Welcome back to another mock draft Friday here at NFLTR. Today I’m bringing you my mock draft 2.0, this time with trades. I kept all trades reasonable and provided a projection for what the trade compensation would look like should that trade actually play out.

As we draw closer and closer to the draft, there’s more info on team needs, prospect visits  and other useful nuggets of information. This helps narrow the range of prospects or positions for certain teams. But the draft always throws a couple of wild cards. Some of the trades in this mock try and account for that.

A link to Round 2 is included at the bottom of the page. 

• 2024 NFL Draft Order
• List of Traded Future NFL Draft Picks
• 2024 NFL Draft Prospect Visit Tracker

2024 NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Two Rounds

1 — Chicago Bears (CAR): USC QB Caleb Williams

You can write this one in pen. The start of a new era in Chicago.

2 — Washington Commanders: North Carolina QB Drake Maye

There’s been a lot of chatter over who Washington will take with this pick. The choice seems to be between Maye and LSU QB Jayden Daniels, though Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy has seen his name thrown around this high as well.

Here I have the Commanders selecting the best prospect of the bunch in Maye. Maye has some sporadic inaccuracy issues to clean up, but he’s a fundamentally sound prospect who can make every NFL throw. He carves defenses up over the middle of the field and is a major rushing threat in the red zone. He’s built for a modern NFL offense.

3 — New England Patriots: LSU QB Jayden Daniels

As more and more indicators come in, this seems to be where we’re headed. With the news that the Patriots would want a massive haul to move out of this pick, likely more than three first-round picks, all signs point to them taking a quarterback.

Daniels is the best pure rushing quarterback in this class with a good arm. New England will be able to build a rushing attack around him from day one and he’s an excellent vertical passer who throws with good anticipation. Jerod Mayo gets his quarterback.

4 — Arizona Cardinals: Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr.

There are a lot of things the Cardinals could do with this pick. Teams behind them are already inquiring about trading up for a quarterback, and the Cardinals could pick up a haul to move back a few spots and still land a premium player. But with a talent like Harrison Jr. still on the board, I don’t see the Cardinals passing on him.

Harrison Jr. is in contention with former LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase for the best wide receiver prospect since Calvin Johnson. Harrison Jr.’s speed, acceleration, body control, hands, route running, and strength are all outstanding. He’s a surefire star and Arizona has a chance to add a player who will immediately be one of the best wide receivers in the league.

TRADE: 5 — Minnesota Vikings (LAC): Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy

Projected Compensation: Minnesota receives No. 5, No. 105, and a 2025 third. Los Angeles receives No. 11, No. 23, No. 167, and a 2025 first.

Yes, the trade everyone is predicting now. It just makes too much sense for both sides. If a team wants to jump up for a quarterback, they need to move ahead of the Giants, and the Chargers are the most likely team in this range to want to move down. The Vikings have also put themselves in the best position of the quarterback-needy teams picking later to make a trade like this.

I’m lower on McCarthy than this, but he’s getting significant buzz as being in serious contention for the top-five. He’s got a big arm and good mobility, though he lacks experience and needs to learn to read the field better. Perhaps if he lands in Minnesota, he can sit behind Sam Darnold for a year.

6 — New York Giants: LSU WR Malik Nabers

The Giants would probably like to draft a quarterback, as the Daniel Jones deal has aged poorly, but in this scenario, there isn’t one worthy of this pick. Instead, they snag an incredible wide receiver prospect to give a badly needed boost to their offense.

Nabers is an elite route runner and separator. He is so smooth moving in and out of his cuts and breaks and he breezes past defenders so easily. He projects as a top-tier receiving option for an NFL team to build their passing attack around, something that’s been missing in New York since Odell Beckham Jr. left.

7 — Tennessee Titans: Notre Dame OT Joe Alt

Before free agency, the Titans seemed primed to take a receiver. New HC Brian Callahan said that all else equal, they would want to take the offensive weapon over the offensive lineman. Makes sense, considering he was the OC in Cincinnati when they took WR Ja’Marr Chase over OT Penei Sewell in 2021. They’ve since signed WR Calvin Ridley, however, and perhaps now they will decide to lean on the depth of this receiver class and draft an elite tackle prospect.

Alt is my OT2 but he appears to be locked into the consensus OT1 spot. He’s long and plays with incredible strength. He’s got the best balance of run- and pass-blocking chops in the class. He’s widely viewed as a can’t-miss tackle prospect, and he should lock down QB Will Levis’s blind side for years to come.

