2024 NFL Mock Draft: Atlanta Falcons Trade Up For Jayden Daniels

Caleb Williams and Drake Maye seem like shoo-ins as the first two picks in the draft.

After that? It could get interesting.

Here is my first stab at how things will go when the NFL draft rolls around in April.

1. Chicago Bears: QB Caleb Williams, USC

No surprise here. The former Heisman Trophy winner plays out of structure too much and may have some personality concerns, but the talent is too great.

He’s a humongous favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick at -1000 odds, according to FanDuel on January 16th.

2. Washington Commanders: QB Drake Maye, North Carolina

There might finally be some light at the end of the tunnel for the Commanders, who have new ownership and can add an exciting new quarterback in Maye, who has all the tools to be a Pro Bowler.

3. New England Patriots: WR Marvin Harrison, Jr., Ohio State

The Patriots would love to select their franchise quarterback of the future, but hitching your wagon to the third-best signal-caller in the class is not always the best decision.

New England can look to free agency or later in the draft to take a stab at the position if it doesn’t fall in love with Jayden Daniels. Harrison, Jr. feels like a no-doubt star-in-the-making, and that’s hard to pass up.

4. Atlanta Falcons (via Arizona Cardinals): QB Jayden Daniels, LSU

Compensation: No. 4 for No. 8 overall, No. 43 overall, 2025 3rd-rounder

If the Patriots don’t take Daniels, a market for the fourth pick could develop. With Harrison off the board, the Cardinals should consider trade-down options, and in this scenario, the Falcons make a move to grab Daniels.

The cost is slightly more than projected based on draft value charts, but not nearly the tax some teams have paid to trade up for a first-round quarterback.

5. Los Angeles Chargers: OT Olu Fashanu, Penn State

The Chargers will probably need to revamp their defense, but protecting Justin Herbert takes the highest priority, and bookending Rashawn Slater with Fashanu would make a ton of sense.

Los Angeles would have some work to do beyond this, but it’s a good start to get things back on track in 2024 and beyond.

6. New York Giants: WR Malik Nabers, LSU

The Giants desperately need some explosiveness at receiver, and Nabers seems like a perfect fit. New York may have been in the quarterback market with a few more losses but it doesn’t make sense to reach for a second-tier prospect this high.

7. Tennessee Titans: OT Joe Alt, Notre Dame

The Titans should have started the rebuild a year ago and are finally getting it underway. Alt is good value here and will be a big boost in protecting Will Levis in the pocket.

8. Arizona Cardinals: WR Rome Odunze, Washington

Some people may not like this result, missing out on Harrison and then Alt by one slot apiece. But Odunze has proven to be a special talent in his own right and fills a great area of need for the Cardinals.

Arizona amassed 915 total yards of offense in its final two games without much of anything at receiver, and the addition of the 6-foot-3, 215-pound playmaker on the outside would add another aerial threat alongside Trey McBride.

9. Chicago Bears: Edge Laiatu Latu, UCLA

The Bears would probably love to land one of the three elite wideouts, but they are gone by this point. The defense needs some help and Latu is a good one.

10. New York Jets: TE Brock Bowers, Georgia

The Jets are hitching their wagon to Aaron Rodgers, for better or worse. Adding a freakish talent like Bowers here would be a nice get.

11. Minnesota Vikings: Edge Dallas Turner, Alabama

Danielle Hunter is an impending free agent and will leave a huge void if he leaves. Turner could end up the best defensive player in the class and would help cushion the blow of a potential departure from Hunter.

12. Denver Broncos: DT Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois

The Broncos need a lot of help on both sides of the ball as they expect to enter their post-Russell Wilson era, so best player available makes the most sense.

Newton has the potential to be a game-wrecker on the interior.

13. Las Vegas Raiders: CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson

The Raiders could use plenty of help in a variety of areas. Wiggins has the potential to be a shutdown cornerback and Las Vegas’ defense would get a boost with his addition.

