2024 NFL Mock Draft Part 2: Second-round selections for each NFC North team

The NFL Draft is a highly anticipated event that can shape a team's future. For the NFC North division, including the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings, it's a crucial time to strategize and identify potential star players. It's only midseason, but it's never too early to get a jump on strategizing for the draft, especially when you can still watch the prospects on Saturday.

NFC North Mock Draft (Part 2) — Bears Stock Up On Talent While The Rest Of The Division Fills Roster Holes

We highlighted the big moves in the first round of NFLMocks’ midseason mock draft for the NFC North. In Round 1, we saw the Lions and Vikings take their quarterbacks of the future, and Green Bay and the Bears add some fantastic offensive building blocks.

Today, we will dive into the potential picks for the second day of the event. Chicago enters the 2024 season in a rebuilding phase and will not be taking it lightly. They traded out of the No. 3 slot in the draft twice and ended up with picks 33, 39, 67, 68, 74 and 80. Now, they have a prime opportunity to secure top talent to build around Marvin Harrison Jr. The Bears are going all Sonny Weaver on mock draft Day 2.

The Packers are stacked with Day 2 selections from the Aaron Rodgers deal; they have picks 42, 47, 73, and 82. The Lions will pick at 61, 84 and 92, while the Vikings only have their second-round pick at 51. So, let's get drafting.

With the 33rd pick, the No. 1 pick in Round 2, acquired via trade from the Arizona Cardinals, the Chicago selects Oregon quarterback Bo Nix. The Bears get a premier contingency plan if Fields can’t step up and be the guy in his fourth year.

It's difficult to overstate the progress made by Nix in 2022. Always an athletic player at Auburn, the former five-star recruit struggled to build on his good plays before he joined Oregon, usually trying to win with one throw instead of taking what the defense gave him until he had to improvise. That changed completely last season.

Now, Nix is a potential first-rounder entering the fall. He's a dual-threat signal-caller with a strong arm and excels at making plays outside the pocket. Defenses now have to be careful when giving him easy openings and will find themselves panicked when Nix starts to move around either to buy time to throw or to rush upfield. He has a stocky frame, speed, and good agility for his weight.

Bo Nix Has Improved Mightily Since Transferring To Oregon

His arm allows him to throw off-balance and still get a catchable ball to his targets down the field. Nix has impressive improvisational skills and isn't afraid to look for a big play. He improved his passing motion to be faster and more reliable, usually releasing the ball at ear level and avoiding deflections at the line. the Duck star keeps his eyes on the field, avoiding pressure, extending plays and finding the best option. He is a genuine rushing menace who will create significant gains in the NFL.

His accuracy and timing developed more in his first year at Oregon as he put faith in what he saw and acted instead of hesitating. The next step for Nix is to master his pre-snap recognition of where to go and anticipate leverage more effectively. He can read the field well but is more of a read-and-react player than knowing what to do when his read shows their intention.

The Bears have no shortage of future resources to throw at improving the roster. If Nix falls out of Round 1, Chicago should be quick to scoop him up. Luckily for the Windy City fan base, Nix is entering the draft early. He could easily be the Will Levis of 2024.

With the No. 39 pick in NFLMocks’ midseason mock draft for the NFC North, the Bears select Princely Umanmielen, a disruptive pass rusher from Florida. Chicago is making a defensive stance, adding a high-end sack artist like Josh Allen of the Jaguars.

Umanmielen is a highly-anticipated prospect who demonstrates excellent snap anticipation and timing and an impressive ability to read and react quickly on the field. He possesses quick hands and utilizes his length well. His acceleration is very impressive, and he can produce powerful hits. Umanmielen is a technician in terms of employing violence, swiftness, and his long arms to fend off blockers. Additionally, he exhibits a strong work ethic and a knack for creating opportunities for himself in the pass rush late in the down. His spin move is already on par with the NFL's best, and he never ceases to exert effort.

The Bears significantly upgraded a position of need and added a dominating defensive presence. He will fit the scheme and be a Day 1 starter.

With the 42nd pick, the Green Bay Packers select offensive lineman Cooper Beebe from Kansas State. Protection, protection, protection is the strategy of the Packers in this mock draft.

As for Beebe, Green Bay gets a great interior line anchor. It can be argued that Cooper Beebe is the top guard of the 2024 class and has a good chance of being selected in the first round of the NFL draft. He excels in pass protection, effectively using his powerful lower body and precise hands on the defender's chest. Additionally, his athleticism permits him to be featured on pulls, and he is adept at locating the second layer of defenders. Although he is not a top-level athlete, his robustness and activity level should enable him to be an effective NFL starter early in his career.

