2024 NFL Mock Draft: Andrew Erickson’s Final Picks & Predictions (6.0)

Welcome to the sixth and final release of my 2024 NFL Draft mock draft. As the draft approaches, I have carefully analyzed the top prospects and made predictions on which 32 players will be selected in the first round and which teams they will go to. It’s been a tedious process of balancing team needs, big-board rankings, historical trends and draft rumors to reach this pivotal point as a mock drafter.

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It’s important to note my focus is on the players’ destinations rather than the actual pick numbers within the first round. After all, we care more about player-team pairings rather than the actual numbered slots. This also adheres closely to the rules of The Huddle Report’s mock draft accuracy competition, which I will be participating in.

Scoring rules:

One point for a player selected in Round 1.
A player matched to a team is worth two points.

As an added layer — I’ve featured all my bets from my 2024 NFL Draft Prop Bet Card on BettingPros at each corresponding selection. Keep in mind the final mocked picks may not match exactly what I bet on. Many of the bets I placed weeks ago and some I made based on the probability value proposition, rather than the most realistic outcome.

Without further ado, let’s take a closer look at my predictions for the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

2024 FINAL NFL Mock Draft

1) Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams (QB – USC)

Free square.

2) Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels (QB – LSU)

The buzz for Jayden Daniels to Washington has been building. Fingers crossed my +120 bet for Daniels to go second overall comes through. For a more in-depth breakdown of why I like Daniels to the Commanders amid #topgolfgate, read my mock draft 4.0.

3) New England Patriots: Drake Maye (QB – North Carolina)

New Pats GM Eliot Wolf claims he wants to draft for upside. Drake Maye is this pick. Doug Kyed has sources within the Patriots that claim J.J. McCarthy is QB4 on their board.

I will not be surprised if it’s McCarthy instead. He’s a winner (27-1 record at Michigan), something Wolf has valued with past QBs (Baker Mayfield). If it’s McCarthy, I hope it’s part of a trade-down scenario.

If Drake Maye is there at 3, I think that's the pick.

But if he's not, I am confident that Eliot Wolf will still make the right QB selection. Whether it be trade back and draft another Qb later, take Jayden Daniels etc.

— Andrew Erickson™ (@AndrewErickson_) April 18, 2024

I’ve got Maye at +175 to be the third overall pick and McCarthy at +430. Either way, we should come out in the green. I also have an exact top-three overall picks to follow: Williams, Daniels and McCarthy at +750.

However, I can’t say the same for my Patriots to draft Brock Bowers (+3400), unless they actually trade down.

4) Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR – Ohio State)

The Cardinals won’t take any trade offers until they are on the clock, to put the pressure on teams looking to trade up. I firmly believe Arizona wants to come away with one of the “Big Three” WRs, even if they have to trade back into the top 10 after moving from four. I don’t think teams will want to pay for the price tag for the QB4 in the class. Arizona stays put and picks Marvin Harrison Jr. There’s still a chance that if this pick does get traded and Harrison doesn’t go as the WR1, Arizona could still land Harrison outside of the No. 4 pick.

Harrison Jr. going as the WR1 differs from how I have approached this from a betting perspective.

I’ve got a bet on McCarthy (+450) to go fourth overall when I thought a trade was inevitable. I’ve got the same one as Maye at much longer odds (+1200). I feel better about the Maye bet, but he has to fall outside the top three first.

And I’ve been pretty vocal about Malik Nabers having a chance to unseat Harrison as the No. 1 WR drafted, with bets on him to be the First Non-QB Drafted (+1000) and To Be First WR Drafted (+750). It wouldn’t surprise me if Nabers is the pick over Harrison, but there’s no evidence to push me ahead of that in my final mock draft.

5) Los Angeles Chargers: JC Latham (OT – Alabama)

The only WR I could reasonably consider going to the Chargers would be Marvin Harrison Jr. But with him off the board, we can more easily project an OL to Jim Harbaugh’s squad. This pick comes down to Joe Alt or JC Latham.

I’ve got bets such as OL Joe Alt (+2000) and JC Latham (+7500) to be the first non-QB drafted in a situation where the No. 4 pick is a QB and the Chargers select the first non-QB in the form of an offensive lineman. I have Alt to be a top-five pick at +470. Also bet Latham at +1500 to be the first OL drafted and to be a top-10 pick (and the under on his draft slot position at 14.5).

