ExtremeRavens Posted April 19 Share Posted April 19 With less than a week before the 2024 NFL draft begins Thursday night in Detroit, Ravens beat writer Brian Wacker predicts all 32 picks in the first round. 1. Chicago Bears (from Carolina): Caleb Williams, QB, Southern California After Chicago traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner is the next man up in the Bears’ seemingly never-ending search for a franchise quarterback. 2. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU With comparisons to Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson for his dual-threat ability, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner gives Washington its franchise quarterback. 3. New England Patriots: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said there’s “no ceiling” for the 2022 ACC Player of the Year. With Daniels off the board, New England sticks with Maye. 4. Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State The consensus best receiver, and perhaps best overall prospect, Harrison won’t get by the receiver-needy Cardinals. 5. Los Angeles Chargers: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU Coach John Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz give quarterback Justin Herbert a much-needed target who has drawn comparisons to the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase. 6. New York Giants: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington Another team that desperately needs a wide receiver and an injection of life on offense after running back Saquon Barkley bolted for division rival Philadelphia, the Giants snag Odunze, who has drawn comparisons to Davante Adams and Larry Fitzgerald. 7. Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame With second-year quarterback Will Levis and the addition of receiver Calvin Ridley, the Titans’ biggest focus will be improving what was one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL last season. The best tackle prospect in the draft helps them do so immediately. 8. Atlanta Falcons: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama To help a defense that was 26th in pass-rush win rate (37.6%) and last in quarterback pressure percentage (.249), the Falcons get the best pass rusher in a class light on them. 9. Chicago Bears: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State What better way to protect your No. 1 pick and franchise quarterback than by taking a tackle who didn’t give up a sack in college and grades as a highly effective run blocker? 10. New York Jets: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia After the Jets added right tackle Morgan Moses and guard John Simpson from the Ravens to help protect Aaron Rodgers, they give the veteran quarterback an elite pass-catching tight end who is also a capable blocker. 11. Minnesota Vikings: J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan Kirk Cousins left for the Falcons in free agency, so the Vikings get his replacement in the national championship-winning quarterback. Don’t be surprised if Minnesota trades up to ensure it, either. 12. Denver Broncos: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon With Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh and without another pick until the third round, Denver can’t afford to wait and takes last season’s FBS leader in completion percentage (.774). 13. Las Vegas Raiders: Troy Fautanu, OT/G, Washington A native of nearby Henderson, Nevada, Fautanu gives Raiders coach Antonio Pierce a plug-and-play tackle who helped block for the nation’s second-best passing offense (343.7 yards per game) last season. Fautanu was also part of a unit that won the Joe Moore Award recognizing the country’s top offensive line. 14. New Orleans Saints: Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State A first-team All-American and the Big Ten Conference’s Offensive Lineman of the Year, Fashanu gives the Saints the starting-caliber tackle they need. 15. Indianapolis Colts: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama With the Colts ranking 23rd in yards per pass attempt allowed last season, the need is obvious. Arnold allowed a completion rate of 52% and recorded five interceptions with 13 pass breakups last season. 16. Seattle Seahawks: Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas New coach Mike Macdonald saw the success he had in Baltimore with Justin Madubuike and gets another disruptive force in the middle of the defense in Murphy, who had career highs in tackles (29), tackles for loss (8 1/2), sacks (5) and quarterback hurries (7) last season. 17. Jacksonville Jaguars: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo The Jaguars had one of the league’s worst pass defenses last season, ranking 26th in passing yards allowed per game and 19th in completion percentage allowed. Mitchell fits the bill as an athletic lockdown corner who stood out at the Senior Bowl. 18. Cincinnati Bengals: JC Latham, OT, Alabama Latham’s size (6-foot-6, 342 pounds) and strength is a good investment in keeping quarterback Joe Burrow upright. Over the past two seasons as the Crimson Tide’s starting right tackle, he allowed only two sacks and four quarterback hits. 19. Los Angeles Rams: Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA Latu, who led the FBS last season in tackles for loss (21 1/2) and tied for fourth in sacks (13), provides an immediate boost to a Rams defense that ranked in the bottom quarter of the league in sacks and bottom third in quarterback pressures. 20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU New Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson gets immediate help with Thomas, who had 1,177 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns last season. The LSU star is fast, hitting 22.91 mph on a go route at the scouting combine to lead all receivers. 21. Miami Dolphins: Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State After losing Christian Wilkins and Andrew Van Ginkel in free agency and with Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips working their way back from injury, Miami needs help up front. Verse is a versatile an experienced edge rusher who would be a good fit with new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. 22. Philadelphia Eagles: Cooper DeJean, CB/S, Iowa The Eagles are one of a handful of teams DeJean reportedly met with on a top-30 visit, and his versatility to play corner or safety makes him a tantalizing option. An explosive athlete who can play all over the field, DeJean had seven interceptions, 13 passes defended, five sacks and three touchdowns in three seasons in Iowa. 23. Minnesota Vikings (from Houston via Cleveland): Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois After addressing their offense, the Vikings turn to defense and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Newton recorded a team-high 7 1/2 sacks last season and led all of FBS with four blocked kicks. 24. Dallas Cowboys: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia While Mims has limited experience and played right tackle at Georgia, he has the athleticism and skill to protect the blindside of quarterback Dan Prescott after the departure of Tyron Smith in free agency. Dallas could also plug Mims in at right tackle if it felt more comfortable with 2022 first-round pick Tyler Smith sliding over to the left side. 25. Green Bay Packers: Graham Barton, G/C, Duke With some turnover up front, the Packers get a versatile player in Barton, who can play anywhere along the offensive line but is projected to line up on the interior given his relatively short arms. That includes center, which would allow the Packers to keep Zach Tom at tackle. 26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State Given a deep offensive line class, the Buccaneers target a pass rusher early instead. Robinson’s stats aren’t great — 11 1/2 sacks the past two seasons, including four in 2023 — but the Maryland transfer does have first-step quickness, athleticism and a strong motor. 27. Arizona Cardinals (from Houston): Darius Robinson, EDGE/DT, Missouri After recording the third-fewest sacks (33) in the league last season, the Cardinals land a versatile pass rusher who has played on the interior as well as the outside. Robinson had 8 1/2 sacks last season. 28. Buffalo Bills: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas With Stefon Diggs traded to the Houston Texans, Buffalo gets its “X” receiver replacement in Mitchell, a 6-2, 205-pound speedster with a big catch radius who can beat press coverage and make an immediate impact. 29. Detroit Lions: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama McKinstry is represented by the same firm as Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, had a top-30 visit with Detroit and is a versatile, intelligent corner who can help shore up a secondary that is on the rise after adding Carlton Davis III. 30. Ravens: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma It would not be a surprise to see the Ravens trade out of this spot — either back into Round 2 or possibly up the board to snag an even higher ranked tackle. But if they stay put and select Guyton, they get a large and athletic player who can immediately fill the need at right tackle and eventually move to the left side. Guyton didn’t allow a sack in more than 350 pass-blocking snaps at right tackle last season for the Sooners. 31. San Francisco 49ers: Jordan Morgan, OT/G, Arizona The offensive line is the biggest area of need for the 49ers and Morgan checks a lot of boxes given his versatility to play guard or tackle. He’s also fast for his size, which speaks to his ability to pull and get to the second level on running plays, and graded as solid pass blocker. 32. Kansas City Chiefs: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia An elite route runner who is savvy at getting open, quick out of his breaks and capable of picking up yards after the catch, the sure-handed McConkey would be a welcome addition to quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ offense. View the full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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