As we wait for another Superbowl between the Chiefs & 49ers I take solace in all the new players I have just become aware of thanks to the college ALL-STAR games. Every year their are some small school guys who aren't on my radar until then. So after seeing how they hold up against better competition I can decide if I need to take the time to search out and evaluate their game film. In College football we just had a week of East/West Shrine Bowl practices , and the Senior Bowl practices started today. Then we have the NFL coaching news. Jim Harbaugh got the Chargers job , Raheem Morris got the job he probably should have gotten in hindsight 3 years ago in Atlanta , and Dave Canales got a 6 year deal to coach the Panthers. Plus Brian Callahan got the Titans job , and I've got to admit that I didn't see that particular pairing coming. Also , former Ravens DC Mike Mcdonald is now the head coach of the Seahawks , Dan Quinn is the boss in Washington. Established Big names like Belichick , Carrol , and Mike Vrable were shut out , but will any of them be willing to take a job as a DC for a year? Then there are still the younger assistants like Detroit's OC Ben Johnson and the Texans OC Bobby Slowik who decided to stay put. Weird. So far it looks like a higher quality of players than 2023 as a whole , but a lot of the players that I had already watched & liked did go back to school. The final list for early entrants into the draft was also released. Usually we are all scrambling for tape on the surprises , but thankfully it is a smaller list these days , because the transfer portal and NIL money have thankfully cut down on the number of people who should have went back to school. Also , most of the talent that should end up in the top 5 , and even probably the top 10 is on the offensive side of the ball. I have watched all of these players actually play many times , but that is not the same as breaking down the film on them, and as of now I have currently broken down the film on one game for 254 players. Although I am also now up to 150 players that I have evaluated for at least 3 games , but there is still so much more tape to watch. Then chime in with the fact we only have a vague idea what teams will need at that time because of injuries, free agency, retirements , trades , the cap, and who knows what else could happen ? Plus the transfer portal & NIL money has drastically changed the face of college football. These days unless you are guaranteed to be a top 100 pick you might want to take the NIL money , stay in school , and try to improve your draft stock. A lot of players disappoint, go back to school, get injuries, get in trouble , and others come out of the woodwork. Basically we are all still a long way from potentially decoding this draft right now. This is NOT a rankings list of my top 32, but just my guess at how the draft will go at this time. The picks are all mine, and so is the playoff order if you want to be mad at someone. In addition to it looking like a better draft overall than 2023 there some positions that have stuck out so far. Right now WR and OT are the best positions in the draft. It wouldn't shock me if half of the entire first round is made up of WR's and O-Lineman. As a bonus , Quarterback , edge rusher , and CB look potentially deep at the moment too. Plus unlike last years predominantly undersized WR class there is a lot of bigger wideouts potentially available in the 2024 draft. I still expect a QB to go #1 , although it could be through a trade , because you never know if the Bears might try to get a big haul of picks , and role with Justin Fields for another year or two. I am putting a QB at #1 either way. So a lot of trades will probably happen, and since it's draft season again it's time to start throwing trades in the mocks. I have also added the first selection for the 2 teams who don't have a first round pick this year. Without further ado here it is. Agreeing or disagreeing is welcome, but please do it intelligently & respectfully or I just won't post your comment. So here it is. Enjoy.
# Is for a player for with reported character or maturity concerns.
** Is for a player with reported injury concerns.
1.BEARS - (car) - CALEB WILLIAMS - QB - USC
2.WASHINGTON - DRAKE MAYE - QB - N. CAROLINA
***TRADE*** The ATLANTA FALCONS TRADES THEIR 1rst (#8) and 3rd rounder in this draft , and their first rounder in 2025 to the PATRIOTS for their 1rst rounder (#3) ***
3.ATLANTA - (ne) - JAYDEN DANIELS - QB - LSU
4.ARIZONA - MARVIN HARRISON JR. - WR - OHIO ST.
5.CHARGERS - MALIK NABERS - WR - LSU
6.GIANTS - ROME ODUNZE - WR - WASHINGTON
7.TENNESSEE - JOE ALT - OT - NOTRE DAME
8.PATRIOTS-(atl)- OLUMUYIWA FASHANU - OT - PENN ST.
9.BEARS-(car)- NATE WIGGINS - CB - CLEMSON
10.JETS - TALIESE FUAGA - OT - OREGON ST.
11.VIKINGS - JARED VERSE - DE/OLB - FLORIDA ST.
12.DENVER - LAIATU LATU - ** - OLB/DE - UCLA
13.RAIDERS - TERRION ARNOLD - CB - ALABAMA
14.SAINTS - DALLAS TURNER - OLB/DE - ALABAMA
15.COLTS - BROCK BOWERS - ** - TE - GEORGIA
16.SEATTLE - JER'ZHAN NEWTON - DT - ILLINOIS
17.JAGUARS - QUINYON MITCHELL - CB - TOLEDO
18.BENGALS - JC LATHAM - T/G- ALABAMA
19.RAMS - COOPER DEJEAN - ** - CB/S - IOWA
20.STEELERS - GA'QUINCY MCKINSTRY - CB - ALABAMA
21.MIAMI - TYLER GUYTON - OT - OKLAHOMA
22.EAGLES - CHOP ROBINSON - DE/OLB - PENN ST.
23.HOUSTON-(clev) - BRIAN THOMAS JR. - WR - LSU
24.DALLAS - JACKSON POWERS-JOHNSON - C/G - OREGON
25.PACKERS - TJ TAMPA - CB - IOWA ST.
26.TAMPA BAY - AMARIUS MIMS - ** - OT - GEORGIA
27.ARIZONA - (hou) - JORDAN MORGAN - ** - T/G - ARIZONA
28.BUFFALO - TROY FRANKLIN - WR - OREGON
29.LIONS - BRALEN TRICE - DE/OLB - WASHINGTON
30.RAVENS - TROY FAUTANU - G/T - WASHINGTON
31.CHIEFS - DARIUS ROBINSON - DT/DE - MISSOURI
32.S.F. 49ers - GRAHAM BARTON - OL - DUKE
33.CAROLINA - DEVONTEZ WALKER - N. CAROLINA
54.CLEVELAND - CHRIS BRASWELL - OLB/DE - ALABAMA
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