With the 47th pick in NFLMocks’ midseason mock draft for the NFC North, the Packers take Texas wide receiver, Adonai Mitchell. Getting Jordan Love a weapon now that they have secured some time for him to throw the ball is a solid choice here.

The arrival of Mitchell from Georgia to join an impressive group of players in Texas has been made possible due to his size of 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds. He uses this size to his advantage when finishing plays at the catch point, though he may not be quick or explosive enough to create open windows. He has strong hands, is competitive, and displays intuitive timing when elevating and high-pointing the ball.

Packers Choose Another Offensive Weapon On Day 2 Of Mock Draft

Additionally, he possesses initial quickness off the line and enough strength to beat the jam in the next level. Mitchell is a coordinated hands-catcher who follows the ball downfield, and although he does not have breakaway speed, he is rarely caught from behind. His long arms and soft hands provide a sizable catch radius, and he can create some separation over the middle.

Adonai also proved successful in catch-and-run plays as he transitions upfield quickly after the catch and has enough speed to pick up yardage, and his frame can carry more weight while he runs aggressively with the ball in his hands. Mitchell is very good at working outside the numbers and does the small details well downfield, such as leaving room for his quarterback to drop in a throw.

He is quite similar to Tee Higgins, and I like him opposite Christian Watson with Luke Musgrave coming off the line; it's a formidable and balanced attack. Add in some power running, and you got yourself a stew.

Minnesota is up at No. 51 with their only pick of Day 2 in our NFC North mock draft. They select Will Shipley, a gifted running back out of Clemson. They addressed their quarterback vacancy in the Round 1, and now they add a Dalvin Cook replacement, keeping the Vikings’ offense flying high.

Shipley is an intuitive player who has a knack for cutting through the tackles with agility. Additionally, he's a dynamic receiving threat and an accomplished blocker. His pass-catching skills are noteworthy, as he has natural hands and can turn upfield quickly in the screen game. He may not have elite burst, but his quick feet and straight-line speed provide him with the potential to generate big plays. He's also improving his patience as a runner, as he can follow pulling guards and make sound decisions when cutting.

Vikings Draft A Dalvin Cook Replacement To Pair With Kirk Cousins’ Successor

His agility, balance, and body control allow him to squeeze out yards when the situation looks dire. Shipley is exceptionally proficient working in the open field, where his vision and explosion stand out. His lateral movement enables him to separate from defenders, and his acceleration surprises the opposition. The Tiger star can line up from various spots as a receiver and make catches away from his body, picking up yards after the reception. As a blocker, he is tenacious and knows how to exploit leverage.

In 2023, Shipley has played nine games so far and has 515 rushing yards with a 4.6 yards per carry average; add in his 20 catches for 120 yards with his five total touchdowns, and he is a poor man's Christian McCaffrey. Kirk Cousins could work with that in his offense, and so can Michael Penix Jr.

At No. 61, the Detroit Lions select Michigan wide receiver Roman Wilson. The Lions add J.J. McCarthy's favorite target to make his transition easier and add depth at the position.

During his first year as a freshman at the University of Michigan in 2020, Wilson saw action in six games, making nine receptions for 122 yards at an average of 13.6 yards per reception, one touchdown and an exceptional QB rating when targeted (115.8). In 2021, he played thirteen games the following year, catching 25 passes for 420 yards and three scores, with a still-impressive QB rating when targeted (94.0). As a junior in 2022, Wilson played eleven games and had 20 receptions for 272 yards with a 13.6-yard average and three more touchdowns, along with another excellent QB rating when targeted (124.7). This year, he has recorded 36 catches for 589 yards with 10 touchdowns in nine games.

As for his draft stock, Wilson's long arms give him a more prominent presence than his size indicates, but he can add more weight. His ball tracking and catching abilities are noteworthy, especially in contested catch situations. Plus, he has strong hands and is very competitive. He is also nimble and has the unique speed to be a breakaway threat. Wilson’s acceleration is excellent, and he can adjust to off-target throws with good ball-tracking and body control. Additionally, he is a willing contact runner, albeit not particularly powerful.

J.J. McCarthy And Roman Wilson Stay In Michigan With The Lions

He will be a threat at WR2 next to Amon-Ra St. Brown, with Jameson Williams in the slit, a dangerous trio for the Lions. With the current offensive line, Jahmyr Gibbs, T.J. Hockenson, and this pass-catching group, it could make it really easy for McCarthy to step into Jared Goff's shoes when the time comes.

Stay tuned for the conclusion of NFLMocks’ midseason mock draft for the NFC North. This time we will focus solely on Round 3, when the Packers get a quarterback, and the Bears finish stacking their future dynasty.