2024 NFL Mock Draft 2.0

Last week I published the original mock draft, it featured 4 trades, and QB Maye sliding a few spots to the New York Giants. But after thinking about the selections and trades for a week, I thought of a few changes that I thought could happen. When I started to put those changes in place, well chaos ensued, and I ended up with 9 trades in total.

As a reminder, I looked at each teams stats for 2023 to see what they did well and not so well. I also compared those results to 2022 to see if the team had any improvement in certain areas last year. Free agency signees were also reviewed to see if a team plugged a hole, as well as the 2022 draft results to see if a team was planning ahead for this years free agency. Based on those results, here is what I would do if I was drafting for each team.

Round 1

1. Chicago Bears

Caleb williams, QB, USC

No change here, easiest projection ever.

2. Washington Commanders

jayden daniels, QB, LSU

No change with this pick either. The Commanders need a QB, and Daniels is the best on the board. His big arm and ability to make all the throws fits new OC Kingsbury offense well.

3. New England Patriots

**trade** Minnesota Vikings

Here is where things start to change. In this instance, the Vikings are able to secure a trade partner for moving up, and eagerly do so to draft franchise QB. After studying roster for a few months, NE realizes they need a LOT more than just a QB and trade down to collect much needed assets.

3. Minnesota Vikings

J.J. Mccarthy, QB, Michigan

MIN comes on up and gets the franchise QB they need, and one that is capable of playing outside in GB and CHI when the weather turns cold.

4. Arizona Cardinals

**trade** NY Giants

The Giants move up a couple of spots to secure QB of the future. With top 4 picks being QB’s and only having to slide back 2 spots, this is an easy trade for AZ who will still get a top flight WR.

4. New York Giants

drake maye, Qb, north carolina

After MIN takes McCarthy 3rd, they move up a few spots to grab Maye.

5. Los Angeles Chargers

**trade** NY Jets

LAC wants to move down and collect more assets, this time they find a trade partner with the NYJ’s, who want to move up and have choice of WR.

5. New York Jets

Marvin Harrison jr., WR, Ohio State

Last time I had the Jets moving up to 7 to take a WR, but after AZ moves down to 6, the Jets move up and take the best WR and possibly best player available in the draft.

6. New York Giants

**trade** Arizona cardinals

6. Arizona Cardinals

rome odunze, wr, washington

After trading back a few spots, AZ still gets a top WR with Odunze, but now they also have a few extra trade pieces to pair with pick 27 to move up if they want.

7. Tennessee Titans

joe alt, OT, Notre dame

No doubt TEN is hoping the draft plays out this way so they can get the much needed o-line help to protect 2nd year QB Levis.

8. Atlanta Falcons

dallas turner, de alabama

No change here from first mock draft. After spending $180 million to shore up the QB spot, ATL takes the first defensive player off the board.

9. Chicago Bears

**trade** buffalo bills

BUF gets aggressive in finding replacement for WR Diggs in the draft. Lacking draft picks in this draft, CHI is happy to move down and pick up much needed draft capital for this year and next.

9. Buffalo Bills

malik nabers, wr, LSu

After cutting ties with WR Diggs this offseason, the Bills draft his replacement with Nabers. BUF must be hoping that this LSU WR drafted to replace Diggs turns out as good as it did for MIN.

10. New York Jets

**trade** LA chargers

10. Los Angeles Chargers

brock bowers, te, georgia

After trading down from the 5th pick and passing on a top WR to replace departed Williams and Allen, the Chargers take a TE that will fit new HC Harbaugh’s offense much better.

11. Minnesota Vikings

**trade** New England

11. New England Patriots

jared verse, de, florida state

After realizing they have more holes on the team than a QB could fix, NE trades back and starts to pick up assets for the team, starting with d-line Verse from FSU. A little bit of a surprising pick, but given that the new HC is from the defensive side of the ball, not that surprising.

12. Denver Broncos

troy fautanu, ot, washington

In this scenario, DEN was unable to move or down, and are stuck making the pick. With uncertainty at the QB position, the best thing is to get o-line help to protect whoever is throwing the ball.

13. Las Vegas Raiders

olumuyiwa fashanu, ot, penn state

I don’t care who plays QB for the Raiders, if they can’t protect him, he won’t be any good, so the Raiders get some o-line help.

