Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Here’s our latest mock draft release as the real deal draws near.
Cletis Cutts’ first mock draft of 2024 is now out. Sound off on social media and let us know what you think.
We’ll be unveiling several more mock drafts leading up to the real thing, so be sure to check back with our 2024 NFL Draft Central page to keep track of all of our offerings.
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In his latest NFL mock draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper has the Broncos selecting cornerback Quinyon Mitchell at pick No. 12.
In his latest 2024 NFL mock draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper has the Denver Broncos selecting Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell with pick No. 12 in the first round.
Caleb Williams (No. 1), Jayden Daniels (No. 2), Drake Maye (No. 3) and J.J. McCarthy (No. 5) all go off the board early, so instead of reaching for a quarterback at No. 12, the Broncos land Kiper’s top cornerback prospect.
“Mitchell, my top-ranked cornerback, had 46 pass breakups in four seasons at Toledo, and he ripped off an elite 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the combine,” Kiper wrote on ESPN.com. “He’s ready to play early and often as a rookie.”
This is a change from Kiper’s last mock draft which had Denver selecting Oregon quarterback Bo Nix. Before that, Kiper had the Broncos picking UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu in a previous mock.
Kiper seems to be in agreement with our assessment that quarterback, cornerback and pass rusher are Denver’s three biggest draft needs.
After the top five picks, no other QBs go off the board in the first round of Kiper’s latest mock. He has Nix (No. 33) and Michael Penix (No. 37) going early in the second round (where the Broncos do not currently have a pick).
The 2024 NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27.
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The Huddle’s Ryan Dodson releases his first NFL mock draft of 2024.
Ryan Dodson’s first mock draft of 2024 is now out. Sound off on social media and let us know what you think.
We’ll be unveiling several more mock drafts leading up to the real thing, so be sure to check back with our 2024 NFL Draft Central page to keep track of all of our offerings.
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The Houston Texans finalize what could be a top-10 defense thanks to the addition of two Big Ten standouts in Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft.
Defensive tackle and cornerback remain the biggest needs for the Houston Texans to address entering draft weekend following a promising free agency period.
According to the latest mock draft from ESPN’s Mel Kiper, both areas are shored up in the second round as long-term staples for the reigning AFC South champs.
Even without a first-round pick, the Texans secure a Day 1 talent at pick No. 42 with the selection of Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newton.
This is Houston’s first pick in the draft after it moved out of Round 1 via last month’s trade with the Vikings. It owns the No. 59 pick as well. Newton is one of the best interior pass-rushers in this class. He had 7.5 sacks last season, which was the most in the FBS from a defensive tackle. The Texans signed Folorunso Fatukasi to a one-year deal this offseason, but they also traded away Maliek Collins, creating a void at the position.
Sainristil is the best slot cover corner in this draft. He had 6 picks, 2 sacks and 2 forced fumbles for the national champs last season. Houston signed veteran Desmond King to play as its nickelback, but I don’t think he is guaranteed to make the Week 1 roster. At 5-foot-9, 182 pounds, Sainristil just makes plays. I’d want him on my team.
The Steelers go offensive line and wide receiver in this new ESPN mock draft.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has a new two-round mock draft out and we always perk up when there is a Kiper mock out. The 2024 NFL draft promises to send a ton of young talent into the league and this draft will be vital for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pittsburgh has taken great care in rebuilding the roster and if they can land a pair of starters in this draft like they did in 2023, they could be right back in the mix for an AFC North crown.
Kiper’s mock kicks off with the Steelers selecting Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton in the first round. Here’s what Kiper had to say about the pick.
Cornerback, wide receiver, center — I wouldn’t be surprised with any of these positions for Pittsburgh, which has made a few intriguing additions this offseason. The Steelers parted ways with starting pivot Mason Cole in February, and taking Barton, my top-ranked center, might even be an upgrade. Barton played center as a freshman but spent the past three seasons at left tackle for the Blue Devils, and I see his pro future along the interior. He allowed just three sacks over the past two seasons.
Might be an upgrade? Cole was awful last season. Barton is a huge step up and sets up the team for the future at center.
Moving to the second round, Kiper has the Steelers selecting former Washington wide receiver Jalen McMillan. As Kiper points out, McMillan is a natural slot receiver in the NFL but I’m not sure that’s the target this early in the draft. After trading away Diontae Johnson, an outside receiver is a higher priority, especially with several veterans on the roster who can line up inside. McMillan’s former teammate, Ja’Lynn Polk who went two picks later might be a better fit.
