The ink is barely dry on the 2024 NFL draft, but we are already looking ahead to next year – and so are the defenders.
After an unprecedented 14 consecutive picks spent on offensive players kicked things off in Thursday's first round, next year's class appears much more even, with a quality crop of cornerbacks and edge rushers ranking among the most intriguing position groups, with a handful of Ohio State Buckeyes among the headliners.
But don't worry, there will be plenty of playmakers available to teams with a premium pick next year — including a trio of quarterbacks and running backs.
No one knows how the 2024 NFL season will play out, so for this mock draft, we simply used the inverse order of the current Super Bowl odds (via FanDuel) to create the selection order.
1. Carolina Panthers – JT Tuimoloau, Edge, Ohio State
With "just" 12 sacks over his first three years at the college level, Tuimoloau has not produced the eye-popping production some expected after he signed with Ohio State as a celebrated prep, but don't let the stats fool you. The power-packed 6-foot-5, 279-pounder turned down a chance at a first-round selection this year to return to Ohio State. I anticipate will play his way into a top 10 selection cinch next fall.
2. New England Patriots – Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado
A flashy dual-threat athlete whose playmaking ability is reminiscent of his Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, Hunter has the pure cover skills and soft hands to star wherever his future NFL teams most needs help.
3. Denver Broncos – Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
With all due respect to Cincinnati Bengals second-round selection Kris Jenkins, Jr. the best interior defensive lineman for Michigan during last year's title run was the ultra-powerful 6-foot-3, 318-pound Graham. A rare true freshman starter at Michigan, Graham bulldozed his way into First Team All-Big Ten honors a year ago with 36 tackles, including 7.5 for loss and three sacks.
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4. Washington Commanders – Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
A blue-chip prospect who would have been the first cornerback selected in this year's draft had he been eligible, Johnson offers a tantalizing combination of size, speed, physicality and ball skills. The 6-foot-2, 202-pounder projects as an immediate difference-maker similar to the Broncos' Patrick Surtain Jr., registering seven interceptions over his first two seasons at the college level.
5. Tennessee Titans – Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
Year in and year out, the Buckeyes churn out first-round-caliber wide receivers and the pipeline will continue in 2025 with the powerful 6-foot-1, 205-pound Egbuka, who caught 10 touchdowns and registered 1,051 yards while serving as the second option behind Marvin Harrison, Jr. Already productive, Egbuka's numbers could explode in 2024.
6. New York Giants – Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
Projected by many to be replaced by celebrated signee Arch Manning, Ewers instead showed off the accuracy and grit scouts expect of a future NFL starter, improving from a 58.1% completion rate to 69% with an impressive 37-12 touchdown-to-interception ratio over his two seasons in Austin.
7. Arizona Cardinals – Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas
Banks has been money at left tackle for the Longhorns the past two seasons, earning all-conference accolades both years, including first-team honors in 2023. Similar in some ways to this year's No. 20 overall selection Troy Fautanu, Banks' lack of ideal height — Texas lists him at 6-foot-4 and 324 pounds) — may push him inside to guard in the NFL. Regardless, he's great lineman.
8. Minnesota Vikings – Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M
One of the most celebrated transfers of the offseason, Scourton returned to his home state of Texas after leading the Big Ten with 10 sacks a year ago at Purdue (among his 50 overall stops, including 15 tackles for loss). At 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds, Scourton combines prototypical size with good snap anticipation and power.
9. Las Vegas Raiders – Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
Despite what his gaudy statistics suggest (27 touchdown passes compared to just three interceptions in 2023), Sanders won't be a fit for every team. But his awareness, accuracy, touch and mobility makes him one of the more intriguing dual-threat quarterbacks in college football, projecting similarly as former PAC-12 foe Bo Nix.
