The Sportsletter's 2024 NFL Mock Draft... With a Twist 🔒
It’s almost time, team! There's one day left until the 2024 NFL Draft, and we’ve spent a lot of time reading mocks and peering through smokescreens to develop our own predictive run-of-show. The rumors are swirling. Trades will be made. But this is our 11th-hour take on the selections as the picks stand. We looked at more than 30 mock drafts over the past few weeks to compile a consensus list with a few twists (🔒) of our own. Five QBs in the first 11 picks is a bit aggressive. Seven of the first 11 picks are QBs and receivers before a run of defensive backs and linemen are taken in the teens and beyond. Here’s our take (no trades) based on team needs, best available, and overall fits.
🔒 Mock Locks: A unique twist to this year’s NFL mock draft is our “mock locks” — a symbol that signifies the ten most pro-ready players *guaranteed* to be draft hits, likely selected at or before their respective pick numbers. These ten players will not slide unless some whacky trades shake the board. They're also the top guys we expect to make immediate impacts next season.
The Sportsletter’s NFL Mock Draft
Top-10
1. Bears: QB Caleb Williams (USC) 🔒
2. Commanders: QB Jayden Daniels (LSU) 🔒
3. Patriots: QB Drake Maye (UNC)
4. Cardinals: WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (OSU) 🔒
5. Chargers: WR Malik Nabers (LSU)
6. Giants: QB J.J. McCarthy (Michigan)
7. Titans: OT Joe Alt (Notre Dame) 🔒
8. Falcons: WR Rome Odunze (Washington)
9. Bears: OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu (Penn State) 🔒
10. Jets: CB Quinyon Mitchell (Toledo)
Picks 11-20
11. Vikings: QB Michael Penix Jr. (Washington)
12. Broncos: DT Byron Murphy II (Texas)
13. Raiders: OT J.C. Latham (Alabama) 🔒
14. Saints: EDGE Jared Verse (FSU)
15. Colts: TE Brock Bowers (UGA) 🔒
16. Seahawks: OL Troy Fautanu (Washington)
17. Jaguars: CB Terrion Arnold (Alabama)
18. Bengals: WR Brian Thomas Jr. (LSU)
19. Rams: EDGE Dallas Turner (Alabama) 🔒
20. Steelers: OT Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State)
Picks 21-32
21. Dolphins: OL Graham Barton (Duke)
22. Eagles: CB Nate Wiggins (Clemson) 🔒
23. Vikings: DB Cooper DeJean (Iowa)
24. Cowboys: OT Tyler Guyton (Oklahoma)
25. Packers: OT Jordan Morgan (Arizona)
26. Bucs: OL Jackson Powers-Johnson (ORE)
27. Cardinals: EDGE Laiatu Latu (UCLA)
28. Bills: WR Adonai Mitchell (Texas)
29. Lions: CB Kool-Aid McKinstry (Alabama)
30. Ravens: OT Amarius Mims (UGA) 🔒
31. 49ers: EDGE Chop Robinson (Penn State)
32. Chiefs: WR Xavier Worthy (Texas)
2024 NFL Draft: Thursday (8:00 pm ET, ESPN/NFLN)
Check tomorrow’s edition for the full draft day preview.
How’d We Do? Mocks are fun, but the subjective nature leaves room for debate. Reply to today’s newsletter and let us know where we went wrong (and what you would change).
Read More
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The Ringer: The Final 2024 Big Board: Ranking the Top 100 Players in the NFL Draft