Hello everyone and welcome to this completely random "Draft Expert" blog post! When I say 'completely random,' I mean completely random, because I didn't know I was going to do this until late last night. Though the Draft isn't until April of 2024, I thought it'd be fun to do a nice little mock draft all the way in early October!
Like, it really doesn't make sense to post this, as we are only five weeks into the college football season, but that's the fun of mock drafts, it doesn't matter how close you are to the actual thing, it will always be insanely inaccurate.
I'm not proud of myself, but I over thought this thing like 100 times before posting it, treating it like an actual mock draft, rather than something I'm just doing for fun 204-days away from the actual event. But again, that's what makes this fun!
So, without any further delay, I, Logan Blackman, the self proclaimed "Draft Expert," am proud to present to you our completely meaningless mock draft! Enjoy!
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Pictured: Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State; Caleb Williams, USC; Drake Maye, North Carolina
1. Chicago Bears - Caleb Williams, QB, USC
This pick is as straight forward as it gets, if the Bears, or any team for that matter, get the number one overall pick, it will be USC's Caleb Williams. Considered by most to be the next prospect cursed with the mantra 'can't miss prospect,' there's no doubt Caleb Williams is a truly special player at the quarterback position, as he is in line to win his second Heisman trophy, which would make him the second player in history to accomplish that feat. That being said, don't the Bears currently have a former first round quarterback under center? Technically yes, but I can't foresee the Bears, or Justin Fields, wanting to keep this relationship going another season, as it would be best for both parties to just separate. Wherever Fields goes, hopefully success follows, but if a player like Williams is available for the taking, you have to make the move, and hopefully he can be the Bears longterm answer at quarterback. If they get the right coach, which is easier said than done when it comes to this organization, it could be a very fun marriage.
2. Chicago Bears (via Carolina) - Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
Thanks to Carolina trading up with Chicago to take Alabama's Bryce Young first overall, the Bears hold two first round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. What makes this even better, is that the Panthers are currently the only other team in the league with zero wins, giving the Bears the first two picks in this meaningless mock draft. Though the Bears could look to add a tackle, looking at Penn State's Olu Fashanu, the most obvious pick would be taking Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr.. After taking another 'generational talent' in the form of Caleb Williams with the first overall pick, might as well dip your hand back into the proverbial cookie jar and take a second, giving yourself a potentially elite pairing at the quarterback-wide receiver position. To most out there, Marvin Harrison Jr. is one of the greatest receiver prospects of all time, and putting him out wide with the likes of DJ Moore and Darnell Mooney, with Williams at the quarterback position, this could put the Bears in unprecedented territory, actually making them fun to watch on offense.
3. Las Vegas Raiders - Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
The Raiders will be looking for a face lift this offseason, right? Like, they can't keep Josh McDaniels next season, right? I think it's abundantly obvious to anyone out there that Josh McDaniels is not a good head coach, and that the Raiders should look to add someone else, especially if they're going to be in the quarterback market as the 2024 NFL Draft approaches. Sure, Jimmy Garoppolo is a solid option at quarterback, but the dude can't stay healthy for the life of him and he just isn't a legit option to be the Raiders long term answer at quarterback. If the Raiders continue down this path of being ass at football, picking a quarterback in the top five could be a legit option. Not to mention if they pick as high as three, which would put them above their potentially quarterback needy division rival, quarterback should definitely be on the cards, and Drake Maye would be that guy. A combination of size, mobility, and arm strength, Maye has literally everything you could look for in the quarterback position. The Raiders need a restart, Maye would be an excellent addition for the quarterback needy Raiders.
