2024 NFL Mock Draft – Round 1 (17-32) – Charlie Campbell

I think this pick will come down to Arnold or Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins. The Jaguars could use more talent at cornerback across from Tyson Campbell. Wiggins is the more dynamic cover corner, but Jacksonville general manager Trent Baalke could prefer Arnold as the safer pick because Wiggins has some off-the-field issues.

Arnold recorded 63 tackles, five interceptions and 12 passes broken up in 2023. He played well for Alabama in 2022, recording 45 tackles, an interception and eight passes broken up. The 6-foot, 189-pounder has quality size to go along with instincts and good technique. Arnold’s only real flaw is not being fast, and that presents some limitations for the NFL. Still, Arnold looks like a good fit for a zone team and a safe pick to be a solid pro.

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Cincinnati must keep Joe Burrow healthy to have any shot at getting back to the Super Bowl. Here’s an upgrade at guard with a player who could also move to right tackle because Trent Brown has a huge lack of durability.

The 6-foot-6, 324-pound Fuaga was a starter and solid player for the Beavers over the last couple of seasons. He played right tackle at Oregon State, but he has the body type that could allow him to kick inside to guard as well. Multiple NFL team sources said they felt Fuaga was a second-day guard for the 2024 NFL Draft, but others stated they thought he could stay at right tackle and was worthy of being a late first-rounder. Fuaga is a force as a run blocker, but he could have problems with pro edge rushers. Hence, some teams are projecting him to guard in their schemes.

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The Rams need more young edge-rush talent.

Turner is a fast edge rusher who can burn tackles with speed off the edge. He has a ton of upside and potential for the NFL, but requires additional development. He needs more pass-rushing moves and has to be taught technique, rush angles, depth of rush, and finding the sweet spot. If Turner is developed well, he could be an elite quarterback hunter at the pro level. Turner recorded 53 tackles, 11 sacks, 15.5 tackles for a loss, and two forced fumbles in 2023. With Will Anderson commanding attention on the other side in 2021, Turner (6-3, 247) had a phenomenal freshman debut for the Crimson Tide. Turner showed serious pass-rush potential in 2021 with 8.5 sacks and 30 tackles while rotating with other defenders. In 2022, Turner collected 37 tackles and four sacks, but he was far more disruptive than the numbers indicate.

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The Steelers add more offensive line talent. Dan Moore could then kick inside to guard and improve the line at two spots.

In my 2024 NFL Draft Big Board, I note Mims is one of the best top talents in the entire 2024 NFL Draft. Mims is a giant monster who manned right tackle for Georgia in 2023. He has very little body fat and is a unique physical specimen with size, speed and athleticism. Team sources raved about Mims 11.2-inch hands, 36-inch arms, as well as quickness – his arms came in at the combine at 36.13 inches. They said his body is similar to that of Tyron Smith. Mims was playing dominant football before being sidelined for a while by a lower leg injury. While Mims has durability issues, he has one of the best skill sets in the 2024 NFL Draft and I have him higher than other tackles who will get drafted ahead of him.

Some sources have said that while Mims could be in the running for the best skill set of any player in the 2024 NFL Draft, he probably will slide to late in the first round because of his lack of durability and experience, which was hindered by missing games to injury in 2023. Mims’ draft stock also was dealt a serious blow when he got injured during the combine workout and could not finish it. Previously, the 6-foot-8, 340-pound Mims was a backup and rotational player for Georgia. He dominated Ohio State to close out the 2022 season and looked like he was toying with the highly touted Buckeyes defensive ends. Mims has an all-world skill set and could become a monster if he lands with the right team and stays healthy.

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The Dolphins need an interior pass rusher after losing Christian Wilkins in free agency. Here’s a plug-and-play option for Miami.

Sources with NFL teams said they feel Newton has boom-or-bust potential. On the positive side, he is a dangerous interior rusher who has natural pass-rush ability that is hard to find from a defensive tackle. On the negative side, Newton can get destroyed as a run defender and has size limitations. He also seems to turn his play on and off. Newton is known to be a good worker who loves football, so that helps teams think he will do everything possible to turn into a solid pro.