10. New Orleans Saints – Ollie Gordon II, RB, Oklahoma State
Only one running back was selected in the first two rounds of the 2024 NFL draft (Carolina took Texas' Jonathon Brooks at No. 46 overall) and that vacuum could be filled next spring with several quality options. Gordon was the Big 12's Offensive Player of the Year and the Doak Walker Award winner as the nation's top back, leading the country with 1,732 rushing yards and finishing second with 21 rushing touchdowns.
11. Seattle Seahawks – Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky
Football is a big man's game and they don't come much bigger than the 6-foot-6, 346-pound Walker, who earned Second Team All-SEC honors from league coaches a year ago after leading the Wildcats in tackles for loss (12.5) and sacks (7.5) despite fighting near-constant double-teams.
12. Indianapolis Colts – Will Campbell, OT, LSU
The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Campbell (along with right tackle Emery Jones) played a critical but underrated role in Jayden Daniels' run to the Heisman Trophy. An immediate standout who earned second-team All-SEC honors from league coaches as a true freshman, Campbell ascended to first-team honors in 2023, showing off the size, agility and strength to warrant an early first-round pick.
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Donovan Jackson, OG, Ohio State
A powerfully built 6-foot-4, 320-pounder, Jackson is the latest in the long line of former five-star recruits polishing their game at Ohio State before earning a high selection in the NFL. He generated all-conference honors at left guard following each of the past two seasons, including first-team accolades by both the media and league coaches in 2023, but nevertheless returned for a chance at a national championship.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers – Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
A natural playmaker as both a receiver and returner, Burden has lived up to his prep hype as a five-star recruit, finishing second in the SEC in 2023 with 1,212 receiving yards and nine touchdown receptions. Powerfully built at 5-foot-11 and 208 pounds, Burden is appropriately named as he is a real problem for defensive backs.
15. Los Angeles Chargers – James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
Pearce led the SEC with 10 sacks in 2023 and finished second in the conference with 15 tackles for loss. Listed by the Vols at 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds, Pearce has a lean, lanky frame that can handle another 10-15 pounds without sacrificing his trademark burst and bend off the edge.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars – Princely Umanmielen, Edge, Mississippi
A four-year producer at Florida with 24.5 tackles for loss (including 14.5 sacks), Umanmielen transferred to Ole Miss in the offseason in hopes that a change of scenery could result in a breakout campaign. Umanmielen (6-foot-5, 255 pounds) has the size and explosiveness scouts want to develop, but he needs to show greater consistency.
17. Chicago Bears – Ajani Cornelius, OT, Oregon
As opposed to most Ducks flying south for the winter, this one flew west from the Bronx (by way of the University of Rhode Island), joining Oregon in 2023 as one of the more celebrated blockers in the transfer portal. The 6-foot-5, 310-pounder had no trouble with the jump in competition, earning Honorable Mention All-PAC-12 honors last year, allowing just a single sack and providing plenty of punch in the running game.
18. Cleveland Browns – Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
To earn a first-round NFL draft selection, Milroe will have to show significant improvement as a pocket passer, but he has a head coach in Kalen DeBoer who can develop his accuracy and anticipation and, of course, already boasts elite size and athleticism. Milroe will be one of the most fascinating and closely scrutinized prospects in the country next season.
19. Los Angeles Rams – Smael Mondon Jr., ILB, Georgia
As the NFL increasingly spreads horizontally, as well as vertically, linebackers with true sideline-to-sideline speed are jumping in value. Mondon is a 6-foot-2, 230-pound heat-seeking missile who could be on the verge of a Butkus Award season.
20. New York Jets – Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
With just six touchdown receptions to his credit, Loveland likely won't generate first-round buzz from those scouting stat sheets, but the 6-foot-5, 245-pounder possesses the soft hands and balance through contact to be a monster in the middle in the NFL.
21. Atlanta Falcons – Mykel Williams, DL, Georgia
There wasn't a member of the Georgia defense drafted in the first round this year but don't expect that to be a trend. The twitchy 6-foot-5, 265-pound Williams is still growing into his body, but scouts are excited about his upside — and that is after he led the Bulldogs with 4.5 sacks a year ago.
