2024 NFL mock draft: Cardinals land Caleb Williams, Brock Bowers goes top five
By Hunter Haas
No. 4: Tennessee Titans – Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
The Titans committed to a roster retool this offseason, as the team cut salaries and let multiple starters leave as a result. They boast arguably the worst offensive line in the league and a weaponry group with very few proven commodities outside Derrick Henry.
Not to mention the uncertainty at the game’s most important position: Quarterback. Guess who can fix many of these issues simply with his presence in the offense? That is right, Marvin Harrison Jr., aka the best wide receiver prospect since Julio Jones.
Harrison’s father, Marvin Sr., ran the numbers up vs. the Titans back in the day. This time Tennessee gets the last laugh. The Buckeye wideout flexes prototypical size as a WR1 and would transform the offense in the same way Henry has since his arrival.
No. 5: Arizona Cardinals (via HOU) – Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State
The Cardinals made a savvy trade down the board at the 2023 NFL Draft and acquired the Texans’ 2024 first-round pick in the process. While Houston has promising pieces on the roster, it is unlikely they string together many victories in Year 1 of the DeMeco Ryans Era.
Arizona benefits by receiving a second top-five pick in this mock draft. At No. 5 overall, the franchise snags a building block for Jonathan Gannon’s defense. Florida State’s Jared Verse is one of the most powerful and disruptive pass rushers in the country — bar none. He would give Gannon a foundational piece to build around.
No. 6: Las Vegas Raiders – Olu Fashanu, OL, Penn State
The Raiders largely ignored the offensive line this offseason, but after regressing this coming season, the front office will be forced to prioritize upgrading the unit. Olu Fashanu was the top-rated offensive tackle on my 2023 big board before he returned to Penn State.
He is the ideal size for a franchise left tackle and is considerably younger than most of his peers. Fashanu is a natural left tackle, but his traits lend him the versatility to play anywhere on the line. The Nittany Lion standout is exactly what Vegas needs.
No. 7: Washington Commanders – Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama
Chase Young already has one foot out the door, so the Commanders will want to land an immediate replacement with such a premium pick in this mock draft. Alabama’s Dallas Turner does not receive the same fanfare his former teammate Will Anderson Jr. did in the previous draft cycle, but Turner is not far off as a prospect.
The Crimson Tide pass rusher burst onto the scene as a freshman with 8.5 sacks. His production took a massive hit in 2022, but the entire Alabama team witnessed regression, so I’m leaning more into the freshman tape for my projection. Anderson out, Turner in.
No. 8: Indianapolis Colts – Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
Bernhard Raimann will get a fair chance at left tackle this season, but if the board shakes out like this at the 2024 NFL Draft, the Colts have to run Joe Alt’s card to the podium. As a Notre Dame product, Alt uses teach tape technique. He stands at a towering 6-foot-8 and profiles as a franchise left tackle at the next level. Learn from the mistake of Andrew Luck by protecting Anthony Richardson at all costs.
No. 9: Chicago Bears (via CAR) – JT Tuimoloau, DL, Ohio State
This OSU defender lacks the production many of his peers put on tape. That being said, J.T. Tuimoloau still stands above most of them off sheer talent alone. When he is locked in, Tuimoloau is an unstoppable force. No quarterback is safe.
The Bears are assembling Matt Eberflus’ system in Chicago, and a dominant presence like Tuimoloau would be a welcomed addition. He can slide up and down the line while providing elite run stuffing and untapped potential as a pass rusher.