2024 Mock Draft - Should Pick and Will Pick

Hello Draft Compass Fans! Time for the annual Should Pick and Will Pick Mock Draft of 2024 (possible version 1, we will see).

Per usually, I will assert my not so humble opinions on what each team should do and what they will do (many times against my recommendation should they call me on draft day). No trades here, though I think there will be a few in the top 10. 

 

 

1. Bears – The Bears traded away Fields to open the door for a QB here, one specific QB, that everybody knows is going down pending a surprise trade.

 

Should Pick: Caleb Williams QB, USC – This is a painted themselves into a corner type of decision. I am not sure Caleb Williams is going to be great but every single one of the top QBs have flaws and Caleb has the best upside. If they still had Fields, my pick might be a little different.

 

Will Pick: Same – Poles knows that if he goes with anybody else and is wrong, it is his job. If he sticks with Williams and he is wrong he could still have a job.

 

 

2.Commanders – The Commanders need a lot but QB is the top of the list with trading away Sam Howell. However, the lines are getting a little blurred here with speculation on any of the next three QBs. 

 

Should Pick: Drake Maye QB, North Carolina – I do not think there should be a doubt that this is the best pick here. When I watched the tape on Drake Maye, I saw an NFL QB that just needs some refinement. Half of being an NFL QB is being a leader and he was able to take the Captain’s wheel (or whatever metaphor you want here). I feel like Maye has suffered a little from offseason over analysis.

 

Will Pick: Same – The Commanders need somebody that can step in right away and I do not think that is Daniels. Would I be surprised if we look back five years from now and Daniels is the best of the QBs, no. But you have to go for the more pro ready when you have traded away Howell, who could have held down the fort if not for them wanting to draft his college back-up.

 

 

3. Patriots – I think that the Patriots are not keeping this pick at all. I have so many scenarios where they move down, chiefly, I think the QB they want is one they get later. But no trades in this scenario

 

Should Pick: Marvin Harrison Jr. WR, Ohio State – Maybe controversial but I figure you grab possibly the best player in this draft here. Then roll the dice and grab your QB in the 2^nd. There is a wide enough, though not that wide, gap between Harrison and the next two top WR.

 

Will Pick: Jayden Daniels QB, LSU – While it would be fun to see them take Harrison here, this is the right fit for Daniels as they have a structure in place to let him develop a little this year behind Zappe and Brissett. That said, I do still think this pick gets traded to either the Vikings or the Chargers. Or possibly the Chargers then Vikings.

 

 

4. Cardinals – Cardinals have somewhat telegraphed the position they want here so it is just how the cards fall with the two previous picks

 

Should Pick: Rome Odunze WR, Washington – With Harrison gone in this scenario Odunze is next up on my list. I know a lot of others put Nabers ahead of him but I will take Odunze’s stature and ability to avoid the press. But splitting hairs here as I think all three top WRs will be great in the NFL.

 

Will Pick: Marvin Harrison Jr. WR, Ohio State – There should be no question here when the Cardinals take the podium assuming nobody leap frogs them. MH Jr has even been quoted as saying that his preferred team is the Cardinals. 

 

 

5. Chargers – Much like the Cardinals but to a much larger degree the Chargers have telegraphed that they want a WR here. I do think that Quenton Johnston has gotten a bad rap from his rookie year and there is still hope for him.

 

Should Pick: Malik Nabers WR, LSU – Nabers has all the tools you need but is going to have to make some adjustments in the NFL. Additionally, he is an excellent compliment to Johnston and it will set the Chargers up with two very good targets for a number of years. I will say there is certainly temptation to take Brock Bowers here though because he is not really a TE and will be more of a big slot WR.

 

Will Pick: Same – Chargers prefer Nabers over Odunze and again, it might be splitting hairs.

 

 

6. Giants – Daniel Jones is not a great QB but he is serviceable so why not work to get him more weapons. There is temptation for an OL as well since they have never quite gotten the Tackle they need. 

 

Should Pick: Joe Alt OT , Notre Dame – The Giants have bumbled getting the right OT for a number of years now. Evan Neal was a part of a desperation set of tackles coming out of college. Alt is the head of the class of a bunch of very good tackles. Protect your QB first and foremost and he will look better. 

 

Will Pick: Rome Odunze WR, Washington – Foregoing the best OT in this draft the Giants look to build weapons around Daniel Jones. It would be very hard to argue this pick based on the Giants WR room. Odunze struggles to be anything but decent with Jones and blossoms with whoever takes over in the next few seasons. 

