With just weeks left before the 2024 NFL draft, the rumor mill is churning at full tilt, disseminating truths and otherwise into the draft ecosphere. This maelstrom of gossip may just be for the public’s benefit, but some of it may look to sway teams on prospects that their competitors seek to vulture.
Teams are also taking visits from the top prospects, which may be a smokescreen in itself. A visit or lack thereof does not denote likelihood of a draft position. Just ask Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Calijah Kancey, who did not take a Top-30 visit to One Buc Place last year.
Here’s our updated take on how the first round of the 2024 NFL draft could turn out:
The Windy City has just a couple weeks left before Caleb Williams blows into town.
The first real inflection point of this year’s draft, the third-overall pick depends entirely on how the Patriots feel about the remaining quarterbacks. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Maye took a Top-30 visit with New England last week. If any of the remaining quarterbacks can make good out of a bad situation like they would have to with New England’s mediocre offense, it’s Maye who put North Carolina’s offense on his back last season.
It would be hard to imagine the Cardinals doing anything but taking Harrison here. Their offense lacks a primary receiving threat, and Harrison Jr. is as polished as any receiving prospect in recent memory.
The Vikings did not acquire a second first-round pick for nothing. With the Giants potentially eyeing an upgrade over Daniel Jones, Minnesota moves up for McCarthy. The Michigan quarterback is a bit of an enigma given how little he was asked to do by Jim Harbaugh, but his upside is a fit for Kevin O’Connell’s QB-friendly offense.
While the Giants may be tempted to nab Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. here, Nabers is a safer prospect. The LSU receiver can stretch the field like no other player in this year’s class. He might even be able to get Daniel Jones to look like a quality starter again.
Just like the Cardinals taking Harrison, the Titans taking Alt makes too much sense. After signing Calvin Ridley, Tennessee’s biggest and most obvious need is at left tackle. Alt is the most complete tackle in the class, and a foundational piece of what Ran Carthon is building in Tennessee.
The Falcons may need an edge rusher more than a cornerback, but Mitchell is a better prospect than any edge defender in this year’s class. His production and athleticism would drastically improve Atlanta’s secondary.
While passing on Washington WR Rome Odunze may pain Bears fans, Newton could be a game-changer for Chicago’s defense. Matt Eberflus made his name coordinating Indianapolis’ defense, where he had a one-man wrecking crew in DeForest Buckner. Newton doesn’t have Buckner’s length, but he could be every bit as disruptive.
As good as they are, Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses should not stop the Jets from drafting an offensive lineman. Neither is under contract beyond 2024, and Smith has not played a full season in nearly a decade. Fautanu could play just about any position on the line, something the Jets needed last year, and probably will not allow to happen again.
The trade-down gambit pays off. With an extra first-round pick from Minnesota, the Chargers can do the right thing here and get Justin Herbert a new WR1. Odunze can do just about anything and play just about anywhere.
The Broncos need a quarterback, but Sean Payton is unlikely to hitch his wagon to the fifth passer on the board. Instead, he works on upgrading a defense that ranked 25th in EPA per play allowed last season. Turner can do it all, and has the elite athleticism to become a dangerous pass rusher.
It is hard to not fall in love with Penix’s arm, and the unshakeable confidence with which he wields it. That kind of confidence is the kind of thing Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce seems to love. A lot of teams might be scared to draft Penix in the first round, which is probably why Pierce would go for it.
Bowers is not a typical Chris Ballard draft pick. He is light and small for a tight end. However, he is probably the best offensive weapon left on the board. The Colts need to do everything they can to maximize Anthony Richardson’s development.
Seattle’s interior offensive line is a bit of a mess. Barton is position flexible, and an absolute beast of a man. This would be an easy fix for the Seahawks.
The Jaguars have wasted the flexibility afforded to them by Trevor Lawrence’s rookie contract, in small part due to the inconsistent weapons they provided him. Thomas has WR1 upside and was a scoring machine at LSU, leading all college receivers with 17 touchdowns last year. He may be the missing piece to Lawrence realizing his potential as a top NFL passer.