TRADE: 8 — Denver Broncos (ATL): Oregon QB Bo Nix

Projected Compensation: Denver receives No. 8, No. 143, and a 2025 fourth. Atlanta receives No. 12, No. 76, No. 203, and a 2025 second.

Denver HC Sean Payton wants his quarterback. He has not been shy about how badly he wants to draft one, and while the Broncos don’t have a ton of assets to make a big move, here they’re able to make a smaller move to secure Nix.

Nix is remarkably similar to several of the quarterbacks Payton has had success with. He doesn’t have the strongest arm but is very accurate and avoids sacks at a high rate. He’s smart and demonstrates a good ability to read defenses and make adjustments both pre- and post-snap. He’s a good fit for Payton’s system.

9 — Chicago Bears: Washington WR Rome Odunze

The Bears need a stud at edge rusher and could also use an offensive tackle, but here, they can’t pass on adding Odunze to form an elite receiving core with D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen for Caleb Williams to throw to.

Odunze is a big-bodied route-running savant at the receiver position. He’s a bully in contested catch situations and knows how to use his length and athleticism to prevent corners from jamming him at the line or bumping him off his routes.

10 — New York Jets: Penn State OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu

While TE Brock Bowers is very tempting, the Jets need to fortify their offensive line. They simply can’t afford to take chances with a questionable unit in what could be Aaron Rodgers’ last season in New York. They’ve added some good pieces, but their line still has injury concerns, and Fashanu is the best pass-blocking tackle in this draft.

Fashanu surprised many by returning to college for his redshirt junior year, after being a projected top ten pick in the 2023 draft. He hurt his draft stock somewhat, continuing his struggles in the run game and failing to answer questions about his play strength.

Fashanu is still my OT1, however. His pass-blocking ability is truly special. He’s got some of the best footwork I’ve ever seen and uses his hands to displace and disrupt pass rushers effortlessly. The Jets need a lockdown protector for Rodgers and Fashanu is as good as it gets.

TRADE: 11 — New Orleans Saints (MIN via LAC): Oregon State OT Taliese Fuaga

Projected Compensation: New Orleans receives No. 11 and No. 181. Los Angeles receives No. 14, No. 150, and a 2025 second.

The Saints need a tackle, and they might not want to wait around and see if their guy lasts to No. 14. Saints GM Mickey Loomis has never been shy about making moves up the board, and with Fuaga still there, they secure some insurance along the offensive line.

Fuaga is a massive tackle with a nose for obliterating defenders in the run game. His pass sets still need work but he’s certainly not a bad pass protector, and he plays with an edge that coaches love. New Orleans needs help at tackle badly after the Trevor Penning pick didn’t pan out, and Fuaga can step right in and start from day one.

12 — Atlanta Falcons (DEN): Alabama ED Dallas Turner

Atlanta trades back to pick up some extra draft capital and still lands the first defender off the board. The Falcons could continue to add to their offensive weaponry but after adding WRs Rondale Moore and Darnell Mooney in free agency, their biggest need by far is on the edge.

Turner is an athletic specimen out of Alabama. He’s got elite burst and bend around the edge and is a plus in run defense. He still needs to work on his counters and pass rush moves but he can be an impact edge defender right away. He has All-Pro potential if he continues to develop.

13 — Las Vegas Raiders: Washington OT Troy Fautanu

The Raiders need a lot of help on defense, both in the defensive interior and in the secondary, and those are the two positions most often mocked to them. But they also need to rebuild their offensive line and Fautanu is the perfect prospect for what they need.

For much of this draft cycle, Fautanu was expected to move inside to guard in the NFL. That was before the Scouting Combine, when he checked every size and length threshold for tackles and demonstrated his elite athletic ability for the position. Fautanu profiles as a player who can thrive at tackle, and he has the versatility to kick inside if need be. He’s a chess piece along the offensive line and Las Vegas desperately needs more talent there.

14 — Los Angeles Chargers (NO): Georgia TE Brock Bowers

The Chargers manage to trade down twice and still land one of the players they might have been considering with their original selection. Head coach Jim Harbaugh continues to harp on how badly they need to improve the run game, but at the same time, the top three receiving weapons from last year’s team are no longer on the roster. Bowers can be a happy medium, as he can be an impact player in both phases of the offense.

