One thing already seems set in stone for the 2024 NFL Draft: Caleb Williams is going to be the first player picked. We, of course, don't know by which team, but if the Chicago Bears hold the No. 1 overall pick, even if it's courtesy of the Carolina Panthers, they aren't guaranteed to select USC's reigning Heisman Trophy winner.
But you better believe Bears GM Ryan Poles will receive plenty of phone calls if they again obtain the top selection. In this mock, the Bears swing a deal with the Patriots, the latter of whom want to upgrade the quarterback position. No, it's not all Mac Jones' fault in New England, but just about everyone would agree Williams would give New England a massive boost at the game's most vital position.
The details of this mock trade are as follows:
- Patriots get: Bears 2024 first-round pick (No. 1 overall)
- Bears get: Patriots 2024 first-round pick (No. 5 overall), No. 36 overall, No. 67 overall, a 2025 first-round pick and Christian Barmore
Important: The draft order now is determined by the current, official draft order. Thanks to Tankathon for compiling it.
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NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Mock Trade from
Chicago Bears
Round 1 - Pick 1
USC
• 6'1"
/ 215 lbs
Bill Belichick swings for the fences with this trade to earn the rights to select Williams, who is a virtual lock to be the first player selected in the 2024 draft.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Ohio State
• 6'4"
/ 205 lbs
Let's ride the Justin Fields roller coaster for a while. After a monstrous performance on "Thursday Night Football" in Week 5, things are looking up for the third-year quarterback. They'd be looking up even more after this selection.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Penn State
• 6'6"
/ 312 lbs
Yes, the Broncos are clearly in need of massive defensive changes, but Fashanu is too athletic and too good at a premium position for Sean Payton and Co. to pass on here.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Drake Maye
QB
North Carolina
• 6'4"
/ 225 lbs
Maye would be the perfect heir apparent to Kirk Cousins, as he'd give the Vikings plus athleticism and a cannon for an arm instantly.
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Mock Trade from
New England Patriots
Round 1 - Pick 5
Laiatu Latu
EDGE
UCLA
• 6'5"
/ 265 lbs
Right now Latu looks like the most NFL-ready edge-rusher in the 2024 class, and that's precisely what Chicago needs.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Michigan
• 6'3"
/ 219 lbs
I'd be stunned if the Giants pass on a first-round quarterback in 2024. McCarthy is relatively young with a gun-slinger mentality and plenty of arm talent.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Chop Robinson
EDGE
Penn State
• 6'3"
/ 254 lbs
The Cardinals feel like a team that could swing a trade for a veteran quarterback in the offseason... or just sign one. Under that assumption, they go with the highly athletic, ultra-bendy Robinson to anchor the pass rush.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Alabama
• 6'1"
/ 195 lbs
The Raiders need a confident perimeter cornerback on this defense, and that's what they'd get in McKinstry.
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From
Houston Texans
Round 1 - Pick 10
Malik Nabers
WR
LSU
• 6'0"
/ 200 lbs
Nabers looks like a first-round wideout, and the Cardinals need to start building the core of pass-catching weapons.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Patrick Paul
OT
Houston
• 6'7"
/ 315 lbs
Sam Howell needs to get rid of the football quicker, and the Commanders offensive front has to protect him more soundly. Both things are true. They can start the latter efforts with the super-experienced Paul here.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Emeka Egbuka
WR
Ohio State
• Jr
• 6'1"
/ 206 lbs
Mike Vrabel's time at Ohio State should get him good intel on Ebuka, who looks like another first round-caliber pass catcher from the Buckeyes program.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Brock Bowers
TE
Georgia
• 6'4"
/ 230 lbs
The Bengals jump at the opportunity to stop Bowers mini slide here, giving Joe Burrow another uber-talented receiving weapon.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Illinois
• 6'2"
/ 295 lbs
Newton has Aaron Donald-like traits, which will likely draw in the Rams come draft time.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
Texas
• 6'4"
/ 362 lbs
The Chargers get a wide-bodied, established run stuffer who's flashed as a pass rusher in 2023. Needed piece to this defense.
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From
Cleveland Browns
Round 1 - Pick 17
Duke
• 6'5"
/ 314 lbs
Barton might be a guard at the next level, and the Texans could use more interior blocking help for C.J. Stroud.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
Miami (FL)
• 5'11"
/ 205 lbs
The Saints get younger at safety with Kinchens, who's demonstrated high-caliber, three-down ability for the Hurricanes.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
Jared Verse
EDGE
Florida State
• 6'4"
/ 260 lbs
The Falcons bet on Verse's bend, burst, and surprising power with this selection. They could stand to get younger and more dynamic around the corner.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
Arizona
• 6'5"
/ 325 lbs
The Colts go in the trenches at the start of Year 2 of the Anthony Richardson era. Morgan is a gifted pass protector with an NFL left tackle frame.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Iowa
• 6'0"
/ 198 lbs
Back to the cornerback well for the Bills with DeJean, a heady, ballhawking cornerback with plenty of zone-coverage familiarity.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
Kalen King
CB
Penn State
• 5'11"
/ 190 lbs
The Cowboys get another highly athletic perimeter cornerback to pair with Trevon Diggs when he returns from injury in 2024.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
Rome Odunze
WR
Washington
• 6'3"
/ 215 lbs
The Ravens load up at receiver for Lamar Jackson with another first-round pass catcher in Odunze, who, stature-wise, is the opposite of 2023 first-rounder Zay Flowers.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Missouri
• 5'11"
/ 178 lbs
Abrams-Draine has been on the draft radar for a while and is enjoying a productive 2023 season at Missouri. He'd be a fun, versatile piece for Pete Carroll to deploy in 2023 and beyond.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
Clemson
• Jr
• 6'1"
/ 230 lbs
The defense has carried Pittsburgh early in 2023, but the Steelers continue to build that side of the ball when they see Carter fall into their laps here.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Miami (FL)
• 6'3"
/ 305 lbs
The Jaguars stay in state and land a high-upside interior rusher in Taylor.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
Florida State
• 6'6"
/ 228 lbs
Another enormous, physically imposing rebounder to replace impending free agent Mike Evans after the season.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Keon Coleman
WR
Florida State
• 6'4"
/ 215 lbs
Coleman gives the Lions a physical presence on the perimeter of their already fun passing attacking.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
BYU
• 6'4"
/ 326 lbs
Another big-bodied blocker for Mike McDaniel's offense to protect Tua Tagovailoa and pave lanes for the explosive ground game.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Nate Wiggins
CB
Clemson
• 6'1"
/ 182 lbs
A long-limbed outside cornerback with the long-term future in mind for the Eagles.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Texas
• 5'11"
/ 165 lbs
The Chiefs scare everyone by selecting a small and super-speedy wideout near the end of the first round.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Georgia
• 6'0"
/ 180 lbs
Lassiter would give the 49ers a talented outside cornerback to be developed with the long view in mind.
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