2024 NFL Mock Draft – Overreaction

Monday, Jan. 8, 2024.
2024 NFL Mock DRAFT – WALT’S | CHARLIE’S
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2024 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 Other 2024 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/25) /April Fools Mock (3/31)
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The overreaction mock draft is back! You never know what outside-the-box thinking will end up being prophetic.

Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams, QB, USC

Justin Fields has not developed as a pocket passer enough to warrant passing on good quarterbacks at the top of the 2024 NFL Draft. Chicago has its choice among Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels. Having come from the Kansas City Chiefs, I could see general manager Ryan Poles being comfortable taking either Williams or Daniels.

In 2023, Williams completed 69 percent of his passes for 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also notched 11 rushing touchdowns. Williams (6-1, 218) possesses an excellent skill set to become a pro starter because he is an accurate passer with a strong arm. On the ground, Williams is slippery and dangerous runner who possesses surprising speed and toughness. His greatest strength is his ability to ad lib his team into a big play. Williams is tremendous at scrambling and throwing on the run to make something out of nothing. However, Williams has a huge problem with holding the ball too long. He puts a lot of pressure on his offensive line, leading to him taking a lot of hits. Williams has a lot of talent, but he needs development for the NFL.

Williams started out the 2021 season as the backup quarterback to Spencer Rattler at Oklahoma, but after Rattler struggled, Williams replaced him as the starter and put together an excellent year, completing 65 percent of his passes for 1,912 yards, 21 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also hurt defenses on the ground with six rushing touchdowns and lots of yardage. After the 2021 season, Williams transferred to USC to follow former Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley. Williams played well for the Trojans in 2022, completing 67 percent of his passes for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Washington Commanders: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

It would be shocking if the Commanders don’t have a new regime imminently. With the way Sam Howell closed out the season, the new brass will want its own quarterback to build around.

Maye completed 63 percent of his passes in 2023 for 3,608 yards, 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also notched nine rushing touchdowns. Maye exploded onto the college-football scene as a redshirt freshman, showing serious arm talent. On the year, he completed 66 percent of his passes for 4,321 yards, 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder has good size and is very accurate, especially working the middle of the field. Maye lofts balls well, showing touch and throwing his receivers open. On top of his passing ability, he can make some things happen with his feet and has some mobility. Maye could be a lethal pocket passer in the NFL. Some sources have said Maye could be a more athletic version of Jared Goff.

New England Patriots: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

Mac Jones can be added to the expansive list of poor picks made by Bill Belichick. Without Tom Brady there to cover up the stink, Belichick’s drafting failures have been exposed. The Patriots need to find an upgrade at quarterback and move on from Jones.

Daniels completed 72 percent of his passes in 2023 for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns and four interceptions. He notched 10 rushing touchdowns as well. Daniels is a dual-threat quarterback who showed improvement as a passer throughout the 2022 season with LSU. He has a quality arm and is a dangerous runner with shocking speed. While he has plenty of room for growth, he has become more consistent with pocket-passing accuracy and reading the field. Daniels completed 69 percent of his passes in 2022 for 2,913 yards, 17 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also went for 885 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. While playing for Arizona State in 2021, Daniels completed 65 percent of his passes for 2,380 yards, 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He was impressive in 2019, showing playmaking ability as a passer and runner while producing points for the Sun Devils, but he did not look as good in the short 2020 season.

Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

The Cardinals are in an interesting position. They could stick here at pick No. 4 and land the top non-quarterback prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft, or they might be able to trade down with a team like the Falcons, the Vikings or the Raiders that is looking to get a quarterback. Trading down would likely cost the Cardinals Marvin Harrison Jr., but they would get more picks for their rebuild and the drop-off from Harrison to Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze might not be big enough to justify passing on extra first-round picks for the 2025 and maybe even the 2026 NFL Draft. If Arizona doesn’t get a good trade offer, sticking at in the fourth spot and taking Harrison would be excellent way to provide Kyler Murray with a true No. 1 receiver.

In 2023, Harrison totaled 67 catches for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns. He broke out in 2022, recording 77 receptions for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. The sophomore was a dynamic mismatch weapon for C.J. Stroud. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Harrison has excellent height and length with speed to get downfield. He runs routes like a smaller receiver, and he obviously learned a lot from his Hall of Fame father. However, the younger Harrison is much bigger than his father and is more like an A.J. Green, or CeeDee Lamb-type receiver for the next level.