The Alabama tackle has a real shot to be the first tackle drafted should the Chargers head in that direction given his abilities at RT and in the run game. Daniel Jeremiah is also extremely plugged into the Chargers organization and mocked Latham to L.A. in his final mock draft.

Note that Latham is the only OT tackle (and one of just 13 players) that will be in actual attendance at the NFL Draft. Sixteen total players were invited (including Alt, Bowers and McCarthy).

And with Latham tied to the Chargers in this mock draft, I get another “out” if they ultimately move back and draft Latham closer to his expected draft position (teens). They want to trade back, as we all know.

If Latham goes fifth overall, I’ll be a happy man. So, my inclination was initially to hedge and go with the chalkier “Alt” pick for now. But life’s too short to hedge all your bets. Let’s see this ride.

I’ve also got an extremely longshot bet should Harrison not go fourth (either by way of another WR or QB trade-up) to be selected at fifth overall (+1400).

I’ve also got Brock Bowers (+5000) to be taken fifth overall (+1000 to be taken by the Chargers at any point), along with Drake Maye (+2400). Again, I wouldn’t be shocked if the Chargers went off the cuff with a tight end selection. He was my selection in mock draft 5.0. And Maye is just another trade-up scenario. The only bet I don’t have is J.J. McCarthy as the fifth overall pick (although I have him being selected by the Vikings/Broncos at +500, which could be a No. 5).

6) New York Giants: Malik Nabers (WR – LSU)

I have zero reservations about the New York Giants selecting a WR with the sixth overall pick. Malik Nabers reminded me of Stefon Diggs when I first watched his tape. Brian Daboll and company will covet his abilities as the new No. 1 WR in the offense.

I bet the Giants to draft an OL very early in the process (+750) that I no longer feel great about. But I somehow managed to acquire a Marvin Harrison Jr. to be drafted by the Giants at +4000. If he falls, New York would leap (trade) at the opportunity to draft him.

7) Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt (OT – Notre Dame)

The chalk pick here has been connected to Joe Alt or the best available OT. But I always felt the Titans never got enough credit for taking one of the top pass-catchers at WR/TE.

Case in point, I’ve bet aggressively on the Titans to draft a WR (+2500), for them to draft Bowers (+1300) or any tight end (+1800).

It’s also a trade-down spot for a team such as the Bears/Jets to move up. Hence a bet on Bowers to be the seventh overall pick (+3100) if it’s by the Titans or not.

Another team could also move up for a QB should the QB4 still be on the board. This is a strong spot for the Vikings to move up, given that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has a prior relationship with Titans GM Ran Carthon, as both guys come from the 49ers front office. I bet JJ McCarthy at +2000 to be the 7th overall pick.

But with Joe Alt still on the board, I am going to stick with chalk after going off-the-wall at pick five. Tennessee takes the top-tier Notre Dame franchise tackle.

8) Atlanta Falcons: Byron Murphy II (DT – Texas)

I don’t think there’s a weaker favorite for the first defensive player to be drafted than Alabama’s EDGE rusher Dallas Turner. Since the beginning of the pre-draft cycle, I was never overly convinced about how strong his odds were to be the first defensive player selected. I’ve faded Turner into oblivion through all my “first defensive players to be selected” bets that include DT Byron Murphy (+1500), CB Quinyon Mitchell (+400 now +1800 woof) and CB Terrion Arnold (+750).

I also dabbled in UCLA EDGE rusher Laiatu Latu (after being medically cleared by many teams) to be the first DL/EDGE selected (+240), along with Murphy (+400). I’d bet it’s either Latu/Murphy first over Turner if the Falcons keep this pick. Current Falcons DC Jimmy Lake coached Latu, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s the selection. However, he is a wild card given we don’t which teams he has been medically cleared by.

And while I’ve felt open to hedging when it comes to the WR/OT first drafted markets, I don’t feel the need to do so with the defensive side. And the betting odds for Turner to be the first defender selected (+110) suggest he’s far from the safest bet to make.

I asked the X community where my six-leg draft parlay would bust.

which legs kills me pic.twitter.com/M88Jyg49kF

— Andrew Erickson™ (@AndrewErickson_) April 23, 2024

The overwhelming majority called out Turner as the leg-killer.

I’ll go back to where I started with Byron Murphy II as the pick. There’s a scenario where he could be the eighth overall pick by Atlanta (which will almost certainly be the first defensive player drafted) or they can pick him at 11/12 as part of a trade with the Vikings/Broncos.

I bet Murphy early to be the eighth pick at +3400.

