In less than a week, fans will know the answers to the draft questions that have been asked over the past few months. To help pass the time, CBSSports.com NFL Draft analysts Ryan Wilson, Chris Trapasso and I look into our Crystal Ball in an effort to project trades, risers and fallers, and more.
Here are each of our answers to a variety of burning questions:
1. With Caleb Williams a foregone conclusion to go to the Bears, who should be taken No. 2 overall?
Ryan Wilson: QB Jayden Daniels, LSU. "No player did more for their draft stock over the last eight months than Daniels, who, like another former LSU transfer in Joe Burrow, went from Day 3 prospect to Top 5 selection. In terms of comps, Daniels is a lot like Lamar Jackson coming out of Louisville -- but a better passer. And his dual-threat abilities can demoralize a defense because even if you play the perfect coverage, Daniels can still rip off a 50-yard run. There are no sure things in the draft but it's hard not to get excited by what Daniels accomplished at LSU the last two seasons."
Chris Trapasso: QB Drake Maye, North Carolina. "Simply based on prospect evaluation, I would pick Drake Maye, but understanding the fit with Kliff Kingsbury, Jayden Daniels should probably be the selection for the Commanders."
Josh Edwards: QB Drake Maye, North Carolina. "In my opinion, it should be Maye. However, there has been a lot of buzz suggesting that LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels may be the pick. I will continue to believe it is misdirection for now."
2. Who is the safest prospect in the draft?
Wilson: WR Marvin Harrison Jr.. "I vacillated between Joe Alt and Marvin Harrison Jr. here before ultimately deciding to go with Harrison Jr., who you could argue was NFL-ready a year ago. No, he didn't take part in the pre-draft festivities that stretch from January to April, but he also didn't need to. His tape did all the talking and he's shown the ability to take over games. Was he less effective last season, after Ohio State lost C.J. Stroud to the NFL? Absolutely, but that also reinforces the importance of landing in the right system. I think if Harrison Jr. lands in Arizona, that offense could take the next step."
Trapasso: OT Olu Fashanu, Penn State. "He's young with back-to-back stellar seasons in pass protection at Penn State with a prototypical frame and plus athleticism. I haven't been able to peg why he's seemingly going to be the third or fourth offensive tackle off the board in this class."
Edwards: WR Marvin Harrison Jr.. "Harrison may not be the flashiest receiver prospect but he has a very high floor, especially considering his NFL pedigree."
3. Who is the prospect with the biggest red flag?
Wilson: WR Jermaine Burton. "I continue to hear that Alabama's Jermaine Burton could drop due to off-field concerns. He had a strong second half for Alabama in 2023 and was Jalen Milroe's favorite downfield target, consistently separating on vertical routes. In terms of on-field abilities, I love him on Day 2, but he may have to wait until Saturday to hear his name called."
Trapasso: WR Keon Coleman, Florida State. "Big. Yes. Highlight-reel catches on film? Sure. But despite those two features at the top of his resume, this is a 4.61 wideout who struggles to get open at any level of the field and was not very effective in combat-catch scenarios last season."
Edwards: DT T'Vondre Sweat, Texas. "Nose tackles are already at a disadvantage because they are in a more specialized role. Teams were reportedly aware of Sweat's partying past and he assured them that was in his past. The narrative was not aided by his recent DWI arrest."
4. What surprise team will target a QB?
Wilson: Bengals. "Don't be surprised if the Bengals target a QB during the draft. Obviously not in the first round -- Joe Burrow remains one of the best quarterbacks in the league, but they have 10 picks, including six on Day 3. They could package some of those picks to move up and grab a young passer they could groom because Jake Browning is on a one-year deal. I like Spencer Rattler and Michael Pratt as developmental QBs with starter upside -- let's see if the Bengals feel the same."
Trapasso: Seahawks. "For as much as Geno Smith has proven to be a capable starter, there's a new coaching regime in Seattle and Smith is entering what could be his final year in a Seahawks uniform."
Edwards: Rams. "Matthew Stafford is a 36-year-old quarterback who has missed 10 games over the past two years. He is still playing at a high level but Los Angeles does not have a viable long-term solution at the position. I could see them using their first first-round selection since 2016 if the right quarterback were available."
5. Who is one top prospect you expect to slide the farthest?
Wilson: CB Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri. "Ennis Rakestraw Jr. gives me Devon Witherspoon vibes with the way he approaches the cornerback position but he's slightly undersized and didn't time as well as Witherspoon, and those two factors could see him slip out of Round 1 and into Round 2. We saw Joey Porter Jr. suffer a similar fate a year ago (unlike Rakestraw, he's long) and he was one of the best rookie cornerbacks in 2023. Put another way: if Rakestraw does, in fact, last beyond the first round, whichever team lands him will be getting a big-time player."
Trapasso: OT Olu Fashanu, Penn State. "Sticking with my guy here. Just feels like he's gotten essentially zero buzz despite being an elite talent."
