NFL mock draft 2024: Updated 1st round projection after National Championship

The college football season is officially over, and top players can now enter the NFL Draft circuit. As the NFL playoffs continue, the number of workouts, interviews and pairings begin to increase, and matches with teams of prospects begin to take shape.

That means more mock drafts to discuss. Below is a mock draft at the end of the college season, with the Michigan Wolverines defeating the Washington Huskies in the national championship game. The order of the first 19 picks in the first round has already been determined. Thanks to the Carolina Panthers, the Chicago Bears have officially acquired the No. 1 overall pick. Will the Bears trade the pick like they did last year or use it to select a new franchise quarterback?

A brief description of each pick follows the table. Here's what the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft looks like right now.

1st place: Chicago Bears select Drake Maye (QB, North Carolina State)

I believe it is in the best interest for both Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears to part ways. Chicago will reset with a talented QB in Maye who has the arm talent to reach all levels of the field and enough athleticism to be a threat on the ground.

2nd place: Washington Commanders select Caleb Williams (QB, USC)

Children from their hometown are coming back! Washington needs some revitalization on offense, and while Sam Howell has performed admirably, Williams is a much better athlete at the position and plays his game in Minecraft creative mode.

3rd place: New England Patriots select Jaden Daniels, QB, LSU

No matter what happens with the Patriots' head coach, they desperately need energy and excitement on the quarterback field. Daniels is waiting for the big play using his arms and legs.

4th: Arizona Cardinals select Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State.

Marvin Harrison is a legitimate alpha outside receiver. With his body control, route running and sure hands, Harrison would add a legitimate top receiver to the Cardinals' quietly entertaining skill position group.

5th: Los Angeles Chargers select Malik Nabors, WR, LSU

The Chargers are in an interesting place here. Keenan Allen and Mike Williams account for the majority of the cap, but the receiver group was still average at best. Nabors is a much-needed blitz (pun intended) for the Chargers offense.

No. 6: New York Giants select Roma Odunze, WR, Washington.

Consider me a big fan of Odunze. He has a very high level of body control and after-the-catch ability and can be a very good outside receiver. The Giants fell out of QB range, but they get a big prospect here.

7th place: Tennessee Titans select Olumuyiwa Fashanu (Otland, Penn State)

The Titans have a lot of questions to answer about the old guard this year, but no matter what happens, the OL will need to be fixed. Fashanu is a plug-and-play starter at left tackle and is very clean in pass protection.

No. 8: Atlanta Falcons select Alabama Edge Dallas Turner

The Falcons need a different body type at the edge spot. Turner is a lean but strong prospect who still has a long way to go as a pass rusher.

9th: Chicago Bears select Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

The Bears have a QB, but are currently isolating him by taking the second offensive lineman off the board. Ault fits exactly what the Bears like and want from their offensive line, giving Chicago the ability to play swing tackle Braxton Jones.

No. 10: New York Jets select Amarius Mims (Ottoman, Georgia)

In 2023, the Jets' offensive line was an injury disaster. With Aaron Rodgers coming back for another year, protecting him has to be a top priority. Mims can get right into the slot with the right tackle and has an instant lift.

11th: Minnesota Vikings select Jared Verse, Florida Edge

With Daniel Hunter, Marcus Davenport and DJ Wonnum set to become free agents, the Vikings need another piece to add to their pass rush. Barth is an athletic EDGE who wins with power and burst and immediately helps the Vikings defense.

12th: Denver Broncos select Illinois DT Jason Newton

Denver's run defense has been a mess this year. Newton may not have the length of a traditional DT, but he won with his quickness and explosiveness that helped him on all three downs.

13th: Las Vegas Raiders select Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

The Raiders' defense still looks like a mess, but Wiggins is the best athlete to step in and start right away.

14th: New Orleans Saints select Brock Bowers of Tennessee, Georgia.

Honestly, Bowers could go as high as No. 5 in this draft. But New Orleans needs a legitimate receiving threat other than Chris Olave, so he moved down to No. 14.

15th: Selected Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa from Indianapolis Colts.

The Colts need depth at both corner and safety. Good news. Dejan can do both. I think he's a legitimate corner and offers a lot to a Colts secondary that needs to improve its play.

