NFL mock drafts 2024: Compare latest from Mel Kiper, Daniel Jeremiah, & more experts

Jacob Camenker

NFL mock drafts 2024: Compare latest from Mel Kiper, Daniel Jeremiah, & more experts image

Football fans are counting down the weeks to the 2024 NFL Draft, and mock drafts are starting to look more and more alike across the board.

The NFL Combine and the early stages of NFL free agency are in the books, and that typically allows draft analysts a better idea of what teams need and are targeting with each of their early selections.

Some quarterback vacancies have been filled. The Falcons aren't likely to draft a quarterback early after signing Kirk Cousins, so the No. 8 pick now becomes a potential landing spot for the first defensive player in 2024.

That makes many want to focus on picks 11-13, where the Vikings, Broncos, and Raiders will all be drafting with needs at quarterback.

There isn't yet a consensus on what those teams will do. Some draft analysts have J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix, and even Michael Penix Jr. coming off the board with those selections. Others have the teams eschewing quarterback and opting for elite talent at other positions.

As always, a few NFL writers are even trying to mix up their mocks by projecting trades that could shake up the 2024 draft altogether.

With that in mind, Sporting News is breaking down several top mock drafts with the bulk of NFL free agency in the books. Here's how several experts see the first round taking shape.

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Vinnie Iyer's mock draft (The Sporting News)

Iyer's latest mock draft was released on March 19:

Pick Team Player Position School
1 Chicago Bears (from CAR) Caleb Williams QB USC
2 Washington Commanders Drake Maye QB North Carolina
3 New England Patriots Jayden Daniels QB LSU
4 Arizona Cardinals Marvin Harrison Jr. WR Ohio State
5 Los Angeles Chargers Malik Nabers WR LSU
6 New York Giants Rome Odunze WR Washington
7 Tennessee Titans Joe Alt OT Notre Dame
8 Atlanta Falcons Dallas Turner EDGE Alabama
9 Chicago Bears Laiatu Latu EDGE UCLA
10 New York Jets Taliese Fuaga OT Oregon State
11 Minnesota Vikings J.J. McCarthy QB Michigan
12 Denver Broncos Bo Nix QB Oregon
13 Las Vegas Raiders Nate Wiggins CB Clemson
14 New Orleans Saints Olumuyiwa Fashanu OT Penn State
15 Indianapolis Colts Brock Bowers TE Georgia
16 Seattle Seahawks Jared Verse EDGE Florida State
17 Jacksonville Jaguars Terrion Arnold CB Alabama
18 Cincinnati Bengals Amarius Mims OT Georgia
19 Los Angeles Rams Cooper DeJean CB Iowa
20 Pittsburgh Steelers J.C. Latham OT Alabama
21 Miami Dolphins Byron Murphy II DT Texas
22 Philadelphia Eagles Quinyon Mitchell CB Toledo
23 Minnesota Vikings (from HOU via CLE) Jer'Zhan Newton DT Illinois
24 Dallas Cowboys Jackson Powers-Johnson G Oregon
25 Green Bay Packers Tyler Guyton OT Oklahoma
26 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Kool-Aid McKinstry CB Alabama
27 Arizona Cardinals (from HOU) Troy Fautanu G Washington
28 Buffalo Bills Brian Thomas Jr. WR LSU
29 Detroit Lions Chop Robinson EDGE Penn State
30 Baltimore Ravens Jordan Morgan OT Arizona
31 San Francisco 49ers Graham Barton OT Duke
32 Kansas City Chiefs Kingsley Suamataia OT BYU

Noteworthy: 

— Five quarterbacks go within the top 12 picks, as the Vikings and Broncos take J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix, respectively. Neither team made a significant quarterback addition during free agency (no, Sam Darnold does not count), so each team considered a signal-caller in a loaded class is reasonable.

— Drake Maye is ahead of Jayden Daniels in this mock, albeit by one pick. The UNC and LSU products are believed to be competing to be the Commanders' No. 2 overall pick.

— The offensive slant of the 2024 NFL Draft is undeniable. Five quarterbacks, four receivers, and 11 offensive linemen are included within the top 32 selections. Tight end Brock Bowers brings the total number of offensive players selected in the first round to 21. 

