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

2023 SEC Championship - Georgia v Alabama

Teams outside the first round:

And we start with who would’ve been slated to pick 1st overall if not for the trade up there last year to select Bryce Young. The …

33 Carolina Panthers – Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia

This is very much in-line with what you see out there in mock drafts, with Ladd being a guy right on the fringe of late first/early second round. I think there’s enough out there by now with people being clowned for comparing him to all the other well-known white receivers we’ve watched in recent years. He can certainly win on option routes and pick away against matchups in the slot, but he played nearly 80% of snaps on the outside last season and will be lining up at Z in two-wide receiver sets. Threatens vertically off the line, great ability to alter speeds and giving defenders false indicators, solid hands, routinely makes the first man miss after the catch and a smart, invested blocker. He’s my WR6. I also strongly considered Ricky Pearsall from Florida (who I have right behind him) – another light-skinned dude who is labelled as a slot only, but brings the same kind of speed component and I think can absolutely play as a flanker. I just think Ladd projects as a little bit more of a volume guy for a team that has targets to spare, based on what they have on the roster currently.

42 Houston Texans – Braden Fiske, IDL, Florida State

Looking at this Texans roster, there’s not a whole lot you’re considering as actual needs in terms of starting players, but rather depth on the offensive line and secondary – which I believe they can address later. Someone who could get on the field early and make real impact for them is Fiske. They brought in Foley Fatukasi and Denico Autry in free agency, along with Mario Edwards Jr. as another guy with inside-out flexibility. However, in terms of natural three-techniques playing on the edge of the guard and creating penetration – which DeMeco Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke have valued highly during their time in San Francisco – they don’t really have anybody that you’d project to play volume snaps for them currently. I believe there are some concerns about Fiske’s ability to deal with double-teams and being outreached by blockers at around 290 pounds with 31-inch arms. However, the ball get-off is right up there with Texas’ Byron Murphy for best in the class among the D-tackles, packs a nice club-rip move, capable of cross-facing guards and plays with a relentless motor. He may not even have to play a whole lot of first downs for this Houston team, but then he’ll boost that interior rush in designated passing situations.

54 Cleveland Browns – Junior Colson, LB, Michigan

Finally, I did want to bring a linebacker into the equation, which was one of two positions – along with safety (unless you count Iowa’s Cooper DeJean as such) – where we might not see anybody get selected until this point. The Browns are very much like the Texans in terms of a roster where the starting-22 offense and defense combined are very complete. They just have more standout players I’d argue, but quarterback obviously is a much bigger question mark for them. As we look at this Cleveland defense, which finished first or second in pretty much every meaningful metric, they’re bringing back basically everybody from that group a year ago other than Anthony Walker Jr., who’s been the guy that’s been kind of a glue piece at middle linebacker, but they haven’t been willing to commit to, signing one-year deals each of the past three seasons, and he’s signed to Miami this offseason. Now you’re looking at Jordan Hicks or Devin Bush to fill that spot. Junior Colson should be an upgrade over either one of them, because he can actually stay on the field for all three downs. Rarely gets caught out of position, excellent short-area burst to fill gaps in the run game, sturdy to deal with bigger bodies in traffic, can cover backs and tight-ends in man, plus then he’s this rugged blitzer, who can help free up lanes as the actual set-up man on pressure looks.