22. Miami Dolphins – Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame
A true ballhawk with nine interceptions recorded over his first two seasons, the six-foot, 186-pound Morrison is well known for his soft hands and instincts in coverage, but scouts also like his reliability as an open-field tackler.
23. Green Bay Packers – Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
It isn't often that true freshmen start at blue-blood programs like Clemson, but that is the road Miller has traveled on his way to the NFL, earning the nod at right tackle in all 27 games of his college career. Balanced and powerful at 6-foot-6 and 310 pounds, Miller could be Clemson's highest-drafted blocker of the Dabo Swinney era.
24. Philadelphia Eagles – Collin Oliver, LB, Oklahoma State
Whether off the edge or in more of a traditional linebacker role, Oliver is a proven playmaker, registering an eye-popping 38.5 tackles for loss and 21.5 sacks among his 130 career tackles. At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, Oliver won't be a fit for everyone — just those willing to prioritize big plays over prototypical size.
25. Houston Texans – Harold Perkins, Edge, LSU
At 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, Perkins lacks the bulk the NFL prefers off the edge, but his explosive burst and closing speed are undeniable. He enters his junior campaign having already recorded 27 tackles for loss and 13 sacks, along with seven forced fumbles.
26. Dallas Cowboys – Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma
After leading the Big 12 in tackles in 2022 and earning All-American accolades (despite battling injury) a year ago, Stutsman was thought to be a shoo-in to join the 2024 NFL draft. Instead, by returning, the rangy 6-foot-4, 241 has a chance at being the first off-ball linebacker selected next spring. He certainly checks boxes for his playmaking ability, recording 267 tackles, including 28 tackles for loss already.
27. Buffalo Bills – Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State
The first cornerback didn't come off the board until No. 22 overall this year, but Burke is part of a very intriguing class that looks like one of 2025's strongest groups. Silky smooth in coverage, Burke just needs to show more ball-hawking skills, turning just two of his 26 career pass breakups into interceptions.
28. Detroit Lions – Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State
Ever since James Franklin took over at Penn State, the Nittany Lions have churned out edge rushers and all indications are that Carter is next. Even while splitting duties with 2023 top-100 draft picks Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac, the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Carter earned first-team All-Big Ten honors with 5.5 tackles for loss, including 4.5 sacks.
29. Cincinnati Bengals – Jonah Monheim, OL, USC
A four-year starter with experience at both tackle spots as well as right guard, Monheim is expected to slide inside to center in 2024, showing off a combination of size, agility and versatility that helped earn former Duke blocker Graham Barton Tampa Bay's top pick, No. 26 overall.
30. Baltimore Ravens – Ashton Gillotte, Edge, Louisville
A surprise returnee after earning first-team All-ACC honors with 45 tackles, including 14.5 for loss and 11 sacks, Gillotte is a slippery — if unconventionally built (6-foot-3, 275 pounds) — edge rusher with the burst and bend that translates well to the next level.
31. Kansas City Chiefs – Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
A transfer from Ole Miss, where Judkins was the first running back from the SEC to score 15+ touchdowns in each of his first two seasons since the legendary Herschel Walker (Georgia), the six-foot, 219-pound Judkins is a greasy runner who accelerates smoothly and slithers his way through arm tackles.
32. San Francisco 49ers – Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama
A physical mauler similar in many ways to his former Alabama teammate, JC Latham (now a member of the Tennessee Titans), the 6-foot-5, 352-pound Booker cracked the starting lineup in 2023 and immediately earned All-SEC honors. Scouts will love the fact that he enjoyed his strongest performance of the year last season in the SEC Championship victory over Georgia.
Rob Rang is an NFL Draft analyst for FOX Sports. He has been covering the NFL Draft for more than 20 years, with work at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others. He also works as a scout with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Follow him on Twitter @RobRang.
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