The 2024 NFL Draft is closing in on us like a freight train, but we still have time to do about a million mock draft versions until the day hits us and destroys all of those mocks. ESPN’s draft duo of Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates have put out a three-round mock where they alternate picks.
Quarterbacks
The top quarterbacks continue to go off the board 1-2-3 in this mock, with Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye going to the Bears, Commanders and Patriots. ESPN’s Adam Schefter told Commanders fan site Hog’s Heaven that they can go ahead and purchase their Jayden Daniels jerseys. I expected Maye to find his way back to that No. 2 slot, but the prevailing winds say otherwise.
J.J. McCarthy went to the Minnesota Vikings after they traded up with the Chargers in Kiper’s last mock and he has the picks to do the same in this mock. He has the Vikings giving up a lot — they give their 11th and 23th pick in this draft, plus a first-round pick in 2025 to secure the 5th overall pick and grab McCarthy. That is a lot to give up for a quarterback who hasn’t proven he can be the focal point of a college offense.
Michael Penix Jr. is the fifth quarterback off the board, but he doesn’t go until the beginning of the second round, as the Rams trade up with the Panthers to grab him with the 33rd selection.
Bo Nix goes next with the 38th pick, which the Giants move up for with a trade with the Titans. The Giants only scored eight touchdowns in the first quarter all of last season, which is just one of the many stats showing just how awful their offense was. Nix might not be the answer, but they at least have to take a swing at a QB with Daniel Jones not looking like the answer.
Since this a three rounder, we get another quarterback off the board as the Broncos take Spencer Rattler at pick 76. There is still a chance the Broncos try to move up for McCarthy, but taking on Russell Wilson’s dead money and not having the draft capital to easily move up makes things tough for Sean Payton and company. Rattler is persona non grata for a lot of scouts, but there are enough out there that like what they’ve seen on tape. The third round seems safe enough to grab him on a QB needy team.
Where does TE Brock Bowers land?
Bowers has been going to the Jets at pick 10 in a lot of mocks, but Yates has the Jets grabbing an offensive tackle instead of a tight end to help the aging Aaron Rodgers’ bid to stave off time. Instead, Yates has the Broncos taking Bowers with pick 12.
Grabbing a tight end in the first round has not gone well for teams, but Bowers does look like the real deal. His landing spot is very much in question. The Broncos could use him for sure, but they need a lot of help at other positions as well.
First running back taken?
Texas’ Jonathan Brooks once again goes first off the board at running back to the Cowboys with pick 56. If Brooks hadn’t been injured, there’s a good chance he’s be going a bit earlier than 56, so there is a chance another team makes a run for him in the second round. But the odds a back goes in the first round are slim to none.
Trey Benson is the slight favorite to be the first running back taken at +170 odds, while Brooks is at +180.
Final thoughts
The Chargers continue to be mocked as trading back for draft capital and if the Vikings are willing to give up three first round picks for theirs, they will likely go ahead. Jim Harbaugh will want to put his stamp on this team in the draft. If that move does happen, it will have huge ramifications on the first round.
The Bears, if they can get WR Rome Odunze, like they do here, will have done enough to have an A+ draft no matter. Getting Caleb Williams and Odunze is a home run.
Overall this draft makes plenty of sense on paper and I wouldn’t be that surprised if it goes pretty close as stated here. Positions of need remain the same while the actual players will likely be off enough to scramble the picks as usual.