2024 NFL Mock Draft – Round 1 (1-16) – Charlie Campbell

The Bears have zeroed in on Williams for months. It will be interesting to see if he pans out in Chicago. Williams is a different personality and will face a ton of pressure in the Windy City. Shane Waldron’s offense is an interesting fit because Waldron’s protection schemes are lacking, and Williams has problems with holding the ball and fumbling. There is no doubt that Williams has a lot of talent, but don’t be surprised if the Bears don’t have the coaching staff in place to develop him.

In 2023, Williams completed 69 percent of his passes for 3,633 yards, 30 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also notched 11 rushing touchdowns. Williams (6-1, 214) possesses an excellent skill set to become a pro starter because he is an accurate passer with a strong arm. On the ground, Williams is a slippery and dangerous runner who possesses surprising speed and toughness. His greatest strength is his ability to ad lib his team into a big play. Williams is tremendous at scrambling and throwing on the run to make something out of nothing. However, Williams has a huge problem with holding the ball too long and throwing short to open receivers. He puts a lot of pressure on his offensive line, leading to him taking a lot of hits, and having way too many fumbles. Williams possesses real talent, but he needs development for the NFL.

Williams started out the 2021 season as the backup quarterback to Spencer Rattler at Oklahoma, but after Rattler struggled, Williams replaced him as the starter and put together an excellent year, completing 65 percent of his passes for 1,912 yards, 21 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also hurt defenses on the ground with six rushing touchdowns and lots of yardage. After the 2021 season, Williams transferred to USC to follow former Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley. Williams played well for the Trojans in 2022, completing 67 percent of his passes for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and five interceptions.

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The new Washington regime can start fresh with its own quarterback. Considering Kliff Kingsbury was hired as the offensive coordinator, I could see the Commanders preferring Jayden Daniels over Drake Maye. I’ve heard that some in the building prefer Maye, some like Daniels and there are voice of support for J.J. McCarthy. New general manager Adam Peters is the deciding vote, and I’ve heard he is inclined to go with Daniels.

Daniels completed 72 percent of his passes in 2023 for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns and four interceptions. He notched 10 rushing touchdowns as well. Daniels is a dual-threat quarterback who showed improvement as a passer throughout the 2022 season with LSU. He has a quality arm and is a dangerous runner with shocking speed. While he has plenty of room for growth, he became more consistent with pocket-passing accuracy and reading the field as he gained experience. Team sources said they feel Brian Kelly did a nice job of developing Daniels.

Daniels completed 69 percent of his passes in 2022 for 2,913 yards, 17 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also went for 885 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. While playing for Arizona State in 2021, Daniels completed 65 percent of his passes for 2,380 yards, 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He was impressive in 2019, showing playmaking ability as a passer and runner while producing points for the Sun Devils, but he did not look as good in the short 2020 season.

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Mac Jones can be added to the expansive list of poor picks made by Bill Belichick. Without Tom Brady there to cover up the stink, Belichick’s drafting failures were exposed. The Patriots need to find a franchise quarterback. Jacoby Brissett is not a long-term starter, and I find it hard to believe that New England is going to pass on a quarterback. There are rumors of the Patriots trading down and passing on Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy, but that could be smoke to see if a team is willing to give them an insane offer. I think New England is taking Maye or McCarthy, based on what I’m hearing. If the Patriots stick and pick, they will likely take Maye to be their new franchise quarterback.

The 6-foot-4, 223-pound Maye has good size and is very accurate, especially working the middle of the field. He lofts balls well, showing touch and throwing his receivers open. On top of his passing ability, he can make some things happen with his feet and has some mobility. Maye could be a lethal pocket passer in the NFL. Some sources have said Maye could be a more athletic version of Jared Goff.

In 2023, Maye completed 63 percent of his passes for 3,608 yards, 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also notched nine rushing touchdowns. Maye exploded onto the college-football scene as a redshirt freshman, showing serious arm talent. In 2022, he completed 66 percent of his passes for 4,321 yards, 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

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TRADE! I think there is a strong likelihood that Minnesota moves up for McCarthy in a trade with the Cardinals. I think the Vikings will be aggressive to land McCarthy or Drake Maye, whichever one of them is available.

McCarthy completed 72 percent of his passes in 2023 for 2,991 yards, 22 touchdowns and four interceptions. He had three rushing touchdowns as well. McCarthy put together a strong 2022 season, leading Michigan to the college football playoff and completing 65 percent of his passes for 2,719 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also did some damage on the ground with 306 yards and five scores. The 6-foot-3, 196-pounder has the upside to improve with experience. He has a good arm, mobility, size, and experience playing in a high-pressure environment. McCarthy lacks some passing instincts and was just a game manager in college. Some NFL team sources have compared him to Will Levis and Daniel Jones.

