By Dom Langello
The 2024 NFL draft begins on April 25th and has come up quickly. All 32 teams will look to improve their rosters before the beginning of training camp. Analysts and NFL fans are all speculating about the different directions the draft could take this year, as the draft commonly leaves sports media with their jaws on the floor with trades and picks that nobody saw coming.
This year is a very heavy quarterback draft, as we’ve seen in previous years, with teams like the Chicago Bears, the Washington Commanders, and the New England Patriots all seemingly targeting their future franchise quarterbacks and all picking within the top three.
Other strong positions in this year’s draft are offensive linemen and wide receivers. Two players making their transition to the league from these positions who are regarded as some of the most talented overall players coming out in the last decade include wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and tackle Joe Alt. Harrison is the son of Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, Peyton Manning’s favorite target in the early 2000s, and has justified the hype he received because of his famous father. He has some of the best hands and route running we’ve seen coming out of college since Calvin Johnson went second overall to the Lions in 2007. Harrison Jr. may not have a comparable stature to Johnson’s 6’5”, 249 lbs., but Harrison out of Ohio State is just as big a prospect as Johnson was. As for Alt, everything about his tape says that he will be a franchise cornerstone in the league, give a team some serious stability on their o-line for the next decade, and protect their quarterback’s blindside. Standing at a staggering 6’8” and 321 lbs., he imposes his will in the trenches every time he buckles his helmet.
As good as Harrison and Alt are, though, they’re likely to be taken after a pair of potential franchise quarterbacks. Below is how I think the top 10 picks will unfold, with an explanation of the rationale behind the top five.
Pick #1: The Chicago Bears Select QB Caleb Williams, USC.
With the Bears having traded their current quarterback, Justin Fields, to
Pittsburgh, this is the only selection that makes sense. Williams is the best quarterback in the draft by far. He has the best mobility in this class and can throw from all arm angles. He has an excellent pocket presence and can make any throw on the field. With more weapons on their offense now than there have ever been for the past two quarterbacks that they drafted in round one, Williams is set up to be successful. The Bears will look to finally find their franchise quarterback.
Pick #2: The Washington Commanders Select QB Drake Maye, UNC.
Drake Maye is arguably the most pro-ready quarterback in the draft. His stature plays a significant factor in why I see him going second overall. Standing at 6’6”, Maye can easily see over any NFL offensive line, making reading the field a strength. His size also allows him to deliver under pressure, often making off-schedule plays with defenders charging at him or even as they take him down. For a bigger guy, he is more athletic than some analysts give him credit for. He also has one of the prettiest deep balls you’ll ever see. He consistently hits his receivers in stride on deep balls, much like Justin Herbert, who is the most obvious pro comparison for him. The Commanders pair a young, aggressive quarterback with wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who has been the league’s most underutilized weapon because of Washington’s inability to field a quarterback – until now.
Pick #3: The Tennessee Titans Select WR Marvin Harrison Jr, Ohio State.
Adding to Tennessee’s list of aggressive moves this offseason, I think it makes sense for them to add the best player in the draft to their team. I think the Titans trade the seventh overall pick and some other asset(s) to the Patriots for the third overall selection. The trade lets Tennessee jump ahead of Arizona to take Marvin Harrison Jr., while New England adds some depth yet remains in position to select a potential franchise quarterback – which isn’t a crying need for the teams drafting fourth through sixth. Harrison Jr. joins an already solid wide receiver room of Calvin Ridley and Deandre Hopkins, making this offense an absolute dream scenario for the development of Will Levis. This pick is also a dream scenario for Harrison Jrs’s development. He will learn from one of the best pairs of hands the game has ever seen in Hopkins and one of the best route runners in the league in Ridley. While he already excels in both aspects of his game, these veterans will help him transition into the league as smoothly as possible and not put too much pressure on him to perform right away. The list of impressive moves for the Titans continues, trading up four spots to select Marvin Harrison Jr.
#4: The Arizona Cardinals Select T Joe Alt, Notre Dame.
The Cardinals take the best offensive lineman in the draft, Joe Alt. Arizona has had issues protecting Kyler Murray since they drafted him, as Murray’s injury history clearly illustrates. Coming off a torn ACL last year, the Cardinals need to protect their investment. With an average annual salary of $46.1 million, you would think this would be more of a focus. There is no better person to help them with this problem than Alt. His game has no weaknesses. He was the best run blocker in college football over the past two seasons and is impossible to beat around the edge when pass-blocking.
#5: The Los Angeles Chargers Select WR Rome Odunze, Washington.
The Chargers lost their top two wide receivers, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, this offseason, leaving Los Angeles with a receiver corps that ranks at the bottom of the league. Drafting Odunze gives the Bolts a stellar receiving option.The new head coach, Jim Harbaugh, brings a run-first mentality to the team. Luckily for them, one of Odunze’s best attributes is his run-blocking. This attribute goes along with his extraordinary ability to win fights for the ball in mid-air. Fifty-fifty balls that go his way are closer to seventy-thirty with his 39-inch vertical jump. With this pick, the Chargers completely change the identity of their WR room while giving Justin Herbert one of last year’s top targets in all of college football.
My mock draft finishes with the following:
Pick #6: The New York Giants select WR Malik Nabers.
Pick #7: The New England Patriots select QB Jayden Daniels.
Pick #8: The Atlanta Falcons select T Olu Fashanu
Pick #9: The Chicago Bears select LB Dallas Turner
Pick #10: The New York Jets selecting TE Brock Bowers.
This year’s draft class is one of the best in recent memory, and I think many teams will use their picks to make significant improvements to their rosters. It certainly will be interesting to see how it all plays out.
