5 biggest surprises from Joel Klatt's 2024 NFL Mock Draft feat. Dolphins pick Tua Tagovailoa's replacement

When people think of NFL mock drafts, they usually think of ESPN's Mel Kiper, the foremost person on the subject. But there is another person who may give him some competition: Fox Sports' Joel Klatt.

On Wednesday, he revealed the second edition of his mock draft. While the top four of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels and Marvin Harrison Jr. remain untouched, the fifth spots onwards contain some major deviances from his first edition a month ago. So, what are these?

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1) Vikings trade up for JJ McCarthy

Is JJ McCarthy the Vikings' next franchise QB?

The Minnesota Vikings are reeling from losing Kirk Cousins to the Atlanta Falcons in free agency. They badly need a top-tier quarterback, and Sam Darnold is not it.

So in a massive jump, they go up six from 11th to fifth to grab Michigan's JJ McCarthy, solidifying their future under center. The Los Angeles Chargers, the original holders of the pick, still get to select Brock Bowers.

2) Seahawks do not draft a quarterback

Geno Smith is only getting older

The Seattle Seahawks' Geno Smith is turning 34 in October. While quarterbacks can have a long career, it's not a given. A devastating injury off a sack can change the trajectory of their careers, with the likes of Tony Romo providing evidence of that.

In his first edition of the mock draft, Klatt had John Schneider nabbing the aforementioned McCarthy. Instead, he traded for Sam Howell, who was horrible as the Washington Commanders' starter last season. He led the league in interceptions (21) and sacks taken (65) and also suffered four fumbles (half of them lost).

The Seahawks instead bolster their defensive line with Byron Murphy, which is decent, but without a good contingency plan under center, they may face some trouble.

3) Rams do not replace Aaron Donald

Is Aaron Donald irreplaceable for the Rams?

Almost a week ago, Aaron Donald shocked NFL fans by announcing his retirement. He left behind a monstrous list of accolades that will ensure a first-ballot induction inthe the Hall of Fame.

Surely, the Los Angeles Rams will look for someone to fill his shoes, right? But no, they go for the offensive line instead with Amarius Mims. It seems that they are entrusting incoming sophomore Kobie Turner to facilitate their potential 3-4 switch.

4) Michael Penix Jr. goes to the Dolphins instead of the Raiders

Allstate Sugar Bowl - Texas v Washington

The Las Vegas Raiders desperately need a top-notch quarterback after ditching Jimmy Garoppolo. They got Gardner Minshew coming off a career-best performane with the Indianapolis Colts, but is he really the guy?

Instead, they pass up on him for offensive tackle Tailese Fuaga, which is understandable, given their need for protection. But what is even more surprising is the Miami Dolphins selecting him in a thinly veiled ploy to replace Tua Tagovailoa, who had his best season after considering retiring in the wake of his late-2022 concussion.

5) Ravens add yet another WR

It seems as if Zay Flowers is not enough for Lamar Jackson.

Last offseason, the Baltimore Ravens undertook a massive mission: to convince star quarterback Lamar Jackson to stay.

And they did, to the tune of a then-record five-year, $260-million extension, by giving him his deepest WR corps yet: free agents Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor joining Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay. It only got deeper when they drafted Zay Flowers.

However, come 2024, the situation has changed. Beckham is a free agent again, while Duvernay has joined the Jacksonville Jaguars. So the Ravens go for another wideout in Keon Coleman to join Agholor, Bateman, and Flowers.

However, they probably should have instead addressed the loss of offensive guards John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler.