2024 NFL Mock Draft: Steelers sign Kirk Cousins and Raiders add Russell Wilson, creating fascinating Round 1

For those who celebrate -- and I'm assuming you do -- happy NFL Combine week. This 2024 draft class is loaded at the top with plenty of blue-chip prospects, and the depth at offensive tackle, wide receiver, quarterback, edge rusher and even running back is impressive. 

But as is the case every year early in combine week, as head coaches and general managers step up to the podium to speak to the media, a lot of the chatter is about veteran movement coming in March, either via free agency or trade. 

In the spirit of that, for this mock, let's play some musical chairs with the veteran quarterbacks who could be on the move with some guesses at landing spots. 

• Baker Mayfield signs with the Falcons
• Kirk Cousins signs with the Steelers
• Russell Wilson traded to the Raiders 
• Justin Fields traded to the Seahawks
• Jacoby Brissett signs with the Patriots

And with those transactions in mind, let's go ...

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

Round 1 - Pick 1 Caleb Williams QB USC • 6'1" / 215 lbs Projected Team Chicago PROSPECT RNK 2nd POSITION RNK 1st We need to check scenarios in which the Bears trade out here, because it's possible. But my money is on Chicago actually making the pick at No. 1 overall this time around.

Round 1 - Pick 2 Jayden Daniels QB LSU • 6'4" / 210 lbs Projected Team Washington PROSPECT RNK 6th POSITION RNK 2nd Kliff Kingsbury gets to go from working with Williams at USC to another Heisman-winning quarterback in his rookie season in the NFL.

Mock Trade from New England Patriots Round 1 - Pick 3 Drake Maye QB North Carolina • 6'4" / 225 lbs Projected Team Minnesota PROSPECT RNK 8th POSITION RNK 3rd New Vikings quarterback coach Josh McCown was Maye's high school coach in the Charlotte area just five years ago. The Vikings need to finally swing for the fences at quarterback, and do so.

Round 1 - Pick 4 Marvin Harrison Jr. WR Ohio State • 6'4" / 205 lbs Projected Team Arizona PROSPECT RNK 1st POSITION RNK 1st Pop the champagne corks in the Cardinals draft room. Quarterbacks go with the top three picks, so Harrison falls into their lap.

Round 1 - Pick 5 Taliese Fuaga OT Oregon State • 6'6" / 324 lbs Projected Team L.A. Chargers PROSPECT RNK 14th POSITION RNK 4th Fuaga is a menacing plug-and-play right tackle, which is desperately needed in Los Angeles.

Round 1 - Pick 6 J.J. McCarthy QB Michigan • 6'3" / 219 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Giants PROSPECT RNK 19th POSITION RNK 4th I can't see Joe Schoen leaving this first round without a quarterback. McCarthy has sky-high upside.

Round 1 - Pick 7 Joe Alt OT Notre Dame • 6'8" / 322 lbs Projected Team Tennessee PROSPECT RNK 17th POSITION RNK 5th Back-to-back first-round picks to solidify the left side of the line in front of Will Levis, who flashed as a rookie.

Round 1 - Pick 8 Laiatu Latu EDGE UCLA • 6'5" / 265 lbs Projected Team Atlanta PROSPECT RNK 11th POSITION RNK 2nd The Falcons add a premier, NFL-ready outside rusher to the defense. Huge need filled.

Round 1 - Pick 9 Malik Nabers WR LSU • 6'0" / 200 lbs Projected Team Chicago PROSPECT RNK 3rd POSITION RNK 2nd Exquisite top 10 for the Bears. Williams at No. 1 and the most purely explosive wideout in the class, with impeccable ball-tracking abilities, at No. 9. The offense is set to take off.

Round 1 - Pick 10 Olumuyiwa Fashanu OT Penn State • 6'6" / 312 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 4th POSITION RNK 1st Everyone's happy with this top 10, right? The Jets add another first-round investment up front, and Fashanu has All-Pro capabilities.

Mock Trade from Minnesota Vikings Round 1 - Pick 11 Rome Odunze WR Washington • 6'3" / 215 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 13th POSITION RNK 3rd The Patriots are playing the long game with their trade back, and landing a premier talent at tight end is totally fine. In the slide back, they traded No. 3 overall and a fifth-rounder to get this pick, the Vikings' second-round selection (No. 42 overall) and 2025 first- and fourth-round picks in return.

Round 1 - Pick 12 Bo Nix QB Oregon • 6'2" / 217 lbs Projected Team Denver PROSPECT RNK 37th POSITION RNK 6th If the Broncos do trade Russell Wilson, they'll of course be in the quarterback market. Nix became an awesome point guard after transferring to Oregon, and that's precisely what Sean Payton would ask him to do in his offense.

Round 1 - Pick 13 Terrion Arnold CB Alabama • 6'0" / 199 lbs Projected Team Las Vegas PROSPECT RNK 15th POSITION RNK 2nd Arnold is a super-fluid athlete who became a ballhawking corner in his final season at Alabama. Huge boost for the Raiders secondary.

Round 1 - Pick 14 Brock Bowers TE Georgia • 6'4" / 230 lbs Projected Team New Orleans PROSPECT RNK 7th POSITION RNK 1st The Saints need more offensive weapons in the pass game, and Bowers is about as ready as they come as a receiving tight end.