4. Denver Broncos - Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
I'm sure the Broncos would love to take either USC's Caleb Williams or North Carolina's Drake Maye, but given that their recent win over the Chicago Bears takes them outside the top three, that's probably not a realistic option, at least at this time. Though the likes of Shedeur Sanders, Riley Leonard, Michael Penix, among others, could be options, I think the Broncos would ultimately go in a different direction, at least early, especially given Russell Wilson's contract situation. So, with the Broncos possessing easily the worst defense in the league in regards to yards given up per game, a defender could definitely be on the cards. To me, given their current position, they should look to add one of the top edge rushers, as it is usually considered one of the Draft's most premier positions. To me, Florida State's Jared Verse is the top option. A very explosive and powerful edge rusher, who can line up in either a two-point or three-point stance, Verse would be an excellent addition to a porous Broncos defense.
5. Minnesota Vikings - Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
I didn't really know where to go with this pick for the Minnesota Vikings. On one hand, quarterback could definitely be on the cards, especially with Kirk Cousins being on the final year of his deal. But, just like the Broncos in front of them, they are just out of range of securing one of the top options in the class. Sure they could potentially reach for one here, but given Kirk's love for franchise tags, I would guess the Vikings would try to improve on the defensive side of the ball, at least with their first pick. Though corner is definitely a position of need, I think the Vikings should look to solidify their pass rush, especially with Danielle Hunter and Marcus Davenport becoming free agents this offseason. With the more experienced Jared Verse already off the board, I could see the Vikings looking at Alabama's Dallas Turner here with the fifth overall pick. Currently top five nationally in sacks and pressures, Turner is a real problem for opposing offenses coming off the edge. He uses his natural speed extremely well in both the pass and run game, with his tool set projecting him to be a real threat coming off the edge at the next level.
6. New York Jets - Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State
To most people, the Jets season officially derailed after the fourth play of the season, as quarterback Aaron Rodgers snapped his achilles against the Buffalo Bills week one. With Rodgers coming back from a major injury, while also turning 40 in December, a bookend offensive tackle may be on the cards for the Jets, regardless of where they pick in the first round. The name of the game is protect the quarterback, and so far this season, no one in college football has done that better than Penn State's Olu Fashanu, who hasn’t allowed a pressure or sack so far this season. The best natural pass protector in the Draft, if the Jets are planning on Rodgers being back next season, fully firing, they need to beef up the offensive line. With questions over Mekhi Becton's future and Duane Brown being 38-years old and a free agent next offseason, tackle should definitely be the Jets number one priority on Draft day.
7. New England Patriots - Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
This just feels like a Patriots pick, doesn't it? Though there are numerous questions surrounding Mac Jones' future in New England, especially after getting benched in the Patriots recent 38-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, it still may be a little to early to pull the trigger on a new signal caller. Throughout his time as a head coach, Bill Belichick has only drafted one quarterback in the first round, and after two, going on three years, he's already looking to potentially replace him. Though it could change, I don't see him going after a quarterback in the first round, just seems too early for Belichick. Instead, I think he looks to add a potentially special player to the offensive side of the ball, in a favorite position of his, by drafting Georgia's Brock Bowers. Again, this just feels like a Patriots pick. I know they currently have Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki on the roster, but both are free agents come next offseason, and to be honest, Bowers would be an upgrade on both of them. The Patriots don't really have a 'go to' option on the outside, Bowers' is a dominant player at the tight end position, an absolute freak who put on an insane showing against Auburn this past Saturday. I would hate it, but Bowers to New England just feels right. (I flipped back and forth with Bowers and Notre Dame's Joe Alt, same for the Bengals)
8. Cincinnati Bengals - Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
