2024 NFL Draft: Official Two-Round Mock Draft

It’s draft day!

To celebrate, it’s time to release my two-round mock draft. So without much further ado, let’s get into the picks.

1. Chicago Bears – Caleb Williams, QB, USC

The obvious, home run pick at the top of the draft, everyone knows it’s going to happen, let’s move on!

2. Washington Commanders – Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

Many people (including myself) have Drake Maye as QB2 in this draft class, Jayden Daniels seems like the better fit for the system the Washington Commanders will run under offensive coordinator, Kilff Kingsbury. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner is a good deep passer and a dynamic runner who will be able to extend plays and work better out of the structure of the offence than Maye would, in the immediate term. With Marcus Mariota also on the roster it makes sense to learn off of a veteran with a similar skillset before starting games later in the year as well.

3. Minnesota Vikings (Via NE) – Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina 

Trade: NE receives – No. 11, 23 and 2025 1st round pick, MIN receives – no. 3

The first projected trade of this mock draft sees Minnesota package their two first-rounders (received pick 23 in a trade with the Houston Texans), and a 2025 first-round pick to move up and select Drake Maye. Minnesota is a perfect match with Kevin O’Connell’s Vikings team and he doesn’t have to play at all in the first year, being able to sit behind veteran Sam Darnold, who was signed in free agency. As for the Patriots, they have so many needs and won’t be competitive in the AFC East for a while, so the quarterback problem can perhaps be pushed back another year or two knowing you’ll probably be back here again picking high in the draft. 

4. Arizona Cardinals – Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

Arizona has been my favourite trade partner since Minnesota made the trade for pick 23 and by proxy preparing to trade into the top four. Since reading Adam Schefter’s piece earlier in the week, I’ve been more inclined to think the Patriots will be that trade partner, so in this scenario, the Cardinals get Kyler Murray a true X-receiver, who has the most all-round polished game in this wide receiver class. 

5. LA Chargers – Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

Malik Nabers is a dynamic playmaker who can make things happen after the catch. All signs point to the Chargers’ offence being run-heavy under Jim Harbaugh, Justin Herbert will need a dynamic yards-after-catch receiver that will operate well on play action, Nabers is that guy.  

6. New York Giants – Rome Odunze, WR, Washington 

Some people prefer Rome Odunze to Nabers due to his size and play style matching up better to that of a true NFL-calibre X-receiver. Odunze is a physical receiver who will be competitive at the catch-point, and the Giants are desperately calling out for receiver help. 

7. Tennessee Titans – Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

Tennessee have a huge need at offensive tackle and Joe Alt possesses all the traits to be able to play as an NFL starter on day one in Nashville. Alt is the best tackle in the draft class and the Titans have a huge need at either end of their offensive line, it’s a match made in heaven. 

8. New York Jets (Via ATL)  – Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

Trade: ATL receives – No. 10 + 5th round pick, NYJ receives – No. 8

The Falcons are the biggest early players for the first defensive player off the board, and the Jets seem desperate for an offensive playmaker. I like a tackle to the Jets as well looking long term but Brock Bowers is a special tight end talent and the Jets just give Aaron Rodgers another pass catcher. 

9. Las Vegas Raiders (Via CHI) – J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan 

Trade: CHI receives – No. 13 + 3rd round pick, LV receives No. 9

In previous mock drafts that I’ve done I didn’t have McCarthy dropping out of the top five, and if the Patriots go quarterback at third overall then I very much doubt he’ll get past five with the Vikings trading up, but in this scenario, he slides a long way and the Raiders snatch their guy with a little trade up. As for the Bears, with only four picks in the draft overall this has to be a trade-down spot. 

10. Atlanta Falcons (via NYJ)- Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

10 picks in and we finally see a defensive player go off the board in Alabama’s cornerback Terrion Arnold. Conversations about whether Quinyon Mitchell or Arnold is the best cornerback in this draft are fair but in this scenario, the Falcons go with the Alabama corner over the Toldeo one. 

11. New England Patriots (via MIN) – J.C. Latham, OT, Alabama 

Daniel Jeremiah had Latham as the first tackle off the board at fifth overall in his final mock draft, which says all you need to know about how highly people rate Latham in this class. The Patriots need a long-term answer at tackle and Latham can comfortably be that answer.

12. New Orleans Saints (Via DEN) – Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State

Trade: DEN receives – No. 14 + fifth-round pick, NO receives No. 12

The Saints need a tackle with Ryan Ramcyzk suffering from a knee injury, late in his career and Trevor Penning not panning out how they’d have hoped. Olu Fashanu is a really talented tackle who is rough around the edges, with the right coaching he can be an NFL starter on the left side of this offensive line for years to come.

