Mock Draft: Bears add Saquon Barkley, Giants get Caleb Williams, Raiders trade for QB
By Hunter Haas
The Chiefs cannot go into 2024 with this offensive tackle duo
No. 28: Kansas City Chiefs — Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona
The Chiefs are the reigning Super Bowl champions, but Kansas City cannot justify paying Jawaan Taylor so much money to be mid at right tackle. Veteran left tackle Donovan Smith is nearing the end of his career as well, leaving two potential holes on the line.
Jordan Morgan, a more comfortable left tackle, can step in instantly to replace either one. Morgan is an easy mover in the running game and has the chops to shut down the elite of the elite off the edge in pass protection. Patrick Mahomes can only do so much by himself.
No. 29: Buffalo Bills — Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa
Cooper DeJean can play cornerback and safety on Sundays. For a team lacking at multiple spots in the secondary, the Iowa standout couldn’t be a better fit. DeJean is at his best as a read-and-react defender, likely pushing him to the backend of the unit in Year 1.
No. 30: Detroit Lions — Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
The Lions are still alive in the NFC, and it is within reason that Detroit can continue this Cinderella run. But the cornerback room is severely lacking in the way of top-end talent. Quinyon Mitchell can flip that in a snap.
Mitchell possesses the best ball skills in the class at cornerback. He has intercepted six passes in the past two seasons, with an astonishing 27 pass breakups on top of that. The Lions finally get a building block at the position.
One more mock draft trade has the Raiders finding a potential answer behind center
49ers Send:
•No. 31 overall (2024)
Raiders Send:
•No. 44 overall (2024)
•No. 112 overall (2024)
•Future 2nd round pick (2025)
The 49ers have the luxury of a loaded roster, allowing the front office to trade down for a couple of additional assets. That gives the Raiders a chance to slide back into Day 1 for a quarterback. Getting the fifth-year option that comes with first-round picks is merely a cherry on top.
No. 31: Las Vegas Raiders (via SF) — Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Bo Nix has grown in leaps and bounds since his Auburn days. With Dan Lanning as his mentor at Oregon, Nix played his way into the Heisman trophy running and is firmly on the first-round radar for quarterback-needy squads.
The Raiders need better play than Aidan O’Connell can provide, and with a stocked-up group of weapons in Las Vegas, there’s perhaps no better destination for Nix. He can carve up defenses from the pocket and offers deceptive rushing ability when plays break down.