The Tee Higgins contract situation will be something to watch this offseason, but the Bengals biggest area of need continues to be the offensive line. Now, I highly doubt the Bengals will be picking in the top-10 when the real Draft rolls around, but as of right now, they're picking eighth, which should see them go after one of the top tackles in the class. With Penn State's Olu Fashanu going off the board a few picks earlier, the Bengals should go up to the podium and select Notre Dame's Joe Alt. At 6'8" 315 lbs., Alt is a freakishly long offensive tackle who possesses great movement from the position. A former tight end, Alt, in 134 snaps, has only allowed one pressure and no sacks in five games this year. With the Bengals making Joe Burrow the highest paid player in NFL history, adding someone like Alt would definitely help keep their massive investment upright and healthy, allowing him to zip the ball to all their weapons on the outside. Lord knows if Tee Higgins will be back, but with Jonah Williams entering free agency this offseason, the Bengals should look to add to the offensive line. I'm sure Joe Burrow would love to have Joe Alt protecting him. (I flipped back and forth with Alt and Georgia's Brock Bowers, same for the Patriots)
9. Arizona Cardinals - Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA
Before the season started, the Arizona Cardinals were the overwhelming favorite to land Caleb Williams, and maybe Marvin Harrison Jr. thanks to the Texans pick. That being said, after a pretty crazy double digit win against the Dallas Cowboys, the Cardinals now hold the ninth pick in the draft, which is pretty crazy given their preseason expectations. Obviously things can come crashing down, but for now, we have to look elsewhere than Williams with the Cardinals first pick. With head coach Jonathan Gannon coming from Philadelphia, who put an emphasis on getting to the quarterback in his final year as defensive coordinator, I would expect the Cardinals to look to strengthen their pass rusher. With Jared Verse and Dallas Turner off the board already, UCLA's Laiatu Latu could be a really viable option. Though they don't have any real 'legit' edge rushing options, the Cardinals still somehow sit in the top half of the league in regards to sacks. Adding Latu would only help improve that, as per Jordan Reid via TruMedia, Latu leads the FBS in defensive pressure percentage (23.8%) and individual sack percentage (6.3%). A quick and energetic edge rusher, Latu would be an excellent addition to the Cardinals defense.
10. New York Giants - Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
The Giants paid Daniel Jones, aka 'Vanilla Vick,' this offseason, signing him to a four-year $160 million contract. Though he put up solid numbers working with less than optimal receiving options, Jones' stock really shot up after the Giants beat the Minnesota Vikings 31-24 in the Playoffs, where he played the game of his life, throwing for over 300-yards with two touchdowns, while adding a further 78-yards on the ground. Though it was a very good performance from Jones, that's a lot of money to give to a solid, at best, quarterback. With Jones locked in, the Giants might as well try to improve the supporting cast around him, as apart from Darren Waller, who hasn't played more than 11-games in a season since 2020, the options for Jones on the outside are rather slim. I like the addition of Jalin Hyatt, but the Giants could still use a true number one option on the outside. Outside of Harrison, the next best option, to me, is Florida State's Keon Coleman. Currently leading the ACC in receiving touchdowns, Coleman is arguably the best receiver in the country when it comes to battling for the ball. Whether he's out muscling a defender or skying over them, Coleman knows how to come down with the ball through contact. As sure handed as they come, Coleman would be an excellent addition to the Giants receiving core, giving Jones a true number one receiver.
11. Green Bay Packers - JC Latham, OT, Alabama
12. New Orleans Saints - Demeioun 'Chop' Robinson, EDGE, Penn State
13. Arizona Cardinals (via Houston) - Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
14. Los Angeles Chargers - Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
15. Houston Texans (via Cleveland) - Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
16. Washington Commanders - Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
17. Jacksonville Jaguars - Jer'Zhan Newton, DL, Illinois
18. Los Angeles Rams - Graham Barton, OL, Duke
19. Atlanta Falcons - Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
20. Indianapolis Colts - Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
21. Pittsburgh Steelers - Kalen King, CB, Penn State
22. Tennessee Titans - Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU
23. Seattle Seahawks - Maason Smith, DL, LSU
24. Dallas Cowboys - Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
25. Detroit Lions - Cooper DeJean, CB/S, Iowa
26. Miami Dolphins - Patrick Paul, OT, Houston
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - J.T. Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State
28. Buffalo Bills - Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami (FL)
29. Baltimore Ravens - Leonard Taylor III, DL, Miami (FL)
30. San Francisco 49ers - Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona
31. Kansas City Chiefs - Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
32. Philadelphia Eagles - Javon Bullard, S, Georgia
Thank you for taking the time to read through the list! Hope you enjoyed it! If you did, give the article a like and comment down below how you felt!
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