The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine is in the books, and it's becoming more and more likely that the first three picks in this year's NFL Draft will be quarterbacks.
But what if a team traded up to No. 4 and made it four QBs in four selections -- which would be a first in NFL history. That's what we explore in this mock draft, with the Arizona Cardinals trading out of that pick and a team moving up to take Michigan signal-caller J.J. McCarthy.
Now let's get to it!
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NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
USC
• 6'1"
/ 215 lbs
Combine medicals, combine schmedicals. The Bears are taking Caleb Williams with the top selection.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Drake Maye
QB
North Carolina
• 6'4"
/ 225 lbs
The Commanders opt for Drake Maye, who has connections to QBs coach Tavita Pritchard and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
LSU
• 6'4"
/ 210 lbs
Bill Belichick reportedly loved Jayden Daniels. Belichick is no longer with the Patriots, of course, but the Patriots end up agreeing with their former head coach and taking the Heisman Trophy winner.
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Mock Trade from
Arizona Cardinals
Round 1 - Pick 4
Michigan
• 6'3"
/ 219 lbs
Surprise! There was a lot of talk at the NFL Combine about the Giants' willingness to trade up for a QB, and they do so here -- even with the top 3 off the board. Some may ask: why would New York need to trade up if the Cardinals and Chargers aren't looking for a QB? Well, the Falcons, Raiders, Vikings and other teams are, and they could be looking to move ahead of the Giants to take McCarthy.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Ohio State
• 6'4"
/ 205 lbs
Best-case scenario for the Chargers, who get Justin Herbert one of the best wide receiver prospects in recent years. Jim Harbaugh has seen up close just how good Marvin Harrison Jr. is, and now he'll get to coach the Ohio State standout instead of going against him.
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Mock Trade from
New York Giants
Round 1 - Pick 6
Dallas Turner
EDGE
Alabama
• 6'3"
/ 247 lbs
With Marvin Harrison Jr. off the board, the Cardinals turn their focus to the defensive side of the ball. Dallas Turner cemented himself as the best edge rusher in the class with an awesome combine performance.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Joe Alt
OT
Notre Dame
• 6'8"
/ 322 lbs
Then rookie-QB Will Levis was sacked 28 times in nine starts last season. That can't happen if he's going to reach his potential as being the franchise guy in Tennessee. To better protect Levis, the Titans take Joe Alt, who's everything you want in an NFL left tackle.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Malik Nabers
WR
LSU
• 6'0"
/ 200 lbs
If the Falcons add a veteran QB, there's a decent chance they go defense with this selection. However, QBs going with the first-four picks make Malik Nabers available here, and the LSU star is too good for Atlanta to pass up.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Rome Odunze
WR
Washington
• 6'3"
/ 215 lbs
First Caleb Williams, then Rome Odunze. Combined with D.J. Moore, the Bears offense would have a bunch of firepower.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
Penn State
• 6'6"
/ 312 lbs
Debated giving the Jets Brock Bowers here, but Aaron Rodgers wouldn't be able to get him the ball if he was constantly running from pressure or on his back. Instead, New York adds much-needed protection in the form of Olu Fashanu, an athletic left tackle who, at just 21 years old, will only continue to get better.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Alabama
• 6'0"
/ 199 lbs
Terrion Arnold, having arrived at Alabama as one of the top safety prospects in the nation, has only been playing cornerback for a few years. But he has the versatility, athleticism and ball skills (five interceptions, 17 pass breakups in 2023) to elevate the Minnesota secondary for years to come.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Brock Bowers
TE
Georgia
• 6'4"
/ 230 lbs
I trust Sean Payton to make the right move at QB following the inevitable release of Russell Wilson. But with the pass-catching situation potentially in flux -- do the Broncos try and trade Jerry Jeudy and/or Courtland Sutton -- Denver gets a top-10 talent for whomever ends up under center.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Toledo
• 6'0"
/ 193 lbs
CBS Sports' No. 1 ranked CB dominated the combine, running a blazing fast 40-yard dash (4.33 seconds), throwing up 20 reps on the bench and looking smooth during on-field drills. Mitchell replaces impending free agent Amik Robertson.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Oregon State
• 6'6"
/ 324 lbs
Right tackle Ryan Ramczyk's NFL future is uncertain as he deals with a knee condition, and the Saints ended up moving guard Andrus Peat to left tackle midseason after Trevor Penning performed poorly and James Hurst got hurt. All that to say this: New Orleans needs a star-studded tackle. Taliese Fuaga has the size, power and technique to be that player.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
LSU
• 6'2"
/ 209 lbs
Not only do the Colts re-sign Michael Pittman Jr., but they get him a running mate in Brian Thomas Jr. Overshadowed by Malik Nabers at LSU, Thomas ran a blazing 4.33-second 40-yard dash -- at nearly 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds. Not only can he take the top off the defense, but he can make contested catches for Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
Jared Verse
EDGE
Florida State
• 6'4"
/ 260 lbs
If not for Dallas Turner, Jared Verse would have been the star of the position group at the combine. The Florida State standout had a strong finish to the season, and he kept that momentum going in Indianapolis. New head coach Mike Macdonald starts his tenure in Seattle with a big-time edge rusher.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Texas
• 6'0"
/ 306 lbs
A few weeks ago, I had the Jaguars taking defensive tackle Johnny Newton. This time around, I have them taking Byron Murphy. The reasoning remains the same: the Jaguars need to get more pressure from the interior defensive line, and Murphy can be that guy.