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This pick is a tough to project. If new general manager Joe Hortiz is making the pick, I think he will have the Chargers go with the best player available and take Harrison. It also fills a need after cutting Mike Williams and trading away Keenan Allen, it would make sense to give Justin Herbert a true No. 1 receiver. However, if Jim Harbaugh is making the final say, I could see the Chargers taking Joe Alt to play right tackle for Los Angeles.

In 2023, Harrison turned 67 catches into 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns. He broke out in 2022, recording 77 receptions for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. The sophomore was a dynamic mismatch weapon for C.J. Stroud. The 6-foot-3, 209-pound Harrison has excellent height and length with speed to get downfield. He runs routes like a smaller receiver, and he obviously learned a lot from his Hall of Fame father. However, the younger Harrison is much bigger than his father and is more like a A.J. Green- or CeeDee Lamb-type receiver for the next level.

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The Giants clearly need a receiver upgrade and are in great position to land a No. 1 wideout. Between Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze, the Giants can land a mismatch weapon. With quarterbacks going in the top four, that will push Harrison or Nabers to New York.

Nabers totaled 89 catches for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2023. While Kayshon Boutte was supposed to be LSU’s No. 1 wide receiver in 2022, Nabers outplayed him and was a steady contributor for Jayden Daniels. Nabers caught 72 passes for 1,017 yards and three touchdowns that season. He has quality size at 6-foot, 195 pounds and is very fast with awesome separation skills. Nabers has special athleticism and route-running that could make him a dynamic outside and slot receiver at the pro level.

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The Titans need better pass protection for Will Levis. Alt is a safe pick to be a solid starter for Tennessee.

Alt (6-7, 317) broke into Notre Dame’s starting lineup at left tackle as a freshman in 2021 and remained on the blind side for the rest of his college career. He started out his time with Notre Dame playing some tight end before settling in at left tackle. Alt is big with long arms, has good strength in the upper body, uses his hands well, and has good technique. Alt was consistent and productive. However, he has issues with his anchor because he is stiff and doesn’t bend well. That lack of bend will be challenging to fix given how tall Alt is, but he still is a very safe pick to be a good NFL starter.

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The Falcons could use more young talent on the edge. Here’s a lightning-fast edge rusher to help hunt the quarterback.

Turner is a fast edge rusher who can burn tackles with speed off the edge. He has a ton of upside and potential for the NFL, but requires additional development. He needs more pass-rushing moves and has to be taught technique, rush angles, depth of rush, and finding the sweet spot. If Turner is developed well, he could be an elite quarterback hunter at the pro level. Turner recorded 53 tackles, 11 sacks, 15.5 tackles for a loss, and two forced fumbles in 2023. With Will Anderson commanding attention on the other side in 2021, Turner (6-3, 247) had a phenomenal freshman debut for the Crimson Tide. Turner showed serious pass-rush potential in 2021 with 8.5 sacks and 30 tackles while rotating with other defenders. In 2022, Turner collected 37 tackles and four sacks, but he was far more disruptive than the numbers indicate.

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Chicago needs more pass-rush talent to go with Montez Sweat. The Bears have fixed their other holes in free agency, but they still need an end across from Sweat. Latu has better tape than Jared Verse, and with many teams clearing Latu medically, Latu could go ahead of Verse.

Latu totaled 49 tackles, 13 sacks, two interceptions, two passes batted and two forced fumbles in 2023. He recorded 10.5 sacks and three forced fumbles in 2022. Latu was a dangerous quarterback hunter with the Bruins. The 6-foot-5, 265-pounder has very good instincts, motor, and hand usage. At Washington, Latu had injury issues that cost him the 2020 and 2021 seasons. A serious neck injury caused former Huskies coach Jimmy Lake to say that Latu’s career was over, but he transferred to UCLA after Lake and his staff were let go. Latu then received medical clearance from UCLA before resuming his career.

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I’ve heard the Jets are inclined to take Brock Bowers or Rome Odunze if they can’t trade down. The Jets need more playmakers for Aaron Rodgers. Here’s a mismatch weapon.

For the NFL, Bowers is a mismatch receiver who offers quickness, exceptional route-running, great hands, and phenomenal ability after the catch. He could be a dynamic receiving weapon as a pro. When it comes to blocking, Bowers fights hard and does pretty well. However, he is undersized for the NFL and could have issues as an in-line blocker against defensive linemen as a pro. In 2023, Bowers recorded 56 receptions for 714 yards and six touchdowns. He missed some time with a high ankle sprain. Bowers was a freshman sensation for the Bulldogs in 2021 and was a huge receiving weapon in helping them win their first National Championship since 1980. Immediately, Bowers (6-3, 243) was a mismatch threat with excellent speed, athleticism, and run-after-the-catch ability. In 2021, Bowers recorded 56 receptions for 882 yards and 13 touchdowns. He totaled 63 receptions in 2022 for 942 yards and seven touchdowns.

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TRADE! Arizona is likely to trade down with a team like the Vikings that would take Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. I could see the Cardinals moving down and landing a potential No. 1 receiver in Odunze for Kyler Murray while also snatching up pick No. 23 in the trade.

