ESPN releases updated 2024 NFL Mock Draft
ESPN NFL Draft expert Matt Miller is already in the lab cooking up mock drafts for the spring of 2024. On Thursday morning, he released his latest projections.
Towards the top, there’s a pair of star quarterbacks who lead the way, with a certain playmaker at Ohio State making a pretty strong case as the best non-QB prospect. Overall, it features a fair share of recognizable names and 2023 stars, but also includes a number of lesser-known players who ESPN predicts will make themselves into household names and NFL prospects come January.
You can read a bit about the first ten picks below and then see the full 32 listed out towards the bottom. Take a look:
1. Cardinals: Caleb Williams (QB) | USC
Williams is great in all the important areas for a quarterback: he’s a skinny and mobile playmaker out of the backfield who also has the cannon to crank the ball 50 yards down the field. He’s got all the physical tools and now a Heisman Trophy and plenty of elite tape to back it up.
He made the Lincoln Riley system go year one at SoCal — and we know Riley is lauded as a forward-thinking offensive mind and someone whose play-calling closely resembles that of some NFL coaches. So seeing Williams thrive in that environment for a third straight season should seal him as the No. 1, as Miller predicts.
2. Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR) | Ohio State
Well it’s the No. 1 wide receiver prospect in the last few draft classes going No. 2 overall here and once again to the Cardinals, who will likely possess two top picks and may grab a QB-WR duo to lead them into a much-needed new era.
Harrison is just a freak athlete at the position with his combination of speed, agility and incredible catch-point playmaking. He’s got it all for a future No. 1 option. It’s hard to top this kind of scouting report, via Miller: “Harrison is 6-4, shows savvy and smooth route running, and is excellent at tracking and attacking the ball.”
3. Buccaneers: Drake Maye (QB) | North Carolina
TB just named its TB replacement and 2023 starter in Baker Mayfield, who will still have guys like Chris Godwin and Mike Evans to toss the football too. However, Matt Miller doesn’t believe The Bay will call Baker its QB1 for long as he predicts a pitiful season and third-to-last finish in the league, prompting the Bucs to pick the second-best QB in the draft in Drake Maye.
With 4,300 yards plus 38 touchdowns in just his first full year as a starter — and on a team with some offensive line issues — Maye was dazzling in 2022. Another year of numbers like that will lock him into a top-five spot.
4. Colts: Dallas Turner (EDGE) | Alabama
After stabilizing the future of their offense by selecting QB Anthony Richardson, Miller has this Indy defense plucking out a new star on the other side of the ball. Their current pass rushers are headed towards 30 years old so it’s time to infuse the front with new blood.
On the edge, you can’t go wrong with a Nick Saban player and Turner could be his latest story of great development if he were to go this high. Turner returns as one of the few starters off last year’s Tide defense and a likely leader on this one, which replaces seven of its top eight tacklers. Plus, he figures to take an even bigger leap from 37 tackles and four sacks last fall.
5. Rams: Olu Fashanu (OT) | Penn State
On3’s No. 1 offensive tackle and No. 7 overall player in the top 100 is the Penn State stalwart. Fashanu was a Walter Camp All-American (second team) as just a redshirt sophomore in 2022, but showed enough for most draft pundits to believe he should have declared for the NFL in this past cycle.
NFL folks were pretty surprised that he didn’t and are very bullish on his pro stock, whether he had come out in the ’23 draft or not. Now, with one more year in State College blocking behind a superstar sophomore RB duo, Fashanu can likely make himself the clear top OL for next spring’s draft.
6. Titans: Jared Verse (EDGE) | Florida State
Pure pass rushing power right here. The Seminole edge defender hunts quarterbacks like a lion does a gazelle, totaling nine sacks and eight other tackles for loss last fall. He was making takedowns in the offensive backfield at least once, often twice, every time out a year ago.
In 2023, Verse returns as do most of FSU’s top stars off the ’22 squad. They’re now ranked in the top 10 of the preseason AP Poll — at one spot higher than ACC rival Clemson! The expectations are bigger in Tallahassee and largely on the shoulders of guys like Verse, who could have en even bigger year than last, which would certainly earn him a top-10 draft spot.
