NFL Draft 2024: Final one-round mock draft feat. Patriots' surprise non-QB pick

Colorado v Oregon

17. Denver Broncos (via JAX) – Bo Nix, QB, Oregon

Alright, Broncos are finally on the clock and there are multiple avenues I could take here. I already mentioned that they could address CB2 opposite of Pat Surtain with someone like Terrion Arnold and even though I like some of their young guys on the edge, Florida State’s Jared Verse could make a lot of sense here.

However, they can not be trotting Jarret Stidham out there for 17 weeks and I’ve liked this landing spot this entire time for the guy who just finished second all-time in single-season completion percentage (77.2%).

I know people won’t like this and feel free to close the tab once you hear me say it, but Nix is my QB3, one spot ahead of LSU’s Jayden Daniels on my big board – even if this is more of a reflection of me being down a little bit more on this quarterback class past the top two than consensus.

I think Bo would be a tremendous fit with head coach Sean Payton for a quick-trigger passing attack, where he can accurately deliver the ball on time, based on what leverage and coverage structure dictates – unlike the frustrations he had last season with Russell Wilson. Moreover, I think Nix is being falsely labeled as a checkdown captain.

He can push the ball deep for Courtland Sutton and then his ability to manipulate rush angles, escape potential sacks, and create on secondary reaction plays is highly underrated, more so based on how well he executed the Ducks' offense within structure.

18. Cincinnati Bengals – Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State

I look at the Bengals fairly similarly as the Saints, less so in terms of truly pressing needs, but having their eyes set on guys on the edge of the line – whether that’s on offense or defense – as long as Georgia tight-end Brock Bowers isn’t available at least. I have them taking what is generally considered the better player between those two spots in the ass-kicking Oregon State OT.

They selected Myles Murphy out of Clemson late in the first last year, who hasn’t really gotten on the field for them a whole lot but looked pretty good in limited action. I could see Fuaga going as high as number ten to the Jets, who he’s been linked to regularly, and this is much closer to the floor for him in terms of draft range.

Purely as a run-blocker, he may be the very best of the bunch, as a mean people-mover, whether that’s latching into edge defenders and taking them for a ride on the front side of zone concepts, driving a three-technique backward on combos with the guard or tossing linebackers to the turf when asked to climb.

He doesn’t have top-end length or foot agility, where he will be challenged in new ways by NFL speed off the edge, but he dominated against a murderous row of Pac-12 threats in the passing game. I think he may start at guard and as soon as Trent Brown misses any time – which is highly likely – sticks at right tackle for a long time.

19. Philadelphia Eagles (via LAR) – Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

We welcome back the Los Angeles Rams to the first round for the first time since they selected Jared Goff first overall back in 2016. Of course, they feel weird here to pick this early and when the Eagles call about moving up three spots, they do so in exchange for a 2nd-rounder, to now own picks 52 and 53, while giving Philly number 83 and one of their back-to-back fives (155th overall).

With that, the Eagles secure themselves what some people still have as CB1. We all know about the Eagles’ struggles on the back end last season defensively and while they may also just stick at 22 and get a Cooper DeJean from Iowa, who can also fill in the nickel or even play some safety for them, I believe Arnold will generally be higher rated and can play inside and out.

I’m sure they regret the contracts they handed out to veterans Darius Slay and James Bradberry last offseason now, but they can get out of those next year and Avonte Maddox is only back for this season at a 2-million-dollar price tag. So however they want to approach this, Arnold is almost definitely an upgrade at one of those three spots, and for a forward-thinking franchise, they will value the flexibility this provides in the future.

I have Arnold as my CB4 because he gets a little sloppy in his backpedal and savvy route-runners can get him turned the wrong way, but he’s springy to click-and-close from off-alignment, has the loose hips to recover if opening the wrong way initially and I don’t think he plays like he runs a 4.51 with some of the reps of him hanging with speedsters down the field.

Add in the ball production in his one season as a starter and how aggressive he is coming downhill, and I think new Eagles DC Vic Fangio will love him.

20. Buffalo Bills (via PIT) – Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

And we get straight to another trade, as the Pittsburgh Steelers are certainly tempted by the possibility of replacing Diontae Johnson with whoever they think is the number four receiver in this class, but they surrender that right to pick him here to the Bills, due to how well they’ve developed the position with mid-rounders, for the steep price of picks 128 and 153, as they come up from 28 to select the OTHER LSU wideout.

By trading away Stefon Diggs to a young contender in the Texans, along with – to a lesser degree – allowing Gabe Davis to walk in free agency, they’ve created a pretty substantial hole on the outside. I’ve really liked Khalil Shakir since I watched him at Boise State, Curtis Samuel is someone who can be a high-volume target and extension of your run game, but if you’re looking for that big-bodied X receiver, you’re asking last year’s fifth-round pick Justin Shorter or free agency addition Mack Hollins to step up massively.

Those guys certainly are more straight-liner who can be ball-winners, which funnily is kind of the profile Thomas Jr. presents as well, but I think he can clearly be more than that eventually. His juice off the line, the ability to elude contact in a more fluid fashion and how he can reduce his height at the break-point for being nearly 6’4”, project much better into someone who can win on all three levels.