Odunze played well in 2023, making some clutch catches and using his size to be a weapon on the sideline. He finished the year having caught 87 passes for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns. With Michael Penix at quarterback in 2022, Odunze broke out for Washington, recording 75 receptions for 1,145 yards and seven touchdowns. Odunze (6-3, 212) has good size, but he could have problems separating from NFL defensive backs and will have to win on a lot of contested catches. Odunze is phenomenal at winning contested catches along the sideline as he is deadly on back-shoulder throws. Team sources also rave about Odunze being a high-character individual who has a great work ethic and is an unselfish teammate.

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Denver is desperate for a starting quarterback, and I think Nix is a better fit for Sean Payton. Without a second-round pick, the Broncos might consider trading down and targeting Nix.

Some team sources think Nix is a future starter and will go in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft. Others think he is more of a late first-round, or early second-round pick, but quarterbacks can rise through the draft process and Nix should interview/work out well. Nix is an instinctive quarterback who is accurate, mobile, gets the ball out fast and knows where to go with it. While he does not have special arm talent, he shows the ability to push the ball vertically. Nix also has developed field vision to go through progressions, can recognize coverage and anticipate. Sources said they feel Nix could be productive in a variety of offenses and is not just the robotic product of a college system. From a physical-talent perspective, some team sources shared they feel Nix (6-2, 217) has a better skill set than other NFL starters like Baker Mayfield, Sam Howell and Kenny Pickett.

Nix completed 77 percent of his passes in 2023 for 4,508 yards, 45 touchdowns and three interceptions. He totaled six rushing touchdowns as well. The Auburn transfer had an ugly start to the 2022 season against Georgia, but he played better over the course of the season. In 2022, he completed 72 percent of his passes for 3,593 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Nix also ran for 14 touchdowns. His 2022 stat line was a big improvement in his passing production over his three seasons at Auburn.

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The Raiders could possibly move back into the first round from their second-round pick to land Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. I’m not sure they will pull the trigger on him at No. 13. However, they could use this pick to grab an upgrade at right tackle to protect the blind side of Penix.

The 6-foot-6, 342-pound Latham has a good skill set and a ton of upside. He did not give up a sack in 2022 and allowed very few pressures while manning right tackle. There is no doubt that Latham is a powerful athlete with the ability to generate movement at the point of attack. He makes winning blocks look easy thanks to serious strength and an ability to sustain. However, Latham is more of a right tackle than a left tackle for the NFL given his feet and movement skills.

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The Saints go with the best player available to add more protection for Derek Carr. I think Fautanu makes a lot of sense for New Orleans. If Ryan Ramczyk is unable to play, Fautanu or Trevor Penning could replace him at right tackle. If Ramczyk is able to play, Fautanu could compete to start for the Saints at left tackle or kick inside to left guard. The versatile Fautanu would be a nice scheme fit for Klint Kubiak as well.

Fautanu (6-3, 317) was a very reliable and steady left tackle for Michael Penix Jr. in 2023. Fautanu became the starting left tackle in 2022 and was a consistent contributor for Washington. Multiple team sources said they like Fautanu and see him as a first-rounder for the 2024 NFL Draft. Some project him as a second-round pick with a potential move to guard because of length limitations. Others said they think Fautanu could be a first-round offensive tackle because he has 35-inch arms, similar to Rashawn Slater. Pro evaluators like Fautanu’s athleticism, but he is not real powerful and his anchor is just okay. Fautanu is viewed as very versatile, potentially being able to start at every position on the offensive line except center.

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With having to face C.J. Stroud for many years to come, the Colts could use a No. 1 cover corner. JuJu Brents is better as a No. 2, and Kenny Moore fits in the slot. Here’s a potential No. 1 outside corner for the Colts. Arnold is a perfect fit for Indianapolis defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.

Arnold recorded 63 tackles, five interceptions and 12 passes broken up in 2023. He played well for Alabama in 2022, recording 45 tackles, an interception and eight passes broken up. The 6-foot, 189-pounder has quality size to go along with instincts and good technique. Arnold’s only real flaw is not being fast, and that presents some limitations for the NFL. Still, Arnold looks like a good fit for a zone team and a safe pick to be a solid pro.

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Seattle could use offensive line talent, and Fashanu should be a safe pick for the new coaching staff. He could start at right tackle or guard for the Seahawks.

For the next level, Fashanu (6-6, 312) has the size and length to make it tough for defenders to get by him. However, he is not an elite athlete on the edge with rare movement skills or quickness. He can move defenders up front in the ground game, but he is not all that nasty in his style of play. Fashanu looks like a future NFL starter at left tackle, but not an elite one. He does not look like a top-10 prospect like a Penei Sewell. As a pro, Fashanu might be more similar to an adequate starting tackle like Russell Okung rather an elite tackle like Sewell.

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