 

 

7. Titans – The Titans are moving forward with Levis as the QB so they are likely going to focus on protecting him as they should. But there may be some temptation to go with best player available here. 

 

Should Pick: Brock Bowers TE, Georgia – With Joe Alt being taken at this point, the Titans have to go with best player available. This draft is deep enough that a potential starting tackle could be in round 2. Bowers is never going to be a true TE but a creative coach can create mismatches with a weapon like Bowers. Bowers also takes some pressure off of Levis as he can be a reliable second read.

 

Will Pick: Joe Alt OT, Notre Dame – With Alt here in this scenario it should be a no brainer to grab him to protect your new franchise quarterback. 

 

 

8. Falcons – For better or for worse, the Falcons are going with Kirk Cousins and he should be a step up from Ridder (whom I am not discounting as a future starter at this point). They also just hired a defensive coach who is likely to build the team from defense to offense since Cousins is a game manager type.

 

Should Pick: Dallas Turner Edge, Alabama – Turner is not a finished product but the upside is there to assist the Falcons with their transition to a 3-4. He is more of a speed rusher at this point but he can grow into some power over time. You have to be able to put pressure on the QB or have a strong back-end so it is a flip of a coin.

 

Will Pick: Quinyon Williams CB, Toledo – It is hard to argue getting a pass-rusher or a CB at this point. Solidifying the secondary with two shut-down CBs is not a bad plan so the Falcons go that way in order to pick up a pass-rusher later or go with what they already have.

 

 

9. Bears – The Bears could use a slot receiver but I expect that they will find one later. A big temptation here could be Brock Bowers as well. But they also could use a pass rusher. Look for them to trade down and pick up more picks for later in the draft on draft day.

 

Should Pick: Laiatu Latu Edge, UCLA – There are some injury concerns here for sure. But watch the tape on Latu and it is hard to find a pass-rusher that has his combination of power and relentlessness. Take the gamble here and you have a ferocious pass rush with him and Sweat.

 

Will Pick: Same – While I think Poles will have some pause here with the injury concerns, Latu is the type of guy you want on your team along with the aforementioned traits.

 

 

10.  Jets – The Jets could certainly go with adding weapons for Rodgers here but the reality is that Rodgers makes WRs better but he also hangs onto the ball for a long time. That is recipe for protection above all else. I know they have brought in a few guys but those are journeymen and the Jets have to reinforce across the board. 

 

Should Pick: Taliese Fuaga T, Oregon State – I can see an argument here for Fashanu over Fuaga (or Fauntanu…why are 3 of the 4 top OTs F last names?) but I think Fuaga is the best all around OT between those three by a thread. He has more power and nasty at this point. 

 

Will Pick: Same – Do everything to protect Rodgers at this point. He can do the rest if you give him time.

 

 

11. Vikings – The Vikings are desperate for a QB at this point. But in one of the scenarios, I question the value of the QBs here. They do not want to make the Christian Ponder mistake again. But, the Vikings will stink of desperation at this point. As said it is a near certainty that they will trade up. 

 

Should Pick: Jayden Daniels QB, LSU – At this point, Daniels is far too talented to be here and there is so much upside. Additionally, there is less pressure to force him to start week 1 so this would be an excellent pick in this scenario.

 

Will Pick: JJ McCarthy QB, Michigan – Let’s be honest with ourselves here, McCarthy is not any better of a prospect than Andy Dalton was coming out of college and I might say that Dalton was a better prospect. I think a strong argument could be made for either Penix or Nix here. McCarthy is an okay player and all but his tape has a bit of inaccuracy and a lot of play action to it. But the Vikings bumbled things a bit and are forced to take a QB here.

 

 

12. Broncos – The Broncos are certainly QB hungry and have a shot at a talented player at QB here in either scenario. All of the QBs in this draft have some pockmarks but also have some high upside so they have to take their shot. 

 

Should Pick: Michael Penix Jr. QB, Washington – There is plenty of argument against me here and I understand. But my turning point here was watching a defensive player on Oregon State against both Nix and Penix. Penix showed me that he has that skill you want in a QB: It did not matter what they threw at him, he found a way to just keep coming at them. I have already expressed my option on McCarthy so he is out.

 

Will Pick: Bo Nix QB, Oregon – Nix definitely has the tools so this pick will make perfect sense. I just keep questioning what I saw at the Senior Bowl with Nix’s one series and him looking very average then Spencer Rattler outplaying him. One game, I know, but it was a game that should have mattered and Rattler stepped up when Nix did not. That said, at least Nix practiced and played in the game so we give him credit here. All of that said, this is a good pick here.