At LSU, his route-tree was definitely limited, with a ton of hitches and goes, but that extra gear to run under one of Josh Allen’s bombs and then how he can pierce up the field or slide inside of pursuit defenders could make him highly productive for Buffalo.

21. Miami Dolphins – Graham Barton, IOL, Duke

When I look at the Dolphins, I think two position groups clearly stand above the rest in terms of where they might go here – offensive line and edge defender. The latter is largely based on the fact that both Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb are coming off season-ending injuries which the suffered late in the year. But at least Chubb could be available once week one rolls around with the torn ACL and they did add veteran Shaq Barrett as a free agent.

So I’m more focused on the guys they’re putting in front of Tua Tagovailoa and the name that jumps out is Graham Barton. Played left tackle at an all-conference level for the Blue Devils, but expected to move inside due to the lack of arm length and even more so because of how well his game translates to the interior. Explosive out of his stance, latches and sustains with a finishing mindset as a run blocker, along with being able to showcase that tremendous athletic profile he backed up at his pro day as a puller. Able to use his hands in alternate fashion, adjust his aiming points & works with a great understanding for the depth of the pocket, which is why he only gave up 2 total sacks & QB hits combined over the last 2 years. Whether they need to him to jump in at center for Connor Williams leaving or if Aaron Brewer can stick there, to take over for Robert Hunt at right guard, he could be a quality starter at either, along with kicking out to tackle in a pinch.

22. Los Angeles Rams (via PHI) – Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State

So as I already described, the Rams trade back three spots in this scenario and I think they have to go defense here, with how much they’ve invested financially into this offense. Nobody is currently slated to spend a lower rate of their cap dollars on that side of the ball than them at just under 25%. I could certainly see them address the interior D-line with the retirement of Aaron Donald or inject some youth into an old corner room, but I think they take what will be the highest guy on many boards still available in the back-to-back first-team All-ACC defensive end. How quickly Byron Young and Kobe Turner emerged as difference-makers on that D-line as rookies was a very pleasant surprise, but they’re still looking at Michael Hoecht once again starting at that second outside linebacker spot, where he’s asked to drop into coverage well over 200 times at 300+ pounds. Now, Verse doesn’t have a whole lot of experience with that, but I think they’ll ask him to go forward much more regularly because of the difference he can make there. This guy comes out of his stance with some fire, he has heavy hands to set the tone on contact and be a physical edge-setter in the run game. Those violent chops also allow to swat down the reach of tackles on pass plays and then he’s the best at condensing his rush lanes, taking advantageous paths to the quarterback by utilizing his power. He’s not an elite bender, but would immediately be the top edge rusher on this team.

23. Los Angeles Chargers (via MIN) – Jer’Zhan Newton, IDL, Illinois

As you look at this Bolts depth chart, they still need plenty of help. They took care of their one big need on offense with Latham at right tackle, considering they can add another receiver in this insanely deep class later. Defensively, there’s no linebacker worth this selection, but they could go corner here. With that in mind, thinking about the years under Brandon Staley and what stands out to me, is how soft they were at the spine of their defense – let’s change that with a dominant presence on the interior D-line. While Michigan didn’t face the Fighting Illini this past season, Jim Harbaugh saw the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year collect a couple of tackles for loss, QB pressures and a batted passes when they met in 2022. To me, Johnny Newton is one of the more underappreciated players in this draft class. Can knife through gaps and disrupt or pulls blockers off himself when the ball is in range. Already pretty advanced in terms of his hand-usage, reading the pass-sets of interior protectors, when there are opportunities to land cross-face moves or transition to power. And then he’s the best guy in the class at cornering his rushes from those inside alignments. I have him 13th overall on my big board and he’d a homerun pick gere. The Harbaugh era starts with two cornerstone pieces in the trenches on both sides of the ball – very fitting.

24. Dallas Cowboys – Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

Duke’s Graham Barton has been a fit I’ve liked for the Cowboys, plugging him in at center for Tyler Biadasz or at left guard, where Brock Hoffman and T.J. Bass are currently projected to start, expecting Tyler Smith to move back out to left tackle. And I’m not ruling out Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson at all either, but with one of the top six tackles still available, I think that’s where they need to go with the gigantic Georgia right tackle. I’d say it’s more likely he’s gone at this point, because he has the potential to develop into a top-five player from this entire draft. With that being said, only eight career starts and the foot injuries he was fighting through this past season, along with pulling a hammy at the combine, when he had the chance to wow NFL decision-makers, could push him down a little bit. But my god, this dude is built like Thanos at 6’8”, 340 pounds with almost no excess weight, a ton of natural power and athletic feet. There’s certainly room to grow in terms of framing rushers off the edge, but I think it’s all due to a lack of experience rather than being “raw” with how good his tape was already. If you can get consistent temperament in the run game out of this guy, you’re talking about someone with All-Pro potential. Mims actually split practice time pretty evenly between the left and right tackle, so he can be the replacement for Tyron Smith on the blindside while TYLER Smith can stay at the spot he was just named a second-team All-Pro at.