NFL teams are conducting top-30 visits with draft hopefuls this month while also doing medical rechecks on players flagged at the combine. Final preparations are being made as teams build their respective boards. It is important for fans to know how those big boards are developed.
First and foremost, they will not have 100s of prospects on their boards. Instead, it will be a more finely pruned list in the range of 150 total. Those players are arranged by where the team would feel comfortable taking them but also will account for roster needs. Considerations include work ethic, medical evaluations, athleticism, production, personality and many other qualities, but the conversation begins with whether or not the prospect is a fit for what that specific team wants to do on offense or defense.
In today's thought exercise, we explore positional needs and what each team may hope to accomplish in the first round.
Without further ado, let's kick this off!
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. Listen to the latest episode below!
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
From
Carolina Panthers
Round 1 - Pick 1
USC
• 6'1"
/ 215 lbs
Caleb Williams will the No. 1 overall selection to the Bears unless there is a medical situation to which the public is not privy.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Drake Maye
QB
North Carolina
• 6'4"
/ 225 lbs
Washington takes the second best quarterback off the board. I do believe there could be some clashing in the room as to whether Jayden Daniels or Maye is the preference. Adam Peters' past suggests Maye would be the more likely candidate, but Kliff Kingsbury's coaching background may favor Daniels.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
LSU
• 6'4"
/ 210 lbs
I know there is discussion that the Patriots could trade out of this pick, but I do not see them taking that leap at the end of the day. They have spent a lot of time scouting Daniels and he is the third quarterback off the board. The Patriots need to devote the rest of this draft to the offense.
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Mock Trade from
Arizona Cardinals
Round 1 - Pick 4
Michigan
• 6'3"
/ 219 lbs
Minnesota will have to trade away a package that includes three first-round picks for the right to move up from No. 11 overall to take the fourth quarterback. At the end of the day, no one will remember nor care what the Vikings surrendered to facilitate this trade if it pans out.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Malik Nabers
WR
LSU
• 6'0"
/ 200 lbs
Four quarterbacks are taken with the first four picks, so that frees up the Chargers to take the best non-quarterback in the draft. They took Quentin Johnston a year ago and may be more inclined to throw Nabers' skill set into the equation.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Ohio State
• 6'4"
/ 205 lbs
Who could have predicted that Harrison Jr. would be available at No. 6 overall? He is a great fit for what the Giants want to do on offense. Harrison is a good pairing with Wan'Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt, but not as good as Malik Nabers would have been.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Joe Alt
OT
Notre Dame
• 6'8"
/ 322 lbs
There is no bigger slam dunk in the 2024 NFL Draft than the Titans taking a left tackle, specifically Alt at No. 7 overall. They released Andre Dillard this offseason and do not have a clear resolution to that position.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Dallas Turner
EDGE
Alabama
• 6'3"
/ 247 lbs
Edge rusher is the biggest position of need considering the options that are available. They could take a cornerback or trade back but Turner feels like a safe choice under the circumstances.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Rome Odunze
WR
Washington
• 6'3"
/ 215 lbs
Yes, Chicago traded for veteran receiver Keenan Allen and acquired D.J. Moore a year ago. Allen is far along in his career and is not necessarily a building block so that does not preclude the franchise from taking another player at the position. Odunze is actually a really good fit considering the personnel already on the roster.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
Oregon State
• 6'6"
/ 324 lbs
My gut tells me that offensive tackle is still very much in the realm of possibility for New York. If the Jets do not take an opportunity to get a tackle now, then they could be in a position to address both again next offseason. Joe Douglas comes from a Philadelphia situation that does not believe a team can overinvest in the offensive line. Fuaga can play guard for a year and then bump out to right tackle next year or provide insurance in the event that one of the 33-year-olds get injured.
