalen King, CB, Penn State – King is an elite athlete who brings a ton of confidence and closing speed to the cornerback position. He has the mentality and talent to play in various coverage schemes.
  • 51. Pittsburgh Steelers – Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU – Suamataia is a former five-star offensive lineman who moves very well despite his 6-foot-6, 325-pound frame. There are still inconsistencies in his game, especially in run blocking.
  • 52. LA Rams – T’Vondre Sweat, DL, Texas – Sweat has been one of the most impactful defensive linemen in college football. He has earned elite grades as a run defender and pass-rusher this season, all while weighing in at 360 pounds. He’s far more explosive than the average nose tackle.
  • 53. Philadelphia Eagles – Brenden Rice, WR, USC – Brenden Rice, the son of Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice, improved his PFF receiving grade in every year of his college career, with his 79.4 grade in 2023 good for sixth among 42 qualifying Pac-12 receivers. 
  • 54. Cleveland Browns – Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida – The 6-foot-1, 192-pound senior has been more of a slot player in his career, but this season, he has played 358 snaps in the slot and 314 out wide.
  • 55. Miami Dolphins – TJ Tampa, CB, Iowa State – Tampa is a uniquely built cornerback who has both length and ball skills. He is comfortable and confident in press coverage, re-routing receivers at release and sticking with them.
  • 56. Dallas Cowboys – Josh Newton, CB, TCU – Newton has legit man-coverage size and ability and has starting NFL potential. He is the best player available at this time, and let’s face it the Cowboys have Trevon Diggs and Daron Bland. You allow all three of these guys on the field at the same time and they could be dangerous.
  • 57. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky – Corley is a sleeper in the NFL Draft, but he has some big play making ability. With Mike Evans likely gone in free agency, this would open up a huge hole that Corley could come in right away and make an impact.
  • 58. Green Bay Packers – Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma – Guyton has very good movement skills for an offensive tackle of his size. He explodes off the ball and is a force when blocking in open space. 
  • 59. Houston Texans – Kris Jenkins, DL, Michigan – Adding another beast to the defensive line is the way to do it. I know people are asking right now, why aren’t they drafting a wide receiver. I think the Texans are the team that lands Mike Evans, that is why!
  • 60. Buffalo Bills – Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota – Nubin is an experienced safety who can play both free and strong responsibilities. He’s reliable in run defense, but his most impressive trait is his anticipation in coverage. 
  • 61. Detroit Lions – Leonard Taylor III, DE, Miami – I feel Taylor is a first round talent, for the Lions to be able to land him at 61 is an absolute steal. I love this pick for Dan Campbell and company.
  • 62. Baltimore Ravens -Marshawn Kneeland, DE, Western Michigan – The Ravens need an edge rusher and they land a very solid player who has great strength and speed. I love this addition in the 2nd for the Ravens.
  • 63. San Francisco 49ers – Brandon Dorlus, EDGE, Oregon – You notice a trend yet? The 49ers are going to keep adding defensive lineman, that is what they do. This team understands they can beat up the NFC with a great pass rush. Dorlus becomes another huge rotational guy.
  • 64. Denver Broncos – Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington – He has established himself as one of the go-to contested-catch receivers in the country with incredibly strong hands. He would be an excellent fit for an offense that wants to consistently push the ball vertically. Go get someone Penix is familiar with!

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