13. Chicago Bears (via LV)- Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama

Dallas Turner is the best defensive player in this class and the Bears would surely sprint this card to the podium if the board fell this way, especially after trading back. The Montez Sweat trade last season gave the Bears some presence in the front seven but Turner gives them a truly talented edge rusher who can disrupt opposing offences from day one.

14. Philadelphia Eagles (Via DEN) – Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

Trade: DEN receives No. 22, No. 53, PHI receives No. 14

The Eagles really need a cornerback and Howie Roseman has been rumoured to be looking to move up, while Denver needs early day two picks and their major need will be available later in the first round. Mitchell’s Senior Bowl put him on the map out of Toledo and he could bring some seriously dynamic youthfulness to this Eagles secondary. 

15. Indianapolis Colts – Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

Wiggins is, for me, the best cornerback after Arnold and Mitchell at “1a/1b”, and he fits a need for the Colts who look light at quality in their secondary. They may look at a receiver here or even a trade-back, but for me, the need is just too pressing to pass on.

16. Seattle Seahawks – Troy Fautanu, OT/G, Washington 

The Seahawks are another trade-down candidate for sure, but I have them keeping Troy Fautanu in state here. Fautanu is a great athlete and I can see them playing him as a guard this year to replace Damien Lewis who left in free agency.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jared Verse, Edge, FSU

Verse may not fall this far, but edge isn’t a priority need for many of the teams ahead of the Jaguars at 17. They may go cornerback in Duval County, and might even have to trade up to make that happen, but a good edge rusher would also be of great usage to the Jaguars across from Josh Allen who recently got paid.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers (Via CIN) – Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State

Trade: CIN receives – No. 20 + sixth round pick, PIT receives No. 18

In previous mock drafts, I’ve done, I had Fuaga going at 10th overall to the Jets with an eye to their long-term need at the position and his incredible talent in the run game. It’s that talent in the run game that I think will get the attention of the Steelers’ front office and they trade ahead of the Rams and swap with the Bengals who both look like tackle-needy teams.  

19. LA Rams – Byron Murphy, DT, Texas 

Kobie Turner proved to be another mid-round steal from the Rams in last year’s draft and he needs help on the defensive line after Aaron Donald’s retirement. Byron Murphy can be a game-wrecker on the interior defensive line on passing and rushing downs. 

20. Cincinatti Bengals (via PIT) – Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia 

The Bengals will be annoyed that Bowers didn’t fall to a range they could trade up into and then as it is they settle for a trade down here. It could be a risk with the Rams needing a tackle at 19 but Mims has incredible potential that is worth taking that risk on. With only eight career starts in college Mims isn’t going to be a day-one starter but he will be a pick that comes with heaps of potential.

21. Miami Dolphins – Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA 

Latu has incredible talent he just falls because of his medical history which is a similar case to Jaelan Phillips a few years ago. In this mock, he ends up across the line from Phillips and the Dolphins will hope taking a gamble again can pay off like it has with Phillips.

22. Denver Broncos (via PHI) – Bo Nix, QB, Oregon 

This is the dream scenario for the Broncos, who trade back twice and accumulate a lot of day-two pickles to bolster a bad roster while also adding a quarterback who they’ve put a lot of time and study into. The Zach Wilson trade doesn’t change the thinking here, the Broncos have to take a quarterback and let Sean Payton build a team around him.

23. New England Patriots (via MIN) – Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

Brian Thomas is the best of the rest in this receiver class and his freak athleticism alongside his incredible touchdown production at LSU is hard to ignore. He could definitely go earlier than this, as high as the high-teens I’d have thought but the Patriots would love to add a true outside receiver to this roster, which currently lists slot-receiver KJ Osborn as wide receiver one. 

24. Dallas Cowboys – Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas

Dallas have a lot of holes, particularly in the medium term and wide receiver may not be the biggest need assuming they will pay star receiver CeeDee Lamb, but Adonai Mitchell could pair with Lamb to make an excellent receiver duo.

25. Green Bay Packers – Graham Barton, G, Duke 

Graham Barton could go a lot higher than this, but the Packers won’t be complaining if they can take him here and play him at guard from day one. The Duke man can play anywhere across the offensive line and plays with immense grit, drive and power, I have no doubt he’d fit perfectly in Green Bay.

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon 

The second top interior offensive line talent, Power-Johnson will go straight into the interior of the Buccaneers’ offensive line and bolster the pass protection for Baker Mayfield. 

