2024 NFL mock draft: Cardinals land Caleb Williams, Brock Bowers goes top five
By Hunter Haas
No. 25: Miami Dolphins – Sedrick Van Pran, OL, Georgia
The Dolphins will always place a priority on the offensive line as long as Mike McDaniel is around. To best execute his zone blocking scheme, athletic linemen are necessary. Georgia’s Sedrick Van Pran is a solid athlete with superb footwork and contact balance. He is a starting center in the NFL immediately.
No. 26: Buffalo Bills – Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
The Bills have Stefon Diggs in tow, but the rest of the wide receiver group is a big ball of unknown. What the group lacks is a legitimate field stretcher with blazing speed. Enter Xavier Worthy. The Longhorn pass catcher is twitched up and creates separation effortlessly as he tracks deep passes downfield. Josh Allen would put up even crazier stats with Worthy attacking the seams.
No. 27: Detroit Lions – Jer’Zhan Newton, DL, Illinois
The Lions have an impressive array of defensive linemen on the roster, but no one on the interior touches the upside of Jer’Zhan Newton. The Illinois defender displays consistent leverage and the power to blow through blockers. He has upside as a pass rusher from the inside, making him a great value this late in the mock draft.
No. 28: San Francisco 49ers – Kingsley Suamataia, OL, BYU
The Niners lost starting right tackle Mike McGlinchey to free agency this offseason and didn’t do much to replace him. Kingsley Suamataia is athletic enough to get out in space as a run blocker, a requirement in Kyle Shanahan’s system. He needs work in pass protection, but the length and traits are there to develop into an above-average starter in San Francisco.
No. 29: Seattle Seahawks – Cooper Beebe, OL, Kansas State
The Seahawks locked up a pair of bookend tackles for the next decade at the 2022 NFL Draft. Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas carry the unit, but an upgrade on the interior would vault this group up offensive line rankings. Cooper Beebe is refined, powerful, and displays the best hand usage of any lineman I have evaluated thus far.
No. 30: Cincinnati Bengals – Raheim Sanders, RB, Arkansas
Full disclosure: I am not confident the Bengals would pick a running back here. That being said, I am increasingly confident that Joe Mixon won’t be in Cincinnati after 2023. Value meets need at No. 30 overall in this mock draft, as Sanders becomes the lead back for Joe Burrow. Nicknamed Rocket, the Arkansas ball carrier lives up to the name with his explosive style of running.
No. 31: Philadelphia Eagles – Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
Here is a name you may not be familiar with. Clemson’s Nate Wiggins garnered a four-star rating out of high school, but he hardly saw any action as a freshman. Entering Year 2, Wiggins was thrust into the starting lineup, making the most of it. His 13 passes defended highlights his immense length and disruptive hands. The Eagles need more youth at cornerback; the Tiger star is the answer.
No. 32: Kansas City Chiefs – Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
The Chiefs should draft a wide receiver every season. Skyy Moore and Rashee Rice both came off the board on Day 2 in recent draft classes, but this time Kansas City pulls the trigger at the end of round one. Rome Odunze is one of the top pass catchers in the country, showcasing elite body control and reliable hands downfield. The Washington Husky could be a cheat code with Patrick Mahomes. A perfect cap to the summer edition of our trademark mock draft.