14. New Orleans Saints

quinyon mitchell, cb, toledo

This should be a pick on the o-line, but NO has a defensive head coach, and they usually invest on that side of the ball.

15. Indianapolis Colts

**trade** Arizona Cardinals

15. Arizona Cardinals

terrion arnold, cb, alabama

After moving pack from 4 to 6, AZ moves up with their second 1st round pick, this time going from 27 to 15 to get some much needed secondary help.

16. Seattle Seahawks

**trade** Kansas city chiefs

KC was expected to go after WR help in this draft, but after WR Rice’s current legal problems the team is more desperate to get a top WR in this draft.

16. Kansas City Chiefs

brian thomas jr., wr, lsu

Stability in the WR position is critical for KC’s future success.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars

byron murphy, dt, texas

JAX continues to look for answers on the d-line.

18. Cincinnati Bengals

adonai mitchell, wr, texas

Higgins is on the franchise tag, and a long term contract will soon be needed for WR Chase. I doubt CIN will pay both Higgins and Chase, so might as well get Higgins replacement now.

19. Los Angeles Rams

graham barton, ol, duke

LAR should continue to invest in the o-line in this draft. It’s clear this team goes as QB Stafford goes, so keeping him upright and healthy should be top priority.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers

Chop robinson, de, penn state

In the original mock draft I had PIT moving up to get a CB, but in this situation they stay put and get some pass rush help.

21. Miami Dolphins

cooper dejean, cb, iowa

MIA has lots of holes on the team, and while I lean to o-line help for most teams, last year MIA got the ball out of Tua’s hands quickly when passing, so I get them secondary help instead.

22. Philadelphia Eagles

jer’zhan newton, dt, illinois

Solidifying the d-line and getting some interior pass rush help sounds just like a Howie Roseman play.

23. Minnesota Vikings

**trade** New England

23. New England Patriots

jc latham, OT, alabama

The 2nd of MIN’s picks that NE got for trading down, and they use it to help shore up the o-line, and fill another missing roster piece.

24. Dallas Cowboys

amarius mims, ot, georgia

O-line or RB should be the pick, but with RB talent better slated for a day-2 pick, I’ll give the Cowboys some help on the o-line.

25. Green Bay Packers

laiatu latu, de, ucla

No change here, GB continues to be soft landing spot for Latu in mock 2.0. Probably better off getting an OT to replace departing LT Bakhtiari, but GB gets some defensive help and stops the slide on Latu.

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

**trade** washington commanders

26. Washington Commanders

taliese fuaga, ot, oregon state

After taking a QB with the 2nd overall pick, WAS trades back into the 1st round to get help protecting him.

27. Arizona Cardinals

**trade** Indianapolis

27. Indianapolis Colts

nate wiggins, cb, clemson

In this scenario, TE Bowers is off the board, so IND traded back with AZ, and get some secondary help.

28. Buffalo Bills

**trade** Chicago bears

28. Chicago Bears

darius robinson, de, missouri

After drafting QB Williams with 1st overall pick, CHI decided to trade down from 9 overall and get more draft assets. Since they didn’t take WR Allen’s replacement at 9, this must be for o-line help to protect the new QB right? Wrong, the Bears do what they Bears do and take a defensive player.

29. Detroit Lions

**trade** New England

After trading down from 3 and passing on one of the top QB’s, NE moves back into the first round to finally fill the QB hole.

29. New England Patriots

michael penix jr., qb, Washington

NE finally gets the QB the fans thought they were getting at 3, but now have a few extra pieces to pair with him.

30. Baltimore Ravens

xavier legette, wr, south carolina

The Ravens continue to search for answers at the WR spot.

31. San Francisco 49ers

tyler guyton, ot, oklahoma

Instead of d-line like in the first mock draft, SF takes the best o-lineman available. Building through the trenches fits this teams philosophy.

32. Kansas City Chiefs

**trade** seattle seahawks

32. Seattle Seahawks

**trade** Denver

After originally trading back with KC from 16, SEA decides to trade out of the 1st round completely. DEN moves back into the first to get their QB.

32. Denver Broncos

bo nix, QB, Oregon

Denver comes back into the first round and drafts the QB connected with them the entire time.

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