Bowers is one of the best tight end prospects to come out in years. He’s a bit undersized for the position but still hit some necessary size and weight thresholds at the combine. He’s an elite route runner and can do a ton of damage from the slot. He’s deadly and elusive after the catch and made his presence felt as a blocker. He would give QB Justin Herbert a reliable, game-breaking weapon to throw to.

15 — Indianapolis Colts: Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell

Indianapolis benefits from the run on offensive players to take the top corner off the board. The Colts need help at receiver, as well, but with Mitchell still available, they pounce at the chance to add him to their secondary.

Mitchell is a versatile cornerback and an elite athlete. He’s a perfect fit in Colts DC Gus Bradley’s Cover 3 system, as he can use his burst and vision to track and make plays on the ball. The Colts need a lockdown CB1 and Mitchell fits that description.

16 — Seattle Seahawks: Iowa CB Cooper DeJean

DeJean is a defensive weapon. A record-setting multi-sport athlete with a nose for the football, he’s the kind of player defensive coaches love. He can play all over a defense and adds a major piece to the Seahawks’ young secondary.

Seattle needs help on the interior of their offensive line, but they can address that in Round 2. New HC Mike Macdonald used S Kyle Hamilton in a “rover” role in Baltimore to great effect. DeJean could be that chess piece for him in Seattle.

17 — Jacksonville Jaguars: Texas WR Xavier Worthy

Speed sells in the NFL, and Worthy set the Combine record for the 40-yard dash. Despite some of his shortcomings as a true wide receiver, that kind of speed will get him drafted in the first round, and probably earlier than people expect.

The Jaguars need receiving help after failing to resign Calvin Ridley. Worthy gives them a speed threat they don’t really have on the roster right now. While he’s not the most dynamic route runner, his explosiveness will translate immediately, and he can give QB Trevor Lawrence a true vertical and after-the-catch threat.

18 — Cincinnati Bengals: Alabama OT JC Latham

The Bengals have skated by the last few seasons signing stopgap solutions to their tackle problem. While they managed to get a multi-year solution at left tackle in Orlando Brown last offseason, they still need a right tackle, and Latham fits the bill there.

Latham is massive, which fits with Cincinnati’s type. He’s an excellent mover for his size and can bury people in the run game. In pass protection, he’s difficult to get around, simply due to his size. He needs to become more disciplined and technically sound, but he’s got a lot of potential long-term.

19 — Los Angeles Rams: Florida State ED Jared Verse

Aaron Donald’s retirement leaves a massive hole in the middle of the Rams’ defense, but Verse is the best player available along the defensive line. The Rams need talent all over this roster, so there are many directions they could go, but it’s hard to pass on Verse when he’s fallen this far.

Verse is a powerful, destructive edge rusher with plenty of experience. His hand placement and counter package is top-notch, and he uses his skills to quickly blow past or discard tackles in pursuit of the quarterback. He’s got the build to make an immediate impact.

20 — Pittsburgh Steelers: Alabama CB Terrion Arnold

A bit of a fall for Arnold relative to expectations, but I think the corners could come off the board a bit later than expected, given the runs on other positions. The Steelers need a corner to play opposite last year’s No. 32 pick Joey Porter Jr. and Arnold would be a great fit.

Arnold is a bit inexperienced and needs to get more patient in his play, but he’s got great change-of-direction ability that shows up on tape. Pittsburgh’s defense usually protects corners who aren’t burners, and Arnold could thrive in their man-cover scheme.

21 — Miami Dolphins: Texas DT Byron Murphy II

With Christian Wilkins departing in free agency, the Dolphins need to replenish their interior defensive line depth. Murphy II is an excellent pass rusher from the interior and could fill Wilkins’ role nicely.

Miami also needs help along their offensive line, but Murphy II fits their scheme too perfectly to pass on him.

TRADE: 22 — Kansas City Chiefs (PHI): Clemson CB Nate Wiggins

Projected Compensation: Kansas City receives No. 22 and No. 120. Philadelphia receives No. 32, No. 95, and a 2025 second.

The Chiefs have been aggressive in the past moving up to secure elite prospects who have taken a small fall. After trading away CB L’Jarius Sneed, they need help at cornerback, and Wiggins is an excellent cover corner.

Wiggins excels in single coverage, locking down his man or his side of the field. He would pair nicely with CB Trent McDuffie to keep Kansas City’s defense young and affordable.

