Watch NFL Network analyst Rhett Lewis release the full first round of his Mock Draft 1.0 with the April 25th 2024 NFL Draft exactly two weeks away.
Lewis is one of the rare draft gurus who does not have a blockbuster quarterback trade in the top 9 picks, with Lewis having USC’s Caleb Williams, UNC’s Drake Maye, and LSU’s Jayden Daniels coming off the board in order the first three picks.
Lewis’ first surprise comes in at no. 10 with the Broncos going moving up two picks from no. 12 in a trade with the New York Jets to take polarizing Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
McCarthy, once thought of as late-first round afterthought, has become the Draft’s biggest riser after a 15-0 perfect season for the National Championship-winning Wolverines.
Despite throwing for under 3,000 yards in his final season in college and tossing just 22 touchdowns, McCarthy did rank 3rd nationally in QBR.
The next trade Lewis has is the Vikings acquiring the 18th pick from the Bengals to take Oregon quarterback Bo Nix.
Nix led the NCAA with 45 touchdown passes, was only picked off 3 times all season, and perhaps even more importantly, only took 4 sacks in 470 drop backs.
Other notable picks include the Raiders selecting Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. at no. 13, and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers going no. 15 to the Colts.
Penix Jr. Led the nation in passing yards and attempts, and was third in touchdowns with 36.
Here are the positional breakdowns in Lewis’ Draft.
QB (5): Williams (#1 CHI), Maye (#2 WAS), Daniels (#3 NE), Penix Jr. (#13 LV), Nix (#18 MIN)
WR (4): Harrison Jr. (#4 ARI), Nabers (#6 NYG), Odunze (#9 CHI), Thomas Jr. (#26 TB)
T (8): Alt (#5 LAC), Fashanu (#7 TEN), Fuaga (#12 NYJ), Latham (#14 NO), Fautanu (#16 SEA), Guyton (#23, CIN), Mims (#25, GB)
CB (6): Arnold (#11 MIN), Mitchell (#17 JAX), Wiggins (#22 PHI), DeJean (#28 BUF), McKinstry (#29 DET), Rakestraw (#32 KC)
1. Chicago Bears – Caleb Williams, QB, Southern California
2. Washington Commanders – Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
3. New England Patriots – Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
4. Arizona Cardinals – Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
5. Los Angeles Chargers – Joe Alt, LT, Notre Dame
6. New York Giants – Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
7. Tennessee Titans – Olumuyiwa Fashanu, LT, Penn State
8. Atlanta Falcons – Dallas Turner, DE, Alabama
9. Chicago Bears – Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
10. Denver Broncos **[trade with Jets]** – J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan
11. Minnesota Vikings – Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
12. New York Jets **[trade with Broncos]** – Taliese Fuaga, RT, Oregon State
13. Las Vegas Raiders – Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
14. New Orleans Saints – JC Latham, RT, Alabama
15. Indianapolis Colts – Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
16. Seattle Seahawks – Troy Fautanu, LT, Washington
17. Jacksonville Jaguars – Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
18. Minnesota Vikings **[trade with Bengals]** -- Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
19. Los Angeles Rams – Jared Verse, DE, Florida State
20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Graham Barton, C, Duke
21. Miami Dolphins – Laiatu Latu, DE, UCLA
22. Philadelphia Eagles – Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
23. Cincinnati Bengals **[trade with Vikings]** – Tyler Guyton, RT, Oklahoma
24. Dallas Cowboys – Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon
25. Green Bay Packers – Amarius Mims, RT, Georgia
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
27. Arizona Cardinals – Byron Murphy, DT, Texas
28. Buffalo Bills – Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
29. Detroit Lions – Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
30. Baltimore Ravens – Jer'Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
31. San Francisco 49ers – Chop Robinson, DE, Penn State
32. Kansas City Chiefs – Ennis Rakestraw, Jr., CB, Mizzouri
Ron Goldman's Father Breaks His Silence on O.J. Simpson's Death
Colin Cowherd: Washington Commanders Want to Draft LSU's Jayden Daniels at #2
Colin Cowherd Says Nikola Jokic Could Still Be Dominant 'In His 40's'
Arrest Warrants Issued For This Kansas City Chiefs Starter
Shohei Ohtani's Former Interpreter is Officially Charged
Jason Whitlock: Caitlin Clark Should Refuse to Play in 'Woke Hellhole' WNBA
Doug Gottlieb: Lindsey Harding Hornets Interview Feels Like a ‘Rooney Rule'
Keyshawn Johnson Says the Hornets Should Hire Dawn Staley
Colin Cowherd: Anthony Davis is Now the Most Important Player on the Lakers