Edwards: WR Keon Coleman, Florida State. "Furthest is relative, but Coleman was viewed as a first-round lock at one time. He is still a gifted player with intriguing NFL potential but, where does he fit in the overall pecking order at the position? If he is a leapfrogged by three at his position, then it could be the difference in half a round."
6. Which player has the chance to be a surprise top-10 pick?
Wilson: EDGE Laiatu Latu, UCLA. "I hear that Laitu Latu has been cleared medically and that the former UCLA pass rusher is likely a top 13 pick. It'll be tough to crack the top 10 -- not because he's not worth it -- but because there will be a run on offensive players at the top of the draft. That said, Latu is the most technically sound pass rusher in this class and teams love his motor and his demeanor."
Trapasso: DT Byron Murphy II, Texas. "Dynamic upfield rushers on the inside are hard to come by, and that's precisely what Murphy is. He starred over the last two seasons at Texas and tested through the roof at the combine."
Edwards: DT Byron Murphy II, Texas. "The opportunity for a defensive player to get in the top 10 overall runs through the Bears or Falcons unless there is a trade. It would not be a surprise if Dallas Turner went that early, so Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell or Murphy would be the only potential 'surprises.'"
7. Which prospect could make the biggest leap into Round 1?
Wilson: EDGE Marshawn Kneeland, Western Michigan. "I've been talking about Marshawn Kneeland since the Senior Bowl, and the Western Michigan edge rusher has been impressive during the pre-draft process. He consistently wins with power and can line up just about anywhere. He'll need to continue to develop his pass-rush moves but at 6-3, 267, he looks the part. And more importantly, NFL teams are convinced that his best football is ahead of him."
Trapasso: LB Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M. "Most of the off-ball linebacker buzz is centered around Payton Wilson from NC State, and rightfully so. But Cooper is much younger, doesn't come with vast injury history, and is an explosive second-level defender too."
Edwards: EDGE Marshawn Kneeland, Western Michigan. "I've been saying this for weeks before it was trendy. There are a handful of teams in the second half of the first round that could address the position, including the Buccaneers, Lions and Cardinals."
8. Which prospect could fall out of the first round?
Wilson: CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson. "Nate Wiggins could be a victim of circumstance. He's as close to a shutdown corner as you're going to get in today's NFL. And while he's long, his slight build may concern some teams, especially after Emmanuel Forbes, the Commanders first-round pick a year ago who played at 166 in college, struggled through his rookie campaign."
Trapasso: WR Ladd McConkey, Georgia. "And it'd be because of the injuries concerns, which we rarely hear much about during or even after the first round. McConkey's film is first-round caliber but he has a small frame and was banged up in 2023."
Edwards: C Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon. "The hype surrounding Powers-Johnson exceeded reality. I think there is a good chance he will still get into the first round but I wanted to pick a player who is not already viewed as being on the fringe. I believe my picks each of the past two years were Nolan Smith (No. 30 overall) and Nakobe Dean (No. 83 overall); both ironically drafted by the Eagles."
9. Which team do you expect to make the most surprising pick that shakes up the draft?
Wilson: Seahawks. "The Seahawks are always good for mixing things up and while it would be surprising, I don't know if it would be a complete shock if they took a quarterback in the first round. Would they consider, say, Michael Penix Jr., if he was on the board at No. 16? They've been noncommittal on Geno Smith and while, yes, they traded for Sam Howell, if they love Penix Jr., they could certainly double down on the position."
Trapasso: Broncos. "I cannot fathom Sean Payton and especially GM George Paton, the latter of whom is squarely on the hot seat, standing idly by as other teams pick quarterbacks and/or move up the board to get one."
Edwards: Cardinals. "While Seattle is usually my pick for this category, the Cardinals have two chances to meet the criteria. The Seahawks have never been concerned with general consensus and trying to win in the court of public approval. Arizona just has a lot of needs and could go in a number of directions."
10. Which current NFL player is most likely to get traded during draft weekend?
Wilson: WR Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers. "Brandon Aiyuk is the obvious choice. The Steelers have a need at wide receiver but they also have needs along the offensive line and in the secondary, and I don't know if it makes sense for them to part ways with a high draft pick and have to pay Aiyuk the deal he very much deserves. But there are other teams that are in the market for a WR, including the Jets, Saints and Bills, for starters."
Trapasso: WR Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers. "I know his agent is denying anything on the trade front with his star receiver client. But everything can change in a flash in the NFL. If the 49ers either pick a receiver in the first round or land one afterward, look out for an Aiyuk trade. I don't think they would want to pay a receiver upwards of $30 million per season, despite how darn good Aiyuk has become."
Edwards: WR Courtland Sutton, Broncos. "It has felt as though Sean Payton has been looking to trade Jerry Jeudy and Sutton since he arrived. Jeudy is now gone. Sutton could follow. Stefon Diggs and Haason Reddick had been the most obvious candidates but they have already relocated. Tee Higgins essentially admitted in a press conference that he has resigned to the idea that he will be playing on the franchise tag for the Bengals this season."
The 2024 NFL Draft will take place from April 25-27 in Detroit. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly updated draft order, mock drafts and a regularly available look at the eligible prospects.