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Round 1 - Pick 18
JC Latham
OT
Alabama
• 6'6"
/ 342 lbs
Protect Joe Burrow at all costs -- that needs to be the goal for the Bengals this offseason. Cincinnati lets right tackle Jonah Williams walk in free agency and replaces him with JC Latham.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
Laiatu Latu
EDGE
UCLA
• 6'5"
/ 265 lbs
Laiatu Latu didn't test as well as the other top edge rushers, but he's technically sound and super productive. Those qualities will translate to the NFL.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
Oregon
• 6'3"
/ 328 lbs
Easy one here. Steelers select the Oregon Mauler to replace the recently released Mason Cole.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Troy Fautanu
IOL
Washington
• 6'4"
/ 317 lbs
With several high-priced stars, the Dolphins need to get younger and cheaper at a multitude of positions. They opt for the interior offensive line here with Troy Fautanu, who played left tackle at Washington but is expected to kick inside as a pro.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
Chop Robinson
EDGE
Penn State
• 6'3"
/ 254 lbs
The Eagles once again land a defender who should have been selected higher. Chop Robinson's length isn't ideal, but his speed and explosiveness were on full display at the NFL Combine.
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From
Cleveland Browns
Round 1 - Pick 23
Nate Wiggins
CB
Clemson
• 6'1"
/ 182 lbs
Nate Wiggins's NFL Combine was cut short due to a hip flexor injury, but he showed what he needed to by running the second-fastest 40-yard dash at the event (4.28 seconds). He's super light (173 pounds) and needs to show more aggressiveness against the run, but I'd trust DeMeco Ryans to get the most out of the Clemson standout.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Amarius Mims
OT
Georgia
• 6'8"
/ 350 lbs
All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith is reportedly going to hit free agency, so the Cowboys find his replacement in Amarius Mims.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
Iowa
• 6'0"
/ 198 lbs
The Packers have used 12 of their past 13 first-round picks on the defensive side of the ball -- with the lone offensive player being Jordan Love -- and I expect that to continue this year. Green Bay grabs an Iowa player for the second straight year in cornerback Cooper DeJean, who reunites with the team's 2023 first-round pick, edge rusher Lukas Van Ness.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Texas
• 6'2"
/ 205 lbs
It appears as though Mike Evans will be playing elsewhere in 2024, so the Buccaneers draft his replacement. At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Adonai Mitchell ranked third among WRs in the 40-yard dash (4.34 seconds) and first in the broad jump (11-foot-4) and added an impressive 39.5-inch vertical jump. The Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year solidified himself as a Round 1 pick at the NFL Combine.
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From
Houston Texans
Round 1 - Pick 27
Illinois
• 6'2"
/ 295 lbs
A Jones fracture near his pinky toe prevented Jer'Zhan Newton from participating at the NFL Combine, but he's still a first-round talent and a player the Cardinals could use along their defensive front.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Texas
• 5'11"
/ 165 lbs
If you break the NFL Combine record in the 40-yard dash, you automatically go in the first round of my next mock draft. And Xavier Worthy is more than just the 4.21-second 40 he ran in Indianapolis; he led the Big 12 in receiving yards (2,755) and receiving touchdowns (26) over the past three seasons. With Gabe Davis leaving in free agency, the Bills add the Texas speedster to take the top off the defense and add more firepower for Josh Allen.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
Alabama
• 5'11"
/ 199 lbs
The Lions make Kool-Aid McKinstry the second Alabama DB off the board to help improve their secondary.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Tyler Guyton
OT
Oklahoma
• 6'7"
/ 322 lbs
One of the better offensive tackles in this class falls right into the Ravens lap. Ronnie Stanley and/or Morgan Moses could be cap casualties this offseason, so Tyler Guyton makes a ton of sense.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Darius Robinson
EDGE
Missouri
• 6'5"
/ 285 lbs
Three of the 49ers' top-four edge rushers are set to become free agents, leaving Nick Bosa as the only proven pass rusher for the reigning NFC champions. San Francisco fixes that by adding the big and versatile Darius Robinson.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Georgia
• 6'0"
/ 185 lbs
Daniel Jeremiah said on the NFL Combine broadcast that the rest of the league can't let the Chiefs draft Ladd McConkey. The other 31 teams don't listen as Patrick Mahomes gets a much-needed weapon at wideout.
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