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    Marco Enriquez | Wed, Mar 13th 2024, 6:50am EDT

2024 NFL Mock Draft: First-Round Picks With Trades

The combine is over, and we are in the heat of free agency, so it is time to drop my 2024 NFL Mock Draft 2.0. Make sure to check out the rest of our team’s mock drafts, like Andrew Erickson’s, where he shares some more betting insight into who your favorite team may be drafting in April.

Marco Enriquez Mock Draft 2.0 (2024)

Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams (QB – USC)

Justin Fields didn’t find a new home on day one of free agency, but his time in the driver’s seat in Chicago is over. The answer is clear. Caleb Williams will be the signal caller in the windy city. His arm talent and ability to play off script will bring versatility to a Bears offense through the air that it has never seen before.

Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels (QB – LSU)

Jayden Daniels improved as a passer every year in college, but he still falls behind Drake Maye in my rookie grading. Washington gets their guy, the quickly rising Daniels and Kliff Kingsbury get a chance to redefine Washington football culture.

New England Patriots: Drake Maye (QB – UNC)

The Patriots have Drake Maye fall into their lap and get the fit they were hoping for as they look to the post-Bill Belichick Era. Maye possesses impressive arm talent and mobility for a player of his size.

Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison (WR – Ohio St.)

The Cardinals give Kyler Murray his elite wide receiver. There is a chance Marvin Harrison isn’t available at four; he’s that good, but it makes Arizona’s decision an easy one. Harrison is in rarified air as a prospect and should undoubtedly be the first wide receiver off the board.

Los Angeles Chargers: Joe Alt (OT – Notre Dame)

There is lots of talk of the Chargers trading down with a QB-needy team wanting to secure JJ McCarthy, but I don’t see it happening. Joe Alt proved at the combine that he is a uniquely gifted talent and could be considered generational in his own right. LA sticks it out at five and locks down their anchor offensive lineman of the future.

New York Giants – J.J. McCarthy (QB – Michigan)

The Giants have to fix their Quarterback situation. While the opportunity to trade down will be available for them, they choose to hit the restart and give coach Brian Daboll a chance to develop the Michigan Product. While McCarthy may not step foot on the field for Week one, he will be the guy in New York by the end of the season.

TRADE – Chicago Bears: Malik Nabers (WR – LSU)

  • Bears Trade: Pick 9, Pick 75
  • Titans Trade: Pick 7

The Bears are big fans of Nabers. They make the move to ensure they can continue to build around their rookie QB. Malik Nabers brings immediate versatility to the offense. Pairing Nabers with DJ Moore gives Caleb Williams one of the most electric wide receiver duos in the NFL after they just secured adding D’Andre Swift to their already strong backfield.

Atlanta Falcons: Rome Odunze (WR – Washington)

The Falcons have their new Quarterback, Kirk Cousins. Cousins immediately elevates the weapons in Atlanta, but there still is a glaring need at wide receiver after Drake London. Enter Rome Odunze. Odunze is the most well-balanced wide receiver prospect in this class and can immediately step in as the 1b to London. His prowess in contested catch situations is similar to London’s, if not better. The Falcons can walk away from day one with one of the best young offenses in the NFL.

TRADE – Tennessee Titans: Olumuyiwa Fashanu (OT – Penn St.)

  • Titans Trade: Pick 7
  • Bears Trade: Pick 9, Pick 75

The Titans have needs everywhere. They may miss out on the top receivers, but they can help Will Levis in other ways. They are able to bolster their offensive line while adding more draft capital in their continued rebuild. Fashanu, along with last year’s first-round pick, Peter Skoronski, gives new addition Tony Pollard, as well as second-year breakout Tyjae Spears, some more room to run while also aiding Levis in his development.

New York Jets: Taliese Fuaga (OT – Oregon St.)

Finding ways to give Aaron Rodgers more time to throw and Breece Hall more room to run will be critical for the Jets. The offensive line was a mess last season, and Fuaga can start at right tackle from day one. Fuaga has a case to go ahead of Fashanu, but his fit with the Jets is hard to ignore.

