As of 8 p.m. ET tonight, it's officially 2024 NFL Draft week. Well, it won't really feel like that until Monday, but yes, we have made it. Sort of. One week out from Caleb Williams going No. 1 overall to the Bears then all hell breaking loose with what happens after that.
We are under the assumption the Commanders will pick Jayden Daniels at No. 2 overall. That's not nearly as set in stone as Williams to Chicago, though. And it's anyone's guess as to what the Patriots do. Pick a quarterback. Or trade back. That's when the draft really starts.
John Breech is getting a well-deserved break for the time being as we've rebranded the Pick Six newsletter through the end of April. I, CBS Sports NFL Draft analyst Chris Trapasso, will be with you every step of the way. Honored.
Before I begin with today's newsletter, this paragraph will be your daily reminder to tell all your buddies and that one friend who's adamant your team NEEDS to trade up in the first round to sign up for the With the First Pick newsletter. All you have to do is click here and then share this link with them.
1. Today's NFL mock draft 🔮: Michael Penix Jr. to ... the Falcons
Our lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones struck a perfect chord with his one and only mock of draft season. He brought the heat without being too hot takey with his selections.
1. Chicago Bears -- Caleb Williams, QB, USC
2. Washington Commanders -- Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
3. New England Patriots -- Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
4. Arizona Cardinals -- Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Cardinals
5. Minnesota Vikings (via mock trade with Chargers) -- J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
8. Atlanta Falcons -- Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
11. Los Angeles Chargers (via mock trade with Vikings) -- Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
21. Miami Dolphins -- Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State
31. San Francisco 49ers -- Darius Robinson, EDGE/DL, Missouri
What creativity, right? The Dolphins set new land speed records every Sunday if they added Worthy to that offense. Bowers as the new No. 1 target for Justin Herbert? Sign me up. I also low-key love Chop to the Buccaneers. After the Shaq Barrett departure, that's a defensive front that could use dynamic talent around the corner.
Oh and yeah, Penix to the Falcons! GM Terry Fontenot thinking ahead. I like it! This mock from JJ also features a variety of trades, not just the chalky Vikings-Chargers swap. It's a dandy with a week to go.
2. 'With the First Pick' podcast 🎧: Three-round mock
Multi-round mocks are all the rage these days, and in the latest WTFP episode, Rick and Ryan went through the first 100 selections in this year's draft. A few spoilers, Michael Penix Jr. goes pretty darn early -- not as early as to the Falcons at No. 8 though -- Jackson Powers-Johnson is selected as the heir apparent to Jason Kelce in Philadelphia in Round 1, and Ricky Pearsall is the first pick in the second round to the Panthers.
Oh by the way, this was mock draft 14.0 for the guys. Salute.
3. Prospect of the day 📈: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
Yesterday I highlighted a cornerback from South Dakota. Today, a receiver from Texas. Stark contrast there. Mitchell is one of the most fascinating and, frankly, enigmatic prospects in the entire draft. He's tall, really fast, and a smooth route runner. However, he usually took a backseat to rocket Xavier Worthy in the Texas offense after transferring there from Georgia.
Then again, Mitchell did pop in all the College Football Playoff games in which he played, with six touchdowns in six of those high-profile games. There are some low-energy reps on film and some freaky displays of his acceleration, fluidity as an athlete, and ball skills coupled with NBA-like leaping ability.
Does he go in the first round? Probably. If not, he'll be one of the first selections in the second round. Mitchell is too talented to be picked any later than that.
- Notable combine results: 4.34 in the 40-yard dash, 39.5inch vertical, 11-foot-4 broad
- Combine measurements: 6-foot-2 2/8", 208 pounds
- Current CBS Sports prospect ranking: No. 24 (WR5)
4. Buyer Beware prospects 👀
One of my favorite -- and, yes, controversial -- pieces every draft season. It's not that I'm a curmudgeon, quite the opposite, actually. It's just that when you evaluate around 250-300 prospects in a draft cycle, you're bound to find a handful you think are drastically overvalued. Sure, highlighting prospects you love is considerably more fun, pinpointing those you just don't see it with is part of the job.
This year, the Buyer Beware team is only four prospects. And these are narrowed down to those who are presumably going to be either first- or reasonably early second-round selections who I don't believe will ultimately meet the expectations that naturally come with that lofty draft status.
5. News & Notes 📝
- Seven-round mock draft. Fellow draft analyst Josh Edwards predicted all 257 picks in this draft, and completing that endeavor deserves to be highlighted. See your team's entire draft haul right here.
- Steelers have inquired about Brandon Aiyuk. This report comes via The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and it states the Steelers have had contact with the 49ers about a potential trade. Does this hint at what Pittsburgh wants to do in the first round next week?
- Bill Belichick picks the one NFL player who was ready Day 1. In his first appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," the future Hall of Fame coach mentioned the one player he coached who didn't need any development. Hints: It's a defender who he coached during his time as the defensive coordinator of the Giants.
- Giants hosting pair of QBs on pre-draft visits. And not the ones you're thinking of. It's Bo Nix and Spencer Rattler, presumably options if the Giants are left out in the cold in Round 1 at the quarterback spot.