The Dolphins hop ahead of the Rams because both teams have holes in their defensive trenches, and defensive tackles are hard to come by in this year’s draft. Murphy will not be able to immediately replace what Christian Wilkins brought to the Miami defense, but with his athleticism, he will make an impact sooner than later.
The Rams land the most polished edge rusher in the draft with Latu. With Aaron Donald gone, Los Angeles needs to add pass rush help wherever they can.
And so begins the run on offensive tackles.
The Chargers move up to get their pick of the remaining tackles on the board. Latham is everything Jim Harbaugh wants and the Chargers need. He is a straight bulldozer in the run game, and has plenty of experience at right tackle.
Mims landing in Cincinnati would be a great fit for both parties. Mims played just 401 snaps at Georgia, so a little seasoning is in order. The Bengals signed Trent Brown to a one-year deal, which would allow Mims to settle in at right tackle rather than dumping him straight into the fire.
Fashanu is probably the best pure athlete in the offensive tackle class, and is already a great pass protector. He drops this far because he still needs to play with more power and strength, particularly as a run blocker. He is also just 21 years old, so he can afford to sit behind Lane Johnson and learn how the Eagles play their right tackle.
The cornerback position was an unmitigated disaster for Pittsburgh last year, aside from the emergence of Joey Porter Jr., who had a strong rookie season. The Steelers traded for Donte Jackson, but he is playing on a one-year deal. Pittsburgh shores up the secondary for the foreseeable future by drafting the athletic Arnold.
While the Cowboys defense is begging for help after their embarrassing loss to the 49ers in the playoffs, they opt instead to help Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb by adding a true “X” receiver. Mitchell will take some of the load off Lamb, and give Prescott a massive target.
The Packers spent this offseason reloading their porous secondary, and it’s only fitting that they cap it off with one of the best coverage players in the class. Though Wiggins is a bit light, he makes up for it with sheer competitiveness, a trait that worked out for Green Bay when they drafted Jaire Alexander in 2018.
Tampa Bay’s offensive line has not been the same since center Ryan Jensen suffered a catastrophic knee injury during training camp in 2022. Powers-Johnson is built from the same mold as Jensen, violent but smart, with enough attitude to reshape the culture of the entire unit.
Any defensive help is a must for the Cardinals in the back of the first round. Verse falling this far is a boon for Arizona, who have some decent rotational pass rushers, but no one deserving top billing.
Buffalo gutted their secondary and wide receiver room this offseason, cutting, trading or not re-signing almost half a dozen starters. Buffalo may opt to believe that Josh Allen can elevate the receivers himself, and address their depleted secondary. DeJean is an excellent fit because he can do just about anything, which Buffalo needs.
Detroit is in win-now mode and in need of secondary help. McKinstry is not an elite athlete, but he’s still a great cornerback not dissimilar from newly acquired veteran Carlton Davis III.
The Ravens are looking at new starters at three spots along the offensive line, while continuing to gamble on Ronnie Stanley’s health. Guyton is far from a finished product, but his ceiling is as high as just about any other tackle in the class. He’s about as good an option as the Ravens have to play right tackle while giving them a long-term plan on the left side.
The Niners’ Super Bowl window is still open, but they have big issues on the offensive line outside of Trent Williams. Suamataia is very much a project, but he’ s a tremendous athlete who could thrive in Kyle Shanahan’s system. He does not need to start right away (and likely won’t), but if he can come on late in the season, he may be able to push San Francisco over the threshold needed to finally win the last game of the season.
Somehow, Patrick Mahomes won a Super Bowl with arguably the worst wide receiver corps in the NFL last year. As excellent as Mahomes is, Kansas City cannot afford another year of dreadful receiver play if they want a three-peat. McConkey just plain gets open, a trait missing from last year’s receiving group. He can also line up anywhere on the field, which Andy Reid is sure to test.