27. Kansas City Chiefs (Via AZ) – Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia

Trade: AZ receives – No. 32 + sixth round pick, KC receives No. 27

The Chiefs need receiver help, everyone knows it and with a class so deep at receiver, you’ll need to be brave and aggressive to get your guy, which the Chiefs do at this spot, moving up ahead of the Bills and 49ers to get a playmaker who could be a real nuisance with his route running in Kansas City.

28. Buffalo Bills – Keon Coleman, WR, FSU 

Josh Allen needs a big receiver to whom he can throw jump balls to and I have no doubt, Keon Coleman can come straight into this Buffalo offence and make a difference after the Stefon Diggs trade. 

29. Detroit Lions – Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa 

DeJean only slides because there are certain questions about where DeJean projects at the pro level, similar, to how Brian Branch fell last year. Coincidentally, it is the Lions who take DeJean as they did with Branch, but unlike Branch being a nickel/safety, I think DeJean can be a true cornerback on the outside.

30. Baltimore Ravens – Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma 

The Ravens really badly need a tackle and Tyler Guyton, is a more developmental tackle but the need is so big and there aren’t any elite talents here at other positions of need for that to put the Ravens off.

31. San Fransisco 49ers – Jordan Morgan, OT/G, Arizona

Jordan Morgan can slide straight into the interior of the 49ers’ offensive line, while he learns the trade of tackle behind a 38-year-old Trent Williams where he may be projected more, long-term. 

32. Arizona Cardinals (via KC) – Johnny Newton, IDL, Illinois 

This is the dream for Arizona, trading back from 27 and still getting a potential game-changer on the interior defensive line, in Johnny Newton from Illinois, who would have been the pick at 27. His size profile lets him down slightly but the play performance gets him in as a first-round pick from me.

Round 2 

33. Washington Commanders (via CAR) – Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State (Trade: CAR receives – No. 33, WAS receives – No. 36)
34. New England Patriots – Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama 
35. Arizona Cardinals – Darius Robinson, Edge, Missouri  
36. Carolina Panthers (via WAS) – Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas 

Trading back and still getting a true playmaker who can change the dynamic of your offence can’t ever be a bad thing, and it definitely isn’t if you’re the Panthers getting the 40-yard dash record holder in Xavier Worthy.

37. LA Chargers – Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan 
38. Tennessee Titans – Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU 
39. Carolina Panthers – Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri
40. Washington Commanders – Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington 
41. Green Bay Packers – Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M 
42. Houston Texans – Braden Fiske, DL, FSU 
43. New York Giants (Via ATL) – Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington

Trade: ATL receives – 47 + sixth-round pick, NYG receives – 43

Penix has first-round pick potential after his game vs Texas at the end of last season, but the injury history and breadth of accuracy errors on tape earlier in the season all factor into this fall. Seeing him fall this far though kicks the Giants into gear and they select him with the option of getting out of Daniel Jones’ contract next year if they want to take it. 

44. Las Vegas Raiders – Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky
45. New Orleans Saints – Chris Braswell, Edge, Alabama 
46. Indianapolis Colts – Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida 
47. Atlanta Falcons (via NYG) – Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina  
48. Jacksonville Jaguars – Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon 
49. Cincinnati Bengals – Michael Hall Jr., DL, Ohio State 
50. Philadelphia Eagles – Zach Frazier, IOL, West Virginia 
51. Pittsburgh Steelers – Cooper Beede, IOL, Kansas State
52. LA Rams – Marshawn Kneeland, Edge, Western Michigan 
53. Denver Broncos (via PHI) – Junior Colson, LB, Michigan 

Colson has great talent and is my favourite interior linebacker in this class, he plays with aggression and a lot of athleticism, and the Broncos have a serious need at Mike linebacker, so they use their second-round pick they get from Philadelphia in the trade-up to 14 in the first round to fix that need.

54. Cleveland Browns – Kris Jenkins, DL, Michigan 
55. Miami Dolphins – Christian Haynes, G, UConn 
56. Dallas Cowboys – Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas
57. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State 
58. Green Bay Packers – Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota 
59. Kansas City Chiefs (Via HOU) – Blake Corum, RB, Michigan (HOU receives No. 64 + seventh-round pick, KC receives No.59)
60. Buffalo Bills – Andru Phillips, CB, Kentucky 
61. Detroit Lions – Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan 
62. Baltimore Ravens – Javon Bullard, S, Georgia 
63. San Fransisco 49ers – Ruke Orhorhoro, DL, Clemson 
64. Houston Texans (via KC) – Trey Benson, RB, FSU