2024 Mock Draft: How has early free agency shaken up needs around the league?

Who would be dumb enough to execute a mock draft in the thick of free agency? Clearly, the two of us. Free agency somehow isn’t enough for our sports-obsessed brains so we decided to add an early mock draft on top of that. 

Go easy on us. This is our first mock of the offseason and as such, we did not include trades. This is just a straightforward thought exercise of our best guesses as to what will happen in the first round of the NFL Draft on April 25.

We alternated picks, except for a couple of special circumstances in which we yielded selections to each other based on team knowledge. 

Without further ado, our NFL on FOX Mock Draft 1.0.

Top 100 big board | Top 10 QB prospects | Top 10 RB prospects | Top 10 WR prospects | Top 10 TE prospects | Top 10 OT prospects | Top 10 IOL prospects | Joel Klatt’s mock draft

1. Chicago Bears (Carmen Vitali): QB Caleb Williams, USC

I’m not overthinking this; you shouldn’t, either. The Chicago Bears have a unique opportunity in the first overall pick without a roster that warranted it. They have to allow Ryan Poles to try fixing the quarterback position in Chicago.

2. Washington Commanders (Dave Helman): QB, Drake Maye, UNC

All the draft-season whispers are trying to push Drake Maye down the board, and I’m telling you right now, I don’t buy it. Maye is not a perfect prospect, but his combination of arm talent, athleticism and audacity is too intriguing to pass up. The Commanders spent the first day of free agency building up their roster, and Washington may be a favorable landing spot for Maye.

3. New England Patriots (Carmen): QB Jayden Daniels, LSU

I know the Pats have Jacoby Brissett now, but he’s not their long-term solution. They have the third overall pick and aren’t going to pass up an opportunity to get this past year’s Heisman winner. They’ll likely have to beef up their offensive line to protect their investment, but that’s worth doing regardless.

4. Arizona Cardinals (Dave): WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State

I can’t say I’d be surprised if the Cardinals try to trade away from this pick because they need so much. But if they don’t, drafting arguably the best overall player in the draft at No. 4 — and helping Kyler Murray in the process — is something to get excited about.

5. L.A. Chargers (Carmen): T Joe Alt, Notre Dame

The Chargers somehow always need offensive linemen despite knowing what they have under center in Justin Herbert. Alt is a massive tackle with an incredible wingspan but it somehow doesn’t affect his pad level. He can get low like Lil Jon and the Ying Yang Twins. Sorry. I heard the ’90s were back.

6. New York Giants (Dave): WR Malik Nabers, LSU

If the Giants don’t trade up for a quarterback, this feels like a dream scenario. They beefed up the offensive line on the first day of free agency, which frees them up to draft a dynamic playmaker. Maybe, just maybe, Malik Nabers can help salvage that Daniel Jones contract.

7. Tennessee Titans (Carmen): T Olu Fashanu, Penn State

I’m not sure what the Titans are doing, but they were active on the first day of free agency and seemed to put a premium on offense. If they’re going to keep rolling with Will Levis, they might as well make sure he has a decent offensive line to work with. This is a great tackle class, too. Fashanu is no one’s consolation prize.

8. Atlanta Falcons (Dave): Edge Dallas Turner, Alabama

Our first defender goes off the board down at No. 8. Now that they don’t have to worry about quarterback (for now), how excited would the Falcons be to draft this year’s best edge rusher way down here? Considering how much talent they already have on offense, this feels like a best-case scenario.

9. Chicago Bears (Carmen): WR Rome Odunze, Washington

Getting their quarterback of the future and an elite receiver prospect all before the 10th pick of the draft is a pretty good day.

10. New York Jets (Dave): TE Brock Bowers, Georgia

My educated guess is that David Bakhtiari will be a Jet by the end of the week. I know he comes with major injury concerns, but if Bakhtiari signs on, Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh can at least consider adding a significant weapon for Aaron Rodgers to work with.

11. Minnesota Vikings (Carmen): QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington

I decided to make things interesting here. I think the Vikings realistically move up and grab one of the top three quarterbacks, but since we aren’t making trades, why not throw Penix Jr. in the mix early? He’s an incredibly accurate passer who sees the field well and can pick apart defenses. It’s a bet on a high-floor guy Minnesota will likely need to start right away.

12. Denver Broncos (Dave): QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

I won’t be surprised if Denver needs to trade up to pull this off, but I don’t expect Sean Payton to be patient about solving his quarterback issue. McCarthy’s physical ability will get him drafted early, and I don’t trust that Payton can resist the urge to find his next project.

13. Las Vegas Raiders (Carmen): CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama

The Raiders’ depth chart lists a lot of corners, which is great. You need a strong rotation on the outside. But they can prioritize quality by grabbing a guy like Arnold, especially after adding Christian Wilkins up front on defense in free agency.

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

I was tempted to draft a corner or an edge rusher here, but I just think there’s too much uncertainty at the Saints’ tackle spots to ignore. On top of that, they need Derek Carr to improve to have a shot this season. Latham is one of several tackles who could help in that regard.

15. Indianapolis Colts (Carmen): Edge Laiatu Latu, UCLA

Don’t look now, but the Colts may just have one of the better defensive lines in the league. They now have Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner on the inside with Kwity Paye on the edge. If they added Latu to the mix, they could feel great about their front.

16. Seattle Seahawks (Dave): OL Troy Fautanu, Washington

The draft rarely works out this cleanly, but it would be fun. Fautanu played tackle in college, so he has that flexibility. But in Seattle, I think he’d be a Day 1 starter at guard — where the Seahawks could use the help. Throw in the fact that Fautanu played his college ball right up the road for the Huskies, and it’s just too cool.

