2024 NFL mock draft: Updated 3-round projections

Check out the latest three-round projections for the 2024 NFL draft

We’re less than a month away from the 2024 NFL draft, and the rumor mill is already churning at full speed.

While this year’s No. 1 overall pick appears to be set in stone, the drama could start at the No. 2 spot, where three different quarterback prospects appear to be vying for the QB2 slot behind USC’s Caleb Williams.

A loaded class at wide receiver could dominate the rest of the top 10, while a deep group of offensive lineman could have double-digit representatives across the first round.

How will the early rounds shake out on draft weekend?

Here’s an updated three-round projection for this year’s draft:

*projected trade

 

2024 NFL Draft: Utah safety Cole Bishop scouting report

Utah safety Cole Bishop is one of the most amazing athletes at his position; if he can shore up a few things, he could be a star in the NFL.

A three-star recruit out of Starr’s Mill High School in Fayetteville, Georgia, Cole Bishop got a very nice start with the Utes, amassing 54 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three sacks to go with five pass breakups as a true freshman in 2021. Bishop was named Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention in both 2021 and 2022, but 2023 was when Bishop’s coverage abilities really came around.

After allowing opponent passer ratings of 107.4 and 104.2 in his first two seasons, Bishop dropped that down to 67.8 in 2023, allowing 14 catches on 26 targets for 170 yards, 58 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and one pass breakup. He also had three sacks, 12 total pressures, 47 solo tackles, 22 stops, and nine missed tackles. Bishop was a 2023 Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist, and participated in the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

PLUSES
 
— Bishop has on-field speed that stands out over and over on tape; it gives him the ability to play everywhere from blitzer to robber to post safety.
 
— Can match and carry speed receivers up the chute and to either boundary; has true sideline-to-sideline burst both as a safety and occasionally as an outside cornerback.
 
— Has a nice backpedal and turn and can play press-bail. Very versatile in coverage.
 
— Eager and aggressive (sometimes too aggressive) tackler who can level the boom when his technique is on point.
 
— Has the wherewithal to come down hard from the second and third levels to erase screens and other short passes.
 
MINUSES
 
— On-field speed can be a blessing and a curse; he’s eager to get to the receiver, but can be waylaid by backfield action and route concepts.
 
— Tackling can be an adventure. Bishop has the acceleration to get anywhere, but you don’t always know what’s going to happen from a tackling perspective when he gets there.
 
— Needs to better square up and hit the hole with authority when coming down from the box — he’s not always a disciplined landmark player. Short arms might add to this issue.
 
Bishop is one of the more fun players to watch in this draft class; you’ll want to throw on some early Metallica as a soundtrack for his play style. His NFL coaches will have to rein the more random elements of his frenetic demeanor, but over time, he could be a multi-position star in the pros.

2024 NFL mock draft: ESPN’s Mel Kiper gives Bucs more speed at WR

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. makes a luxury pick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his latest first-round projection for the 2024 NFL draft

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers already have one of the best wide receiver tandems in the NFL with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, but would that stop them from spending their top pick in the 2024 NFL draft on another dynamic pass-catcher?

In his latest 2024 NFL mock draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has the Bucs using the No. 26 overall selection on Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who just broke the NFL Scouting Combine record with a 4.21-second 40-yard dash.

Here’s what Kiper had to say about the pick:

The Bucs are running it back from 2023, with quarterback Baker Mayfield, wideout Mike Evans and linebacker Lavonte David among the players re-signing. General manager Jason Licht has done well with a tough salary-cap situation — Tampa Bay held a $35.1 million dead-cap charge for Tom Brady last year — and his team should challenge again to win the NFC South (though Atlanta is improved too).

So how can the Bucs improve with this pick? I see room for a third wideout to take the top off the defense. And what better way to do that than with the fastest prospect in NFL combine history? At 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, Worthy is small, but he is electric with the ball in his hands. He’ll help Mayfield’s yards-per-attempt average just by running past corners on crossers. He had 26 touchdowns over three college seasons.

There’s no denying that Worthy would bring game-breaking speed and big-play potential to Tampa Bay’s passing attack, but the Bucs already have a budding young talent in Trey Palmer who has a similar skill set. Palmer showed off his own elite speed multiple times during his rookie season, and even had the fastest burst of any receiver in the league last year, according to Next Gen Stats.

Taking Worthy is the first round would be a luxury for a Bucs team that desperately needs upgrades in the starting lineup at multiple spots on both sides of the ball (left guard, center, outside linebacker, inside linebacker).

To check out Kiper’s full first-round mock draft at ESPN.com (subscription required), click here.

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Daniel Jeremiah has the Vikings trading up for their QB

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah has the Minnesota Vikings trade up for a quarterback and select J.J. McCarthy at fourth overall.