Atlanta Falcons: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

TRADE! Atlanta moves up in a trade with the Chargers to land their franchise quarterback. The Falcons have a talented roster and are just a quarterback away from being a legit contender in the NFC. Now could be the time for Atlanta to make a big move for a signal-caller.

McCarthy has completed 73 percent of his passes this season for 2,851 yards, 22 touchdowns and four interceptions. He has three rushing touchdowns as well. McCarthy put together a strong 2022 season, leading Michigan to the college football playoff and completing 65 percent of his passes for 2,719 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also did some damage on the ground with 306 yards and five scores.

The 6-foot-3, 196-pounder has the upside to improve with experience. He has a quality arm, mobility, size, and experience playing in a high-pressure environment. McCarthy lacks some passing instincts, and some NFL team sources have compared him to Will Levis and Daniel Jones.

New York Giants: Dallas Turner, OLB, Alabama

The Giants could consider a wide receiver like Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze, but the team also needs a pass rusher to go with Kayvon Thibodeaux. Turner could be a dynamic quarterback hunter across from the veteran.

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 needs 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, 10 sacks and two forced fumbles in 2023. With Will Anderson commanding attention on the other side in 2021, Turner (6-4, 245) 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.

Tennessee Titans: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

The wide receiver position was once again a weakness for Tennessee in 2023. DeAndre Hopkins was solid, but he is only signed for one more season. The Titans could use more long-term weapons for Will Levis.

Nabers racked up 89 catches for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2023. While Kayshon Boutte was supposed to be LSU’s No. 1 wide receiver in 2022, Nabers outplayed him and was a steady contributor for Jayden Daniels. Nabers caught 72 passes for 1,017 yards and three touchdowns that season. He has decent size at 6-foot, 195 pounds as well as quickness and athleticism.

Los Angeles Chargers: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

TRADE! The Chargers could potentially move down with a team that needs a quarterback and land more picks for their new general manager. In this overreaction mock, they move down with Atlanta. The Chargers need help on defense aside from defensive end, but the value isn’t as good for taking a defensive prospect here compared to a weapon like Bowers. The Chargers will have a new general manager and head coach as well, and new regimes often like to play it safe by taking the best player available. Here, the best player available is a weapon for Justin Herbert.

In 2023, Bowers recorded 56 receptions for 714 yards and six touchdowns. He missed some time with a high ankle sprain. Bowers was a freshman sensation for the Bulldogs in 2021 and was a huge receiving weapon in helping them win their first National Championship since 1980. Immediately, Bowers (6-4, 230) was a mismatch threat with excellent speed, athleticism, and run-after-the-catch ability. In 2021, Bowers recorded 56 receptions for 882 yards and 13 touchdowns. He totaled 63 receptions in 2022 for 942 yards and seven touchdowns. As a blocker, Bowers fights hard and does pretty well. However, he is undersized for the NFL and could have issues as an in-line blocker against defensive linemen as a pro.

Chicago Bears: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

The Bears grab a bookend tackle to go with Darnell Wright.

Alt (6-7, 317) broke into Notre Dame’s starting lineup at left tackle as a freshman in 2021 and remained on the blind side for the rest of his career. He started out his time with Notre Dame playing some tight end before settling in at left tackle. Alt is big with long arms, has good strength in the upper body, uses his hands well, and has good technique.

Alt was consistent and productive for Notre Dame. However, he has issues with his anchor because he is stiff and doesn’t bend well. That lack of bend will be challenging to fix given how tall Alt is.

New York Jets: J.C. Latham, OT, Alabama

The Jets need more protection for Aaron Rodgers. Here’s a plug-and-play starter.

The 6-foot-6, 326-pound Latham has a good skill set and a ton of upside. He did not give up a sack in 2022 and allowed very few pressures while manning right tackle. There is no doubt that Latham is a powerful athlete with the ability to generate movement at the point of attack. He makes winning blocks look easy with serious strength and an ability to sustain. However, Latham is more of a right tackle than a left tackle for the NFL given his feet and movement skills.