Because new Falcons HC Raheem Morris has a long extensive track record of drafting DTs — a position becoming even more valued in today’s game.

From my findings in my historical NFL draft picks of all 32 NFL teams, other than quarterback, every other selection Morris has made with the highest draft capital has been on a defensive lineman. Roy Miller, Brian Price, Kyle Moore and Da’Quan Bowers — were all drafted with some of the highest draft capital available to Morris.

I also have Bowers again (+5000) while considering a trade-up for a team looking to jump the Bears/Jets for the Georgia tight end. Same with McCarthy at +1200 in case it’s a trade for a QB. And the same with teams looking to trade up for an offensive tackle. +4000 for Joe Alt to be selected 8th overall. If LAC goes Latham/Harrison and TEN goes Odunze/Nabers/Latham, Alt would be a trade-up target for teams at Atlanta’s pick.

Other bets I have on the Falcons include for them to draft a CB first (+400, cringe) and for them to select Michael Penix Jr. (+3000). Albert Breer mentioned in his latest SI article the Falcons are a potential curveball team to land Penix.

The Penix bet would likely be in a case where he falls into Day 2 or the Falcons get more picks with a trade down. Same with the CB selection, given Atlanta has met with Nate Wiggins, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Quinyon Mitchell and Terrion Arnold.

9) Chicago Bears: Rome Odunze (WR – Washington)

Brock Bowers and Rome Odunze have been connected to the Bears during the pre-draft process. I’ve bet Bowers at +1300 to be selected by Chicago. But I also fully acknowledge that an offensive tackle prospect could firmly be in play here if the right guy is there. They’ve been connected to Joe Alt, but I don’t think the Notre Dame left tackle gets past both LAC/TEN.

Olumuyiwa Fashanu would be my next best guess across the OL. Not many are mocking the Bears’ decision to draft an OL piece at ninth overall but Fashanu could be strongly considered as additional protection for Caleb Williams (presumably the No.1 overall pick). Fashanu is Williams’ former high school teammate. He probably has a higher ceiling than Braxton Jones (the current Bears LT).

The only longshot OL play I made here was for Troy Fautanu (+3000) to be the ninth overall pick. I didn’t make any bets on Odunze throughout the process, but it was hard to ignore the noise between him and the Bears. They could even move up for him. Or they could move up for Bowers (who the Colts are rumored to be looking to trade up for). More to come.

Odunze is still available, so that’s the direction I’ll go. I could easily see Big Blue going with Odunze over Nabers, so the Bowers smoke to Chicago could end up burning me.

10) New York Jets: Taliese Fuaga (OT – Oregon State)

Since the very beginning of the draft cycle, Jets GM Joe Douglas has had an affinity for the Oregon State tackle.

I bet the Jets +250 to draft an OL first and for Fuaga to be the 10th overall pick (+600). I see no reason to back out now after mocking this pick since my mock draft 1.0.

This marks the end of the top 10. I feel it’s still very possible we won’t have any defensive players taken if the Falcons move out of pick eight.

To review, here are my two bets on players inside the top 10:

Bowers (+135). Per Tony Pauline, the Chargers, Titans, Bears and Jets are all in on Bowers.
JC Latham (+750). Chargers or bust here, with the Bears/Jets as potential bailouts.

11) Minnesota Vikings: J.J. McCarthy (QB – Michigan)

I don’t necessarily think the Vikings land J.J. McCarthy at the 11th overall pick, but the connection between the two parties is impossible to ignore. Minnesota’s best positioned to trade up with their multiple first-round picks. I’m more confident they will trade up versus DEN/LV.

I’ve got McCarthy at +500 to be a Viking (also +500 for him to be a Bronco). And as I previewed inside the top-10, I’ve got McCarthy at third (+430), fourth (+450) and eighth (+1200).

I’m only really screwed if Washington takes him at two or if the Raiders trade up into the pick 5-7 range and draft him. This should be a fun sweat. If I wanted to add another McCarthy longshot (why not at this point), it would be at No. 7 (+2400 on FD).

Note that I did take a slight hedge with McCarthy over 5.5 draft slot, which should be a breakeven bet with the third/fourth overall bets. Unless he goes fifth. Woof.

12) Denver Broncos: Amarius Mims (OT – Georgia)

Name a non-QB position the Broncos will take with their first pick and chances are I’ve bet it:

CB (+450)
WR (+1000)
OL (+1400)

I’ve got those in play along with them to select J.J. McCarthy (+500).

I still can’t buy into Bo Nix being drafted in Round 1, despite the obvious Denver connections.