Minnesota Vikings: Dallas Turner (Edge – Alabama)

The Vikings are the odd man out in their attempt to find a long-term replacement for Kirk Cousins. On defense, Minnesota is going to lose Danielle Hunter in free agency. Turner gives them an immediate replacement and a staple at edge rusher as they look to remain relevant in the NFC North.

Denver Broncos: Quinyon Mitchell (CB – Toledo)

Mitchell officially jumped Terrion Arnold in my Cornerback rankings to establish himself as the CB1 of the class after an impressive NFL combine performance. He is a playmaker with premier athleticism and the speed to keep up with the fastest pass-catchers in the league. The move would give the Broncos one of the most impressive and athletic DB duos in the league, even after the departure of Justin Simmons. Patrick Surtain and Quinyon Mitchell get to make a career of battling two of the best young QBs in the league within their division. It’s a battle that will prove to be critical since the Broncos don’t look to have a real answer at quarterback yet.

Las Vegas Raiders: Amarius Mims (OT – Georgia)

Amarius Mims showed out at the combine and now projects as one of the top tackles in the draft. The Raiders need to find answers for their offensive line, and Mims can bring stability to a team that has questions at nearly every offensive position heading into the 2024 season.

New Orleans Saints: JC Latham (OT – Alabama)

An All-SEC offensive tackle, JC Latham fills a crucial need for the Saints, who ranked in the bottom half of the league in pass blocking. Latham gives them a high floor, reliable option who spent his collegiate career going against some of the best defenders in college football.

Indianapolis Colts: Terrion Arnold (CB – Alabama)

The Colts are in a fortuitous position, and selecting at 15 gives them their choice of four players who could have gone much higher (Brock Bowers, Laiatu Latu, Jared Verse and Arnold). While each of them fills a need, the Colts opt to go with a premier DB in Terrion Arnold. Arnold is a freakish athlete who can handle man or zone coverage well. He should be able to lead the Colt’s secondary in 2024 and bring some much-needed toughness with his impact defending the run.

Seattle Seahawks: Brock Bowers (TE – Georgia)

Even with his generational profile at tight end, and it is generational, Brock Bowers looks like he may fall further than some expect. The Seahawks have a lot of weapons on offense, but adding Brock Bowers continues to elevate their options for Geno Smith and, eventually, Justin Fields if my dark horse prediction from January were to come true. It doesn’t hurt that new head coach Miker Macdonald comes from Baltimore, where we saw Mark Andrews dominate NFL defenses.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Laiatu Latu (Edge – UCLA)

The Jaguars have questions at wide receiver, edge rusher, and defensive back, but they chose to invest their first-round pick in a premier edge rusher. Latu has a few questions about his health, but if he doesn’t set off too many alarms, he could be a massive steal for Jacksonville. Even with Verse on the board still, it’s on brand for the Jags to shoot for upside and take the former Bruin.

Cincinnati Bengals: Jared Verse (Edge – Florida St.)

The Bengals really have no business having a talent like Jared Verse fall into their laps, but here we are. Verse is an impact edge rusher who brings some much-needed power to the Bengals’ defense. The only question is, will it be enough to push them over the top come playoff time?

Los Angeles Rams: Jackson Powers Johnson (C – Oregon)

The Rams can anchor their offensive line while also filling one of their most glaring offensive needs. Powers-Johnson is far and away the best center in the 2024 class.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Cooper DeJean (CB – Iowa)

Cooper Dejean wasn’t able to test at the combine due to his recovery from injury, but he is a versatile defender. He fills a significant need for the Steelers, who just moved on from Patrick Peterson, and will need to fill that void sooner rather than later.

Miami Dolphins: Kool-Aid McKinstry (CB – Alabama)

The Dolphins announced they were moving on from Xavien Howard this off-season and have a chance to fill the hole with the best name in the NFL draft. McKinstry should be a starter for the Dolphins in week one, and his ability to dominate in man coverage bodes well for his early career success across from Jalen Ramsey.

