2024 NFL Draft: Trades shake up first round in latest NFL.com mock

The first round of the NFL Draft is deep with quarterbacks and stacked with receivers. You can say the same about offensive linemen as well.

In fact, it’s not a good time to be an NFL team desperate to draft a defender.

Peter Schrager, a long-time NFL writer who is the co-host of Good Morning Football, believes there will be five quarterbacks selected. And he’s predicted a whopping eight receivers. Let’s also applaud the big dudes on the line. Schrager projects nine first-rounders for the offensive line. So let’s take a look at this mock draft from NFL.com.

1. Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams, QB, USC

Williams has stayed atop every major mock draft since he declared for the NFL Draft. Actually, he was the top pick in all major projections since last year’s draft.

Schrager wrote: “As I’ve reported, the Bears had a great meeting with Caleb at the NFL Scouting Combine, followed by a pair of enjoyable dinners in Los Angeles (before USC’s pro day) and Chicago (before the quarterback’s visit to Halas Hall). The team is all in. And so, from what I’m told, is Williams.”

2. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

The latest trend has Daniels, the 2023 Heisman winner, as the No. 2 pick and headed to the Commanders. He seemed to solidify No. 2 after he and Drake Maye conducted their Pro Days in the same week last month.

Schrager wrote: “After skipping measurements in Indianapolis, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner pleasantly surprised many folks at LSU’s pro day by weighing in at a pretty robust 210 pounds. As of today, I think Daniels is the pick at No. 2.”

3. New England Patriots: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

Maye is the prototype quarterback who used to lead off the NFL Draft. He’s got the body teams want and the strong arm.

Schrager believes the Patriots will take either Daniels or Maye, whomever the Commanders don’t select. There will not be a trade down. In fact, the Patriots wined and dined Daniels, Maye and Michigan’s J.J McCarthy on their trips to Foxborough.

4. New York Giants: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

And we’ve got four quarterbacks in a row! Schrager projects the Giants will move up by swapping picks with the Cardinals. Arizona doesn’t need a quarterback with Kyler Murray. But the Giants may be signaling that they’re moving on from Daniel Jones with the McCarthy selection.

Schrager notes that Giants GM Joe Schoen didn’t draft Jones. So “J.J. checks a lot of boxes, and Big Blue can get out of Jones’ contract after this upcoming season,” he wrote. “I assume that this projection could make headlines in New York. That’s fine. I know the Giants have been going through all of the quarterback prospects diligently, as they should be.”

5. Los Angeles Chargers: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

It’s Jim Harbaugh’s first pick as the Chargers new coach. And he picks a guy from Ohio State. And why not? Harrison is the best receiver in the draft.

“But I think Harrison’s ultimately the first receiver taken,” Schrager said. “And he would be a perfect match with both Justin Herbert and Jim Harbaugh.”

6. Arizona Cardinals: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

And here we have the No. 2 receiver, with the Cardinals dropping to No. 6 and getting a quality wideout. If you can’t get Harrison, Odunze is not a bad consolation prize.

“Odunze’s a tough, smart player,” Schrager said. And “he (is) the perfect kind of building block for this franchise in this moment.”

7. Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

Now we get to the first offensive lineman taken in the NFL Draft. It’s Joe Alt from the Fighting Irish. There will be many more tackles taken before we get to 32.

“Standing nearly 6-foot-9 with nimble feet, the Notre Dame star is the son of former Pro Bowl OT John Alt,” Schrager said. “Getting a towering protector for Will Levis‘ blind side would be yet another chef’s kiss on what has been an incredible offseason for Tennessee.”

8. Atlanta Falcons: Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama

Finally, the run on offensive players is broken. The Falcons go with Turner, giving Alabama the top defender in the NFL Draft for two straight years. Atlanta doesn’t need a rookie quarterback after signing Kirk Cousins in free agency.

“I can’t see them targeting WR Malik Nabers this time around, as tempting as that might be.,” Schrager wrote. “Instead, Atlanta fills a long-standing need on the edge with the explosive pass rusher out of Alabama.”

9. Indianapolis Colts: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

Nabers turns out to be the third receiver in the elite NFL Draft trio. The Bears had owned this pick, but traded it away to the Colts.

The AFC South is a strong one, especially with the surging Texans. “Colts GM Chris Ballard shows he has some tricks up his sleeve, too,” Schrager says.

10. New York Jets: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

NFL teams are going to draft Bowers as a receiver, not as a defensive-lineman smashing tight end. Most mocks are in agreement that the Jets will take the Georgia star to give Aaron Rodgers another potent option.

“This is a special prospect,” Schrager wrote. “In fact, I’ve been told by multiple general managers that I’m not high enough on Bowers and that his ability after the catch sets him apart from just about every tight end prospect since Kyle Pitts.”

NFL Draft first round projections for picks 11-32

11. Minnesota Vikings: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
12. Denver Broncos: Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA
13. Las Vegas Raiders: Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State
14. New Orleans Saints: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
15. Chicago Bears: JC Latham, OT, Alabama
16. Seattle Seahawks: Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington
17. Jacksonville Jaguars: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
18. Cincinnati Bengals: Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas
19. Los Angeles Rams: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
21. Miami Dolphins: Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State
22. Philadelphia Eagles: Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
23. Minnesota Vikings: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
24. Dallas Cowboys: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
25. Green Bay Packers: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
26. Tampa Bay Bucs: Graham Barton, OL, Duke
27. Arizona Cardinals: Darius Robinson, DL, Missouri
28. Buffalo Bills: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
29. Detroit Lions: Zach Frazier, OL, West Virginia
30. Baltimore Ravens: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
31. San Francisco 49ers: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington

The NFL Draft is set for April 25-27 in Detroit. And as you count down the days to the biggest league event since the Super Bowl, check out On3’s draft coverage here.