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Even after trading down, the Panthers manage to pick up a couple of studs in Mel Kiper’s newest two-round mock draft.
Did the game’s greatest draft expert just turn out the greatest 2024 draft projection for the Carolina Panthers to date?
Longtime ESPN draftnik Mel Kiper Jr. released his latest mock, one of the two-round variety, on Wednesday. To start the second round, he has the Panthers trading the 33rd overall selection to the New York Giants—who make the jump for Oregon quarterback Bo Nix.
So, Carolina begins their picking at No. 39—landing Georgia’s Ladd McConkey. Kiper writes:
McConkey is a versatile and shifty receiver who caught 119 passes and had 18 touchdowns over three college seasons. He can play inside and outside, and he has the speed — he ran a 4.39-second 40 at the combine — to blow by cornerbacks. The Panthers improved their receiving corps with the trade for Diontae Johnson, but they had one of the league’s worst units a year ago and should add more talent.
McConkey, who could go at the end of the first round, is quite the steal for the Panthers here. But the heist only gets better.
Then, at No. 44, Carolina nabs Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson—who is considered the top prospect at his position:
I addressed Carolina’s wide receiver corps at No. 39, and let’s stay on offense with the pick from the projected trade with the Giants. Do the Panthers trust Austin Corbett to be an above-average starter after moving him from guard to center? I’m not so sure. Powers-Johnson might be an immediate upgrade on departed starter Bradley Bozeman. The Rimington Trophy winner allowed just two total pressures last season.
Filling two big needs with two potential first-round talents? Not bad at all.
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Mel Kiper Jr. thinks it’d be a “no-brainer” for the Dolphins to add another dynamic pass rusher to the roster with the No. 21 pick.
The Miami Dolphins have a duo of exciting young pass rushers in Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, but it’s possible neither will be ready for Week 1 of the 2024 season. Chubb suffered an ACL tear on New Year’s Eve and Phillips tore his Achilles in November.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. thinks the Dolphins should use the No. 21 overall pick to find a solution to that issue. In his latest mock draft, two weeks ahead of the 2024 NFL draft, Kiper predicted that Florida State’s Jared Verse will be Miami’s selection.
Yes, Miami has Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips as its top edge rushers, but both are coming off serious season-ending injuries. Phillips tore an Achilles in late November, while Chubb tore an ACL in early January. There’s no guarantee either is 100 percent healthy when training camp starts. That’s why the Dolphins could take Verse, who has impressive power in his 254-pound frame. His 50 QB pressures last season were the eighth most in the FBS. Miami has to replace a few starters after offseason subtractions, but Verse would be a no-brainer selection if he’s still on the board.
A round later, Kiper has the Dolphins addressing one of those offseason subtractions: the departure of Robert Hunt in free agency. To fill that void, Kiper thinks UConn’s Christian Haynes could be Miami’s pick:
Miami has faced some upheaval along the offensive line this offseason, creating a hole at guard. The Dolphins ranked 31st in pass block win rate (49.2%), so change could be good. Haynes started 49 games at right guard in college, and he allowed just one sack over his final three seasons. He’s my No. 3-ranked player at the position.
It’s easy to see the logic in both selections, as beefing up the trenches is probably the top priority for the Dolphins after signing more than a dozen free agents to fill roster holes. While Verse may eventually be relegated to rotational duties after Chubb and Phillips get healthy, it never hurts to have a stable of rushers who can generate pressure.
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ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has the Rams trading up for a QB in his latest mock draft, but not in the 1st round
It’s very possible the Los Angeles Rams will draft a quarterback with one of their 11 picks this year, potentially even on Day 1 or 2. Matthew Stafford is getting older and his backup, Jimmy Garoppolo, is also a veteran on only a one-year deal. Stetson Bennett’s uncertain future throws a wrench into things, too, because the Rams don’t know if he can be the successor at quarterback.
Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN just released his latest mock draft with the big event only two weeks out and he has the Rams trading up for a quarterback. That doesn’t happen from Pick 19, though. He projects them to move up for Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. in the second round, going from No. 52 to 37 in order to land the lefty quarterback.
Kiper’s projected deal involves the Rams sending Nos. 52, 83 and 96 to the Chargers for No. 37. Here’s what Kiper wrote about the Rams’ potential selection of Penix at No. 37 overall.
