2024 NFL Mock Draft: Jayden Daniels goes No. 1 overall in Pete Prisco's what teams 'should' do mock

Mock drafts are predictive. My who-they-should-take-mock is not.

It's the players I would take if I were doing the picking for all the NFL teams. There are no trades in this mock in large part because I would be trading with myself. That's not fair.

Last year, I had Will Levis going first to Carolina in my who-they-should mock. I got lit up. It's obvious now C.J. Stroud should have been the pick, but I would still take Levis over Bryce Young and I think their play showed that last year as rookies.

This year, my first pick would be Jayden Daniels over Caleb Williams. Yeah, yeah, Williams is this and that and special and generational and every other superlative. But there are also flaws that stand out to me, one being he holds the ball too long.

Daniels might be slight in build, but he can run, can throw it and he's the most-improved player I've even seen from early in his career to now. I know there are some critics who say he leaves pockets too soon, but that's the curse of quarterbacks who can move. Lamar Jackson won two MVPs and he had the same flaw early in his career.

So I would take Daniels first and Williams second. I would not take Michigan's J.J. McCarthy in the top 10 as you will see.

Last year, I had Tank Dell going 32nd in my who-they-should mock to the Chiefs. I got killed for that. Was I right?  This year, I have Oregon receiver Troy Franklin going 28th to the Buffalo Bills. Will you kill more for that? I love the kid. 

One more time: This is not a predictive mock. It's my who-they-should take mock. 

Even so, most of you won't get the message. 

For more draft coverage, you can hear in-depth analysis twice a week on "With the First Pick" -- our year-round NFL Draft podcast with NFL Draft analyst Ryan Wilson and former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman. You can find "With the First Pick" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc.  

NFL Mock Draft

Round 1

From Carolina Panthers Round 1 - Pick 1 Jayden Daniels QB LSU • 6'4" / 210 lbs Projected Team Chicago PROSPECT RNK 6th POSITION RNK 3rd PAYDS 3812 RUYDS 1134 INTS 4 TDS 50 Yes, I think he will be the best quarterback in this class. He is the most-improved player I've ever seen in the course of five years. That's impressive. That matters. He will be Lamar Jackson-like.

Round 1 - Pick 2 Caleb Williams QB USC • 6'1" / 215 lbs Projected Team Washington PROSPECT RNK 1st POSITION RNK 1st PAYDS 3633 RUYDS 121 INTS 5 TDS 41 I keep hearing "generational" when it comes to this kid when talking to scouts, but he needs to clean up a lot of stuff for me to make that claim. Having said that, there is a ton to like. He will be a damn good player.

Round 1 - Pick 3 Drake Maye QB North Carolina • 6'4" / 225 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 5th POSITION RNK 2nd PAYDS 3608 RUYDS 449 INTS 9 TDS 33 I prefer Maye over the remaining quarterbacks, even if he has some mechanical flaws that need fixing. The Patriots have to address quarterback, so this would work.

Round 1 - Pick 4 Malik Nabers WR LSU • 6'0" / 200 lbs Projected Team Arizona PROSPECT RNK 3rd POSITION RNK 2nd REC 89 REYDS 1569 YDS/REC 17.6 TDS 14 I like Nabers more than Marvin Harrison, which is why this is the pick. Nabers has more wiggle in my mind. Both will be great, but my preference is Nabers.

Round 1 - Pick 5 Marvin Harrison Jr. WR Ohio State • 6'4" / 205 lbs Projected Team L.A. Chargers PROSPECT RNK 2nd POSITION RNK 1st REC 67 REYDS 1211 YDS/REC 18.1 TDS 15 I thought about tackle Joe Alt here, but opted to go for a weapon for Justin Herbert. I could see the Chargers trading down to get more picks, but I think they would be wise to add Harrison.

Round 1 - Pick 6 Rome Odunze WR Washington • 6'3" / 215 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Giants PROSPECT RNK 9th POSITION RNK 3rd REC 92 REYDS 1640 YDS/REC 17.8 TDS 15 The Giants have to get outside players for their passing game, so it's Odunze. I think Evan Neal can respond with a better season at right tackle, which is why I pass on taking Joe Alt.