23 — Los Angeles Chargers (CLV via HOU & MIN): Illinois DT Jer’Zhan Newton

Newton is the best defensive tackle prospect in this class, in my opinion. He’s an elite run-stuffer with serious pass-rushing chops. He’s been the best interior defender in college football over the last two seasons and he’s primed to make an impact in the NFL.

The Chargers need a surge of talent on the interior of the defense, and they have for years. Newton finally gives them someone they can rely on.

24 — Dallas Cowboys: Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson

The Cowboys need a new center and Oregon’s Powers-Johnson is the best center in this draft. Long, strong, and athletic, Powers-Johnson has an NFL-ready body and technique. He can come into the league and start right away, and he’s been getting serious first-round hype.

Dallas needs a new starting tackle as well, and they need help less urgently elsewhere on the roster as well. But Powers-Johnson fits exactly what they look for in prospects. This is one of my favorite player-to-team fits in this mock.

25 — Green Bay Packers: Georgia OT Amarius Mims

Mims is a big, athletic tackle project. He lacks significant starting experience and needs reps, but he’s got great technique, and the type of size and length teams covet at the position. The Packers need a new starting tackle after releasing the oft-injured David Bakhtiari, and Mims can take over that spot in time.

26 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers: UCLA ED Laiatu Latu

Latu is one of the toughest prospects to project. In terms of pure production and skillset, he might be a top-ten player in this class. He has a serious injury history and is only an average athlete, however. How teams weigh these factors is one of the big questions for draft night.

The Buccaneers need help at edge rusher, and this is the perfect range for Latu. If Latu’s injuries are no longer a concern, he’ll be a steal at this spot.

27 — Arizona Cardinals: Duke OT Graham Barton

Barton is listed as a tackle but will probably kick inside to guard at the next level. He’s a versatile lineman, though, and the Cardinals can try him at multiple positions to see where he fits. Upgrading QB Kyler Murray’s protection has to be a priority.

Arizona has acquired many good linemen who all fit best at tackle. Barton being projected to guard helps them add diverse skill sets while still maintaining the versatility they clearly prize.

28 — Buffalo Bills: Oregon WR Troy Franklin

After letting Gabriel Davis walk in free agency and trading Stefon Diggs, the Bills desperately need help at wide receiver. They might want to make a big trade up the board to make sure they get one of their top targets, but here Franklin falls in their lap at No. 28.

Franklin is a fantastic speedster and route runner. He’s not the biggest target, but he’s built for the modern NFL with his ability to run crisp routes and gain separation over the middle of the field. He could quickly become one of QB Josh Allen’s favorite targets.

29 — Detroit Lions: Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinstry

McKinstry is one of the most underrated prospects in the entire draft. If he lasts this long, the Lions will be racing to put the card in for his selection.

Detroit needs secondary help badly and McKinstry is the perfect player to target. McKinstry is an elite press-man corner and one of the smartest corners you’ll watch. He would be a perfect fit in DC Aaron Glenn’s scheme.

30 — Baltimore Ravens: Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton

In a class full of athletic tackle prospects, Guyton is the best athlete. The Ravens need a new starting tackle, and while Guyton needs to work on his technique in pass pro, his upside is massive.

Alternatives for Baltimore include wide receiver and cornerback. There are plenty of great receiver prospects still available, but none compare to the fit and upside Guyton brings.

TRADE: 31 — Las Vegas Raiders (SF): Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.

Projected Compensation: Las Vegas receives No. 31 and No. 94. San Francisco receives No. 44, No. 77, No. 208, and a 2025 second.

Don’t rule out a Lamar Jackson-esque trade-up back into the tail end of Round 1 to secure the fifth-year option on a quarterback. The Raiders lost out on the top of the quarterback market, but here they make their move to get a guy for the future.

Penix Jr. has an elite arm and throws with good touch down the field. He’s a deceptively great athlete and avoids sacks better than any prospect I’ve seen recently. He’d compete with Aidan O’Connell for the starting job this year and presumably be the plan at the position long-term.

This pick would also set an NFL record with six quarterbacks in the first round. 

32 — Philadelphia Eagles (KC): LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr.

After trading back, the Eagles can complement their current receiving core with an elite deep threat in Thomas Jr. They’ve been missing a dangerous speed threat in their offense, and Thomas Jr. does this as well as anyone in this class. He can take the top off defenses and force coverages away from their established stars right away.

Continue To Round 2