 

 

13. Raiders – Well, if nothing else the Raiders did finally take my advice from last year and fire Josh McDaniels. On to draft needs though, the Raiders could go in a lot of directions here. Their biggest need may be QB but anybody here is probably a reach in the will pick scenario. I am also pretty entertained by the battle of mustaches with the QB position so they should probably just go with that. 

 

Should Pick: Jer’Zhan Newton DT, Illinois – I know Tyree Wilson was a disappointment last year but they guy is oozing with talent so let’s bet that he rights his ship. Now let’s consider a front four with Wilson, Newton (Jenkins on run downs), Wilkins, and Crosby. No need to blitz with that kind of pass rush. Go ahead, double team Wilson and/or Wilkins and Newton gets home. 

 

Will Pick: Troy Fautanu OL, Washington – The Raiders need Offensive Line help, Fautanu can play guard or tackle, and he is the best overall OL on the board here. This would be a quietly shrewd pick by the Raiders.

 

 

14. Saints – One thing that is a little complicated here is the status of Ryan Ramcyk. That may alter decisions on draft day. If they think he will be okay, then there is a little less pressure to bring in an Offensive Lineman, though the rest of the OL is not particularly inspiring.

 

Should Pick: Olumuyiwa Fashanu OT, Penn State – At this point, they should take the gamble since their offensive line is not particularly strong. If Ramcyk can come back, great you have a RT or guard that can start. If not, then you have your left tackle for now and the future.

 

Will Pick: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia– Quite simply, way too good to pass up at this point. Your offense instantly becomes better and Carr has a premier difference maker every time he drops back. 

 

 

15. Colts – The Colts should be okay on offense but could use some talent on defense in the back seven. Plenty of talent to choose from in both scenarios.

 

Should Pick: Quinyon Williams CB, Toledo – The Colts could go in a few different directions here but Williams is probably the best cover corner in this draft. Caliber of competition is the only thing holding him back and he looked fine at the Senior Bowl.

 

Will Pick: Cooper DeJean DB, Iowa – DeJean will start out at CB and if he is not the right fit he moves to safety. Either way it is a need for the Colts. 

 

 

16. Seahawks – It feels like the Seahawks have had the same needs for years, offensive line and pass rushers. Their picks have been mildly to unsuccessful so they need to get it right here. There are definitely some good choices here. 

 

Should Pick: Troy Fautanu OL, Washington – It is time for the Seahawks to get this right. It really does not matter where Fautanu plays, he has demonstrated he is a skillful lineman. If he sticks at guard, fine, but could push for either tackle spot as well.  

 

Will Pick: Dallas Turner Edge, Alabama – The upside is far too great to pass on Turner at this point in the draft. In the past, their mistakes have been reaching for pass-rushers but in this case it is taking a pass-rusher who has fallen a bit.

 

 

17. Jaguars – Despite being a pretty decent team the Jaguars have a lot of holes here and there so they could go in a lot of different directions. They should not hold back and grabbing the best player available.

 

Should Pick: Cooper DeJean DB, Iowa – DeJean is going to be one of the most interesting players coming out of this draft since he has a ton of position versatility. Jaguars need defensive playmakers at both CB and Safety so wherever he ends up will help the team.

 

Will Pick: Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State – Verse has a ton of upside but inconsistent tape. The upside is what lands him here but I am not so sure he is worth the risk. The Jaguars could fill other gaps that would help the team more. But they go with the upside and that good pass rushers are hard to find.

 

 

18. Bengals – The Bengals are getting a bit long in the tooth with defensive tackle and there just so happens to be a good player in both scenarios. Other thoughts and possibilities is to address the OL but they are okay there for now.

 

Should Pick: Byron Murphy DT, Texas – There are some that have Murphy ahead of Newton and I am not going to go that far but he is a darn good player. Bulky enough but with some quickness, he will help to bring some youth and a new dimension to this defensive line.

 

Will Pick: Same – Murphy is a rare enough talent that they will not pass him up so the defense can continue to take the pressure off of Burrow.

 

 

19. Rams – Wait? The Rams have a first round pick? That cannot be right. I guess they do! The Rams also seem to do weird things on draft day.

 

Should Pick: Nate Wiggins CB, Clemson – Wiggins has the right mix of skills and confidence to fit right into this team. Certainly, his lack of power and weight is a concern but he is a very good cornerback with top end speed.

