2024 NFL Mock Draft: Vikings get QB, Pats move down; Panthers trade into first round for falling Brock Bowers

This hasn’t changed since last August and I never understood why any other player was in the QB1 conversation these last 4-5 months. Williams is a special talent, and the Bears have done a good job of putting pieces in place to support him.

No player improved more over the last 12 months than Jayden Daniels. He has a big arm, throws with touch to all three levels and has the athleticism to rip off 50-yard runs and make it look easy.

This isn’t breaking news but the Vikings have to get a QB in this class and I’ve heard that they prefer Maye at this spot. The problem: it’s going to be costly to get up to No. 3 but if Maye is your guy, it’s an easy decision.

Like the Vikings, the Broncos need a QB, especially in that division, and especially if they can beat their AFC West rivals to the punch.

The Cardinals aren’t afraid to move down — and then back up — the draft board (see last year) and if they can move down from No. 4, and then get back to No. 5 and still land Marvin Harrison Jr. feels like best-case scenario. (For our purposes here, Arizona moved down from No. 4 to No. 12, then traded back up to No. 5 to get Harrison Jr.)

The Giants will try to get Drake Maye and if they can’t pull off that trade-up, they have to get Daniel Jones some help.

I desperately wanted to give the Titans a wide receiver here, and new coach Brian Callahan might be leaning in that direction, but instead they get the most NFL-ready left tackle in this class.

It’ll be interesting to see which edge rusher goes off the board first but Jared Verse can take over games and in Atlanta he fills a huge need

Saints GM Mickey Loomis ain’t afraid to trade up and given their needs at the tackle position (potentially both left and right), this would be the least surprising development of Thursday night.

Even with Rome Odunze still on the board, GM Joe Douglas gets the offensive lineman he was reportedly enamored with going back to the Senior Bowl.

The Patriots trade down and and find Rome Odunze sitting in their laps. He’s a top-8 talent all day long, but because of all the trade-ups for QBs and OTs, Odunze lasts until pick 11.

Latham’s NFL future may eventually be at guard but he’ll get every chance to win the RT job where he was dominant for Alabama the last two seasons.

Vegas needs a QB but if they don’t trade up, they’ll target the bet OT or CB. In Mitchell, they land the best cornerback in this class.

The Bears could take an edge rusher here and it would make all the sense in the world, or they could take the best defensive player in this class in Byron Murphy II.

The Colts could be in the market to trade up for a WR but instead stay put and land one of the best deep threats in this class.

This feels out of left field, but there are the obvious connections too; Ryan Grubb, the Seahawks new offensive coordinator, was Penix’s OC and QB coach for the Huskies. Geno Smith, meanwhile, will be 34 in October and his contract expires after the 2025 season.

Turner could be off the board 8 or 9 picks earlier but somehow lasts until the middle of Round 1. He’ll be EDGE1 on a lot of teams’ boards.

The Eagles need to solidify the secondary and they’re trading up here to do it.

The Rams could target defensive line here but if they’ve cleared Latu medically, he would make a lot of sense.

The Steelers could go in any number of directions here, from WR to CB to interior offensive line, but they target the tackle position with Fautanu, who has the flexibility to play all five positions.

Barton played left tackle at Duke but his NFL future will be inside at either guard or center.

Brock Bowers is still out there but the Bengals consider the offensive line a bigger need here.

Guyton played right tackle at Oklahoma but some teams think he has the ability to move to the left side, which is a huge need for the Patriots.

Morgan played left tackle at Arizona and he may kick inside at the next level; wherever he ends up, he’ll play alongside Tyler Smith.

The Packers could go offensive or defensive line, but instead add depth to the secondary. I like DeJean as an outside CB but some teams think he’ll be best suited at nickel or safety.

The Bucs could love an interior offensive lineman here but they also need to improve the secondary and McKinstry could be a target here.

The Texans traded this pick to the Cardinals a year ago as part of the Will Anderson deal and now they’re trading back into Round 1 to get a much-needed defensive tackle.

Xavier Worthy was a consideration here but the Bills have Curtis Samuel and Khalil Shakir; Mitchell is a big, fast, physical target who can win on short, intermediate and deep routes.

Robinson can plays on the edge or inside and he’ll make it tougher for opponents to double-team Aidan Hutchinson in Detroit.

Wiggins only weighed 173 at the combine but he’s the best cover corner in this class — and plays with the type of confidence you typically see in a Ravens defense.

Maybe Bowers goes to the Jets, or even the Bengals — but both teams could also target an offensive linemen. And if the Panthers are able to trade up a few spots to get him here, that almost feels like stealing.

I know, the Chiefs have Hollywood Brown and Kadarius Toney on the roster too, but Worthy’s 4.21 is hard to ignore. It’s also hard to ignore his weight, 165 pounds at the combine, but he lined up in the slot and outside for the Longhorns and it’s hard to imagine how the rest of the league will defend this Chiefs offense with someone like Worthy on the field.