I have the over on his draft slot at 32.5 (+110), along with the under on 4.5 QBs being drafted (+270).

The rumor is the Broncos are looking to trade back more than trade up, so they can accumulate picks and select Nix at a more appropriate price.

Therefore, I project them to take a no-doubt first-rounder projected closer to teams picks between the Colts, Steelers and Eagles.

I know Georgia RT Amarius Mims will likely be a top-20 pick, but I have no clue where to place him with him connected to so many teams (discussed in mock draft 5.0). EDGE Jared Verse could also be in play for Denver, and he could go later than most anticipated.

However, given my overall lack of confidence in what Denver is doing (in this draft and in general) outside of QB, I’ll give them Mims. Not likely to see him at 12 necessarily but perhaps as part of a trade-down scenario where they draft him.

He is one of the few OL prospects Denver has met with. Sean Payton has a strong track record of investing in the OT position based on his tenure in New Orleans.

Other bets to highlight here: Broncos to select Jayden Daniels (+1800, likely dead) and the Saints to draft Bo Nix (+850). Also, for giggles, I have a +15000 bet on Dallas to select Bo Nix. Jerry Jones wants to watch the world burn.

13) Las Vegas Raiders: Troy Fautanu (OT – Washington)

Again, not buying the Michael Penix hype in Round 1. New GM Tom Telesco has an extensive background drafting OL players with high-end capital. During his stint with the Chargers, Telesco has drafted eight offensive linemen in the top three rounds — the most of any position.

They’ve scouted enough of Washington’s offense to realize Troy Fautanu can be an upgrade for their OL as a local product.

However, it would not surprise me if the Raiders went the CB route here, as I bet them to do so early in the draft cycle (+185).

14) New Orleans Saints: Olumuyiwa Fashanu (OT – Penn State)

New Orleans should return to the basics with an offensive tackle at the top of the draft.

Penn State’s Olu Fashanu is viewed as an LT/RT prospect.

Early in the pre-draft process, I took out some longer shot bets for the Saints to draft a QB: Bo Nix (+850) and Michael Penix Jr. (+2500).

15) Indianapolis Colts: Brock Bowers (TE – Georgia)

The Colts are rumored to trade up, with CB the potential target. But instead, they go after Brock Bowers, who falls into their lap at 15. Early on in the process I always felt the Bowers-Colts connection was great, but I soured on it as steam built for Bowers as a top-10 pick. But with a forecast of trades coming fast and furious Thursday night, we could see Indianapolis move ahead of the Jets to land Bowers. I’ll connect the two parties here with the 15th overall selection. But I’ve hedged slightly with this pick after learning more about the Colts interest in Xavier Worthy. If they can’t get up to Bowers inside the top-10, they may opt for the Texas speedster. Got him at +750 to be drafted by the Colts, adding him to portfolio of Worthy to land on either Indy, Cincy or Carolina.

16) Seattle Seahawks: Chop Robinson (EDGE – Penn State)

The Seahawks are another team that strongly wants to trade down. So, I’m approaching this pick with a wide lens of first-round picks available. But I heavily favor the defensive line/EDGE.

Mike Macdonald is the new head coach for the Seattle Seahawks, and there’s certainly credence to his defensive background influencing the first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

I’ve got Seattle +110 to draft a DL/EDGE with their first pick.

And what makes Seattle even more fun to mock draft for (kidding) is they have consistently been one of the hardest to peg under GM John Schneider.

They take Chop Robinson, who some believe could go extremely high and potentially before Florida State’s Jared Verse. The Penn State product is extremely polarizing, making him the slam-dunk Seattle selection, whether at 16 or somewhere in the 20s.

17) Jacksonville Jaguars: Terrion Arnold (CB – Alabama)

I feel strongly about a cornerback here for Jacksonville, but which one remains to be seen.

GM Trent Baalke loves targeting defensive backs. He used a third-round pick or better on a safety/cornerback in six of his eight drafts.

I’ve bet a couple of long shots with Kool-Aid McKinstry (+900) and Nate Wiggins (+750) as the potential second cornerback to be drafted. Baalke loves CBs with long-arms (McKinstry) and guys from Clemson (Wiggins). I also made a round-one bet on Iowa State’s CB T.J. Tampa (+900) with the idea he could be a target for the Jaguars.

Terrion Arnold’s 62nd-percentile wingspan and 59th-percentile arm length are good enough. I wouldn’t be shocked if Baalke went with McKinstry over Arnold. If Quinyon Mitchell is still available he could be an option as well.