The Minnesota Vikings are going to be trading up a lot in mock drafts over the next five weeks. This number was bound to spike up after they acquired the 23rd overall pick from the Houston Texans.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah got the memo and provided some chaos in his latest mock draft. He had the Vikings trading up for the fourth overall pick with the Houston Texans to select Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

Now the fun really begins. After their recent trade with the Texans, it seems the Vikings are situated to aggressively move up to draft Kirk Cousins’ replacement. The Cardinals trade down, bypassing a chance to pick the first receiver off the board, but they address the position later in Round 1 (SEE: Pick No. 23).

This will likely be the most popular selection over the next five weeks because of what head coach Kevin O’Connell values in his quarterbacks. He also is filled with upside due to how Michigan used him while in college.

Is he the right option for the Vikings? That remains to be seen, but it’s not out of the question.

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Daniel Jeremiah mock draft 3.0: QB’s go in top 4 picks, Raiders take QB Michael Penix at 13

Daniel Jeremiah chooses ‘chaos’ in mock draft 3.0: QB Michael Penix to Raiders at 13

Earlier this week, with the major free agents all having signed, thus changing the landscape of what positions teams will be looking to address in the draft, NFL media’s Daniel Jeremiah teased his next mock draft.

“I’m debating choosing chaos for my next mock draft,” said Jeremiah. Followed by a GIF suggesting chaos it is.

It was two days later that he actually released the mock saying plainly “I chose chaos.”

What made it chaotic?

First, it was the Vikings trading up with the Cardinals to the fourth spot to select JJ McCarthy, which meant QB’s went with the top four picks in the draft.

Then, with Marvin Harrison Jr still on the board, the Jets jumped up in a trade with the Chargers to get him.

With the top four QB’s gone, the question would be what the Broncos will do at 12 and the Raiders at 13. Both teams have a major need at QB, but most draft analysts see a big dropoff after those first four QB’s. Potentially a full round dropoff.

Jeremiah has the Broncos passing up the QB position for the draft’s top tight end Brock Bowers.

But the Raiders say ‘damn your draft projections,’ throw caution to the wind, and nab Washington’s Michael Penix at 13.

The Raiders signed Gardner Minshew to compete against Aidan O’Connell. However, I don’t think those two quarterbacks have the ceiling that Penix does in the NFL. There’s an assumption that Penix is more of a second-rounder, but I believe his skill set is a unique fit for the Raiders’ style of play.

Penix has potentially elite arm talent with plenty of mobility to go with it. His skillset is top of the draft worthy. Mainly it’s his injury history and age that has him projected lower. The age thing is an issue for those who think that means he’s hit his ceiling, while others have more room to grow.

I personally don’t buy into the age issue. I see it as him being more pro ready, thus getting more of his prime in his rookie contract. So, you’d have to think if he can shake the injury bug, he is worth this pick.

Also consider that the Raiders have needed to take a swing at QB for a while now. They could try and trade down a bit before getting Penix. But if they simply wait to the second round, they may end of losing out on him and potentially Oregon’s Bo Nix as well. That’s a hell of a risk to take.

Tough call.

2024 NFL mock draft: Daniel Jeremiah has puzzling pick for Bucs

See who the Tampa Bay Buccaneers land in the latest 2024 NFL mock draft from NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah

The latest 2024 NFL mock draft from NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah is hot off the digital presses, and his pick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is a strange one.

At the No. 26 overall selection, Jeremiah has the Bucs taking Missouri defensive lineman Darius Robinson.

Here’s Jeremiah’s reasoning for the pick:

Robinson offers versatility, physicality and athleticism to the Bucs’ front. He would be a great complement to one of the best sleeper picks in last year’s draft, YaYa Diaby.

It’s obviously true that the Bucs need a blue-chip edge defender out of this draft class, considering they’ve released veteran Shaq Barrett and declined the fifth-year option on disappointing 2021 first-rounder Joe Tryon-Shoyinka. That said, Robinson is an odd choice to fill that role.

While he’s listed by many as an edge defender, Robinson’s size and skill set make him an odd fit for Todd Bowles’ defense. At 6-5 and 285 pounds, Robinson projects more as an interior player in Tampa Bay’s scheme, something the Bucs need far less than a true edge defender to line up opposite Diaby.

Robinson’s athleticism and versatility could still be useful to Bowles, obviously, but if the Bucs wanted an edge rusher in this mock, Penn State’s Chop Robinson was still available and would have made far more sense.

To check out Jeremiah’s full first-round mock draft at NFL.com, click here.

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Bengals fix free agency mistake in Mel Kiper Jr.’s newest mock draft

The Bengals right a wrong in a new mock draft from Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN.

The Cincinnati Bengals gambled in free agency with the loss of offensive tackle Jonah Williams.

Williams went on to sign with the Arizona Cardinals, leaving the Bengals with a massive hole at right tackle in front of Joe Burrow, who enters 2024 off another season-ending injury.