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Mock Trade from
Minnesota Vikings
Round 1 - Pick 11
Toledo
• 6'0"
/ 193 lbs
Arizona takes the second defender off the board and the first cornerback. Arizona has the opportunity to address several needs by trading back from No. 4 overall. The journey begins with Mitchell.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Alabama
• 6'0"
/ 199 lbs
Denver has bigger needs but this stage of the first round is too rich to take one of the available quarterbacks in my opinion. Arnold and Patrick Surtain II is quite the duo in the secondary.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
JC Latham
OT
Alabama
• 6'6"
/ 342 lbs
Thayer Munford is the starting right tackle and Jordan Meredith is listed as the starting right guard. Las Vegas needs to upgrade the right side of its offensive line one way or another. Latham gives the flexibility to play either.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Penn State
• 6'6"
/ 312 lbs
Offensive tackle has essentially become a point of desperation for New Orleans in short order. Former first-round pick Trevor Penning has not panned out the way many had hoped yet and right tackle Ryan Ramczyk's knee has reportedly not responded to treatment, which means the Saints could need to address both positions. Fashanu is a plug-and-play starter.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Brock Bowers
TE
Georgia
• 6'4"
/ 230 lbs
Bowers is a great fit for Indianapolis. Shane Steichen had Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert in Philadelphia. Adding Bowers is a way to address the receiving corps without necessarily taking away from Alec Pierce's opportunity.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
Troy Fautanu
IOL
Washington
• 6'4"
/ 317 lbs
Members of the new Seattle offensive coaching staff worked with Fautanu at Washington. Fautanu played left tackle for the Huskies but has positional flexibility. He would be a welcomed solution to the team's efforts to find a starting-caliber offensive guard.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
LSU
• 6'2"
/ 209 lbs
Jacksonville has needs at wide receiver and cornerback. The roster is in a good enough spot to go best player available as well. With Calvin Ridley gone, there is a chance to add to the room at No. 17 overall and the Jaguars do so with the selection of Thomas.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
Texas
• 6'0"
/ 306 lbs
Cincinnati signed Sheldon Rankins after losing DJ Reader in free agency. Murphy II is a pick who can turn a position of comfort into a position of strength.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
Laiatu Latu
EDGE
UCLA
• 6'5"
/ 265 lbs
Los Angeles lost of a big part of the defense this offseason when Aaron Donald announced his retirement but Latu opposite Byron Young is worth getting excited about. Latu is as natural a pass rusher as one will find in this draft class.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
Amarius Mims
OT
Georgia
• 6'8"
/ 350 lbs
Jackson Powers-Johnson has been the trendy association with Pittsburgh lately but Mims would solidify the corners with Broderick Jones flipping back to left tackle and Mims slated to play right tackle as he did in Athens.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Duke
• 6'5"
/ 314 lbs
Barton has positional flexibility. He could play guard or center if Miami asked that of him. Given Robert Hunt's departure and the signing of Aaron Brewer, fans can probably expect him to begin at guard.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
Iowa
• 6'0"
/ 198 lbs
Philadelphia does not often take a player incapable of playing along the offensive or defensive lines in the first round but it is time for a change. Darius Slay and James Bradberry dropped off last season and a need emerged.
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Mock Trade from
Minnesota Vikings
Round 1 - Pick 23
Jared Verse
EDGE
Florida State
• 6'4"
/ 260 lbs
Arizona began its quest to upgrade the roster with the selection of cornerback Quinyon Mitchell and now adds another vital piece to the defense. Verse is the second of three first-round selections.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Oregon
• 6'3"
/ 328 lbs
Dallas could use one or two new starters on the offensive line and what those positions end up being really depends on how the coaching staff sees Tyler Smith. Powers-Johnson can play guard or center.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
BYU
• 6'4"
/ 326 lbs
Suamataia becomes the left tackle in Green Bay, replacing longtime stalwart David Bahktiari. Suamataia is the cousin of Lions right tackle Penei Sewell.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Chop Robinson
EDGE
Penn State
• 6'3"
/ 254 lbs
Tampa Bay and Shaq Barrett went their separate ways this offseason. In fact, the Buccaneers bid farewell to many key defenders, such as Carlton Davis and Devin White. The Bucs now add to the unit with the selection of Robinson.
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From
Houston Texans
Round 1 - Pick 27
Illinois
• 6'2"
/ 295 lbs
Arizona takes its third defender in the first round as Newton now joins Quinyon Mitchell and Jared Verse. Defensive-minded head coach Jonathan Gannon will be excited by this outcome.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Texas
• 6'2"
/ 205 lbs
Buffalo pulled Stefon Diggs out of the offense and now reinvests with Mitchell. The reality is that the Bills are in a Super Bowl-now window and can ill afford coming up short in the department of supporting Josh Allen.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
Alabama
• 5'11"
/ 199 lbs
Detroit takes another Alabama defensive back in the top 50 overall for the second consecutive year. McKinstry has a familiar face to teach him the differences between Tuscaloosa and the Motor City.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Tyler Guyton
OT
Oklahoma
• 6'7"
/ 322 lbs
After trading away Morgan Moses and losing starting offensive guard Kevin Zeitler in free agency, Baltimore throws resources in the direction of its offensive line. Guyton is an incredibly athletic right tackle who still has some technical refinement to accomplish.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Arizona
• 6'5"
/ 311 lbs
San Francisco has been able to construct a productive offensive line without it being littered with former first-round picks. The potential of that unit could be much higher by adding some of those blue-chip talents, however. Morgan has positional flexibility but is likely pegged on the left side.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Ja'Lynn Polk
WR
Washington
• 6'1"
/ 203 lbs
Kansas City could consider cornerback Nate Wiggins from Clemson here but wide receiver could also be fun. Polk is a good complement to Hollywood Brown and Rashee Rice, who is now dealing with legal problems.
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Teams without a first-round pick
33. Panthers: CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson
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Carolina is likely inclined to take an offensive prospect with this selection but the board is more conducive to taking Wiggins, who starts opposite Jaycee Horn.
42. Texans: DT Braden Fiske, Florida State
Houston addresses a big position of need with the selection of Fiske. The Texans were interested in Arik Armstead and now land on a more cost-effective option in the draft.
54. Browns: DT Maason Smith, LSU
Defensive tackle is a long-term position of need for the Browns given the short-term solutions on the roster. Cleveland has been drawn to LSU in the past, particularly players coming off down seasons, like Grant Delpit and Greedy Williams.
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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.