I also have a longer shot bet on the Jaguars to go WR (+350).

18) Cincinnati Bengals: Xavier Worthy (WR – Texas)

The Bengals need an OT and have been connected to Alabama’s JC Latham throughout the process. But Latham could be long gone by this point in the real draft. And in this exercise, he is long gone.

Although I already bet the Bengals to draft an OL hit (+110), I’ll go in a different direction with the majority of top tackles off the board.

My longshot bets are for the Bengals to go WR instead (+1400) or to specifically draft Texas WR Xavier Worthy (+2500), who is rumored to be in consideration as the WR4 in the class.

These odds also won’t get any shorter with the news Tee Higgins has requested another trade from the Bengals after getting hit with the franchise tag.

The “stock” of LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. (medicals) and fellow Longhorn Adonai Mitchell (off-field) has been steadily on the decline, which could vault Worthy higher in the draft. Worthy is -220 to be drafted ahead of Mitchell (+180).

Duke Tobin cannot resist drafting guys who break the 40-yard dash record.

19) Los Angeles Rams: Laiatu Latu (EDGE – UCLA)

The Rams have been connected to UCLA’s EDGE rusher Laiatu Latu, but I am not sure he will fall this far in the actual draft. However, the Rams have been a team discussed by NFL.com’s Peter Schrager and Daniel Jeremiah about trading down, potentially out of the first round altogether.

With Latu’s Round 1 status somewhat unknown, I’ll have the Rams operate as my “sacrificial lamb” hoping they land him with a trade back at the end of round one.

Still, I can’t envision Rams HC Sean McVay — with his first-round pick — opting for a defensive player over an offensive piece. But if they trade back, all bets are off.

I’ve got the Rams to take a CB (+600) and WR (+800) with their first overall pick.

Something to monitor for Day 2— I’ve got former Michigan RB Blake Corum to be a Ram at +4000. If they trade back and compile picks, I feel great about that longshot bet.

20) Pittsburgh Steelers: Graham Barton (iOL – Duke)

If WR Brian Thomas Jr. is available, he could be the selection here. They reportedly love the LSU WR.

However, the Steelers don’t traditionally draft receivers in round one; they mine WR value on Day 2.

It’s possible Thomas isn’t available at pick 20 given he could be drafted by either the Jags, Bengals or Rams.

Duke’s Graham Barton has been connected to Mike Tomlin’s Steelers throughout the process. He can play all five spots across the OL. I’ll try and play it “safe” with this selection here.

21) Miami Dolphins: Jared Verse (EDGE – Florida State)

Miami would like to trade down and it may be for a DL/EDGE prospect. I’ve got that bet at +210.

Chris Grier has shown a willingness to draft EDGE/DL high. In the last five drafts, when Miami had a first-round pick, they drafted a DL/EDGE piece in three of those drafts. Four of those drafts included a DL/EDGE in the first two rounds.

I could see Jared Verse sliding, so he’s in play at both 21 and later for the Dolphins as they look to re-tool their offensive line.

22) Philadelphia Eagles: Quinyon Mitchell (CB – Toledo)

Howie Roseman always gets his guy. He likely won’t be here at No. 22, but the smoke between the Eagles and Quinyon Mitchell is too hard to ignore.

In this exercise, the Eagles don’t have to trade up with the Toledo CB falling into their laps.

I still strongly believe Mitchell will be the first CB selected (-165). I have Mitchell as the first defensive player drafted (+400 now +1800), which would likely require a trade up.

Mitchell’s draft position is listed at 15.5 (-145 toward the under). I made this bet given the Colts at No. 15 look like Mitchell’s floor, alongside the Eagles as another trade-up team for a CB. The Jaguars and Steelers have also been discussed as trade-up teams for Mitchell.

23) Minnesota Vikings: Dallas Turner (EDGE – Alabama)

I’d be blown away if Alabama’s Dallas Turner fell to 23rd overall. But mocking him to Minnesota here is just an attempt at connecting the remaining round-one dots, given he could also be in play for the Vikings at 11 should Minnesota not land a QB earlier. Turner’s met with the Vikings during the process and he’s only 21 years old.

24) Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Guyton (OT – Oklahoma)

The one bet I’ve got on Dallas (aside from the longshot Bo Nix wager) is for them to draft a WR (+750). I’ve mocked them WRs in past mocks, and there are plenty of options in the second tier Jerry Jones could roll with in this spot. I love those odds with that bet hitting.

