Ohio State

In this no-trade mock, with Chicago sticking at 1, they pick the player who will be the biggest help to Justin Fields. If Fields doesn't succeed with Marvin Harrison Jr. out wide, I don't think he will succeed anywhere.

North Carolina

The QB picks are going to be wild this year, my gut tells me. I have a sinking suspicion that this year may break the record for most QBs in Round 1, and that all starts with Washington, who may trade up to 1 in the real draft to secure their QB of choice. Here I have them taking Maye, but your guess is as good as mine.

USC

If there is a coach that can temper Caleb Williams's brashness, it is Bill Belichik. New England has perhaps the worst QB situation in the league, and Williams comes with tons of upside. Now we just need to see how Robert Kraft feels about selling part of his team...

Alabama

Kyler Murray looked good at the end of the year, and I think Arizona is going to be quite competitive in the coming years. While getting Kyler help is definitely going to be a priority, I think Arizona is going to be a big player in free agency, and so I have them going best available. It has been a long time since Arizona has had a big name in the middle of the defense; let's fix that.

Georgia

The Chargers are absolutely awful for a lot of reasons, but they are so, so much worse when Justin Herbert isn't taking snaps. L.A. needs to do all they can to protect him, as he is their best chance at making the playoffs always.

LSU

I understand Daniel Jones is under a big contract and that most media are pointing towards New York sticking with him in 2024. However, if you have a bad QB and you get the chance to draft a first round-worthy QB, you take that chance. Daniels has all the tools to be much, much better than Jones, especially considering Jones has been so middling with decent to good supporting casts.

Oregon

The Titans are in dire need of a QB, flatly. Will Grier and Ryan Tannehill are not the answer. Tennessee needs a QB even more this year than in the past with Derrick Henry signaling that he is moving on to a new team this upcoming offseason. Bo Nix is a big, strong QB with lots of physical upside. If the Titans bring in a "QB whisperer" of a new HC, then I think Nix could very well be their choice.

Michigan

The owner of Atlanta himself said that Desmond Ridder is not the future of the franchise. I don't think Ridder was all bad last season, and certainly not so bad to completely give up on, but as the owner says, the team does. McCarthy just won a National Championship, and while he had an all-time CFB defense, he played pretty darn great in the playoffs, which is definitely going to boost his stock past what people think of it right now.

Georgia

Normally when teams have two early firsts, I think they should go O then D or D then O. However, given Chicago's defense was surprisingly dominant last season, I think just going all in on Justin Fields is the play to compete with the high-flying Lions and the upstart Packers. Bowers is a mismatch weapon that Cole Kmet, frankly, is not. Give Justin Fields his Mark Andrews, and maybe the Lamar Jackson comparisons won't look so crazy.

BYU

The Jets season was over in the first quarter of their first game. I think that in and of itself is enough of an explanation for this pick. Kingsley Suamataia is big, strong, and has all the fixings of a Pro Bowl OT.

Miami

I expect the Vikings to roll with Cousins again in 2024, as their offense just clicks when he is back there. If there was a dominant RB in this draft, they would go here, but without one, I expect the Vikings to focus on defense considering the NFC North is looking like quite the passing division.

South Carolina

Russell Wilson will be out in 2024. Sean Payton gets his pick, and I think he picks Rattler, a brazen gunslinger out of the south. If Payton is going to try to recreate those Super Bowl-quality NOLA teams in Denver, Rattler is a likely starting place.

Washington

Mark Davis is famous for becoming enamored with physical talents, and that is exactly what Penix Jr. is. Jimmy G was never going to be the QB of the future in Las Vegas, and I think Penix has just enough upside and existing talent to sneak into the first half of the first round.

UCLA

Cam Jordan is going to have to hang it up eventually. I think the Saints will look to free agency to fix their WR woes, though I think Rasheed Shaheed is in for a big 2024. This means that they will look to defense, as we can't have any offense in the NFC South getting too exciting now, can we?

LSU

Anthony Richardson looked good in his sparse 2023 action. The jury is still out on whether or not he is the franchise in Indianapolis, but giving him more help outside of Michael Pittman has got to be a priority.

Alabama

I feel like it has been literal eons since Seattle has had a decent offensive line. I think Geno will be back in 2024, and while some regression is definitely expected, J.C. Latham is probably the best way for Seattle to avoid total relegation to the pits of the league.