 

Will Pick: Jer’Zhan Newton DT, Illinois – I have a suspicion that they are going to be in a mild panic mode from losing Aaron Donald, see Newton on the board, and just go for it.

 

 

20. Steelers – Trading for Justin Fields was a good move. While I am not sold on Fields yet, they paid so little for him and he is at the very least a good QB when Wilson gets hurt or benched. This will allow for the Steelers to refocus elsewhere. 

 

Should Pick: Jackson Powers-Johnson C, Oregon – A possible over the hill QB and youngish QB waiting in the wings would indicate it would be smart to protect them. With Broderick Jones being picked last year, they hone in on the middle of the line and grab a straight up nasty angry player to lead the OL.

 

Will Pick: Nate Wiggins CB, Clemson – While there may be some other identifiable needs, Wiggins can do the things that Porter cannot do and vice versa. The perfect matchup of different chess pieces to solidify the defensive backfield for them.

 

 

21. Dolphins – The Dolphins have holes on both the interiors of the defensive and offensive line. Unless they want to reach with a defensive lineman there are some pretty solid offensive lineman in both scenarios. 

 

Should Pick: Graham Barton OT, Duke – While Latham and Mims are available here and both could play in the interior to learn the ropes, Barton is the nastiest player among the three and fits best inside where he can use his technique and power. Nice fit for the Dolphins here.

 

Will Pick: Olumuyiwa Fashanu OT, Penn State – The Dolphins clearly need OL or DL. At this point, the DL well is a little dry. Fashanu can start out at guard and then become the eventual LT. Not a bad pick at this point.

 

 

 

22. Eagles – The Eagles have a few needs and they are trying to patch up their defense a bit. With a strong front four and some holes in the back-end of the defense and a deep cornerback class, CB is an ideal area to address here.

 

Should Pick: Terrion Arnold CB, Alabama – I am not sure that Arnold is an ideal top CB but he handled the pressure of teams avoiding McKinstry and picking on him quite well. That mentality of helping the team no matter what is going to serve him well on the Eagles as he continues to grow into his position. 

 

Will Pick: Same – Both scenarios align here with the Eagles getting a quality player that can help them right away. 

 

 

23. Vikings – We know it is quite unlikely that the Vikings will still have this pick on draft day, but for the scenario we move forward. Having addressed QB with their first pick they can focus on other needs. 

 

Should Pick: Amarius Mims OL, Georgia – In this scenario Barton is gone so they role the dice on that mammoth Mims. Start him at guard and continue to develop him in the hopes that he can become a tackle. Either way, you are protecting your new young QB.

 

Will Pick: Graham Barton OL, Duke – The Vikings could use some reinforcements and attitude in the middle of the offensive line and Graham fits that perfectly. Easy and logical pick at this point.

 

 

24. Cowboys – The Cowboys were beaten up bad in their final game of the year and have a few areas that they can address to right the ship. Both OL and CB should be top of their mind. 

 

Should Pick: JC Latham OT, Alabama – Latham could use a little more nasty in his game but he is a solid overall player who knows his business. May never be a the top OT in the NFL but should be solid for a long time.

 

Will Pick: Kool-Aid McKinstry CB, Alabama – Foregoing offensive line, the Cowboys go with the big name CB to prevent teams from throwing all over them. He should be a nice compliment to Diggs as well.

 

 

25. Packers – The Packer softened major needs with free agency but also left the door open to bring in a young guy at a few positions if available. Gutekunst has consistently surprised us with his picks and tends to hone in on a favorite player. This makes the Will Pick Scenario difficult. The general media saying that the Packers need OT desparately is only looking at the overall stats from the year and not the tail end of the year with Rasheed Walker. Could the upgrade, certainly, but it has to be the right player.

 

Should Pick: Kool-Aid McKinstry CB, Alabama – I was certainly tempted to grab Payton Wilson here but that might just cause the very problem I am trying to fix by drafting McKinstry. Eric Stokes had a good rookie year with some great flashes. But he has not been able to recover from injury. I know McKinstry is injured but that is minor and his upside is immense. Pairing him with Jaire Alexander and having the depth behind them would allow for a lot of interesting moving pieces.

 

Will Pick: Jackson Powers-Johnson C, Oregon – Not the sexiest pick but the Packers need to solidify the interior of the offensive line. If that is putting JPJ at Center and making Josh Meyers compete at guard, so be it. You have to wonder if Myers would function better at guard anyways. JPJ has the kind of nasty you want in a Center.

