The wait is over and the NFL Draft is upon us! Over the next few days, the trajectories of all 32 teams and 257 wide-eyed prospects will be forever changed as teams add talent to their squads.

The 2024 Draft class is loaded with high-upside talent, especially on the offensive side. An unprecedented number of players on that side of the ball could go in the 1st Round, but there’s still a ton of defenders looking to make their mark on Night 1.

This Mock Draft is my final attempt to predict what will actually happen on Thursday starting at 8pm ET. With as many as 6 QBs potentially set to go in the 1st Round, I expect a lot of movement and a ton of value to be available late on Day 1.

Here’s how I see it all shaking out:

1. CHICAGO BEARS

QB CALEB WILLIAMS | USC

No analysis needed. This is the Draft’s worst-kept secret and Caleb Williams has the ceiling to turn the Bears into immediate contenders in the NFC.

2. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

QB JAYDEN DANIELS | LSU

In direct contrast to the Bears at Pick 1, the Commanders have been as tight-lipped as anyone as to the direction they will actually go at 2. I almost had Drake Maye going here, but despite the late chatter that Daniels wasn’t too happy after the strange Top Golf meeting, I think they still go with the dynamic LSU QB to join OC Kliff Kingsbury in Washington.

3. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

QB DRAKE MAYE | UNC

The Patriots are going to get offered an absolute haul for this pick, but in the end I just don’t see them doing anything but taking the best available QB at this spot. I have them riding with my top QB in this class in Maye, the best combo of NFL size, athleticism, and arm talent in the Draft.

4. ARIZONA CARDINALS

WR MARVIN HARRISON JR. | OHIO ST.

The Cards could trade out of this pick, but why pass up the best overall player in this draft at a position of dire need? Doesn’t make sense to me, so I have Monti Ossenfort sticking and picking the electric Marvin Harrison Jr. who is as clean a prospect as I’ve seen at any position in the last several years.

TRADE!!! Vikings send Picks 1:11, 1:23, & a 2025 3rd Rd. pick to the Chargers for Pick 1:05

5. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (FROM CHARGERS)

QB J.J. MCCARTHY | MICHIGAN

LAC takes advantage of the mega-offers from teams and the Vikings move up for their QB. Head Coach Kevin O’Connell’s offense is lab-built for McCarthy, who’s ceiling is considered by many NFL minds to be as high as any of the other 3 QBs who went ahead of him.

6. NEW YORK GIANTS

WR MALIK NABERS | LSU

The conversation between Nabers or Odunze is an interesting one for the Giants here with the QBs off the board. In the end, I have them going with the ultra-athletic Nabers, whose speed and YAC ability gives Brian Dabol a versatile weapon to use anywhere on the field.

7. TENNESSEE TITANS

OT JOE ALT | NOTRE DAME

Alt is tailor-made for the Titans and new Head Coach Brian Callahan’s offensive philosophy. The Titans have had one of the worst O-Lines in football the last 3 years. Alt would immediately give them a Pro-Bowl caliber starter at LT on Day 1.

TRADE!!!! Jets send Picks 1:10 & 3:72 to the Falcons for Pick 1:08

8. NEW YORK JETS

WR ROME ODUNZE | WASHINGTON

The Jets are all-in with Aaron Rodgers going into year 2 in New York after the nightmarish results of 2023. As such, a small leapfrog over the Bears for Odunze makes a ton of sense and would give Rodgers an incredible cast of weapons in this all-or-nothing season for the Jets.

9. CHICAGO BEARS

DT BYRON MURPHY II | TEXAS

With Odunze off the table, the Bears decide to add to the Defensive front with the explosive Murphy on the interior. I’m buying the hype from guys like Daniel Jeremiah and Dane Brugler who think Murphy is viewed by some NFL teams as the best overall defensive player in the Draft.

10. ATLANTA FALCONS (FROM JETS)

ED DALLAS TURNER | ALABAMA

The Falcons move back 2 spots and still get their guy in Turner, who is an extremely long, athletic Edge rusher with high upside. Atlanta hasn’t had an elite pass rusher since John Abraham and Dwight Freeney roamed the edges. Turner profiles as that type of guy.

11. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (FROM VIKINGS)

TE BROCK BOWERS | GEORGIA

Jim Harbaugh can’t pass up the superhuman TE prospect out of Georgia, even with his pick of the non-Joe Alt tackles at his disposal. That gets remedied later, but for now, the Chargers land an insanely talented playmaker for Justin Herbert who can also help in the run game as an inline blocker.

TRADE!!!! Eagles send Picks 1:22, 2:53, & 5:161 to Broncos for Pick 1:12

12. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

CB QUINYON MITCHELL | TOLEDO

The Eagles find a willing trade partner in the Broncos, who missed out on the top QBs, and use their move up to select Quinyon Mitchell. Mitchell can play man or zone coverage, and the Eagles will deploy a ton of mix and match coverage concepts with Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio in town. Terrion Arnold could be the target here as well.

13. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

QB MICHAEL PENIX, JR. | WASHINGTON

Really want to give the Raiders Quinyon Mitchell or Olu Fashanu here, but the talk has me leaning QB here despite the possibility that Penix could be there in Round 2 as well. He would be an immediate upgrade on both Gardner Minshew and Aiden O’Connell though from Day 1, and what better way to improve as a team quickly than by upgrading the most important position on the team?

14. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

OT OLU FASHANU | PENN ST.

The Saints basically have to select a Tackle with their 1st Round selection, and it just so happens that one of the best ones falls to them at 14. Fashanu is an elite athlete at the position and could anchor the left side of that Saints OL for the next decade.

15. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

CB TERRION ARNOLD | ALABAMA

A dream scenario for the Colts, who land many evaluators’ top CB prospect in the entire Draft and don’t have to move up to do so. Arnold is a sticky cover corner with versatility and plenty of experience and would give the Colts a big-time playmaker at a huge position of need.

TRADE!!!! Chargers send Picks 1:23 & 3:69 to the Seahawks for Pick 1:16

16. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

OT J.C. LATHAM | ALABAMA

The Chargers aren’t done moving! After selecting Brock Bowers at 11 and giving Justin Herbert a top weapon to toss the rock to, Harbaugh and co. come back up the board with their new Draft ammo and select powerhouse RT J.C. Latham to push people around and keep Herbert upright.

17. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

WR BRIAN THOMAS, JR. | LSU

The Jags are hoping one of the top 2 CBs falls to them at 17, and they could also be in the market to select a DT at this spot, but in the end they add an elite outside threat to the offense for QB Trevor Lawrence.

18. CINCINNATI BENGALS

OT TALIESE FUAGA | OREGON ST.

Cincy has two big-bodied OTs in Orlando Brown Jr. and Trent Brown in line to start for them in 2024, but both players are older and somewhat injury prone, so adding the powerful Fuaga to the mix is a huge win. Joe Burrow gets a pass protector of the future with starting upside from Day 1.

19. LOS ANGELES RAMS

ED JARED VERSE | FSU

The Rams could go Johnny Newton here to fill the gap created by the retirement of the legendary Aaron Donald, but DTs can be had later in this Draft, while the Edge rusher talent dries up pretty quickly. Verse has some versatility, but he’s a Day 1 run-stuffing DE with major upside as a pass rusher.

TRADE!!!! Cardinals send Picks 1:27 & 3:66 to the Steelers for Pick 1:20

20. ARIZONA CARDINALS

CB COOPER DEJEAN | IOWA

The Cardinals trade up with the Steelers to select an athletic CB/S prospect in DeJean who could fill multiple roles in the secondary for a team in desperate need of talent on all sides of the ball. Jonathan Gannon’s zone-dominant defensive scheme would be an immaculate fit for the athletic defender out of Iowa.

21. MIAMI DOLPHINS

OT TROY FAUTANU | WASHINGTON

The Dolphins have a dire need for a versatile OL prospect who can slide into multiple positions if necessary. Fautanu fits that bill and can literally play any of the 5 positions along the line for Miami to protect Tua and give the Fins a boost in the run game.