Still, there’s no denying the tackle need in Big D. They’ve shown plenty of interest in Tyler Guyton from Oklahoma. He’s viewed as both an RT/LT prospect.

25) Green Bay Packers: Cooper DeJean (CB – Iowa)

Defensive back is a big issue, given all the ones that played last year besides Jaire Alexander weren’t good or were injured. Cornerback/safety hybrid Cooper DeJean can do it all for Green Bay’s secondary.

26) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kool-Aid McKinstry (CB – Alabama)

My lone bet on the Buccaneers is for them to draft an OL player at +650. I love the bet at those odds, but this mock draft calls for a CB as the team’s other main need. Kool-Aid McKinstry’s draft stock has risen since reports said he will be ready for training camp after suffering a Jones fracture, per Tony Pauline.

McKinstry has met with the Falcons, Eagles, Jaguars, Lions, Buccaneers and Steelers. The former Crimson Tide CB has 32-inch arms (70th percentile).

His positional prop is listed at 29.5 with heavy juice toward the under at -172 (FanDuel Sportsbook). And even though he’s behind DeJean in this exercise, I think he could go well ahead as the CB3 (+400).

27) Arizona Cardinals: Darius Robinson (DE – Missouri)

I’ve almost exclusively paired a DL/EDGE player as the second draft pick for the Cardinals in the first round. They’ve shown interest in Missouri’s Darius Robinson throughout the process. I remember when the Missouri DT was listed at +140 to be a first-round pick. Now, -400 are the updated odds. I’m confident he goes in round one and Arizona is a probable landing spot.

28) Buffalo Bills: Brian Thomas Jr. (WR – LSU)

The Bills need another WR and Brian Thomas Jr. fits a role that could be nice with Josh Allen.

29) Detroit Lions: Jackson Powers-Johnson (iOL – Oregon)

My lone bet on the Lions is for them to draft a DL/EDGE player at +225.

We are going off-the-wall and hedging that pick tipped from the great Tony Pauline. Per Pauline, the Lions have an interest in a center like Jackson Powers-Johnson with an aging interior offensive line between Kevin Zeitler and Frank Ragnow. With this new information, I bet the Lions to draft an OL with their first pick at +300.

30) Baltimore Ravens: Jordan Morgan (OT – Arizona)

I’ve got a longshot bet on the Ravens to go off-the-cuff with WR (+750), but that seems much less likely with them re-signing Rashod Bateman to a contract extension. The pick will likely be an offensive tackle. The smoke from the Jordan Morgan fire is hot in Baltimore.

31) San Francisco 49ers: Xavier Legette (WR – South Carolina)

I’ve got two bets on the 49ers’ first position to be drafted. One at WR (+700) and one at LB (+5000). These are somewhat dependent on whether the 49ers trade Brandon Aiyuk/Deebo Samuel and/or if they decide to trade down. A trade makes WR a bigger need, and trading back opens up the value to select a linebacker with their first pick in round two.

If the 49ers don’t trade away one of their veteran WRs (or trade back), I’d presume a DT like Jer’Zhan Newton would be the pick. The OL depth might be picked apart by this time and the 49ers are no strangers to continued investment into the defensive line.

But I can’t help but fall for the Xavier Legette hype. The under/over is set at 33.5, which I have already wagered on. Other teams know that Carolina will take him at 33. So, either Carolina trades up to get him, or another team swoops in at pick 32 to snag him. With all the negativity around Adonai Mitchell (off-field) and Ladd McConkey (injuries), we could see Legette sneaking into the first round. The 49ers make sense, given he has a Deebo Samuel mold as a mauler after the catch.

32) Kansas City Chiefs: Kingsley Suamataia (OT – BYU)

I bet Kansas City to take an OL (+140) with their first pick based on the latest report from Tony Pauline. He led me right to RB Jahmyr Gibbs at bonker odds last year to be taken by the Lions.

Claims that KC is locked into BYU tackle Kingsley Suamataia at 32 make sense given OT is still a major need for their offense, even though the WR need has been much more discussed by “big draft” media.

Also, you can just bet OL for +140 (trade down scenario into round two/or they take another tackle that falls instead). Suamataia is +150 to be a round-one pick via DraftKings Sportsbook.

If it’s not Suamataia, I also have sprinkled in some of Houston’s OT Patrick Paul to be selected in Round 1 (+650). He’s a potential Chiefs target, or the target of a team trading back up into round one for a tackle (like the Washington Commanders).