Minnesota Vikings: Laiatu Latu, DE, UCLA

The Vikings are in store for a fascinating offseason. Will they re-sign Kirk Cousins? It looks like he is likely to be brought back, but there has not been the same buzz about veteran defensive end Danielle Hunter getting re-signed. It would cost a huge amount of money to re-sign both, and Minnesota has needs throughout the defense. It would not be surprising if the team lets Hunter walk and signs Cousins. That would open up a big hole at defensive end but the Vikings could select another with the 11th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores was part of drafting Jaelan Phillips in Miami, and Latu is very similar to Phillips. Latu could be a good scheme fit for Flores in Minnesota.

Latu totaled 49 tackles, 13 sacks, two interceptions, two passes batted and two forced fumbles in 2023. He recorded 10.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in 2022. Latu has proven himself to be a dangerous quarterback hunter. The 6-foot-5, 265-pounder has very good instincts, motor, and hand usage. At Washington, Latu had injury issues that cost him the 2020 and 2021 seasons. A serious neck injury caused former Huskies coach Jimmy Lake to say that Latu’s career was over, but he transferred to UCLA after Lake and his staff were let go. Latu then received medical clearance from UCLA before resuming his career.

Denver Broncos: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State

Denver could use more offensive line talent for Sean Payton, plus Garett Bolles will be in the last year of his contract in 2024. Bolles has been streaky throughout his career, and I could see Payton wanting his own left tackle. Payton always invested heavily in the offensive line while with New Orleans.

For the next level, Fashanu (6-6, 321) 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 over an elite tackle like Sewell.

Las Vegas Raiders: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

I could see the Raiders trading a second-day pick for Justin Fields. Interim general manager Champ Kelly looks like the favorite to be made the permanent general manager in Las Vegas. Kelly was high up in the Chicago Bears’ front office that traded up for Fields in the 2021 NFL Draft. At pick No. 13, it will be very costly for the Raiders to move up to a top-five selection for a quarterback. Las Vegas could give up a second-day pick for Fields and help the defense at pick No. 13.

Wiggins has height to go along with serious speed and athleticism. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder is fast and fluid to run the route and prevent separation. He could stand to add some strength to tackle in the NFL, but he is the most talented cover corner in the 2024 NFL Draft. In 2023, he recorded 28 tackles, six passes broken up, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a sack. Wiggins broke into the starting lineup in 2022 with 39 tackles, an interception and 11 passes defended.

New Orleans Saints: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

New Orleans needs more playmakers in the passing game. Michael Thomas is washed up, while Chris Olave quits on too many routes and played with poor effort in 2023. The Saints need more receiving talent.

Odunze has played well in 2023, making some clutch catches and using his size to be a weapon on the sideline. He had 87 catches for 1,553 yards and 13 touchdowns on the year. With Michael Penix at quarterback in 2022, Odunze broke out for Washington, recording 75 receptions for 1,145 yards and seven touchdowns. Odunze (6-3, 215) has good size, but he could have problems separating from NFL defensive backs and will have to win on a lot of contested catches. Odunze is phenomenal at winning contested catches along the sideline because he is deadly on back-shoulder throws.

Indianapolis Colts: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

Michael Pittman Jr. is entering free agency, and Alec Pierce has only shown flashes. Even if Pittman is re-signed, the Colts could use more receiving weapons for Anthony Richardson.

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-4, 205-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.

Seattle Seahawks: Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami

Thanks to some strong drafts utilizing the Russell Wilson pick bonanza, Seattle has a strong roster on both sides of the ball. The Seahawks could take best player available in the 2024 NFL Draft, and here they can select a long-term addition in Kinchens. The members of Seattle’s veteran safety trio aren’t too far away from the end of their contracts as well. Kinchens is a dynamic ball-hawking safety and a great scheme fit for Seattle.

Despite missing time with an injury, Kinchens was incredible in 2023, showing he is an elite ball-hawking safety with amazing instincts and playmaking ability. On the year, Kinchens totaled 59 tackles, a sack, five passes batted and five interceptions. He broke out in 2022 with six interceptions, five passes defended, 59 tackles and a forced fumble. The 5-foot-11, 202-pounder has a great skill set and serious ball skills. Kinchens is athletic and rangy, so he could play single-high deep free safety for the NFL. Sources also say Kinchens is great off the field.

Go to Overreaction 2024 NFL Mock Draft: Picks 17-32

Sorry for cutting this into two halves; I’ve received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwidth.

Other 2024 NFL Mock Drafts:

2024 NFL Mock Draft – Walt’s

Charlie Campbell’s 2024 NFL Mock Draft