7. Packers: Joe Alt (OT) | Notre Dame
If poor offensive line play was part of Aaron Rodgers’ decision to flee northern Wisconsin for New York, well, then the Packers would be assuring they don’t make a similar mistake with the next face of their franchise. Plus, when it comes to the OL, you’re usually pretty safe with whoever Notre Dame has.
The Fighting Irish tackle enters just his third year with the program this fall — and while he’s widely projected behind Fashanu, Joe Alt sits as the clear-cut No. 2 OT in the 2024 draft as just a true junior this season.
8. Commanders: Quinn Ewers (QB) | Texas
Washington’s history of drafting quarterbacks is flat-out horrendous this century. The one lone gem came in 2012, when they selected Kirk Cousins in the 4th round, after they’d already selected RGIII in round one. RG3 won Rookie of the Year and Cousins eventually took over, but neither stuck around long.
In a new owner’s first draft since the sale this summer, when the team still doesn’t have its QB situation hashed out, a QB selection feels likely if the team lands a top-10 pick, per ESPN’s Matt Miller. It’s just an easy way to infuse more excitement into this new chapter of Washington football.
9. Raiders: Kool-Aid McKinstry (CB) | Alabama
Las Vegas hasn’t been terrible on defense, but they also haven’t been too great as of late. With a long-term answer at quarterback completely up in the air and their pick slated at No. 9, ESPN has LV taking perhaps the most gifted defensive back in the entire draft rather than taking a shot at the fourth-best QB prospect.
McKinstry still has a lot of show if he’s to make good on this high of draft position. However, the physical tools are undeniable, and in the end, those often win out in the NFL Draft. As the featured DB on a Saban-led defense, the opportunity to shine is right in front of him.
10. Bears: JT Tuimoloau (EDGE) | Ohio State
Ohio State didn’t have a dominant pass rusher like Chase Young or a Bosa brother in 2022. Instead, it was pass rush by committee, with two guys leading the way who both returned for this coming season: Michael Hall and JT Tuimoloau.
They each totaled 4.5 sacks last season while Tuimoloau was a monster all over the field, with seven other tackles for loss, as well as four pass breakups and two interceptions… as a defensive tackle! It’s safe to expect a monster season from No. 44 in scarlet and white this fall, perhaps a performance worthy of a top-10 selection, as Matt Miller projects.
For the remaining first round selections in the Matt Miller Mock, check below:
Picks 11-32 in Miller Mock
11. Bears: Emeka Egbuka (WR) | Ohio State
12. Patriots: Patrick Paul (OT) Houston
13. Falcons: Maason Smith (DT) | LSU
14. Steelers: JC Latham (OT) | Alabama
15. Giants: Kalen King (CB) | Penn State
16. Broncos: Chop Robinson (EDGE) | Penn State
17. Texans: Brock Bowers (TE) | Georgia
18. Dolphins: Xavier Worthy (WR) | Texas
19. Seahawks: Jack Sawyer (EDGE) | Ohio State
20. Saints: Rome Odunze (WR) | Washington
21. Vikings: JJ McCarthy (QB) | Michigan
22. Chargers: Calen Bullock (S) | USC
23. Packers: Barrett Carter (LB) | Clemson
24. Ravens: Cooper DeJean (DB) | Iowa
25. Lions: Leonard Taylor III (DT) | Miami
26. Jaguars: Michael Hall (DT) | Ohio State
27. Cowboys: Malik Nabers (WR) | LSU
28. Bills: Kamren Kinchens (S) | Miami
29. 49ers: Amarius Mims (OT) | Georgia
30. Bengals: Josh Newton (CB) | TCU
31. Eagles: Bralen Trice (EDGE) | Washington
32. Chiefs: Ja’Tavion Sanders (TE) | Texas
It’s Ohio State who leads the way in Matt Miller’s latest 2024 NFL mock draft with five guys in the first round. Of course, that receiver tandem draws all the eyeballs on offense as Harrison and Ebguka both recorded more than 1,000 yards last season and are back. Meanwhile, on defense, the returning pass rush trio — Hall, Sawyer and Tuimoloa — all get first round grades. Miller seems to like the Buckeyes quite a bit.