We are now in the same month of the 2024 NFL Draft! As usual, we are in the thick of the some and mirrors portion of draft prep, as teams jockey for position using any means necessary. Those means are usually rumors about who they might pick. Id J.J. McCarthy really going to be a Top 4 pick? If reports are true, it sure looks that way, but it is difficult to know who wants to mislead other teams to help their ability to trade and/or get the player they want.
Unfortunately, as NFL analysts go, you can’t completely disregard reports, but you do have to be wary of them. ESPN analyst Field Yates has put out his second mock draft and tried to navigate the news from the hype through two rounds. Let’s take a look.
Quarterbacks
1. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
2. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
3. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
5. J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings (trade with Chargers)
12. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
36. Michael Penix Jr., Las Vegas Raiders (trade with Commanders)
The Top 3 quarterbacks went about as you would expect, while the Cardinals stick with the No. 4 pick to take WR Marvin Harrison Jr. That gives a team a chance to move up to No. 5, as the Chargers could want to gain draft capital due to numerous needs. The Vikings, Broncos and Raiders all need a quarterback, but will have real trouble trading up into the Top 3. That leaves some QB prospects that will be riskier to take than some teams might want. But, QB is king in the NFL and you take your shots to grab that franchise signal caller, even when you aren’t 100% sold.
J.J. McCarthy is the non-Top 3 QB to get the most hype and there have been numerous reports that he will be sought after early in the first round. The Vikings move up to get him in Yates’ mock, but we could also see the Broncos and Raiders do their best to make a move.
Bo Nix and Michael Penix are the biggest question marks. If one of the three most QB needy teams pass on them in the first round, we could see them fall pretty far. Yates has the Broncos and Raiders grabbing them before that fall.
First running back taken
Florida State’s Trey Benson is the first running back taken at pick 54, going to the Cleveland Browns. While the second and only other running back in Yates’ two-round mock goes two picks later when the Cowboys grab Texas back Jonathan Brooks at pick 56. Both of these guys can play and start on RB needy teams, which the Cowboys are very much at this point. The Browns won’t know where Nick Chubb is physically until we get down to training camp and into the regular season most likely. They are all in to win this season, so they need some insurance after Jerome Ford didn’t wow in relief of Chubb last season.
You get a wide receiver! You get a wide receiver!
Yates has six wide receivers going in the first round and eight going in the second. There is little doubt that evaluators believe this is one of the best and deepest wide receiver classes in a while. Let’s take a look at the first rounders.
4. Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals
6. Malik Nabers, New York Giants
9. Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears
18. Brian Thomas Jr., Cincinnati Bengals
23. Adonai Mitchell, Los Angeles Chargers (via trade with Vikings)
28. Xavier Worthy, Buffalo Bills
The Chargers are in dire need of a wide receiver with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams out the door, but Yates has them trading down to pick 23 to take Mitchell. I’d much rather Justin Herbert get one of the Top 3 receivers with their original pick, but understand trying to get the most bang for your buck. And Jim Harbaugh would probably just take a offensive lineman anyway.
The Bills hadn’t traded Stefon Diggs away when this mock was published, but they had also let Gabe Davis walk and were likely to consider a WR with this pick anyway. Worthy is a burner and a good fit for Josh Allen’s cannon, but they could look to trade up if they want a receiver earlier now.
Really, the perfect outcome for the Bears is Odunze lasting until their second pick. If that happens, Bears fans should be on cloud nine.
Final thoughts
I am all for teams taking risks on quarterbacks in the draft earlier than they likely should go. It’s the one position that, unless you’re the 49ers, it is imperative to find a solid game changer. That doesn’t mean I have to feel optimistic that any of the QBs outside the Top 3 can be that. I won’t bash them for taking a swing though.
For teams that are set at quarterback, it’s always nice to see these fringier quarterbacks move up in the draft. Your team can either look to trade with a QB needy team or at least you know that team isn’t going to take a top player you are hoping to draft at another position.
