With Super Bowl LVIII officially in the books, the entire league now turns their focus towards the offseason. The final draft order has been determined after the Kansas City Chiefs earned their third Vince Lombardi Trophy in the past five years, defeating the San Francisco 49ers in an exhilarating overtime affair.
Time has proven that building an organization through the draft process is the most cost-effective and efficient way to sustain success in the NFL. In fact, the Chiefs 2023 roster consisted of 66% homegrown players, which included 27 players chosen via the draft and eight players who earned spots as undrafted rookie free agents.
The league average for homegrown talent in 2023 was 61% (San Francisco was 58.8%), per ESPN. For reference, New England featured a roster that included 58.8% of players who were either drafted, or signed as undrafted rookie free agents to begin their careers.
Next up on the NFL calendar is the scouting combine in Indianapolis, held later this month. In the meantime, war rooms across America are in the process of stacking their big boards during draft meetings with scouts and coaches. With 73 days until the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, here is our best stab at how the first round could unfold come April.
1. Chicago Bears (via Carolina Panthers): Caleb Williams, QB, USC. The NFL is a bottom-line business and with just 10 wins in 38 starts for Justin Fields, it’s time to seek out an alternative option with greater upside in Williams, who has been dubbed a 'generational talent.' While Fields could inevitably turn out to be a solid pro, Williams is a potential top-tier superstar.
2. Washington Commanders: Drake, Maye, QB, North Carolina. The Commanders are expected to be in good hands with new head coach Dan Quinn, so solidifying the quarterback position should be top priority this off-season. While Sam Howell flashed as a starter, the experiment provided lackluster results overall.
3. New England Patriots: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU. Despite holding the third overall pick, it’s entirely possible that New England can still land their franchise signal-caller. Blessed with a rare combination of size, arm talent and athleticism, Daniels possesses the prerequisites of what succeeds at quarterback in the modern-day NFL.
4. Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State. If the Cardinals are to flip the script from pretender to contender, then they must find some offensive ammunition in order to keep up with the Joneses. In Harrison, the oft-injured Kyler Murray will finally have a go-to weapon that he can rely upon for the first time in his career, since the organization decided to part ways with DeAndre Hopkins.
5. Los Angeles, Chargers: Joe, Alt, OT, Notre Dame. New headman Jim Harbaugh has always been an advocate of building from the inside-out. Pairing Alt opposite of Rashawn Slater, to go along with Zion Johnson and Corey Linsley on the interior would provide quarterback Justin Herbert with one of the strongest offensive line units in the league.
6. New York Giants: Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State. It appears that Big Blue is ready to double down on 'Danny Dimes,' as general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll will enter the '24 campaign on an extremely hot seat. Fortifying the offensive line has been a project that has taken the Giants a near decade to restore. However, the task is still under construction.
7. Tennessee Titans: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia. The Titans are assumed to be moving forward with Will Levis at quarterback and what better way to support him then to provide a dependable underneath option who can serve as a safety net. An athletic freak, Bowers can alleviate some of the pressure off 'Nuke' Hopkins to be the constant provider of big play gains.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Dallas Turner, DE, Alabama. It's plausible to believe that Atlanta would be able to obtain an available quarterback such as the aforementioned Fields, which would enable them to turn their attention to defense. Turner would be a welcomed addition, as no Falcons defensive end had more than three sacks this season and no member of the defense had more than six and a half sacks overall.
9. Chicago Bears: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington. The Bears would be wise to avoid falling in the same pitfall that prevented Fields from taking his game to the next level. Surrounding the new franchise quarterback with bonafide weapons should be the top mission. In addition, Odunze brings explosive return game ability and can help upgrade special teams.
10. New York Jets: JC Latham OT, Alabama. It was evident from the first drive of the year that the Jets offensive line was in for another subpar season once again. Former first-round flameout Mekhi Becton is officially a bust and Gang Green must solidify the offensive front with 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers slated to return for his 20th NFL season.
11. Minnesota Vikings: Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois. While Minnesota will be in the market for edge rushers, Newton is a premier talent who can provide pass-rush from the interior, as evidenced by his 22.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks over the past two seasons for the Illini. Lining up next to Harrison Phillips would give the Vikings major beef in the middle of the defense.
12. Denver Broncos: JJ McCarthy, QB, Michigan. The Sean Payton and Russell Wilson marriage seemed doomed from the on-set. In McCarthy, the Broncos will have found their new franchise quarterback, who is coming off an undefeated national championship. McCarthy possesses all the tools in the toolbox and can make every throw, in addition to being a natural-born leader.
13. Las Vegas Raiders: Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa. While DeJean doesn’t own similar upside as other prospects expected to be chosen ahead of him, he does have one of the highest floors. A clean player in terms of technique, speed, instinct and ball skills, DeJean is capable of playing cornerback but in the Raiders scheme/needs, he would be best suited at one of the safety spots.
14. New Orleans Saints: Jared Verse, DE, Florida State: It seems to be an annual exercise every off-season for New Orleans, as they're constantly looking to upgrade their pass-rush. Verse is one of the more polished edge prospects and projects as an immediate starter who can provide an instant impact on the edge.
15. Indianapolis Colts: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama. A fluid athlete with superb movement skills and coverage capability, Arnold was one of the top standouts at the Senior Bowl. His ability to lock up with an assortment of opposing wideouts would allow the Colts to fill a dire need in their secondary.
