NFC East Mock Draft: Jayden Daniels lands in DC, Giants trade back twice for top 5 WR

The NFC East will be one of the more active divisions in the first-round of the 2024 NFL Draft.  With the Washington Commanders selecting at No. 2 and the New York Giants with the No. 6 overall pick, rumors have been flying about what those two teams will do.

Will they use the picks or trade back for more trade capital?  With the Commanders needing a quarterback and the Giants tinkering with the idea of moving on from Daniel Jones, but situations will be intriguing come draft night.  In the meantime, NFL mock drafts have been having fun projecting what each team will do and obviously which players they may select.

As for the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, these are two squads not afraid to make moves and if either sees a player they like within their reach, they will trade up to get them.  This will make for a rather interesting draft for all four NFC East teams as two teams look to strengthen their status among the NFC elite and the other two teams look to find their way back to relevancy with potential franchise changing selections in the top 10 of the draft.

NFC East teams make some noise in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft

Here’s a look at what each team will do in the draft, including two trades by one team to move down in the draft.

There will be a little mystery with this pick for the Commanders, but ultimately, they do select the Heisman Trophy winner.

With his dual threat potential, LSU’s Jayden Daniels will be the second QB off the board behind Caleb Williams.  This selection will remind Commanders fans of Robert Griffin III except Daniels enter the league with a higher upside as he can take over a game with his arm and/or legs like Lamar Jackson.

During his outstanding Heisman season at LSU, Daniels threw for 3,812 yards with 40 passing TDs while rushing for 1,134 yards and 10 rushing TDS.  He won’t be throwing to Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. in Washington, but the wide receiver duo of Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson aren’t so shabby. 

Trade Alert!

The New York Giants decide to stick with Daniel Jones and see an opportunity to move down in the first round and receive more draft capital.  Once they see Nabers go at No. 5, the Giants move down to take another LSU standout receiver at No. 15 in Brian Thomas Jr.

With great size and speed, the Giants get a player here who will be a nuisance in the NFC East.  Due to Nabers he hasn’t been in the spotlight as one of the top receivers in the draft, but he has the talent to be a top 10 playmaker in the league.  In leading the FBS with 17 receiving TDs, Thomas Jr is a big play threat anywhere on the field.  His size and burst make him a tremendous target for Jones. 

The Eagles are the perfect spot for this former Alabama cornerback.  Projected as one of the top 5 defensive backs in the 2024 NFL Draft, Kool-Aid McKinstry is a very smart football player who not only brings athleticism to the Eagles secondary but is a ball-hawk type corner with the versatility to play outside or inside.

In addressing their needs in the secondary, the Eagles will add McKinstry to a group led by Darius Slay and James Bradberry.  In all, a perfect situation for McKinstry who will get to learn from two veteran cornerbacks on a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

The Dallas Cowboys go with Georgia’s Amarius Mims here as they look to find a player to replace Tyron Smith.   A Five-star recruit, Mims was solid at Alabama.  His combination of size and length gives him a similar frame as Smith, but he must work on his consistency in holding off defenders in the run game.    His high ceiling as a tackle at either position makes him a solid pick for the Cowboys, but maybe not the top choice in a deep tackle class.

Unless a higher-rank offensive linemen slips or the Cowboys can trade up for a player like Talise Fuaga, Mims is the obvious choice at No. 24 to help fill a big need.