The 2024 NFL Draft is just around the corner. And while most fans and experts agree on certain things -- Caleb Williams, for example, is the consensus No. 1 quarterback prospect -- plenty of others have differing opinions. That's the beauty of the draft process, even among the teams making the actual picks: Everyone has their valuation, and only time will tell who's right.
In that spirit, we're gearing up for the first night of the draft with some "unpopular opinions" from a dozen of the experts right here at CBS Sports. Behold some unorthodox takes on Day 1 prospects and predictions:
Los Angeles Rams should consider taking a quarterback
While everyone debates whether the Denver Broncos or Minnesota Vikings or Las Vegas Raiders will end up with a long-term answer under center, Sean McVay and Co. should be sneaking into the conversation as Matthew Stafford approaches his age-36 season. New No. 2 Jimmy Garoppolo is injury-prone, and McVay could use a developmental arm to pair with a promising lineup of young stars like Kyren Williams and Puka Nacua. -- Cody Benjamin
J.J. McCarthy will fall to the New York Giants
A lot of Giants fans got on me after I had their team selecting the former Michigan quarterback in my recent mock draft. Either Big Blue fans don't think McCarthy will be available at No. 6, or they don't want him, or maybe it's both. ... I feel strongly that McCarthy will still be on the board. ... It'll be interesting to see if the Giants elect to take him or address their other needs, most notably receiver. -- Bryan DeArdo
None of the teams considering trading up for a QB should do it
The NFL is generally bad at identifying which quarterbacks will be good and giving up a ton of future assets because you are overconfident in your assessment of the third- or fourth-best quarterback in the draft is a mistake. -- Jared Dubin
Malik Nabers and Laiatu Latu are supremely underrated
Neither Nabers nor Latu will be the first player drafted at their respective positions but they will be the best pros when we look back in three years. -- Josh Edwards
Beware of Quinyon Mitchell
Everybody I've talked to who knows Quinyon Mitchell or has watched his tape likes Quinyon Mitchell. I watch his tape and like Quinyon Mitchell. I like his length, his instincts, and his mentality that he's never out of a play. But he's also a corner from the MAC, and who was the last cornerback from the MAC that you've ever heard of? -- Tom Fornelli
Jordan Travis is being overlooked
If Travis hadn't gotten injured, he'd would've been able to take advantage of the College Football Playoffs like C.J. Stroud did, the postseason all-star game circuit like Spencer Rattler has, and would've subsequently found himself being picked in the first round. -- Emory Hunt
This quarterback class will have six players go in Round 1
But should it? After Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels go off the board, the position is uncertain. Drake Maye is talented, but are the New England Patriots the right fit for him? J.J. McCarthy is going to go way higher than he should; same with Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix. Of the three, I would trust Penix the most. -- Jeff Kerr
Michael Penix Jr. should be a top-10 pick
And he is the third-best quarterback in the draft. -- Bryant McFadden
J.J. McCarthy isn't a top-10-caliber talent
A significant amount of his evaluation as an NFL prospect relies on guesswork/projection for what he could be since the Wolverines offense was so heavily run-first. Many of the route progressions he worked through in college were like playing quarterback with training wheels, and McCarthy's footwork is susceptible to breaking down when needing to step up in the pocket. One could make the argument he is a late first-round pick, and any team who takes him in the first half of the first round is reaching. -- Garrett Podell
J.J. McCarthy will be in drafted too high because of 'sheep syndrome'
That's where personnel people in the league make an official evaluation based on his tape, but then start hearing somebody else say they like him, so they go back and change their evaluation after another look at the tape and watching his pro day. One turns into two and two turns into four and on and on it goes. That is followed by the sheep media jumping in and doing the same thing. McCarthy is a good player, one who might be worthy of being drafted in the back end of the first round. But a top-10 pick? Please. -- Pete Prisco
Buffalo Bills shouldn't draft a wide receiver
Everyone thinks it's a foregone conclusion that the Bills will take one in Round 1 after trading Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans. Not so fast! Buffalo also could use an edge rusher, help in the secondary and another starting offensive lineman. This is also a very deep receiver class, and the Bills have 10 picks. -- Kyle Stackpole
Every QB prospect should be dying for Vikings to trade up
The Vikings have been a popular trade-up candidate after acquiring the No. 23 overall pick in a trade with the Texans, but no one is really explaining how attractive they are as a destination. They have arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL in Justin Jefferson, top-flight secondary pass-catching options in Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson, and two sturdy tackles in Christian Darrisaw and Brian O'Neill. That's not even mentioning an offensive-minded head coach in Kevin O'Connell. If I'm a quarterback prospect in this year's draft -- no matter if I'm Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy -- I'm contemplating forcing my way to U.S. Bank Stadium, Eli Manning-style. -- Tyler Sullivan
