WolverinesWire 2024 NFL first-round mock draft (2024)

This is one of the easiest picks in NFL draft history. Chicago missed on their last two first-round quarterbacks in Mitch Trubisky and Justin Fields, and now have a truly special talent available to them. Williams is the type of needle-mover that franchises rally around. He can make every throw in the book, creates 40-yard touchdowns out of sure sacks, and generally commands the respect of any defense he faces. Williams is an underrated athlete and can scramble when pressed, but is equally dangerous throwing on the run which means that defenders can crash when he escapes the pocket. The USC signal caller enters a great situation in Chicago (which feels weird to say) and might just propel the Bears to a playoff birth in his first year.

There has been a lot of debate about whether Washington likes Maye or Jayden Daniels here, but I think it’s Maye all the way. He’s got crazy arm talent and that rare playmaking edge that seems to accompany NFL greatness. He may turn the ball over an unfortunate amount in his first season or so, but once he cleans that up he can be a Pro Bowl-level talent. Washington hasn’t had a quarterback this exciting or talented since Robert Griffin III.

The popular pick here has been to take a quarterback, but I don’t think this roster is ready for a rookie signalcaller. Instead, the Patriots have a chance to take one of the best receiver prospects of the last decade, which is also a position of need. Harrison is one of those special talents that you can’t justify passing on. His advanced route running is paired with terrific hands, and unreal body control to make a receiver that would make any offensive coach drool. There is little to question about his evaluation — Marv will be an impact player in year one.

Nabers and Rome Odunze have neck-and-neck evaluations for me, but I think the Cardinals would rather have the speed that Nabers brings. They have already a solid “X” receiver in Michael Wilson and now have the speed and burst of Nabers to round out the duo. Nabers is explosive and threatens defense as much after the catch as he does before. The Cardinals already have their franchise quarterback in Kyler Murray, and history stipulates that Murray loves to throw to quicker targets. I would expect Nabers to instantly step into the top receiver role on a team that lacks significant talent on the offensive side of the ball.

Three receivers and two quarterbacks in the top five picks? Absolutely. Odunze is another guy in this terrific wide receiver class who you can bet on starting week one without a hitch. He’s a physical vertical threat who, like the two before him, runs fluid routes and has great hands. Odunze fits as smoothly as butter onto a Chargers roster that just traded away their top two targets — expect Odunze to be a better Mike Williams. Head coach Jim Harbaugh is in prime position to grab a young and talented weapon to complement franchise quarterback Justin Herbert. This is a no-brainer.

The Giants recently re-signed Daniel Jones to an extension but no one in the league is sold on him as the long-term plan. Instead, the Giants opt for an only slightly younger option in Jayden Daniels. Daniels is a big play waiting to happen. His prolific deep ball combines with elite speed to create a walking highlight reel. The Giants have some building to do around him, but he certainly has the blueprint of an NFL star. The biggest issue with Daniels is his tendency to take bone-crushing hits. He may have survived several kill shots at the college level, but NFL defenders will be even less forgiving.

Big Joe! Tennessee can take a sure-fire stud tackle and completely lock down the left side of their offensive line. Alt is a monster. Standing at 6-foot-9 and weighing 321 pounds, he is somehow still a nimble mover who can open up gaps in the run game as well as lockdown pass rushers. His only issue will be dealing with his naturally high center of gravity, but that’s a very coachable point. The Titans might have struck gold with quarterback Will Levis last year, now they just need to make sure he can stay upright long enough to deliver the ball to their pricey receiver room.

The first defensive player off the board heads to Atlanta! The Falcons did a great job overhauling their offense in free agency, but now need to tool up their defense if they want to make a playoff run. The first target to fix is the pass rush. Atlanta had just two players hit over six sacks last season (Bud Dupree and Calais Campbell), both of whom are no longer on the roster. Dallas Turner is a physical freak who can become one of the top pass rushers in the NFL. His length, explosiveness, and power are incredibly rare and, if harnessed, can become a weekly wrecking ball for offenses.

Let’s kill some quarterbacks! Chicago traded for Montez Sweat during last season and instantly saw their defense improve. Now, Chicago gives him a running mate to really get after the quarterback. Latu is the most skilled pass rusher in the entire class and will do numbers for a Bears team that is looking to make a playoff push after a couple of disappointing seasons. I struggled between Latu and Jer’Zhan Newton here, but I ended up going with Latu on the premise that modern defenses revolve around the pass rush. This will put more pressure on the interior of the defensive line to stop the run, but Chicago employs Andrew Billings for a reason.

The Jets are finally retooled. Aaron Rodgers should be healthier than one drive this season and the Jets are clearly doing all they can to put a dream team offense around him. The offensive line is situated for the most part and Gang Green went out and traded for Mike Williams to help take some of the pressure off of Garrett Wilson. What’s the last missing piece? An elite tight end. Tyler Conklin is fine, but Bowers should be so much more than that. He can make amazing catches, separates from anybody who tries to cover him, creates after the catch, and even gets dirty when blocking. New York should be able to trot out one of the most complete offensive units in the NFL with Bowers on the roster.

