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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Doug Farrar

2024 NFL Mock Draft: Pre-combine first-round projections with scouting reports

The scouting combine begins in earnest early next week, and for the coaches and executives who go, it’s just as much about discussing potential trades and free agency signings over shrimp cocktails at St. Elmo’s as it is about watching the draft prospects on hand to show their talents at Lucas Oil Stadium.

For the prospects themselves, it’s all on the line. Not only in the workouts (for those who are working out), but also in the round-robin 15-minute meetings with those coaches and executives. Basically, this is where you might secure your next domain as a player.

With all that in mind, here’s one first-round projection just before the scouting combine rolls around. This is the last mock draft of the year that’s based primarily on tape, as the rumor mill starts hard and heavy once boots are on the ground in Indianapolis.

A couple notes:

— The Chicago Bears stick with Justin Fields, and start to surround him with much more credible weapons.

— The Denver Broncos trade with the New England Patriots to move up from the 12th overall pick to the third overall pick to take their next franchise quarterback, hoping that works better for them than it did for the San Francisco 49ers and Trey Lance a few years back.

— We also have thumbnail scouting reports for a lot of these prospects; that library will grow and be added to this mock over the next few days.

Now, let’s get to the pre-combine mock!

1. Chicago Bears (from Carolina Panthers): Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

2. Washington Commanders: Caleb Williams, QB, USC

3. Denver Broncos (from New England Patriots): Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

4. Arizona Cardinals: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

(Syndication: The Daily Advertiser)

5. Los Angeles Chargers: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

(Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports)

6. New York Giants: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

7. Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

8. Atlanta Falcons: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

(Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)

9. Chicago Bears: Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa

(Syndication: The Des Moines Register)

10. New York Jets: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State

11. Minnesota Vikings: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

(Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY NETWORK)

 

12. New England Patriots (from Denver Broncos): Bo Nix, QB, Oregon

(Syndication: The Register Guard)

13. Las Vegas Raiders: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State

(Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports)

14. New Orleans Saints: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama

(Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports)

15. Indianapolis Colts: Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA

16. Seattle Seahawks: Johnny (Jer'Zhan) Newton, DL, Illinois

17. Jacksonville Jaguars: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

(Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports)

18. Cincinnati Bengals: Brock Bowers, TE. Georgia

(Syndication: Florida Times-Union)

19. Los Angeles Rams: Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon

(Craig Strobeck-USA TODAY Sports)

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: JC Latham, OT, Alabama

(Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports)

21. Miami Dolphins: Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State

(Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports)

22. Philadelphia Eagles: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

(Syndication: The Knoxville News-Sentinel)

23. Houston Texans (from Cleveland Browns): Byron Murphy, DL, Texas

(John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)

24. Dallas Cowboys: Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon

(Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports)

25. Green Bay Packers: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri

(Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

27. Arizona Cardinals (from Houston Texans): Troy Fautanu, OT, Washington

(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

28. Buffalo Bills: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

29. Detroit Lions: Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota

(Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

30. Baltimore Ravens: Kris Jenkins, DL, Michigan

(Syndication: The Indianapolis Star)

31. San Francisco 49ers: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma

(Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)

32. Kansas City Chiefs: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia

(Syndication: Florida Times-Union)
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