Round 1 - Pick 7 Joe Alt OT Notre Dame • 6'8" / 322 lbs Projected Team Tennessee PROSPECT RNK 7th POSITION RNK 2nd This is a no-brainer for me. They have to get a left tackle and Alt is the best of the group. He will give Will Levis a nice blind-side protector.

Round 1 - Pick 8 Dallas Turner EDGE Alabama • 6'3" / 247 lbs Projected Team Atlanta PROSPECT RNK 10th POSITION RNK 1st The Falcons have little when it comes to the pass rush. Turner will be better on the next level than he was in college. He has all the tools, but sometimes needs to play harder.

Round 1 - Pick 9 Chop Robinson EDGE Penn State • 6'3" / 254 lbs Projected Team Chicago PROSPECT RNK 10th POSITION RNK 1st After watching more tape on Robinson, I think he could end up being the best pure rusher in this draft. He has that explosive step and bend. He has the best of those traits in this class.

Round 1 - Pick 10 Brock Bowers TE Georgia • 6'4" / 230 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 14th POSITION RNK 1st REC 56 REYDS 714 YDS/REC 12.8 TDS 7 They could go for an offensive tackle here, but that would defy the all-in thinking this year. So give them the best tight end in the draft class to help the passing game.

From Houston Texans Round 1 - Pick 11 Michael Penix Jr. QB Washington • 6'3" / 215 lbs Projected Team Minnesota PROSPECT RNK 30th POSITION RNK 5th PAYDS 4903 RUYDS 8 INTS 11 TDS 39 The Vikings have to take a quarterback, and rather than trading up, they sit here and take Penix. Why Penix over J.J. McCarthy? I think he will be a better player.

Round 1 - Pick 12 J.J. McCarthy QB Michigan • 6'3" / 219 lbs Projected Team Denver PROSPECT RNK 20th POSITION RNK 4th PAYDS 2991 RUYDS 202 INTS 4 TDS 25 The Broncos would probably love this, but it won't happen. Even this is a little high for McCarthy in my book. But the Broncos have to get one, so it makes sense.

Round 1 - Pick 13 Quinyon Mitchell CB Toledo • 6'0" / 193 lbs Projected Team Las Vegas PROSPECT RNK 8th POSITION RNK 1st They land the top corner in this class, which certainly would address a major need. They could go for an offensive lineman here, but with Penix off the board I have them passing on quarterback.

Round 1 - Pick 14 Olumuyiwa Fashanu OT Penn State • 6'6" / 312 lbs Projected Team New Orleans PROSPECT RNK 4th POSITION RNK 1st They have to get a quality left tackle and Fashanu is that guy. He will be a plug-and-play starter. He just needs to play a little tougher.

Round 1 - Pick 15 Jared Verse EDGE Florida State • 6'4" / 260 lbs Projected Team Indianapolis PROSPECT RNK 11th POSITION RNK 2nd Their pass rush could use some more juice from the outside. When the Colts won a Super Bowl, they had Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. They need a player like Verse to try to get close to that.

Round 1 - Pick 16 Taliese Fuaga OT Oregon State • 6'6" / 324 lbs Projected Team Seattle PROSPECT RNK 12th POSITION RNK 3rd The interior of their offensive line has major questions, but they also have some injury concerns for right tackle Abraham Lucas. Fuaga can play a lot of spots.

Round 1 - Pick 17 Terrion Arnold CB Alabama • 6'0" / 199 lbs Projected Team Jacksonville PROSPECT RNK 13th POSITION RNK 2nd Arnold is a smooth corner who knows how to cover. They have a major need. He didn't run great, but he plays fast. He would be an immediate starter.

Round 1 - Pick 18 Byron Murphy II DL Texas • 6'0" / 306 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 15th POSITION RNK 1st D.J. Reader is gone, so Murphy would make sense. He is a penetrating, up-the-field type of player who would improve their inside pass rush.

Round 1 - Pick 19 Laiatu Latu EDGE UCLA • 6'5" / 265 lbs Projected Team L.A. Rams PROSPECT RNK 16th POSITION RNK 3rd They need to get better off the edge, especially with Aaron Donald gone. Taking the hometown player makes sense, provided he passes all the medicals.