Round 1 - Pick 15 Nate Wiggins CB Clemson • 6'1" / 182 lbs Projected Team Indianapolis PROSPECT RNK 23rd POSITION RNK 3rd Wiggins is a sleek athlete on the perimeter who was around the football often in the air for the Tigers in 2023.

Round 1 - Pick 16 Byron Murphy II DL Texas • 6'0" / 306 lbs Projected Team Seattle PROSPECT RNK 16th POSITION RNK 1st How about Murphy and Dre'Mont Jones, two sleek inside rushers, in Mike Macdonald's new-look defense in Seattle?

Round 1 - Pick 17 JC Latham OT Alabama • 6'6" / 342 lbs Projected Team Jacksonville PROSPECT RNK 12th POSITION RNK 3rd Latham would be a prudent selection for a Jaguars team that needs to get the most out of Trevor Lawrence.

Round 1 - Pick 18 Brian Thomas Jr. WR LSU • 6'2" / 209 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 26th POSITION RNK 4th If the Tee Higgins franchise tag becomes an issue, another sizable and athletic wideout would be sensible for the Bengals offense. I have a feeling Thomas is going to be a riser during the pre-draft process. Big and fast.

Round 1 - Pick 19 Kamren Kinchens S Miami (FL) • 5'11" / 207 lbs Projected Team L.A. Rams PROSPECT RNK 38th POSITION RNK 1st If the Tee Higgins franchise tag becomes an issue, another sizable and athletic wideout would be sensible for the Bengals offense. I have a feeling Thomas is going to be a riser during the pre-draft process. Big and fast.

Round 1 - Pick 20 Jackson Powers-Johnson IOL Oregon • 6'3" / 328 lbs Projected Team Pittsburgh PROSPECT RNK 28th POSITION RNK 1st The Steelers have a glaring hole at center, and while they may be into West Virginia's Zach Frazier in Round 2, they go with the bigger, more powerful Powers-Johnson here to pan the pivot.

Round 1 - Pick 21 Jordan Morgan OT Arizona • 6'5" / 311 lbs Projected Team Miami PROSPECT RNK 39th POSITION RNK 7th Morgan is the type of highly capable athlete at tackle Mike McDaniel will love.

Round 1 - Pick 22 Quinyon Mitchell CB Toledo • 6'0" / 193 lbs Projected Team Philadelphia PROSPECT RNK 5th POSITION RNK 1st Mitchell to the Eagles fits like a glove. He's big, physical, plays with sticky coverage and finds the football frequently in the air.

From Cleveland Browns Round 1 - Pick 23 Cooper DeJean CB Iowa • 6'0" / 198 lbs Projected Team Houston PROSPECT RNK 35th POSITION RNK 7th DeMeco Ryans adds a secondary chess piece to the defense with twitchy movements and plus ball skills.

Round 1 - Pick 24 Edgerrin Cooper LB Texas A&M • 6'2" / 229 lbs Projected Team Dallas PROSPECT RNK 43rd POSITION RNK 1st I think Cooper has a huge combine workout that could skyrocket his stock this high. The Cowboys need more linebacker help.

Round 1 - Pick 25 Tyler Nubin S Minnesota • 6'2" / 210 lbs Projected Team Green Bay PROSPECT RNK 40th POSITION RNK 2nd Nubin's an instincts-and-range-based safety who'll bring a huge playmaking element to the backend of the Packers defense.

Round 1 - Pick 26 Dallas Turner EDGE Alabama • 6'3" / 247 lbs Projected Team Tampa Bay PROSPECT RNK 9th POSITION RNK 1st Turner enjoyed a productive 2023 at Alabama and has plus athleticism around the corner.

From Houston Texans Round 1 - Pick 27 Chop Robinson EDGE Penn State • 6'3" / 254 lbs Projected Team Arizona PROSPECT RNK 21st POSITION RNK 4th Head coach Jonathan Gannon sees a little Haason Reddick in Robinson when he's flying around the corner.

Round 1 - Pick 28 Troy Franklin WR Oregon • 6'3" / 180 lbs Projected Team Buffalo PROSPECT RNK 49th POSITION RNK 9th Franklin is a tall speedster whose numbers increased in each of his three seasons at Oregon. There's some after-the-catch juice to his game too. Precisely what the Bills need offensively.

Round 1 - Pick 29 Ennis Rakestraw Jr. CB Missouri • 5'11" / 191 lbs Projected Team Detroit PROSPECT RNK 29th POSITION RNK 5th The Lions got it done with a mostly patchwork secondary in their breakout 2023. Rakestraw's physicality and coverage skills make him an awesome find this late in Round 1.

Round 1 - Pick 30 Darius Robinson EDGE Missouri • 6'5" / 285 lbs Projected Team Baltimore PROSPECT RNK 25th POSITION RNK 6th Robinson is the classic oversized super-versatility Ravens type of defensive lineman.

Round 1 - Pick 31 Kingsley Suamataia OT BYU • 6'4" / 326 lbs Projected Team San Francisco PROSPECT RNK 47th POSITION RNK 9th Kyle Shanahan may very well be drawn to the freaky athletic gifts of Suamataia's as the eventual heir apparent to Trent Williams.

Round 1 - Pick 32 Ladd McConkey WR Georgia • 6'0" / 185 lbs Projected Team Kansas City PROSPECT RNK 55th POSITION RNK 11th