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17. Jacksonville Jaguars (Carmen): CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo

The Jaguars are going through a defensive rebuild after firing their defensive staff after the season. They need a lockdown corner and Mitchell, who has shot up draft boards since the combine, could be that guy.

18. Cincinnati Bengals (Dave): T Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State

Maybe this is a receiver if the Bengals are willing to trade Tee Higgins. I don’t think that will happen, though, and Cincinnati once again needs to improve the protection around Joe Burrow. Right tackle is Fuaga’s natural position, and that’s exactly what the Bengals need.

19. L.A. Rams (Carmen): T Amarius Mims, Georgia

The Rams spent a lot on interior offensive linemen in free agency. In April, they could continue their offensive front makeover. Mims comes from a great program with a strong track record for talent development, has immense upside and should be able to slot in immediately.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers (Dave): C Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon

A classic draft conundrum: would you rather have the sixth or seventh-best offensive tackle, or the best center? If I’m making the decision, give me the best center. The Steelers have a need there, and JPJ would bring both talent and edginess.

21. Miami Dolphins (Carmen): DL Byron Murphy II, Texas

After letting Christian Wilkins walk, the Dolphins try to make up for his departure by adding a young and very talented player.

22. Philadelphia Eagles (Dave): DE Jared Verse, FSU

This looks strange on the surface since Philly just gave a bag to Bryce Huff in free agency. But my hunch is that Eagles general manager Howie Roseman will have dealt either Haason Reddick or Josh Sweat by the time the draft rolls around, opening him up to take an inexpensive, talented rookie with this pick.

23. Houston Texans [via Cleveland Browns] (Carmen): CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson

The Texans got better in a hurry, but DeMeco Ryans is a defensive coach who will want to ensure his defense is solid from top to bottom. They signed Jeff Okudah to a modest deal in free agency but Wiggins would give them a viable corner to put opposite Derek Stingley Jr. immediately.

24. Dallas Cowboys (Dave): WR Brian Thomas Jr., LSU

I can hear Cowboys fans screaming at me that this team needs a ton of offensive line help. But way down here, with so many offensive linemen off the board, this is the better value. Thomas has such impressive size and athleticism it’d be shocking if he fell this far. But if he does, it would be hard for the Cowboys to pass on him as a longtime No. 2 option behind CeeDee Lamb.

25. Green Bay Packers (Carmen): CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa

A true second corner opposite Jaire Alexander — and he’s an Iowa kid? This makes way too much sense not to happen, and you know Green Bay leads with defense in the first round. 

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Carmen): CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

The Bucs traded Carlton Davis and some late selections to the Lions for a third-round pick on the first day of legal tampering. They’ll need at least one more corner for a rotation that includes Jamel Dean, Christian Izien (who was a pleasant surprise in his rookie season) and Zyon McCollum. Dean is the oldest of the bunch, but McKinstry adds more big-time experience after playing his college ball at Bama.

27. Arizona Cardinals [via Houston Texans] (Dave): DT Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois 

What better way to help a bad pass rush than by drafting the guy who led major college football in pressures over the last two years? The Cardinals need help all over their defensive line, and adding one of this draft’s best pass-rushing defensive tackles is a nice place to start.

28. Buffalo Bills (Dave): WR Adonai Mitchell, Texas

Everyone and their mother is mocking a receiver to the Bills, and I’m no better. Gabe Davis is on his way out of town, having agreed to a new deal in Jacksonville. Lord knows what’s happening with Stefon Diggs at any given moment. Mitchell has the type of speed that would mesh well with a rocket launcher like Josh Allen, making life easier for the rest of the Bills’ skill players.

29. Detroit Lions (Carmen): CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri

The Lions are going to add defensive backs until the cows come home. It just so happened that Rakestraw was the best player available, which Brad Holmes has a habit of taking, regardless of need. Holmes traded for Davis from Tampa and the Lions re-signed Emmanuel Moseley in the hopes that he can finally stay healthy. But Rakestraw can be part of a deep group of corners to insulate against injury.

30. Baltimore Ravens (Dave): OT Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma

The Ravens rarely worry about need, positional value or any of the other talking points — they just draft the best player available. Guyton fits the bill in this spot. Plenty of draft analysts think he needs time to develop, and he’ll have that in Baltimore. Ronnie Stanley and Morgan Moses are still the Ravens’ likely starters for 2024, but Guyton would be a valuable swing tackle with an eye on starting in short order. He’s also a heck of an insurance policy should one of the veterans get hurt — which was a consistent issue in 2023.

31. San Francisco 49ers (Carmen): EDGE Chop Robinson, Penn State

There were no interior defensive linemen left on the board for good enough value, so the Niners pivot to another edge player. It can’t hurt to have an outside rotation that includes Nick Bosa, Leonard Floyd and the young Robinson.

32. Kansas City Chiefs (Dave): WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia

I understand why a lot of people are sending Xavier Worthy to Kansas City in these mock drafts. It’s fun to think about the fastest man in NFL Combine history playing on the same team as Patrick Mahomes. Personally, give me the better overall receiver who can create separation, play inside and outside — and who is plenty fast in his own right.

Carmen Vitali covers the NFC North for FOX Sports. Carmen had previous stops with The Draft Network and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She spent six seasons with the Bucs, including 2020, which added the title of Super Bowl Champion (and boat-parade participant) to her résumé. You can follow Carmen on Twitter at @CarmieV.

David Helman covers the Dallas Cowboys for FOX Sports and hosts the NFL on FOX podcast. He previously spent nine seasons covering the Cowboys for the team’s official website. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing “Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion” about the quarterback’s time at Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter at @davidhelman_.

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