2024 NFL Mock Draft: Early Top 50 prospect watch list

Way-too-early mock drafts are popping up everywhere in the post-draft aftermath, but I say it’s never too early! The prospects listed below in this 2024 NFL Mock Draft are all early favorites to find their way onto the big boards of prognosticators over the coming months.

Additional prospects who just missed the cut and the ‘best of the rest’ quarterbacks that you should be paying attention to are listed at the end of the mock draft.

2024 NFL Mock Draft: Kicking off with a franchise-altering trade!

TRADE! As in 2023, we have a trade up to the number one spot as the Arizona Cardinals move back. In this 2024 NFL Mock Draft, the Commanders and their new owners decide to make a splash to kickstart a new era.

Williams is currently the de facto number one QB in the 2024 class, drawing comparisons to Patrick Mahomes. Whether he can hit such lofty projections remains to be seen, but the USC signal caller certainly has the arm and natural playmaking ability required to mount a serious case.

The Cardinals stick with their pick at number two (acquired in the Houston trade) and select one of the greatest receiving prospects of the past decade. A prototypical height and weight combo, with the shifty explosion required underneath, Harrison Jr. is special.

If Tampa is picking this high, the Baker Mayfield experiment has failed. Expect that previous sentence to become a reality and in 12 months the Bucs become besotted with the high-upside athletic traits of North Carolina’s Drake Maye. Maye has a live arm and is a genuine rushing threat as evidenced by his seven touchdowns and 698 yards in 2022. He does have a lot of misses and his accuracy is questionable at this point, but the ‘wow’ plays are impressive and hint at much more to come this year.

The Colts’ offensive line started to perform better down the stretch last year but it still does not have a cornerstone left tackle, despite a decent rookie year from Bernhard Rainmann. The team drafted Blake Freeland this year, but his realistic ceiling is that of a swing tackle and so Indy jump at the chance to draft the surest thing in this 2024 NFL Mock Draft to protect Anthony Richardson for years to come.

A close second to Alt in the tackle prospects is Olu Fashanu. Fashanu could have been a top-five pick had he declared this year and has a sensational profile packed with power, burst off the snap and silky movement skills that enable him to mirror rushers effortlessly.

Desmond Ridder is not the answer in Atlanta. Travis is an exciting prospect who received PFF’s highest grade among returning quarterbacks for next season.

He is a mobile presence, can create outside structure, and can evade pressure well. Travis has nice zip to his passes and can fire the ball into tight windows. He is able to deliver the ball from varied release angles and shows good touch and accuracy. With another leap this year, Travis should vault himself into the upper echelon of quarterback prospects.

L.A. is bereft of blue-chip talent and Bralen Trice addresses a position of need that will be paper thin heading into 2024. Nine sacks and 12 TFL last year hint at what Trice could become. Testing will be key for Trice’s ceiling, but he plays with real explosiveness, converts speed to power, and has a non-stop motor. He has length, pliability, and excellent hands and will be the edge name on everyone’s lips during the upcoming season.

Verse was a popular first-round prospect for this year’s draft before he opted to go back to school. Great frame, quick off the snap, and real power, Verse is in contention for the best edge prospect in college football and will almost certainly be a top-five pick if he continues on his current trajectory. The Cardinals add a second high floor, young leader to add to a new core.

It is not clear whether Mac Jones’ face is ever going to truly fit in Foxborough, so here is the future face of the franchise. Pratt has a quick release with nice zip and accuracy on his throws to the short and intermediate areas of the field. He is a legitimate dual-threat QB, recording 478 yards rushing in 2022 with ten scores. He looks after the ball, recording a turnover worthy play on only 1.7% of his snaps last year. Effective throwing on the run, where he does not lose accuracy.

It will be interesting to see if he can put the offense on his back this year after losing Tyjae Spears, and questions need to be answered about his true arm strength and accuracy in the deep game. Regardless, Pratt is a name to watch and has a higher upside than many of the other names currently being bandied about.

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A real bendy and explosive athlete, Turner has an opportunity to be the man on the Crimson Tide defense this year. Does not have quite the same naturally impressive frame as the two edge defenders taken before him in this 2024 NFL Mock Draft, but he does possess excellent length and twitch. Chicago gets a defensive weapon.

Sensational power and tenacity in the run game with excellent pass-blocking ability, Latham would be an incredible pick for the Steelers who need a legitimate long-term solution at right tackle.

6.5 sacks with 13.5 TFL, 89 overall tackles, and two interceptions paint the picture of an excellent all-round middle linebacker. Trotter Jr. is at home in coverage as he is rushing the passer and Green Bay has several free agents at the second level of their defense in 2024. Here is an excellent replacement and future leader for the unit.

The most impressive tight end prospect remaining in college football after an impressive 2023 class leaves behind a barren landscape at the position. Bowers is more than a tight end, and after taking a defensive weapon with their first pick, the Bears opt to flip to the offense with their second pick. Bowers is as dynamic as a wide receiver with the ball in his hands, has extremely sure mitts in the passing game, and even takes handoffs in the running game, with 109 yards rushing and three scores in 2022. Is the first tight end off the board in this 2024 NFL Mock Draft and it would be a major upset if he is not taken with such reverence in real life, too.

Currently a raw athlete playing multiple spots at the second level, Carter has not truly found his best position yet. This defensive ball of clay will appeal to the Seahawks though, and with the linebacking corps in a state of flux, Carter presents a unique opportunity for Seattle to mold into an heir apparent for Bobby Wagner. Carter lined up at outside linebacker, MIKE, and slot corner last year and has the physical ability to do it all. He will be an exciting riser this year and may end up being more highly coveted than his teammate Trotter Jr., who was taken two spots ahead of him in this 2024 NFL Mock Draft.

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The first corner off the board in this 2024 NFL Mock Draft, King follows 2023 draftee Joey Porter Jr. as a player to be taken with a high-round pick from the Penn State secondary. King though, is the better corner and possesses the higher ceiling of the pair. He has decent length but is far twitchier and fluid in coverage, and is a natural playmaker. King will add some real quality to a Raiders unit needing an injection of talent.

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Foster is a powerful tackle prospect who will be bidding for a first round grade this year. He plays with an excellent, punishing mentality and has good balance. He is not quite the finished article and his footwork sometimes can be muddled, but he is an excellent choice at this juncture for the Texans and would be a day one starter at right tackle, becoming a long-term bookend to Laremy Tunsil.