14. New Orleans Saints: T J.C. Latham, Alabama

The Saints have traditionally been very solid at tackle, and adding Latham as a successor to Ryan Ramczyk would be a good move.

15. Indianapolis Colts: CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

The Colts are building an intriguing team with some good, young talent on both sides of the ball. McKinstry is a high level player who would add to that foundation.

16. Seattle Seahawks: QB Michael Penix, Jr., Washington

Geno Smith has done a solid job with Seattle, but is the ceiling high enough with him under center? Fresh off a coaching change, the Seahawks could look at rookie quarterbacks and go for a tantalizing prospect who plays in their own backyard.

The offense has a lot of good pieces, and Penix would be put in a good position to succeed.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars: CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama

The defense was the strength of the Jaguars this season and it adds another talented piece to the repertoire here.

18. Cincinnati Bengals: T Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State

If Jonah Williams leaves the Bengals will need to find a replacement at right tackle, and Fuaga has the skillset to be a difference-maker.

19. Los Angeles Rams: Edge Jared Verse, Florida State

Hey, look, the Rams have a first-round pick! They still have a top-heavy roster and could use some defensive reinforcements, especially if Aaron Donald decides to retire this offseason, as has been whispered about in league circles.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: T Amarius Mims, Georgia

The Steelers have to figure out their quarterback situation but there is no point in taking a Hail Mary here. Better to build up the trenches to protect whomever will be back there in 2024.

21. Miami Dolphins: G/T Graham Barton, Duke

The Dolphins could use some help on the interior of their line, and the uncertain future of Terron Armstead may also leave a hole at tackle. Barton would be able to find a role immediately for a team in win-now mode.

22. Philadelphia Eagles: CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa

The Eagles’ secondary fell apart down the stretch and both Darius Slay and James Bradberry are on the back-end of their careers. Philly prioritizes premium positions so DeJean would make plenty of sense here.

23. Houston Texans: CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo

The Texans suddenly looked extremely well-equipped for the future and can go a number of different ways with their first-round pick. Mitchell is an exciting prospect who could pair with Derek Stingley as shutdown cover men in the secondary.

24. Dallas Cowboys: WR Brian Thomas, Jr., LSU

Brandin Cooks wasn’t quite the answer as the complement to CeeDee Lamb but Thomas could fill that role quickly. This is good value as many expect him to go in the teens.

25. Green Bay Packers: CB Kamari Lassiter, Georgia

The Packers’ offense is absolutely sailing all of a sudden, but the defense could use some help. Lassiter checks that box by giving them a talented player to add to the secondary.

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: WR Keon Coleman, Florida State

Mike Evans may be leaving in free agency. So the Bucs grab a guy who has similar measurables and plug him into that spot on the outside.

27. Arizona Cardinals: Edge Chop Robinson, Penn State

Robinson may not have prototypical size and length but he’s a freaky athlete with the type of explosive first step that is missing from the Cardinals’ edge group.

Passing downs are where games are won or lost in the NFL, and pairing Robinson with B.J. Ojulari as quarterback menaces would be a good start in getting the league’s worst defense back on track.

28. Kansas City Chiefs: WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas

Travis Kelce is getting older. The Chiefs desperately need another playmaker in the skill group and Mitchell fits that bill.

29. Buffalo Bills: G/T Jordan Morgan, Arizona

Morgan’s strength is pass protection, and when you’ve got Josh Allen at quarterback, that’s of utmost importance. It remains to be seen if Morgan ends up at tackle or on the interior as a pro.

30. Detroit Lions: G/T Troy Fautanu, Washington

The Lions have a very good offensive line, and even if some of the interior pieces depart this offseason, Fautanu can slide in and keep it rolling. 

31. San Francisco 49ers: Edge Bralen Trice, Washington

The 49ers pour a ridiculous amount of resources into their defensive line every year, so why stop now? Trice could be good value late in the first round and can slide in if Chase Young leaves in free agency.

32. Baltimore Ravens: CB Kalen King, Penn State

The Ravens have one of the deepest rosters in the NFL and adding King would bring another hard-nosed and talented player to the defense.