22. DENVER BRONCOS (FROM EAGLES)

QB BO NIX | OREGON

I do not like taking 6 QBs in the 1st Round, but the Broncos desperation at the position could force them to take Nix earlier than he should be selected. That’s not to say the former Duck doesn’t have upside. He’s accurate, mobile, and smart. Traits Sean Payton covets in a QB.

23. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (FROM CHARGERS, VIA VIKINGS, VIA TEXANS, VIA BROWNS)

ED LAIATU LATU | UCLA

The Seahawks could easily go a number of different directions but choose to take the most polished pass rusher in the class after trading back with LAC. Latu can win with speed or power and has exceptional hand usage to disengage from blockers.

24. DALLAS COWBOYS

OT AMARIUS MIMS | UGA

Dallas would snap up the ultra-athletic Mims if he falls to them at 24. Offensive line help us a priority and taking Mims would give the ‘Boys the ability to keep Tyler Smith at OG where he has excelled.

25. GREEN BAY PACKERS

CB NATE WIGGINS | CLEMSON

The Packers have a lot of needs, but Cornerback is one of their biggest. Enter Wiggins, a speedy, aggressive CB prospect with good length and ball skills. He’s not the biggest or most physical player, but he plays with heart and instincts.

26. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

ED CHOP ROBINSON | PENN ST.

Tampa Bay has several big holes to fill, but none more pressing than Edge Rusher, where the team is expected to roll out Yaya Diaby and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka on the outside as it stands today. Robinson would give them immediate juice off the edge and the upside to be a double-digit sack artist early in his career.

27. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (FROM CARDINALS, VIA TEXANS)

OC/OG GRAHAM BARTON | DUKE

The Steelers trade back and still land one of the best IOL prospects in the Draft. Barton played OC his freshman year before moving outside to LT for the Blue Devils, but his skillset is more suited to the interior at the NFL level. The Steelers likely view him as their potential starting OC in Year 1, relying on his smarts and athleticism to handle the transition back inside to the pivot.

28. BUFFALO BILLS

WR ADONAI MITCHELL | TEXAS

After the trade of Stefon Diggs to the Texans, the Bills need a do-it-all weapon on the outside, and Mitchell projects as an ultra-athletic X receiver with sure hands and the smooth route-running ability to quickly become Josh Allen’s #1 target in the passing game.

29. DETROIT LIONS

CB KOOL-AID MCKINSTRY | ALABAMA

Cam Sutton’s legal troubles aside, Detroit could use CB help, and McKinstry plays with a ton of physicality and smarts. He can play man or zone and would rejoin former Alabama teammate Brian Branch to fill a huge hole in the secondary for the Championship-hunting Lions.

30. BALTIMORE RAVENS

ED/DT DARIUS ROBINSON | PENN ST.

Could Baltimore take another 1st Round WR? It’s possible, but they need plenty of help up front on the defensive side as well. Darius Robinson can play inside or out as a twitched-up pass rusher with length and power. With the big bodies the Ravens already have on the IDL, Robinson would be a boost of athleticism along the front 4.

31. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

DT JOHNNY NEWTON | ILLINOIS

The 49ers love to add athletic Defensive Linemen to the fold, and after moving on from Javon Kinlaw, adding Newton would give them another athletic interior defender to keep the pressure on opposing QBs. The former Illinois star could go much earlier, so the Niners should feel lucky to land a player of his caliber at this point in the 1st Round.

32. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

WR XAVIER WORTHY | TEXAS

Let me be clear: Xavier Worthy isn’t the next Tyreek Hill. Despite their speed profiles, Worthy is much leaner and isn’t as polished a route runner as Hill is now, but Worthy brings next-level acceleration and great hands to the table and would give Mahomes a home-run threat deep down the field or as a YAC artist.

Be sure to stay plugged in to the Fans First Sports Network for all the news and notes coming out of the NFL Draft this Thursday through Saturday. Tune in to the “FFSN NFL Draft Preview” podcast after each Day of the Draft as Andrew Wilbar and I break down all the moves from the Weekend!