Philadelphia Eagles: Troy Fautanu (OT – Washington)

The Eagles’ addition of Fautanu is the kind of high-IQ move that keeps them relevant for a long time. Even as they struggled down the stretch last season, one of the key parts of what makes this offense work is a solid offensive line. Fautanu is a versatile lineman who can fill multiple roles while he adapts to the NFL game.

TRADE – Cincinnati Bengals: Graham Barton (OT – Duke)

  • Bengals Trade: Tee Higgins and Pick 148
  • Texans Trade: Pick 23

Barton is an unexciting pick for NFL fans, but he is one of the more steady linemen available, especially at this point in the draft. At the next level, he can play guard or tackle, and that versatility will allow him to see early playing time for the Bengals. They will need to address wide receiver sooner rather than later, but protecting Joe Burrow needs to be a priority if they are ever to make a legitimate run at a Superbowl.

Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Guyton (OT – Oklahoma)

The Cowboys need to address their offensive line before it’s too late, and Guyton gives them a mauler at tackle. He has some room to develop his footwork, but he will be able to learn from some veterans who will set him and the Cowboys up well.

Green Bay Packers: Kingsley Suamataia (OT – BYU)

Kinglsey Suamataia has an enormously high ceiling, but he is a raw prospect. He is one of my favorite players in the entire class, and with David Bakhtiari‘s departure, the Packers need someone to step up. Suamataia may not always play the most technically sound, penalty-free football in his rookie season, but with a sound coaching staff, he could emerge as one of the most significant long-term values of the first round.

TRADE – Detroit Lions: Chop Robinson (Edge – Penn St.)

  • Lions Trade: Pick 29 and 92
  • Bucs Trade: Pick 26 and 126

The Lions were close to being the Cinderella story of the 2023 season after a highly criticized draft. In 2024, they get aggressive and select Chop Robinson, one of the more underrated edge rushers in the class. The duo of Robinson and Aidan Hutchinson will devastate NFC North offensive lines for years to come.

Arizona Cardinals: Byron Murphy (DT – Texas)

Byron Murphy is the one player I had a hard time placing. He is an undersized defensive tackle, which is why I have him falling this far. Murphy is a high-motor player and can provide some much-needed stability for the Cardinals line if he can adapt when his lack of length hinders him.

Buffalo Bills: Jer’Zhan Newton (DT – Illinois)

The Bills are no strangers to undersized defensive linemen. They have a recipe for success and can find the best way to use Newton’s explosiveness. He is an intuitive playmaker who should be able to find success when given the proper structure.

TRADE – Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

  • Bucs Trade: Pick 26 and 126
  • Lions Trade: Pick 29 and 92

Baltimore Ravens: Darius Robinson (Edge – Missouri)

The Ravens are a candidate to move up in the first round, but if they aren’t able to find a trade partner, they can address the edge by selecting Darius Robinson, who is an explosive playmaker who fits their scheme well.

San Francisco 49ers: Brian Thomas (WR – LSU)

Brian Thomas cemented himself as a first-round pick during the NFL combine. The 49ers are navigating questions about their ability to resign Brandon Aiyuk, but even if they are able to extend him, they need a third option behind him and the oft-injured Deebo Samuel. Thomas Jr. is a big wide receiver with blazing speed. He profiles as a true X and can play that role while learning some of the route-running chops from two of the best in the league.

Kansas City Chiefs: Adonai Mitchell (WR – Texas)

The Kansas City Chiefs may have won the Super Bowl, but it’s fairly obvious what their number one need is: a wide receiver. Adonai Mitchell is one of the most athletic wide receiver prospects we have seen in a long time. At 6 foot 2 inches tall and more than 200 lbs, he has the frame of an alpha WR. Add to that elite speed and explosiveness, and Mitchell profiles as a faster but less refined Tee Higgins. He will need to develop a more complete route tree, but in the short term, having Patrick Mahomes throwing him the ball can mask some of the holes in his game.

More 2024 NFL Mock Drafts

Here are a few early predictions for the 2024 NFL Draft. We’ll continue to add our 2024 NFL Mock Drafts leading up to the start of Round 1.

 


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