MORE: NFL Draft big board of top 125 players

Mel Kiper's mock draft (ESPN)

Kiper's latest mock draft was released on March 19:

Pick Team Player Position School
1 Chicago Bears (from CAR) Caleb Williams QB USC
2 Washington Commanders Jayden Daniels QB LSU
3 New England Patriots Drake Maye QB North Carolina
4 Arizona Cardinals Marvin Harrison Jr. WR Ohio State
5 Los Angeles Chargers Malik Nabers WR LSU
6 New York Giants Rome Odunze WR Washington
7 Tennessee Titans Joe Alt OT Notre Dame
8 Atlanta Falcons Dallas Turner EDGE Alabama
9 Chicago Bears Jared Verse EDGE Florida State
10 New York Jets Brock Bowers TE Georgia
11 Minnesota Vikings J.J. McCarthy QB Michigan
12 Denver Broncos Bo Nix QB Oregon
13 Las Vegas Raiders JC Latham OT Alabama
14 New Orleans Saints Olumuyiwa Fashanu OT Penn State
15 Indianapolis Colts Quinyon Mitchell CB Toledo
16 Seattle Seahawks Troy Fautanu G Washington
17 Jacksonville Jaguars Terrion Arnold CB Alabama
18 Cincinnati Bengals Taliese Fuaga OT Oregon State
19 Los Angeles Rams Byron Murphy II DT Texas
20 Pittsburgh Steelers Brian Thomas Jr. WR LSU
21 Miami Dolphins Graham Barton C Duke
22 Philadelphia Eagles Nate Wiggins CB Clemson
23 Minnesota Vikings (from HOU via CLE) Cooper DeJean CB Iosa
24 Dallas Cowboys Tyler Guyton OT Oklahoma
25 Green Bay Packers Laiatu Latu EDGE UCLA
26 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Xavier Worthy WR Texas
27 Arizona Cardinals (from HOU) Chop Robinson EDGE Penn State
28 Buffalo Bills T.J. Tampa CB Iowa State
29 Detroit Lions Xavier Legette WR South Carolina
30 Baltimore Ravens Amarius Mims OT Georgia
31 San Francisco 49ers Roger Rosengarten OT Washington
32 Kansas City Chiefs Adonai Mitchell WR Texas

Noteworthy: 

— Like Iyer's draft, five quarterbacks are selected within the top 12 picks, including three going consecutively to start it off. The major difference? Washington goes with Jayden Daniels over Drake Maye this time.

— Combine star Xavier Worthy, who blazed the fastest 40-yard dash in the event's history, goes 26th overall to the Buccaneers. He pairs with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in what would be a dynamic receiving corps around Baker Mayfield.

— Five cornerbacks are off the board in the first round of this mock, good for half of the defensive players taken in the first round. Kiper is among the few notable analysts to have Iowa State's T.J. Tampa in the first round, so that explains why his mock skews toward cornerback when teams aren't looking to beef up their offenses (22 of 32 first-round picks).

Daniel Jeremiah's mock draft (NFL Network)

Jeremiah's latest mock draft was released on March 19:

Pick Team Player Position School
1 Chicago Bears (from CAR) Caleb Williams QB USC
2 Washington Commanders Drake Maye QB North Carolina
3 New England Patriots Jayden Daniels QB LSU
4 Minnesota Vikings (projected trade with ARI) J.J. McCarthy QB Michigan
5 New York Jets (projected trade with LAC) Marvin Harrison Jr. WR Ohio State
6 New York Giants Malik Nabers WR LSU
7 Tennessee Titans Joe Alt OT Notre Dame
8 Atlanta Falcons Dallas Turner EDGE Alabama
9 Chicago Bears Rome Odunze WR Washington
10 Los Angeles Chargers (projected trade with NYJ) Taliese Fuaga OT Oregon State
11 Arizona Cardinals (projected trade with MIN) Jared Verse EDGE Florida State
12 Denver Broncos Brock Bowers TE Georgia
13 Las Vegas Raiders Michael Penix Jr. QB Washington
14 New Orleans Saints Olumuyiwa Fashanu OT Penn State
15 Indianapolis Colts Quinyon Mitchell CB Toledo
16 Seattle Seahawks Troy Fautanu OT Washington
17 Jacksonville Jaguars Terrion Arnold CB Alabama
18 Cincinnati Bengals JC Latham OT Alabama
19 Los Angeles Rams Laiatu Latu EDGE UCLA
20 Pittsburgh Steelers Tyler Guyton OT Oklahoma
21 Miami Dolphins Graham Barton OL Duke
22 Philadelphia Eagles Nate Wiggins CB Clemson
23 Arizona Cardinals (projected trade with MIN) Brian Thomas Jr. WR LSU
24 Dallas Cowboys Jackson Powers-Johnson OL Oregon
25 Green Bay Packers Amarius Mims OT Georgia
26 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Darius Robinson EDGE Missouri
27 Arizona Cardinals (from HOU) Byron Murphy II DT Texas
28 Buffalo Bills Jer'Zhan Newton DT Illinois
29 Detroit Lions Kool-Aid McKinstry CB Alabama
30 Baltimore Ravens Cooper DeJean CB Iowa
31 San Francisco 49ers Chop Robinson EDGE Penn State
32 Kansas City Chiefs Adonai Mitchell WR Texas

Noteworthy: 

— Jeremiah gets a little crazy with this one, as he has the Vikings trading up to No. 4 to get J.J. McCarthy. Four quarterbacks have never gone consecutively to start a draft, so a trade-up from Minnesota could make history.

