The majority of the first-round draft order is known as the regular season and wild card round has drawn to a close. The deadline for underclassmen to declare has lapsed, and the NFL should release the official list later this week. It is full steam ahead toward draft night in April.
In today's thought exercise, we explore where teams may need to move up in order to draft one of the perceived top quarterback prospects. Plus, there is a run on wide receivers and offensive tackles at the heart of the draft. We explore the impact of those choices on the rest of the draft.
Without further ado, let's kick this off!
For more draft coverage, you can hear in-depth analysis twice a week on "With the First Pick" -- our year-round NFL Draft podcast with NFL Draft analyst Ryan Wilson and former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman. You can find "With the First Pick" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc.
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
From
Carolina Panthers
Round 1 - Pick 1
The parting of ways with offensive coordinator Luke Getsy indicated that Chicago is going to take a quarterback rather than build around Justin Fields. They are not dumb enough to pass on this opportunity just to see if Fields can work with the new offensive coordinator in Year 4 of his rookie contract.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Washington is moving on from North Carolina's starting quarterback from 2019-2021 in favor of North Carolina's starting quarterback from 2022-2023. The Commanders benched Sam Howell late in the season indicating that the team is ready to go in another direction.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
With the top quarterback prospects off the board, New England is backed into a corner a bit as far as its options are concerned. Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best prospect available and an easy choice for the teams whose best option this season may have been rookie Demario Douglas.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Arizona is rebuilding its offensive line as it addresses the unit in the first round for the second consecutive season. Olu Fashanu and Paris Johnson Jr. should be staples to the Cardinals offense for years to come.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Los Angeles is entering an offseason of change that began with the firing of head coach Brandon Staley. There will likely be changes to the receiver room and Brock Bowers helps minimize the impact felt in the passing game.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Malik Nabers gives the Giants a different skill set at wide receiver. He is a contortionist down the field and complements vertical threat Jalin Hyatt and slot option Wan'Dale Robinson.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
In Amy Adams Strunk's press conference, she made it clear that Will Levis is part of the team's plans moving forward. If that is the case, the Titans need to support him with the talent that will give him a fighting chance. Joe Alt and Peter Skoronski would be a good start.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
It is unknown who Atlanta may hire to serve as the franchise's next head coach and what vision that person may have for the quarterback position. In this scenario, the Falcons start over with a rookie quarterback who has good arm strength and mobility.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Chicago could take Rome Odunze and pair him with DJ Moore, but they could also pick Dallas Turner and pair him with Montez Sweat. The options are tantalizing.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Minnesota has a handful of needs and none are bigger than quarterback if Kirk Cousins is not retained. However, Laiatu Latu helps fill the potential void left by Marcus Davenport and/or Danielle Hunter departing in free agency.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
A cornerback tandem of Patrick Surtain II and Terrion Arnold would be exciting. I like that both came out of the same Alabama program, which means Surtain will be able to speak Arnold's language when aiding his transition to the NFL.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
It is too early for Las Vegas to take defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton off the board. Quarterback is a need but taking any of the other options feels like a stretch in this moment. The Raiders address another big need with the selection of Nate Wiggins.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
It is safe to say that the future of Derek Carr in New Orleans is very much in question, but his contract probably limits the Saints' options in the short term. Rome Odunze gives them another outlet downfield.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Indianapolis takes Kool-Aid McKinstry to add depth in the secondary. Multiple young players got a lot of meaningful play time this season.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
With Leonard Williams playing out his contract in Seattle, the Seahawks may be searching for additional help on the defensive line. Jer'Zhan Newton is predominantly an interior pass rusher who plays to the whistle.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Jacksonville continues an investment in Trevor Lawrence by drafting Keon Coleman to pair with Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
Veteran right tackle Jonah Williams is slated to become a free agent after the season. With Joe Burrow coming off an injury, Cincinnati will want to beef up its offensive line.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
Los Angeles has overachieved with its roster, but Cooper DeJean gives the Rams the single most talented player in their secondary since Jalen Ramsey departed.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
Amarius Mims is not going to fix the team's quarterback problem, but he does help fill out the offensive line tasked with protecting whomever is under center.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Injuries ransacked Miami's pass-rush unit during the second half of the NFL season. Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb will be returning from significant injuries next season, so having someone like Jared Verse as insurance will give Miami much-needed insurance.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
Brandon Graham will turn 36 years old before the 2024 season, while Derek Barnett was waived during the season. Philadelphia needs to replenish its pass-rush depth.
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From
Cleveland Browns
Round 1 - Pick 23
Quinyon Mitchell is a DeMeco Ryans-type player: tough, smart and accountable. Houston is loaded with promising young talent on both sides of the ball. Mitchell is another log on the fire.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Tyler Nubin is a savvy defensive back who can capitalize on all of the pressure created by Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence. The Cowboys defensive backfield could truly be a No Fly Zone.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
Zach Tom has been a revelation, but the team needs to think about an eventual replacement for David Bakhtiari. Kingsley Suamataia has experience playing left and right tackle for the Cougars.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Mike Evans is a free agent this coming offseason and Chris Godwin may only have one year remaining with the organization. Brian Thomas Jr. gives them some stability at the position.
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From
Houston Texans
Round 1 - Pick 27
Arizona is building through the trenches with this draft class -- first adding offensive tackle Olu Fashanu and then drafting Bralen Trice to upgrade the pass rush.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Kansas City thought Patrick Mahomes would magically fix all of its wide receiver problems, but the opposite was true of this season. The Chiefs have to take the improvement of that room seriously this offseason.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
Tyler Guyton is similar to Anton Harrison a year ago. He is a plug-and-play right tackle for the AFC East champions.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Troy Fautanu has played left tackle for Washington but he is projected to move inside at the next level. Detroit has a few pending offensive guard free agents, so Fautanu could step into a starting role.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
San Francisco may need multiple new starters on the offensive line. Graham Barton is probably best-suited as an interior player at the next level but does have versatility having played left tackle in college.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson are both slated to hit free agency after the season. Jordan Morgan has played left tackle at Arizona but can slide inside at the next level to give Baltimore some insurance along the interior offensive line.
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The 2024 NFL Draft will take place from April 25-27 in Detroit. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly updated draft order and a regularly available look at the eligible prospects.