The first Michigan man of the draft! J.J. McCarthy finds the perfect home and heads to the Twin Cities. McCarthy is a terrific talent but probably needs an extra year or so of NFL-level work to become a high-level starting quarterback. The good news is that you can’t really ask for better weapons than Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson. Even as the first-round pick, McCarthy might not be the opening-day starter, but that shouldn’t be concerning for Viking fans. This is a kid who is incredibly composed on a off the field and just needs some time to get his feet wet in pass-heavy systems.

To put it bluntly, Denver lacks talent. The Broncos cannot afford to miss on this pick and Newton is one of the safer players on the board. He will instantly improve this defense against both the pass and run and should be a staple for years to come. Newton is quick, strong, and understands the game of football well. Is he instantly going to take the Broncos to the playoffs? No, but he should be a good player for years to come and will help transition Denver out of their terrible cap situation.

Las Vegas could opt to go for a cornerback here, but I don’t think they can pass up the opportunity to square away this offensive line for the foreseeable future. A unit of Kolton Miller, Thayer Munford, Andre James, Dylan Parham, and Taliese Fuaga sounds pretty nice, and will be especially welcoming to whichever quarterback they select next year to lead the franchise. As for Fuaga, he’s a smooth and sturdy pass protector who has the ability to open up gaps in the run game, but still needs to refine that area of his game a little. In my eyes, Vegas is building their roster for next season and Fuaga should be a strong starter by that time. This is a pick that will look better and better with time.

The Saints badly need a left tackle, and Fashanu is an incredible talent. He’s got some work to do before he’s a perfect player, but the ceiling is there for him to become one of the best at his position in the league. The good news is that New Orleans has some time before they’re realistically able to compete again, so Fashanu can get in the lab before there’s a young quarterback counting on him. The decision to go with Fashanu over Troy Fautanu was tough but ultimately came down to each player’s ceiling.

The AFC South will run through Houston for the foreseeable future, which means that the Colts will need a way to combat C.J. Stroud, Nico Collins, and Stefon Diggs. Right now, their starting secondary leaves a lot to be desired and McKinstry fits the bill as a battle-tested cornerback. Though only 21 years old, the man known simply as “Kool-Aid” has held his own in a number of big games against star receivers and projects pretty smoothly to the NFL. Expect him to start week one as the Colt’s top cornerback.

Seattle has a couple of needs on defense, but I love the idea of them ironing out the secondary with Mitchell. Tariq Woolen is still in their plans, and Mitchell gives the team another physical boundary cornerback to man the perimeter. Seattle invested last year’s top pick into Devon Witherspoon out of Illinois, but he is most valuable in the slot where he can blitz and be around the ball. A cornerback trio of Woolen, Witherspoon, and Mitchell is as physically intimidating as any in the NFL and can mature into a trio that shuts down passing attacks in a similar fashion to the Legion of Boom.

It was tempting to give the Jags a receiver here, but I figure that protecting the franchise quarterback is higher on the list of needs. Last year the offensive line struggled, and Fautanu is just the guy to solve that problem. He has all the ability to play left tackle but will start his career at guard while Cam Robinson finishes the last year of his contract. Fautanu is a mean player who embraces the violence of football and yet still excels in space. Jacksonville has been needing some attitude on their offense for a while and Fautanu can be a guy who doubles as the “enforcer.”

Cincinnati is looking to get back to a Super Bowl after injuries derailed last season. They did some work on the offensive line in free agency, and now get to address the other side of the trenches with Byron Murphy. Murphy is an explosive three-tech who will pair terrifically with Hendrickson and Hubbard as a pass-rush trio. At this point, the Bengals are building for the playoffs where they will need to face the gauntlet of AFC QBs. What’s the best way to limit what elite passers can do? Sit them on the turf.

Aaron Donald officially announced his retirement this offseason, which means that L.A. is suddenly down their top defender. Look, Donald’s presence can’t be replicated by one player — not even close. But, at some point, the Rams will need to replace his overall pass-rush ability and Verse is the best way to do that given the remaining options. Verse is a balanced player who can win with power or speed and just has a knack for getting to the QB. He might not start his career with a 12+ sack season, but he will age well.

Pittsburgh traded away wide receiver Diontae Johnson this offseason, which leaves them with a hole opposite George Pickens. At this point, Adonai Mitchell is the top pass catcher on the board and can give the Steelers a rare two-top receiver combo to carry them into the Russell Wilson (and maybe Justin Fields?) era. Mitchell is a tall, fast receiver who has great hands and gets open with ease. He doesn’t offer the same intensity as his teammate Pickens, but it’s arguable that there’s already enough flare in that room for the both of them. Look for Mitchell to compete with Pickens for the top receiver spot on the roster.

Miami is thrilled with how the board falls and walks away from round one with Terrion Arnold. The second Alabama cornerback off the board, Arnold is aggressive, athletic, and ready to get feisty with any receiver that lines up across from him. He is still learning the ropes of the cornerback position after transitioning from safety, but once he puts it all together it will be a sight to behold. In terms of need, Miami just got rid of Xavien Howard which opens a spot across the Jalen Ramsey, who is also getting up there in age. Arnold is half a pick made for the present and half a pick made for the future. Either way, Arnold has a spot on this roster.

