NFL Draft: Rams benefit from Zach Wilson trade in this full Round 1 mock

Full 32 picks Round 1 mock draft

1. Chicago Bears (from Carolina) - Teams needs: QB • WR • OL • DL | The Bears fool nobody by selecting the top-rated quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft - USC QB Caleb Williams.
2. Washington Commanders - Team needs: QB • OL • CB • WR | Despite the rumored controversy, the Commanders select their future quarterback, LSU QB Jayden Daniels.
3. New England Patriots - Team needs: QB • OL • CB • WR • DL | The New England Patriots make it three for three, and select North Carolina QB Drake Maye.
4. Arizona Cardinals - Team needs: WR • CB • RB • OL | No team meets the Cardinals' asking price to trade, so they do the logical selection of Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
5. Los Angeles Chargers - Team needs: WR • CB • OL • RB | The Chargers are set at QB, so they opt for the best WR on the draft board, Washington WR Rome Odunze.
6. New York Giants - Team needs: WR • CB • RB • QB | Here is where Round 1 starts to get tricky. The Giants are committed to QB Daniel Jones. But are they? In this draft, the Giants veer to LSU WR Malik Neighbors. But they may regret not selecting a QB here.
7. Tennessee Titans - Team needs: OL • DL • WR • LB | The Tennessee Titans need offensive line help, and Notre Dame OT Joe Alt is on the board. Need/Fit.
8. Atlanta Falcons - Team needs: CB • DL • QB | The Falcons have addressed their QB needs with the addition of veteran Kirk Cousins. But they cannot pass up the chance to add elite rookie prospect TE Brock Bowers here.
9. Chicago Bears (see above) | After adding a franchise QB, the Bears give him his franchise blindside offensive tackle in OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu.
10. New York Jets - Team needs: TE • WR • LB • CB | The Jets feel like a team that wants to make a splash move, but with Bowers off the board, they settle for adding LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr.
11. Minnesota Vikings - Team needs: QB • OL • WR • DL | Surprisingly, the Minnesota Vikings stand pat and have Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy land in their laps.
12. Denver Broncos - Teams needs: QB • CB • DL • OL | The Denver Broncos want to add a QB in the worst way, but they haven't the firepower to trade up to grab one. Perhaps In Round 2? In this Round 1 mock draft, they settle for the best DB on the board, Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell.
13. Las Vegas Raiders - Team needs: QB • CB • OL • WR | The Las Vegas Raiders need help, and some of their needs have to wait for later in this draft. But Alabama CB Terrion Arnold is there, and he fits an immediate need.
14. New Orleans Saints - Team needs: OL • WR • CB • DL • LB | The New Orleans Saints are another team in need of offensive line help, and Georgia OT Amarius Mims makes a great addition at 14th overall.
15. Indianapolis Colts - Team needs: CB • WR • RB • OL | The Indianapolis Colts have plenty of places to invest in Round 1, but OT Talese Fuaga makes the most sense for them here.
16. Seattle Seahawks - Team needs: DL • LB • OL • TE | You could point the Seattle Seahawks in several directions, but with the mini run on offensive linemen, the Seahawks opt for Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton here.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars - Team needs: CB • DL • OL | The Jacksonville Jaguars have needs that are almost identical to those of the LA Rams. But the Jaguars do not want to miss out on a chance to land a solid offensive tackle and select OT J.C. Latham at 17.
18. Cincinnati Bengals - Team needs: OL • DL • CB • WR • TE | The Cincinnati Bengals show up at the podium a bit too late to grab one of the top-tier offensive tackles. But they need defensive help as well, and help themselves to one of the top edge rushers in this draft, OLB Jared Verse.
19. Los Angeles Rams - Team needs: DL • CB • OL • S | The LA Rams have had their fingers crossed throughout Round 1, hoping that one of their top targets falls to them. Whether it is beginner's luck or concerns over his medical history, UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu is still on the board when the Rams make their selection.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers - Team needs: OL • WR • CB • DL | The Pittsburgh Steelers have a new mobile veteran QB in Russell Wilson, and want to ensure that he stays healthy. So they grab OT Troy Fautanu to afford him a solid pocket.
21. Miami Dolphins - Team needs: OL • DL • TE | The Dolphins would have loved to move up in this draft to select TE Brock Bowers. But DT Jer'Zhan Newton is on the board and fits their need for a starting defensive lineman
22. Philadelphia Eagles - Team needs: CB • OL • WR | The Philadelphia Eagles are still reeling from the retirement of former All-Pro C Jason Kelce. But as if the fates heard their pleas, center Jackson Powers-Johnson makes an ideal successor to anchor their offensive line for 2024 and going forward.
23. Minnesota Vikings (from Cleveland through Houston) (see above) | Since the Vikings gambled on a Round 1 quarterback falling to them and won, they can try to enhance their offensive line here as well. OT Jordan Morgan may be a developmental prospect, but his upside is off the charts.
24. Dallas Cowboys - Team needs: OL • RB • DL • WR | Because OLB Laiatu Latu was still on the board for the LA Rams, DT Byron Murphy slipped past them. He doesn't make it past Dallas here.
25. Green Bay Packers - Team needs: DL • LB • OL • CB | The Green Bay Packers have similar needs to the Rams, but are drafting behind them. They roll the dice on 'Boom or Bust' Edge Chop Robinson.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Team needs: OL • CB • LB | The Buccaneers know that pickings will be slim late in Round 1, but CB Nate Wiggins is a Day 1 starter who is still on the draft board. They do the obvious and select Wiggins.
27. Arizona Cardinals (from Houston) (see above) | The Arizona Cardinals have two picks in Round 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft. Their first pick boosted their offense, so they go defense here and add CB Kool-Aid McKinstry.
28. Buffalo Bills - Team needs: WR • DL • RB | Many mock drafts believe that the Buffalo Bills trade up to land a top wide receiver. But in this draft, they stand pat and land WR Adonai Mitchell.
29. Detroit Lions - Team needs: CB • WR • OL | The Detroit Lions know that veteran QB Matthew Stafford shredded their secondary in the Wild Card Round of the 2024 NFL Playoffs. They take their first step to correct that by selecting DB Cooper DeJean.
30. Baltimore Ravens - Team needs: OL • WR | The Baltimore Ravens have a formidable rushing attack. With the addition of RB Derrick Henry, they need a field-stretching wide receiver who can ensure no more than seven defenders crowd the box. WR Xavier Worthy is that guy.
31. San Francisco 49ers - Team needs: CB • OL • WR • LB | The San Francisco 49ers have most of their NFL Championship roster intact. So they do the obvious and invest in the trenches. Interior offensive lineman Graham Barton is the best offensive lineman on the board at 31.
32. Kansas City Chiefs - Team needs: WR • OL • CB • RB | You have to believe that the Kansas City Chiefs will want to add weapons for QB Patrick Mahomes, and WR Ladd McConkey is a sleeper who is still on the draft board at 32.

So how did Round 1 turn out? The following positions were chosen in Round 1:

• Quarterback - 4
• Wide receiver - 7
• Offensive tackles -8
• Defensive backs - 5
• Tight ends - 1
• Interior offensive linemen - 2
• Defensive tackles - 2
• Edge rushers - 3

The distribution seems to fall within projections, and that elevates the confidence level of this Round 1 mod draft. What do you think? Do you believe that it falls differently? Keep in mind that no trades occured in this Round 1 mock draft. Even one trade could have a dramatic impact on the results.

As always, thanks for reading.