The fast and athletic Newton produced well in the pass rush over the past few seasons. He totaled 52 tackles, 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two passes broken up in 2023. In 2022, Newton recorded 5.5 sacks, 59 tackles and three passes batted. He picked up 3.5 sacks in 2021. At 6-foot-2, 304 pounds, Newton is shorter and lacks length, so he will have to develop the ability to hold up against NFL mass to be a three-down starter. If he can’t develop his run defense, Newton might be a rotational player as an interior designated pass rusher.

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The Eagles could clearly use multiple young talents at corner and safety. Here’s a big upside corner who could learn from Darius Slay and James Bradberry. Mitchell then could take over for one of those veterans before too long.

Sources felt Mitchell played himself into being a potential first-round pick for the 2024 NFL Draft during his final season, and Mitchell only affirmed that with a dominant Senior Bowl and an excellent performance at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. In 2023, Mitchell recorded 41 tackles, an interception and 18 passes defended. He was one of the most dynamic ball hawks in college football during 2022, when he racked up 42 tackles, five interceptions and 19 passes defended. The 6-foot, 195-pound Mitchell has an excellent skill set of size, speed and athleticism. Team evaluators noted Mitchell is raw and needs development, but there is no doubt that Mitchell could be a good pro corner with coaching.

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The Vikings could use more young edge-rush talent to go with Jon Greenard.

Robinson (6-3, 250) played defensive end for Penn State, but for the NFL, he may have to move to outside linebacker given his size. In 2023, Robinson totaled 15 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles and a pass batted over seven games. He recorded 5.5 sacks, 10 tackles for a loss, two passes batted, one forced fumble and 26 tackle in 2022. Playing for Maryland in 2021, he had 19 tackles and two sacks.

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Obviously, the Cowboys lost Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz in the offseason. Dallas could draft a tackle like Guyton to be the starter at left tackle, which would allow Tyler Smith to stay at guard and let T.J. Bass take over at center.

The 6-foot-7, 328-pound Guyton is an athletic freak with a special combination of size, speed and length. He started five games in 2022 for the Sooners after starting out his career at TCU. In 2021, he played offensive tackle and h-back with the Horned Frogs. Team sources say Guyton has all the ability, although needs to get more consistent. They noted Guyton is a good kid, but immature. Guyton possesses a lot of upside to grow as he gains experience. Multiple team sources said Guyton has first-round potential for the 2024 NFL Draft.

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Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst loves to draft defense in the first round even though some of his picks have been disappointments. One of those disappointments was Darnell Savage, who is now with the Jaguars. DeJean could compete immediately to be a slot corner and safety for the Packers.

DeJean recorded 41 tackles, two interceptions and five passes batted in 2023 before his season ended early. He was all over the field for Iowa in 2022, making big plays while totaling 75 tackles, five interceptions and eight passes defended. The 6-foot-1, 209-pound DeJean is a gritty and instinctive defender. While he can play outside cornerback, some team sources feel DeJean would be best as a hybrid safety and nickel corner in the NFL, similar to a C.J. Gardner-Johnson or Brian Branch. That would allow DeJean the freedom to use his instincts to make plays. Teams love DeJean’s versatility because he has starting ability at three positions in the secondary. Sources have also raved about DeJean’s character and intangibles, and I think he is a top-20 talent in the 2024 NFL Draft class.

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This feels low for Verse, who could easily be a top-20 pick, but the Buccaneers also have extra second-day draft-pick ammo from the Carlton Davis trade, so they could move up to get Verse. Clearly, Tampa Bay needs a pass rusher to go with YaYa Diaby.

Verse recorded 41 tackles, nine sacks and two passes batted in 2023. He had a great start to open 2022, showing pass-rush ability and speed around the corner in a dominant performance versus LSU while recording three sacks and seven tackles. In 2022, Verse totaled 47 tackles and nine sacks. He displayed functional strength, athleticism, and a steady drive. In 2021 playing for Albany, Verse recorded 10 tackles for a loss, four sacks and 22 tackles. The 6-foot-4, 254-pounder has a good motor and upside.