Yes, the Rams have Matthew Stafford. Yes, they brought in Jimmy Garoppolo. And yes, they drafted Stetson Bennett in Round 4 last year. But Stafford is 36 and has dealt with serious injuries in recent years, while Garoppolo is on a one-year deal and Bennett spent his rookie season on the reserve/non-football illness list. There’s a lot of uncertainty in L.A. past 2024.
Penix could be the future franchise signal-caller for coach Sean McVay and the Rams. He is accurate to every level of the field and is a great decision-maker. He had 67 touchdown passes and 19 interceptions in his two seasons at Washington. I have a Round 2 grade on him, just behind Bo Nix in my rankings.
Penix could be one of six quarterbacks drafted in the first round, but in Kiper’s mock, only four of them go in Round 1. Nix and Penix both slip into the second round after Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and J.J. McCarthy all go in the top five.
The Rams do need a successor behind Stafford and Penix would be afforded the chance to sit and learn for at least a year or two, which would benefit him greatly. There are some injury concerns after he suffered two torn ACLs and two shoulder injuries during his time at Indiana from 2018-2021, but he looks to be past those ailments.
Earlier in Kiper’s mock, the Rams select Laiatu Latu at No. 19 overall in the first round, adding a dynamic pass rusher to a defense that lost Aaron Donald to retirement. Latu is a promising prospect with an excellent pass-rush repertoire, and pairing him with Byron Young would give the Rams a young tandem of outside linebackers to build around for the next few years.
Latu is the best pure edge rusher in this class, and he already has an array of pass-rush moves. He ranked first in the FBS in total pressures (55) and had 13 sacks in 2023. I haven’t heard any recent red flags around his medical reports, as there were some questions last fall because he medically retired from football because of a neck injury he suffered when he was at Washington in 2021.
Some fans may not be on board with the Rams taking a quarterback early in the draft, but with Bennett’s future unclear and Stafford getting older, they need to address the position sooner or later and spending a second-rounder on a talented passer isn’t the worst idea – even if it comes after trading up.
Draft Wire’s recent three-round NFL mock draft has the Broncos selecting UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu at No. 12.
With the NFL draft season entering the home stretch, ridiculous takes are flying in to pass the time. Luckily, some draft boards are continuing to remain consistent.
In his recent NFL mock draft, Jeff Risdon of Draft Wire has the Broncos selecting UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu.
“Latu instantly becomes the best pass rusher on the roster with his craftiness and technical savvy, plus his pretty impressive athletic prowess,” Risdon wrote on Draft Wire.
While Denver’s pass rush does need help, it’s worth noting that this is one of the most talented quarterback draft classes in recent memory. Some quarterbacks who Risdon has teams selecting before Denver’s 12th pick: Caleb Williams to the Chicago Bears at No. 1, Jayden Daniels to the Washington Commanders at No. 2 and J.J. McCarthy to the New England Patriots at No. 3.
Notable quarterbacks selected after Risdon’s belief that the Broncos will select Latu are Bo Nix to the Las Vegas Raiders (No. 44) and Michael Penix Jr. (No. 47) to the New York Giants in the second round.
Fans in Denver want a QB, but Latu is still a solid pick. At 6-5, 265 pounds, his size enabled him to lead the nation in tackles for loss average (1.8 per game) while also nabbing 13 sacks for the 2023 season. Adding another talented defensive playmaker would only elevate the Broncos’ defense.
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See who the Tampa Bay Buccaneers land in the latest 2024 NFL mock draft from CBS Sports
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were able to keep all of their most important free agents this offseason, but they still have some glaring holes on both sides of the ball, one of which should be addressed with their first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
In the latest 2024 NFL mock draft from CBS Sports, the Bucs fill their biggest need on defense with Penn State edge defender Chop Robinson, who brings rare explosiveness and athleticism to the position.
Here’s what Adam Rank at CBS Sports had to say about the pick:
I was about to say WR Xavier Worthy should be the pick here, but upon further thought, Trey Palmer showed enough in his rookie season to continuing playing the burner role. And with Shaq Barrett gone, you need to find somebody who can rush the quarterback. I’d be happy if you landed Robinson in this spot.
Rank was wise to rethink putting Worthy in that spot, as he correctly assessed that Palmer showed plenty of promise during his rookie season as the speedy No. 3 receiver alongside Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. He’s also right about Robinson being a strong fit to replace Barrett, who was cut for salary cap reasons earlier this offseason.
Considering other top targets like Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton and Oregon offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson were off the board, Robinson was the most sensible pick in this scenario.
To check out the full first-round projection at CBS Sports, click here.
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