16. Seattle Seahawks: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon. Journeyman Geno Smith has admirably outplayed his predecessor Russell Wilson the past couple of seasons. However, there's a cap in terms of how far Smith can take this Seahawks squad. With Nix, they find a future quarterback in waiting that can take over the reins when he proves ready for new head coach Mike McDonald.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo. There's no doubt that Mitchell is the real deal. After a stellar performance in Mobile, Mitchell stated his case as the top cornerback prospect in this year‘s draft class. Doug Peterson values physicality, an area in which the Rockets' big-bodied corner specializes in; huge upside.
18. Cincinnati Bengals: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State. It’s expected to be difficult for Cincinnati to retain pending free agent Jonah Williams due to salary cap ramifications. Plucking Fuaga would provide a cheaper alternative without a major drop off in level of play. Keeping Joe Burrow upright has been a persistent theme during his Bengals career and should continue to be addressed.
19. Los Angeles Rams: Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon. Built like a refrigerator, JPJ is one of the toughest and tenacious players in the trenches for this year's draft. He stonewalled anyone and everyone in Mobile. One of the most pro-ready players in this year’s draft, the presence of veteran Matthew Stafford would make for a smooth transition.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Michael Penix, QB, Washington. After how the season played out down the stretch with the QB carousel in Pittsburgh, the front office should be feeling a bit queasy. They appear to be at crossroads with former first-round pick Kenny Pickett; backup Mason Rudolph is expected to sign elsewhere. Adding Penix to the fold would be wise.
21. Miami Dolphins: Cedric Gray, LB, North Carolina. The Tar Heels tackle machine is expected to test extremely well at the NFL Combine, which could land him in first-round contention. With a sideline-to-sideline motor and speed that is faster than most running backs, Gray would seem to be a perfect fit in Miami.
22. Philadelphia Eagles: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson. It's clear that the Eagles secondary is aging and has felt the brunt of injuries. The versatile Wiggins could start in the slot as insurance for Avonte Maddox and has the versatility to eventually slide outside to the boundary as a replacement for James Bradbury or Darrius Slay down the road.
23. Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns): Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota. This is an up-and-coming young Texans team on the rise, which has landed some tremendous foundational blocks on defense to build around. A combination of Jalen Pitre and Nubin could be a dream come true for head coach DeMeco Ryan.
24. Dallas Cowboys: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama. The Cowboys have always had an infatuation over blue-blood, high pedigree prospects and McKinstry would certainly fit the bill. Dallas received excellent play from their corners this past year but depth has been an issue and rising star DaRon Bland is better suited in the slot. McKinstry also brings return experience.
25. Green Bay Packers: Kam Kinchens, S, Miami. The Packers will be looking to overhaul their safety unit, as starters Rudy Ford and disappointing Darnell Savage will become free agents, in addition to backup Jonathan Owens. Kinchens is a ball-hawk center fielder that can help galvanize the backend of the Green Bay defense.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Laiatu Latu, DE, UCLA. For as good as the Bucs defense has been, they sorely lack a pass-rush presence on the exterior. The explosive Latu, who comes with medical concerns (temporarily retired in 2020 due to a neck injury), can help boost the Tampa Bay defense with a legitimate edge rusher.
27. Arizona Cardinals (via Houston Texans): Darius Robinson, DE, Missouri. The Cardinals need to get defensive-minded head coach Jonathan Gannon some new toys along the defensive line, if they are to play to the strength of their scheme. The gargantuan and athletic Robinson possesses a 'first one of the bus' frame, plus enormous potential.
28. Buffalo Bills: Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State. It's overdue for Buffalo to find a dependable WR2 to play alongside Stefon Diggs. While Gabriel Davis flashes with occasional big performances, he was held without a catch in four of 12 games played this year. The offense has relied too heavily upon Josh Allen; Coleman is a tall target whom he can play pitch-and-catch with.
29. Detroit Lions: Troy Fantanu, OG, Washington. A staple of the Lions' success has resided up front along their offensive line, as they have pounded the rock with pride under Dan Campbell. With both starting guards Jonah Jackson and Halapoulivaati Vaitai set to hit the open market, it’s unlikely both will return. Fantanu will help offset any losses.
30. Baltimore Ravens: Brian Thomas, WR, LSU. The Odell Beckham Jr. experiment didn’t exactly pay back huge dividends. With OBJ set to hit free agency once again and Breshaud Perriman unable to live up to his first-round billing, the Ravens clearly need to add another target, in lieu of rookie sensation Zay Flowers.
31. San Francisco 49ers: Chop Robinson, DE, Penn State. We saw San Francisco make a deadline push to try and patch their defensive end spot by obtaining Chase Young. Overall, the move was a disappointment. The selection of Robinson would add a capable pass-rusher opposite of Nick Bosa to form a dangerous duo.
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia. The elite speed that McConkey possesses would seem to be a match made in heaven for the Chiefs luxury offense. It hasn’t been the most pleasant of times for Kadarius Toney and McConkey would undoubtedly be the fastest wide receiver Kansas City has had since Tyreek Hill.
Patriots' Second-Round Scenario
With the Panthers (No.33) and Patriots (No.34) selecting atop the second round, both teams would likely be looking to protect their young franchise signal callers (Bryce Young and Jayden Daniels). The 2024 Draft Class is rich at offensive tackle so New England could benefit from the positional depth. In this sequence, offensive tackles Amarius Mims of Georgia, Tyler Guyton of Oklahoma and Jordan Morgan of Arizona are still on the board. There’s a chance the Pats could land a steal in round two. Potential wideouts who could be available include speed-burner Xavier Worthy of Texas, route-running technician Roman Wilson of Michigan and Senior Bowl star Xavier Legette of South Carolina.
Thank you for reading Boston Sports Journal. Get involved with the chat and subscribe today! NFL Draft insider Ric Serritella will be providing exclusive coverage of the 2024 NFL Draft, follow him @ricserritella.