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The Cardinals badly need more defensive line talent. Here is a disruptor at the point of attack.

Robinson (6-5, 285) was a really solid football player for the Tigers in 2023, recording 43 tackles, 8.5 sacks and a forced fumbles. With good height, length, weight, and strength, Robinson offers the flexibility to play defensive end or tackle at the pro level. He could be a power base end who moves inside to defensive tackle in the sub package. Robinson is a good player who would be a first-rounder if he had speed and more juice. The lack of explosion had many teams grading Robinson on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft, but he has a shot at sneaking into the first round as there are not 32 players with a first-round grade in the 2024 NFL Draft class.

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The Bills could stand to add more receiving playmakers for Josh Allen.

In terms of size, speed, athleticism and upside, Thomas is probably second only to Marvin Harrison Jr. among the wide receiver prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-3, 209-pound Thomas has mismatch size and is a fast wideout with the ability to challenge teams vertically. In 2023, he totaled 68 catches for 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns. Thomas has a great skill set with a ton of upside to develop. There is some rawness to his game, as he plays small. He needs to play to his size.

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If Powers-Johnson gets to No. 29, he would be a great fit in Detroit. The Lions could start him out competing at guard with Graham Glasgow and have Powers-Johnson ready to eventually replace center Frank Ragnow in a year or two. Ragnow’s foot condition has his career on limited time, plus he is highly paid. Adding a talent like Powers-Johnson would help the Lions to stay dominant up front.

It took some time with an odd journey, but eventually Powers-Johnson turned himself into an impactful player for the Ducks. Powers-Johnson was a backup in 2021 before playing defensive line in an emergency role to close out that season. He was back to being a backup in 2022, but took over as the starting center in 2023 and had a superb season. The 6-foot-3, 334-pound Powers-Johnson is a heavy center who looks like a safe pick to be a solid pro starter. He is strong, nasty, and can blast open holes in the ground game. Powers-Johnson could be a starter at guard or center.

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The Ravens sit back and go with the best player available. This could be low for Fashanu, but some players will be unexpected sliders. A lot of NFL team sources are lukewarm on Fashanu, so I think he has the potential to slide some. Baltimore could use more offensive line talent after trading Morgan Moses.

For the next level, Fashanu (6-6, 312) has the size and length to make it tough for defenders to get by him. However, he is not an elite athlete on the edge with rare movement skills or quickness. He can move defenders up front in the ground game, but he is not all that nasty in his style of play. Fashanu looks like a future NFL starter at left tackle, but not an elite one. He does not look like a top-10 prospect like a Penei Sewell. As a pro, Fashanu might be more similar to an adequate starting tackle like Russell Okung rather an elite tackle like Sewell.

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The 49ers could use more cornerback talent, and McKinstry could be a good fit for them.

In 2023, McKinstry recorded 32 tackles, zero interceptions and seven passes broken up. Most freshmen didn’t play immediately for Nick Saban, but McKinstry was an anomaly, notching 26 tackles, an interception, a pass broken up and a sack in 2021. In 2022, McKinstry recorded 35 tackles, a sack, an interception and 15 passes broken up. The 5-foot-11, 199-pounder possesses, size, length, straight-line speed, and physicality. However, he is a press-man corner only and does not look like a good fit for a zone or off-man scheme.

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The Chiefs could use a long-term left tackle to protect Patrick Mahomes.

The cousin of Lions All-Pro Penei Sewell, Suamataia was a top recruit who landed at Oregon and redshirted. In 2022, Suamataia transferred to BYU and broke out, including not allowing a sack all season. The 6-foot-4, 329-pounder has shocking speed and athleticism for an edge blocker of his size. He is a physical and powerful run blocker who has the quickness and athleticism to be a capable pass protector. Suamataia could stand to add some lower body strength, and he was inconsistent in the back half of his final season, especially in pass protection. With a great skill set, Suamataia has a lot of upside and could be a very good starter at left tackle, right tackle, or guard in the NFL.

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