Okay, hear me out. Philidelphia has had tremendous success building their offense around the line, but with Kelce gone and Johnson getting up there in age, it’s time to build for the future. Mims is a freaky talent in terms of athleticism and skill but hasn’t played enough football to warrant a top pick. Having him sit under Johnson for a year and learn the ropes (or even try his hand at guard) would be a great way for Philly to make sure that their blue-collar identity remains intact through an entire changing of the guard.

I love Graham Barton and 23 is much lower than he deserves. He can truly play all five spots on the offensive line at a high level, which makes him a resource invaluable to a coaching staff. With that being said, Minnesota just used their top pick on J.J. McCarthy and now needs to make sure that the franchise quarterback finishes each game with a clean jersey. I would expect Barton to start his tenure at guard before taking over center duties when Garrett Bradbury’s contract is up.

This is a football fan pick. Dallas obviously has a budding superstar in CeeDee Lamb but pairing him with Brian Thomas is just unfair. BTJ is a 6-foot-3 receiver who runs in the low 4.3s and knows how to track the deep ball. Using him to knock off the top of the defense while Lamb runs circles around single coverage underneath? Unstoppable. Oh, they also have veteran speedster Brandin Cooks to torch whatever poor third-string cornerback has to man him up.

Don’t get mad at me — but I think DeJean fits best in the NFL as a safety. Can he play cornerback? Yeah, sure, but his hip stiffness makes him a borderline liability in man coverage and limits the defense’s ability to disguise coverages. His strengths are zone coverage, finding the ball, and hitting. That’s a safety skill set. Green Bay signed Xavier McKinney to fill up one safety spot, but still have a need at the other. My plan for DeJean is as follows: See what he can do at cornerback but do not hesitate to move him back to safety if things start to get rocky.

In my first year of draft coverage, I had Creed Humphrey graded as a top-10 player and dropped him into the early second round. Never again will I disgrace the center position with such heinous disrespect. JPJ is so good at football, man. He understands football at an advanced level, has the pass protection ability to be a rock in the middle, and still gets into the space to crush faces. Tampa’s roster is generally in a good spot but they never really recovered from Ryan Jensen’s retirement and now have a chance to pick up a guy who might end up as a top-five center in the league. Robert Hainsey is the currently center and is fine, but having him a flex guard option is slightly more optimal.

Yay! Michigan is back. This time, Arizona dips into the defensive talent pool and takes one of the safest players in the class. Sainristil is a high I.Q. player who can step in as the Cardinal’s slot cornerback as a rookie. He can tackle, cover, blitz, and understands the intricacies of the wide receiver position due to his experience playing there early in his college career. There’s a chance that Sainristil can also spot-start as a boundary cornerback or safety, but his height restricts him from projecting there long-term. Either way, Mikey will find the field early and be tough to get off it.

Khalil Shakir and Curtis Samuel currently make up the Bills receiver core, and that isn’t good enough to fight their way through the AFC. Legette is a massive, muscled-up receiver who has the vertical jump and strength to dominate DBs at the catch point. He’s got more speed than you’d expect from a 221-pound receiver and even returned a kickoff for a touchdown in college. The dude is just scary. He’s the kind of bruiser that makes DBs regret they didn’t pick another sport. Landing him with a crazy quarterback like Josh Allen feels like a recipe for over-the-top, video-game-like highlights.

Detroit has a young star pass rusher in Aidan Hutchinson but needs a way to keep him from getting double-teamed weekly. Enter Chop Robinson. Robinson is one of the best athletes at his position and can be the lightning to Hutchinson’s thunder. The vision here is for Hutchinson to collapse the pocket and force a quarterback to scramble — only for Chop to hunt them down with his blazing speed. Robinson might never be a game-wrecker himself, but his job is to take attention away from Hutchinson and clean up sacks.

This is an interesting pick. Wiggins has blazing speed and great movement skills but there are legitimate size questions that could pose an issue in the NFL. Baltimore is in a similar position to the Dolphins at cornerback where they have one veteran approaching the dreaded decline and another spot completely open. He isn’t the most typical “Ravens” pick given his lack of aggression in run support, but I think he adds a dimension to Baltimore’s defense that hasn’t been there is recent years.

Run the ball to the moon. Latham is a prospect that I struggled with due to his issues at times in pass protection, but the 49ers badly need offensive line help and boy can Latham move bodies in the run game. His 6-foot-6, 342-pound frame is backed up by lumberjack-like strength and the rare ability to manipulate defenders to his will. Trent Williams is nearing the end of the line and San Francisco will need at least some form of talent when he calls it a career. There is some risk to this pick, but if it pays off there’s a lot of upside.

I didn’t want to make this pick just because it would be annoying to watch Mahomes throw to McConkey 15 times a game at no more than 10 yards of depth. McConkey is a clinical route runner who can get open against man coverage with ease and even has the burners to go deep, but I have a feeling that K.C. will keep him almost like a check-down for Mahomes to find when he inevitably starts to scramble. McConkey will be a PPR fantasy football legend should he end up in Kansas City.