Round 1 - Pick 20 Troy Fautanu IOL Washington • 6'4" / 317 lbs Projected Team Pittsburgh PROSPECT RNK 23rd POSITION RNK 1st I think they will consider center here, but they can take a player who can start at right tackle, left tackle or at guard. That matters.

Round 1 - Pick 21 Johnny Newton DL Illinois • 6'2" / 295 lbs Projected Team Miami PROSPECT RNK 26th POSITION RNK 2nd They lost Christian Wilkins in free agency, so even after signing a few veteran replacements they need a young interior player. Newton could be that guy, but he does have a foot injury he is overcoming.

Round 1 - Pick 22 JC Latham OT Alabama • 6'6" / 342 lbs Projected Team Philadelphia PROSPECT RNK 19th POSITION RNK 5th How much longer does Lane Johnson play at right tackle? Latham could be his replacement, but could play guard for a year as he waits.

From Houston Texans Round 1 - Pick 23 Nate Wiggins CB Clemson • 6'1" / 182 lbs Projected Team Minnesota PROSPECT RNK 21st POSITION RNK 3rd They need to get a quality cover corner on the outside in Brian Flores' defense. Wiggins is as good as any in this draft in press man, but he has to improve his tackling.

Round 1 - Pick 24 Tyler Guyton OT Oklahoma • 6'7" / 322 lbs Projected Team Dallas PROSPECT RNK 36th POSITION RNK 7th By taking Guyton, the Cowboys could leave Tyler Smith at left guard, which I think is the right move. Guyton played right tackle in college, but he has the tools to be a left tackle as well.

Round 1 - Pick 25 Graham Barton OT Duke • 6'5" / 314 lbs Projected Team Green Bay PROSPECT RNK 35th POSITION RNK 6th Center Josh Myers in the final year of his deal and they lost right guard Jon Runyan in free agency. You can never have enough versatile offensive linemen.

Round 1 - Pick 26 Brian Thomas Jr. WR LSU • 6'2" / 209 lbs Projected Team Tampa Bay PROSPECT RNK 17th POSITION RNK 4th REC 68 REYDS 1177 YDS/REC 17.3 TDS 17 Mike Evans is back, but he isn't a kid anymore and Chris Godwin is in the final year of his contract. Getting a big, young receiver would really help in the coming years.

From Houston Texans Round 1 - Pick 27 Amarius Mims OT Georgia • 6'8" / 350 lbs Projected Team Arizona PROSPECT RNK 18th POSITION RNK 4th They take a right tackle and move Paris Johnson, last year's top pick, to the left side. They would have bookends for a long time if they made this move.

Round 1 - Pick 28 Troy Franklin WR Oregon • 6'3" / 180 lbs Projected Team Buffalo PROSPECT RNK 46th POSITION RNK 9th REC 55 REYDS 845 YDS/REC 15.4 TDS 11 There would be other receivers in play here, or even some defensive help, but I think Franklin will be a star. He has big-time speed, which Josh Allen would love.

Round 1 - Pick 29 Jaden Hicks S Washington State • 6'1" / 215 lbs Projected Team Detroit PROSPECT RNK 56th POSITION RNK 3rd He is an athletic safety who ran a 4.4 at his pro day. He is at his best when near the line, but I think he's good enough in the deep middle. He's the best safety in this class.

Round 1 - Pick 30 Cooper DeJean CB Iowa • 6'0" / 198 lbs Projected Team Baltimore PROSPECT RNK 25th POSITION RNK 4th He is a versatile player who could play both corner and safety. We know how the Ravens love to move secondary players around. He would work.

Round 1 - Pick 31 Jordan Morgan OT Arizona • 6'5" / 311 lbs Projected Team San Francisco PROSPECT RNK 41st POSITION RNK 9th They need a right tackle and he has that look. They only gave Colton McKivitz, their starter, a one-year extension. Morgan would push him, but also could play guard.

Round 1 - Pick 32 Patrick Paul OT Houston • 6'7" / 332 lbs Projected Team Kansas City PROSPECT RNK 85th POSITION RNK 14th I love this kid's game and I think he could step in and push Wanya Morris at left tackle to start as a rookie. They can wait to get a receiver or two in the coming rounds.

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 and a regularly available look at the eligible prospects.