— Jeremiah is also the only analyst to have Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of his mock draft. He has the Washington product going to the Raiders at 13 because he thinks Penix "is a unique fit for the Raiders’ style of play."

— Bo Nix doesn't make the cut in this mock draft despite Penix's inclusion. That's partially because the Broncos — one of Nix's top projected landing spots — went with tight end Brock Bowers at 12 overall rather than a quarterback.

Todd McShay's mock draft

McShay has not yet released his first full mock draft for 2024.

Dane Brugler's mock draft (The Athletic)

Brugler's latest mock draft was released on March 5:

Pick Team Player Position School
1 Chicago Bears (from CAR) Caleb Williams QB USC
2 Washington Commanders Drake Maye QB North Carolina
3 Atlanta Falcons (from NEP) Jayden Daniels QB LSU
4 Arizona Cardinals Marvin Harrison Jr. WR Ohio State
5 Chicago Bears (from LAC) Rome Odunze WR Washington
6 New York Giants Malik Nabers WR LSU
7 Minnesota Vikings (from TEN) J.J. McCarthy QB Michigan
8 New England Patriots (from ATL) Joe Alt OT Notre Dame
9 Los Angeles Chargers (from CHI) Taliese Fuaga OT Oregon State
10 New York Jets Olumuyiwa Fashanu OT Penn State
11 Tennessee Titans (from MIN) J.C. Latham OT Alabama
12 Denver Broncos Brock Bowers TE Georgia
13 Las Vegas Raiders Quinyon Mitchell CB Toledo
14 New Orleans Saints Dallas Turner EDGE Alabama
15 Indianapolis Colts Brian Thomas Jr. WR LSU
16 Pittsburgh Steelers (from SEA) Amarius Mims OT Georgia
17 Philadelphia Eagles (from JAX) Terrion Arnold CB Alabama
18 Cincinnati Bengals Byron Murphy DT Texas
19 Los Angeles Rams Jared Verse EDGE Florida State
20 Seattle Seahawks (from PIT) Jackson Powers-Johnson G/C Oregon
21 Miami Dolphins Troy Fautanu G Washington
22 Jacksonville Jaguars (from PHI) Nate Wiggins CB Clemson
23 Houston Texans (from CLE) Laiatu Latu EDGE UCLA
24 Buffalo Bills (from DAL) Adonai Mitchell WR Texas
25 Green Bay Packers Cooper DeJean CB Iowa
26 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Graham Barton G/C Duke
27 Arizona Cardinals (from HOU) Darius Robinson DL Missouri
28 Dallas Cowboys (from BUF) Tyler Guyton OT Oklahoma
29 Detroit Lions Chop Robinson EDGE Penn State
30 Carolina Panthers (from BAL) Ladd McConkey WR Georgia
31 San Francisco 49ers Jordan Morgan OT/G Arizona
32 Kansas City Chiefs Xavier Worthy WR Texas

Noteworthy: 

— Brugler's projecting a trade-filled first-round. There are seven trades made in the draft, including the Falcons moving up to third overall and the Panthers moving into the first round by dealing with the Ravens.

— The runs on quarterbacks, receivers, and offensive tackles ensures that a defensive player doesn't come off the board until the 13th pick. That would be Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell, who seems increasingly likely to be the first cornerback selected after his stellar showing at the NFL Combine.

— This is another mock that has McCarthy rising. He goes at No. 7 overall to the Vikings, who trade up to get him. That jump isn't as high as the leap the Vikings make in Jeremiah's mock, but clearly, draft analysts believe that Minnesota likes McCarthy.

Jacob Camenker

Jacob Camenker Photo

Jacob Camenker first joined The Sporting News as a fantasy football intern in 2018 after his graduation from UMass. He became a full-time employee with TSN in 2021 and now serves as a senior content producer with a particular focus on the NFL. Jacob worked at NBC Sports Boston as a content producer from 2019 to 2021. He is an avid fan of the NFL Draft and ranked 10th in FantasyPros’ Mock Draft Accuracy metric in both 2021 and 2022.