16th: Seattle Seahawks select Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry

There was still room for improvement in the Seahawks' pass defense. Devon Witherspoon obviously closes the slot, but adding McKinstry to the mix creates a fun QB trio in Spoon and Rik Uhlen.

17th: Jacksonville Jaguars select Troy Fautanu (Washington Alternative)

Protecting Trevor Lawrence and upgrading the run game must be a priority. Fautanu will likely slide and guard and has the play strength and meanness to make the Jaguars' office staff formidable.

18th: Cincinnati Bengals select Alabama OL JC Latham

Jonah Williams is set to become a free agent in the future, and with both DT DJ Reeder and WR Tee Higgins becoming free agents, Williams could be a casualty. Latham is a mover on the right side in the run game and will help the Bengals operate better in play-action.

19th: Green Bay Packers select Alabama cornerback Terion Arnold

The Packers return well to the SEC corners with Arnold, a feisty and competitive corner who can play inside and outside for a Packers defense that needs depth at CB.

20th: Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA

Tampa Bay is out of QB range, but they could add No. 20 Latu here to strengthen their pass rush. He may be sidelined by Latu's medical, but his pass rush chops and burst are too good to pass up.

21st: Arizona Cardinals (via Houston Texans) Select Kunyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

The Cards double up on the skill positions here, taking Mitchell at No. 21. Mitchell is a freak athlete who accomplished a lot while playing for Toledo and will give the Cardinals a boost on the back end.

22nd: Los Angeles Rams select Penn State Edge Chop Robinson

This year's Rams defense has been successful in every respect, and they've survived without any legitimate pass rush threats other than Aaron Donald. Robinson will give them some juice on the edge and make their pass rush even better.

23rd: Selected Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU from Pittsburgh Steelers.

Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson became a free agent and with several of their top corners gone, the Steelers acquired a top talent in Thomas Jr.

24th: Miami Dolphins selects Talese Fuaga (Oregon State, OL)

The Dolphins need depth and support almost everywhere along the offensive line. Fuaga can play guard or tackle, and Fuaga's raw power can ignite an already dangerous run game.

25th: Philadelphia Eagles select Tyler Guyton (Oklahoma State)

It may be time for the Eagles to start preparing for life after Lane Johnson. GM Howie Roseman only drafts OL, DL and WR in the first round, and Guyton fits the athleticism the Eagles like.

26th: Kansas City Chiefs select Keon Coleman (WR, Florida State)

The Chiefs could use a little more boom in the receiver room, and Coleman is waiting for the big plays to happen. He could replace MVS as the top receiver behind Lachie Rice on the outside.

27th: Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns) select Jordan Morgan (Arizona State)

Morgan slides into last place in the first round against Houston. The Texans need a little more help on offense, with Titus Howard converting from right tackle to left guard, but Morgan's athleticism gives him a good base at right tackle. Or, if Howard drops to tackle, Morgan can slide in and guard.

28th: ​​Detroit Lions select Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke

Burke is a very good athlete and will compete the entire time the whistle blows on the outside. That looks like Dan Campbell, a player who can help a Lions secondary that needs more players who can survive in man coverage.

29th: Buffalo Bills select Texas WR AD Mitchell

This feels like a great prospect for team fit. Mitchell has explosive verticality and, at 6'4, has a wide catch radius and can catch errant passes. Buffalo needs a true second receiver, and with Gabe Davis set to become a free agent, Mitchell could fit like a glove.

30th: Dallas Cowboys select Patrick Paul, OT, Houston

Just like the Eagles and Lane Johnson, the Cowboys need to start preparing for life after Tyron Smith. Paul is a big, athletic player who could be a little more refined, but could be a starter at left tackle in Dallas' development system.

31st: San Francisco 49ers select Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU

The 49ers' offensive line has been elevated by Trent Williams, but there is a glaring hole at right tackle. Suamataia is a mobile player who fits well in the zone run game.

32nd: Baltimore Ravens select Washington Edge's Bralen Trice.

The Ravens could use another high-motor pass rusher as well as moving on from Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy. Trice is always working and has enough inside counters to work on stunts and loops.