But the Bengals address this in the latest mock draft from ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., where they select Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga:

The Bengals let right tackle Jonah Williams leave in free agency, opening up a void at the position. I don’t see a replacement on the roster. They could fill it with Fuaga, one of my favorite prospects in this class. He is phenomenal in both the run and pass game, and he started 25 games at RT for the Beavers.

This was the risk with letting Williams get away (for a contract that wasn’t all that costly) because as Kiper goes on to point out, major names like LSU wideout Brian Thomas Jr. and Texas defensive lineman Byron Murphy II are on the board in this scenario.

Yet the Bengals are semi-forced into offensive tackle now with right tackle vacant. And though they had interest in one free agent who visited and will host Trent Brown, even signing one of those guys probably won’t stop them from taking someone like Fuaga at No. 18.

Fuaga is a high-upside prospect who could start as a rookie if the inevitable veteran signing can’t go a full 17 games, at least, making this predictable-seeming scenario still the likeliest one to play out over the next month or so.

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New PFF mock draft sees three Penn Staters go in first three rounds

Three Penn Staters in first three rounds of PFF’s latest mock

The first week of NFL free agency is over, and now we are just over a month away from the 2024 NFL draft and its full-blown mock draft bonanza.

Pro Football Focus (PFF), known for its 0-100 NFL and college football player grades, released its latest three-round mock draft. This iteration included a few exciting trades, including the Minnesota Vikings trading up to pick No. 4 for Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.

PFF’s Trevor Sikkema has three Penn State players going in the first three rounds: OT [autotag]Olu Fashanu[/autotag], EDGE [autotag]Chop Robinson[/autotag] and EDGE [autotag]Adisa Isaac[/autotag].

Sikkema has Fashanu going No. 14 overall to the New Orleans Saints, which is a bit further down in the first round than earlier in the draft season. The former Penn State star was initially seen as a top-10 pick, but an injury at the combine, plus concerns from teams about handling power rushers, has seen his stock fall.

Fashanu brings some concerns about how he deals with power, but he’s a fantastic athlete and a great pass protector who can still develop that power as a young player. The Saints can’t just roll into next season under the assumption that Trevor Penning will get substantially better. – Trevor Sikkema, PFF

Sikkema notes Fashanu’s elite athleticism and prowess as a great pass-protector, and the Saints would seem to be a prudent fit, considering their ranking as the 10th most pass-heavy offense in the league last year.

Although many, including Chop Robinson himself, see him as a first-rounder, PFF has Robinson missing out on the first day of the draft by just one spot. Sikkema has the Carolina Panthers selecting the Penn State pass rusher with the No. 33 pick, where he would likely fill the void left by former Penn Stater [autotag]Yetur Gross-Matos[/autotag], who left for the 49ers in free agency.

With the ninth pick of the third round (No. 73 overall), Sikkema has the Detroit Lions selecting edge rusher Adisa Isaac, who could pair nicely as a bookend to former Michigan star Aidan Hutchison as part of an up-and-coming defensive line.

The NFL draft will take place from April 25 to April 27 in Detroit, and the Chicago Bears will have the first overall pick.

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2024 NFL Mock Draft: Trades for QBs shake up Round 1; Ravens retool offensive line

We’re looking at an updated three round NFL mock draft for all 32 teams after the first wave of free agency

The Ravens are still in the crux of a potential Super Bowl window. Still, they’ll look drastically different on both sides of the football after undergoing massive changes to player personnel and the coaching staff. Eric DeCosta started the off-season with urgency, signing Justin Madubuike, one of the league’s best defensive linemen, to an extension. After inking Madubuike to a deal, Baltimore seemed to win the first wave of the free agency period after getting Derrick Henry for two years and $16 million. The talented running back could earn $20 million throughout the deal. All wasn’t perfect, as the Ravens suffered significant free-agent losses. Patrick Queen (Steelers), Geno Stone (Bengals), and Gus Edwards (Chargers) were among eight free agents to sign elsewhere. Baltimore also traded Morgan Moses to the Jets and released Tyus Bowser in a cost-cutting move. With the second wave of free agency set to begin, we’re looking at an updated three-round mock draft.

2024 NFL mock draft: How free agency, trades impact 3-round forecast

How could free agency and recent trades impact the first three rounds of the 2024 NFL draft? Let’s find out.

The 2024 NFL draft is right around the corner, and with the first week of free agency officially in the books, we’ve got a much better idea of what each team needs in the early rounds.

While some clubs have been able to fill the biggest holes on their roster with veterans in free agency, others could be left reaching with their top picks in this year’s draft after whiffing on the best targets on the open market.

We’ve also seen some big trades that will also have a significant impact on the early going on draft weekend.

How will it all shake out?

Here’s an updated three-round projection for the 2024 NFL draft: