2024 NFL Mock Draft: Caleb Williams should go No. 1, but will he? QB3 Jayden Daniels ends up in AFC (2024)

From Carolina Panthers

If Justin Fields has a strong second half of the 2023 season and convinces Chicago he's the long-term answer, maybe you go in another direction. Otherwise, you take Williams here, who is the best prospect in this draft class.

The Giants are on the hook for at least one more year with Daniel Jones, who tore his ACL and is done for the season. But even if they bring him back in 2024, Drake Maye should be the heir apparent.

The Patriots will have to trade up for one of the top 2 QBs -- or trade down for QB3 -- because their current 2024 starter isn't on the roster. But since there are no trades in this mock draft, they take the best offensive lineman -- also a huge need -- in Fashanu.

Kyler Murray didn't miss a beat in his return from an ACL injury that sidelined him some 11 months. And if he convinces Arizona that he's the long-term answer, they're taking Marvin Harrison Jr. here. Ask Josh Allen and Joe Burrow if they appreciated their respective organizations going out and getting game-changing receivers.

The Bears get their QB1, and now they get a bookend to Montez Sweat off the edge.

The Packers, like a lot of teams in the top half of the first round, could be in the QB market. It's still too early to think about QB3 here, so in the meantime they grab Alt, who has had a fantastic season for the Irish.

Mims missed a large chunk of the 2023 season with an injury, but he returned against Ole Miss in Week 11 and has all the tools to be a dominant right tackle in the NFL.

The Titans have a ton of needs, including offensive line, but they target the best CB in the draft to bolster a secondary that has Kristian Fulton and Sean Murphy-Bunting possibly hitting free agency after the season.

Verse's sack numbers are down from a season ago, but you could argue he's a more complete player in 2023.

It feels like Sam Howell has a chance to be the guy in Washington, and Brock Bowers is a tight end in name only. He can line up anywhere, including RB, and be a difference-maker.

This WR class is insanely deep, so Nabers lasting until the No. 12 pick feels like stealing.

If Aaron Rodgers is under center for the Jets in 2024, protection will be priority No. 1. JC Latham has been dominant this season for the Crimson Tide.

Odunze has had a breakout season for the Huskies, and the Broncos need to add some juice to the WR room.

Wiggins is a long, athletic corner who specializes in blanket coverage downfield. He needs to improve as a tackler, but the Chargers need to add depth to the position after the J.C. Jackson signing didn't work out.

Anthony Richardson will be back in 2024, and giving him a jump-ball, downfield target like Coleman is only going to make this offense that much more explosive.

No player has done more for his draft stock than Jayden Daniels; we all knew he could run, but he's shown continued improvement as a passer and has a legit case to be QB3 in this class.

Newton played on an Illini defense last season that included No. 5 overall pick Devon Witherspoon and Day 2 selections Quan Martin and Sydney Brown. The defensive lineman will be the next in line to hear his name called early in the draft.

Egbuka's numbers are down this season, in part because of injury and in part because that's what happens when C.J. Stroud leaves for the NFL. But catching passes from Joe Burrow seems like the quickest way to get Egbuka back to his 2022 form.

Penix Jr. has an injury history, but he has been healthy the past two seasons for the Huskies. And more than that, he has played out of his mind, not only as the best deep-ball passer in this class but also his ability to throw with anticipation and accuracy, and even win with his legs when he needs to.

From Houston Texans

The biggest issues facing Latu will be if he's cleared medically after a neck injury sidelined his career a few years ago. On the field, he has been unstoppable all season.

You will not find a player with a higher motor, and when you couple that with Tuimoloau's twitch, speed and power, he's going to be a problem at the next level for NFL offensive tackles.

Lassiter feels like a Dan Quinn cornerback -- he's long and he's physical, both in coverage and in run support. The ball production isn't there yet, but that'll come.

King had a rough day against Ohio State, but he's shown first-round talent over the past two seasons. In Pittsburgh, he'll be reunited with Joey Porter Jr.

From Cleveland Browns

The Texans traded up for Will Anderson Jr. in the spring, and he's been as advertised. This time, they stay put and land another edge rusher in Chop Robinson, who is as active a pass rusher as you'll find in college football.

Paul is raw but athletic, and he's certainly earned his way into the first-round conversation.

Trice is a proven commodity who has come on as of late; he's a high-motor player who needs to expand his pass-rush arsenal, but he's a designated pass rusher from Day 1.

The ball-hawking DeJean can line up just about anywhere (and he's an asset in the return game, too), and that versatility and rare athleticism are what make him such an enticing prospect.

Fuaga is having a fantastic season for Oregon State, and while he's excelled at right tackle, some NFL teams think his future may be at guard. Either way, he's a first-round talent.

Rome Odunze gets a lot of the pub for the Huskies -- and rightly so -- but do not sleep on Polk, who has eight touchdowns through the first 10 games of the season and is a threat to all three levels.

Nubin is a ball-hawking safety who can provide some pop when coming downhill in run support.

Mitchell, a Georgia transfer, is another in a long line of big, physical, fast, twitched-up WRs in this draft class. The Chiefs have had mixed results finding consistent play from their young WRs in a post-Tyreek world, but Mitchell has a chance to be really good, really early in his NFL career.

Corley is one of our favorite players in the entire class, and our comp for him is Deebo Samuel. He can line up inside or out, and the thought of a WR room of A.J. Brown, Devonta Smith and Corley is fun to think about unless you're one of the other three teams in the NFC East.