 

 

26. Buccaneers – The Buccaneers can really sit back and wait and see who the best player is on the board and grab them. They have holes that could be filled almost anywhere on the team so the can take advantage of a falling player.

 

Should Pick: Brian Thomas Jr. WR, LSU – Maybe not their greatest need but Thomas is going to compliment Mike Evans and add a weapon for Baker. The flaws in his game and being a relatively complimentary receiver at this point in his career is ripe for development while he plays the role of vertical threat.

 

Will Pick: Same – Why go anywhere else when you can get young blood in who is currently more of complimentary guy who can learn from one of the all-time greats at his position?

 

 

27. Cardinals – Cardinals swing back around after addressing WR with their first pick. Now they can begin to reassemble a once decent team. 

 

Should Pick: Ladd McConkey WR, Georgia – Why buy one when you can get two at almost twice the price? Okay, sounds a little nutty for sure but hear me out. Drafting two WRs in the first round instantly upgrades an offense that had some pretty average to bad production last year. McConkey is the anti-Hollywood Brown and is a very different style of WR than Odunze so it works.

 

Will Pick: Chris Braswell Edge, Alabama – The Cardinals need a pass-rusher and somebody reliable. Maybe some would call this a reach but this is the time to get a solid player over gambling on somebody—the Cardinals have lost most of those historically. 

 

 

 

28. Bills – The Bills had to move on from Stefon Diggs and now the cupboard is a bit bare so the need is pretty obvious. Still, it is not the worst idea to just see how things fall and go with the best player available instead of reaching if their guy is not there.

 

Should Pick: Troy Franklin WR, Oregon – The debate of WR vs QB in college is always an interesting one. Is it possible that Franklin made Nix look better (See Romeo Doubs and Mike Evans) certainly. He is not a perfect prospect but he has jets that you cannot teach along with a solid overall skillset. There was again some temptation to pull the trigger on Payton Wilson here as he could really do some interesting things on that defense…if he were healthy.

 

Will Pick: Ladd McConkey WR, Georgia  – The Bills just got rid of Diggs leaving a hole at WR. Recent history would dictate that they covet quickness at the WR position and McConkey fits right into that.

 

 

29. Lions – The Lions potentially missed their window last year so they will need to make a splash pick here. The recent news with Cam Sutton and his subsequent release complicates things quite a bit here.

 

Should Pick: Kamari Lassiter CB, Georgia – With the release of Cam Sutton the Lions have another hole to fill. They could use an offensive lineman here but need more an interior player at this point. Lassiter is a hard nosed and feisty CB and that is what the Lions have coveted of late.

 

Will Pick: Same – This pick makes all the sense in he world for the Lions.

 

 

30. Ravens – The Ravens have needs on the interior of the offensive line, edge, and CB. There are good ones to choose from here. 

 

Should Pick: Chop Robinson Edge, Penn State – The Ravens are always in the hunt for young athletic pass-rushers and Robinson’s raw talent is too much to pass up at this point. Even with Verse still on the board, I am taking my chances with Robinson’s upside over Verse who comes off as a little light in his boots when he gets a hard punch from an offensive lineman. 

 

Will Pick: Same – Robinson seems to be a Ravens type player and they could use a pass-rusher.

 

 

31. 49ers – The 49ers are strong in most areas so this is more of a reloading type of situation but they always seem to need OL and DL in the reserves. 

 

Should Pick: Tyler Guyton OL, Oklahoma – Guyton is a fringe first round talent but in some years would be first rounder with his potential. He is going to need some coaching for sure but the reward could be great here.

 

Will Pick: JC Latham T, Alabama – Latham may have some holes in his game at this point but he is a big strong (needs to continue to translate that) and the 49ers need to reinforce their O-Line so the fit is there with this pick.

 

 

32. Chiefs – Superbowl Champs have some areas of opportunity but just keep playing well so there are no absolute major needs.

 

Should Pick: Keon Coleman WR, Florida State – The Chiefs could use a few different types of WRs on this team. But Coleman’s skillset lends itself to catching the ball and the Chiefs were plagued by a lack of consistency with catching the ball.  

 

Will Pick: Amarius Mims OL, Georgia – It would be very hard to argue this pick as Mims has first round potential and just lacks experience. He is no sure thing but the gamble is worth it for the Superbowl Champs.

 

 

That is a wrap! I will continue to work on some future content and want to focus on the Packers and Bears picks next. With a conference coming up next weekend extra time is dwindling for a second mock draft but we will see!