2024 NFL Mock Draft v2. J.J. McCarthy is climbing up draft boards.
The NFL combine kicks off this week in Indianapolis, so this feels like a good time to publish a new 2024 mock draft.
Here’s the previous version:
- Version 1 (Feb. 2023): Post-Super Bowl
Over the past five years I’ve been a top-10 mocker in the FantasyPros Accuracy Contest, and historically I’ve done well betting on the draft.
- 2019: 54-29 (+17.7 units)
- 2020: 124-88 (+26.2 units)
- 2021: 158-140 (+32.0 units)
- 2022: 70-50 (+29.3 units)
- 2023: 40-68 (+7.7 units)
Here’s my updated mock, followed by general notes and a list of borderline players whom I considered for Round 1.
2024 NFL Mock Draft (v2)
- 1.01 (Bears): QB Caleb Williams (USC)
- 1.02 (Commanders): QB Jayden Daniels (LSU)
- 1.03 (Patriots): QB Drake Maye (North Carolina)
- 1.04 (Cardinals): WR Marvin Harrison (Ohio State)
- 1.05 (Chargers): TE Brock Bowers (Georgia)
- 1.06 (Giants): WR Malik Nabers (LSU)
- 1.07 (Titans): OT Joe Alt (Notre Dame)
- 1.08 (Falcons): EDGE Dallas Turner (Alabama)
- 1.09 (Bears): WR Rome Odunze (Washington)
- 1.10 (Jets): OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu (Penn State)
- 1.11 (Vikings): EDGE Laiatu Latu (UCLA)
- 1.12 (Broncos): QB J.J. McCarthy (Michigan)
- 1.13 (Raiders): OT Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State)
- 1.14 (Saints): OT J.C. Latham (Alabama)
- 1.15 (Colts): CB Terrion Arnold (Alabama)
- 1.16 (Seahawks): DT Byron Murphy (Texas)
- 1.17 (Jaguars): CB Quinyon Mitchell (Toledo)
- 1.18 (Bengals): OT Amarius Mims (Georgia)
- 1.19 (Rams): CB Nate Wiggins (Clemson)
- 1.20 (Steelers): OT Troy Fautanu (Washington)
- 1.21 (Dolphins): C Jackson Powers-Johnson (Oregon)
- 1.22 (Eagles): CB Cooper DeJean (Iowa)
- 1.23 (Texans): DT Jer’Zhan Newton (Illinois)
- 1.24 (Cowboys): OT Tyler Guyton (Oklahoma)
- 1.25 (Packers): CB Kool-Aid McKinstry (Alabama)
- 1.26 (Buccaneers): WR BrIan Thomas (LSU)
- 1.27 (Cardinals): EDGE Jared Verse (Florida State)
- 1.28 (Bills): WR Keon Coleman (Florida State)
- 1.29 (Lions): CB Ennis Rakestraw (Missouri)
- 1.30 (Ravens): EDGE Chop Robinson (Penn State)
- 1.31 (49ers): OT Jordan Morgan (Arizona)
- 1.32 (Chiefs): WR Troy Franklin (Oregon)
Mock Draft Movement
Here are players I’ve moved into and out of Round 1 since the previous version.
- Players Into Round 1: QB J.J. McCarthy, C Jackson Powers-Johnson, WR Troy Franklin
- Players Out of Round 1: QB Bo Nix, OT Graham Barton, EDGE Bralen Trice
QB Caleb Williams
Any mock that doesn’t have Williams No. 1 overall is trying too hard. He goes No. 1 in 100% of the mocks I’ve surveyed over the past month.
The price is steep, but he might still be bettable at -1000 (DraftKings). For some price-shopping perspective, he’s already as high at another book as -2000 (Caesars).
You can tail Williams at DraftKings, where you can get up to $1,000 in No Sweat bets when you create a new account below!
If you’re looking for a value-based pivot to Williams at No. 1, I think it might be Daniels at +3000 (BetMGM), which gets me to the next point…
QBs Jayden Daniels vs. Drake Maye
In Version 1, I had Maye at No. 2, but I’m pivoting to Daniels. He’s gaining steam in the market and mocks, and I already had him ranked ahead of Maye in my way-too-early 2024 fantasy top 150 rankings.
I think the No. 2 pick is probably a coin flip between Maye and Daniels, so I like the latter at +155 (FanDuel), where I’ve logged him in our FREE Fantasy Life Bet Tracker.
You can tail the pick at FanDuel, where you can get $150 in bonus bets when you sign up below for a new account:
WR Marvin Harrison
I’m yet to see any non-QB selected higher than Harrison in any mock. I bet him at -475 to be the top non-QB selected, but he might still offer value at -650 (DraftKings).
TE Brock Bowers
Bowers seems likelier now than he did a month ago to fall out of the top 10, but he’d be such a natural fit on the Chargers in OC Greg Roman’s offense.
OT Joe Alt
The Titans need help all over the roster, but they probably need OL help most of all, and Alt is a big favorite to be the first lineman selected.
WRs Malik Nabers & Rome Odunze
In Version 1, I had Odunze falling down the board all the way to the Dolphins at No. 21 -- but here I’ve moved him into the top 10.
With more research, I now have Nabers and Odunze together in a small tier below Harrison, and there are enough WR-needy teams in the top 10 to warrant the selection of all three.
I especially like the idea of Odunze going to the Bears to partner with WR D.J. Moore and TE Cole Kmet as a solid pass-catching unit for Williams.
OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu
The Jets need to get someone to protect QB Aaron Rodgers.
QB J.J. McCarthy
In Version 1, I had the Broncos going with Nix, but McCarthy has passed him in draft hype, and the team can’t go into 2024 with QB Jarrett Stidham as the starter, right?
WR Brian Thomas
With WR Mike Evans aging and uncertain to be with the Buccaneers next season, they need to find his replacement.
WR Keon Coleman
The Bills need to get QB Josh Allen more help, and Coleman has long-term potential as a No. 1 WR. I like them at +150 (DraftKings) to select a WR with their first pick.
CB Ennis Rakestraw
The Lions should’ve drafted a corner in Round 1 last year, and they should probably draft multiple defensive backs in the top 100 this year.
WR Troy Franklin
With his deep speed, Franklin feels like a (hopefully much) better version of Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who could be a cap casualty for the Chiefs this offseason. It makes sense for them to get a potential No. 1 WR for QB Patrick Mahomes.
Borderline Prospects
These are the players I currently view as residing on the borderline of Rounds 1-2.
- QBs Bo Nix (Oregon) & Michael Penix (Washington)
- WRs Xavier Legette (South Carolina), Adonai Mitchell (Texas), Xavier Worthy (Texas) & Ladd McConkey (Georgia)
- OTs Graham Barton (Duke) & Kingsley Suamatia (Brigham Young)
- EDGEs Darius Robinson (Missouri), Chris Braswell (Alabama) & Bralen Trice (Washington)
- DT Kris Jenkins (Michigan)
- CB Kamari Lassiter (Georgia)
- S Kamren Kinchens (Miami - FL)